SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews/18 April) — Surigaonon runners gathered at the Surigao Provincial Grandstand at 5 p.m. Wednesday to express their solidarity, support and condolences to the victims of the April 15 tragedy at the Boston Marathon.
Dr. Jay Remy Gonzales II, race director of the “Silangan Surigao (Half) Marathon 2013: A Run for Surigao River” on May 5, said the Boston tragedy that left three people dead, including an eight-year old boy, and 176 others injured has not dissipated their spirits but instead “it’s an added motivation to run (because) this time it’s for the (victims) of the Boston tragedy.”
“We actually planned this day as remembrance day for the victims,” the EENT (eye-ear-nose-throat) doctor said after a five-round run at the oval.
The members of the Surigao Runners Club, an organization of young professionals who love running , wore the Red Tie Run shirt, the singlet used during the first fun run organized by the group, and black armbands to signify their honoring those who died and suffered because of the tragedy.’
The Boston Marathon incident also comes at a time when the group will be holding the first half-marathon on May 5, 2013 “to raise awareness on the state of the Surigao River” in the city.
Gonzales said what happened in Boston will not likely effect participation to the marathon but instead create greater interest on the post-Earth Day celebration that the group is co-sponsoring with Silangan Mindanao Mining Corporation.
“Doc Jay” as he is called among runners, added that security measures are already in place in time for the marathon, but have been beefed up in lieu of Monday’s incident.
Triathlete Nigel Short, a 62 year-old runner who hails from New Zealand, expressed his dismay over the Boston incident as a product of a “sick mind of a sick person”.
“You gotta be a mentally insane person for doing this,” Short said.
“I just don’t think it will affect the (Surigao) run..it is just very sad that so many people got hurt,” he added.
The 62-year old will be joining the “Iron Man Triathlon” in Cebu in May and August. He has been running and has been a triathlete since 2007.
The Silangan Surigao (Half) Marathon: Run for Surigao River next month is open for registration. Interested persons can log on tosilangansurigaomarathon.blogspot.com for details. (Vanessa L. Almeda/MindaNews)