Race Review: Greenfield Christmas Run 21km

Another impromptu race for the month of December. 

Now it was even worse training-wise.  The last run I did was a slow and easy 10km on a Friday morning, which wasn't bad considering that the race was two days after.  What was bad was prior to my 10km easy run, my last workout was three weeks ago!  During that time, I did no running or any other form of exercise.

So I was bit cautious (and very afraid) for this race.  But the finisher trophy was just too enticing.  I chatted with one of the race organizers and he assured me that there wouldn't be any cut-off time.  Perfect!  I could just walk the entire thing if I wanted to (which I don't but I could..).

With nothing else to lose, I drove to Greenfield early Sunday morning from my house and got there in 40 minutes.  The parking line was long and I was panicking a bit as I still had to look for one particular person who had my race bib with him.   Good thing I was able to ask the security guard if there were any other places to park and he pointed to another direction and lo and behold, just one car lining up!  I quickly parked the car, brought my phone with me and dialed the person's number.  RING!  RING!  RING!  RING!
RING! RING!

CRAP.

I quickly made it the starting line and look for any booths there and found one where a guy was handing out race bib to another runner.  A quick inquiry confirmed that this was my guy and after paying P500, I got my race bib!  Yahoo!!

A few minutes to go before gun start so I went back to the car and took the rest of my running gear from it.  New thing I brought with me was my MP3 player.  I needed all the help I can get for this half marathon and if this device offered any sort of distractions from the race, then I am all for it!

I got back to the starting line and just in time too for the countdown! 3 - 2 - 1!

And we were off.

I stayed at the back and more and more runners quickly overtook me.  I didn't mind.  I was just happy being part of this race and just hoped I wouldn't run out of trophies at the finish line.

It was pretty dark at 4:30am and there were no street lamps here.  A lot of times we couldn't see where we were going and what we were stepping on.  I had to go slower (if such a thing was possible) as I feared tripping on something.  There were a few spotlights but oddly enough, they weren't focused on the ground or on the road but on our faces so it made running even more difficult as we were blinded by them.  Oh how I wish I had my night lamp with me!

super dark!!!

There were a lot of water stations here and good point on the organizers for serving cold water.  The course was pretty straightforward and quite flat, just the way I like it.  Unfortunately, at a crucial turn into Pramana, there weren't any marshals directing us to keep going forward and a lot of us entered the residential compound. (Pramana was part of the route but something you had to do going back after making the U turn).  A lot of 21km runners were confused and didn't know whether to retrace their steps out of Pramana or just finish the entire thing.  I told them to just finish it and to just skip it going back, that way, it should still be the same.  They agreed and we all kept going.

surprisingly, still in a good mood!  What!!

I verified with other fast 21km runners, who were going back already, that they only had to do Pramana once and they said Yes (I wouldn't want to run longer and at the same time, I didn't want to cheat either).  "Okay, at least I know what to do", I thought.

So I kept going, exited Pramana and kept going until the U Turn back to Pramana, where I skipped it and just kept running (or jogging) all the way to the finish line.

My time wasn't bad but not exactly fast either.  I was just glad to finish the race happy and got finisher trophy.

Results came out the following day at www.runningmate.ph and I ranked 1,100 +/ 1,700 + runners.  Not bad (expected to be last 10!).  Time of 2:45 for distance of 19.8km.

Thank You God for giving me a chance to run in this race and for keeping me safe.

To God be the Glory! AMEN






 

Two Races in One Day's Time!

near finish line

In my previous blog entry, I started off with statements such as:

"This could be my final race for the year.";

"But as of now, my race schedule is FREE!  Not a single race registered or booked for the future!  It's off season for this RFB!"

And yet here I am writing again (and eating my words) about doing two races in one day's time, something which I have never done before in my life!  So how did these races came to be?  Read on...

RACE NO. 1 - RESCUE RUN 

When Alvin and I ran together Friday morning, I told him that this was a race we could do as it is for a worthy cause and that cause was to help the people in Visayas Region affected by Typhoon Yolanda.

Bullrunner also had a similar run in BGC for Saturday morning but I preferred to do this because of the race bib (making race more official).  My siblings chose Bullrunner's run as they needed to do a long run that day.  Both races look good to do as proceeds from both runs will go to charity.

I invited Alvin and Janine for this.  Both confirmed for it the night before but only one showed up (the other overslept... guess who!).

The race had a gun start of 5:45am but we started 5 minutes later, which was okay for all of us.  We registered on the site and did some stretches and warm ups before the 10km race.  I was still tired from previous day's 10km run so wasn't in race mode here.  I was thinking of just doing it at a slow 8-minute pace and be done with it.

The route was from the starting line to Kalyaan Bridge and back again.  Repeat and rinse!  Haha.

So this was my first time to run on Kalayaan Bridge twice for a 10km race!  That was UP HELL for me but I kinda enjoyed it and got into the zone.

I took water breaks and walk breaks on Kalayaan Bridge and would run off again.

