Old champ runs lonely race in rain

The end of the road is nowhere in sight for this 34-year-old champion.

Eight years after winning his first of two Milo Marathon titles, Allan Ballester declared his readiness to win a third one after topping the rain-drenched Metro Manila eliminations yesterday.

Ballester, a Navyman born in Sorsogon and now residing in Los Baños, Laguna, won the 42.195 km race with so much ease that his closest pursuer, Bernardo Desamito Jr., came four minutes behind.

Ballester said he employed a wait-and-see attitude early in the race that started at four in the morning, under cover of darkness and a little rain. Thousands of runners, young and old, participated.

But in the end, it was Ballester who flashed the best time, the biggest smile.

“I tested the field, watching out for those who wanted to break away. But when there was none, I took it upon myself, grabbed the lead midway through and finished all alone,” he said in Filipino.

Ballester said late in the race he led by at least one kilometer, at times looking back and seeing no one trying to catch him. He crossed the finish line fronting the historic Quirino Grandstand after two hours, 31 minutes and 34 ticks.

“I couldn’t see anyone behind me anymore,” he said, now in a Milo shirt, jogging pants and slippers, holding a glass trophy with his right hand, and a voucher worth P30,000, the top prize, with his left.

Desamito clocked 2:35:31, followed by Elmer Sabal at 2:37:59, Crifrankreadel Indapa at 2:38:00, Raul Lamprea at 2:44:37 and Rey delos Santos at 2:45:46.

In the women’s side, Ailene Tolentino, a Criminology student, won in 3:21:22. She was followed by Joanne Manangat at 3:22:16, Janeth Lopena at 4:06:00, Daisy Castillon at 4:10:14 and Rachel Peña at 4:17:05.

Ballester said while weather was fine, with rain catching them along Buendia, the road condition slowed them down a bit.

“There were patches of stagnant water along the streets and you had to avoid them by staying out of the water. It may have affected our times,” he said.

Ballester, now a father of two (10-year-old Alex and one-year-old Alessandra) broke into the Milo Marathon scene in 1995 as a lanky 21-year-old, and made his presence felt, finishing second to Paquito Rizalde.

And after a few more years of trying, he finally nailed it in 2000 (2:25), and winning a second straight crown the following year (2:23). He was third in 2002 and in 2006.

When the National Finals are held in Nov. 30 this year, he hopes to win the title back.

“I will train hard for the finals. I still have a couple of months,” he said, hoping that his P30,000 prize can carry him through. “I need the money in training - for my vitamins and other expenses.”

Up to now, he wears the same adidas thermal sunglasses he wore in his first Milo Marathon 13 years ago.

Ballester said Eduardo Buenavista, the country’s top long-distance runner, should remain the favorite in the finals, but said there’s always the possibility of an upset.

“If he (Buenavista) joins, then the question is who’s going to be second. But to me, it’s not over until the race is over. It’s always possible to win,” he said.

Ballester is also hoping that yesterday’s performance, or the one he’d dish out in November, will earn him a second look from local track officials who dropped him from the national team after the 2007 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.

“I’m no longer with the national team but if they want me back I’d ready,” said Ballester, who won the marathon gold in the 2003 Vietnam SEA Games.

In Thailand, two years ago, he was fielded in the 5,000 meters (where he landed fifth) and the 10,000 meters (where he landed seventh).