Knocking On Heaven’s Door

December 10, 2009 · Filed under General · Tagged , , , , , ,

This Sunday, December 13, the athletics competition gets going at the 25th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Vientiane, Laos, wherein 20 Filipino athletes, including marathoner Eduardo Buenavista, will be participating.  The marathon event is scheduled on December 15.  It is interesting to note that we do not have an entry in the women’s marathon, as Cristabel Martes, despite surpassing the SEAG criteria, got the boot for breaking a Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) rule prohibiting national pool athletes from participating in long-distance races three months prior to the SEAG.  In the 2007 SEAG in Thailand, athletics accounted for 21 medals (5 golds, 7 silvers and 9 bronzes).  Buenavista won a bronze in the men’s marathon.

However, even before the games could start, the Philippine contingent had already suffered a setback in its bid to, at least, duplicate its harvest of 41 golds at the 24th SEAG, where it placed 6th overall behind Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore.  Aside from meager funding, the Philippine participation to the biennial event comes in the wake of a conflict between the officials of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)  regarding the selection criteria for athletes.  The PSC had originally recommended 153, but the POC added 98 more raising the total number of athletes to 251.  (Guess how many officials are going to Laos?  135 or more than half of the athletes.  If we exclude the 98 additional athletes from the roster, then the number of officials would have almost equaled the number of athletes.)   This conflict could not have been emphasized more by the sendoff message of Frank Elizalde, International Olympic Committee (IOC) representative to the Philippines, wherein he reluctantly called on our delegation to “unite and win.”

The constant bickering of our sports officials is not only wreaking havoc on our athletes’ training and performance.  It is also giving us a bad image in the international sporting scene.  Talk about morale boosting.  What can we expect from this kind of an environment?  It is already a foregone conclusion.  The list of excuses is already in the can and is just waiting to be retrieved and played. 

I am doubtful if we have a good-sized Filipino community in Laos, who can cheer and provide morale support.  Please say a prayer for our embattled athletes.  The odds are certainly stacked against them.  Let the high heavens hear our collective voices.  Let us pray for a decent, respectable finish for our Philippine team.  They need this now more than anything else.

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Takbulakan Sunday

November 30, 2009 · Filed under Races · Tagged , ,

The date is November 22.  This is the first outing of  Takbulakan, a run organized by UP Lakan.  It was nice to run again in UP, a welcome change of scenery away from the urban jungle of what is called The Fort, where most major races are now usually held.  The lush greenery psyches you up for the race, provides you an energy boost and makes you feel more attuned to nature and to your Creator. 

The 10K race started 15 minutes late, probably waiting for the number of runners to swell.  The crowd was rather lean, numbering only a little over a thousand.  The 10K route was changed for reasons we did not know (seems to me that this is becoming to be a habit amongst organizers).

Running the 10K route, I saw kilometer markers painted on the road (a nice innovation), but provided no purpose really other than to confuse the runners due to the changes made by the organizers.  The markers did not match with my Garmin readings.  The water stations and marshals were adequate.  The run along the rest of the 10K route was smooth and simple.

There was no digital clock at the finish line.  I was glad to see that my race bib was still intact, as it was only made of glossy paper without a bar code (I was apprehensive earlier that it might get wet and fall off along the way).  Not surprisingly, the finish line personnel were busy as bees tallying the finish times manually (I hope they did a good job at it).  My unofficial time was 57:40 for the distance of 9.91K.

After the race, the runners were treated to a breakfast of porridge and sports drinks.  There were other giveaways plus a raffle for jeans and cell phones.  Despite the low turnout, the fun run was fairly successful and had no major hiccups.  The organizers announced that a bigger, better race will be held next year.  Let’s see.

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Paksiw And Running Do Not Mix

November 21, 2009 · Filed under General · Tagged , , , , ,

On November 15, a Sunday, I got the chance to see the airing of Runner Speak on QTV Channel 11 , the first weekly TV show on running in recent years.  The show is hosted by Joanne Ignacio and surprisingly, a mumbling comic that goes by the name of Manny Paksiw, a Manny Pacquiao copycat.  The fact that the show opted to get Paksiw as a co-host seemed to me an advertising gimmick, aiming to get the show a cheap ride on the popularity of Manny Pacquiao. 

