Running in the Philippines is at its peak of popularity so much so that every Tom Dick and Harry has joined the bandwagon in sponsoring and/or organizing race events either for commercial purposes or for fund raising purposes.
It is because of this very reason that runners need to be wise and knowledgeable in selecting the race they wish to participate.
I have in he past been fortunate to select good races. There were however also times that races I have participated have been short to deliver what has been promised. However, today I have finally experiences the WORST that could be expected.
RUN TO TRANSFORM as sponsored and organized by KAMPILAN Multi-Purpose Cooperative, which is A College Fund Raising Event, is the worst organized race event I have participated in my running life span. I have intentional selected this race because it falls on the date that I have to leave for the states and I was hoping to enjoy myself of a 15k event before boarding my plane at night making the 14 hour travel bearable.
I registered at ROX sometime last week of April and was promised that race kit will be release on 1st week May then 2nd week May and lately Friday 21May10. On 21May my driver was at Rox until 7pm only to be told to collect the race kit today prior to the race. Given the hassle to collect the race kit prior to the race, I have to arrive the race venue at MOA early. To my great surprise when I reach the venue there was only an improvised registration table, which you are given a race number, which is not specifically registered, to you. The race bib number was distributed without a corresponding registration sheet that records your name and the number. The singlet provided was a 100% cotton material of a very bad quality. The type and quality is worst than those distributed during election campaign period. To make matters worst, what was displayed at ROX was a totally different kind and quality. The starting line does not have a chute/coral and in lieu of marshals there are instead police patrol cars. There were no portalets, no distance markers, and no segregation cones. Overall there was none provided by the race organizers. The registration fee was P500.00 for the 15k.
The organizers/sponsors might have good intentions or goals they should remember that when they open events to the general public it is their DUTY and OBLIGATION to DELIVER what has been promised by the event flyers and promotional notices.
After witnessing and assessing the scenario at around 5am, I decided to run instead on my own and map my own 15k route. At 5:04am I proceeded from MOA grounds to Diosdado Macapagal Blvd. going south all the way to Pacific Avenue and reversing northwards at the Coastal Road to Roxas Blvd. all the way to Philippine Convention Center and taking Diosdado Macapacal Blvd again back to MOA grounds for a goo 15km run.
My own improvised 15km run was great! However, RUN TO TRANSFORM was great DISASTER. Let this be a lesson to all.
