Milo Cebu Leg Champs: The Shorter the Shorts, the Faster You Finish

Related Event: 37th Milo Marathon 2013 – Cebu (view stories / rate / share your experience here >>)
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Seeing slackers still running the Milo marathon wearing long, baggy shorts made me conclude that the shorter the shorts, the faster you finish

— Jethro Estimo (@pestimo) September 22, 2013

As I really could not think of any title for this post, I just “steal” a bodybuilder’s view of runners. So this post is not entirely about shorts short.

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As everyone knows who are the top placers of the recent 37th Milo Eliminations – Cebu Leg, so I’ll just post my random comments as to what I saw at the finish line. (If you do not know yet the top 21K placers, please click here >> to know the list of top 10 placers.)

1:15 Qualifying Time

If you talk to an elite runner about Milo eliminations, 1:15 is the only time that matters most (Note: 15:59 is still considered 1:15). The 1:15 does not only mean an all-expense paid to the National Finals; but it means a ticket to advance their running career: competing nationally, becoming a national athlete, getting into national team, a chance to get access to the best coach.

Getting the championship or a podium finish does not matter as much as getting a 1:15 or faster time in Milo. Thus, in Milo Eliminations, we can probably say that competitive runners are more of competing against time than against each other. Instead, they would even help each other by pushing each other to get into the most coveted 1:15 time.

Having personally talked to one or four of them about their Milo aspirations, it was a bit heartbreaking for me to see that only one got into the 1:15 time.  Maybe due to the lack of Kenyans, and faster elite runners in 21K Male this year that’s why only one, Duenas, got in to the 1:15 all-expense paid qualifying time this year. With the presence of Kenyan and Languido last year, they probably dragged other local elite runners to stick to a faster pace. Though, Monjas & Carolino (their stories here and here), both got sub 1:15 time last year, said that they’re not at all confident with their training this year compared to last year.

Duenas

Dropped Out

Joebert Carolino came in second, with Bonifacio Monjas tailing him very closed. But Carolino paused before crossing the finish line, thus Monjas overtook him. For those who were looking for Carolino, he dropped out of the race, which gave way to Argie Tillor getting into the 3rd place. Joebert’s withdrawal from the race can show how much the 1:15 time matters a lot to our elite runners. It’s no longer about the prize. It’s really more of about a bigger dream.

Carolino & Monjas (sorry, my photography skill is so bad)

PRs

While the girls had it more chill. Tabal became champion, which is a not a suprise, and the only 1:30 qualifier (the equivalent of 1:15 of males) by clocking in a sub 1:25 time, which is faster than her last year’s time. Except for Parajenog and Oporto, the gap of the girls’ finish times from each other are not that close. So it was not that intense from the audience point of view. But of course, the case might be very different from the ones who were really running especially when most of them are making PRs.

Top 9 21K Girls (Right to left): Tabal, Tutor, Soliano, Parajenog, Oporto, Abellana, Lugay, Hermosilla, Rosas

Shorter shorts = Faster Runner

Be the judge.

Top 4 21K Male (left to right): Zafico, Tillor, Monjas, Duenas

The 8th to 9th placer indeed seemed to have not-so-short running shorts. The “shorter the shorts, the faster you finish” hypothesis seems to be true! Andy Tonacao 9th placer, the CUC 100K Leg 2 & 3 champion, should probably consider shorter shorts next time.

Top (Left to right): Monjas, Duenas, Tillor
Bottom (right to left): Zafico, Refuela, Magbologtong, Oacan, Engbino, Tonacao, Emia

King & Queen

At the end of the race, after all the medals and trophies, it’s not really how fast you finish. =) It’s about the king and queen in your hearts. =)

Next post is about the different “looks.”
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Posted by:

Rose Buenconsejo. A runner who runs after runners, and their stories, and her dream to become a NEDBANK.
Promo Girl, runroo.com
View her aktib race calendar >>

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