Baguio boy makes strong finish in Guimaras run

GOOD Samaritans have always kept Marcelo Bautista joining footraces and he hopes good Samaritans will once again help when he joins the Guimaras 110-kilometer ultra marathon slated September 15-16.

Since he first had his taste of marathon in 2004, Bautista is now becoming a household name in ultramarathon where he has finished in the podium ever since, taking the plunge in the 42-kilometer full marathon at Subic Bay where he placed 17th overall in 2007.

And for the Guimaras challenge, Bautista hopes to land another good finish in the race.

“Sana maka third lang ako. Masaya na ako nun kasi malalakas din talaga yung mga kasali dun,” added Bautista, who works as a janitor at the Baguio General Hospital.

Bautista was able to join the Guimaras race after winning the 2nd Fort Magsaysay to Dingalan 60-kilometer foot race clocking five hours and 22 minutes, a new route record in the race.

“First time ko sa Fort Magsaysay tsaka yung rota parang sa Halsema din,” added the 32-year old Bautista.

“May pamasahe na ako papuntang Guimaras kasi tinulungan ako ni Major General Jovenal Narcise. Naghahanap na lang ako ng kunting pera para may magamit ako pag emergency,” said Bautista.

Prior to his win in Fort Magsaysay, Bautista became an Internet sensation after blogger Bald Runner wrote of Marcelo’s experience in the grueling Rosario to Rosario, La Union 80-kilometer challenge where he recorded the best time of seven hours, 50 minutes, and 23 seconds.

According to the blog, Bautista was waiting for a fellow Baguio runner to pay for his registration after hitching a ride from a vegetable truck just to reach the starting line-up.

The blog added Bernadette Schleuter from Guam, USA gave Marcelo the needed P1,000 for the registration but organizers instead gave Bautista a 50 percent discount and was later on given the green light to race despite the lack of safety equipment.

Bautista was also wearing an almost torn shoe but broke all odds just to win the contest.

With his win, several kind hearted personalities were able to give Marcelo gears and even helped him in joining other races.

Mayor Bellarmin Flores of Rosario, La Union and former mayor Larry Flores brought Bautista to the Milo Marathon Manila Elimination Race and will return to the national race slated on December 9 after finishing in a span of three hours and 23 minutes.

Wap Forbes Flores also sent Marcelo a set of running kit, while Andre Blumberg of Hong Kong had committed to support the registration fee of Marcelo to the 2013 The North Face 100K Endurance Race.

Marcelo’s winning streak in ultra marathon started in Ilocos after topping the 50-kilometer Ilocos Challenge Ultra Marathon where he finished first with a time of four hours and one minute in June followed by the July 17 Rosario to Rosario run, the Fort Magsaysay Challenge and the Milo Marathon qualifying round.