Plantation employee, full-time runner sizzle under the drizzle

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Under a steady drizzle and covered in darkness, thousands of runners answered the starting gun for yesterday’s 36th Milo Marathon elimination leg here.

Junel  Languido, an employee in a banana plantation in Bukidnon, topped the men’s 21K division while Mary Joy Tabal, a full-time runner, was the clear winner in the distaff side.

Languido and Tabal hardly found any resistance from the others that comprised a field of 21,697 participants in perhaps the biggest footrace ever held in and around this city.

The moment the race was flagged off amid colorful fireworks, there was no denying Languido and Tabal of precious slots to the 42K National Finals on Dec. 9 at the Mall of Asia grounds.

They towed 48 others, including four other women, to the Milo national finals.

A total of 48 runners for the 21K took off at around 4:30 a.m. before those in the 10K (1,217 runners), 5K (18,859) and 3K (1,141) were flagged off.

“Wala nang nakadikit pag-lampas sa 10K (No one came close after the first 10K),” said Languido, 28, at the winners’ tent as loud music for an ongoing cheerdance competition pounded the Cebu City Sports Complex.

Languido seemed uncomfortable with the very loud music around him he asked scribes a couple of times if the interview was over.

He won the title and P10,000 with a time of 1:11:56 followed by Mohammad Sherwin Managil at 1:14:49, Bonifacio Monjas at 1:14:51, Neri Ramil at 1:15:39 and Noel Tillor 1:16:20.

Abraham Missos of Kenya clocked 1:11:50 and qualified to the National Finals. But under the rules of regional races, he can only qualify, and not win any of the prizes.

“Sa start pa lang, wala nang nakahabol (From the start, no one managed to catch up),” said Tabal, who’s 23 years old, single and determined to do better in her third stint in the national finals.

“Kailangan lang dagdagan ang training (I just need to train harder),” said Tabal, a former sprinter who turned to long-distance running upon the advice of his coach, John Philip Duenas.

The 4-foot-11 runner won in 1:26:58, way ahead of Joeyry Lee at 1:37:52, Madelyn Carter at 1:44:45, Sandra Soliano at 1:45:47 and Virginia Parajenog at 1:50:16.

Tabal, who finished third in 2010 and 2011 in the national finals, topped the Singapore Sundown 21K last May, and won the top prize of $400 (US) and another $400 worth of running gear.

For yesterday’s feat, she also received P10,000 ($240). But she had to double-check the amount after she was asked why she was holding on to an envelope that said, “Runnerup 21K.”

“Tama po (It’s correct),” she said. 

“Ilalagay ko sa savings. Hanggang nakakatakbo ako iipunin ko lang (I will put them in my savings. As long as I can run I will continue to save),” said the product of Southwestern University.

In regional races, second place is worth P6,000 and third P4,000. In the 42K national finals, the top three places for locals are worth P150,000, P100,000 and P75,000.

It will be Languido’s third trip to the national finals following a runner-up finish in 2008 and a third-place finish in 2009. But he shook his head after he was asked if he could do better this time.

“Hindi siguro (I don’t think so),” said Languido, who already seemed happy just to be there in December.