First ever Corregidor marathon Jan. 11-12

MANILA, Philippines - The canons have gone silent. The ruins have long been abandoned and towering memorials have been built. Philippine history’s valiant heroes have certainly made their mark on the legendary Corregidor Island. But up until today, the rocky island off the coast of Manila Bay still continues to awe many of us, including members of the running community here and around the world.

On Jan. 11 and 12, troops of runners will head to the island to participate in the first ever Corregidor Marathon (CM) and the fourth Corregidor International Half Marathon (CIHM).

The first CM will have a total distance of 42.195km. It is designed to be the common ground of marathoners, ultra-runners and triathletes.

Participation in the first CM will be reserved for 88 seasoned marathoners only, with a set qualifying time.Because the half-marathon course of Corregidor could be viewed from the top as forming an “8”-shaped loop, runners must race through the course twice to complete the race, hence a “double 8.”

There will be one male and one female overall winner whose title will be Corregidor Marathon Man and Woman, respectively. Each winner will receive a P30, 000 cash prize and a champion’s trophy. Age bracket top finishers will also be declared and will be awarded with a certificate of achievement.

In addition to the full marathon, the first CM will have shorter distance categories: the 5K Blitz and the 3K Thrill. Each of these distances shall have 150 slots. There will be no qualifying times required for the participants of these sub-categories nor will there be a sweep or cut-off time.

Since 2010, the CIHM has always aimed to become one of the premiere and sought-after races in the country. With its fourth installment happening on Dec. 8, the rock stars of the sport will return for another shot at the title of King and Queen of the Rock. Close to 1,000 participants and visitors are expected to turn up – from intermediate recreational to hardcore runners. The fourth CIHM is designed to thrill, surprise and challenge runners by testing their mettle on all types of terrain.

 In addition to the 21 km main event, there will be a 10 K Challenge for running enthusiasts who are yet to familiarize themselves with the challenging terrain of Corregidor. There will be no qualifying time to join this race category. Likewise, no sweep time will be observed.

The top male and female runners in this event will be awarded with a certificate of achievement and winner’s plaque. All finishers in this race category will be awarded with a 10 km Achiever Medal. Only 300 slots will be opened for this side event.

Co-founders Edward Kho and Raymund Martelino are both thrilled for the two events. To them, the first Corregidor Marathon will usher in a new challenge among the running community and give rise to a new generation of Corregidor Island “conquerors.” As for the CIHM, the fact that more and more runners keep coming back for it is proof that the island never fails to inspire them to keep fighting their personal battles.

Registration for the first CM and fourth CIHM is on-going and will be open until tomorrow.  Slots are limited.

The first Corregidor Marathon and the fourth Corregidor International Half Marathon are managed by Big, Big, Big, Inc. and co-presented by Smart, Sun Cruises, and Soleus in cooperation with Corregidor Foundation, Adidas Body Care and tripmoba.com,together with event partners Galileia Events Place, 100 Miles Café, L Time Studio, Runningmate, One Sceniques, Active Link, Toby’s, Runnr, and official race belt Fitletic, media partners The Philippine STAR, Pinoy Fitness.com, Pinoy Fitness Magazine, Business Mirror, Business Mirror Health and Fitness, Cook Magazine, Philippine Graphic, View Magazine, Balikbayan Magazine, Asian Journal, Multisport Magazine, Takbo.ph, Inquirer Libre, Men’s Health magazine, Women’s Health magazine, Runners World magazine, and Mellow 94.7, official race hydration partners Coco Fresh and Summit Natural Drinking Water and medical aid partner UERM Medical Center.