The 34th Milo Marathon Finals - A Fitting Event To End A Season Of Running

The year 2010 has only but a few weeks more remaining. It is at this time of the year that I do as well end my running activities for the year and what better way to end the year than with the 34^th Milo National Marathon Finals.

While there are now other road races that have gained followers and popularity from the local running enthusiasts, Milo Marathon is still by far the most prestigious of all the local road races. The regional eliminations conducted from 17 different areas all over the country are a testament in itself of the magnitude and prestige. Should you win on this event, your name will be etched side by side with the cream of the cream in marathon running for the 34 years it has been held.

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When I arrived Luneta grounds, I more or less sized up the crowd was not as many compared to the elimination based on the parked cars along the streets. It was easier for me to get a parking this time unlike during the eliminations when the parked cars was all the way to Taft Avenue.  It was just also about the same time that the 21K runners are being briefed before being gun started. I would estimate that the number within the starting area would not be more than 700.

After the 21k runners were started, the 10k runners were next and as scheduled the 10k was gun started on schedule at 6:00am. The route that was used was along Roxas Boulevard all the way to just before Buendia and back-tracked all the way to the Quirino Grandstand for the finish line. On my return track to Quirino Grandstand just after the Philippine Navy it was then that I noticed a huge crowd who participated on the 5k. Just a few kilometers after at Pedro Gil street, a much greater number of 3k participants were still in the road. These 5k and 3k crowds were mainly from the different schools in Manila. In the end the organizer provided a crowd estimate of 25,000 for all categories 3k/5k/10k/21k/42k.   

One thing that is very noticeable in today’s event is that it was much organized and well managed both logistically and control. The organizer had exceeded the norm. I would say that the Milo Marathon Team have made sure that all things were in place to avoid the ugly experience during the elimination. Problem could arise but if corrective measures are done, it gives you a feeling of professionalism and sincerity of Milo in their advocacy in sports development in the country.

I crossed the finish line in an un-official time of 01h04m59s for the 10k. It was a good run to end my road race season for the year 2010.

Veteran Eduardo Buenavista proved he is still the country's top runner while newcomer Flordeliza Donos surprised the field when they ruled the men's and women's category respectively.

While the road races have ended, the usual daily run will continue and maybe even built up more mileage to remove all the guilt feeling of the food, drinks and partying that will be attended from now to the end of the year.

To Milo Marathon Team congratulations and looking forward to next year’s event.

Motorist vs. Runners - Road Sharing

Running in the Philippines has reached its popularity never experienced in the past. We now have road races practically on every weekend and even at times two or three different races on weekends with two races conducted on the same day on different venue. With the popularity and the number of road races comes the heightening problem on road sharing. A concerning issue on road sharing is becoming a reality between motorist versus runners which if left unresolved might just reach a boiling point level resulting to a road rage.

As runners have been clamouring for varied and challenging race routes within the metropolis, race organizers have conducted road races at Fort Bonifacio, Bayan, Lawton Avenue, Bayani Road, Kalayaan flyover, Buendia Avenue, Ayala Avenue, Paseo De Roxas, Makati Avenue, Skyway, MOA grounds, Roxas Boulevard, Luneta, UP Diliman, Commonwealth Avenue, Marikina only to name but a few. Bear in mind that most of the roads mentioned are busy streets. Further, of lately, road races have been innovative to attract more interest to runners. Races have been conducted to cover early morning to late mornings, late afternoons and night time races as well.Runners have taken over the streets to the joy of the runners and to the disgust and anger of the public motorist.

I have witnessed on past races that I have participated in wherein motorists, particularly jeepney drivers, taxi drivers, bus drivers and to some extent private car owners showing their clear disgust and anger by continuously blowing their horns, intentional stepping on their gas pedal to emit fumes and worst even shouting offensive foul language to runners to stay home. There have even some incidents of near hits or miss hits recorded that motorist insist on crossing intersections even with runners crossing and marshals preventing them. All these offensive reactions from the mororists have to certain extent earned disgust and anger from the runners and race organizers.

As a coin has always two sides, a motorists who is practically a non-runners do not appreciate health, physical fitness and love for the sport. To these motorists, they feel that the roads are as they are now clogged and narrow that they have to compete with so many vehicles on the road. Worst now that they have to compete with runners. They feel that roads are meant for vehicles only or any transport equipment with wheels. Their only concern is to travel from point A to point B at the shortest possible time with no traffic and delay to prolong their travel time.

On the other side of the coin, runners argue that they do take the road for health, fitness and clean living. That such road races are not a daily occurance and are only on weekends and are not more than 3 hours in duratuion, unless the event is a full marathon that it covers up to 6 hours. Runners feel they have the right to street usage particulary as these races do get the necessary permit from local city or complex authorities. All the runners ask for is a little understanding and an attitude of road sharing on these race days.

In this country, road rage resultant to people losing their tempers causing injury and even death is not that unusual. Before the problem becomes bigger that such a road rage becomes a reality between a runner and a motorist , a “winwin” solution needs to be arrived at to satisfy both the motorists and runners.

I pray that somebody out there has a workable solution.