5th at the Ondoy No More Run

Ondoy was one of those few moments when I felt a certain degree of fear that I don’t usually get no matter how dangerous things become. Most times, I manage to face difficult situations with enough courage until I get through it or pretend that fear doesn’t exist even if I’m trembling. But that day, when I got trapped in the UP Diliman College of Engineering and could not go home, my defenses crumbled.

I had no idea that those flood I encountered along the way to UP that morning would not subside and worse, fatal. When I left the house to be in a forum on Freedom of Information, I knew that the typhoon was strong because it took me an hour just to get to UP from my place in Timog, Quezon City. I didn’t know that those flooded streets would turn into an ocean in just a couple of hours.

Just how bad Ondoy was

After waiting for few hours hoping that the rain would subside, I decided to take the risk and go home even if I knew that things were getting worse. The impatient, control freak me could not bear the feeling of doing nothing to respond . I started getting worried for my family and friends. I told myself, I should to something and move. I went out of the building, swam and got home after more than 3 hours of going around Quezon City.

Ondoy will always be memorable not just for me but for the rest of the country. It’s a disaster that shook everyone. It was a social equalizer as both rich and poor were equally hit. It was a calamity that should have taught us many lessons and a catastrophe that should never happen again.

Because of this experience, I told myself I’d support all efforts possible to help and make sure it does not happen again. Last year, I participated in the Rescue Run to raise funds for the victims, this year I joined the Ondoy No More Run by Thunderbird.

With my running friends after the race. Kassy on my right

Thanks to my friend, Kassy Pajarillo (The Flexitarian Runaholic) who gave me a free race kit and invited me to join her just hours before the gun start. It was a delightful surprise. At 10:00 pm, on my way home to rest for my regular Sunday long run in UP, I got a call from Kassy inviting me to join the race. Without any second thought, I said yes. I reset my mind to a new Sunday.

I woke up later than I should so I had to rush to the meeting place where the bus that would take us to Rizal was. I was lucky I was still able to catch it less than a minute before it left. Told myself, I’m really destined to join the race.

Maybe I really was because I finished with a new 10K PR of 47 mins. Although some said that it was 400m short. I luckily ranked 5^th among the women despite the killer up hills in the course. Kassy told me that there would be up hills but both of us were surprised to have encountered mountains to climb, not to mention that there were a number of them.

With the race organizer, handing the gift pack for the 5th placer

I just thought it was a nice route for my QCIM Marathon training since I don’t get to train in up hills very often in Quezon City. The view was breath taking. I tried not to focus on the struggle to run those up hills and enjoy the scenery and the run.

While running, I was praying and thanking the Lord for how he kept me and my loved ones safe last year and how he helped the entire country to survive and slowly recover from the Ondoy nightmare.

One of the killer uphills. It doesn't look so fatal in the picture though

After crossing the finish line, I did another 3K to add to my mileage and kept enjoying the place.

That run was a declaration that it’s really Ondoy no more and never again.