MARY JOY TABAL (MILO PR)
National Milo Marathon champs to earn slots
to Boston Marathon; Cebu’s Tabal ready to train
From Pampanga to Boston.
That’s where the national champions will be headed as slots for the prestigious Boston Marathon will be up for grabs when the 39th National Milo Marathon gets going this month.
The first of the 18 regional legs kicks off in Dagupan on June 28 before the national finals on Dec. 6 heads to Angeles, Pampanga for the first time.
From the kick-off in Dagupan, the elimination legs will head to Baguio (July 5), Tarlac (July 12), Balanga (July 19), Manila (July 26), Calapan (Aug. 2), Lipa (Aug. 9), Naga (Aug. 16) Lucena (Aug. 30), Iloilo (Sept. 20), Bacolod (Sept. 27), Tagbilaran (Oct. 4), Cebu (Oct. 11), General Santos (Oct. 18), Davao (Nov. 8), Butuan (Nov. 15) and Cagayan de Oro (Nov. 22).
ADDED MOTIVATION
Defending champions Rafael Poliquit and Cebu’s Mary Joy Tabal, who earned slots in the Los Angeles Marathon last year, will vie anew in the race that’s expected to draw over 230,000 runners.
“The Milo Marathon is where I started,” said Tabal, who clinched a silver in her recent Southeast Asian Games debut in Singapore.
The multi-titled Cebuana who is trained by John Philip Dueñas said the development is an added motivation for her.
“We were very happy to know that Boston na gyud ang prize,” Tabal said in a text message to Cebu Daily News. “That is every runner’s and marathoner’s dream.”
Tabal said once she returns to Cebu, she will immediately talk to her coach about her training. “ Coach Philip will be plotting my program, which will start next month.”
Meanwhile, race organizer Rio dela Cruz told the Inquirer they are excited to bring the national finals outside Manila for the first time.
“The new route will be a good challenge for our runners,” said Dela Cruz.
“A lot of people will be surprised in the change of venue, but it’s also for our runners,” added Milo sports marketing manager Andrew Neri. “Metro Manila has become highly urbanized. We don’t want to be a hurdle to our runners and motorists.” /With an inquirer reporter