It was only last month, April, that RUNRIO Events had announced the conduct of the Galaxy Manila Marathon 42K where the route runs along the famous EDSA Avenue in Metro Manila on June 12, 2026. It came a surprise to the old and new runners about the course where it became a viral issue on Social Media that a running event will be held on the most congested traffic road in Metro Manila.

Nevertheless, runners immediately registered to join the Full Marathon Event that it eventually reached to a record number of 6,000 plus runners of registered runners.

The race course takes the runners from SM Mall Of Asia (MOA) to SM North EDSA and then back to SM MOA. The runners will specifically run along the existing Bus Lane which is the innermost (left) lane along EDSA. Very exciting and promising move to use EDSA as a Marathon Route.

Whoever thought of this route is, I think, a runner who knows the running history in the country! It was in January 31, 1982 during the First Metro Manila International Marathon that EDSA was part of the Marathon Course from Ayala Avenue crossing EDSA to the turn-around point at EDSA crossing Ortigas Avenue and back to the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Park. (Note: This event was organized then by the Ministry of Youth & Sports Development). Using EDSA as part of a running event had never been repeated since then. After 44 years, it is happening again with a longer and more challenging distance and elevation.

These are my thoughts about the event:

1. SM MOA To SM NORTH EDSA: Obviously, when a well-known and one of the richest companies that drives the economy of the whole country puts its hands to a sports event where most of its citizens can participate, anything is possible! The collaboration between SM Malls and Samsung has made this year’s event possible. Samsung of South Korea had been a regular sponsor of the then discontinued Pasig River Heritage Marathon in the late 80s and early 90s contributing at least Five Million Pesos in every year to the Pasig River Rehabilitation Project. The route and the event promote SM Malls and Samsung Galaxy Smart Phones as an advertisement but every runner in this event will be proud to “flex” on Social Media and proud to have ran along EDSA! Who knows when this event will be repeated again?
2. Cut-Off-Time: The cut-of-time is 8 hours. For a well-trained average runner to finish a Marathon, he/she could finish in 4-5 hours. For a competitive runner, he/she could finish in less than 4 hours. Finishing a Marathon is not a walk in the park! However, if a walk-jog-walk strategy will be applied, even a “newbie” runner could finish this race. With my age of 74, I think I could finish it within the cut-of-time of 8 hours. My last marathon at the LA Marathon in 2023 without proper training resulted me to finish it in 7:10+ hours with lots of rests and walks due to cramping after running for 12 miles.
3. Schedule Of Race: The race starts at 11:00 PM of June 12, Friday (Public Holiday/Philippines Independence Day) and ends at 7:00 AM of June 13, Saturday. During this period, “long weekend”, there will be a reduction and lesser traffic along the route. By the time the last runner reaches the Finish Line, the traffic at EDSA will be starting to build-up which is good and it will be Saturday morning that makes it with lesser traffic. The nighttime period of running will be advantageous to the runners because of the cooler temperature. But the month of June is always the start of the Rainy Season in the country. I predict that there will be some rains and cooler winds during the event.
4. Official Holiday: If there is a Public Holiday earlier than June 12, it would be better. However, when the 1982 First Metro Manila International Marathon Race was held on January 31, 1982 with EDSA as part of the course, it was a Sunday and it started at 5:30 AM in the morning and finished at 11:30 AM. Less traffic then but runners were tough with the heat of the sun later in the morning and with a tighter Cut-Of Time! (Note: That is the big difference between the runners then and today’s runners)
5. Overpass & Uphill Challenges: I have yet to see a GPX File on the Elevation Profile of the route. Runners nowadays ask for this file from the Race Directors/Organizers. Before, runners don’t ask for this, they just want to finish the race and eventually record their own Personal Best Time. Having personally had run/walked some sections of the route and also had driven my car the whole route, I can visualize the uphills and downhills of the course. The following will be uphill challenges from Start to Finish: (a) Magallanes Overpass; (b) Uphill to Ayala Avenue if runners will not take the Ayala Underpass; (c) Uphill after the Ayala Underpass if runners will be running into the underpass; (d) Uphill climb after Estrella towards Guadalupe; (e) Uphill climb from the Guadalupe bridge to Pioneer Street; (f) Short uphill from the Shaw Avenue Underpass to SM Megamall; (g) Uphill Climb at Ortigas Overpass; (h) Uphill climb at Santolan Overpass; (i) Uphill Climb from Santolan Overpass to P. Tuazon Avenue; (j) Uphill Climb in Cubao’s E. Rodriguez Underpass to Nepa-Q Mart; (k) Kamuning Overpass; (l) and then towards the uphill climb at the Quezon Boulevard Overpass. On the way back, the same uphill climbs will be a lot of challenge to the runners. But runners will rewarded with the same downhills after the uphills.
6. This could be the Hardest Marathon Race in the World (?). In the 1st Metro Manila International Marathon on January 31, 1982, Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist (1976 & 1970) Valdemar Cierpinski of East Germany won with a record time of 2:14:27 hours which is up to this time the “All Comers” Best Time in the country’s Marathon Race. No Pinoy Elite Marathon Runner has ever broken this record in any of the local Marathon Events. (Note: Another Blog Post or story will be made on the Pinoy Runners who broke the National Marathon Finish Time in the 2026 Tokyo Marathon). I predict that the Pinoy who will finish first in this event will not be faster than 2:30:00 hours. Well, I will accept bets on this prediction.

