Running for her life

by Dinna Chan Vasquez

Men would climb a mountain because “it’s there.” Joy Rojas runs great distances because she loves crossing the “finish line.”

She usually does not compete against others but chooses to chase after a dream.

In 1997, Rojas ran across the Visayas from Eastern Samar to Kalibo, Aklan, over a distance of 1,196 kilometers over 40 days.

In 2005, Rojas, a writer, ran for 46 days over a distance of 2,000 kilometers from Davao City to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

This year, Rojas will run across America, starting from California and ending at the Philippine consulate in New York. The run is estimated to take 120 days and will cover a distance of 5,000 kilometers and cover 12 states.

“Running across the Philippines was a dream I carried in my mind and heart for seven years, sparked by the run across Visayas,” says Rojas, a slim and soft-spoken woman who looks like she cannot run across Quezon City, much less the Philippines.

But she did it.

“So after much thought, I said to myself that maybe it doesn’t have to mean that a dream is over, maybe it just means there are other dreams to fulfill,” she says.

Injuries are the biggest challenge in running long distances because of the wear and tear the legs and feet are subjected to.

“The idea is to avoid injuries or when they happen, to manage them or work around them,” says Rojas.

Mounting a long-distance run is also expensive, which is why the US run was opened for sponsorship.

The US run, dubbed Takbong Pangarap, Trans-America Run 2009, is expected to cost P3 million to P5 million. Aside from the airfare, the biggest expenses are the hotel room for each night, food and support vehicles.

adidas will sponsor Rojas’ shoes, providing her with about 15 pairs. The other sponsors are Asiana Airlines, Smart Communications, Sony Ericsson, HSBC, Shopwise and Senator Pia Cayetano.

“Through run coordinator Chuck Crisanto, we have gotten commitments from US-based Pinoys to run parts of the way with us. He is also securing financial support for the run here and in the US,” says Rojas.

It’s not just money and supplies.

“What goes through my mind ranges from random thoughts to prayers for help and thanksgiving,” says Rojas.

She works fulltime for a magazine but manages to run two hours at least three times a week. Once a month, Rojas stages a long run (about 50 kilometers) from Makati, where she lives, to Tagaytay, or Makati to Tanay.

As part of her preparation for her US cross-country run, Rojas will go on long runs on consecutive days.

“I don’t really run a fast pace, as some people believe,” she says. “The idea is to maintain endurance while staying injury-free.”

Prayers and reflection also play a big part in Rojas’ preparations.

“I also check out the Web sites of those who have run across the US, read their blogs and admire photos of them running on wide, asphalted highways with gorgeous views,” she adds.

Rojas admits to having pre-run jitters.

“Thinking about the distance alone is overwhelming. But lately, I’ve come to adopt a mindset that Mat suggested: to tell myself each day, ‘Today I am going for a run.”

Her boyfriend and running partner is Mat Macabe. The past year has been difficult for the couple as Macabe, a former Filipino migrant worker, had heart problems and had to go through open heart surgery. He will bike and run with her parts of the way.

Rojas started running when she was in her late 20s because she wanted to be more active instead of just sitting and thinking all day as most writers do.

“At first it was purely to de-stress. I never dreamed that running would be such a significant and special part of my life,” she says.

Since 2002, she and Macabe have run routinely from Makati to Tagaytay and Tanay. Before they run across the Philippines, they ran from Manila to Baguio in five days. After the Philippine run, the couple ran from Luneta to Nasugbu, Batangas, in 16 hours and Baguio to Banawe in three days.

Rojas does not have any special diets to prepare for races or runs.

She is partial to fish, vegetables and rice and hasn’t eaten chicken, pork or beef in years.

“I’m not into sweets but I have a weakness for chips and diet soda probably because of all the salt I sweat out from running,” says Rojas.