There's no stopping Derek Ramsay from running. Not even a badly damaged knee.
Derek made this revelation earlier today, January 28, at the press launching of Century Tuna's Superbods Run held at the National Sports Grill restaurant in Greenbelt 3, Makati City.
The Superbods Run will take place on February 21 at the Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City and will feature four race events: 3km, 5km, 10km, and 21km.
Derek plans to participate in the 5km challenge, which is a modest undertaking for someone who loves to constantly challenge himself physically. The half-Filipino, half-British actor-model would love to join the daunting 21km race but the delicate condition of his injured knee cannot afford to take further punishment.
"Pagkatapos nito dun na ko magpapa-opera ng tuhod ko. So, yeah it's gonna be a fun day, friends, family, anybody can run, no age limit. You don't need to run the whole day puwede ka maglakad and, hopefully, we'll have good weather to enjoy the big event," Derek told PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal).
In a recent interview done to promote his new primetime show, Habang May Buhay, Derek gave a detailed and not-so-pretty account of his injury: "My ACL is torn, so my knee is popping out of its socket. So I have a miniscule there which is like a shock-absorber for the bones... Pero yung main concern niya, may fracture ako sa upper part of the knee that's pinching a nerve."
RUNNING WITH ANGELICA. Derek, surprisingly, refuses to press the panic button despite of his own admission that his knee is "getting worse and worse."
"Buti na lang I have strong quads [meaning, tough thigh muscles] because of all the sports I did and that's what keeping my knee in place. But it's painful pero kaya pa naman. I can run, like this diretso lang naman and wala namang lateral movements that can pop my knee out of its place," he added.
Did he inform a doctor about his plan to run regardless of his current situation?
"Hindi ko na sila tatanungin," grinned Derek, "sasabihin lang sa akin ang tigas ng ulo mo."
He continued seriously, "I know the problem of my knee and I learned how to protect my knee. Mas delikado nga sa akin kapag natutulog ako or wala akong ginagawa where you don't really concentrate or focus on protecting your knee... I can stay play frisbee and I can still play basketball, though siguro not just on that level that I'm used to."
Derek is also hoping to bring along girlfriend Angelica Panganiban to the upcoming event.
"Sana," he smiled optimistically. "Not many people know na medyo sporty din siya [Angelica] pero di niya yata kaya takbuhin 'yong 5km. So siguro kung tatakbo siya 3km lang pero like what I've said hindi mo naman dapat takbuhin 'yong buong race. Hopefully kung wala siyang taping or trabaho that day makasama siya sa akin sa pagtakabo."