The show runs for thirty minutes, starting at 2:45 p.m. and has three main segments:  race reports, running tips and running accessories.  The race report segment is a hodgepodge of road races in an attempt to cover as many events into a 30-minute show.  It provided mere snap shots but did little to give the viewers a better appreciation of the races.  It focused mainly on the objectives of the organizers and gave very minimal, if no attention to the runners.  There was no in-depth race coverage.  Winners did not get interviews about their race experiences.  The running tips segment also came short as there was no actual demonstration of the exercises beneficial to runners.  The race accessories segment was by far the best of the three, but it also failed to give a thorough explanation of the uses of each component.  An added feature is the race calendar, which gives the viewer a rundown of upcoming races.

Runner Speak is a welcome addition to the running beat and will play a very vital and important role in the promotion of running in the country.  However to be more effective, several suggestions are in order.  It must revise its method of presenting race reports.  It must focus only on one major race, at most two.  It must give an actual video of the race as it unfolds, especially the contest among the elites.  It must give the viewers the chance to experience the drama and excitement of the race as it happens.  If ever interviews are to be made, it would be best to give it to the runners and to the winners.  Sponsors must stay on the background.  Further research needs to be done to make the running tips and race accessories segments more interesting and informative.  In short, Runner Speak must be a show for runners.  Nothing more.  Nothing less. 

Having an open mind, a positive attitude toward the concerns of runners and the willingness to conduct a more thorough and diligent research on running topics, the show will definitely get better as it ages (I just hope the network and the sponsors don’t back out before it matures).  Lastly, let Manny Paksiw do his comical act elsewhere but not in a running show.  Paksiw is better served on a plate and consumed.  That would be far more satisfying to the runner.

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Take A Stand, Please

November 3, 2009 · Filed under General · Tagged , , , ,

It happened anew.  The Smart International Marathon (SIM) was not spared of the usual inadequacies of race organizers.  Water, lights and action literally ran out for most of the marathon runners.  The event was relegated to a night orienteering course – a virtual grope in the dark, a halloween trick or treat on a grand scale.

Bloggers immediately went on a rampage, cursing the utter lack of concern for the runners’ safety.  They demanded an explanation and an apology from the SIM race organizer so that we can move on.  Move on?  Is this the typical ending for the usual bad, emotional dramas in road races? 

The organizers then began the delicate, balancing act on who should explain the fiasco.  Finally, Mr. Patrick Gregorio, head of Smart Sports, came out with a statement but fell short of admitting their mistakes and accepting responsibility for what had happened.

The situation has become chronic.  Runners must not only complain but have to take action.  Runners must now be more discerning in their choice of races.  We must not continue supporting the events of organizers, who keep on being remiss on their duties and responsibilities.  To the minds of these organizers, runners are easy to please, have short memories and easily accept apologies.  We must not allow these organizers to continue preying on us.  We must tell them either to shape up or to get out of racing permanently. 

The complaints, however stinging they may be, are far too scattered and disorganized.  They die down as fast as they started.  What is noticeably absent here is an official statement from a group like Takbo.ph.  If Takbo.ph is the voice of the running community, then it must not continue to be silent on issues such as this.  It must not remain as a passive witness to the problems and concerns that beset the runners.  It must put order, structure and direction to the complaints of its members.  It must drive its advocacy a notch higher.  It must now make a stand so that the collective voice of the running community can be heard by these organizers. 

Unless we act collectively, take a united stand and submit our complaints and suggestions to the next level, then we will continue to deserve these kinds of races.

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Creating More Breathing Space

October 29, 2009 · Filed under Races · Tagged , , , , ,

With two major races, the Adidas King Of The Road and the Subic International Marathon, scheduled in the fourth week of October, it did not come as a surprise that the Race For Life got waylaid in the competition for runner attendance.  Having been postponed due to the typhoons that recently hit the country, the organizers had no choice but to grab the earliest available race date at The Fort, a Saturday notwithstanding, or risk another postponement.

