METROPOST THE EMPEROR’S....FROM P. 7


awakening to the obligation to observe checks and balances can foul up the relationship, and lead to immediate fault- finding. Then then it gets messy from there.


Or perhaps, someone is entertaining ambitions for higher office, and is looking for a platform to promote himself. Again, because we cannot see into the heart of a person, we can only speculate.


Or perhaps, finally, powerful forces external to our City are entertaining an


THE WAY....FROM P. 9


to traffic for what, two or three days, and then closed again? One of those days that it


incursion into our peaceful and gentle political life. Maybe this force wants to unsettle the status quo, and challenge the hierarchy in our political leadership. And the best way to insert oneself into our politics is to draw a wedge between erstwhile allies and workmates.


our actors in the City, it has led to unsettling relationships. And Dumaguete stands to suffer for it.


All because we took for


was open, I decided to drive over it, just to try. It was a horrible drive. The only way I could describe it is like this: It was like a very choppy sea that was frozen in an instant and then you drove over it. How comfortable do you think would you be inside your vehicle while it negotiates over those chops? And would it even be good for your vehicle? It was a good thing it didn’t


rain hard when they opened it, or those motorcycles would have been slippin’ ‘n slidin’ all over the place. I was I


th a nkf u l


didn’t have to drive faster than I had to while going over that bridge. My truck has been modified somewhat to enhance its of f - road capabilities, but even it, was caught by surprise there. If it had a mind of its own, my truck probably would have turned around, and hightailed it back to Bagac ay


avoid being damaged. So once again, premature means bad. The bridge has since been closed again. I guess those in charge realized that it wasn’t a very good idea to begin with. Good for them! As far as government


to Truck on the unfinished Colon bridge last week


projects go, all I can say is that it is never good to open them for use by the public before they are finished. However, some people never look at the little things that could spell danger and disaster when an unfinished project is opened to the public before completion. If I may, I would like


to mention here, again, the reclamation project at the boulevard. There are some who say it is now good enough for people to use and enjoy. Well, anything can be used, but not necessarily enjoyed. If you were broke but


hungry enough, and you saw a half-eaten hamburger left at a restaurant table, you could actually pick it up and eat it and it’d satisfy your hunger. But would you have enjoyed


could stop them from impaling a person who falls on them. There are wooden forms left by workers that could trip people, and loose bricks on the edges of the unfinished walkways. I remember that in one of the southern towns, a motorcycle rider figured in an accident on an unfinished portion of the national highway. He ran over a rock, lost control of his motorcycle, high-sided and fell. Luckily, he wasn’t going too fast, so the fall was somewhat subdued, and couldn’t have been fatal. However, bad luck also befell him at the very same instant because as his head and body never even felt a thing, rebars sticking out from the unfinished concrete impaled him right under his right arm, puncturing his right lung. He got to the hospital, but later succumbed to his injury. You could say his death was indirectly caused by the government for not finishing the construction quicker, and for not putting enough safety barriers where there was clear


doing it? From what I gathered from the City government, that project at the boulevard is meant to be a park, a walkway, a sports complex, a promenade, a playground, and whatever else they want it to be, wholly. As far as I can see now, there are portions of the walkway that are somewhat finished but most of it is not. And yes, there are the beach volleyball courts that are not- finished-but-are-already-used, prematurely.


As I walk around the project, I can see rebars sticking up from the ground, capped by empty water bottles as if they


Whatever has motivated


granted what we had, what we enjoyed. Indeed, the finest service we ever had were all enjoyed in the days of unity and cooperation. We took all these for granted. So did our leaders. Now, we would give anything just to have things back again. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hopes for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8:24)


and present danger. But of course, government and contractors hardly think of those things in advance because as tragic as a death may be, their negligence will never be investigated.


The other day, a full-sized dump truck fell into a trench on the side of the northern ramp of the bridge at the back of Foundation University. I don’t have the rest of the details, but you can see in the pictures posted on social media that the ‘unfinished’ ramp was rendered impassable (except for daring Dumaguete motorcycle riders) because it couldn’t be more than 13 feet wide, and that dump truck was on it at an angle. The bridge itself still has a stockpile of gravel or sand on it, a big indication that it truly is not completely finished.


has


Tagalog pa, SULIT NA SULIT! Please, powers-that-be, level with the public even just a little, and tell them there’s been some delays that are being honestly worked on. Prematurely delivering products that turn out to be unsafe and inferior in quality will not stop the questions. For the public, these bridges are long overdue, so just take some more time and deliver them after a full term (however long that would be). It would serve you and the public best. The way it is now, those bridges have gestated longer than the government promised. The least they could do now that there have been some complications is to wait for those to be resolved. That way, the eventual delivery would be after a relatively full term, smooth and problem-free.


for over year. What’s a few more months if it means a quality product that would be convenient and safe to use and would last a long time? I t would certainly be worth every centavo. S a


light our cigars in celebration after the delivery of those two completely finished bridges— span and ramps.


