RUNNING is one of the best ways to stay healthy but for Simon Necesito, it did more than just that — it also opened up a handful of opportunities.
Back in October 2020, Necesito decided to change his life by becoming more seriously involved with running. “At the time, I was at 225 pounds and I was not happy with my overall appearance and performance,” he said. “I was experiencing frequent heartburns, heavy breathing, and I could barely fit into any of my clothes.”
The Dandan Middle School teacher said it was his friend, Vincent Camacho, who convinced him to try running at the track.
“He was with me every single day of that week. It was then I realized that I liked running,” Necesito said.
He has not stopped running since then. He is also doing the 365-day run challenge and is currently on day 210.
Necesito took a step further by joining the non-profit organization Run Saipan which hosts running events each month.
“I didn’t think that running would give me this kind of opportunity. I only wanted to run so that I could finally fit into my pants,” Necesito said.
“Whenever [Run Saipan president Edward Dela Cruz] asks me to join a run, I am readily available. It was thanks to him that I was able to conquer my fear of running long miles. I’ve ran two half marathons last year.”
Last year, Team Run Saipan participated in the ASICS World Ekiden and placed 2,277th out of 5,952 teams. This gave them the opportunity to fly to Oregon and watch the 2022 World Athletics Championships.
The Team Run Saipan members who went to Oregon were Edward Dela Cruz Jr., Sildrey Veloria, Gerald Galang, Jenna Kong, Jalen Lucido and Simon Necesito.
Not only did they watch fellow NMI runner Zarinae Sapong break her personal best record, they were also invited by ASICS to participate in a race called the Oregon Uplift 5k.
“This was a very unique race because not only were we racing with more than 800 runners (some of whom are running influencers and Division 1 college athletes), we also got to run the same course alongside the men’s marathon for the World Athletics Championships,” said Necesito who finished with a time of 30:23.
“Running has improved my overall mental health,” he said. “I am a lot happier than I was before. I’ve lost 30 lbs. since I started my running journey. I can notice a lot of changes in my appearance, especially around my face, my arms and my legs.”
He added, “Run Saipan has also encouraged me to push further in my fitness goals. I run because I want to continue my fitness journey. I want to be able run my first ever marathon and I hear that Guam may host an event next year. I am also training so that I can qualify for the 2023 Pacific Games for the javelin and discuss throw events, and what I do is in line with that. Finally, I continue to run because I want to be an inspiration for others who want to start running, too, especially my students.”
Simon Necesito holds up his medal after completing the Uplift Oregon 5k during the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.