Only a handful of runners, around a thousand, came.  When we arrived, the 15k runners were already being called to the starting line, but nobody seemed to care as the area remained very much unoccupied.  I guess the 15k participants were just close to a hundred, maybe even less.  Nevertheless, the race started exactly at 5:30 a.m.  The race would take us to 32nd Street straight to the Kalayaan flyover.  The first thing I noticed, as with most races I participated in, was the absence of kilometer markers (not all runners have GPS watches Mr. Organizer).  We went straight to Buendia Avenue all the way to the intersection on Dian Street, where we made our U-turn.  Except for the markers, everything went okay.  The police handled the motor vehicle traffic very well in all intersections.  Hydration stations were adequate.  Enough marshals were provided.  The route was reserved for the runners.

I thought that the race would go on smoothly until the finish.  However, things began to change when we reentered The Fort.  Earlier, the race barker had announced that the route would be very simple – a straight route to Buendia Avenue and back.  But the return route to The Fort was not as simple, as it had several turning points not all of which was provided with a marshal.  This is okay for well-attended races, as you can just do a follow-the-leader tactic, but not for a sparsely populated race such as this.  At one point, I even asked a construction worker where the runners were, as I could not see the field ahead.  We finally merged with the race walkers on 11th Avenue.  We made our way to Market! Market! before the final charge to the finish line.  My unofficial time for the 15k race was 1:31.

The poor attendance at the Race For Life is yet another proof that the running community is not that big.  Scheduling too many races on one weekend leaves the minor races at the shorter end of the bargain, as major races will get the lion’s share of the running pie.  Eventually, this will lead to their natural death.  Or is it the other way around? 

Major races are harder to organize, as they entail a larger funding and much logistics.  They have to get all the support in terms of runner participation.  We need major races to serve as showcases and catalysts for the growth of the sport.  Spacing is the key.  This is where the administrators of the usual race venues, The Fort and UP, can play the role of controllers of the still meagre runner resource.  Too many minor races competing head on with a major race may spell the untimely demise of the latter.  Overzealousness in staging race events may just turn out to be counterproductive.  There must be a sense of order and direction to enable us to go forward, or we may just end up going in circles.

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The Emperor’s New Blog Site

October 27, 2009 · Filed under General · Tagged , ,

The Emperor’s New Clothes is a fairy tale written by the Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen.  It tells the story of an emperor who hires two swindlers, who promise to make him the finest suit.  This suit, according to the swindlers, is invisible to all persons who are either stupid or unfit for his position.  Although the emperor cannot see the suit, he pretends to see it for fear that he may be branded as stupid.  His ministers do the same.  When the suit is finished, he parades through the capital, showing off his new suit.  During the procession, a child cries out that the emperor has no suit.  The crowd agrees with the child.  The emperor, however, continues with his procession.

This tale emphasizes the need to see things as they are even when almost everybody had agreed to the falsity of the situation.  It stresses that the truth does not manifest itself in numbers but may come from a single soul, who dares to be different, brave and outright blunt.  The truth does not mince words just to satisfy anybody or to create an illusion that tends to suit a specific objective. 

Negative comments are part and parcel of everyday blogging.  Readers write a lot of them in blog sites.  Making comments is their avenue for speaking their hearts out.  It’s not all about being whiny or grouchy.  It’s a healthy exercise since it encourages dissenting views on issues.  To control or to moderate it is tantamount to masking the truth.  If negative views abound, it should not be blamed on the dissenting opinion makers.  These are symptoms and not the cause of the problem.  Censuring them will not solve anything.  Although negative remarks are welcome, we should, however, shun foul and abusive language, as they have no place in civilized societies.

Positive comments are mere extras that may come along.  They are niceties that lift one’s ego but, I must stress, are not be expected.  The worse thing a blogger can do is to solicit or to demand positive comments.  It’s not unlike canned applause or during the days of the Third Reich, in which you elicit praises and adulation at the stroke of one’s hand.  They may appear huge in numbers, but no amount of such solicitations can hide the conditions that truly exist.

