Get SMART

After running in the Cebu City Marathon, it's time to do a recovery run by joining the PLDT SMART 10 Miler on January 30. Yes folks, the race that also offers a 10K, 5K and 3K distances, fires off at the Cebu City Sports Center with about 2,000 runners expected to participate. Registration opened last week at RUNNR Ayala, Cebu City Sports Center, Casa Ilongga at Robinsons Place and at SMART SM Experience Center in SM City. Smart trade marketing operations manager Grace Ruperto said, most of the runners registered in the 16K category, what with finishers getting a T-shirt besides the singlet and RED Unlimited SIM card, the champions in the 16K, male and female will receive P8,000 while the second and third placers take home P6,000 and P4,000 respectively. The champions in the 10K division will receive P5,000, the second placers P3,000 and the third placers P2,000. In the 5K race, the first finishers get P3,000, the second placers P 2,000 and third placers P1,000. The PLDT-SMART 10 Miler is also backed by GATORADE, Marco Polo Plaza, MetroGrafix, Juicy Cologne, Waterfresh and Dunkin Donuts, SMART top sports honcho Pato Gregorio said they might bring to the event, some members of the AZKALS. Some of the running clubs already registered are the Samahang Mananakbo ng SMART, WTG Construction of Willy Te, San Miguel Runners and the 70- strong Road Rhythms of Chong Hua Hospital (OR Dept) headed by Dr. James Guardiario and Nestor Guardiario. Get SMART, register now !

Coast To Coast Ultramarathon

Registration to the Coast to Coast Ultramarathon is also ongoing at RUNNR in Ayala Center after the successful 50K Cebu Ultramarathon last November, Frontrunner publisher and organizer Jonel Mendoza and yours truly, are increasing the race distance to 65 kilometers that will start in Toledo City. While its longer than the first Ultra, we will be starting at 4:00 am, as there will be no fog to worry about. The cut-off time is now 10 hours with the Cebu Provincial Capitol as the finish line. As I write this column, over  120 runners have already registered. Finishers of the last Cebu Ultramarathon will be given priority. Interested parties may also register with yours truly.

Iloilo Running Is Alive

As I mentioned in previous columns, Iloilo, home to some of the country's best marathoners such as 1992 Olympian Herman Suizo and three-time MILO marathon champion Jimmy Dela Torre, is fast catching on its running. My protege' Boyet Rentoy is organizing the first 116K ultra in Panay on March 11-12. On January 29, Boyet is also staging the Bala-an Bukid Trail Run in Guimaras. Last Sunday, the Iloilo City government held the Dinagyang International 5K Run. Boyet however said "Amo lang to ang international run nga wa-ay Kenyan or other foreign runners." But I told Boyet, "Kun na-ay Ati (Negrito) well that makes the race "international".