The picture above was me near the finish line (Thank God!).  I grabbed a cup of water and bag of chips (and not letting that go!) from the last water station before I sped to the last 300 meters to the finish line.

It was a great run and I had a great time.  Congrats Greentennial Run!

amount contributed for Yolanda! Congrats guys!

I finished at a time of 1:11:30 with a distance of 10.48km (Garmin based distance) and pace of 6:49.  Woo hoo!  Happy with my time considering I set a much lower standard for my performance here :)


RACE NO. 2 - OUTBREAK MISSIONS!

Then, there's the second race.  Another run which I hadn't signed up for.  Luckily, Janine won 10 free slots via an online contest and I got to be part of her team PAWS.

I couldn't decide though whether I had time to do it and only confirmed early evening that I was okay for it.  It was held in Filinvest, Alabang and we were part of Wave 2.

Our wave schedule was supposed to be at 11:00pm but due to some delays made, we started at 11:30pm.

This is different from regular Outbreak Races in that although there are still zombies involved here, there is also a task that you need to accomplish, which in essence was trying to find a cure for the zombie infestation.

Our group of 10 became 9 as we literally lost a team member and couldn't find her in the first zombie attack.  Janine lost all three of her lives in that zombie attack.  Another team member fell with four other people and got some deep cuts on her hands.  Another team member fell in the bushes but otherwise came out unscathed.  I lost one of my lives here too.  It was quick, brutal and a lot got injured in that darkened road as zombies started running from your front and rear at the same time!  We heard stories about a girl fainting while another guy fell and landed on his ribs.  Man, this was hardcore.

Thankfully it wasn't like this most of the way as we slowly walked to Filinvest Mall and tried to complete the three tasks inside.  There were zombies in the stairs, zombies in the mall, and a lot of "scientists" and "soldiers" giving clues to our mission.

It was a long race but quite a fun experience for a lot of us.  We finished in 1 hour and 30 minutes.  I had two lives intact and got a souvenir dogtag. Our team ended up being "infected" as we chose poorly on one of the key moments in this race involving a crazy guy in orange jumpsuit.

Our missing team member was waiting for us at the finish line (she got sprained when she fell in the first wave of Zombie attack) but was still happy for her loot bag (nice shirt and bag).

Congrats Outbreak Manila for one cool race!  You guys rock!

In my official Zombie race shirt

 

Team PAWS!

That was one heck of a Saturday!

Finally, here are some scary pictures to haunt you in your dreams (you can imagine our fears that night when we had to face them in reality!)

2013 New Balance Power Run 25km

This could be my final race for the year.  Could be but there is still a chance I might do one or two more as there are a lot of interesting races to come:

Greenfield 21km
Rizal Run 50km
Nike Run 10km

But as of now, my race schedule is FREE!  Not a single race registered or booked for the future!  It's off season for this RFB!  (Alvin would contradict me and say I have been off season since July! Haha!)

The truth is, I have been a bit bored with running lately.  No motivation to run faster.  Just a to-finish goal and that has been happening ever since I started doing Ultra Marathons this year.  It's a double edge sword that beast!  Haha!

I registered for the New Balance 25km some weeks back and didn't do much on training.  Just doing a required long run on weekends and one or two slow 10km during the week.  It served as my LSD (LSD with no race that is!) with simple goal of crossing finish line and getting the (VERY SHARP!) finisher medal.

I was soooo bored that I wanted to run with my MP3 Player (something which I haven't done in years) but due to the rain, I decided otherwise and left it in my car.   Alvin and I went together to the race venue and parking line was pretty long.  Good thing we discovered a secret parking area where there were no lines and lots of available spaces! 

We also discovered a secret toilet too in that area.  If there were good things coming out of this race, it was these two discoveries! Haha!

We were at the starting line with 8 minutes to spare.  I did a few stretches and waited for the race to commence.

The race started on time (at 4:30am) but with the big crowd, it took me more than two minutes before I crossed the starting line.  I turned on the Garmin and started slow.  My strategy was simple:  break this race into three legs and start slow on first leg, go a bit faster on second leg and faster on third leg.  It was a strategy that worked in Rexona Run two weeks ago.  That was about it.  No race pace.  No race goal! Definitely off season! Haha!

I was armed with two GU Gels. That should be enough.

The route was a maze around BGC area.  But I was still glad as we didn't go to Bayani Road and Lawton Avenue!  I saw a lot of familiar faces (a lot from the Ultras Alvin and I did before) and a lot of angry faces (party goers who couldn't move their cars because of us!).  But marshals managed them and us beautifully. (There was one or two angry girls though in two separate occasions who left their cars to scold the marshals!  Trying to make it to curfew time? Haha!)
 

Other than those two girls, everything went well for us:  route was nice, cold drinks, and sponges and bananas along Buendia Avenue.

Route then took us to Kalayaan Bridge and along Buendia Avenue all the way to near Taft Avenue for the U turn back.

My strategy for slow, faster, fastest didn't turn out the way I wanted to and became slow, stagnant and slower! Haha!  Oh well.