If you really want to have a true assessment of your looks, do not look at yourself in front of the mirror but rather have someone take your photo, and take a look at the resulting picture.  Better yet, ask the comments of the photographer.

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A Traffic Jam For A Few Runners

October 20, 2009 · Filed under Races · Tagged , , , , , ,

Though the Quezon City International Marathon (QCIM) 21k race was to start by 5:30 a.m. yet, we went to the Quezon City Memorial Circle (QCMC) early, much to the protestations of my wife and kids, and arrived there at around 4 a.m.  I had to do this, as I did not want to be queuing too long for a slot in the parking area.  The race organizers had earlier announced that they were on target for the expected 10,000 runners.  Besides, I also wanted to witness the start of the 42k marathon, which would feature the participation of Kenyan runners.  I was glad that the parking area was very much unoccupied, when we arrived. 

We proceeded to the starting area.  To my surprise, the sea of humanity I was expecting was not there (based on the unofficial results available from the JazzRunner blogsite, the number of participants reached only about 3200, which was way too small compared to the target of 10,000).  Except for the presence of the Kenyans, the crowd size was nothing unlike the usual weekend races held in the metropolis.  This confirmed my suspicions that the organizers had to extend the registration deadline and to waive the penalties since they were still way off the target number of participants.  The police contingent came in full force to provide security for the runners.  Their numbers were such that you would think you were in a street rally.

The 42k race started exactly at 4:30 a.m., while the 21k runners were sent off at 5:30 a.m. as planned.  Travelling along QCMC sans the vehicle traffic gave me a very awkward feeling of being dwarfed by the wideness of the road.  I felt overwhelmed by the expanse.  Ahead of me were specks of runners, very much like an ant trail.   This same feeling would be repeated as we entered Commonwealth Avenue.  The kilometer markers were there, properly placed along the route and color coded to your particular event.  Hydration stops were ample.  There were cheerers and bands as well, making the event a joyful and festive one.  When we reached Batasan Road, we were directed to make a rather quick U-turn (the official route map showed that the U-turn was still at the Batasan Complex). 

On the other side of Commonwealth Avenue however, things were not as festive.  On the contrary, they were becoming rather restive.  There was a monstrous traffic jam.  Irate motorists were blaring their horns to no end, having been caught unaware of the traffic rerouting.  I even saw a woman alight from her vehicle to angrily complain to the police officer manning the traffic.  Traffic was at a standstill.  

The return route seemed endless to my mind.  I had another hour to run.  We joined the returning 10k runners and later, the 5k runners, most of which were walking, strolling leisurely and seemingly still very fresh.  We reached QCMC and turned right to North Avenue.  We made a U-turn before reaching EDSA and turned right to Trinoma, which was again not in the official route map (this explains why the Batasan Road route was cut rather short earlier). 

The last few kilometers of North Avenue leading to the finish line were the hardest.  My legs were heavy.  My knees were aching.  The consoling factor was that I was not breathing heavily.  I was not yet spent.  The imposing QCMC landmark was so near yet so far.  When I reached QCMC, I summoned all my strength and made a final sprint to the finish line.  My unofficial time was 2 hours and 15 minutes - my first true 21k after RotaRun (I had a brief chat with Jovie (Bald Runner), Amado (Reinier6666), Leo Valdez and Cris Sabal before heading for home).  

There are several things to ponder about QCIM.  First, the turnout did not do as well as what was planned.  To put it bluntly, it failed miserably.  The organizers did not even reach half of the target 10,000 runners.  What does this mean?  It means that the running community is not that big yet.  All the hoopla about the so-called running boom is nothing to be boastful and ecstatic about.  What made matters worse is the holding of two other equally attractive marathons, the Milo Marathon and the Subic International Marathon, in a span of just one month.  In the future, it would do the running community well if organizers of big ticket races can hold consultation meetings regarding spacing out of such events so as to maximize runner participation.   Although, the participation of foreigners certainly adds more flavor and class to these events, it is really the participation of the local runners, which will eventually spell success or failure.  If you think the 10,000 target  is big, then just compare it with the 50,000 entries to the 2009 Singapore Marathon.

