The North Face 100 hosts the boldest trail running competition of the season, gathering the country’s top ultra-marathon runners to best it out in the Nuvali-Batangas challenge.
For five decades, The North Face remains to be the leading outdoor brand that supplies authentic, technically-innovative outdoor gear and apparel for active lifestyle enthusiasts. Whatever may be the nature of one’s outdoor inclinations, one can always find an extensive range of outdoor essentials at TNF.
Going beyond its position, at the heart of TNF is ensuring that outdoor recreation continues to flourish which ultimately inspires the brand to innovate as well as to reach out to various outdoor communities whether by sponsoring top athletes or raising the bars of a sport through its groundbreaking events. And one of the which is the biggest trail-running competition of the season, The North Face 100 or TNF100.
Hailed as the most challenging test of endurance for hardcore runners, TNF 100 was inspired by the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc race in Europe, a single stage mountain ultramarathon that takes place once a year in the Alps, of which the main sponsor is also The North Face.
Like the UTMB which is widely regarded as the most difficult foot race in Europe, it is TNF’s mission to elevate the standards of the community and urge runners to defy their limits. Once more, TNF100 did exactly that as it hosted the Philippine-leg of the competition last June 12 to 13 at Nuvali, Tagaytay, and Batangas.
With the first-ever TNF100 Philippines held in 2008, the race had gone from merely having a hundred participants to nearly 2,000 as it has come to be most highly anticipated trail running event that offers a truly unique experience and immensely challenging terrain. Over the years, TNF100 have had races in challenging and diverse terrains including ones in Clark, Batangas, Camsur, and Baguio, Benguet. This year, the route began and ended at Nuvali in Sta. Rosa Laguna, and encompassed the scenic trails of Tagaytay and Cavite all the way to Talisay, Batangas.
The race was divided into three categories – 100km solo, 50km solo, and 22km solo – for both men and women. On Day 1, the 100k began at exactly 4:00am while the 50km began at 5:00am which required run- ners to traverse the trail of Nuvali. Meanwhile, Day 2 saw the most competitive runners test their mettle as they race to the finish line from Nuvali all the way to Talisay, Batangas and back to Nuvali. The following day, another batch of runners gathered at 5am for the 22km race.
In the end, the toughest and most enduring runners stood out as they proved to be the very epitome of defying one’s limits. Recognizing what could be the most pivotal point of their trail running experience, the winners were awarded with medals and trophies as well as big cash prizes and TNF products to to equip them with the necessary resources they would need to continously defy their own limits and elevate the community in the process.
In time for the event, TNF also took the chance to promote its latest innovation – the Ultra Trail 2 and the Ultra Cardiac by offering a special promotion for its participants who got 50% off their registration fees when they purchase any of the two shoes.
With the Ultra Trail 2, tackle long runs spanning from road to trail with the protection of an ultralight, yet durable running shoe that’s designed with a glove-like fit and finished with Vibram soles for traction in rain and mud. It isn’t a surprise that it got awarded as Gear of the Year 2014 by Outside Magazine.
On the other hand, the Ultra Cardiac will allow for smooth transition from road to trails during adventure races with its lightweight and flexible yet ultra protective quality. Crafted with a wide platform, this workhorse promises stability and aggressive traction especially when charging uphill with its grippy Vibram soles. Meanwhile, its ample midsole cushioning will pad your feet on your way down.
Once more, TNF has held a wildly successful event that brought together the entire community of runners for a two day celebration of their unified passion for the sport and the great outdoors. The TNF100 2015 marks another significant milestone for the brand and the community as it paves the way for two important things. One of which is to showcase the breath-taking landscapes of the country to inspire everyone to go outside and explore and secondly, TNF had once again took part in raising awareness for the sport and elevating the community to a whole new level as it hosts a bigger and bolder race each year.
The North Face 100 was made possible in partnership with NUVALI, SEDA Hotel Nuvali, AXN, Gatorade & Summit as it’s official hydration sponsors, the Primer Group of Companies, R.O.X., Department of Tourism, LGUs of Laguna, Cavite and Batangas, Tagaytay Highlands, Municipalities of Canlubang, Tagaytay and Talisay . Thanks also to our media partners Business Mirror, Business World, Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Philippine Star, Manila Bulletin, MB Sports Digest, Speed Magazine, and Men’s Health.
Please check this site: http://www.thrillofthetrail.ph/ for more of event and race details. The North Face is exclusively distributed in the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia by the Primer Group of Companies.