Leg 3 CUC 100KM Top Female Preview: Is it going to be Lechon vs Eagle?

Related Event: CUC 100K – LEG 3
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Runners’ progress during the CUC 100K Leg 3 race can be tracked live at http://cuc100.kairunning.com/. This race tracker is created by Joel Cuyos, SN250 champion.

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The common mantra for the CUC (Cebu Ultrarunners Club) 100K Leg 3 could be “I don’t have any target time. My only goal is to enjoy and finish the race.” It’s probably common to hear runners saying that they’ll just be relax this upcoming Leg 3. They don’t want to pressure to top it. I guess that they’re not being relaxed about it.  It’s just a natural reaction that after races of battling each other, they get to put some rest to it.

But then we all know, that once the gun will blow off at the starting line, gone will be the “just-enjoy-the-moment” mantra, and the beast mode will be on! Especially, when our Cebu top bets will see that the eagles landed on their turf.

Cebu races can be as welcoming as Rajah Humabon, but can also be as hostile as Lapu-lapu. As Jacob Ong had said, Cebu may not have the best and challenging route or races, but there’s something here that you won’t find in other places. It’s like that eating lechon and puso (hanging rice) together, it can be so delicious, but can also be lethal; but most of all, you could not easily find that lechon-and-puso combo feeling anywhere. So I guess in racing here, if you want it to be “chill,” Cebu can serve it to you. But if you also want a race, we will not disappoint you.

Just a little history trivia, ”Rajah Humabon was fat and short and tattooed with fire in various designs.” (Source: mycebuphotoblog >>.)

So on to our fearless race preview:

TAD + INDIE + NRRC

The usual drama in the top female category in the recent ultra races has been TAD vs INDIE vs NRRC. But with the coming of female runners from outside Cebu, it may look like more of TAD + INDIE + NRRC.

Rhoda Photo by Reynan Opada; Virginie Photo from Roy Delez; Preciousa Photo from Rostom Rodriguez

Rhoda Caballero-Oporto of INDIE. With her recent SN 250KM finish, we can say that physically, she probably is still recovering from that race, and may not be in its very top shape to race. She may not emerge as the Leg 3 champion but we know she is a woman who has a deep insatiable drive for excellency, for competitiveness, she will definitely give everyone a good fight that it will not be an easy race for everyone, including herself.

Virginia Parajenog of TAD (Toledo Adik sa Dagan). After Leg 2, Virginie had been off the radar in ultramarathon races. She made a comeback in Bohol 50 Miles Ultramarathon, where she was a champion; and, that said a lot! And, among the 3 of them, Virginie is the only one who has an official race record of running the TCH on both ways. There’s no way she could not be the champion in the Leg 3.

Preciousa Sanchez of NRRC (North Road Runners Club). Can Leg 3 be her time?!? She was 5th in Leg 1, 2nd in Leg 2, she was able outperform Rhoda in other shorter ultra races. With Rhoda still recovering from SN 250, she might only need to look after Virginie in Leg 3. But having no “top” race record in TCH, she might need a lot of other bag of tricks to lead in this race.

But when you look at the fierce competition among these 3 ladies, it can be a good strategy in keeping the CUC 100K Series championship title to belong to a Cebuana again this time. With more female runners coming from outside Cebu, the steep competition among these 3 girls can be seen as a way of protecting the turf.

And, now Davao sends in their eagles?!? Davao has probably enough of being a durian or pomelo, a good combo to eat with lechon. So this time, Davao comes as eagles, to pick on lechon?!?

Catherine Arias and Virginia Tumapon
(Photo from Garry Vhoy)

Catherine Arias of Team Titans Davao. With her last name, she can be related to our trail queen Merlita Arias-Dunkin. And that says a lot!

Virginia Tumapon of Team Titans Davao. With her fist name similar to TAD’s Virginia, it can mean that she might have similar running skills with the Leg 1 Champion. Again, that says a lot!

Honestly, we do not have much information about these 2 girls. But knowing that these 2 came from the province which has the highest mountain, and that these 2 are known to be able to run Davao’s own dreaded Toril-Eden uphill, they are definitely to watch out for.

I guess my point here is that the Leg 3 of CUC 100K Series has reached the point that it’s probably no longer an “inato” (a friendly get together kind race of Cebu-based and few neighbor runners.) race. It gets to the point that it’s no longer a race among the different running groups or runners in Cebu, but with runners from outside Cebu. We can say it’s a success, but then so comes with it an added pressure to Cebu runners, as well as to the organizers, and to the running community!

So, welcome to Cebu, runners from different running grounds!!! Feel free to choose whom you wish to have a race with: Rajah Humabon or Lapu-lapu!

Kumbati!!! =)

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Posted by:

Rose Buenconsejo. A runner who runs after runners, and their stories, and her dream to become a NEDBANK.
Promo Girl, runroo.com
View her aktib race calendar >>