We must rethink the length of time we spend in the planning of international marathons, especially with regard to the invitation of foreign runners.  This is not to take away anything from the Kenyans, who participated in QCIM.  They are good, but they are not the best.  To enable the participation of the world’s top elite runners, timing is of the essence, as they plan ahead with regard to the races they want to join.  It is worth mentioning the experience of the organizers of the CamSur Ironman 70.3.  How did they manage to invite the world’s top triathletes, one a reigning world champion at that, despite that the cash price is really not that high?  The answer is simple – timing.  The organizers were clever enough to schedule the CamSur Ironman 70.3 so that it would serve as a tune-up event to the World Triathlon Championships in Hawaii this October.

Second, the organizers must see to it that advisories regarding traffic rerouting are properly disseminated.  True, the organizers published advisories in newspapers, the Manila Bulletin and the Philippine Star, a day or two before the event.  But, who reads newspapers nowadays?  What reaches the most audience are the visible and audio media.  Streamers should have been placed to inform the motoring public of traffic rerouting.  Advisories should have been likewise spread through TV and radio.  At this point that we are promoting running as a sport, we must make no enemies.  We must reach out even to the non-runners as well.  We must not antagonize them.  We must increase the fan base of the sport.

Lastly, I hope that this will not be the first and the last QCIM.  This is the challenge to the city’s next leaders.  The die is cast.  Running is universal.  It knows no boundaries.  It must be free from politics.    I hope they do continue staging and improving this event, as this is a testament to the commitment of the Quezon City government to promote running as a healthy form of lifestyle.

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Racing To Compete

October 6, 2009 · Filed under General · Tagged , ,

For many of us, joining weekend races has already become a habit, if not a passion, and the reasons are as varied as the participants themselves.  Some join for the causes espoused by these events, others for the thrill and fun that come along, while still others join for the chance to compete and to establish new personal bests.  If you randomly interview runners on their motives for participation, chances are the reason that you will get is for pure fun and enjoyment.  Well maybe yes, but probably not.

Living things compete against each other for survival.  There exists a pecking order of things from the biggest and mighty down to the smallest and weak.  Even the microscopic world follows this.  Bacteria and viruses need hosts to replicate and to perpetuate their life forms.  This is the basic law of nature, the survival of the fittest and the elimination of the unfit.  And man is no exception.  We are born to compete.  We compete for nutrition, while we are still in the womb of our mothers.  We compete for the care and attention of our parents, for excellence in school and for recognition in the corporate and real world.

The will to compete does have a reason to extend to racing.  You probably did not notice this, but you may have unknowingly done some of these things at the starting line.  You start looking around.  You begin to size up the crowd, the competition and their demeanor.  You start thinking where you will be in the list of finishers.  You feel anxious.  You try to shake off the jitters by shaking your arms, limbering up and rotating your head.  You try to get this off your mind.  But you can’t until the starting gun fires off.

You try to dismiss things and just go on your own.  You try to suppress the urge to go out in front.  You simply just don’t mind the faster runners.  But halfway through the race, things start to clear up.  You find your second wind.  Runners ahead of you now begin to tire.  You start to overtake them.  You feel a sense of pride.  At least, you will not finish dead last in the field. 

Nearing the finish line, you take a glance at your watch.  You have the chance to improve your personal best.  You now make a conscious effort to accomplish this.  You increase your pace.  You set your eyes on the runners ahead of you.  You view them as bowling pins ready to be taken down for a strike.  You make one last big push, and you succeed in knocking them off just before the finish.  You pant and try to catch your breath.  You take a look at your watch, which reads a new personal best.  You feel exhilarated.  You let out a grunt of triumph, a sigh of relief and a smile of approval.  You pat yourself on the back for a good performance.  You have conquered the race.  The competitor in you beckons.

