Older at 51, Frankie Miñoza grows younger

I like golf. Golf doesn’t like me. The few occasions that I swung an 8-iron, the ball performed either of two reactions: it swerved right for a “hook shot” much like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s or it veered left — a “slice” as sharp as Steffi Graf’s backhand. Once, at Alta Vista with Louie Moro and Macky Michael, I lost 22 balls!

One player who loves golf and the sport loves him in return is Frankie Miñoza. Here’s outstanding news on our Pinoy ace: “Frankie became the first male Filipino to qualify on the PGA Tour,” said Marko Sarmiento, in an email last month. “Although it’s the Champions Tour, it is part of the PGA of America and one of the major tours (PGA, LPGA and Champions) in the U.S. Not only did he qualify, he qualified 2nd and only the top 5 from the final stage get a full exempt status for the 2011 season. That means that he gets to play on all the tournaments!”

Marko Sarmiento got to experience a moment that all golfers wish they go through: he played in the same foursome with Frankie. In their grouping were Montito Garcia (Marko’s uncle and the Cebu Country Club eight-time club champion), Marko’s dad, Efren, and Marko’s older brother, Arlo.

Montito, Marko, Arlo, Frankie and Efren Sarmiento

Frankie’s score that day at the CCC? A relaxed 6-under 66.

Looking ahead this 2011, Marko’s not sure if Frankie is exempted for the Majors. As to qualifying for the PGA Tour, Marko explained: “He went through a grueling 144 hole qualifier in 2 states. The regional qualifying was held in Seaside, California while the final stage was in Coral Springs, Florida. Q-school is known to be the most stressful event for any professional on any tour because of the uncertainty of their careers if they don’t qualify. After qualifying, Frankie said it is a dream come true. He’s played with all the top pros throughout his career but not on a weekly basis because he was based in Japan and competed mostly in Asia. Now he gets to rub elbows with the likes of Couples, Langer, Watson and Pavin on a day to day basis. How sweet is that??”

Here in Cebu, almost nobody outhits Marko Sarmiento off the tee. Averaging 290+ yards, his ceramic ball disappears into the air. How was Frankie, who turned 51 years of age last Dec. 29, off the mound?

“I played with Frankie a month ago and it was a good time to see the condition of his game, which was fresh from his stint in Q-school (the week after Q-school, he finished 2nd in a European Seniors event in Japan), and you could see that he was still oozing with confidence. His ball striking has always been impeccable, but his distance is what amazed me the most. I didn’t expect him to be as long as he is now, at his age of 51. He was hitting his drives 290 to 300 yards consistently.

“He has always been a long hitter but he credits 10-15 more yards to a new Titleist driver (910D3) that he just started using. He also attributes great putting to his recent success. You can say that his putting has been his achilles heel throughout his career, but when his putter gets hot, he almost always contends. He’s also in great physical shape since he runs on a regular basis. He actually looks more fit now than he did when we has in his late 30’s.”

The 5-foot-10, 160-lb. Frankie was ranked, in 1998, among the top 50 in the world. That was over a dozen years ago. But Marko considers his form today just as outstanding.

“Frankie may not be in the peak of his career like he was in the mid 1990’s when he was in the top 50 of the World Golf Rankings,” wrote Marko, “but you can argue that he isn’t far from it. Golf is the one exception to the rule of sport, and that you can actually get better with age. Many golfers peak in their 40s and don’t be surprised to see a resurgence in Frankie’s career. He’s excited and definitely motivated to turn back the clock and compete with these golfing legends.  I would have to rank Frankie as the best Filipino golfer of all time, hands down. He has the most international wins and has definitely made the most money, and remember… he’s a rookie all over again.”

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Categorized as Golf

The 42K: An incredible, life-changing moment

(Photo by Erwin T. Lim)

How to explain the satisfaction — and pain — of running 42,195 meters on foot? Here are a few explanations…

“To describe the agony of a marathon to someone who’s never run it is like trying to explain color to someone who was born blind.” – Jerome Drayton.

“The body does not want you to do this. As you run, it tells you to stop, but the mind must be strong. You always go too far for your body. You must handle the pain with strategy. It is not age; it is not diet. It is the will to succeed.” – Jacqueline Gareau.

