Newbies, elite runners brave Merrell Adventure Run

MANILA, Philippines - Adventure racing has been said to allow an individual to find his or her limits and push through them. It takes participants out of their comfort zone by challenging competitors with unfamiliar surroundings. This is precisely what best describes the Merrell Adventure Run.

The coming together of people from all walks of life, running together not in the paved avenues of Metro Manila but in the green hills of San Mateo is a great change of pace for a number of runners.

This year, the leader in outdoor performance footwear, Merrell, lived up to its name by staging the 2nd Merrell Adventure Run at Timberland Heights in San Mateo, Rizal.

This annual event drew over 1,500 first-time and experienced trail runners who dared to run on the rugged side and braved the uphill climbs, water crossings, slippery rocks, and dirt-turned-to-mud trails.

The Merrell Adventure Run was more than just a trail run. What makes this run unique and different from other runs is the essence behind the event — a test of endurance and the human spirit.

Competition for most was not with other runners but with themselves as they struggled simply to finish and have fun while doing so.

The challenging course and weather conditions brought out the “bayanihan” spirit where people who have never met, helped each other conquer the challenges of the trail.

Runners and even the event marshals offered their hands in friendship to others who needed help going up the slippery slopes. There were runners clinging to each other as they aided others who had a hard time traversing the muddy downhill trails. People simply lent a hand to ensure that no one was injured while wading through the river crossings.

Thumbie Remigio, a veteran trail runner who designed the course and was part of Team Merrell as race director, said, “The course in itself is a balance of distance and challenge. However, due to the intermittent rains in the past so many days prior to the event, the dirt tracks turned to mud which increased difficulty even for the 5K route so we made sure that there were marshals and emergency medical teams on standby in identified areas of the course to lend assistance but not interfere in the experience.”

Back at the base camp, Merrell showcased the hottest thing in minimalist running: the Merrell Barefoot Collection, in partnership with Vibram.

This partnership with Vibram ensured that each Barefoot shoe model is durable and gives that unique feeling of being almost barefoot. The shoes are comfortable enough to let you run and play outside with the kids, cruise the farmer’s market, or complete an urban road race and even the hardest of trails. 

The Merrell Barefoot Collection allows people to get back outside and reconnect with nature every step of the way. Its lightweight yet protective design allows wearers to get a feel of their surroundings and develop better flexibility, balance, and awareness.

Unlike other minimalist footwear styles, the Merrell Barefoot Collection is super lightweight, flexible, low profile, beneficial, and stylish. Its ergonomic design also strengthens the feet and legs, realigns posture, and stimulates the senses. All of these benefits in one pair of shoes. 

In an observation Dave Drilon of Barefoot Running Philippines made after running the 10K course using his Merrell Trail Gloves: “It’s a pleasure to see a good number of people braving the trails using minimalist shoes, especially those using the Vibram-soled Merrell Barefoot Collection.”

During the awarding ceremonies, Merrell’s top officers in the Philippines, together with hosts Anthony Suntay and Noel Zarte, awarded the winners of the run.

After the awarding, the Merrell officers and personnel were heard to make the remark: “Nothing really beats the feeling of seeing tired runners, muddy from the trail, still happy, smiling, milling around and taking pictures and talking about the fun they all had.”

The coming together of everyone to make the event memorable from the runners making an effort to help each other in the slippery and challenging obstacles, the marshals who did more than what was needed, the medical team who ensured people went out of the trail safe and the base camp personnel who went the extra mile to make the runners relax and happy after a long, hard run is true testament to what Merrell and the Merrell Adventure Run stand for.

Sponsors who made the event possible were Timberland Heights, LightWater, Gatorade, SOMA watches and LTime Studio, Spyder Eyewear, Growers and Nutribar, Krispy Kreme, NOVA Multigrain Snacks, Ibuprofen Medicol, Neozep, Enervon, and a number of media partners.

Visit www.facebook.com/MerrellPhilippines for more photos and personal commentaries of those who run on the rugged side.