Condura Skyway race targets 13,000 runners

MANILA, Philippines - The Skyway beckons for some 13,000 runners who are expected to answer the starting gun for the Condura Skyway Marathon: Run for the Mangroves 2013 on Feb. 3.

This year’s races – featuring  42K, 21K, and 10K events as well as the new 6K and 3.8K – will flag off at Filinvest City in Alabang, taking the runners in all distances through the Skyway, where their running skills will be put to a test by difficult conditions.

“The route is difficult and challenging,” said race director Neville Manaois. “First is the weather, participants will be running at 12 a.m. There’s also lots of false flats, some uphill climb, and since it’s elevated, there will be strong winds coming from Laguna de Bay.”

Ton Concepcion, chief organizing officer of Skyway Marathon, and running ambassador Patrick Concepcion also said they are anticipating a continued increase in turnout in the longer distances.

“The interesting thing is, we expect to continue the trend of seeing more participants in the longer distances, the 21K and 42K, than the previous editions,” said Concepcion, who expects some 2,500 to compete in the centerpiece full marathon.

As in the previous five stagings, the Condura Marathon aims to help in the reforestation of the Mangroves in Zamboanga de Sibugay in partnership with Philippine Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation (PTFCF). Upon registration, each runner would get to donate three mangrove seedlings to be planted in his/her name. 

Additionally, participants can raise pledges to advocacy groups ICanServe Foundation – Breast Cancer Support Network; Bike for the Philippines; Hero Foundation; and Liter of Light Foundation during the event.

“I invite our runners to ‘run for good’ and run for the charities we are supporting. Running can be about being the best we can be, but it can also be about making our country the best that it can be,” said Concepcion.

The Condura Skyway Marathon, Run for the Mangroves 2013 is Co-Title Sponsored by Skyway and presented by sports apparel and shoe sponsor Asics, hydration sponsor 100 Plus and venue sponsor Filinvest City. For more information on the race and its advocacy visit the official website www.conduraskywaymarathon.com or the official Facebook page www.facebook.com/conduraskywaymarathon.