“If you want to run, run a mile. If you want to experience a different life, run a marathon.” – Emil Zatopek.

Yes. Emil Zatopek, the Czech runner who won three gold medals at the 1952 Olympic Games (including the marathon, deciding to join the event in the last minute – and in his first-ever 42K distance!) is correct. Running the marathon will change your life. From now on, you can achieve anything. A difficulty or challenge or problem that’s too tough to overcome? Prior to the 42K race, “That’s too hard,” you’d say; after, it’s this proclamation: “I CAN DO IT!”

Triumph. That’s what the marathon is. It’s about the word “impossible” and removing its first two letters. Possible. Yes. After last Sunday, to the one thousand-plus who ran from the Asiatown I.T. Park to the tip of the South Road Properties in Talisay City then back to Lahug…. anything is possible. “A marathon is like life with its ups and downs,” someone once said, “but once you’ve done it you feel that you can do anything.”

Take Raul Cepeda. He’s 77. He’ll celebrate his 78th birthday one week from today, on Jan. 18. This means that he was born in 1933. Two days ago, Raul ran his first marathon. When I saw him running towards the finish line, I almost cried. Here’s a grandfather of many, accomplishing what senior citizens are not supposed to do. Raul is one of the most amazing people I know. And, to top it all, last week I got a call from him saying that he’s in pain, nursing a plantar fasciitis injury. I suggested that, maybe, he not join or do the 21K instead. He braved on. And for that, he has the 42K finisher’s medal to proudly show to his grandchildren.

(Photo by Sydney de los Reyes)

How about Atan Guardo and Joel Garganera? These best friends finished their 12th marathon (yes, no misprint: one dozen) last Sunday. Their first? Exactly 23 months ago. Now, it’s No. 12.

Or SunStar’s very own Michelle So. In the Press Freedom Run two years ago, Michelle hobbled towards the 3K finish line. In CCM 2010, she did the 5K. Last Sunday? She traveled 42,195 meters—the distance from the Provincial Capitol all the way to Carcar.

Same with Joy Polloso, the general manager of Ayala Center. She completed her first two marathons — in Singapore and Cebu — in a span of just one month!

There are hundreds more of similar inspiring stories–many recounted in Facebook postings and photos. In all… What a celebration. What a sense of fulfillment. What a festive moment during this Sinulog.

As to the hot weather last Sunday morning? That’s another one of those unexplainable moments. The entire week last week until Saturday night, it was gloomy. Rainy. It drizzled. Same with the whole of yesterday, right? It rained. But on the solitary morning of last Sunday, it was all sunny and hot… Many runners got burned. Explains marathon guru Hal Higdon: “The difference between the mile and the marathon is the difference between burning your fingers with a match and being slowly roasted over hot coals.” How to explain the slow roasting at the SRP? Only God can do that but, to me, it meant two things: One, it reemphasizes the difficulty and torment of the 42K and, two, it makes the agonizing victory all the more gratifying.    Finally, to all those still grimacing with aches and sore muscles, consider this…

“I’m never going to run this again!!!” said Grete Waitz after winning her first of nine New York City marathons.

See you at the starting line of CCM 2012!

Congratulations, marathoners!

To all who joined yesterday’s 2011 CEBU CITY MARATHON and crossed that finish line… Congrats! Your months of hard-work have paid-off. It’s time to relax and savor the incredible experience you’ve just accomplished. Congrats!

Best marathon tip: ‘Run Your Own Race’

Having joined 42K races in Hong Kong, Quezon City and Singapore, the single most important suggestion that I can impart to the thousands joining this Sunday’s Cebu City Marathon can be summed up in those four simple words above.

Each of us is different. Some are slim, long-legged, fast — like Mendel Lopez. Most of us are not. This means that only a rare few, for example, can run a “sub-4 marathon” like Steve Ferraren and Dr. Yong Larrazabal. Most of us can try — but most-likely, we won’t achieve that speedy target in our lifetime. Run Your Own Race.

