Team Kamote Runners – A Love Story

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“…love begins… with one hello…”

Team Kamote Runners

One Sunday morning, July 25, 2010, we met at the Runfest, Takbo.ph’s second year anniversary celebration. Having missed the registration as official runners, we volunteered to be marshals so we can still be part of the event and help organize it.

At the behest of Doc T (a.k.a Marco Montaos), Team 6 was formed. A mix of ladies and gents (and those in between), gathered to share our passion for the sport not by running, but by helping set up the event route, directing runners through traffic and cheering them on.

If there is anything that connects us — the one thing they have in common — it is love.

The love of running, that is. This is our story.

Why Team Kamote?

Harold Lorete – “For the simplest reason… lahat kami’y mga kamote… may kamote sa pag-ibig, may kamote sa trabaho, may kamote sa school, may kamote sa takbuhan, may kamote sa buhay… but still nangangamote man kami, masaya naman kami pag magkakasama!… hehehe.”

Jake Pescador – “You know what found odd about Team 6 during the runfest?

Without deciding as a group, at least as far as I was aware, most if not all of the team stuck together like a small herd even after finishing our tasks and continued cheering runners at a corner for the last stretch for a good while and walked/ran to the finish line together then milled loosely around at the booths before “regrouping” at the table for free breakfast.

We didn’t have to. We weren’t instructed to report back as a group for some reason anyway. Each of us could have just gone our own way but even while exchanging goodbyes, we were telling each other to attend the post-race party. Judging from the pictures, most of Team6 did go.

It’s probably just me. Anyway. thought it was a funny good kind of odd. Hehehe.”

The Kamote Cutes

Lori Llamado

Lori: “We’re just bunch of people who got bored (and depressed – coz were not able to reg in Takbo.ph RunFest) and decided to spend our one Sunday morning to volunteer as marshals.”

Jake Pescador aka Ruben Acebedo

Jake: “I didn’t really want to run at the tako.ph runfest. but I’ve often wondered how it was being a marshal or race volunteer. Then I saw the free shirt, which I thought was better than the singlet, and that sealed the deal for me and before knew it, I was part of Team 6.”

Sheryll Quimosing

Sheryll: From bitter to better and even best!!! I was not informed by friends that there’s this run for the takbo.ph anniversary so I was quite bitter not to able to join that fun run. Fortunately, Takbo.ph opened this volunteer program for marshals/cheerers. I immediately sent my profile and pictures taken from different fun runs. Actually, the instruction was, to send only the picture of the bib and contact information. I ended up sending an essay to takbo.ph and about 10 pictures of myself running, lol. Just to prove that I really love running and to join the event, feeling ko the more pictures, the more chances of being chosen. Hahaha. So July 25 came….was excited and ecstatic for the event. I did not feel any awkward moments kasi all of team 6 were friendly and warm, they all greeted with a smile especially my first friend in TKR, Lori. I enjoyed every moment of that event kahit hindi ako nakatakbo mas higit pa dun ang nakuha ko. I got new friends whom I share same passion for running, for learning, for love and for life! So from being bitter to better and looking forward to the best friendship ever!!!!

Harold Lorete

Harold: “I chanced upon Takbo.Ph Runfest while searching for my next run, unfortunately, registration was already closed by then. But then I read about the search for volunteers to help on the marshalling on the race, so I decided to sign-up as a volunteer. Excitement already ate up my sleep time on the eve of the race not knowing what to expect come race day, I had difficulty getting sleep (as if I’m running in the race)… hehehe… Luckily I ended up with Team 6, a bunch of cheerful, friendly and lovely people who share the same love of running. Now when I look back, I’m really grateful being a volunteer for that single race, I ended gaining more than the shirt Takbo.Ph had to give. I went home with great friends and not just a running group but a FAMILY… my TKR family!”

Cheesy lang!… hehehe”

Moji De Luna

Moji: “Kamote adik lang sa takbo…register dito register doon… ewan ba at di ko namalayan ang registration ng takbo.ph runfest na yan… pero di pa rin sya nakalusot haha (kala mo ha!)…i volunteered and luckily chosen… kamote yun lang walang singlet – hmp! …pero may shirt nman kami – bleh! … then, there i met my team….TEAM 6!”

Bee Yen Soberano

Bee Yen: “I was supposed to run with my running buddy, the one who got me into running in the first place, but I missed the registration and volunteered so I can still participate and cheer him on but he ended up missing the RunFest and I went on to love the sport and the people who always make it fun – Team Kamote!”

