New rules in Milo Marathon for foreign runners pushed

by Armie Garde

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ATHLETES and enthusiasts are set to pound the roads of Cebu in the 11th regional qualifying leg of the National Milo Marathon tomorrow, Sunday, but only locals and foreign runners with working visa can compete and win the 21K race.

As it gets accreditation from the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (Aims), the Milo Marathon, now on its 36th years, adopted new rules particularly on foreign runners.

What the 21K runners can get if they finish within the 2 hours and 3o minutes cut-off. 🙂 (Photo taken from the Milo Marathon website)

In the 36th National Milo Marathon Rules and Regulations, item #9 states that “only local participants (Filipinos and foreigners with working visa) can join and win in the 42.195K and 21K elimination races. Overseas participants may join and compete in the 42.195K and 21K National Finals for as long as they fulfill the requirements.

Item #24 adds, “to qualify, overseas runners must provide proof of finish in any Aims/IAAF accredited races dating back at least one year before race day or they may qualify in the Manila elimination race. They must have a finish time within the specified age-bracket and time identified in items 18 (for 21-K) & 19 (for 42.195-K).”

But the new rules on foreign runners strictly apply in the 21K category; they can still run, compete, win and get prizes in the 10K, 5K and 3K races.

Milo Marathon organizers during the press conference Friday. (L-R) Pat Goc-ong, MM consultant, Ricky Ballesteros,organizing committee head, Andrew Neri, Milo Sports executive, Angelo Yaneza, RunRio General Manager.

Andrew Neri, Milo Sports executive, said the new rules are not meant to discriminate foreign runners, but to give local runners a greater chance in the provincial legs. “We just want our local runners to represent Cebu in the national final…”

The men’s 21K in 2011 was dominated by Kenyans, with Filipino top finisher Adonis Singson placing fourth. The women’s was dominated by Cebuana Mary Grace delos Santos.

The Cebu leg attracted 22,000 runners and adopted a new route, which has shifted to the northern part of Cebu.

(Video taken from the Milo Marathon website with permission)

The National Milo Marathon is an annual race open to amateur and professional runners. It’s also part of Milo’s Help Give Shoes advovacy program, which has already reached 19,000 underprivileged school children in the country. In time for the Cebu qualifying leg, 500 pairs of shoes were distributed to beneficiaries in five Cebu schools.

The 21K race, with a cut-off time of two hours and 30 minutes, will strictly start at 4:30 a.m. and the assembly area is at the Cebu Normal University. The 10K, 5K and 3K races will follow 30 minutes after.

Today’s event will also host cheerdance competition, among other side events.

The organizing committee of the Milo Marathon with Rose Buenconsejo and Warat Runner of runroo.com.

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Armie Garde the Warat Runner, who started running ultramarathons at 23 years old, is a multimedia journalist based in Cebu City, Philippines. One of her ultra dreams is to finish BDM 102 and 160. She maintains runroo.com.