Cebu Marathon: Pre-Race

Our Cebu adventure started Jan. 8, Friday until Cebu Marathon day on Jan 10., Sunday. Hubby, the kids, and I together with good friend and TBR Magazine photographer, Ben Chan of Photovendo and his assistant, Kevin, flew out of Manila first thing Friday morning.

MARRIOTT CEBU CITY

We parked our bags at Marriott Cebu City Hotel, our home for the next three days. The kids gave their immediate approval of the hotel upon seeing that the room was clean, cold, and, last but not the least, it had a tub in the bathroom!

Of course, later on, they took a dip in the pool, too.

RACE KIT REDEMPTION

After lunch in Ayala Center and a bit of shopping (really just a mad hunt for bubble bath soap), we headed to Ayala Center’s Active Zone to claim our race kits for Cebu Marathon.

We claimed our race kit in as little as 1 minute, perhaps even less. But, we stayed for over 30 minutes chatting with Cebuano runners, mostly the warm and welcoming Cebu Executive Runners club. It was nice to meet John Pages again, who I first met at QCIM, and Meyrick J., the race organizers of the marathon. I also met other runners like Kenneth and Annie, and chatted with Hearty, the coach of Dr. Yong and Donna Cruz, and Pam of Timex. Soon after, we were invited by no less than Ironman Camsur 70.3 Filipino elite champion and my Ateneo batchmate, Noy Jopson, for the best ice cream ever: Gelatissimo ice cream. Aaah, to die for! (Good thing they have a new branch at GB 5 already!)

– with John Pages, hubby, Meyrick J., Noy Jopson, Kenneth, Annie and the kids –

– non-stop chatting with Pam of Timex, Noy Jopson, hubby, myself, Ben Chan with our new best friend, Gelatissimo ice cream –

R.O.X. CEBU, AYALA CENTER

We also dropped by the brand spankin’ new branch of R.O.X. also in the Active Zone of Ayala Center. It was a little bit smaller than the humongous branch in Bonifacio High Street, but it had the same outdoorsy, laid-back feel. Its second floor was still being constructed.

The noticeable difference with this store was the various sections for each sport. So, it now had a RUN section. How cool is that? I saw someone there who looked very familiar…

– See ME above ME? How cool is that? –

– TBR photos climbing up the stairs. RUN RUN RUN indeed! –

– Didn’t know it felt so good to be a mural –

CARBO LOADING PARTY AT AYALA CENTER

All Cebu Marathon runners were invited to the carbo loading party on Friday, 6pm in Ayala Center. It was obviously a well-planned event with runners given tickets to claim their carbo meals from various restaurants, such as Friday’s or The Gustavian, and dining under the night sky with entertainment from a band, race briefing from the organizers, inspiring talks and tips from speakers like Coach Rio and Dr. Yong Larrazabal, plus viewing of the inspiring Spirit of the Marathon video. Cebuano runners really know how to party!

– with Jane-Jane of Leona’s, Annie (fitness program director of Holiday Gym & Spa), Amale (super athlete mommy and Noy’s better half), Bro. Carlos, and Noy Jopson –

– with lawyer, broadcaster, runner and blogger Haide Acuna. Check out her blog: marathonfoodie.blogspot.com –

– with Joe and his friends. I’m seated beside Monsignor Joseph Tan. Yes, he’s a runner, too! –

– with Annie and the Ong family of the popular Cebuano bakery, Leonas. Yum yum! –

– with another running mommy, Jing and her daughter. Not in pic is her sub-4 marathoner husband, Mark from Cebu Striders –

– with one of the people responsible for the growth of running in Cebu and better half of Donna Cruz, Dr. Yong Larrazabal, TBR family, and Bro. Carlos –