Jing Guerrero

Jing: “I stopped my running career (as if meron) but I want to see people running and joining races so I volunteered. then I met team 6…and the rest is history.”

Richard Navarro

Richard: “As a regular tambay in the takbo.net, I came across with the thread “Takbo.ph Runfest Volunteer” and immediately came to thinking how to become a race marshal and what it feels to be on the other side of run events. Before the day of the runfest I already met Lori (autumn_lal) and DocT (doctapiok) thru the forum chatbox and had a great talk with them. On the day itself, I came across Harold on the intersection of 32nd and 5th street and immediately thought if he’s a volunteer or not because he was on running attire. I didn’t think that would start a good friendship and great motivation to run among us.”

Ofelia Parrucho Lorete

Mama O: “Paano nga ba ako naging ampon nyo? Siningit ko lang ba sarili ko? Hmmmm… let me think… Aha!Aalam ko na, eto na story ko… Handa na ba ko? Hehehe.. Next time na nga lang…Hhahahahaha… Compose ko muna.. Hhehehehe… Pwede nang initiation ang maging photovendo natin o kaya kailangan magaya nya ung pagtawa ko sa bilang ng tatlo! Yung halos labas na ang ngala-ngala sa pagtawa…hehehehehe….:)”

Meljohn Tezon aka Boy Praning

Boy Praning: “Ahehehe..speechless ako e! pass! ;p”

Meljohn Tezon aka Boy Praning is our resident Triathlete currently taking Graduate Studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman. He was on hiatus from the sport when he volunteered and has since gotten back to running.

Elaine Marasigan

Elaine: “Medyo nagkakalabuan n kami ni boyfie. kaya I wanted to have a channel na it turned out to be running, haha. And so to meet some runners, I registered as a volunteer.:)”
Carlyle Noel Balagot

Carlyle Noel Balagot

Carl: “Running opened a lot of doors for me. A lot of people inspired me and were selfless enough to share to me how running inspired them as well. As a way of giving back to runners, I applied as race marshal for takbo.ph’s anniversary run. I think to be complete as a runner requires us to be at the other side of the fence to cheer fellow runners and attend to their needs as they run to the finish line. Little did I know that I would be blessed further when team 6 evolved to become TKR – the team that positively influenced each other to run and be fit – and even cover longer distances – long after we finished our task of being race marshals last July 25’10. I am proud to be part of TKR! go go go!!!”

Cheryl Hao

Cheryl: “I am really so proud to be a member of the Kamote Cutes. How we all first met during the Runfest and how the group has really become a family is something one didn’t expect.

With the camaraderie and the love for running being the bond of the group is not something to be taken lightly. Although I cannot be with the group that much but reading the updates daily and seeing the pictures always brings a smile to my face and a longing to be able to join them in the days to come.

What I can say and attest to is that Team Kamote has a long way to go, more races to conquer, more trails to run, more stories to laugh at, more support to lend, more cheers to shout and more love to give.”

Dondie Cabatingan

Dondie:

One of the organizers of the Figaro Fun Run
Jolly guy, makulit, at lagging missing in action
Controversial for starting a “heated” forum conversation with takbo.ph elite runners.

Maolen Gutierrez Precillas

Maolen: It all started ng ma-feel ko ang passion for running. I’m a fan of takbo.ph hehehe… Maghapon nakatutok sa updates ng list of races and luckily I read about being a volunteer in their anniversary run. Dahil sa na-late ako sa registration tinry ko as a volunteer (kala ko di ako mapipili) hehehe. Ayun past 2 o’clock in the morning naglalakad na ako sa kahabaan ng BHS and I met TEAM 6, bonding with them, pikturan to the max, cheering the runners,, and found friendship among the cute “ TEAM KAMOTE” …..

Marco Christopher Montaos aka Doc T

Marco: “di ako makagawa ng ilalagay sa profile ko. . . (shy ako) hehehe. . . . bahala na kayo. . ano gusto nyo ilagay… team 6 volunteers has gone far as far as friendship at “kaadikan” sa pagtakbo is concerned. . . .i’m glad to be a part of it! (naluluha. . . LOL)”

Open for membership?
Read the rest of the article at RunnersRunner.com

Always Online

You may visit us on Facebook: Team Kamote Runners on FB

or check out our blog at: https://kamoterunner.wordpress.com/

Written & Consolidated By: Bee Yen Soberano

Photos Courtesy of: