Biggest provincial Milo running event to fire off on Sunday

The 34th Milo Marathon Cebu eliminations will fire off on Sunday with an expected 23,000 runners in 3K, 5K, 10K and 21K. The event in Cebu, which will start on Osmeña Blvd. near Cebu Normal University and end inside the Cebu City Sports Center is the second biggest leg of the Milo Marathon eliminations following Metro Manila.

MILO SHOE. Milo officials with a sample of the Milo running shoes they are giving away to children as part of the company’s advocacy. (PHOTOGRAPHED BY MARLEN LIMPAG)

Milo sports executive Andrew Neri said that for this year’s Cebu elimination, they implemented several innovations for a local Milo run including the 1.) use of a timing system for 10K and 21K, 2.) production of better race singlets using fabric imported from Thailand, 3.) giving of finishers’ medals and 4.) designation of different qualifying times for various age groups.

Neri said that those who complete the 21K run within the cut-off time of 2 hours and 30 minutes will get finishers’ medals. He said a bus will be designated as sweeper to transport those who can’t make it within the cut-off time and are deemed unable to finish by race marshals.

Milo officials said the decision whether to pick a runner up will be made on a “case-to-case basis.”

Continue reading

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS

‘I’m gonna die but I have to win the race first’

On the halfway point of her 21-kilometer race during the Mindanao eliminations of the Milo Marathon on Nov. 8, 2008, Mary Grace delos Santos blacked out.

The Zamboanga City native lay sprawled and bloodied on one of the roads of Cagayan de Oro City after a motorcycle, sent flying by a rampaging truck, hit her.

“I don’t know how long I lay there,” delos Santos said, her expression still pained while recalling the point of impact a year later on the tracks of the Cebu City Sports Center, “I blacked out.”

Mary Grace delos Santos at the finish line in Cagayan de Oro CityIRON WOMAN. Mary Grace delos Santos, her face bloodied after getting hit by a motorcycle in a road accident, finishes first in the women’s 21K race in the Mindanao eliminations of the Milo Marathon in 2008. CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE. ( PHOTO FROM SUN.STAR CAGAYAN DE ORO)

She also does not know whether she was between the wheels of the truck or beside them when the vehicle continued to run after the accident.

What she recalls, however, is her fierce determination to finish the race that she was already leading. She got on her feet and started checking her body gingerly for injuries before breaking into a run.

“People were telling me to pull out of the race,” delos Santos said in Bisaya, “but I wanted to continue. I wanted to finish the race. I was determined to finish the race.”

Continue reading

Share and Enjoy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS