19k runners, out-of-towners to see action in Nat’l Milo Marathon today

ORGANIZERS are leaving no stone unturned for today’s 42nd National Milo Marathon Cebu Leg that will start at the Cebu Normal University (CNU) along Osmeña Boulevard and end at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Cebu leg organizer Ricky Ballesteros said that everything’s in place and it is all systems go for today’s race that will feature a massive 19,000 runners that will turn Cebu City’s main thoroughfares into a sea of green as runners don the green jersey of the Milo Marathon.

Ballesteros added that they exceeded Milo’s desired number of runners for the Cebu leg which was 18,000 after closing the registration yesterday.

“We exceeded our quota of 18,000 by having more than 19,000 runners for tomorrow’s (today’s) race,” said Ballesteros, adding that “to make sure that the race will be secured and well organized, there are around 1,000 volunteers and organizing staff that will man the race route.”

Ballesteros said that 200 Cebu City Traffic Operations Management enforcers will be deployed in the 21-kilometer race route along with around a hundred PNP personnel.

There will be medical stations and ambulances will also be deployed while the rest are volunteers and marshals.

The bulk of the runners today will be joining the 5-kilometer race numbering to 15,000 while there’s 3,000 runners in the 3k, 700 in the 10k and more than 700 in the 21k.

REMINDERS

As a last-minute reminder, Ballesteros is urging participants to go early at the starting line in front of CNU because the check-in time and the gun time of the distances are totally different.

He also advised runners to drink lots of water and rehydrate well before the race because the weather today is expected to be very humid.

OUT OF TOWN RUNNERS

According to Ballesteros, most of the runners who will be vying in the 21k qualifying race are from outside Cebu.

He said that most Cebuano long distance runners and contenders decided to join the other qualifying legs.

The best example for that is Spectrum Runners Club’s Prince Joey Lee who topped the 21k race in the Iloilo Qualifying leg earlier this month.

“I do not recognize the 21k contenders for the Cebu qualifying leg because most of them are from out of Cebu, they come here to compete and qualify for the national finals and most Cebuanos already joined the other qualifying legs, so we are expecting to crown new champions today,” said Ballesteros.

Spectrum Runners Club’s top bet for the 21k race is Bukidnon’s Keenan Lou Janes. According to the club’s president, Dr. Gerry Mayo, Janes is at par with Lee in terms of performance.

He will be joined by other Spectrum runners in Arnel Florentino, Ychon Agustin, Ronald Alvarado, Sano Engbino, Ian Refuela, Edilberto Batiancila, Richard Luchavez, Michael Largo and Florendo Lapiz.