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Somebody Forgot To Bring The Tape To The RotaRun

September 21, 2009 · Filed under Races · Tagged , , , ,

I was really excited about RotaRun.  I had to.  This was my first 21K race. 

My family and I, as well as my nephew and daughter’s classmate, left the house at 4:30 a.m.  We reached the vicinity of the starting line at around 5 a.m.  There was already a long queue toward the parking area.  Sensing that this might take quite a while, I asked my wife to do the parking chores instead.  I looked at my watch and saw that there was still enough time (around 20 minutes) to take a leak.  Afterwards, I leisurely proceeded to the starting area, knowing fully well that I still had enough time for my stretches.  Suddenly, I heard the countdown, and “Bang!” the gun went off.  I hurried off, starting dead last of the pack.

I passed the first water station, but I did not see any kilometer markers (I use these markers to gauge my pace, as I do not have any GPS watch).  There was not going to be any along the route, I would later found out.  I reached the first of a series of U-turns at a comfortable pace.  I got my first colored loop cord, which had a rather small diameter (too big for my arm yet too small for my head).  I had to raise it up to my biceps, fearing that I might accidentally drop it along the way. 

On Lawton Avenue, the runners had to contend with vehicle traffic going in the same direction.  Upon reaching the U-turn slot at Gate 3, I nearly got bumped by a vehicle, which tried to get past the runners (talking about how to court disaster).  I got another loop cord, and it was now getting harder to keep them in place.  When I reached another water station, I asked the people manning it if they knew the distance we had travelled but had no luck.  I would eventually find my luck, a few meters after entering Heritage Park, from a runner, who had a GPS watch.  He told me that the distance was about 11.8 km from starting point.

We left Heritage Park and traced back our route to the finish line.  I was now getting tired.  I had to take frequent sips of electrolyte and munches of energy beans.  On McKinley Road, a young runner told me that we were near the finish line.  I was surprised.  I glanced at my watch.  It read 1:50.  I could not believe it.  Then, I heard someone shout my name.  It was Bald Runner, cheering me on.  I felt invigorated.  I saw a sign, which read, “400 meters to the finish, go runners go!”  Maybe, the guy was right after all.

At the finish line, I asked a fellow runner if he thought the distance was shorter than 21 km.  He said that it was shorter by about 2 km considering his fast finish time, although he could not confirm this, as he had no GPS watch.  My unofficial time was 1:53.  I received a medal for whatever it’s worth.  I had mixed feelings.

Later at home, after reading several blogs, my suspicions bore me out.  It was indeed shorter, not by a small distance though but by 3 km.  What?  Is this some kind of a joke?  It couldn’t be.  This event was managed by Takbo.Ph.  How on earth could that happen?

I had this rather nasty feeling inside me that something was about to go pfft in this race.  There were no kilometer markers.  The water station people were unaware of the route distances as well.  There were just too many U-turns and loop cords to carry (I indeed dropped one of these cords but got notice and managed to pick it up).  A rubberized loop cord would have been a better option.  The management of traffic at the U-turns also leaves much to be desired.

We know that organizers have their shortcomings.  They are not perfect.  Distance measurement errors are usually taken lightly by runners.  However, to fall short by such a large figure is unforgiveable – a grave, mortal sin.  To say that the race distance is inaccurate is an understatement.  There are simply no race standards, in which errors of this magnitude will find acceptability.  We are not measuring light years here.  Maybe, Takbo.Ph got way too excited about their first race organizing chores that they forgot altogether to check on this elementary race component.  They may have assumed too many things.  Somebody just forgot to tell somebody about something.

Takbo.Ph had accepted the challenge and had staked their name and reputation with it.  They had the opportunity to shine.  However, this ain’t going to happen.  Not yet.

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Can We Rise Up To The Challenge?

