CEBU MARATHON HITS NEW RECORD IN NUMBER OF ENTRIES
This year will have the best route for the marathon MEYRICK JACALAN CERC
5,081 sign up for Cebu Marathon with more than half joining the 42K and 21K divisions Organizers move Marathon Expo and race kit distribution to Vibo from fire-hit Ayala Center Cebu
Some 1,000 volunteers and personnel will work together to stage an enjoyable and safe race for more than 5,000 participants in the 11th Cebu Marathon this Sunday.
The event, organized by Cebu Executive Runners Club (CERC), will start and end at the Cebu Business Park and will feature the 42-kilometer, 21K, 10K and 5K categories.
“For this year, we have a total of about 1,000 people involved. I think last year, there were hundreds involved,” said Joel Juarez of CERC in a press conference at the Cebu Grand Hotel yesterday.
John Pages said that they’re excited to bring in a record-breaking number of participants this Sunday, with the 42K and 21K exceeding the target number.
The 42K has racked up 1,895 registrants and the 21K has 2,200 way beyond the target number of 1,500 per catego- ry. The 10K and 5K categories, meanwhile, have 446 and 540 runners, respectively.
CERC president Kenneth Casquejo announced that the event expo and race kit distribution will be from Wednesday until Saturday at noon to 8 p.m. at the Vibo Place in Escario St. Cebu City.
“The expo and race kit distribution was originally at the Active Zone at Ayala Center Cebu but the operation of Ayala Mall is still pending because of what happened in Metro Ayala, so we have decided to change it to Vibo Place,” said Casquejo.
With all the entries sold-out, the organizers reminded the registered participants that the selling of race entries or bibs is strictly prohibited and will result to disqualification or banning of an individual.
On race day, the participants will be expecting a festive ambiance and a relatively flat course, which is good for those aiming to get a personal best.
“A lot of runners are familiar with these roads, for sure they have run these roads many times. But it’s going to be the first time that it will be used in a ,marathon,” said Meyrick Jacalan, referring to the 42K route.
Casquejo said that a total of 177 policemen from the Cebu City Police Office and also tanods from 18 Barangays will man the streets to assure the safety of the participants.
The Philippine Heart Association- Cebu Chapter will lead the medic team together with different medic groups. There will be 18 water stations that will be manned by various volunteers.
A total of P419,000 cash prizes will be given to the winners in all the categories.
The organizers will award cash prizes to the Top 10 in the men’s and women’s local 42K, Top 5 men’s and women’s in the 21K, 10K and 5K. Only the top three winners in the 42K foreign division will get cash prizes.
For this year, a total of 36 nationalities will be represented in Cebu Marathon, which fires off at 3 a.m. for the 42K category and will be followed by 21K after an hour.
The 10K will start at 4:50 a.m. followed by the 5K at 5 a.m.