LEGAZPI CITY, April 12 (PIA) -- Running for 5 hours, 36 minutes and 44 seconds with a minimum speed of 16 km per hour at the highways surrounding Mayon Volcano in Albay, a 29 year old Kenyan broke the record by defeating the current Bicolano title holder in Mayon 360 Ultramarathon on Saturday.
The Mayon 360 Ultramarathon, renowned as centerpiece event of this year’s Daragang Magayon Festival 2015, was sponsored by the Provincial Government of Albay, Junior Chamber International (JCI) Legazpi Inc. and Smart Telecommunications.
Elliud Kering, 29 of Kenya bagged this year championships of Mayon 360 Ultramarathon finishing the race ahead by one hour and thirty one minutes against second placer Bong Postrado, 35 of Masbate posting a 6:07:36 sec. run, while last years title holder Mario Malinao , 26, of this city came third place completing the race at 6 hours 17 minutes.
Coming in the fourth and fifth place respectively, were Marino Lagyap with 6:30:47 run and Chito Gonzales with 6:39:26 run.
For the 160 kilometer a 32 hours run category Ogerio Lao. 39 of Caramoran, Catnaduanes completed the race in 23 hours, 47 min. and 13 seconds, and with a 56 minutes margin Lao was followed by Reynaldo Oros, 51 of Samar (24:03:36)the second placer and Bonifacio Balleras, 44 of this city who was only two seconds behind Oros placed third.
The 160KM run category had 46 registered runners of this only 37 finished the race. The 32 hour run started 2:00AM Friday and expected to end Saturday.
Kering stand 5’9 a Kenyan national before winning his years race has joined the Mayon 360 race twice in 2012 and 2013, during those two past races he did not make it to the top three places.
Asked how he felt about the race, Kering said he had not encountered any difficulties during the race except for a “bad stomach” where he was able to “relieve” himself near a place along the road.
He said “I did my best keeping up the lead specially at the home stretch in the last five kilometres of the race.”
Maglinao the reigning race champion last year and in 2013 who also broke record failed to hold on and defend his championship crown and place on third.
Maglinao in an interview said for the past three weeks he was complaining about a bad or sore knee he however prepared for the competition.
He said while he was on the run for his 20th kilometre stretch along the Guinobatan road he then felt a discomfort on his right knee that slowed me down a little bit, but luckily he still made it the third place.
While for Postrado the second placer he told the Inquirer that this is the third time that he joined the race and always made it to the second of third place.
The race is a 50 mile or 80 kilometer road run around the Mayon Volcano covering 77 villages in the cities of Legazpi, Ligao and Tabaco and the towns of Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan, Malilipot and Sto Domingo.
However. the 160Km race also covered the same route three cities and seven towns plus the town of Pio Duran a coastal town located in the West Coast of Albay.
The race has at least four categories this include the 80Km race, 2 man relay, 4-man relay and the newest is the 160km race, acc0rding to Dennis Shi, event chairman of the Jaycee’s Club International (JCI) in this city.
Shi said under the 80Km, and the relay race participants were given at least 16 hours to complete the race while the 160km race runners were allowed to race for 32 hours.
Under the 80 and 160 kilometer race a participant have an average of 5km per hour run to complete the race, Shi said.
Shi said close to 500 runners in all categories participated in this year race, there were two oldest participant one was 74 year old and another was 68 while the youngest was 14 year old boy.
In the past competitions, a Kenyan held the crown in 2012 running 6 hours and 12 minutes, in 2013 and 2014 Mario Malinao held on the crown with a running time of 6 hours and 7 minutes and 6 hours and one minute, respectively.
The Albay’s epic Ultramarathon, who had since attracted foreign and local running enthusiasts, is now on its 5th Edition showcasing Albay as one of the prime running sports venue in the country that will test the speed and endurance of runners in this epic race and showcase tourist attractions along the course comprising of eight towns and three cities of the province.
The race will started from the Peñaranda Park in front of the city hall and the provincial capitol here, and went through an all-paved road, with close to 60 percent asphalt and 40 percent concrete, passing along 77 barangays in eight towns and three cities of the province surrounding the Mayon Volcano.
Gun start sounded at 4:00 am and the race ended on the same day, with a cut off time of 16 hours or 8:00 pm, at the same park to complete the 360-degree route.
The route showcases Albay’s tourist destinations including Cagsawa Ruins in Daraga town ad the adjacent Camalig town, the home to the popular Albayano dish pinangat, and a good site for heritage tour for having the most number of Spanish houses in the province.
The town of Guinobatan comes next known as the hometown of local hero Gen. Simeon Ola, the last Albayano general to surrender to the American troops during the Filipino-American war, and for its unique Guinobatan longganisa.
While Ligao City features the famous Kawa-Kawa Hill, where pilgrims scale its 236-meter elevation during Holy Week to meditate in its Stations of the Cross featuring life-sized statues, and known for its vast plantation of sunflowers that inspired the city's Sunflower Festival.
Another is in Barangay Buang, Tabaco City, at the junction leading to the Mayon Skyline Park nestled on the slope of the volcano at 2,500 feet elevation.
Tabaco City showcases two churches in Albay that are registered in the National Historical Institute as National Heritage Site--the St. John the Baptist Church--stands.
Malilipot town, known for being home to abaca twine or “lubid” makers, is next.
Next is Sto. Domingo, home of Potenciano Gregorio, the composer of the immortal Bicolano love song “Sarung Banggi” and the unique monument with Gat Andres Bonifacio on top and Dr. Jose Rizal at the base.
Sto. Domingo is also frequently visited by tourists and vacationers for its black sand beaches resorts located at Barangay Kalayukai.
The race ends in Legazpi City, known as the buzzling business hub of the province where tourism has made its mark and contributed much in its social progress and economic expansion.
This city is where tourists, and locales alike, feast thier eyes on a panoramic view of nature at its best, enjoy a buffet of new recipes and creative cuisine with taste that is uniquely Bicolano, avail of well-crafted souvenirs, and experience the warmth its people that is routed in rich culture and embedded in its traditions.
Mayon 360º is only among the various rare and extreme sport events to be highlighted in the 2013 Daragang Magayon Festival that refers to the province’s mythical legend of Daragang Magayon (beautiful lady) from where Mt. Mayon derived its name.
It can be recalled that the Department of Tourism (DOT) cited in 2011 the Mayon 360º ultramarathon as the Best Tourism Event in the country under the Sports/Wellness Category in the provincial level category.
The race is sanctioned by the Philippine Association of Ultrarunners. (MAL/MSA/PIA5/Albay)