"It's not the destination, it's the journey." At my age, marathons are not anymore about the finish time. I ditched my Garmin many blue moons ago. The marathons can be about the route, filled with many significant places. To paraphrase the immortal words of American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, it's not the finish time (whether you establish a new Personal Best time) but the journey, Enjoying the journey, about the getting there, is every bit as important (or even more important) to me as arriving at the finish line and looking at the number of hours and minutes it took you to get there. It is about enjoying the captivating places and interesting culture situated along the 42 kilometers of a full mary. And here in the Philippines, we runners are blessed with a number of marathoners that feature fascinating places. Such is the Iloilo Dinagyang Marathon.
Held in January 21, the Iloilo Dinagyang Marathon is hosted by Iloilo City, a city I have not ever visited prior to 2024. Iloilo, the province and the city, is a place that the Bicolano Penguin (BP) have been ardently looking forward to visit given the many positive stories and positive reviews about it. It is often described as the "high-achieving, progressive urban center" of Western Visayas. These words are not mine, they are the words of the multinational company PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited in describing Iloilo City in their report. And these words are not to be taken lightly, as truly Iloilo City has been garnering recognition and awards. To name a few:
1. At the national level, Iloilo City is the country's Top 4 Overall Most Competitive Highly Urbanized City (HUC) and Top 1 outside Metro Manila.
2. The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) hailed Iloilo City as the 2023 Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit under City Level 1B (Provincial HUCs) category.
3. In 2021 and 2023, Mobility Awards recognized Iloilo City as one of the most bike-friendly cities in the Philippines.
4. In 2022 and 2023, the Department of Trade and Industry awarded Iloilo City as the Most Competitive and Most Improved HUC in Western Visayas.
5. In Aug 2023, Iloilo City was cited as the Most Progressive Low Carbon Transport City during the culmination program of the Capacity Building of National Government Agencies and Local Government Units on Low Carbon Transport Project (CaB-LCT), an initiative implemented and sponsored by the UNDP, DOTR and UP.
And just recently, in December 2023, Iloilo City received global recognition. Iloilo City was recognized as Creative City of Gastronomy by UNESCO Creative Cities Network, making it the first city from the Philippines to be designated as such. This recognition highlights the rich culinary heritage and vibrant food culture of the people of Iloilo.
Truly, it is rich and vibrant. The food culture of the Ilonggos in particular. And thanks in large part to the very warm hospitality of my fellow First Balfour executive and marathoner Tessa Villanueva and her family, who have deep roots in Iloilo City, the Bicolano Penguin was able to experience it first hand, via a 2-day food marathon of some sort.
2-day FOOD MARATHON (Jan 19-Jan 20).
Arriving on time at 6am (Friday Jan 19) at the Iloilo International Airport, Tessa and I were fetched by her younger brother Mark and sister-in-law Arlyn. Straightaway, Mark drove us to the famous Iloilo River Esplanade where an old favorite is located, Tatay Andres Patahan .
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| In the new digs of of old favorite Tatay Andres Patahan. This is along the Esplanade. |
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| Kansi Pata: Simple to look at but rich in taste. |
Established in 1974, Tatay Andres Patahan has become a favorite by generations of Iloilo City residents for its simple and practical meals, particularly the Kansi Pata Soup. Non-residents would typically refer to the Kansi as the Ilongo version of the Bulalo but in my mind this is a disservice. The taste of the Kansi is different and dare I say richer than the Bulalo. This is thanks in large part to the Kansi's souring agent, the Batwan which is a fruit native to Western Visayas.
Famished from the early morning flight, I easily gobbled up one order of the Kansi Pata. The delicious sourness of it brought a smile to my face. A smile because looking at the place, Tatay Andres Patahan was already almost full, even at that hour of 7:30am. It was full mostly of men and women who just finished their morning exercise at the Esplanade and I could not help but think how lucky these Iloilo City fitness buffs to have such a delicious diner opened already in the morning hours (my common complaint running in Metro Manila is the delicious eating places do not open till after 10am).
A smile too because after consuming the tasty hot soup, I am re-energized. Needed the energy for I knew we will be having a walk in the 9-kilometre long urban esplanade and linear park along the Iloilo River.