Never mind if others are faster. Don’t mind those who, in the first 750 meters, sprint as if a salivating Doberman were chasing them. If you’re running the 42.195 km. distance, the race is long. Don’t rush. Slow down. Walk. Drink in each water stop. Relax. You’re not Haile Gebrselassie. You’re you. So run your own race.

You know your body. You know how long you’ve trained. If your training has been less than planned, stop. Trot. Jog. This marathon — as long as you don’t take eight hours or so — is not strict with the curfew. So pace yourself. The slower you are in the first half, the better. The reserved energy you keep will be utilized towards the finish. Our body is like a battery. Deplete it quickly and you’ll lose power towards the end — when you need it most.

Don’t mind the others. Don’t be envious of those who overtake you. A heavyweight whistling past you? Let him go. Believe me, you’ll breeze past him later. Because — unless you’re Mary Grace de los Santos — the race is not about speed… it’s about crossing that finish line. Run. Your. Own. Race.

REMINDERS….

Parking. It’s best to park at the Waterfront Hotel. There’s ample room there. You get to warm-up (walk) heading to the starting area at the Asiatown I.T. Park. You’re also assured of parking space — given that the I.T. Park open spaces are limited.

Go Early. The 42K runners start 4 a.m. Be there before 3:30 a.m. You want to be relaxed — not in a last-minute rush — before the starting gun fires. The 21K participants begin at 5:10 a.m. Show up at 4:30. For the 5K, it’s 5:30. Arrive before 5 a.m.

Onsite Registrants. Only today and tomorrow, those who have yet to register can do so at the Active Zone of Ayala Center.

Change Category. Here’s an important message: If you’re planning to run a different category from the one you’ve registered, sorry but you cannot. For example, you got injured in training and want to run 21K instead of your registered 42K. You cannot. You won’t be allowed to enter the 21K starting area. The solution? Visit Active Zone today and change your category. This entails a fee — but, at least, you can still join.

Pasta Party. That’s tomorrow, Friday, starting 6 p.m. at The Terraces of Ayala Center. Be there. Listen to inspiring stories. Be updated of the final notices. Mingle with your fellow runners. Pasta meals are available at P150/meal.

Photos. One new addition to this year’s CCM are the professional photos. Needs and Solutions, a company specializing in beautiful pictures, will set-up 10 photo stations: at the Start/Finish, JY Square, U.P., Capitol, Magellan’s Cross, the Tunnel, Fort San Pedro, and several points along the SRP. You can then purchase your photos via online. Smile!

Traffic. To the Cebuano public, come Sunday morning, you will feel inconvenienced. Your movement will slow down. This is understandable because the city government is closing half of all roads along the route: including Osmeña Blvd., Gen. Maxilom., Gorordo, Salinas… plus the full closure for 12 hours of the SRP and the SRP Tunnel from 10 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday. We ask for your patience.

Finally… To the runners: I will end in the same way I started: Don’t mind the others. Many will be faster… let them go. Stay within your practiced speed. Stay calm. Enjoy, as the slogan reads, “The Sights and Sounds of Cebu.” Run Your Own Race.

CCM Press Conference

According to CITOM Chairman Jack Jakosalem, “CCM” can also stand for “Cebu City Mayor.” In attendance during our lunch press briefing was the mayor himself, Mike Rama.

Cebu City Councilor Edgar Labella, CITOM Chairman Jack Jakosalem, Mayor Mike Rama, Jesse Taborada, Jacs Jacalan and John Pages

With 5 days left, Cebu City Marathon awaits

This Sunday, to those who’ve enlisted for the mega-event with the slogan, “Race through the Streets and Colors of Cebu,” this is it. 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 done. It’s time to fully-charge your body 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. Call or email for questions.

Expo. Claiming of the New Balance shirts is finally near. It’s tomorrow. But, tamper your eagerness. Here’s important news: Only the race packs of the 21K and 42K runners will be released tomorrow, Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday, it includes the 5K runners. And, on Saturday, the Active Zone in Ayala Center — the Race Expo venue — will be open for out-of-town registrants.

