40. Forty. Kuwarenta.
Yup. You guess it right. There is a connection between "40" and "quarantine", the most notorious of words in this time of the global pandemic. The word "quarantine" originates from quarantenia, the Venetian language form, meaning "forty days." This is due to the 40-day isolation of ships and people practiced as a measure of disease prevention related to the
Bubonic Plague. In the Middle Ages, the Black Death wiped out an estimated 30% of Europe's population. Such a disaster led local authorities to establish measures of containment to handle recurrent epidemics. A documents from 1377 states that before entering the city-state of Ragusa in Dalmatia (present day Croatia), newcomers had to spend 30 days (a
trentine) in a restricted place to see whether the symptoms of Black Death would develop. In 1448 the Venetian Senate (formally known as Consiglio del Pregadi) prolonged the waiting period to 40 days, thus giving birth to the term "quarantine."
40 Days and 40 nights. There are numbers that appear repeatedly throughout the Holy Bible. Among these numbers is 40. It is mentioned 159 times throughout the Old and New testaments. In Genesis, there is talk of 40 days and 40 nights of rain on the earth so as to flood it in the time of Noah. The number 40 is also present in the covenant the God confirmed with Moses who gone up the mountain of God and stayed there for 40 days and 40 nights. In the Book of Samuel, there is the Philistine bully Goliath taunting the Israelites for 40 days. When Jesus Christ was tested in the wilderness by the devil, the Gospel of Matthew writes that the Lord had been fasting for 40 days and 40 nights. We see see in the Acts of the Apostles that there were 40 days between the crucifixion and the ascension.
Perhaps, just the guess of a BP, it is this confluence of biblical narrative and the isolation utility which would shed a bit of light as to why among Filipinos, the 40th day is a significant date after the death of a loved one.
For Filipinos, death is one of the more significant occasions in family life, and even among friends. A death of a relative or a friend among Filipinos is an opportunity to strengthen ties. To pay respect and honor the relationship of the deceased, long lost relatives, friends and even relatives working abroad are reunited. But the covid19 global pandemic has put an excruciating wrinkle to the desire to be reunited among family, relatives and friends during the bereavement process. For many, it is simply not possible to be able to travel across national and even local borders so as to be physically present to pay respect to the dead and express close solidarity with the grieving family and friends.
From the day of the death of a loved one, you will find friends and family gathering at the home of deceased in prayer. Forty days of prayer will help the dead reach the afterlife. A ceremonial mass is held at the end of this 40-day period.
Our dear high school batchmate and running friend
Ernesto Venancio P. Badong passed away with the grace of God and in the presence of family on June 23, 2020. The 40th day is Aug 2. The plan of the family is to have a mass offered for the eternal repose of the soul of Ernie and to visit his grave at the cemetery. We, his close friends, are invited and I'm sure, some of us who can will join the family on Aug 2.
But more than that, there has been that thought swimming in our minds as to how aptly we can pay our respects to Ernie. Why not a run? Why not a 40km run on the 40th day for Ernie? I broached this idea early July with fellow 83nean Bob, the closest friend of Ernie among the row5runners and Bob was immediately into it. He too was thinking about a 40km run for Ernie for quite some time as well. Call it coincidence but my imaginative mind was thinking of the possibility of the soul of our dear Ernie whispering in our dreams. Kind of like a dream where Ernie floating in the air in his Hoka whispering "if you hashtag it #forty4ernie, they will come."
With both Bob and myself daydreaming, we approached the core group of the row5runners in Metro Manila and Naga City and together we hashed the plan for the #forty4ernie" - a virtual running event in honor and in memory of Ernie. Core group members Ghibz, Art, Ed, Jobel, Allen, Batu and Fards were all engaged in the planning and execution. It will be done on the weekend of Aug 1 & Aug 2. To make it more inclusive, 3 categories were created: Lone Wolf (solo runner doing 40kms); Wolf Pack (4 runners doing 10 kms each); and Wolf Pups (8 runners doing 5kms each). Of course, we cleared the idea with Ernie's family. His wife and eldest sister were kind and generous in giving promptly their ok.
At first, we though of having the #forty4ernie for Ernie's classmates and fellow row5runners. But word leaked to others in the local running community and soon I was fielding query in facebook private message from runners who were asking if they can join. So, after getting the consensus of the core group, it was decided to open this to all runners who were touched one way or the other, by the inspiring example of Ernie as a runner and a friend.
To streamline the communication flow, a facebook group was created and soon members were pouring in. A week before the Aug 1-2 weekend, the number of members in the
#Forty4Ernie has mushroomed to 140 members, a healthy mix of relatives, classmates and fellow runners of Ernie.