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| How appropriate a sign. The Esplanade is a symbol of Iloilo City leveling up. |
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| The BP with Tessa, Arlyn and Mark. Told them how blessed they are to have the Esplanade. |
We walked for a couple of kilometers. It was a relatively short walk along the Esplanade for us but it was enough for me to see how much pride and joy the Ilonggos have on this major public project and how well-maintained the park is. The Esplanade was opened more than 11 years ago, a brainchild of Iloilo progressive leaders like Sen. Franklin Drilon, Mayor Jerry Trenas and Mayor Jed Mabilog, and yet the park is clean, devoid of graffiti eyesores, and highly utilitarian for the residents. The walk along the Esplanade was a brief introduction for me to the progress being made in this part of our Philippine archipelago.
Our next stop, after the trip to the Esplanade, was the Old District in the City Proper. We first parked in front of the Harbor Town Hotel in the corner of J.M. Basa and Aldeguer Streets, then we walked towards another old favorite roughly a couple hundred meters away. But before we reached the food destination, I spied a monument of some sort nestled in a public park nearby. Being fascinated with history, I requested my hosts to detour a bit so that we could have a closer look.
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| Rich in patriotism this Iloilo City is |
The monument in question is the World War 2 Memorial Wall for Iloilo Veterans at Sunburst Park. And good thing we took the time to take a closer look as enshrined on the marble wall are the names of patriots of Iloilo who bravely fought against the Japanese invaders. I counted 10 patriots with the same family name of my hosts. This Memorial Wall at Sunburst park plus many more war monuments (like the Balantang Memorial Cemetery National Shrine in Jaro District and the World War II History Wall in the Philippine Veterans Bank - Iloilo Branch) is yet another reminder of the abundance of history and patriotism in Iloilo.
Speaking of abundance, Roberto's has garnered a lot of praises from loyal customers, curious tourists and even in the internet. Here is what guidetothephilippines.ph wrote about it:
"Since 1978, Roberto's has been dubbed as the oldest, most famous, largest, and best tasting siopao in Iloilo. Decades passed but the popularity and the quality of their siopao still remains the same. Their humble Chinese restaurant still attracts locals and tourists to the city of Iloilo.
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| Just after 9am and a line starting to build up already at Roberto's. |
True enough, when we dropped by Roberto's after the detour to the memorial wall, there was already a crowd queuing inside for the famous siopao and the meatballs. And it was just after 9 in the morning. Wait till lunchtime and late afternoon (Roberto's closes before night time), and the line of customers stretches outside the restaurants. I took a bite of the meatballs and soon realized what the fuzz is all about: old school tastiness and tanginess at very affordable prices. Guaranteed satisfaction indeed.
The next food place we visited is a 1940s bakery that has satisfied a lot of hungry and curious locals and tourists alike. It is the Buho Bakery and it is literally a hole in the wall establishment. Buho is the Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) word for hole. To reach the bakery from Roberto's which is along J.M. Basa (formerly known as Calle Real), we walked and turned a right in Mapa Street. After walking for about 50 meters along Mapa Street, we took a left at small alleyway leading to Ortiz Street. Midway thru that alleyway is the famous Hole in the Wall, otherwise known as Buho Bakery. Still owned and operated by the original founder (the Foo Family), this bakery is now an Iloilo landmark where customers can enjoy old school breads like panso (a bread filled with coconut concoction), teren-teren, and Spanish bread while savoring ""...the memories of yesteryears an old hangout brings back.".
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| Literally, a Hole in the Wall. |
Iloilo City has an impressive provenance, one of which is having been elevated to a city by royal decree by Queen Regent Maria Christina of Spain in 1889. Given its rich history, the city has plenty of heritage houses. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, prominent families built grandiose mansions all over Iloilo City. In a
blog article, noted DLSU educator Dr. Emiliano Hudtohan counted at least 26 heritage houses in the city. Of these 26, at least 10 have been refurbished and are opened to dining for customers. One such heritage place where one may indulge in delicious food is
Balay Remedios and this where my hosts brought me after the jaunt in the old district.