Maybe we could all still


The public waited


DARIO ENDOZO


GOING THE DISTANCE


Ironmandario@gmail.com T


someone merely wanted to run 42 kilometers to impress or brag about that anyone can simply do it.


inspired by the mythic run of Greek messenger Pheidippides from Marathon to Athens to deliver the news that they had won the war. Unfortunately, he dropped dead with the delivery. That monumental event made the marathon a highlight of the Olympic games, contested by the best runners representing many countries from around the world.


Forty-two kilometers is the standard marathon distance that is so ever popular in every part of the world now. To run a marathon is the ultimate goal for most runners, and its popularity has grown over the years since the running boom of the 1970s.


In the US, there is no shortage of marathon races in every state. The big-city marathons like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles attract more people from beginners to elites. For the competitive and serious racers, their goal is to qualify for the Boston Marathon, the mother of all marathons. It is the only marathon that is not open for everybody. To qualify for the Boston


Marathon, one must have finished any certified marathon race within a standard qualifying time for every age group.


Modern marathon was


he idea of running a full marathon did not just happen because


I suggest you do some 10Ks, and work it up to half marathon races (21 kilometers like running from Dumaguete south to Zamboanguita, or northward to Amlan) to get the experience of running long distance. Running a marathon takes a toll on one’s body, and doing it unprepared may not be as enjoyable and long- lasting. A good four to six months of training is a staple for a successful race, given that one must have been running for at least one year. A typical weekly schedule


is the most important part of any marathon training plan as it teaches the body to respond to the stress of being on the road running and walking for hours. Planning for proper


The weekend long run


is four to six days of running, including one day with the longest run of the week, aptly called the “long run”. A long run is usually done on a weekend because it would take more than an hour or more to complete. The distance of long runs should be at least 30 percent of the total weekly mileage.


For example, a male runner in the age category of 35 to 39 years old must have a finished in a certified race a full marathon time of three hours and five minutes, or faster, to qualify. To achieve those


Having a running buddy or a group to train with makes the long run more enjoyable to complete. Running with other people helps make the distance seem shorter, especially during long runs. Taking walk breaks is also helpful during long runs, giving the body more time to recover, and greater chances of being able to finish the distance without feeling too tired and spent. Planning and scheduling a run is crucial if you know exactly when and where the marathon is taking place. For example, the Cebu City Marathon is usually scheduled every second Sunday of January. Knowing that information tells you to ideally begin training no later than September of the previous year.


qualifying times, one must go through an extensive training regimen, as only a few will be chosen to compete.


to run and finish a marathon distance, they don’t have to be as serious, but must be prepared and well-trained to be able to finish the entire 42 kilometers distance standing. And happy. It takes time and


commitment to build up endurance, and for the muscles and get used to the pounding on the pavement. If you are new to running,


For others who just want


nutrition also plays a big part during long runs. By staying hydrated with water, and electrolytes for carbohydrates, together with bananas for potassium, one should be able to run for many hours with no problem. As the weekly mileage increases, and the marathon date gets closer with three weeks to go, there should be at least a couple of 30K to 32K long runs completed to help build the endurance.


Marathon training


With two weeks away from the marathon date, it would be time to reduce the weekly distance by 30 percent, and another 50 percent reduction in distance in the final week, the week of the marathon event. Called the


taper period, the final week is a key factor in the training plan where all the hard work is assessed, and reserved for maintaining fitness, and doing the final mental preparations for the race. The last few days leading


JANUARY 24 - JANUARY 30, 2021 SPORTS & WELLNESS 17


to the event are used for nutrition planning. I suggest consuming more carbohydrates and drinking more water in preparation for the body to take on the marathon distance that took four to six months of training. Planning for race day is


Be on the conservative side on the first week of training, by starting with shorter runs of 5K up to 10K, and periodically increasing the weekly total distance by adding no more than 10 percent from the previous week.


If, for example, the total distance for a week is 30 kilometers, the following week should be no more than 33 kilometers.


and have only ran a 5K fun run or two, I wouldn’t suggest running a marathon too soon.


must include a recovery period every third week, by decreasing the distance by 20 percent to give the body a break from increasing mileage, and then resume with the mileage before the recovery week.


The training cycle


the final touch of the training plan. Make sure that the appropriate running shoes you will decide to wear have been broken in with a couple of long runs. Never try anything new on race day, from your clothing to nutrition. Everything must have been tried and tested by you.


drinking water and energy drinks at every water station along the course. Never wait until you get thirsty. Otherwise by then, you will have been already dehydrated.


On race day, I advise


Always listen to your body if you think there’s some sign that you need to slow down or take a walk break. Think positive and happy thoughts. Think of the time when you have to give your best smile as you cross the finish line. Because even after all the grueling 42 kilometers, you will want to look good in your photo at the finish line.


Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Sec. Martin Andanar (center) and Philippine Information Agency Director (PIA) Director General Usec. Ramon Cualoping III (2nd from right) in group photo with (l-r) DSWD-7 official, Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) Asec. Jonji Gonzales, Gov. Roel Degamo, DOH-7 Regional Director Dr. Jaime Bernadas, LGU and other government representatives during the Pagdu-aw sa Negros Oriental: Explain, explain, explain held at the Provincial Convention Center on Jan. 22, 2021. The event presented the government’s Covid-19 vaccination program which will be rolled out starting February. (ral/PIA7-NegOr)


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