I had been making comments and suggestions on Social Media that this is a Run-Walk or Jog-Walk-Jog event for the average and beginner runners which is I think the smartest plan and strategy to finish this race. With the number of uphills along the course, it is advisable to power walk the uphills and then run or jog the downhills. With this strategy, the running muscles will be able to rest and relax while walking. And while walking, take advantage of this time to hydrate and take your gels or fuel food. Even with the presence of Aid Stations, you can still maintain the run-walk-run strategy. Don’t stay long at the Aid Stations. Just grab some water and some food and ingest them while on the move.

I even suggested in my comments that for the whole month of May for runners to incorporate “hill repeats” twice a week in their training and more long runs during the weekends. Take one day as rest/recover day every week.

If not for an international trip commitment which was scheduled in the early months (January-February) of this year with the same schedule of this event, I could easily get a slot to join this event from RUNRIO. I will be monitoring the updates through the Social Media or just wait for the Official Podium Results. So, I just can only wish every runner of this historic event (Marathon along EDSA) to have a good luck and healthy strong finish in this race. This experience will be priceless.

Always remember, start slow on the first half and then slowly speed up on the last half towards the finish line. Cheers!

Hoping and praying that there will be a Second Edition of this event!

2027 Bataan Death March 160K Ultramarathon Race

I still consider this event as the First Official Road 100-Miler Event in the Philippines which started in 2010.

For 2027, it will be held on January 16-17, 2027. It covers the BDM 102 Route plus another 58 Kilometers until it finishes at the Bataan Death March Shrine which is located in Camp O’Donnell, Capas City, Tarlac.

In the history of the infamous Bataan Death March of 1942, the Prisoners of War who survived in the March were made to ride in cramped train cargo trailers from the San Fernando Train Station in Pampanga to the Capas Train Station (northward direction). More prisoners died in that slow train ride. From the Capas Train Station, the POWs marched another 8 kilometers to their final destination which was an Army Training Camp called Camp O’Donnell.

The ultra event finishes at the same place where the Bataan Death March Shrine is now located. It was established and constructed in the early 1990s. At the center of the shrine is a tall obelisk concrete monument surrounded with semi-circle black marble wall where the names of fallen soldiers are etched or written. The shrine is also planted with trees which is up to now in progress until 20,000 planted trees is reached signifying the number of soldiers who died during the World War 2 in the Philippines.

This event has a cut-of-time of 32 hours with intermediate cut-of-time at Km 102 in 18 hours.

This race starts at 5:00 AM January 16, 2027 at the Km 00 Post, Bataan Death March Shrine/Park in Mariveles, Bataan.

This will be the 13th Edition of this event.

2027 Bataan Death March 102K Ultramarathon Race

This is the event that sparked the interest of runners to join ultramarathon events in the country.

Finishing this event became a Badge Of Honor to be called an Ultrarunner/Ultramarathon Runner. Some of the early finishers became Race Organizers/Race Directors of Road and Trail Ultra Events in the country.

For 2027, it will be held on February 27-28, 2027. This will be the 17th edition of this event. The route is the Original Route of the infamous Bataan Death March of 1942.

The cut-of-time is 18 hours with an intermediate cut-of-time of 9 hours at Km 50.

This event starts at 10:00 PM February 27, 2027 at Km 00 Post, Bataan Death March Shrine in Mariveles, Bataan.

These events will have an Event Page on Facebook.

As of July 12, 2025, I have accepted 70+ Letters Of Intent from Runners who have the intention of joining the 2026 BDM 160K Ultramarathon Race. 50 Runners will attempting the coveted BDM Grand Slam Trophy which is an award to runners who have finished the BDM 102K and BDM 160K in succession. These runners had just finished their BDM 102K last May of this year. This BDM Grand Slam Trophy will be awarded a day after the runner finish the BDM 160 in an event which we call The BDM Grand Slam Trophy Awards Night which we usually conduct at the Philippine Army Officers Clubhouse.