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| Elegance knows no age. The majestic Balay Remedios |
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| Photo inside Balay Remedios with two generations of the Villanueva clan. |
Located along Bonifacio Drive, in front of the National Museum Western Visayas, Balay Remedios was built in 1927. It is named after Dona Remedios Sian-Villanueva, the wife of Don Eusebio C. Villanueva. My hosts are grandchildren of the couple. The Villanueva family opened Balay Remedios to the public as a cafe, museum, events place and restaurant offering classic Filipino, native Ilonggo and Spanish dishes. In my visit, I was awed by the distinctive front featuring ornate grills and exterior wooden panels and the pastel colored interior which no doubt created an ambiance that enhances the dining experience. Being full from partaking of food delights from Tatay Andres, Roberto's and the Buho Bakery the past 5 hours, I had to decline of having a pasta meal. Instead I sipped the Lemongrass cooler in Balay Remedios which truly refreshed in the humid late morning hour.
Noontime was at hand. We were joined by Tessa's older brother Jose. From Balay Remedios, we were off to the Villa Arevalo District of Iloilo City. Along the Oton-Arevalo Blvd. sits another landmark in Iloilo cuisine, the
Tatoy's Manokan and Seafoods Restaurant. It was started in the 1970s by Honorato "Tatoy"Espinosa, a local fisherman. What started out as a nondescript nipa shack by the beach with 3 tables has since flourished to a well-known restaurant priding itself with offering splendidly delicious local dishes that best represents Iloilo's local flavor.
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| Tatoy's offers a delightful bounty of local dishes from the land and sea. Hands down, the best of the lot is the Daraag (native lechon manok). |
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| The smile of satiety in Tatoy's. |
I am a seafood afficianado so it was not surprising that I thoroughly enjoyed the buttered shrimp (pasayan), the grilled stuffed squid (lucos) and the crabmeat. But what delightfully surprised me is the Daraag or native lechon manok. It is a barbecued chicken dish but what sets it apart from the others is that Tatoy's uses native chicken which are definitely leaner, tastier and less fat than what is used by Mang Inasal and other chicken inasal restaurants. I'd say just to taste again Tatoy's Daraag, I would travel back again to Iloilo City. Truly, Tatoy's is a gastronomy heaven. It helped too that Tatoy's is located beside the beach, getting an abundance of sea breeze and a good view of the idyllic island of Guimaras.
Roughly seven hours in Iloilo City and I was already using the word "heaven" to describe its food scene. And the food marathon was not yet over,not by a mile. But the Bicolano Penguin and generous hosts have to take a break first from all that eating. So after lunch, I was dropped off Days Hotel just in time for the 2pm check in. I agreed with my hosts to see each other again just before 7pm to have dinner in a restaurant just across the Iloilo River from the hotel.
Muelle Deli & Restaurant is the name of the place. And the name "Muelle" itself, meaning "dock" or "wharf" in Spanish, could be symbolic as the restaurant could be the starting point of a gastronomic and culinary journey. Likewise, it sits on the banks of the Iloilo River, at a point near the mouth where the ports are located. Muelle's location gives its diners an excellent view of the waterway and the heritage buildings along the river.
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| Cheers to good food, good music, good friends and a good marathon. |
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| In front of Muelle. The BP with my most hospitable hosts. |
Arriving at Muelle at past 7pm, we got ourselves a good table. This time, the original group from this morning was joined by Tessa's cousin Grace. We proceeded to take a look at the menu which had interesting sections like Seafood Symphony, Heritage-inspired Tapas, and Farm-to-Table delights. Given that the night was young and the ambiance had a breezy feel to it, we also checked on the carefully curated wine list. Pretty soon we find ourselves raising our wine glasses to cheer for our good fortune in the marathon that was to come about 29 hours away. There was good live music to be had in Muelle. On that night, there was a special performer, Rico Soliman of the
Father and Sons Band Philippines and we certainly enjoyed listening to "Miss na Miss Kita", "Sigaw ng Puso" and folk music from the 70s. Too bad, we had to leave Muelle before 10pm as we plan to sleep early so that we could go on another adventure the following morning.
