THE ROCK OF RACES: RUNNERS ARE ALL FIRED UP FOR THE 1ST CORREGIDOR MARATHON & 4TH INTERNATIONAL HALF MARATHON

Press Release

The canons have gone silent. The ruins have long been abandoned and towering memorials have been built. Philippine history’s valiant heroes have certainly made their mark on the legendary Corregidor Island. But up until today, the rocky island off the coast of Manila Bay still continues to awe many of us, including members of the running community here and around the world.

On December 7 and 8, 2013, troops of runners will head to the island to participate in the 1^st ever Corregidor Marathon (CM) and the 4^th Corregidor International Half Marathon (CIHM).

The 1^st CM will have a total distance of 42.195km. It 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.”

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, the 1^st CM will have shorter distance categories: the 5K Blitz and the 3K Thrill. Each of these distances shall have 150 slots. There will be no qualifying times required for the participants of these sub-categories nor will there be a sweep or cut-off time.

Since 2010, the CIHM has always aimed to become one of the premiere and sought-after races in the country. With its 4^th installment happening on December 8, the rock stars of the sport will return for another shot at the title of King and Queen of the Rock. Close to 1,000 participants and visitors are expected to turn up – from intermediate recreational to hardcore runners. The 4^th CIHM is designed to thrill, surprise and challenge runners by testing their mettle on all types of terrain.

In addition to the 21km main event, there will be a 10k Challenge for running enthusiasts who are yet to familiarize themselves with the challenging terrain of Corregidor. 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 300 slots will be opened for this side event.

Co-founders Edward Kho and Raymund Martelino are both thrilled for the two events. To them, the 1^st Corregidor Marathon will usher in a new challenge among the running community and give rise to a new generation of Corregidor Island “conquerors.” As for the CIHM, the fact that more and more runners keep coming back for it is proof that the island never fails to inspire them to keep fighting their personal battles.

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 co-presented by Smart, Sun Cruises, and 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.