CEBU, Philippines - Inspite of another running event prior to the staging of the 2nd Cebu City Marathon on January 9 at the Asiatown IT Park in Brgy. Apas, the race organizers are unfazed by it as they have already surpassed their target number of participants.
As of the latest count by the organizing Cebu Executive Runners’ Club (CERC) and ASAP, the participants have already reached 4,286 and could even reach five or six thousand after today's deadline for registration.
Of the total number of entries, close to 2,000 will take part in full marathon, much more than the entries in the 42.195-kilometer race last year.
CCM primemovers John Pages and Jess Taborada said the runners could use the Sinulog Run, to be held a week before the CCM, as practice run for the bigger race presented by Globe, New Balance, Ayala Center Cebu, Summit, and Nature Valley.
“We don’t have a problem with it (Sinulog Run) although we use to carry that name for our event. We decided to change it to Cebu City Marathon to help promote the city,” said Taborada.
Helping the city’s tourism industry is something CERC is about to achieve as 300 out-of-towners from as far as Marinduque and Albay in Luzon and Bukidnon in Mindanao have already enlisted for the CCM.
Close to 50 foreigners have also signed up although the Kenyan defending champion of the 42K action has yet to confirm his entry.
Pages said this year’s route will be much faster and better for the runners.
Aside from the 42K, there’s the 21K and 5K for newcomers.
Aside from the race, there will be a marathon expo on January 5 to 7 at the Ayala Center Cebu and a carbo-loading party on the 7th also at Ayala.
Free massage for the 21K and 42K runners will be offered plus participants will get gift packs and loot bags as well as enjoy a lot of exciting prizes during the raffle draw to be done during the awarding ceremony.
The much-improved mango-shaped finishers’ medal for the 42K runners is also something to look forward to. (FREEMAN)