Milo gives shoes to Guba ES kids, Cebu leg on today

Some 47 students of Guba Elementary School were given brand new running shoes yesterday by Milo energy drink. Helping the kids put on their green and white sneakers are (from left) Coach John Philip Duneas, Cebuana running queen and National Milo Marathon defending champion Mary Joy Tabal and Coach Rio Dela Cruz (CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)

THERE’S no better feeling than wearing brand new shoes.

And MILO made sure that 47 kids from Guba Elementary School will experience that feeling as it gave away brand new running shoes yesterday with the country’s marathon queen and SEA Games silver medalist Mary Joy Tabal in the MILO Marathon “Help Give Shoes” advocacy held at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).

The 47 kids are members of Tabal’s grassroots development program in running. They will be joining the 3k and 5k runs today in the 39th National Milo Marathon-Cebu Leg along with 23,283 runners.

Tabal, the reigning back-to-back national champion of the Milo Marathon has been training kids since last summer with her trainer John Philip Dueñas and supported by the Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC).

Guba is a mountainous barangay of Cebu City where Tabal grew up and honed her running skills.

The Cebu Leg of the Milo Marathon will start in front of the Cebu Normal University (CNU) and will finish at the CCSC.

MORE SPONSORS

Tabal and Dueñas’ grassroots program has already attracted sponsors from the private sector.

“Since we started last summer, there’s already a lot of help for the kids because they saw their potential despite their poverty and lack of equipment,” said Tabal. “We are very thankful to everyone for helping us mold these kids to become not just champions in sport but also in life.”

Dueñas will compete in the 21k but Tabal will skip today’s race to look after the 47 kids who will join the run.

Milo Executive Andrew Neri and technical director Rio Dela Cruz personally handed out the shoes to the kids.

“The shoes symbolize inspiration because we in Milo believe that running keeps you moving forward. We are thankful for Joy (Tabal) for helping inspire these kids who emulate her for rising from her humble beginnings,” said Neri.

Around 1,000 running shoes were distributed this year in Cebu, part of the 10,000 pairs given in the entire country.

SEA OF GREEN

Today close to 24,000 runners will swam Cebu City’s streets in a massive sea of green starting at 4 a.m.

Some 800 runners will join the 3k, 703 in the 21k, 430 in the 10k and 21,450 in the 5k in the biggest Milo leg outside Manila. Runners from Dumaguete, Leyte and Mindanao will also race.

A total of 975 race marshals, traffic enforcers, medical teams, barangay tanods and PNP personnel will man the streets covered by the route as well as K9 units and firetrucks.

There will be 11 water stations to be deployed along the route with disco music and festival dancers providing entertainment.