Tag: Running Generals

General David Petraeus

On By kingofpotsIn Military, RunningLeave a comment

General David Petraeus is a “four-star” General who is presently the overall Commander of the Multinational Armed Forces in Iraq. In addition, he leads more than 165,000 US troops in Iraq. He is featured in one of the stories of the January 2008 issue of the Runner’s World Magazine.

He is 55 years old and a fast runner! He ran the 1982 Omaha Marathon in 2:50:53 hours and could run 2 miles in less than 10 minutes in his younger years. At present, he can still do 81 repetitions of push-ups in 90 seconds( almost one second per repetition!)

He is surrounded by his personal staff who are good runners. Officers who are newly-assigned to his Command are personally received by General Petraeus with a 5.7-mile run where he leads the pace with under six minutes per mile. The officers and men under him are inspired and impressed with his athletic strength and passion in running after having a metal plate in his pelvis and a victim of a gunshot wound on his chest due to training accident.

General Petraeus was quoted by the writer of the story on his motive of bringing newly-assigned personnel to his Command to a morning run as a reception rites. “I want to know how he’ll react and respond to the challenge, what his strength of character is…Obviously, I’m not just interested in whether someone is a good runner. But there’s something about an individual who has self-discipline, drive, basic fitness, and the heart to run reasonably well that indicates the kind of spirit that you are after in people who take on tought tasks”

Running Generals

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Running HeroesLeave a comment

“Running Generals” are rare breed of disciplined, consistent, patient, focused and passionate officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police who take running seriously and part of their daily scheduled regimen. These Generals should not be misconstrued as Generals “running” away from the enemy or “running” away from the battlefield and take the comfort of their “air-con” offices in the General Headquarters or in Metro Manila. These are the real “marathoners”. Most of them finished marathon races in the past and some of them are still adding more marathon races to their personal records even if they are already retired from the service.

I would like to pay tribute to some of the officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines who later became Star Rank Officers or Generals who had finished marathon races in the past and in the present. Most of them became my models/idols but always my running competitors in road races in the past and some running events during alumni homecomings of the Philippine Military Academy.

Brig Gen Max Bejar, retired, as the Dean of Corps of Professors and Assistant Superintendent of Philippine Military Academy from 1986-1989. In my recollections, he was the first active General who run two consecutive marathons, 1987 & 1988 Pilipinas International Marathon. He was then a Brigadier General when he ran these two marathons. He is tall and stocky guy and finished his first marathon in 5 hours +. He migrated to the United States after his retirement from the service and he is still actively connected with the corporate world.

Admiral Jorge Necesito of the Philippine Navy, retired, as the The Naval Inspector General. He was the former Chairman of the DND-AFP Gintong Pangarap for Marathon for two years until I replaced him as the Chairman almost two years ago. He is one of the few Naval Officers who started running the marathons in the early ’80s.

Brig Gen Antonio Romero of the Philippine Army, retired, as the Assistant Division Commander of the 7th Infantry Division, Philippine Army based in Fort Magsaysay, Palayan City. He finished marathons in the ’80s and a consistent member of the DND-AFP Team for the annual participation to the International Corporate International Run Competition held in Palo Alto, California in the ’80s.

Brig Gen Samuel Narcise of the Philippine Army, still active in the service, presently The Inspector General of the Philippine Army. He finished a number of marathons in the ’80s and early ’90s together with me. He later shifted to badminton and he is now considered as one of the top active Generals in the sports of Badminton.

Chief Superintendent Samuel Tucay of the Philippine National Police, still active in the service, and presently the Director of the PNP Training Command. He is an active marathoner and acts as a Chairman of one of the Federations of Running Organizations in Metro Manila. 

Lt Gen Alan  Cabalquinto of the Philippine Army, recently retired from the service, and retired as the Commander of the National Capital Region (NCR) Command in May 2006. He was my running colleague/partner in the 2005 Pasig River Heritage Marathon and some of the PAL International Races in the ’90s. We both idolize Dr George Sheehan and exchange notes on running tips, training, and running fashion.

Commodore Vic Agdamag of the Philippine Navy, still active in the service, and presently the Commander of the Philippine Naval Command-North. He finished marathon races in the ’90s and a single-handicapper in golf up to the present.

General Benjamin Defensor, Jr. of the Philipine Air Force, retired, as Four-Star General and former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He finished marathon races in the ’80s and presently holds an Ambassador position for Global & International Counter-Terrorism under the United Nations Organization.

Among these running Generals, only Brigadier General Max Bejar and Lt Gen Alan Cabalquinto were able to run and finish marathon races while they were actively holding the ranks as Generals. Their feat and passion in running marathons were not highlighted by the AFP and the media then but this simple posting on my blogsite will surely put them as part of the history of marathon running among the senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.