Milo marathon goes to Tuguegarao

Action in the 26th Milo Marathon swings to the northern part of the country after a highly-successful run in Tacloban City as Tuguegarao hosts anew the Philippines’ biggest and longest-running marathon program this weekend. Over 2,000 runners, including the 3K and the 5K fun runners, together with the 20K competitive runners vying for slots in the Milo Marathon national finals in Manila, are expected to be in the starting line inside the Cagayan Sports Complex, according to local race organizer Rudy Ventura.

However, last year’s champion armyman Rodolfo Tacadino will not be around to defend his crown as he has not been allowed by Milo Marathon race organizer Rudy Biscocho for having misrepresented himself in the Slimmers World 8K run earlier this year in Manila, where Tacadino ran using another runner’s number. "We want to clean the ranks of runners from those who cheat and misrepresent themselves. We have had a lot of experience with runners like him and we believe they do not deserve to join our local races," said Biscocho who also disqualified winner Noel Bautista in the Lipa City elimination race for failing to meet the residency requirement. Biscocho also explained that there is a concerted effort on the part of all Milo Marathon local race organizers to limit the participants in the race to those residing or are natives of the region covered by the event.

The top three male and female finishers in the 20K distance will receive P10,000, P6,000, and P4,000 respectively and assured berths in the 42K national finals on Dec. 8 in Manila. Co-sponsored this year by ADIDAS, Bayview Park Hotel, cebu Pacific, Ford Phils, and the Department of Tourism, who have joined hands with Milo Marathon to promote local destinations, this Sunday’s event also gives the opportunity to visiting runners to see Cagayan’s natural attractions like the Callao Cave as the region boasts of the most number of cave systems in the country.