Subic holds night marathon

MANILA, Philippines - For a change, participants in the Smart Subic International Marathon or Smart SIM will get to see the sunset as they compete in the country’s one and only night marathon on Oct. 24.

“This is the most exciting marathon in the country today,” said Sam Tucay, founder of the Subic International Marathon, in yesterday’s press launch at Dusit Thani in Makati.

“Why? There is no other marathon route in the country as beautiful as this, and the time, the race starting at 4:30 p.m., makes it as scenic as possible,” said the retired police general.

Organizers are looking at more than 10,000 runners in the full marathon, half marathon and side events such as the 10K, 5K and 3K races, and this early, it seems that everything’s on track.

Once again, Kenya, which has produced some of the great runners in history, will field entries to the event won last year by Nelson Kirwa Rotich, a Kenyan, followed closely by RP’s Eduardo Buenavista.

However, Buenavista, the country’s top long-distance runner, won’t compete, as he’s scheduled to take part in the marathon event of the Laos Southeast Asian Games in December.

But a host of local runners will be there to give the Kenyans a run for their money, including former Milo Marathon champion Chris Sabal, and other members of the national training pool.

The race starts at the newly built Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) in Floridablanca in Pampanga, and into the Remy Field in Subic Bay in Olongapo, offering a rolling, flat and long stretch of well-paved roads.

Through Smart and other sponsors, organizers have put up a cash pot of P1.187 million, with the men’s and women’s champions getting $5,000 each or its peso equivalent.

There’s advocacy behind the race, too, as the Philippine National Police is using the marathon as part of its transformation program for some of its men who have been placed in its leadership and values school.

Gen. Paul Bataoil, who heads the PNP’s public and community relations, said Chief PNP Gen. Jesus Versoza has issued a directive to all commanders to get their men into running as a means to develop their values.

Pato Gregorio, head of Smart Sports, said the telecommunications giant under Manny V. Pangilinan has chosen to support marathon because it’s a sport where Filipinos can eventually excel.

“When Smart Sports gets involved in sports we want to help the Filipino athlete. And it’s not just sponsoring events or counting the billboards, ad placements and publicities. We are not here just an event sponsor. We’re here for an advocacy,” he said.