BEA MAXIMO: I WANTED TO SHOW THEM I CAN DO IT

Published in Sun Star Cebu Newspaper on Jan. 11, 2010 Monday issue
Mike Limpag, Sports Editor
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu

RUSH. The author on her way to finishing

at No. 16 among 73 runners.

By Bea Maximo
Contributor

“Before we experience victory every part of us wants to quit.”

This short statement summarizes my Cebu City Half-Marathon 2010 experience.

As I ran my first half marathon I had mixed emotions. I felt cold, nauseated, irritated and uneasy.

As soon as we arrived in I.T Park the wind sent chills down my spine as I heard the announcer call the attention of the 21k runners to start assembling.

I tried warming up but it felt useless for my feet were slowly feeling numb as I anxiously waited for the clock to read 5:10.

It read 4:30... 4:45... and I started to sweat as I stood beside elite athletes feeling the rush and the anxiety.

At 5 a.m., I desperately wanted to start running and thought “ I wanna get this over with”.

At 5:10 a.m., my heart started leaping as I heard the gun shot.

Thump...thump...thump...lub-dub...lub-dub.

The sound of my feet and my heart beat formed a rhythm.

I listened to my body and picked up my pace for the first few kilometers. I smiled at the crowd who were shouting words of encouragement boosting my energy and the dancers who filled the quiet streets with music and color.

Endless road.

This went on for miles and miles of what felt like an endless road to nowhere.

Soon my feet were giving up, I started having stomach cramps; at some point I wanted to stop, thinking “Why am I making myself suffer? No one asked me to do this. I made the decision”

But as I continued to push myself and finally arrived at the finish line I heard my mom and my sister, Ica, cheer my name and then I remembered why I entered the race.

I wanted to make my family proud. I wanted to show them I can do it. A different kind of rush filled my body as I crossed the finish line.

A feeling that no one can take away from me, the feeling of victory.

1ST PATID SA TC FOOTBALL FESTIVAL

CHAMPIONS. The Sacred Heart School - Hijas de Jesus Seniors Team captured the Girls-17 crown in the 1st Patid sa TC Football Festival, December 16, 2007 @ the University of San Carlos Field, USC-TC, Talamban, Cebu City. The team also advanced to the Women's Open Division, bagging the 2nd Runner-Up title. Photo/PaBolFC.com

1ST LAHUG FOOTBALL FESTIVAL

Sacred Heart School - Hijas de Jesus Coaches Mens Team bags the Mens Open title in the 1st Lahug Football Festival, December 23, 2007 @ USPF Field, USPF, Lahug, Cebu City.

PATID SA TC FOOTBALL FESTIVAL

SHS-HJ Juniors placed 1st Runner-Up in the Inter-School Category, Girls-17 Division of 1st Patid sa TC Football Festival, Dec. 16, 2007 @ USC-TC Grounds, Talamban, Cebu City. (L-R): AlexaL, Coach Richard, SarahP, ChenT, LucyY, MoniqueL, SamP, JamC, LisaP, AlyssaT, MonicaC, SatchelM, CoraK.

HIJAS GIRLS. (L-R) KatrinaS, TracyL, StephL, KeshaM, DenicaT, ErinY, ReneeS, MarthaT, ChescaU, GrazelG

HEARTERS. (L-R) AnaF, BrigetteT, MaryY, GoldaU, JennicaY, PatriceH, JonaC

DOMINANCE. SHS-HJ Seniors bagged the Girls-17 title in the 1st Patid sa TC Football Festival. The team also advanced to the Womens Open Divison round and captured 2nd Runner-Up. SHS-HJ Football is managed by PaBolFC. (Dec. 16, 2007 @ USC-TC Field, Talamban, Cebu City).

HOW SWEET IT IS. Monique Libi (dark green jersey) scored her first-ever goal in a tournament since joining the SHS-HJ Football Organization last July 2007. With her are teammates Lisa Punay (left) & GK Monica Ceballos. Photo taken during the 1st Patid sa TC Fest

I BELIEVE I CAN FLY. SHS-HJ Juniors winning 1st Runner-Up in Inter-School Category of 1st Patid sa TC Football Festival Girls-17 Division Dec 16, 2007 @ USC-TC Field, Talamban, Cebu City. SHS-HJ Football is managed by PaBolFC

JULIENNE SHONE THE BRIGHTEST

Regulation score: 0-0. SHS-HJ Senior-A and Bright Academy, playing in the Quarter Finals of the 2007 Mizuno Football Festival Aug. 25, 2007 in Cebu City Sports Complex had to go through a penalty shoot-out to break the tie. Above photo: Goalkeeper Julienne Canoy successfully blocking the 1st penalty attempt of Bright.


