PAREF Springdale School holds Titans virtual race, marks 25th anniversary

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – PAREF Springdale School-Cebu holds its Titans Virtual Race 2021 as part of the school’s 25^th anniversary and is expecting 500 to 1000 participants and more starting April 19 until May 2 with P750 registration fee with each participant, wherever they are, can join the race.

 Anyone may participate in just one race or might opt to do all four races.  “We have invited everyone, and international participants are already registering from all over the world,” according to Dexter Go, race coordinator of Titans Virtual Race 2021.

The virtual race offers four types of races-- Walk, Run, Bike and Swim with the hashtag #RunForYourLife and one may participate in just one race or one might opt to do all four races.

The four types of races offer various categories that even those who haven’t participated in fun runs or triathlons could join.  For the Walk and Run races, there will be four categories: 3-km for father and son; 3-km for six to nine years old; five kilometer and 10 kilometers.  However, the Run race has an additional 21-kilometer category, the organizers said.

The Swim Race has similar categories to that of Walk and Run except that the second category, the 3-km, has no age limit.  Meanwhile, the Bike Race has four categories – 25-km, 50-km, 100-km and 250-km.

The Titans Virtual Race 2021 is the school’s fund-raising activity and the proceeds will be used for various outreach projects of the PAREF Springdale Student Body Organization (SBO).

SBO president Anton Ballreich said they intend to implement as many projects as possible as part of commemoration of the 500th anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines.

 

Their recent outreach projects include providing food packs to law enforcement personnel assigned to implement health protocols at checkpoints in Lahug, Busay and Banilad and to the medical frontliners at the Cebu City Medical Center.

They also donated clothes, toys and packed meals to the Little Servants of Christ the King Orphanage December last year, Ballreich added.

PAREF Springdale School sports coordinator Karl Angelo Ocampo said they decided to come up with a combination of different types of virtual races because most virtual races have single events – either one of the four races.

“By helping the school, we can also help ourselves because of the beneficial effects on health,” says Chester Lim, Grade 3 Class Head Parent Coordinator.  Lim explained that the activity aims to promote health and wellness inside their homes.

He noted that with elderly staying at home due to the pandemic, the virtual race is an opportunity for them to have an activity by joining the Walk category.

According to Dexter Go, race coordinator of Titans Virtual Race 2021, the participants will receive a medal, a singlet and a virtual certificate of participation. Top finishers in each category will also receive winners’ medals as well as prizes in cash and kind.

Go explained the finisher’s medal is a collector’s item and the singlet are world-class. He stressed that the registration fee is very affordable, perhaps almost half of the cost of other big runs in Cebu and even nationwide.

According to Lim, the medal itself is great memorabilia as it is like those given to participants of major races such as Spartan Race and Iron Man.

The three-inch-diameter medal is made of antique silver with embossed design created by the SBO officers. It also symbolizes the pandemic with its spikes and even the running figures on the medal wear masks. Also, the back of the medal has a space where one can engrave his/her name.

Although running enthusiasts prefer to do road runs, Go said they expect to have a good number of participants because there were very few virtual runs that has been held in the past months.

Before the pandemic, there are fun runs almost every week, he said. “We are expecting a good turnout of participants for the Titans Virtual Race 2021.”

Even triathlete and Southeast Asian Games silver medalist Kim Andrew Remolino and Orencio James de los Santos a two-time SEA games bronze medalist and outstanding alumnus of PAREF Springdale School Batch 2005 will be among those who will join the virtual race.

Because the race is virtual, the participants can spread the length of the race category over several days if they complete it by the deadline on May 2, Go explained.

“They can do it (run) on a treadmill. They can even do it on a cross trainer. Anywhere as long as they do the distance,” he added.

To join you may register at the official website of Titans Virtual Race 2021: https://parefspringdale.myruntime.com/.

Participants are also urged to follow the guidelines of their local government in participating of the said event. (Photos: Robby Alugar)