4 latest to complete run streak

Jessica Ortizo, Jean Bracken, Rick Bauer, and Zaiyra Ganacias are the latest local runners to complete a 365-day run streak. All four ran at least a mile a day this past year.

Ortizo, who concluded her streak in Portland, Oregon where she relocated before 2023 ended, said she started the run streak journey mainly to challenge herself.

“I thought I could not do it. It’s harder than I thought, especially if it’s a rainy day. The last few days that I traveled to the U.S. I actually had to run in the airport in San Francisco,” she said.

Aside from keeping the streak while traveling from Saipan to the mainland, the 53-year-old native of Davao City, Philippines also overcame running during a typhoon and in snow and injuries playing soccer during her streak.

Ortizo, whose longest run was a mile and longest was 30 kilometers, unfortunately halted her streak due to her work schedule.

“But I will still continue running on my free time.” Her favorite run routes are the Gov. Froilan C. Tenorio Beach Pathway and Marpi.

Bracken said her streak began as a 31-day running challenge in January last year.

“I wanted to continue on because I saw a lot of changes in my body. So far, I lost 40 lbs from running,” said the 27-year-old Spicy Thai assistant manager.

She said the hardest part of the streak is actually just lacing them up and going out to run.

“Once you dress up in your running gear, running becomes easier. The initial action of getting out of bed is the hardest. I dedicate this challenge to myself! I learned a lot about myself on this challenge and it was such an eyeopener to who I actually am as a person,” she said.

Unlike Ortizo, Bracken said she will continue her streak in the new year.

“I am hoping to do this challenge in 2024 and I’m hoping to inspire others to do the same!” she said.

Bracken’s usual run route is around the Gov. Eloy S. Inos Peace Park and American Memorial Park. Her shortest run is a mile and her longest was the recent half marathon last December.

Like Ortizo and Bracken, Bauer started his streak as a personal challenge to himself.

“I started the streak as a way to challenge myself to be consistent and force myself away from excuses. There were a few days when you just don’t feel like it, but after a month or two, a daily run becomes so routine that it’s just built into the day and would feel weird if you didn’t get out there.”

The 42-year-old federal government employee said the hardest part of keeping his streak was when he had a bout of food poisoning, sustained three broken ribs, and after his vasectomy

“None of those runs were very enjoyable and they weren’t my fastest times…but I still made sure I was running it.”

As for his usual routes during the streak, Bauer said they changed a lot due to his constant travelling.

“On Saipan, I liked running Wireless Ridge and the beach pathway, but I got to log runs in South Korea, Japan, Australia, Vietnam, Guam, and many U.S. states this year. My warmest run was 93° F in Australia and my coldest run was in Kansas at 17° F. My shortest run was 1 mile (after the vasectomy, I was just content keeping the streak going) and my longest run was 13.1 miles in Hanoi, Vietnam when I ran the midnight half marathon. A great experience!”

Bauer intends to keep the streak alive in the foreseeable future.

Ganacias said completing the streak was both a challenging and a rewarding experience.

“The hardest part of the challenge was when I contracted the flu virus. Although I wasn’t feeling well, I continued to do my routine run at a very slow pace.”

Her usual routes are the Beach Road pathway and the Oleai Sports Complex track. During rainy days, she hops on the treadmill and whenever off-island, she looks for the nearest track and field facility.

The radio disc jockey’s shortest run was 1 mile and her longest was 21 kilometers in the half marathon.

“I dedicate my achievement to my supportive family, friends, Run Saipan, and Run Saipan president Edward Dela Cruz, Jr., and especially to my husband Dan. He always reminds me that consistency is the key to achieving your fitness goals therefore I make sure I did not miss a single day of running,” she said.

Ganacias also plans to continue her run streak in 2024.

“After completing the 365 days, I enjoyed the mile-a-day journey. Therefore, I plan to continue the challenge as long as my body can take it.”

To celebrate her accomplishment, Ganacias went to Guam and ran her last mile there.

“I asked my two close friends, Ira and Amor, to make a cardboard banner stating that I completed the 365 mile-a-day challenge. My husband invited me to join him in Guam to celebrate my accomplishment and to welcome 2024 there. My husband took my pictures with the cardboard banners and then we ended the celebration at a local restaurant.”

Dela Cruz, who pioneered the run streak challenge on Saipan, congratulated all four for completing the 365-day challenge.

“Every run streak has its own story. Everyone has their own reason for doing it. I’m just glad I helped open the gateway for people to find a way to help themselves mentally it physically with this challenge. I’m very happy the 365 community is growing here. Congratulations to everyone for their hard work and perseverance. No one can ever take that away from them,” he said.

Zaiyra Ganacias

Run Saipan

Rick Bauer

Jean Bracken

Jessica Ortizo