Leaky Faucets

Last Friday I finally received my long-awaited absentee ballot in the mail. I requested it about six weeks ago, but given that it takes approximately two weeks to get a letter from here to the U.S. and back, and add to that the necessary processing time of a government agency like the Queens Board of Elections, six weeks does not seem so bad.

I didn’t want to delay my vote or take any chances that it might not get there in time, so I filled it out and took it up to the US Consulate office at the Waterfront Hotel yesterday morning. They’ll be sending it to Manila where it will travel to the States via the Embassy mail pouch. Hopefully, it will make it to Queens safely. But even if it doesn’t, current polls show my guy way ahead in New York state.

And by the way, this is the second time in my life I have voted absentee, albeit the first time from overseas. The first was my sophomore year at the University of Maryland in ‘92. I only wish I was still registered in Ohio.

Finding a good place to run in Cebu has been a constant challenge since I got here.  Mostly, I’ve been running at the gym—either on the treadmill or on the covered but outdoor track.  This is okay for short runs, but after a while it is quite redundant.    Aya and I did a 5K race last Sunday sponsored by Holiday Gym.  We talked to a few local avid runners that we know, and they reminded us of a popular running spot which we had heard about, but had not yet tried.

I had been to this place before, but the circumstances were different.  It was the burial of Aya’s grandmother.  The place is the Cebu Memorial Park, colloquially known as CemPark.  Believe it or not, this is where the top runners and tri-athletes in the city train.  There is no Central Park here or even a Flushing Meadows.  So this seems to be the best Cebu has to offer in terms of a place to run where there are few cars and a measured course.  Two kilometers per loop around the mausoleums and tombstones.  Sure, it’s a little spooky, but there are a lot of others there.  Living people, I mean.  The dead don’t bother you too much.  And there are lights when it starts to get dark.  It’s best to start a little earlier and finish before it is too dark, but as long as there are other people there I think it is fine.  We ran there yesterday and plan to go back soon.

Today I tried a different place on the recommendation of my brother-in-law: the golf cart path around the course at Cebu Country Club.  It was quite challenging and I felt really winded at the end.  After 6:00pm it was really dark, and I would have had trouble finishing the front 9 if it were not for Bayani driving a golf cart in front of me.  There was one other runner there today other than Aya and I—he’s training for the Singapore Marathon.  In the dark, this place can be almost as scary as the cemetery because you are all alone.  At least in CemPark, there are always other runners.

So, at least there are a few options other than the boring old gym.  More importantly, it will help if I can run with other people, especially those training for marathons or half-marathons.  Otherwise, it might be difficult for me to reach those distances again.

Sometimes—and this certainly depends on my mood—I think I could live the life of a cloistered nun, if not for the requirements of being Catholic and female.  There is a group of such nuns living in a convent near our house; they are friends of my in-laws and often come to the house.  I saw a few of them the other day at JY Square Supermarket in their red habits.  I know they walked the mile or so to get there, which I would enjoy if I weren’t in a hurry, though I wonder if those habits are comfortable in this heat.    I would certainly enjoy the days spent reading and studying, and most importantly not socializing.  Like I said, it depends on my mood.  If it is sour, I sometimes dream about getting away from everyone.  This would be one way to do it.

“ENJOY IT at the GYM.” This is the sage advice offered by Nestle on the top of their tetra-pak cartons of fresh low-fat milk sold at supermarkets all over the Philippines.

You know, this is something I’ve never actually thought about trying. And come to think of it, no one I have ever known who works out has ever mentioned to me that milk is a beverage of choice at the gym. I’m not an expert, but I really don’t think it is a good idea, particularly for running. I usually stick to the standard water or Gatorade, but I purposely avoid dairy products as I am afraid they will upset my stomach while running. Perhaps milk is consumed by body builders but from what I know they prefer those powdered protein concoctions.

I don’t know if Nestle really believes that drinking milk at the gym is a good idea or if they are just trying anything to get people to drink more milk. I for one won’t fall for this ploy.