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| We like it at LIKE. Thank you Wilson, the hard working MENRO of Leganes. |
Tessa and Grace were generous with their time to drive me to Leganes on that Saturday morning. Waiting for us in LIKE was another kind-hearted person,
Wilson Batislaon the municipal environment and natural resource officer (MENRO) of the Leganes LGU. Upon our arrival in the 15-hectare ecopark, he gave us a tour of the mangrove forest which grew out of an abandoned fishpond devastated by Typhoon Frank (circa 2009). Wilson was very generous with his knowledge of mangroves and true to provincial hospitality, granted our request to plant a handful of mangrove seedlings. Listening to his stories, I could not help but be inspired of the collaborative spirit of the barangay residents, the NGO volunteers, the civil servants of the LGU like Wilson, the elected officials of Leganes and the regional DENR officers to make LIKE a success story.
After the mangrove planting in Leganes, we were on our way back to Iloilo City. Passing by the impressive Jaro Cathedral, I requested that we make a brief stop so that I can visit the parish office to make a mass offering for the safety of all runners of the Iloilo Dinagyang Marathon. The brief stop gave me a chance already to have a closer look at the huge cathedral and marvel at its
Romanesque Revival Architecture . I took the opportunity to go inside the church, which is also known as the
National Shrine of Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria , because I knew that even though the actual running of the marathon on Jan 21 would pass thru this church, it would be in the very early morning hour which is still dark. In the bright natural light of the midday sun, the beauty and grandeur of the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro shined thru.
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| Inside and outside, the Jaro Cathedral is a beauty. |
After Jaro, the next district is Lapaz. Ground zero for all that is Lapaz Batchoy is the Lapaz Public Market. This is where we drove next coming out of the Jaro Cathedral. Inside the public marker, there are several eateries offering Lapaz Batchoy. All look enticing. Of these many options, my hosts picked Netong's.
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| Netong's Mega Bowl. It looks delicious. It tastes delicious |
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| The color Yellow is an appetite stimulant. |
Netong's Original Special La Paz Batchoy was established by Leonito "Netong" Guillergan in 1948 who was one of the firsts to start a batchoyan in Iloilo City (the others are Federico Guillergan of Deco's and Teodorico Lepura of Ted's). Entering the place, I instantly like the colorful vibe of Netong's. It was propitious of something delectable to come. I ordered the Netong's Mega Bowl and, true enough, savoring it had me in Noodles Xanadu. I would dare include it in my Top 3 Noodle Soup list together with
Ma Mon Luk Asado Mami and
Tya Kamot Kinalas . What is there to praise about Netong's Mega Bowl of La Paz Batchoy ? Let us start with the flavorful broth made possible by having bone marrow in it. Next is the noodles which are perfectly chewy. And then the chicharon bits are crunchy and plentiful. No wonder then that my hosts, both Tessa and Grace, picked Netong's.
Such gracious and generous hosts they are. I would not have been able to visit as many a food landmarks as I just did in the past day and a half without the hospitality and patience of Tessa and family. We could have gone for more gastronomic hot spots in other Iloilo districts like Molo and Lapuz but marathon prudence dictates that I already cut on the carbo loading caper. Need to have some sleep already as the full marathon starts at 1am (Jan 21).
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| The Pinoy Runners PH contingent to the Iloilo Dinagyang Marathon. Supporting local running. |
So it was that I was already in my hotel room by lunchtime and had an early afternoon siesta to recharge. By 2:30pm, I was awake and proceeded to the Mandurriao district. There at the
Corehab Iloilo Physical Therapy Clinic, I had my kinesiology taping done by PT
Jerome Pornan III. Then proceeded to Festive Walk Mall for a meet-up at the Bistro Ocean City restaurant with
Pinoy Runners PH members running in the Iloilo Dingayang Marathon. At 6pm, I was back in my hotel room again for another round of sleep. Start time for the full marathon was an hour past midnight.
8-hr FULL MARATHON (Jan 21).
12 midnight I woke up. It was a 2 minute walk from my hotel to the starting line in front of the Iloilo provincial capitol, so I took my sweet time gearing up. Quarter to 1pm, I was in the capitol grounds, just in time to hear the start of the pre-race program. In his race briefing, Race Director
Troy Tiplan touched on the key safety reminders and went thru the 42-km route. He emphasized that the Iloilo Dinagyang Marathon is a heritage run, in the sense that it is more than just a race but a journey celebrating the city's premier festival and rich cultural heritage. That is why the organizers carefully planned the route of both the 25km and 42km race in such a way that the runners will pass thru a number of iconic landmarks that Iloilo City's rich history has to offer.
