Reminders to the CCM marathoners

To Bernard Palermo, Danny Cristobal, Wally Liu, Bernard Sia, Chris and Nia Aldeguer and the thousands of others who’ll run the Cebu City Marathon this weekend, good luck. After hundreds of kilometers of asphalt-trampling, after months of early morning-rising, after buckets-full of sweat, this is it. It’s five nights of sleep to go. Your training is over. It’s time to fully-charge your body’s batteries for the street battle up ahead. Here are a few reminders…

Website. Want to verify if you’re registered? Visit www.CebuMarathon.com. Scan through the list. If you have any questions, send an email to [email protected].

Late Registrants. Rejoice! Since the Dec. 23 closure of registration, we have been inundated with emails: “Can we still register?” My reply: “Why register only now? We’ve been open for two months!” Anyway, here’s the good part: We will accept late registrants for the 5K and 21K categories. Visit the Active Zone.

Race Kits. Claiming of the New Balance singlets is finally near. It’s tomorrow. But, calm your excitement. No hurry! With nearly 2,000 joining the 42K and 21K categories — plus a thousand more for the 5K — be patient. Go on Thursday or Friday, if possible. The period for claiming runs for 30 hours: that’s Wednesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. There’s no rush. Best day to go: Friday.

Pasta Party. The Cebu City Marathon is not just a one-Sunday-morning sports program; it’s weeklong. You’ll receive discounts to Planet Sports this week. You’re also invited to the high-class, fun-infested Carbo-Loading activity. That’s 6 p.m. this Friday, Jan. 11, at The Terraces of Ayala Center. Dinner coupons to four prestigious pasta-serving establishments will be offered for sale to all CCM runners. Plus, there’ll be a live band performing and — guess what — Manila-based acoustic star/singer Paolo Santos will join the party!

Emergency Info. Reminder… When you receive your Race Bib later this week, please make sure to write the Contact Names and Numbers of those whom the organizers should call in case of an emergency.

Relax. With just five days left before race day, it’s time to slow down. It’s better to be under-trained than tired on Sunday. Drink lots of liquids. Don’t increase your food intake but take more carbohydrates when the race nears. Relax.

RACE DAY REMINDERS…

Cheaters not welcome. To anyone planning to cheat, please do not. Not only is the entire route littered with marshals, CITOM officers, policemen – plus computers to track each runner’s footsteps — what’s worse is if you get caught. How about your name being embarrassed in the newspapers? Or, being “excommunicated” from the Cebu running community? As our Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) motto reads: BE HONEST.

No Race Number, No Entry. The organizers will be strict. Nobody but registered runners wearing official race bibs will be allowed inside the cordoned area for runners. Anybody else attempting to run (bandits, they’re called) will be courteously removed from the route.

No wheeled vehicles. Cars, motorcycles, bikes — any type of wheeled vehicles — are absolutely not allowed inside the runners’ area.

Hydration. There are a total of 13 water stations in the entire route. Each station will have overflowing water and isotonic drinks. So no need for you to carry a water belt (that will just add extra weight). Our official hydration sponsors: Pocari Sweat and Nature’s Spring!

Cheer. We ask the spectators, family members, and friends to cheer along the route. Jane-Jane, Andrew and Nica Ong and Dr. Albert Santos have finished the New York City Marathon. What’s makes it special? They say: the 2 million spectators who line the streets to cheer. So, like NYC, let’s go out and shout, PIT SENYOR!