150 join LITS GXM Challenge

Life in the Son pastor Eric Abragan competes in a local event in Marpi last Saturday to log miles for LITS GXM Challenge. (Teddy Corpuz)

Life in the Son Go the Xtra Mile Virtual Run/Walk Challenge has drawn 150 participants that have logged thousands of miles with still more than a week to go before the event concludes.

LITS GXM started last Dec. 1 with runners/walkers given the option to walk/run 50 or 100 miles by Dec. 31 and each week, organizers recognize the mileage leaders. Prizes will be awarded to the runners/walkers with the highest miles accumulated and top finishers (first to complete the challenge).

For the Dec. 14 to 20 cut-off, Lito Recto was ahead on the leaderboard in the men’s division after recording 80.40 miles. Tania Tan led in the women’s field with her 51.01 miles. Rounding out the Top 15 (combined men’s and women’s) were Jay-Ar Barrios (25.9 miles), Mi Takatsuji (24.29), Moji Moji (22.9), Ambet Omampo (16.1), Yulia Aleksenko (15.7), Christian Joseph Yeo (15.5), Vhoie Francia (15.5), Sharon Abragan (14.6), Jersh Angeles (14.22), Lydia Tan (14.1), Nancy Omampo (13.1), Don Aid (13.1), and Marian Guieb (12.4).

The virtual challenge is open to both on and off-island runners/walkers. The CNMI national football team training pool has 54 players entered in the event, while the 96 other participants are members of LITS and the community.

“We created an exciting challenge for Saipan and anyone around the world to start exercising while still following the guidelines of social distancing (safety measures against the COVID-19 pandemic),” LITS pastor Eric Abragan said.

“We wanted to finish 2020 well. Instead of doing a New Year’s resolution to exercise in January, we decided to start in December and encourage our church folks to get active by challenging them to run/walk for 50 or 100 miles for the whole month. When my wife and I joined the virtual Go the Distance Challenge in Guam last July this year, we found that the challenge was doable. It challenged us to run/walk at least 3 miles a day,” he added.

Abragan said registration for the event is still open and free since runners/walkers have until Dec. 31 to log the needed miles. To sign up, check https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lits-go-the-xtra-mile-gxm-virtual-runwalk-challenge-tickets-131382834595. Participants must install the Strava app to submit their mileage to the organizers.