To cascade the protocols for the #forty4ernie running event, a virtual run briefing via zoom videocon was conducted on the night of July 31. More than 2 dozen attended, mostly the team leaders of the various Wolf Packs and Wolf Pups. It was an opportunity for the team leaders and participants to express their reason for joining, all of which were about a message of solidarity. Included in the cascade was an instruction to the runners to follow social distancing guidelines in their run.
The highlight of the virtual run briefing was the sharing of the prayer crafted by Ernie's son - Eric. It was a fitting send off for all the runner-participants who were now poised to embark on a run in honor of Eric's father.
So, here we are. Being a Filipino. Being a friend to a comrade in running. Much talking and praying have been done. As of Jul 31, 132 runners have registered: 59 for the Wolf Pack, another 59 for the Wolf Pups and 14 for the Lone Wolf. More than triple of what we initially expected. As the good people of Nike would say it - "Just Do it!". The #forty4ernie" that is and here are the photos of the run in honor and in memory of a fallen comrade in sole:
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Big Brother is watching. Imagining that this is a CCTV photo of row5runners of Naga City preparing to start their #Forty4Ernie run early in the morning of Aug 1.
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Ernie's wife Elena, son Eric and daughter Estefanie Badong ran/walked 5kms to visit his grave at the start of the #Forty4Ernie.
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The St. Joseph the Worker Parish Church and its leaning tower dwarfing the members of Milaor Running Team. It fielded at least 2 Wolf Pack squads.
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Two of Ernie's siblings joined in the #Forty4Ernie early Saturday morning: Manay Ningning and Manoy Vic. Ernie is the youngest among 7 kids of Juan Badong and Clara Palencia.
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Pinoy Runners Global's Rona light a candle in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City before starting her 5km run for the #Forty4Ernie.
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While fellow 83nean Bodjie prayed for Ernie in front of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help in a chapel in Legazpi City during his 10km run.
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In the majesty of Mayon Volcano, runners of Team SUBO, Team Reformers and RUNconada show their solidarity for #Forty4Ernie.
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| Ernie's relatives proud of their #Forty4Ernie with the Golden Gate Bridge as background. |
WOLF PUPS: 52 runners with 5kms each
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| "Barangay Captains" and moderators made up the Pinoy Runner Global Wolf Pups team. Places they ran included Barcelona, Chicago, Dallas, New York, Virginia and Cebu. |
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"Spouses Wolves" had 4 married couples from First Balfour. The family that runs together endure together.
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| Ernie's relatives in the Bay Area banded together to form the "Golden Gate Roadrunners" Wolf Pups team. Great job by Ernie's niece Aileen. They honored Ernie by running 5kms across the magnificent bridge which Ernie wished to someday run across. |
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Never a boring bunch, the "row5rainbows" Wolf Pups squad spread color and cheer with their 5km run in Naga City.
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Two Colegialas from Batch 89 joined with their 5 kms: Annelie in New York and Ana Marie (with Ozlo) in California.
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WOLF PACK: 69 runners with 10kms each
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| The fastest Wolf Pack is the "Nabua Wolves." They looked like virtual Kenyans running in the town of Nabua. Each runner of this Wolf Pack gobbled up 10kms in 42 minutes & change. |
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Team Oldskull choose the foothills of Mt. Iriga for their Wolf Pack route. They were chillin and lovin their playground so much that they added 6 kms more to the original 10kms in their runnin of the #Forty4Ernie.
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Catanduanes is a rock of a paradise where Ernie had a 65km ultra back in 2017. The "Island Rock Wolves" are proud to represent at the #Forty4Ernie this happy island.
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From down South, we have the "Samal Runners", a Wolf Pack of lady runners who showed mostly sub 1 hour time for the 10kms.
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In the shadow of Mt. Iriga, the 2 Wolf Pack squads of Joggernaut did their 10kms for the #Forty4Ernie.
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Of varying shapes and from various places, the members of 2 Wolf Pack squads represented RUNconada in the #Forty4Ernie. Albay, Bulacan, Cam Sur and a ship are the provenance of their 10km run.
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In the shadow of the historic Leaning Tower of Milaor, the 2+ Wolf Pack squads of Milaor Running Team stood proud and erect as they finished their 10kms for the #Forty4Ernie.
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A Colegiala and two Seminaristas, 1983 edition. The 3 combined for 40kms at the #Forty4Ernie.
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The home Wolf Pack squad of Ernie, the "running 83neans" dialed in their 10kms from Canada, Laguna, Metro Manila and New Jersey.
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Lone Wolf: 14 runners with 40kms each
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The praying of the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous mysteries of the Holy Rosary added a bit of cadence to the running of the 40kms by the Bicolano Penguin. Praying at the #Forty4Ernie while running 20X around the village.
