Run Batanes! 50 Miles/21 kilometer

I would love to complete my first ultra-marathon in Batanes.

It will be a totally fantastic experience to shoot two birds in one stone. First I'd be able to cross "visiting Batanes" in my bucket list and if successful, I'd be crossing "running an ultra-marathon", too.

If you have written those two events in your own bucket list, then you have a chance to accomplish those with the Run Batanes! 50 miles/21 kilometer set on May 4 of next year.

Organized by Jonel Mendoza of Front Runner Magazine, registration is now open for the monumental event.

I am not surprised at all that Mendoza can think of such a run. After all, Mendoza is known for his non-traditional brand when it comes to organizing trail runs.

Only Mendoza can think of such crazy races, which have brought and gathered runners from around the globe to experience Philippine outdoors and hospitality.

Press Release: Tallam, De Los Santos post back-to-back MILO Marathon national finals win

With Eduardo Buenavista at the forefront, about 21,388 runners
marked a milestone in MILO Marathon history, as organizers
report that they surpassed the initial 200,000 collective
target by over 10,000 runners, shattering last year’s 200,000
headcount.

Defending MILO Marathon champions James Tallam and Mary Grace de los Santos claimed their back-to-back wins in the 42K Open category run on Sunday in the event which started and ended at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Tallam posted a remarkable finishing time of 2:26:34 and led fellow Kenyans Josphat Too (2:28:52) and Alex Melly (2:29:06) towards a 1-2-3 finish in the men's category while 25-year-old de los Santos dismissed a strong line of contenders to bag the MILO Marathon race title and lead two-time MILO Marathon Queen Jho-an Banayag (2:55:56) and Kenyan Everline Atancha (3:03:39) towards an easy finish.

Tallam, Delos Santos repeat as MILO Marathon national finals champions

The smiles of Eduardo Buenavista (right) and Cebu's pride Mary 

Joy Tabal showed their fulfillment after topping the 42K local  

division category during Sunday's  36th MILO Marathon  

national finals which started and ended 

at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

(PERRY LEGASPI)

Congratualtions to defending champions Kenyan James Tallam and Mary Grace delos Santos after they posted back-to-back wins in the 42K open category of the 36th MILO Marathon on Sunday.

Not to be outdone, Eduardo Buenavista and Mary Joy Tabal shared the limelight with victories in the local division. 

The Kenyans, however, took the thunder out of Filipino runners in the 21K event as David Kipsang and Jackline Nzibo respectively won the men and women categories of the open division.

In the local division of the 21K race, Immuel Camino and Jocelyn Elijeran topped the men and women races, respectively.

Continue reading for the rest of the top finishers in all categories and divisions.

Bayanihang Pampaaralan launches "Run For 10"

As I have said in my previous posts, I love to run in advocacy races because it provides me opportunities to indulge my adrenalin addiction and at the same time help organizations succeed in their own advocacy.

So, I am asking fellow runners to participate in a nationwide advocacy run on January 13, 2013 which hopes to benefit  thousands of Filipino schoolchildren nationwide by providing them with classrooms where they could effectively listen to their teachers and learn lessons.

“Run for 10” will be staged for the benefit of TEN Moves!, the social mobilization campaign of Bayanihang Pampaaralan that seeks to raise funds for the construction of 10,000 classrooms nationwide by encouraging individuals to donate Php10 everyday for 10 months or a lump sum of Php3,000.

In Metro Manila, Run for 10 will start off at the Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati City, with 2.5 km, 5 km, and 10 km race distances. Simultaneous runs will also be held in at least 10 other key areas nationwide: Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Legazpi, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zamboanga, and Zamboanga Sibugay.