GK Yen-Yen Canoy made another courageous block on the opponent's 2nd penalty attempt.
Bright's 3rd and final attempt on the goal was again foiled by GK Julie Canoy. Final score 1-0 in favor of SHS-HJ. The team advanced to the Semi-Final Round.

HEARTERS ON PARADE

SHS-HJ Juniors Team

SHS-HJ Seniors-A during the parade of teams in 2007 Mizuno Football Festival Aug. 25, 2007 @ Cebu City Sports Center



Let's go SHS-HJ Seniors-B!


Sacred Heart School-Hijas de Jesus sent the biggest delegation in the Girls-17 Division of the 2007 Mizuno Football Festival
Go go go SHS-HJ G-12 Players

HEARTERS IN ACTION

Sarah (or Sam?) Policios of the SHS-HJ G-17 Team-C dribbles past the opponent in the 2007 San Roque Football Festival Aug 18 in Mandaue City

BEND IT LIKE PATTI. Patricia "Patti" Liu, the "The Wall" of SHS-HJ Girls-17 Team-A, "bends" the ball during the 2007 San Roque Football Fest. Aug 18, 2007 @ Mandaue City, Cebu. Patti helped her team won the Championship title in the Girls-17 Division.

HEARTERS @ THE SIDELINES

Are we having fun yet? SHS-HJ G-17 players (front L-R): NicoleC, ReneeS, Lea AnnC, & RB. (back L-R): Kesha & Tracey waiting for their next game in the 2007 San Roque Football Festival Aug. 18, 2007 @ Mandaue City, Cebu.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

(L-R) Alyzza Pelenio, Athena Chu, Trix Tecson, Rebecca Chiongbian (goalkeeper) and Paulina Almira put up a defensive wall in one of their Girls-12 Division games. Sacred Heart School - Hijas de Jesus Girls-12 Team placed 2nd Runner-Up in the tournament.

THE JUNIORS

Joining their first ever tournament, the Sacred Heart School - Hijas de Jesus Girls-17 Team - C had a blast by securing 5th Place in Group A.

Here comes the Juniors (clockwise): Lisa Punay, Sam Policios, Chen Tampos, Sarah Policios, Corazon Ko, Lucielle Yee, Alyssa Tan, Satchel Magsambol, Jamilla Chin & Monique Libi

THE YOUNG ONES

Sacred Heart School - Hijas de Jesus Girls-17 Team-D, composed of young but determined 13-14 year old athletes playing in a 17 & Under category, defied all odds by securing 2nd Place in Group A and advancing to the Semi-Final Round of the 2007 San Roque Football Festival last Aug. 18, 2007 in Mandaue City. The team grabbed joint 2nd Runner-up in the competition.

Members of the team are (front row L-R): Chesca Uy, Erin Yap, Bea Montenegro, Kesha Muller & Martha Teves. (back row L-R): Katrina San Ramon, Hannah Acosta, Renee Songalia, Tracey Liu and Rina Dakay

THE TOP TEAM

The SHS-HJ Girls-17 Team-B came out No. 1 in Group A and earned the right to advance to the Semi-Final Round of the 2007 San Roque Football Festival last Aug. 18, 2007 at Mandaue City, Cebu. The team eventually settled for joint 2nd Runner-Up in the tournament.

Team Members (back row, L-R): Nicole Chanlim, Regine Lim, RB Imboy, Gail Oliamot, Muriel Cantos, Kristine Yap & Lea Ann Calejesan. (front row, L-R): Christine Lu, Grazel Galeos, Ika Samonte, Kimberly Taguiam, Maris Ting & Karina Hilado.

Congratulations girls!

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Goalkeeper Julienne Canoy (7th from left), foiled 2 penalty shoot-outs from San Roque FC during the championship game, displaying tenacity, grit and determination which earned her The Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the Girls-17 Division of the 3rd San Roque Football Festival last Aug. 18, 2007 at Subangdaku, Mandaue City.

On hand to cheer for her are teammates (L-R): Maris Ting, Karina Hilado, RB Imboy, Gail Oliamot, Mitch Muller, Lea Ann Calejesan & Grazel Galeos.

BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPIONS

Sacred Heart School - Hijas de Jesus Team-A captured the Championship crown in the 2007 San Roque Football Festival Girls-17 Division last Aug. 18, 2007 in Subangdaku, Mandaue City, defeating San Roque FC 2-1 in a thrilling, nerve-cracking penaly shoot-out after a 0-0 draw in regulation time.

The team successfully defended the title it won last year.

Members of the victorious team are (front L-R): Jackie Ting, Erika Casas, Ban-Ban Yu, Bea Maximo & Mara Dado. (back L-R): Vanessa Tojoy (Teacher Coordinator), Marlou Solon (coach), Patti Liu, Mitch Muller, Julienne Canoy, Veronica Whitt, Alexandra Barot & Dom Villamor (coach).