As we headed back to Kalayaan Bridge from Buendia, the sun was fully up and pouring its heat onto us.  4km to go!

Not in a good mood anymore, obviously.  Haha!

Alvin waited for me at last 2km (must have waited forever!) and we ran/ walked together to the finish line.

Got my weapon/ finisher medal and loot bag which had nothing inside except for some dental gift coupons.  Oh-kay!!

Went around the finisher area and saw a good deal via Kinesio tapes being sold by Intercare.  We went back to the car and I got some cash there and bought two tapes (P200 discount from retail price)!

As I headed back to the car, I heard some disgruntled finishers complaining that not only did they not receive any loot bags but neither did they get any medals as all had ran out (pun not intended)!  That was surprising as organizers should have known how many runners joined the 25km category and allocated the right amount.  Hopefully there weren't any cheaters or thieves who availed of the medals the wrong way and deprived the finishers of their medals!  :(

2,371 calories burned!

Yahoo!

 1 weapon/ finisher medal.

Yahoo!


25km done!

Yahoo!

Donate NOW!

We were spared from the typhoon last Friday (and even got to run New Balance race) but not all our fellow countrymen were as lucky.  Let's share the blessings that we have and start helping our fellow brothers and sisters in Tacloban, Samar and other places in the country that were hit by Super Typhoon Haiyan/ Yolanda.

From UNICEF:

Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) ravaged the central part of the Philippines on November 8, 2013. It left a storm of destruction in its wake, triggering 12 to 15 feet high storm surges, flooding and landslides and affecting an estimated 4 million people.

 

Early news reports indicate massive damage to life and property as Yolanda inundated even evacuation centers where hundreds of families took shelter during the storm. Telecommunication lines and electricity are down. Air and sea ports are closed. Media reports have identified food, safe water, medical assistance, and shelter as priority needs.

UNICEF, with humanitarian partners, has deployed assessment teams to support and assist the government in response to this latest disaster.

 

We are ready with prepositioned supplies to quickly respond to children’s needs in terms of nutrition, water, sanitation & hygiene, education and protection.

 

Our resources are severely stretched from responding to three emergencies in a row within two months: the armed conflict in Zamboanga on September 9, the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Bohol on October 15, and now Super Typhoon Yolanda.

 

Again, we urgently appeal for your help so that we can respond to those affected by this latest calamity.

Help children affected by Typhoon Yolanda TODAY.

 

 

A one-time donation of P 1,500 can help provide 7 families with a month's supply of safe drinking water.

 

A one-time donation of P 3,300 can help provide 15 people with essential hygiene items such as soap, towels and water pails

 

A one-time donation of P 5,000 can help provide a child-friendly space for 3 children in an evacuation center

 

 

Donate via this link:  UNICEF

 

 

 

From RED CROSS:

Red Cross conducts assessment, sends aid after supertyphoon battered Visayas
After super typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) battered Visayas, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has deployed assessment, rescue and relief teams to evaluate the damage and to support rescue efforts.
Staff and volunteers from local chapters are now deployed in different affected areas. Three teams from the National Headquarters will be deployed in Samar, Leyte and Capiz together with the Water Search and Rescue Teams of Olongapo Chapter.

PRC Operation Center reported that as of this morning communication lines in Leyte were still down, flood waters were approximately 10 feet high brought by the storm surge in Tacloban City and Palo City.
Power supplies in Eastern Samar, Oriental Mindoro, Masbate, Sorsogon, Leyte, Negros, Capiz, Romblon and Busuanga have not been restored since 9 am this morning.

The PRC chapter in Masbate will be conducting assessment in Balud, one of the hardest hit areas, were no reports were gathered as of today.

In Leyte, PRC packed relief goods for immediate distribution to evacuation centers. Hot meals were provided to 450 evacuees in Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and Eastern Visayas State University.

Even before the typhoon Yolanda entered Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), food and non-food items were already prepositioned in PRC Cebu Regional Warehouse consisting of 2,000 tins of ready to eat food, 4,000 blankets, 4,000 plastic mats, 2,000 hygiene kits, 2,000 jerry cans, 10 units of health emergency tents and 5,000 of food and non-food items with support from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Welfare Desks including restoring family links and tracing services were established in the affected areas to assist affected individuals with tracing inquiries.

Hot meals were also provided to 3,365 affected individuals in Masbate, San Pablo and Capiz.

As of 9am, a total of 19,677 families (993,585 persons) were temporarily sheltered in 353 evacuation centers.

More than 340 barangays from 46 municipalities and cities were reported affected.

 

 

Donate via this link:  RED CROSS

Race Recap: Rexona Run 21km 2013

Rexona Run 2013 was held last October 20th at Mall of Asia Grounds.  The 21km race had a super early gun time of 3AM (for a regular 21km race, the usual gun time is at 5AM to 6AM).  So it was sort a night race.  I didn't mind it as at least I won't feel the dreaded heat that is always linked to running on Roxas Blvd.

But...

