MANILA, Philippines - Registration for the first Quezon City International Marathon (QCIM) is under way at various centers in Metro Manila and Cebu with the event set to fire off Oct. 18 at the Quezon Memorial Circle.
The QCIM, featuring the 5k, 10k and 21k races and the centerpiece 42k run, serves as the highlight of the city’s 70th founding anniversary.
Listup is open at any of the Timex stores at SM branches at North EDSA, Megamall, Southmall and Mall of Asia, Greenbelt 3, Makati and in Cebu. Other registration centers are the Nike Park, Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City, and Second Wind, Teachers Village, Diliman, Quezon City.
Online registration is open through QCIM@finishline.ph and www.runnex.org/qcim2009/, a website specially set up for the QCIM by the Executive Runners Club of the Philippines (Runnex).
Fees are pegged at P300 for the 5k and 10k runs, and P500 and P650 for the 21k and the full 42k marathons. Race kit includes singlet, race chip and champion chip instruction flyer to be given upon registration.
Prizes totaling P3 million will be up for grabs in the event backed by The Philippine STAR, New San Jose Builders, GMA 7, Puregold, San Miguel Corp., Maxima, Manila Water, Fitness First, Photo Vendo and Nature Valley.
The 42k marathon will cover the UP Diliman Campus, Commonwealth and Don Mariano Avenues, Batasan Road, La Mesa Eco-Park and Ayala Techno-Park.
The QCIM is expected to draw the country’s finest runners and other top foreign entries with invitations already being sent to runners’ organizations in Southeast Asia as well as to those in the sister cities of Quezon City, such as Daly City, California, USA, and Nanjing, China.
The event is organized by the local government of Quezon City in its effort to help reinforce the city’s reputation as among the fast-emerging premier cities in Asia.
To help participants prepare for the QCIM races, Runnex is holding a free clinic at the UP Academic Oval at the school’s Diliman Campus every Sunday starting at 5:30 a.m., with assembly in front of the UP Abelardo Hall. Race registrants will also be entertained during the clinic’s sessions.