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| Gun Start Schedule |
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| 42-km route map |
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| With safety as priority, the organizers had this required gear list for the 42km and 25km participants |
After the race briefing, with a handful minutes to spare before the gun start, I approached Troy to congratulate him for a great job of the organizing team. Even with the races still the start, the Iloilo Dinagyang Marathon looks to be already a success. For one, the organizers were successful in getting more than two dozens of big ticket sponsors. The communication activities for the event, both in traditional and social media, are extensive and effective. Also, the efficient way that the race bibs were distributed prior to race day was a signal that the event is well-planned.
I did tell Troy that I expect to use almost all the 8 hour cut off finish time due to a lack of training on my part. Troy told me not to worry and that the organizing team has designated a sweeper to accompany the race stragglers all throughout the 42 kms. A comforting thought for the row5runner in me, and yet another sign that the organizing team is a proactive and effective one.
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| Start of the 42km race. |
The gun start happened on time at 1pm, and 160 + marathoners were on their way into the full mary. As what is customary for the BP, I was the last 42km participant leave the starting line. In that way, nobody will be able to overtake me as I am already the last, at least in the first couple of kms of the marathon.
Truth be told, I did some overtaking myself the first 5 to 7 kms. By the time I was chugging along Luna Street, the BP was not anymore the last runner, but the 5th to the last runner. For a slow runner like me, being able to overtake another marathoner (which is very rare for me) has that rejuvenating effect similar to that of the
Quickening in Highlander lore. Rejuvenated, I had a lot of confidence on that road leading to the Jaro Cathedral that I figured I could afford to have a few photos in front of the historic landmark.
So upon reaching the front of the Jaro Cathedral, I requested a race volunteer who was manning the hydration station in front of the church, to take a photo of me. The race volunteer was an enthusiastic one and she had me posing a few times in front of the church and in front of the bell tower of Jaro which oddly enough stood apart from the church where it belongs. Stood apart as in on the other side of the road. I queried the eager volunteer why the bell tower (which is locally known as the
Campanario de Jaro or Jaro Belfry) is on the other side of the road. She answered that the Jaro Belfry is actually part of a different and older church. True enough, upon further googling, there is this
article from BluPrint ( a website on Filipino architecture and design) stating that the Jaro Belfry precedes the Jaro Cathedral, which was built in 1874, by about 130 years. A much older church, built sometime between 1742 and 1744, used to stand to the next to the belfry before it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1787. Befittingly, as proof that the two are separate and distinct landmarks, they have separate years of being declared historical landmark by the National Historical Institute of the Philippines (NHIP): 1976 for the Jaro Cathedral and 1984 for the Jaro Belfry.
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| Two thumbs up as in this part of the race, the BP got to be in the shadow of two bonafide national historical landmarks. The Jaro Cathedral and the Jaro Belfry. |
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| The 29 meter high Jaro Belfry dwarfs the 1.65 meter low Bicolano Penguin. Visible are 3 of the statues representing four cardinal virtues: Fortitude, Justice, Prudence and Temperance. |
All these talk and googling of history takes time and soon I realized the other 4 runners behind me have overtaken me already. So as I depart from the hydration station in front of the Jaro Cathedral, I find myself in the company of the designated sweeper whose sole task during the whole race is to run with the marathoner currently in last place, which happened to be slow little old me.
Running with a sweeper has its benefits. Prime among which is the opportunity to have a conversation with another person. Talking to the sweeper, I got to know his name. He is Andresito Nograles, an accomplished ultra marathoner, having been a podium finisher in a couple of 100km+ endurance races in Western Visayas. Observing his running style, it is poetry in motion. No wasted effort. It can be mesmerizing at times.
Mesmerized too I was when we reached the next iconic landmark, somewhere in between Km 10 and Km 15. It is the fabled
Molo Church whose construction was initiated in 1831. Declared a national historical landmark by the NHIP in 1992, this church features gothic architecture emphasized by the church facade showcasing towers adorned with numerous spires and pointed arches. Also known as St. Anne Parish Church, it is recognized as "the feminist church" because it mainly contains statues of female saints, 16 to be exact.