I had zero mileage for the week of Rexona Run.

AND I had zero mileage the week before Rexona Run!  So two weeks of no running equals two weeks of zero miles!

Plus we just got back from a family trip the night before so no chance for me to get enough sleep for this race!

Luckily this race didn't have a cut-off time so I will just treat it as a fun run (if such a thing is possible for a distance this far) and didn't have any time expectation goals.  When my wife asked me my target finish time, I just replied, "probably around 3 hours 30 minutes", with no hesitation at all.

I was just banking on the Full Marathon race I did two weeks ago and hoped that I still had some fitness from that race.

So on Sunday early morning, I woke up groggy, ate a sandwich and drove to Mall of Asia to park in their building.  I was late for the first wave but had enough time to stretch and started with the second wave crowd.

I took it slow with a simple strategy of dividing the race into three parts, roughly 7km per part:  with first part being super slow that it would feel effortless, second part a bit faster and third faster still.  I would use time in the first part to analyze my body to see if everything was okay.   I walked at almost every water stations and walked the uphill climbs so as not to burn myself out. 

It was humid when we started but I was thankful that there was no sun heat here. 

21km bib

Rexona Run 2013 had a motto for this race:  Run To Your Beat!  And they did this by providing music (recorded or live via DJs) in a lot of parts of the route.  This worked for me and I ended up enjoying running this race.  It was a lot of fun especially at the DJ stations where there were also live performers (acrobats, dancers, etc) in front of the DJ.

We also entered a light tunnel and it was here where all runners cheered, shouted and waved their hands in the air.  It was a lot of fun and I was reminded of the Rock N Roll Marathon Series that USA has annually.

We were entertained and pretty soon I crossed the 7km without any hard effort.  Who would have thought that providing music would make running on Roxas Blvd. more interesting and less boring?

My pace was a bit faster but I was conservative as I didn't want to walk at the last part.  I changed my goal to below 3 hours as thought that was doable.

I kept going and felt good.  I definitely missed running a Half Marathon race.

I crossed the finish line and got a really nice finisher medal plus a loot bag.  I had a great time in this race and glad to have joined it.  I got a high not from my own performance but from the great music played here.  THIS IS DEFINITELY ONE OF MY FAVORITE 21KM RACES!

Good job Runrio.inc and to Rexona Group for this unforgettable race!

I may not have reached any PR here but at least I still finished it in 2:50:38 with no running for two weeks (which I never did before for a 21km race! Although that is something I would really advise against.)

By completing this race, I set a new record and that is having the longest current running streak of doing four consecutive annual races (and tied with Condura).  Should there be a Rexona Run in 2014, I hope to do it again so that will be my new record of five consecutive annual races.

GOD IS GOOD!  THANK YOU LORD!

News: Burger King Stacks Burgers - challenge accepted

I love burgers!  This is something I can have for three to four times a week.  For a take out meal in a movie, this is my choice of food... Burger King is one of the joints I visited for my burger cravings (Glorietta 4 branch).

So it is pretty cool once I heard about their new Stack Burgers and the challenge they had recently:


Official Press Release:

Are you Man enough?”

Burger King Philippines Presents

BATTLE OF THE STACKS KING!

EATING CHALLENGE

“Are you man enough?” was the resounding question posed by Burger King Philippines to all those men AND women out there who are brave enough to take on its newest burger offering, BK Stacks, and vie for the BATTLE OF THE STACKS KING title.

BK Stacks is Burger King’s made-to-order burger where anyone can choose 1, 2, 3, or 4 flame-grilled beef patties for their burgers! The BK Stacks is made even more satisfying with melted American cheese in between and crispy bacon on top, a generous smothering of the special BK Stacks sauce, and all held together by a toasted sesame-seed bun. Your manhood is tested by how many BK Stacks you can handle.  A Single Stack is labeled as a “Dude”.  Have a Double Stack and you’ll be known as the “Boss”.  A Triple Stack promotes you to someone people look up to—the “Chief”!  And last but definitely farthest from the least is the Quad Stack, a burger only fit for the “King”! 

Burger King launched the burger-eating challenge entitled Battle of the Stacks King to see who is man enough to take on the enormous BK Stacks where the man who can eat the most number of King Stacks burger in 15 minutes wins a whopping P50,000 in cash and crowned as the BK STACKS KING! People sent a lot of funny videos to the BK Facebook page to enter the contest.

The top finalists contended for the Battle of the Stacks King crown last October 19 at Burger King 2 E-Com Center at SM Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City to see who is the manliest of them all.

Burger King Philippines is part of the global chain of restaurants specializing in 100% flame-grilled beef burgers and other finger food & dessert complements.  Burger King currently has 29 American Grill-themed outlets within the Greater Metro Manila area where Filipinos can enjoy dining every day.  It offers delivery via 667-7171.

