THERE’S the law, there is sport, and there is love. You can have all three if you so desire.
I hardly visit a lawyer’s office. I have lawyer friends I can easily message when I need clarity of thought, legal counsel, or a sounding board. However, on one of these rare occasions, I visited this young, winsome, and health-buff lawyer, as recommended by a senior lawyer, Atty. Virgilio P. Alconera, who advises me on many matters, my articles included, to discuss a legal point.
We became online friends — don’t I feel like a millennial, haha; the affinity strengthened (my personal view) because he married a Boholana. What could be a more kindred spirit than that! Anyway, I have followed his adventures and occasional misadventures on Meta, and just recently, I saw all these medals and awards for his chosen sport. I couldn’t help it! Surely, this dedication, commitment, discipline, and passion deserve an article.
This is his short story.
Atty. Jette Roy Gustilo Sanchez, 38, was in law school at Ateneo de Davao University in Davao City when he joined the school Fun Run in 2019. He probably didn’t expect to win but as unexpected as it goes, he won! Well, I daresay it wouldn’t have surprised his friends since he started running as a cross-training during his taekwondo days, way back in 2002. He already had the physical and mental stamina for the sport. He began joining organized fun runs in 2009.
By 2010, he co-founded Team Davao Runners (TDR) in Davao City, a running team whose membership embraces runners from all walks of life. TDR also organizes road and trail runs in Davao. “We are one of the oldest running teams in the Philippines,” he says.
As inspiration goes, he wants to stay fit which is easily translated to “Eat all you want and do ‘runcation,’ meaning, run while on vacation.” Our running lawyer maintains the sport to keep himself sharp, alert, and healthy. “I always start or end my day with a good run. It makes me physically fit.” Moreover, he explains, “It’s a cheap sport. You can run anywhere, run alone, or with friends.” The added benefits of running include making friends and broadening his reach. He considers his three best wins in the sport as friendship, healthy living, and promoting work-life balance.
Well, that can apply to anyone, regardless of status, profession, gender, age, or advocacy, however, sustaining commitment and discipline is altogether a different thing. It is fun to start but the challenge is sustainability. On a personal note, please consult your doctor before joining any sport for guidance.
Our running lawyer believes in time management and setting priorities. “You need to prioritize family first, then, running can come in between.” The sport has made him a better individual, husband, father, friend, and lawyer because sports demand that “you give all to gain all,” he stressed. “There is no half-hearted approach to sports.” So far, Jette has joined around twenty marathons since 2009 and ran as far as 100 km. Quite a feat, huh!
Jette looks forward to participating in the Berlin Marathon 2024 which is taking place for the 50th time in September. This iconic and competitive race aside from setting the bar high for elite athletic achievements, has attracted so many seasoned and experienced runners from all over the globe. “It’s one of six major marathons in the world which can happen only through a lottery. One has to apply for the lottery, and if your name is picked from out of the thousands of applicants, it’s a go for you. If not, you can reapply for the next lottery, the following year,” he enlightened.
How did love happen? Ah, here goes my penchant for romance.
Love stories often begin in unforeseen, serendipitous places, when the forces of nature bring two individuals together in one extraordinary space in time, not necessarily on a collision course, but gently enabling the circumstance to happen one step at a time or in this case, “one run at a time.”
As fate would have it, in 2012, Jette would meet the love of his life — your guess is as good as mine — in a marathon! In a Cebu City marathon, Jette met Aeda Mae P. Siao, a lovely genuine Boholana, who grew up in Calape, Bohol, and five years later, on June 17, 2017, the two runners tied the knot. The couple is blessed with six-year-old Adriana Belle S. Sanchez, their first daughter.
Love instinctively blossomed in a marathon.
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The writer hosts Woman Talk with Belinda Sales every Saturday, 10 a.m. at 91.1 Balita FM Tagbilaran City. Email at belindabelsales@gmail.com. X @ShilohRuthie./PN