September 19, 2009 · Filed under General · Tagged , , , , , , ,

Before the year 2009 ends, there are still four more full marathons in the can.  You have the Milo Marathon on October 11, the Quezon City International Marathon (QCIM) on October 18, the Subic International Marathon (SIM) on October 24 and the Philippine International Marathon (PIM) on November 8.  Except for the Milo Marathon, the other three marathons are all touted as international marathons.  Nothing unusual about that.  The only thing that bothers me though is the capability of these events to live up to their international billing.

The PIM, originally scheduled on February 22, is now on its 9th year.  It made its debut in the year 2000 as part of the Clean and Green Foundation headed by then First Lady Ming Ramos.  It was originally named as the Pasig River Heritage Marathon.  In 2005, President Arroyo issued Proclamation No. 780, which declared the month of February as Philippine Marathon for the Pasig River Month.  The 2008 edition of this marathon attracted about 6000 runners, 1105 of which ran the full marathon course.  Also in 2008, the task of cleaning up the Pasig River was transferred to ABS-CBN Foundation after the closure of the Clean and Green Foundation.  Thus this year, ABS-CBN is hosting the PIM and is expecting a field of about 20,000 runners, which is quite a great leap from the previous numbers.  The PIM is the only accredited international marathon in the country.

The QCIM is making its maiden run this year.  Like the PIM, its schedule had also been moved.  It was originally slated on February 1 but had to be postponed due to organizational hiccups.  About 10,000 runners are expected to participate in this event, which will serve as the highlight of the 70th founding anniversary of Quezon City.

The SIM made its inaugural run in 2008 and was participated in by about 7000 runners.  The organizers are looking to gather about 10,000 runners for its second outing.

You may think that the above expected turnouts are rather large, yet these still pale in comparison to other similar marathons in the region.  This year, the Singapore Marathon had 50,000 entries, while the Hongkong Marathon had 55,000.  It still remains to be seen, however, if these estimates can be supported by the actual statistics.  So far, the Milo Marathon remains to be the most popular road race in the country.  The total number of participants for this year’s eliminations numbered 77,500 on a nationwide basis.  However, this figure will drop to just 8,300 if we consider only the Manila leg.  

What could account for such disparity in numbers?  For one, the prizes in these foreign marathons are much higher than any or all of the three local marathons combined.  The Singapore Marathon had a top prize of $35,000, while the Hongkong Marathon had $20,000.  Marathons with higher prizes attract more world-class runners, thus providing greater prestige to the event.  QCIM’s top prize of $6000 is the highest among the three local marathons.

Another factor is the size of the local running community.  Out of the 50,000 participants in the 2008 Singapore Marathon, 94.6% or 47,300 were local runners.  On the other hand, 95.8% or 40,238 nationals comprised the 2008 Hongkong Marathon.  Population-wise, the Philippines has the numbers to equal if not to surpass the size of these two marathons.  Manila alone has 11 million people as compared to Singapore’s 4.7 million and Hongkong’s 7 million.  The task at hand is how to tap this potential resource.

A third factor is sustainability.  The Singapore Marathon is now on its 27th year, while the Hongkong Marathon is on its 12th year.  These events did not become big overnight.  They had to suffer the same birth and growth pains like any other prestigious marathons.  Only through pure hard work and determination did they overcome the odds and become successful.  The challenge is for our government and the private sector to work hand in hand to ensure that these local racing events are held every year without fail until they become self-sustaining.  For the time being, let us focus on the PIM, which bears our nation’s name and pride, and is backed by nothing less than a Proclamation Order.  It would be shameful and very sad indeed if we let it die a natural death because of our indifference to sports, bickering and getting embroiled in too much politics.

The country is now experiencing a surging interest in the sport, but we still have a long way to go with a lot of challenges to surmount in order to be at par with our regional counterparts.  We need to focus more on bigger, quality races rather than on smaller, mediocre runs.  We need to promote running aggressively in schools, corporate world and in our communities.  We need to instill running in our consciousness as a nation.  Only then can we expect it to grow, mature and to have sustainability in the future.

Have you ever wondered why Nike did not include a Manila leg in its Human Race event?  It’s not hard to fathom this, lest we become sensitive and emotional about it.  The figures will speak for themselves.

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