For more information on Battle of the Stacks King, visit the Burger King Philippines Facebook page or check out our promo video on YouTube, “Burger King: Battle of the Stacks King”.  Check us out in social media:

Facebook.com/burgerkingph

Twitter.com/burgerkingph

Youtube.com/burgerkingph

Instagram.com/burgerkingph

 

I may have missed out on the Burger Eating Contest (Darn It!!!!) but I can still try if I can finish a Chief or King burger (Dude and Boss are just too easy for this RUNNING FATBOY!)


CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!!!

Marathon No. 13 - Run United Philippine Marathon 2013

For my 13th Full Marathon, I chose it to be Run United Philippine Marathon for a couple of reasons:

1.  It starts at BGC instead of Mall of Asia so it is nearer to my house and more convenient to get to.  Bonus is that only 42km runners will start in BGC while for all other race categories (500m dash, 5km, 10km, and 21km) will be at Mall of Asia (MOA) Ground.  So parking would be easier too for me and place would be less crowded as well.

2.  Milo Redemption!  After not making it to the cut-off time of Milo Marathon by a few minutes, I didn't want that to be my last marathon for the year.  So, along came this race, with a 7-hour cut-off time and a nice uniquely shaped finisher medal, and I immediately wanted to run it!

3.  This is Year 2 for this event and my 2nd year of running it.  I wonder how long I could keep this going!

Sunday Morning

I had about three hours sleep, which was good enough for me given that this race would start at 3AM.  My quick breakfast composed of a peanut butter sandwich and two bananas.  Unfortunately, I think the bananas may be overripe and after forcing myself to finish them (sayang kasi!), I ended up vomiting four times afterwards!  That definitely wasn't a good sign for me.

At BGC, with still about 15 minutes to spare, I couldn't find an unlocked toilet in that area.  I ended up foregoing it as the only open one had a long line and there were less than 5 minutes to go before race start (yes, it took me four attempts before I found an open toilet - Section B8 for your future reference).  Again, not a good sign for me.

I did a few quick stretching at the parking lot adjacent to the starting line before I met some fellow runners and had a quick pre-race photo with them.

with fellow 42km runners Elmer and Carlito

Race Begins

I took it easy this time around, hoping that the second half will make me stronger.  I prayed every kilometer, thanking God.  And I followed the crowd as we went around BGC area.  Chatted a bit with fellow marathoner Leila, who is off to do Toronto Marathon in just two weeks time!

My legs were okay and my stomach wasn't acting up (Thank God)!  I saw some familiar faces on this race but not that much. 

The run around BGC passed by quickly and effortlessly.  Then we headed up Kalayaan Bridge and out towards Buendia Avenue, where it was the long stretch to Roxas Blvd.  Here, I was doing good too and was consistent in my pace. 

Along Roxas Blvd., we made a left turn and kept on going.  My enemy, the sun is slowly coming up to taunt me.

We passed the 21km mark and I reached it in under 3 hours.  If I was consistent or even a bit faster for the second half, then I could make the goal of sub-6 hours.

But unlike Milo, I wasn't that pressured here anymore and didn't force myself to run at a pace I wasn't comfortable with.  I just kept going, stopping at times to eat a bananas or GU gel or to drink water or Gatorade.

still happy at Roxas Blvd.

Then at 25km, I started to falter.  Tiredness suddenly hit me and I walked a bit.  I forced myself to run again and I prayed for strength.  And God was there and I felt good again.  But it was getting hotter and I was now stopping at water stations not only to drink but to pour water on my head.  Luckily, all the water and Gatorade were served cold here and sponges were also offered to us.

At 30km, I felt tired again.  There was 12km to go and that felt F----A----A-----A-----R!

Oh my, what is happening to me!  But as I looked around me, I knew I wasn't the only one as almost everyone was walking too.  The heat was making it worse for all of us.

I had become grumpy and wondered why I was running this race.  I wanted to just sit somewhere and not move. At. All.

I gave up on my time goal and changed my goal to finish below 6:30.  And where did I get the magic number?

Because the free shuttle bus from MOA to BGC will end at 9:30AM, 6 hours and 30 minutes after our race started.  I wasn't sure how strict they would be with the bus time but no way was I risking it! 

Even with this thought at the back of my head, I still walked more than I ran in the last 7 km.  I was spent and I was afraid I may have over hydrated as well.  Then, it became a safety issue for me so I was careful too.

The last 2 km took forever!  Even near the finish line, I was still walking!  It took Vener to shout out my name and encourage me to run the few hundred meters that I ran again.

A small Philippine flag was handed to me by a marshal (only 42km runners received one).  And I was able to cross the finish line.

Not with a big shout or smile but with a very tired look.  But I still felt proud when the finisher medal was placed around my neck and the word, "Congratulations", was said to me.  Then I felt happy and excited to go home!

There was a red carpet walk for the Marathoner finishers, free drinks and some photos as well.  I didn't linger long as there was a bus for me to catch so after gathering my finishers' kit, I went directly to the bus stop!

It wasn't much of a Milo Redemption as my finish time was similar to Milo at 6:09:30 (vs Milo's 6:09:34), but at least this time, I got a medal and finisher shirt out of it.

