The Adidas KOTR 2010 - A Gathering of Runners

The ADIDAS King Of The Road (KOTR) has been one of the local road races that have triggered the popularity of running that it does enjoy at present. When KOTR for 2010 was opened for registration it did not took long before all slots for the different race categories were taken.

So on Sunday 24Oct10 all roads were leading to Bonifacio Global City (BGC). It is not often that you will experience traffic at BGC at 4am, but on this day it was expected due to the volume of runners and galleries for the event. I was expecting a raining morning but heaven was cooperating with the event. Unlike the night before when heavy rain was experienced throughout the city.

I was entered for the 10K category and needed to wait until the 21k runners got flagged off. I took the time to observe on the procedures the organizers have taken and I was quite impressed on the systematic procedure it was done. On times like this, it was a great experience to see different runners of their enthusiasm and excitement in the manner of their body languages and manner they speak to one another.  It was a great sight to see the volume of 21k runners being flagged off. I do not have the official count, but would safely estimate no lower than 10 thousand. Am I right or wrong?

Then it was the turn of 10k runners. The organizers have strategically positioned signs on the pace time for runners to choose on their projected pace time to ensure that the flow will be fluid without the slower runners slowing down the faster runners and triggering a stampede. But, a lot of runners either were unaware of the importance of the signage or simply over rated themselves to have positioned on the wrong pace time. I was positioned at the 8 minutes per kilometer pace signage, but for the first kilometer was zigzagging all over the road to overtake slower runners. Just about that things were getting in place at the 0.75 kilometer marker or upon reaching 34^th street along the vicinity of PNOC and leading to The British School, the road has narrowed drastically being still under construction and with the rain from the previous night was patched with pools of water making the runners select for dry road. This situation was compounded by the fact that the 21k runners were meeting up with the 10k runners so you could just imagine the volume of people. This is the only fault I could find of the event and I rather think of the overall impact of KOTR, which I think was a well-organized event.

The route took the 10K all the way to Buendia in Makati passing through the Kalayaan flyover until Hydra Street before back tracking to BGC to finish at 9^th Avenue. Crossing the finish line to the point of exit of the coral was a good 10 minutes. I was expecting that the end of the line was for the breakfast meal coupon, but was instead only for the distribution of bottled water. The Breakfast distribution line was on another place and another snake line to hurdle.

Overall I wish to congratulate ADIDAS Philippines and the organizers and those involved in the KOTR for a job well done. The event has lived to the expectations of the running community. The small hitches I hope can be noted and remembered that a possible solution be made in the next KOTR.

See you on next year’s KOTR.