RUN BACK IN TIME AT THE 2013 CORREGIDOR MARATHON

Press Release

The philosopher George Santayana once stated, “Those who do not know history are condemned to repeat it.” But if history is comprised of all your winning and most memorable moments, you will most likely come back for it.

On December 7 and 8, 2013, the running community will once again converge in Corregidor Island to participate in 2 events: The 1st Corregidor Marathon (CM) on the first day and the 4^th Corregidor International Half Marathon (CIHM) on the second.

The 1^st CM will usher in a new level of challenge in the running scene. With a total distance of 42.195km, the event is designed to be the common ground of marathoners, ultra-runners and triathletes.

Participation in the 1^st 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.”

The race is an open competition. All participants upon crossing the finish line will receive a Finisher’s Medallion and a rank-indicated Finisher’s Trophy. 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 Php30, 000.00 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 distance, CM will have shorter distance categories: the 5K Blitz and the 3K Thrill. Each of these distances shall have 150 slots. These shorter distances will cater to those who are just getting started with the sport of running and who would like to experience running in the island. There will be no qualifying times required for the participants of these sub-categories nor will there be a sweep time or cut-off time.

Meanwhile, close to 1,000 participants and visitors are expected to turn up for the 4^th installment of CIHM. Runners from different backgrounds – from intermediate recreational to hardcore runners, will take a shot at dethroning the reigning King and Queen of the Rock. The 4^th CIHM is designed to thrill, surprise and challenge runners, from different parts of the country and from around the world, by testing their mettle on all types of running terrain.

The race route, covering a total of 21.0975km, will encompass a combination of paved uphills and down slopes and intermittent segments of dirt trails. But what would differentiate CIHM from the usual running experience of avid runners is that it will take the race participants to key historical hotspots on the remarkable isle. Right at the start of the race, the runners will experience an adrenaline rush as they race past the full length of the Malinta Tunnel. The exhilaration will continue to unfold as the runners exit the tunnel’s east access en route to the interior of the atoll. The thrilling highlight of the race surges as the runners negotiate the tricky span of a thickly foliaged trail draped in rays of sunlight, culminating in a run along the rocky cliff of the island with a breathtaking view of Manila Bay, to dramatically finish at the south dock breakwater facing the vast West Philippine Sea.

The 4^th CIHM will be an extraordinary opportunity for passionate runners to set a new norm for personal achievement as finishing the race will be akin to recapitulating a fortress that is home to the resilient and valiant. There are 300 slots to be opened for the 21K distance. A qualifying time of 2h30min for male runners, and 3h00min for female participants will be adopted for this category. First time 21K runners must have run a 10K race within 1h15m (male) or 1h30min (female). However, for CIHM alumni 100 slots will be allotted as wildcard entries waiving the qualifying time requirement.

Aside from centerpiece 21km event, there will be a 10k Challenge for running aficionados who are yet to be familiar with the challenging terrain of Corregidor but yearn to discover and experience its distinctive scenic course. 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 10km Achiever Medal. Only 200 slots will be opened for this side event.

Registration for the 1^st CM is ongoing and, for the 4^th CIHM, registration will begin on October 1, 2013.

The 1^st Corregidor Marathon and the 4^th Corregidor International Half Marathon are managed by Big, Big, Big, Inc. and presented by Smart Communications, Sun Cruises, Soleus together with event partners Corregidor Foundation, Galileia Events Place, 100 Miles Café, L Time Studio, Runningmate, One Sceniques, Active Link, Toby’s, Runnr, media partners The Philippine Star, Pinoy Fitness, Mellow 94.7 FM, Takbo.ph, Inquirer Libre, Solar News and medical aid partner UERM Medical Center.

For inquiries and updates on the two races, interested runners can like the separate Facebook fan pages or shoot an email to corregidormarathon@bigbigbig.com.ph or corregidor21@bigbigbig.com.ph. Runners can also contact (02) 403-0246 or 09228115438.