Marathon # 13 - Done!

Praise God!

News: Corregidor Half Marathon and Full Marathon

Official Press Release:

RUN BACK IN TIME AT THE 2013 CORREGIDOR MARATHON

The philosopher George Santayana once stated, “Those who do not know history are condemned to repeat it.” But if history is comprised of all your winning and most memorable moments, you will most likely come back for it.

On December 7 and 8, 2013, the running community will once again converge in Corregidor Island to participate in 2 events: The 1st Corregidor Marathon (CM) on the first day and the 4^th Corregidor International Half Marathon (CIHM) on the second.

The 1^st CM will usher in a new level of challenge in the running scene. With a total distance of 42.195km, the event is designed to be the common ground of marathoners, ultra-runners and triathletes.

Participation in the 1^st CM will be reserved for 88 seasoned marathoners only, with a set qualifying time. Because the half-marathon course of Corregidor could be viewed from the top as forming an “8”-shaped loop, runners must race through the course twice to complete the race, hence a “double 8.”

The race is an open competition. All participants upon crossing the finish line will receive a Finisher’s Medallion and a rank-indicated Finisher’s Trophy. There will be one male and one female overall winner whose title will be Corregidor Marathon Man and Woman, respectively. Each winner will receive a Php30, 000.00 cash prize and a champion’s trophy. Age bracket top finishers will also be declared and will be awarded with a certificate of achievement.

In addition to the full marathon distance, CM will have shorter distance categories: the 5K Blitz and the 3K Thrill. Each of these distances shall have 150 slots. These shorter distances will cater to those who are just getting started with the sport of running and who would like to experience running in the island. There will be no qualifying times required for the participants of these sub-categories nor will there be a sweep time or cut-off time.

Meanwhile, close to 1,000 participants and visitors are expected to turn up for the 4^th installment of CIHM. Runners from different backgrounds – from intermediate recreational to hardcore runners, will take a shot at dethroning the reigning King and Queen of the Rock. The 4^th CIHM is designed to thrill, surprise and challenge runners, from different parts of the country and from around the world, by testing their mettle on all types of running terrain.

The race route, covering a total of 21.0975km, will encompass a combination of paved uphills and down slopes and intermittent segments of dirt trails. But what would differentiate CIHM from the usual running experience of avid runners is that it will take the race participants to key historical hotspots on the remarkable isle. Right at the start of the race, the runners will experience an adrenaline rush as they race past the full length of the Malinta Tunnel. The exhilaration will continue to unfold as the runners exit the tunnel’s east access en route to the interior of the atoll. The thrilling highlight of the race surges as the runners negotiate the tricky span of a thickly foliaged trail draped in rays of sunlight, culminating in a run along the rocky cliff of the island with a breathtaking view of Manila Bay, to dramatically finish at the south dock breakwater facing the vast West Philippine Sea.

The 4^th CIHM will be an extraordinary opportunity for passionate runners to set a new norm for personal achievement as finishing the race will be akin to recapitulating a fortress that is home to the resilient and valiant. There are 300 slots to be opened for the 21K distance. A qualifying time of 2h30min for male runners, and 3h00min for female participants will be adopted for this category. First time 21K runners must have run a 10K race within 1h15m (male) or 1h30min (female). However, for CIHM alumni 100 slots will be allotted as wildcard entries waiving the qualifying time requirement.

Aside from centerpiece 21km event, there will be a 10k Challenge for running aficionados who are yet to be familiar with the challenging terrain of Corregidor but yearn to discover and experience its distinctive scenic course. There will be no qualifying time to join this race category. Likewise, no sweep time will be observed. The top male and female runners in this event will be awarded with a certificate of achievement and winner’s plaque. All finishers in this race category will be awarded with a 10km Achiever Medal. Only 200 slots will be opened for this side event.

Registration for the 1^st CM is ongoing and, for the 4^th CIHM, registration will begin on October 1, 2013.

The 1^st Corregidor Marathon and the 4^th Corregidor International Half Marathon are managed by Big, Big, Big, Inc. and presented by Smart Communications, Sun Cruises, Soleus together with event partners Corregidor Foundation, Galileia Events Place, 100 Miles Café, L Time Studio, Runningmate, One Sceniques, Active Link, Toby’s, Runnr, media partners The Philippine Star, Pinoy Fitness, Mellow 94.7 FM, Takbo.ph, Inquirer Libre, Solar News and medical aid partner UERM Medical Center.

For inquiries and updates on the two races, interested runners can like the separate Facebook fan pages or shoot an email to corregidormarathon@bigbigbig.com.ph or corregidor21@bigbigbig.com.ph. Runners can also contact (02) 403-0246 or 09228115438. 

10k finisher medal

3k, 5k and 42k finisher medals

 

21k finisher medal

 

official shirt

 

sling bag

back pack for 42k participants

FAQ:

Q:        How much are the race registrations for the CM and CIHM?