Don’t rush! With about 2,500 joining the 42K and 21K categories — plus nearly 3,000 for the 5K — be patient. Go on Thursday or Friday, if possible. The expo runs for 33 hours: that’s Wednesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. There’s no rush. Best day to go: Friday.

Late Registrants. Rejoice! Since the Dec. 22 closure of registration, we have been inundated with emails and calls: “Can we still register?” My reply: “Why register only now? We’ve been open for three months!” Anyway, here’s the good part: We will accept late registrants. However, it will be slightly more expensive — and, no more New Balance shirts. Still, this is good news. You can still participate. Visit the Active Zone.

Pasta Party. The Cebu City Marathon is not just a one-Sunday-morning sports program; it’s weeklong. You’ll receive discounts to sporting goods stores this entire week. You’re also invited to the high-class, fun-infested Carbo-Loading activity. That’s 6 p.m. this Friday, Jan. 7, at The Terraces of Ayala Center. Dinner coupons for six prestigious pasta-serving establishments will be offered to all CCM runners at only P150/meal.

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 Summit water plus unlimited 100Plus isotonic drinks. Thanks, Summit Water and 100Plus!

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 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!

SRP/Tunnel: entirely closed starting 10 p.m. on Saturday until 10 a.m. on Sunday. We ask for the understanding of the Cebuanos. Like in Boston or Houston or London — when one day out of 365 is “marathon day” and thus, major roads are closed for “foot traffic” — it will be the same this January 9. In Hong Kong, for example, their all-important bridges are closed for several hours. We ask for your patience. Best of all, we ask you to join and run!

Scary Jakarta expedition for an Azkal fan

Miguel Larrauri is a football devotee. He’s more than a follower—he’s a zealot, fanatic, activist. He worships the football on an altar. Last December 15, Miguel flew to Jakarta. He watched the PHL Azkals play the Indonesian team in Game One of the AFF Suzuki Finals. From Cebu, he was, quite possibly, the only person to witness the game first-hand.

“I have experienced many football games in my life including a championship between bitter rivals Real Madrid and Barca in the Camp Nou,” said Miguel, “but it could not compare to the atmosphere inside the Stadium Utama Gelora Bung Karno.”

When I asked Miguel how much he adores the game of Pele and Maradona, his email reply summed it all: “I LOVE FOOTBALL!!!! I have loved it ever since I first played football. You see, I come from a family of football players. I don’t mean just my immediate family members, but even my cousins and close family friends. We would play in the beach or any park we could play in.”

The excursion to Jakarta? “I got myself to Indonesia to watch our boys play because I really felt they could beat them. I wanted to watch the eliminations in Vietnam but could not go due to work. My brother and I helped arrange the team meeting with President Noynoy Aquino on Monday, Dec. 13, in Malacañang Palace.

“Then, we had dinner with the team that evening in The Fort. I stayed with the team in the Sultan Hotel in Jakarta and watched them train. I could only watch the first game but that was good enough for me. The team was very positive and truly believed they could beat the Indonesians. Sadly, the Indonesian team had twelve players on the field versus our 11. By that, I mean the crowd in that stadium. They truly love their team and they will boo you to death.

“I came out of the dugout with the Philippine flag over my shoulders before the game and the crowd booed me as if I was giving them the finger. I literally had to wear a jacket to cover my Philippine jersey to get to my seat or else the crowd might just throw something at you. Luckily I was staying in the VIP section and the president of Indonesia was five rows behind me. Getting out of the stadium was another story. If we won, it would have been very dangerous but ‘El Loco’ Gonzales made sure it did not end that way.”

In our talk yesterday while he was vacationing in Boracay, Miguel described the Jakarta experience as frightening. The trip from the hotel to the football stadium, he said, was only a five-minute walk. But the players took the bus, complete with police escort, and it took them 30 minutes.

“All the streets, all around, everywhere,” Miguel said, “it was filled with Indonesians. And, believe me, I never saw ‘the finger’ so much in my life! These Indonesians fans were rowdy. It was scary.”

That Game One morning, the Azkals assistant coach Aris visited the stadium. “He made a mistake by wearing the Philippine jersey,” said Miguel. “He was chased by about 10 to 15 Indonesians straight to the hotel!”