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| The BP and sweeper Andresito in front of the magnificent Molo Church |
It is said that Dr. Jose Rizal visited Molo Church while on his way to Dapitan in Zamboanga del Sur in the year 1886. I wondered what our National Hero would have said upon seeing the church. I took a photo of the Molo Church in all its lighted glory and sent it to a good friend, who like JR, is an avid traveller. The friend, her name is Christiane, immediately exclaimed: "Nice!!! Similar to the churches in Europe." As for me, gazing into the lighted Molo Church at past 3am , it evoked images of the castles where the fairy tale princesses resided. Too bad, because of the time constraints of the marathon, me and the sweeper had to continue our running. I would have wanted to stay and even go inside and pay my respects to the 16 saints, one of which I am told is our family's favorite saint - Sta. Rosa de Lima.
We continued our run along San Pedro Street and pretty soon we were turning left to the Diversion Road (officially known as Sen. Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Avenue by virtue of
Republic Act No. 10662). This road is wide, at least 3 lanes each way and it traverses Iloilo City and the municipalities of Pavia, Santa Barbara, and Cabatuan. For a Napoleonic runner (short in stature) like me, the Diversion Road could be a Waterloo of some sort with its long straightaway, hardly a curve or 2 to break the boring monotony of the proceedings. But what did Napoleon Bonaparte say about
justice? One of the greatest general of all time said
"Do not talk to me of goodness, of abstract justice, of nature law. Necessity is the highest law..."
So it is with a sense of necessity, that I floundered on, the indefatigable Andresito in tow. But just before we reached the SM Iloilo Mall, we chanced upon a marathoner with cramps being tended on by a volunteer ambulance crew. As his mandate was to accompany the last runner, Andresito had to stay behind and check on the injured runner. I proceeded with the race, solo this time. And it was still dark.
It is difficult to run solo in a long distance event like a marathon or ultra, especially in the dark. The kilometers get longer and boring, and since it is still dark, there is a tendency to get sleepy. Plus, at that point of the race, along the Diversion Road, there were no iconic historical landmarks coming up to perk up my curiosity, and by extension my mental faculties. From Km. 15 to Km 20, this was the longest and slowest 5km stretch for me in the full mary. I had to resort to praying the Hail Mary to keep me awake for I was in great danger of sleep walking. The hydration station at the Km 20 marker proved to be an oasis for me as it had some much needed nourishment like boiled egg which is great with a pinch of salt. And salt they say, can help a person be awake.
At the Km 20 hydration station, Andresito the sweeper was able to catch up with me. He told me that that the runner dealing with cramps just before the SM Mall decided to withdraw from the race. So, it made me again the last runner currently in the race, and he is duty-bound, despite his God-given gift of enduring speed, no matter how slow I am, to accompany me the rest of the way. Such discipline. Such self-control. I guess this is what temperance is all about.
We proceeded with the race and running/walking again with another runner boosted my energy. Pretty soon we were gobbling up meters and kilometers which had us reaching Brgy Ungka (the last barangay of Iloilo City on the Diversion Road) and then the town of Pavia, entering its poblacion where we find the
Sta. Monica Parish Church. Passing the church, we re-entered the long road going to the international airport. We were soon in the town of Sta Barbara, and just before the Wilcon Depot, was the U-turn, at roughly the Km 25 point of the marathon.
U-turn meant we had to go back and re-wind and re-live the dreary running/walking of the straight diversion road. Good thing, the sweeper was still with me. But not for long. At the Km 33 mark, we caught up with another marathoner who was limping already. Loyal to his mandate, Andresito had to stay with the last runner and help him finish the race.
I was again running solo. And past 7:30 am already, the tropical sun was shining already. But I had to run for I only had an hour and change to cover the distance of 9 kms. So I dug deep into my energy reserve and faithfully followed the Galloway run-walk method. Modified, for I had no Garmin watch. So I used "poste-poste." 1 post walk, 4 posts run. This had me gaining speed but alas when I was nearing the ubiquitous SM Mall, the cramps started to happen.