A:        For Corregidor Marathon the race registration fee is Php6,000; the sub-events 5K Blitz and 3K Thrill have the same race participation fee: Php2,500.
For the Corregidor International Half-Marathon, the race participation fee is Php3,000; for the sub-event 10K Challenge, Php2,700.

Q:        Are these race registration fees too expensive for a race in the Philippines?

A:        On face value, the stated race registrations fees maybe the highest to date locally. However, relative to the ever increasing registration fees of races in Metro Manila, the participation fees in both the CM and CIHM are actually very reasonable and in fact underscores a great value for money, and almost a steal. Sun Cruise’s regular rate per person for a daytrip to Corregidor that includes round-trip ferry, a group-guided tour of the island, and a lunch buffet is Php2,300.00. Marathon distance participants of the CM are entitled to a round-trip ferry, a pre-race Carbo Dinner buffet, a post-race Lunch buffet, a customized race shirt, a race backpack, an RFID timing chip, a quarter-pounder Finisher’s Medallion, and a rank-indicated Finisher’s Trophy. The CM’s 5K Blitz and 3K Thrill categories entitle participants to a round-trip ferry, race shirt, sling bag, race bib and RFID timing chip, post-race Lunch buffet, and a Finisher’s Medal.
The CIHM package, excluding the guided tour, offers all participants round-trip ferry, a full lunch buffet on race day, a genuine dry-fit race shirt, race sling bag, race bib with an RFID timing chip, a classic Finishers’ Medallion, and a ticket to a mercury-rising after-race bash that is the CIHM Victory Party.

As a bonus, all CM and CIHM race participants get a Php1,000.00 SOLEUS Gift Voucher.

Q:        Are the registration fees refundable or transferable?

A:        The registration fee is non-refundable. It is also non-transferable.

Q:        Is change of race category possible?

A:        Yes. Race participants who want to change their initially registered race category to a different category should contact the organizers not later than November 22 for assistance. Beyond this date, request for such will not be accommodated.

Q:        Does the registration fee cover accommodations in the island?

A:        No. Accommodations, however, range only from P2000 (twin sharing, P750 for add’l person) to P3500 (Resort cabana w/ aircon) per night per room. A standard room could accommodate three persons comfortably. It may be arranged through Sun Cruises at these numbers: +632-5275555 loc 4511 and 4512, (+63)917-5459917, (+63)917-8084641, (+63)922-8475418  (Mon to Fri 8am-5pm, Sat 8am-12nn).

Q:        Is there any other option for accommodation if I were to go overnight?

A:        Yes. CM or CIHM participants may opt to camp out with their own tent. There is a P250 fee per camper to be charged by Sun Cruises on site. The camp site is at the parade grounds adjacent to the South Dock and facing the beach. Those who will camp out need not worry about their lavatory needs. Though spartan in nature, there are more than ample clean washroom and restroom cubicles that are very proximate to the tent grounds. 

Q:        Still concerning those going overnight, where could they avail of their meals ?

A:        Sun Cruises operates Corregidor Inn where both CM and CIHM participants may dine out in a welcoming restaurant. Alternatively, there are several kiosks in the island such as that in McCarthur’s Inn where participants may check out other meal options.

Q:        Will race participants camping out be allowed to bring camping stoves?

A:        Mini camping stove or similar devices that will produce a relatively minimal combustion may be allowed to be brought in by participants who will camp out.

Q:        Are bikes allowed to be brought along?

A:        Owing to space limitations in and weight restrictions of the ferries, CM and CIHM participants are disallowed to bring along their bicycles.

Q:        Will Corregidor be open to regular tourists on the day of the race?

A:        Yes. But only once the race has started. Expectedly, all regular tourist will arrive at the island towards the latter part of the conduct of the race. This means that CM and CIHM racers could totally enjoy a traffic-less and urban-nuisance-free race amidst a dramatic backdrop, and that is only in Corregidor. However, all Sun Cruises-operated accommodations are exclusively dedicated to CM and CIHM participants.

Q:        Where can foreign nationals, residing outside the Philippines, intending to join CM or CIHM get information on Philippine visa requirements?

A:        They may check out the tab “Philippine Visa Information for Foreign Participants” in the CIHM website www.corregidor21.runningmate.ph or other veritable websites on the net.

Q:        Can registered participants have their own pacers?

A:        Yes but only if the pacer is also a registered CM or CIHM participant. The race will strictly adhere to the “No Bib, No Race” policy.

Q:        Will there be a sweep time for any of the race participants in the CM or CIHM?

A:        None. CM or CIHM participants need not worry about being swept off the race course after a particular time. All participants who will successfully finish the 21k and 10k distances, respectively, will be awarded with the CIHM Finishers’ Medallion and 10K Achiever Medal, correspondingly. Same applies to the CM participants

Q:        How many hydration stations will there be on the race course?

A:        There will be 8 hydration stations, including one at the finish area, at 2km interval from each other in the entire race course. Other than hydration, embedded in select stations are race nutrition aid outlets.

Q:        Will there be first aid stations along the race course?

