Buenavista leads cast in Laguna Lake marathon

MANILA, Philippines - Laos Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Eduardo Buenavista leads a field of crack runners who hit the road tomorrow for the start of the Laguna Lake Challenge, a 207-km. ultra marathon relay contest around the vital and heritage-rich water body.

The 32-year-old SEA Games men’s marathon champion will carry the colors of Air Force-Brooks in the two-day event taking off at 6 a.m. at Tiendesitas in Pasig City jointly organized by the Laguna de Bay Conservation Society and Laguna Lake Development Authority.

LLDA general manager Edgardo Manda will fire the starting gun as over 20 teams vie for close to P900,000 in cash prizes in the competition sponsored by the Laguna and Rizal provincial governments, Maynilad Water, Manila Water Company, San Miguel Corp. and Nestle Phils.

Other noted long-distance runners seeing action are Allan Ballester, who will be competing for McDonald’s-Sta. Cruz, and brothers Gerald and Elmer Sabal for Team Army A, in the race meant to focus on the sorry condition of the lake and its surroundings.

“Laguna Lake’s huge economic and ecological impact is something that our countrymen should realize so we pray that our event will raise public awareness to its plight,” Manda said.

Race director Thumbie Remigio said that the Laguna Lake Challenge will pass through key areas around the country’s largest landlocked water body, beginning with a 89.39-km. drive from Pasig City to the Laguna provincial capital of Sta. Cruz.

“This route will be relatively flat for our runners,” said Remigio of the Day 1 trek of the ultra marathon relay also backed by PAGCOR, PCSO, GMA Kapuso Network, Ortigas and Company and Suunto watches.

But Remigio said that the longer 114.82-km. grind from Sta. Cruz returning to Tiendesitas in Pasig City should prove challenging for the competing teams since it will be mostly through hilly terrain of the backwoods in Rizal province.

He pointed out Sunday’s second stage - an uphill-downhill 29.9-km.course from Mabitac, Laguna to Jala-jala, Rizal - could prove to be the turning point in the run likewise supported by Rotary Club Makati Central, Unilever, Sogo Hotels, Petron, NCA, and CBK Power Company Ltd.

Remigio also advised motorists of the traffic build-up along certain portions along route of the Laguna Lake Challenge so that they will not inconvenienced.

“Traffic build is expected to build between 7: am to 9 a.m. on Saturday Mfrom Signal Village area to Manuel L. Quezon Street from Bagumbayan and Lower Bicutan in Taguig City, up to Poblacion, Muntinlupa via Barangays Sukat, Alabang, Bayanan, and Putatan,” he said.

“Between 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, on the other hand, the same will be likely experienced along East Bank Road of the Manggahan Floodway from Binangonan, Taytay, Cainta and Pasig City up to Ortigas Avenue Extension,” he added. “Please avoid these areas or take other routes.”