THE LONGER, THE BETTER
Cebuana long-distance runner Rhoda Oporto went on to not only conquer a 280-kilometer, three-day run in Aurora, her longest race to date, but to podium as well
Holy Week was a different kind of experience for Cebuana longdistance runner Rhoda Oporto as she suited up for a 280-kilometer race in the second leg of Pau 200K Plus Grand Slam, which wrapped up on Black Saturday in Aurora.
Oporto completed the race, which started in Bolinao, Pangasinan and ended in Dingalan, Aurora, in 53 hours, 53 minutes, and 20 seconds to snag second place in the women's division.
She had more than two hours to spare before the 56-hour cutoff.
Remy Caasi ruled the women's division with a time of 52:53:39, while Roselle Abadia Abajo settled for third place with 55:47:10.
Oporto of Cebu Infinitea Runners Group came prepared for the race, which started on April 13, but considered the weather as her biggest obstacle during her ordeal.
“The race was okay. It was my longest distance and I prepared for it as I had continuous training since the first leg. The most challenging part was the weather because it got very hot in the day and really cold in the evening,” Oporto told SunStar Cebu in a Facebook interview.
“I can survive the heat. But the cold made me very sleepy es- pecially on the second night that I had to stop and take a nap,” said Oporto, who finished third in the 250K first leg from Manila to Baguio City last February.
The previous longest race for Oporto was the 260K Ultramarathon in Cebu last 2015. She hopes to join the third leg of Pau 200K Plus Grand Slam, a 320K race from Laoag to Santa Ana, Cagayan on May 11 to 14.
Meanwhile, the men's division was won by Eric Cruz in 49:46:09, Bong Dizon came second in 52:28:42 and Rolan Cera took third place in 52:52:39.