The 24-year-old Lobaton, who topped last year’s Roxas City leg at 1:09:39, finished yesterday’s 20-kilometer race in 1:10:28.
"Medyo bumagal tayo ng konte dahil kagagaling ko lang sa (leg) injury," said Lobaton, a former walkathoner who failed to join the National Milo finals last year because of an injury.
The member of the Philippine Army, however, said he will train harder in the next few months in preparation for the 42-kilometer Milo Marathon Grand Finals on Oct. 19 in Metro Manila also sponsored by the Department of Tourism, Bayview Park Hotel, Adidas and MyGlobe.
"Sayang nga at hindi ako nakasali last year (sa Finals) pero sa October tatakbo na ako for the first time sa isang full marathon (42-k)," added Lobaton, who has qualified for the finals along with second placer Remil Desuyo (1:12:45) and third placer Rogin Diaz (1:14:18).
Lobaton, Desuyo and Diaz are competing in a full marathon for the first time.
On the other hand, Rogin’s elder sister Gloria ruled the distaff side of the 20-k event yesterday with a clocking of 1:22:04.
She has remained undefeated in her last five runs in the last two months. Last year, Diaz placed second in the Roxas City leg but placed second overall in the National Finals.
"Medyo maganda ang chance ko ngayon sa finals dahil medyo nasa kundisyon ako," said the 27-year-old runner from Baliwagan, Roxas City.
Roselyn Cabantugan (1:44:48) and Elma Vega (1:51:57) also booked tickets for the finals by placing second and third, respectively.
Last year,17-year-old Marigen Campos and 13-year-old Cherrie Gil Saba finished in the top three of the 20-k run but were dropped from the winners’ circle for failing to meet the age requirement of 18 years old. This year, they were denied entry in the 20-k run anew but ran in the 5-k event.
Campos topped the event with in 18:59 ollowed by 15-year-old Sealand Agana (19:13) and Saba (19:53).
The top three finishers in the men’s 5-k run were Rommy Da-anton (16:06), Edilberto Cartagena (16:35) and Eugene Alvarez (17:12).
The kiddies age-group 3-k winners were Roger Missiom and April Ermeo in the under-9 division and Algen Tipawan and Jonalyn Plaza in the 10-12 division.
Next Sunday, the 27th National MILO Marathon goes to Tuguegarao City in Cagayan province for the the third leg of MILO Marathon elimination run.