It’s interesting but perhaps not unusual to have three (3) full marathons only weeks apart, starting with the Quezon City International Marathon (QCIM) on October 18, The SIM in Subic the week after and the Pasig Run For The River after another 2 weeks. After all, it comes at a time when the sport of running is gaining mass popularity, with not one but several races competing for runners each Sunday as more people are gearing towards this sport than ever before. So all those running “halimaws” (addicts) who can’t get enough running one marathon, here’s 3 we can run one after the other!
Perhaps, among the three marathons mentioned, it seems that QCIM is the most visible in terms of publicity as news articles on its staging have been appearing in the major newspapers and tabloids. And i sincerely wish that all three do succeed in getting the numbers for a strong staging.
Yesterday morning, the Q.C. government headed by Mayor Sonny Belmonte and the Executive Runners Club of the Philippines (Runnex) hosted the press launching of the QCIM at the Max Restaurant inside the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City. About 100 media people representing print, TV and radio attended. I was with a host of bloggers representing the running community as with the race directors from Finishline, Vince and Rio.
Crowd at the Presscon
QCIM’s Communications Head, Ron Delos Reyes (Autoreview) started the proceedings by welcoming the guests, giving an update of the race, the invitations he gave to foreign runners through PATAFA and mentioning the corporate sponsors. Rudy Fernandez and Art Disini, Runnex President and Chairman, respectively gave their own short speeches. Rudy cited the marathon’s role in sprucing up the city’s tourism potential and as an emerging global center for business and investment. Art tackled the event’s mission and vision which is to make QCIM as among Asia’s top marathons in the future.
For his part, Mayor Sonny Belmonte extolled the city’s previous leaders who laid the foundation of what the city is today and that the QCIM would be one of its catalyst.
Presidential Table
Sen. Pia giving an inspirational talk
The story of how Senator Pia Cayetano started her sports activities, her running in major marathons and triathlons all over the world has been told several times but never as compelling as she herself narrates her beginnings as a 15 year old who ran at the UP campus. She offers her past to present personal stories on how she got started– as a volleyball player in the Philippine team, running a marathon 3 weeks before her bar exams and competing in triathlons– always pushing herself to the limits. She’s always asked why she runs and would answer them back with the simple question, “Why not?”
With Art Disini, Runnex Chair, Sen. Pia Cayetano & Mayor Sonny Belmonte
Mayor on left with Dra. Doray Delarmente, Rudy Fernandez (Runnex Pres) and Betty Rosario (Runnex Vice Chairman)
Bloggers on our table, Sir Jovie ( baldrunner ) and Marga ( The Changeling Child and Run Radio)
Bloggers Vener (run unlimited ), Pojie (forefootrunner) Doc Eric (edebelenmd)
Coach Jojo Macalintal and Vince Mendoza of Finishline
Sen Pia with Art Disini, Jun Cayetano, Ofie Templo, some Runnex members and Ron's team
Atty. Romy Mendoza, Meriam and Direk Ruben Trinidad
Runnex Pres. Rudy and Vice Chair Betty with the bloggers
BR having an animated conversation with a friend as Marga watches the proceedings
Vince Mendoza answering a query
Finishline’s Vince Mendoza (Race Director) was fielded questions from time to time, often on previous incidents involving their races liked the recent fiasco on the race packets delivery before the Urbanite race. Lessons were learned and he promised to iron-out all potential problems for the QCIM.
Many were impressed on the prizes as QCIM has been poised to carve itself as having the richest purse among local races with the champions in both male and female divisions getting P300,000.00 each and P200,000.00 and P100,000.00 each for the 1st and 2nd runners-up, respectively.
As with the Globe-Run For Home Race and the recent Kenny Rogers Urbanite Run, the QCIM will use the advance electronic timing chips (Champion-chips) in all categories that will record the participants’ performance and provide analysis on their run. Color-coded running singlets will also be used.
JAZZRUNNER 
sir rene, excited na ako para sa race na ito. my first 21K on my birthday [woohoo]. sir may cut-off time po ba yung race categories? thanks and congratz for this race. 🙂
Hi Let! There will be no cut-off time for any category of the race. And an advance happy running birthday!:-)
Hi Rene! Thanks again so much for the invite! 🙂 We’ll be promoting this event as early as this coming Friday. 🙂
Thank you so much, Marga! Your participation in the open forum was very much appreciated.
“…So all those running “halimaws” (addicts) who can’t get enough running one marathon, here’s 3 we can run one after the other!…”
This really would make for an interesting story, three (or actually four counting the Milo finals a week prior to QCIM) fulll marathons in a row each weekend. I hope some people or somebody come forward and actually run the Milo Finals, QCIM, SIM and PIM succesively and completes all. This is a record of sorts waiting to be set. To Milo 2009 national marathon finalists, any takers? To my limited knowledge, no Filipino has ever done this yet (except perhaps some ultramarathoners in the mold of Cesar Guarin, et al), somebody might as well etch his/her name in Philippine running’s history books
Miler26–this is a very interesting proposition. Four marathons completed within 30 days will be one for the books in the local running scene.
He or she should be awarded or recognized. We’ll see if somebody really attempts to do it.:-)
oo nga sir rene, qcim pa lang ang very visible…
Jet, i heard that SIM will be active in their marketing and publicity activities this coming week. We hope that all these marathon events be successful. These runs will benefit all of us runners.
i bet, few locals elite runners would dare to check international for qcim. the organizer put a dividing line between the locals and international. i think if you are local runner it should be automatic if you top the race you can collect the champions podium and the price. is’nt sounds right?
Hi Coach! It has been explained explicitly to you by coach and race director Rio dela Cruz during the launching why there is a separate registration for local and foreign elite runners. Part of the reason given you was to give a fair share of the prize purse to our locals just in case they do not place in the top ten roster of finishers. So our runners are given two choices, to register for the foreign prize or for the local prize. That would be their choice! I would not want to dwell on this anymore as we would again forever go on and on arguing (like in the launching) about the merits of this rule which has been formulated by the race organizers.:-)
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We’re going to ask for a permit from QC Hall so we could access the route inside the La Mesa Eco park. We’ll all let you know. Thanks!