A:        Yes. First aid, actually, will be integrated also with the hydration stations. Aside from this, a mobile paramedic team will also be in place. And finally, the command center of the race medical aid team is situated at the Finish Line activity area.

Q:        What is the unique selling point of  both Corregidor Marathon and Corregidor International Half-Marathon?

A:        It is the idea that all CM and CIHM participants will have the rare opportunity to run on sacred grounds and all their determined efforts will be cheered on by the glorious memory of heroism of our noble predecessors. Then there’s the bonus of an after-race Victory Party where participants could revel to celebrate their achievement.

Registration Details:

 

Half-Marathon

Race Registration Fee:

·        P3,000.00

Race Registration inclusions:

• Roundtrip ferry to and from Corregidor
• Full lunch buffet on race day
• Race bib w/ RFID timing chip
• CIHM Dri-fit Race Shirt
• CIHM Race sling bag
• CIHM Finisher's Medallion
• Runners' Briefing (Nov 30 and Dec 1)
• CIHM Post-Race Victory Party
• CIHM Digital Finisher's Certificate
• P1,000 SOLEUS Gift Voucher

*For race participants attending the Carbo-loading Dinner (Dec 7), Carbo Dinner ticket may be availed at P250.00 on Nov 30 & Dec 1 during the Runners’ Briefing.

10K Challenge

Race Registration Fee:

·        P2,700.00

Race Registration inclusions:

• Roundtrip ferry to and from Corregidor
• Full lunch buffet on race day
• Race bib w/ RFID timing chip

• CIHM Dri-fit Race Shirt
• CIHM Race sling bag
• 10k Achiever Medal
• Runners' Briefing (Nov 30 and Dec 1)
• CIHM Post-Race Victory Party
• 10K Challenge Digital Finisher's Certificate
• P1,000 SOLEUS Gift Voucher

*For race participants attending the Carbo-loading Dinner (Dec 7), Carbo Dinner ticket may be availed at P250.00 on Nov 30 & Dec 1 during the Runners’ Briefing.

Registration, Ferry and Room Reservations Procedures:

1) Send a direct message to our FB fan page "Corregidor International Half-Marathon" indicating your full name, best 21K race finish time conforming to the qualifying times: 2h30mins (Male) and 3h00min (Female) during the last 12 months, name and year of race. For those who have yet to run a 21Km race, a 10K race time of at least: 1h15 (Male) or 1h30 (Female) must be provided. First 100 CIHM alumni are exempted from the qualifying time.

2) Pay the corresponding race registration fee by way of a bank deposit at any BDO branch using the following details:

BDO Checking Account

Account Name: Big Big Big, Inc.

Account Number: 000410417114

*For international participants, as follows are the details when depositing corresponding race registration fee through bank transfer:

BDO (Banco de Oro Unibank, Inc.)

Branch details: 041 Bel-Air

Swift Code: BNORPHMM

Acct details: Checking Account

Account Name: Big Big Big, Inc.

Account Number: 000410417114 

3) Visit and “Like” the Facebook fan page “Corregidor International Half-Marathon”. Submit a photofile or scanned copy of the deposit slip (with your full name written on it) to the Fan Page by way of a direct message. Wait for an alpha-numeric code reply to your message. This code CAN NOT be shared with another person.

4) Log on to www.corregidor21.runningmate.ph to complete registration for the race. In order to validate the race registration transaction, you must provide the assigned alpha-numeric code on the space provided in the on-line registration form.

5) Once race registration is validated, you will receive in 48 hours your race inclusion confirmation via email. After receiving your confirmation, immediately contact Sun Cruises (8am to 5pm – Mon to Fri; 8am to 12nn Sat) at 5275555 loc 4511 and 4512, 0917-5459917, 0917-8084641, 0922-8475418 to book for ferry trip schedules.

Indicate the desired trip schedule:

From Manila to Corregidor

a) Overnight – departure on Dec 07 @ 1:00pm

b) Day trip – departure on Dec 08 @ 5:00am

Return from Corregidor to Manila

a) departure on Dec 08 @ 2:30pm (priority for Overnight CM & CIHM participants)

b) departure on Dec 08 @ 6:00pm (priority for Day trip CIHM participants)

Your desired schedule is subject to first-come, first-served basis.

* For those travelling with noncompeting companions, you may avail of Sun Cruisesʼ regular tour package at P2,300/person. Please contact Sun Cruises if availing of this.

6) If applicable, make accommodations reservation with Sun Cruises (only registered participants will be given reservations; maximum of 1 room per participant only). Pay the appropriate accommodations booking amount through the payment mode advised by Sun Cruises.

7) On Nov 30 & Dec 1 (as advised through email by Team Corregidor) at  

Galileia Events Place in 100 Miles Café, Fort Strip, BGC attend the Runners’ Briefing, pick-up the race pack, and claim the Boarding Pass and/or Accommodations Booking ticket from Sun Cruises.  Anyone may pick up your kit at Runners’ Briefing from 1pm to 8pm. They may be asked for identification and your signed authorization note.