Sports: Bacolod to Host 36th Milo Marathon Provincial Leg in Time for MassKara

The 36th Milo Marathon Bacolod Provincial Leg will be held on October 14, 2012 in time for the 33rd MassKara Festival which will start October 1 to 20.

The organizers of the 36th National Milo Marathon have introduced local and open categories in this year’s race, allowing more runners to vie for prizes in the country’s premier footrace and also to separate the foreigners from the local runners.

The Provincial Legs elimination will be in the 21K, 10K, 5k (for adults and students) and 3K. The route in Bacolod city has not been identified pending negotiations with the local organizers.

This year’s edition will have the theme "Iba’t Ibang hinahabol, iisang takbuhan," emphasizing Milo’s advocacy of helping the youth.

Milo Sports Executive Andrew Neri said that they are making this new concept to give chance local runners and also to the elite runner to compete against the best runners in the world, like the Kenyans and Ethiopians who are now saturating the local an international running competitions in the country.

The local category is exclusive to Filipinos while the open category for the 42K and 21K run is open for everyone.

The foreign runners can compete in the open category among the elite runners of the Philippines for a more competitive Milo marathon edition this year. He also said, Milo Marathon is now an official member of the Association of International Marathons (AIMS), which would enable them to attract more world-class athletes to participate in the event.

Last year’s Bacolod Leg was held September 25. Other provincial leg eliminations are; July 1 on Baguio, Dagupan (July 8), Tarlac (July 15), Angeles (July 22), Naga (Aug. 19), San Pablo (Sept. 2), Lipa (Sept. 16), Puerto Princesa (Sept. 23), Tagbiliran (Sept. 30), Cebu (Oct. 7), Iloilo (Oct. 28), General (Santos Nov. 4), Davao (Nov. 11), Butuan (Nov. 18) and Cagayan de Oro (Nov. 25).

James Tallam and Mary Grace Delos Santos, who ruled the 42K marathon of the 35th edition, are set to defend their titles in the National finals on December 9, 2012.

This year’s Open category winner will pocket P300, 000 with the first runner-up settling for P250, 000 and the third placer P200, 000. The Local category champion will bag P50, 000.*