As of today, only one runner had officially Registered to this event by paying the Registration Fee. Hopefully, all of the accepted runners will be able to pay their Registration Fee before the deadline of payment which will be on July 31, 2025. There will be No Extension Period for the payment of the Registration Fee.

Non-Payment of the Registration Fee within the period allotted will disqualify the applicant for the said race.

Yesterday, July 7, 2025. I have started sending Letters Of Acceptance for the 2026 BDM 160K for the first batch of 30 runners. The second batch will receive their Letter Of Acceptance within today or tomorrow.

Only 4 runners acknowledged that they have received their respective Letter Of Acceptance.
I have received some messages from my Messenger asking for the extension of the payment period for the Registration Fee. I think I will not favorably reply for this request in a positive way.

As I said, non-payment of the Registration Fee within the period July 7-31, 2025 will result in the removal of the runner from the List Of Accepted Runners and their slot will be replaced from an Applicant who is in the Waiting List. I am very firm to implement this instruction to everybody.

This is my post for the day. Hopefully, updates will be made in this blog on a daily basis.

Bald Runner is going to take charge in the conduct of the yearly Bataan Death March 102K & 160K Ultramarathon Races effective January 2026.

I have opened the submission of Letter Of Intent for the Bataan Death March 160K Ultramarathon Races last July 4, 2025. This race will be conducted on January 24-25, 2026.

The entry to this event starts with the submission of Letter Of Intent to my e-mail address stating the year and edition when the applicant finished the BDM 102K and finish time which is the qualifying race to join this event. I limited the applicants to only 50 runners.

After 24 hours since my announcement on Facebook, I have received 70+ Letters Of Intent! I am not surprised since most of the finishers in the latest edition of the BDM 102K would like to earn the most coveted BDM Grand Slam Trophy, for finishing the two BDM Races in succession.

I will start sending their Letters Of Acceptance by answering each e-mail sent to me by the applicants starting Monday, July 7, 2025. I don’t mind sending and answering each e-mail as I love doing this since the time I started this event 15 years ago! I can safely say that BDM 160K is the first 100-Mile Road Race in the Philippines with a cut-off time of 30 hours which I ultimately adjusted to 32 hours!

I will be busy again writing on this blog because of this event. I would like my runners and participants of my races and running events to start browsing this blog for stories in my past events. This will also the platform that I will use in order to update my runners together with my Facebook Pages.

Please share this post so that more people will know that I am back. Thank you!

This is an article copied from a clipping taken from an old newspaper or magazine article. This was originally posted by a friend on Facebook who happens to be a Retired General of the Philippine Army and a Graduate of the Philippine Military Academy.

WHAT ARE POLICEMEN MADE OF?

A policeman is a composition of what all men are, a mingling of saint and sinner, dust and deity….Less than one-half of one percent of policemen misfit the uniform.

He, of all men, is at once the most wanted and the most unwanted…He must be such a diplomat that he can settle differences between individuals so that each will think he won.

But, if a policeman is pleasnt, he’s a flirt: if he’s not, he’s a grouch….He must be able to start breathing, stop bleeding, tie splints, and above all, be sure the victim goes home without a limp—-or expect to be sued…He must know every gun, draw on the run, and hit where it doesn’t hurt.

He must be able to whip two men twice his size and half his age without damaging his uniform and without being “brutal”….If you hit him, he’s a coward; if he hits you, he’s a bully…He must know where all the sin is and not partake.

The policeman must be a minister, a social worker, a diplomat, a tough guy, and a gentleman…And of course, he’ll have to be a genius—-for he’ll to feed and clothe a family on a policeman’s salary.

Today, June 4, 2025, is the 15th Founding Anniversary of the Philippine Association of Ultrarunners (PAU). It became as the National Federation Of Sports on Ultramarathon Races of the Philippines under the approval and endorsement of the Philippine Athletics Track & Field Association (PATAFA). It also became officially considered as the Philippine Member & Representative to the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) on the same year when it was created. PAU had been the 6th member in ASIA together with Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.

PAU’s vision was to make Ultramarathon as a sports for everybody. Its purpose was to create ultramarathon events that promote the celebration of some historic events in the country; promote Sports Tourism to the different regions of the country; discover and develop elite ultrarunners; and participate in international ultrarunning events.

For the past 15 years, PAU has been successful in its vision and purpose. Almost all the regions in the country has its own ultramarathon events. Race Organizers had multiplied and the same with the Race Directors. PAU Events had been copied but these events were only conducted once.

Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, our PAU events had stopped with almost 2 years. However, PAU Events had restarted 3 years ago and it is the intention of the Association to bring back those events from the past years.

With the incoming Ultrarunning Events in Thailand and Japan this year and next year, respectively, the Association will be bringing athletes to these events to represent the Philippines. PAU is coming back!

You can visit the Facebook Page of the Association here.