MEET THE TEAM. Joy Rojas (center) is flanked by trainer Mateo Macabe (right) and project coordinator Chuck Crisanto.

If you asked me several years ago what my life’s biggest dream was, it was to run across the Philippines.  I’ve held that dream in my mind and in my heart for many, many years and I was just waiting for the right people and the right time to come into my life so I could finally do it,” admits freelance writer and magazine editor Joy Rojas who is set to run from California to New York via Takbong Pangarap, a Trans-USA run set on May 2009.

Joy is one of the country’s top 10 female finishers of prestigious 42Ks when she was a regular of the local road racing circuit from 1995 to 2002.  However, her participation in the 40-day, 1,196 km Visayas leg of Fr. Robert Reyes’ Trans-Philippines sparked her passion for long-distance, multi-day runs.  And in 2005, Joy ran 2,000 kms from Davao City to Pagudpod making her the first woman to run across the Philippines.

The experience saw the culmination of a dream sans much fanfares for there were no brass bands to welcome her, no shrieking crowd calling out her name, no banners or streamers saying congratulations, and certainly no confetti and flowers.  Joy was given by members of the team a house plant which to day she still has at home.

Today, exactly four years ago, what changed Joy’s mind? 
“When it was done, I thought, ‘That’s it?’.  Then I realized that maybe running across the Philippines didn’t have to mean the end of a dream, but the start of many others,” Joy tells.

Making history

Joy went on recounting her experience after Hakbang Pangarap, the Philippine run: “It was so weird because after that, I actually felt more alive.  Suddenly there were all these things that I wanted to do, races I wanted to go to.”

Admittedly, Joy knows that conquering her current challenge is laced with difficulties.  “The road leading to that run so far has been paved with obstacles and challenges, disappointments and frustrations, setbacks and fall-start and so many other roadblocks that you can only imagine. But if there’s something that the Philippine run taught me is, while it’s good to think ahead, to plan for the future, you have to live day to day, moment to moment, and for runners and non-runners one step at a time,” she tells.

Joy and her team composed of trainer Mateo Macabe and project coordinator Chuck Crisanto are set to leave two weeks before May 11, a historic date for Joy as she’s about to turn 44.  Part of the Takbong Pangarap project are scheduled visits to Filipino communities along the route to encourage the rest of them to share their own dreams, an activity that gets people to think about their personal goals in life, and whether they’re serious and passionate enough to pursue it.

“Of course I want to see New York because that means that we’ve reached it but generally I’m open to seeing what’s out there in the 12 states that we’re going to cover.  I’ve never been to the US so this is a big adventure for me in so many ways,” says Joy.

More dreams

Another component of the project is to raise funds for two important organizations in Joy and running buddy turned trainer Mateo: the Social Services Division of the Philippine Heart Center and the Anti-TB Program of the Inner Wheel Club of Quezon City district 378, covering poor communities in 10 barangays.

Last year, Mateo was rushed to the Philippine Heart Center and had open-heart surgery.  It was a life and death situation but with so much faith, Mateo survived and remained part of the team as the pacer-navigator.  He will run and bike with Joy as she crosses the US.  Meanwhile, Joy is a TB survivor and she knows that there are still many Filipinos suffering, not only the horrendous cost of medication but the long duration of treatment as well.

“There are two things though that I would like to accomplish from this project.  First is to raise some money for our chosen beneficiaries.  I have seen so many of our running dreams come true and we felt that this is a great opportunity to help make other people’s dreams come true.  Second is a personal one:  to reach New York running,” Joy concludes.

(Write author at wellbeing@mb.com.ph)