Run Arthur Run

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

RUNNING was a part of my training during my cycling heydays. In fact, many other athletes who don’t compete in running like boxers, cagers, swimmers and tennis players, to name a few, also run because it is believed to improve, nimbleness of foot movements, chest breathing,  and the functioning of the heart.

Nowadays, it is quite rare for a province to hold a running event along the road, short or long distance, unlike in the 1970s. A 42-kilometer foot-race used to be held annually called “Gen. MacArthur Marathon” on January 9 to commemorate the 1945 Lingayen Gulf landing of Gen. Douglas MacArthur and the U.S allied forces. The epic-race was always participated in by the best of the country’s foot runners and majority of them from our province. This event was pioneered by a media man, the late Hermie Manantan. It’s sad that it was discontinued after Manantan’s death.

Last July 4, the foot-race was revived in the province and dubbed this time as “Earth Run, a marathon for the environment,” a project of Land Transportation Office chief and Department of Transportation and Communication assistant secretary Arturo Lomibao.

I was there not to join the race but to cover the event for this paper. With the boyish-looking general at the helm, the affair drew in more than 800 runners, mostly students from different schools in the province. There were two categories: a three-kilometer for below 13 years old and five-kilometer for above 13 years old. The race, which started and finished across the Dagupan City plaza, carried the theme of “Run and Walk for good health and clean air” and was directed by Mr. Edil Abalos of the Dagupan City Schools Division Office.

“I wish the distance were longer, like 8 or 10 kilometers and I’m sure I can finish the race,” said Lomibao in jest during the awarding ceremony wherein he was assisted by Dagupan City LTO chief Pat Urmaza.

“We are staging this marathon to drumbeat the advocacy of the DOTC for clean air, good health, good environment and especially the road safety,” Lomibao added.

After the affair, I joined the media troops and attended the birthday bash of the good general at his newly built house in Barangay Gueguesangen in my town Mangaldan, where he was born and raised.

Hundreds of people from all walks of life attended the occasion that include prominent personalities like PNP generals Leopoldo Bataoil and (ret.) Alfredo de Vera, Colonels Candito Quejardo (ret.) and Paquito Navarette; politicians like 4th district BM Riby Villegas, Mangaldan hizzoner Herminio Romero, Tito Sarzaba, Bona de Vera, Atty. Gonzalo Duque, Wilfredo Ocampo, Rolly Dee and Benjie Torio, LTO officers led by Urmaza, to name a few.

After the two-day affair, my friend and song composer Laloe Garcia (no relation to me), an avid Lomibao fan said, “if there’s a song by Neil Sedaka called ‘Run Samson Run’, I can make a jingle song for him that will be called ‘Run Arthur Run’. It will be apt for him being a foot-runner and soon, a political runner, too.’

I know what he meant. I can already smell politics in the air, particularly in the fourth district for the 2010 polls. This early, politicians are already jockeying for positions in their own turfs.

So the question is: Is the former PNP chief really serious about turning into a politician?

I guess so. But better ask Wilfredo Ocampo, Rolly Dee or even Benjie Torio. They know better than me.

* * * *

Kudos to our local young wood pushers who brought home some gold, silver and bronze medals for our country during the 10th ASEAN Age Group Chess Championships held in Hue, Vietnam on June 6-16. To Cherry Ann Mejia of Labrador/San Jacinto, Samantha Glo Revita of Rosales and Dennis Gutierrez of San Fabian, keep up the good work!

And big thanks to Gov. Amado Espino Jr. for granting them some cash gifts for their efforts. Yes, they deserve to receive some to boost their morale in another international competition in the future. I hope the sports-minded governor will do the same for our other international athletes.

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