Miguel, who played football varsity for Ateneo de Manila University for 12 years (“from Grade 4 until I graduated in college,” he said), wanted to celebrate his team by painting the PHL flag on his cheeks. Absolutely not! he was warned.

Even the Filipinos in Jakarta, knowing the craze and fanaticism of football in Indonesia, were cautious with their cheering for the Azkals. “After that first game, as expected, our players were kinda down. Etheridge felt guilty; there was a miscommunication between him and the defense that resulted in Gonzales’ goal. It was so loud inside the stadium,” said Miguel. “After the game, I arranged for a team dinner with the expat community. We ate at a German restaurant called Die Stube. There was a big community of Filipinos there. But, here’s the funny part. Many of the Filipinos did not watch the game live. They were scared. Many were told not to go. Instead, they gathered in a coffee shop to watch. Everybody was praning.”

FULL INTERVIEW WITH MIGUEL:

“I love football!!!! I have loved it ever since I first played football. You see, I come from a family of football players. I don’t mean just my immediate family members, but even my cousins and close family friends. We would play in the beach or any park we could play in. luckily I went to school in ATENEO DE MANILA and we had BROTHER OZCARIS there. He formed Lightning Football and this is what made ATENEO produce a lot of good players. It was called lightning football cause it was fast and short football. It was played during lunch time in the Ateneo grade school field. We only had 15 minutes to play. It was classroom vs. classroom and I was the top scorer almost every year. Brother Ozcaris noticed me right away and asked me to join the RIFA MIDGETS C TEAM when I was grade 4. Well, from that year until the year I graduated from college, I played every year in the varsity team of ATENEO. That was for 12 great years!

“When I went to high school, my mentor became Cris Monfort and this guy believed in me. He took time off to train me just by himself and this really boosted my self confidence. On my second year in high school, he accelerated me from Aspirant B (taking me away from my batch mates who I had been playing with since grade school) to the Candidates team which was usually all seniors. To make things even more difficult for me, he made me first eleven and put me as the winger or right forward position. I was not really a skilled dribbler or had fancy footwork. What I had was pure speed and a killer’s instinct to score a goal.  During the COKE GO FOR GOAL tournament in Barotac, I played for the NCR team and I scored my 2 most memorable goals of my life in one game there. Playing in Barotac is one hell of an experience for a young boy. First of all, unlike in manila where maybe 20 people will watch a game, in Barotac 2000 people will watch a game and even the lolas will know what an offside trap is. Over there, if you were good, the kids will ask for your autograph, just in case you get famous in the future.

“In college, my mentor was not only Cris Monfort, but also Bert Honasan. I played for the Ateneo UAAP team for 4 great years. I never won a UAAP medal for football but I actually won 2 UAAP medals for track and field, both in the 4×100 meter relay. GO FIGURE.  After college, I joined first division and kept playing competitively till I got married. I even formed a couple of first division teams like LE COQ SPORTIF, MEGAWORLD, EMPIRE EAST, and ICTSI. I played one year in the Philippine Youth team and 2 years in the men’s team. My football days kinda ended when I broke my back and my L4 vertebrae started to subloxate or move interiorly. But my passion for football never ended.

“I always supported the Philippine team and actually would hire some of them to play in the first division teams I formed. During the 2006 SEAG games, I went to Bacolod to support the azkals. During that tournament, we already had the so called FIL-AMS (I don’t understand why they were referred to as that when they were mostly from England) like the Younghusband brothers. Aly Borromeo was already in the team then and he was actually my teammate a few years earlier when he joined our team during the MINI WORLD CUP in Nomads.”

HOW WILL THE AZKALS’ SUCCESS IMPACT PHIL. FOOTBALL?

“The result was huge, huge. I’ve never seen this kind of attention on Phil. football. The games were shown on TV. During the Suzuki Cup, the bars and restaurants were full—everyone was watching. It was like a Manny Pacquiao fight. In fact, the ratings during those games were higher than the PBA games. Plus, the Mizuno shirts were all sold out. This is nice to see. What’s important is this: we should not let go of the momentum.”

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Categorized as Football