Had no choice but to stop running and go for walking as every time I tried to run again, the cramps acted up again. Still had 5 kilometers to go with roughly 30 mins to go before cut off. Did a quick calculation. At a power walk speed of 5 kilometers per hour, mathematically impossible to cover the 5 kilometers in half an hour. I would be finishing beyond the 8-hr cut off time. Do I continue or not? I guess there is where fortitude comes in.
What is fortitude? It is courage in pain or in adversity. And what did Napoleon say about
courage ? Courage isn't having the strength to go on - it is going on when you don't have strength." On that Waterloo of a long straight wide road, I decided to keep going, regardless of the cramps. Regardless of whether or not I will reach the finish line within the cut off time. I decided to keep going because this is what runners do. We finish a race.
So it was that I cross the finish line of the Iloilo Dinagyang Marathon a few mmmmoments later. Thank God the finish line was still there. I looked at my celphone and the time it showed was - 9:29am. Twenty nine minutes beyond the 8 hour cut off time. A freaking DNF.
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| Race Director Troy with the BP at the Iloilo provincial capitol grounds |
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| BP with what was left of the lechon. Still got a piece. Crispy and delicious. |
But the Race Director and his team was kind and generous enough to give me a finisher shirt, a finisher medal and a finisher meal. They even offered me a piece of the lechon. I tasted it and it was sooooo delicious. It kind of lessened the bitterness of the feeling of a DNF.
There are so many lessons to be learned from my DNF but now is not the time to dwell on it. In the Land of #UswagIloilo , let us celebrate progress. And progress is about moving forward. To move forward I took the liberty to interview a few successful finishers of the Iloilo Dinagyang Marathon to have a sense of how they gauge this running event.
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| Jennifer nearing the finish line. |
First to respond to my interview is Jennifer Aimee Tan, the Champion. She is the first lady marathoner to cross the finish line and she is proudly Kapamilya as both of us work for the Lopez group of companies. This is what she replied when asked about what she liked best about the Iloilo Dinagyang Marathon:
"I like how the organizers executed the event. The event was well thought and well planned. I specifically appreciate that I felt safe during the whole marathon because there were many marshals and safety officers along the course. The aid stations were sufficient with water, sweets and fruits. The overall vibe was so vibrant and it makes you really feel the spirit of the Dinagyang Festival."
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| Roy (in blue Nike shirt) at the race briefing |
Next is Roy Simon who is one of the leaders (Kaps) of Pinoy Runners Ph. He replied when asked the same question about what he liked best about the Iloilo Dinagyang Marathon:
"Nice road in Iloilo City (wide, concrete & clean), good race organizing for a 1st time marathon organizer, sufficient hydration and food along the route, LGU support, potential for bigger runners participation."
Asked to elaborate on his last point, Roy expounded:
"With around 180++ in the marathon category, 150++ in the 25km category...they have the potential to attract bigger number of runners in the succeeding years based on feedback if the race becomes an annual event."
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| The BP with Michelle Uy Gerona (in white) and Weng Chang at the Pinoy Runners PH meet up the day before the race. |
And lastly, but certainly not the least, we have Michelle Uy Gerona (Bib# ), a kindred runner, whose answer to the same question is this:
"For me because it was unique - it is called a Heritage Run. Like you kasi I don't run a race... I just run to finish and enjoy the route. It is more of a Run-cation and my Gooseventures."
A follow up question to Michelle is what is the appeal of a heritage run to you. She answered:
"When we say heritage...what attracts me is its definition itself...honor, pride and courage. Just like running. When you reach the finish line..for me it is an honor, it is my pride and it's all about having the courage to start and do it again and again. Like the churches we passed by: there was so much honor and pride left in it and how much our ancestors have suffered to preserve it. Parang running din..so much sacrifice. Just to get that medal. What an honor."
Amen to that. Honor, Pride and Courage are all virtues. And virtues were in abundance at the Iloilo Dinagyang Marathon. How apt indeed for Iloilo Cty is the City of Love because of the hospitable and soft-spoken Ilonggos - the same people who give much importance to the preservation and promotion of their unique culture and tradition. And love is a virtue, a very important one. St Paul refers to love as the
greatest of all virtues.
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| The photo says it all. |
In the Iloilo Dinagyang Marathon, literally and figuratively, our heart beats in Iloilo City. We agree with the
good and progressive mayor .
#LovethePhilippines
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