Why is the men’s champion sad?
Rafael Pescos ran 42 kilometers (plus change) in 2:38:14, a personal best that also won him the local men’s championship in last Sunday’s Cebu Marathon. But in a social media post, the runner joined calls for some improvements in next year’s race. Organizers from the Cebu Executive Runners Club assured they are listening and will prevent similar problems in 2018.
Cebu Marathon champion criticizes organizers of race two days after winning first 42-kilometer crown in Cebu Organizers note runners’ complaints and comments, vow to improve Cebu’s signature race in 2018
Cebu elite runner Rafael Pescos may have won the 42-kilometer men’s local title of the 10th Cebu Marathon but it did not stop him from voicing out his opinion on the event’s post-race scene.
Pescos posted his reaction on his Facebook two days after winning the event. He said that it hurt to see runners “feeling sad, tired and hungry at the finish line.”
Pescos said he has no complaints on the cash prizes and the prizes he received but was saddened because of the experience of the other runners.
“Even if you ask the other runners who competed what was inside the loot bag? It was only bottled water, Gatorade and finishers’ shirt. I pity the other runners, I’m not a selfish runner,” Pescos told SunStar Cebu.
John Pages of Cebu Executive Runners Club said that they have noted the comments and will take them into consideration for next year’s event.
“We have taken note of the comments and will make sure to make improvements for 2018,” said Pages.
Pages said that nothing major happened on the race, especially in terms of safety, medical and hydration. He said that they have heard the comments and some of those have valid points and assured that improvements will be made for next year as they will meet with the team for the full evaluation of the race.
Willie Estepa, who ran the event from its first edition until the recent one, also commented on the lack of food after the race, for all participants except the 42K runners.
“Only the 42K runners had food and the bulk of the runners, which was around 70 percent, was from the lower distances. Imagine with the expensive registration fee, they should have provided food,” said Estepa.
Cebu Ultra Runners president Tony Galon said the race did not lack hydration but added that they failed to address the runners’ main concern——food at the finish line.
“Instead of staying in the venue, the runners just left on their because they were all hungry. There was no longer any interaction with the out-of-town runners because everyone was hungry, ” said Galon.
Galon, however, appreciated how the organizers secured the route.