TWO women, law enforcers, and two from Negros Occidental are among those who signified their intent to conquer the 134-mile race covering Negros Island on January 25 to 27.

Organized by Endurance Challenge Philippines, the race will kick off in Bacolod City and will end in Dumaguete City two days later.

Two women runners, Jocelyn Ycong, a public servant from Cebu and office worker Azineth Balbuting of Quezon, Bukidnon will join the eight men in their attempt to conquer Negros and though Ycong admits she may or may not be able to finish the race, “the pride of doing it with all honesty is what she stands for.”

Also joining the race are Negrenses Rolando Espina Jr. of Bacolod City and Christopher Maravilla who hails from Binalbagan.

Espina is an ultramarathoner who works as a nurse in Ireland and the first Filipino to conquer the 234-kilometer Spartathlon race in Greece and have participated in various events all over the world including the 500-kilometer run in Luzon last year.

He came home recently to prepare for the Negros race and hopes to just have a “leisurely run and take in the beauty of our island.”

Maravilla, on the other hand, believes “running is an ageless activity.”

He has finished a lot of full marathons but believes he still has excess energy to attempt ultramarathons.

Bohol’s bet is police officer Edwin Joseph Silagan while representing the Coast Guard is Vico Librilla, Jr. who hails from Iloilo but has been assigned in Negros Occidental as the Station Commander of the Coast Guard.

Other participants are Ramie Amigleo also from Bukidnon, sportswear ambassador, Benedict Meneses from Caloocan, sports enthusiast Jose Tindog from Boracay and Sam-Sam Maniaul from Tondo, Manila. (PR)