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A medical frontliner at the Bicol Medicat Center, Joggernaut's Peter find some comfort and respite in his Lone Wolf 40kms for Ernie.
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Another medical frontliner, Doc Gilbert had an abundance of green for company in his native Pili for his Lone Wolf 40kms.
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A Bataan Death March Ultramarathon veteran like Ernie, John Nathan found it appropriate to have his 40kms for Ernie along parts of the famed BDM route in San Fernando-Angeles-Mabalacat area.
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Renson stayed in his native Sariaya for his 40kms. In 2015, Ernie and fellow row5runners ran in Sariaya where we first met this well-admired ultra runner.
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A runner Ernie literally met and became friends on the road in an ultra event in Laguna, Mark joined as a Lone Wolf to celebrate the serendipitous friendship.
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The Lone Wolfet, Team Sinarapan's Myla had a Tour of Buhi for her 40kms for Ernie. Finish line for her is the Risen Lord statue on top of a hill somewhere in Igbac.
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Tour of Sorsogon for RD Zenik for his Lone Wolf 40kms.
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For his Lone Wolf 40kms, RD Rodell ran in Tayabas which was part of the route of the QUMAR 70Km Ultra which Ernie joined in 2014.
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Lone Wolf Fahd cooling down after his grueling 40kms+ for Ernie which took him to the hills of Balatan and back to Iriga.
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The Lone Wolf is now a Lake Wolf. RUNconada's James Bernard striking a pose beside Lake Buhi whose waters spawn the smallest fish in the world.
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Brian Orly did a Mt Iriga 360 run for his #Forty4Ernie. He was joined by fellow RUNconada runner James Bernard.
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Ernie's most frequent running companions, Orly and Bob passed by UP Diliman for their Lone Wolf 40kms. The State University is a favorite training run venue for our dear Ernie.
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As the designated sweepers, an assigned task for the duo is to visit Ernie's grave during their Lone Wolf run. It signaled the conclusion of the #Forty4Ernie
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To conclude this write up, allow us to share something precious from Manay Nora, the eldest sister of Ernie. With roughly a 20-year difference, she confided that she was more like a mother to Ernie. As the #Forty4Ernie drew to a close, we requested her for a message to be shared to all those participated. Here are her words, both sincere and well disposed:
"Dear All.
After the zoom celebration of the Holy Eucharist you had so efficiently set up, after the tributes to my brother Erning while he was still in the hospital, after all the memories, remembrances and eulogies shared at his wake, I was flabbergasted, completely bowled over upon learning of the #Forty4Ernie event that you organized.
I have run out of words to describe how grateful I am for the love and everlasting friendships you, his classmates, batchmates and friends have shared with my brother Erning. To honor him with an event of his favorite sport is another precious gift. I can see him grinning from ear to ear.
On August 1, my husband Ito and I planned to walk across the NY Tappan Zee Bridge. Parking space was full when we got there. I asked for Erning's intercession to find us a spot. None opened up while we waited for 15 minutes.
We headed back to our community park where Erning warmed up for the NYC Marathon. That's where he wanted us to be. I could visualize him running still; he could barely contain his excitement in anticipation of the fulfillment of his dream. I don't run like he did; I walk briskly to exercise.
I could feel his presence beside me while I walked last Saturday (Aug 1). We had planned to walk the Camino to Santiago de Compostela in Spain for the jubilee in 2021. I prayed all four Mysteries of the Rosary as I usually do when I walk. Now I know from your that Erning did the same thing during his runs. I believe he is with Our Lord, Our Blessed Mother and all the saints in heaven now. While I walked, I prayed especially for Erning to intercede for us, for his friends and especially for his family he left behind.
My heart aches talking about my brother Erning in the past tense but it brings me to a closer acceptance of the reality that our Erning is no longer with us. But in the midst of pain and sorrow of his passing, with loving and caring friends like you, I am comforted with the assurance that Erning is gone but will never be forgotten. He lives in all of us and in all the people his life has touched. Thank you all. One day in the near future, I will enjoy the privilege of meeting you.
Much love, Manay Nora."
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Manay Nora in her 5km brisk walking for Ernie in New York
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| Ernie's family and close relatives at the mass in his memory last Aug 2. |
In response to Manay Nora and Ernie's family and relatives, we thank them back for giving us the blessing to undertake the #Forty4Ernie. More importantly, this is a group effort by the running 83neans and row5runners with the support of the running community, here and abroad. For us in the core group, we are following the whispers of Ernie in our dreams.
Susurrat somnia nostra. Itineris vestigia. Domus amicus noster.
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