Sunday, August 12, 2007 Ideal conditions for 31st Milo Marathon By IT’S a perfect day for running.
IT’S a perfect day for running.
Just enough sun with just enough clouds, was Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s forecast for today’s weather, perfect for an early morning run.
Or, for the more than 20,000 runners, it is a conducive condition to be a part of the 31st Milo National Marathon, which hits the streets this morning at the Cebu Normal University.
The sun rises at 5:35 a.m., but before it does, the participants of the Milo marathon will already be hitting the streets for the short program before the starting gun is fired at 6 a.m. by senator Pia Cayetano and Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama.
Before daybreak, racers need to check in at the starting line as early as 4 a.m. before the warm- up exercises. Messages will be given by Cayetano, Rama and Milo sports director Pat Goc-ong.
After having been the center of attention for the past years for breaking records, Cebu laid low this year and fell short from last year’s record number of participants.
Record
Cebu secretariat only has 20,150 registered runners, which is a few hundreds behind last year’s record-breaking 20,526 entries. However, it still remains as the biggest in the country.
Local organizer Ricky Ballesteros had earlier said that it is no longer their intention to surpass their own record, but their aim was just to retain more or less the same number.
Feat
For the past three years, Cebu has been the record holder for the most number of participants over the other 23 legs all over the country. Its first record breaking feat was the 17,000 plus runners gathered in 2004, which was broken by the 19,000 plus in 2005, before the uncontested 2006 record.
Today’s event features races in the 21-kilometer, 3-kilometer and 5- kilometer divisions, which attracted the bulk of participants of 18,300.
The winners in the premier 21K run will earn a slot to the national Full Marathon in Manila on Nov. 18 In between the races and the announcement of winners will be a cheerdance competition to be held at the Cebu City Sports Center, where the finish line lies.
The top four finishers in the men’s and women’s divisions of the 21-K run will receive P10,000, P6,000, P4,000 and P2,000, respectively while the rest of the top 10 will get P1,000 each.
The 3 K kiddie run stakes P1,500, P1,000 and P500 for the top three winners, while the podium finishers of the 5K Fun Run get P2,500, P1,500 and P1,000. (MCB)
