The following are things that you should know about the Bataan Death March 102K Ultra Marathon Race which makes it very unique and special from the other ultra marathon races in the country and around the world:
The FIRST Ultra Marathon Race In The Country: Nobody believed or thought of this event to be done in one Solo and Single Stage Running Event with a prescribed cut-off time to finish the event in 18 hours. It took a group of 83 brave runners to test the course on the very first month of Summer in 2009 (April 4-5, 2009) and everything is now history.
“By Invitation Only” Race: It is the runner’s own volition to send a Letter Of Request to the Race Director to introduce himself/herself that he’s/she is qualified to join the race. If accepted, he/she receives a Letter Of Invitation from the Race Director to join the said race. There are NO Commercial Promotions or Advertisements published in the traditional media about the said event. The RD does not encourage runners to join the event simply to make the number of participants bigger and more profitable.
No Dedicated Website: This is a Race that had gained popularity through the years without a dedicated Event Website where you could “register and know” all about the event. If somebody would like to know the details of the said event, he/she would be able to browse on the articles posted at the Blog site of the Race Director—www.baldrunner.com. On Facebook, there is a dedicated Page for the said event which is used as a Chatroom for everybody interested to join the event.
Integrity Of The Race Is Paramount: Since this event is a commemoration of a historic event of the country where the lives of past heroes, military veterans, and those who defended our country in the name of freedom, independence, and democracy, it is fitting that all the runners should be honest in finishing this race as there are no monetary prizes or popularity recognition in the media for being the fastest or slowest in finishing this race. The ultimate prize here is bragging on the Social Media.
No Commercial Sponsors: The Race Director had strictly maintained his position for the event to be not supported by any Commercial Sponsors, even with the Government, except for the Local Government Units, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Philippine National Police for security and administrative assistance. The RD had a bad experience with these Private Commercial Brands and the National Government bureaucracy when this event was on its “birth stage”.
“Lesser Number Of Runners, The Better”: In the 2014 edition (6th Edition) of the race, the number of runners reached the number of 300 and it was a nightmare on matters of control, administration, logistics, and overall supervision of the event. Even then, the result was still the 4th lowest finisher percentage in the history of the event. In order to lessen the number of interested runners, the RD decided to increase the Registration Fee and had maintained it since 2015 up to the present. It drastically resulted to a lower number of runners in 2015 but the RD and its Staff were happier to have managed the event with ease and comfort.
No Special Treatment To Any Runner: Whether a runner is coming from abroad or coming from Visayas and Mindanao, they have to make their own research on how to reach the Start of the Race and make their respective accommodation and other logistics matters. The RD also goes to some International Races abroad and he does need to contact the RD of these Races for basic information about such events.
“No Whining” On This Race: Not All Running Events are Perfect. Even the oldest and most prestigious Marathon Race, the Boston Marathon, is NOT perfect! We try to investigate such “whining” related to the event and if we find out that such complaints are baseless and try to destroy the reputation of the race and its Race Organizer/s, we immediately BAN these people from joining this event, whether as volunteers, support crew, or a requesting participant. There are other running events scheduled on the same dates with the BDM 102 Ultra where they could join.
No Reimbursement or Roll-Over of Registration Fee: If you have decided that you can not make it at the Starting Area on Race Day, the least that you can do is to pick-up your Race Packet and you will be declared as DNS (Did Not Start). No alibis or reasons will not be accepted why you could not make it to the race. Your Registration Fee for this year is NOT transferrable to the next edition if you can not make it this year.
2019 Western States 100-Mile Qualifying Race: It is with deep gratitude and thanks that the Western States 100 Endurance Race’ Board of Trustees have selected the 2018 BDM 102 Ultra Race as a qualifying race for its 2019 edition. This will be a good chance for our local runners who will finish this year’s race to apply for the lottery in the 2019 WSER 100.
BDM “Get Together Party”: This is the ONLY Ultra Marathon Race in the country that honors its runners to a “Dinner Party” and a chance to recognize outstanding ultra runners of the Philippine Association of Ultrarunners (PAU) for the year 2017.
The Race Director Runs His Race: The Race Director ran and finished the FIRST Edition of BDM 102 just to prove to everybody that it could be done. He could be the Only RD in the country that runs its own race and competes with the younger runners. Now that he is already 65 years old, he would wish that he could still finish the BDM 102.
Rules & Regulations Are Strictly Enforced: Do you know why every runner must memorize his/her Bib Number? Because our Marshals (Checkpoint and/or Secret/Intel people) will ask your Race Bib Number and this will remind you that you must follow the Event’s Rules and Regulations strictly throughout the Race.
The following is the list of Pinoy Ultra Runners (Locals & Residents Abroad) who have represented the country in International Ultra Running Races and those who performed outstanding finish in our Local PAU Races:
Jag Lanante: The First and Only Filipino who have finished the Honkong Four Trails Ultra Challenge (HK4UTC) in less than 60 hours this year.
Gerald Tabios: The First and Only Filipino to have finished the Badwater 135-Mile Ultra Marathon Race for Three Consecutive Years (2015, 2016, & 2017).
Rolando Espina: The First and Only Filipino who have finished the Spartathlon Ultra Marathon Race in Greece for Two Consecutive Years (2016 & 2017).
Conrado Bermudez, Jr: Based in New Jersey, USA, he finished Four (4) 100-Milers (Trail) in 2017—Rocky Raccoon 100 Miler in Texas, USA; Massanutten 100 Miler in Virginia, USA; Cruel Jewel 100 Miler in Georgia, USA; and UTMB 170K in Chamonix, France. He is setting a goal to be the First Filipino to Finish the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning Series in the USA this year.
Paul Encarnacion—Based in Maryland, USA, he finished the Massanutten 100 in Virginia, USA and Eco Trail Madrid 80K in Spain.
Aleksis Capili-–The First Pinoy to Finish the Tor Des Geants 330K Endurance Run in Courmayeur (Aosta Valley), Italy. He also finished the 2017 Tarawera 100 in New Zealand. He is also one of the Pinoy Runners in the Asia Trail Master Championship Ranking.
Mon Beleno & Jerome Bautista—Finisher of the 2017 The North Face LAVAREDO 120K Ultra Trail Race in Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy.
Jerome Lagumbay, Rodney Cabahug, Rex Gonzales, & Jovenal Narcise—Finishers of the 2017 Tarawera 100K Ultra Trail Race in New Zealand.
Edmund Cura—Finisher of CCC 102K (UTMB)
Sandi Menchi Abahan & Aldean Philip Lim—Finisher of TDS 121K (UTMB)
Hermogines Olvis; Miguel Carranza; & Majo Liao—Finishers of UTMB 170K.
Henry Laron—The Only Filipino Finisher in the 2017 San Diego 100-Mile Endurance Run (Solo Category).
Joseph Sibal-–One of the Pinoy Ultrarunners with the Asia Trail Master Championship Ranking, finishing the following trail races in 2017—Beach Bunch Trail Challenge 100K; BTS 100K Ultra; Ultra-Trail Panoramic 100K; and other Ultra Trail Races in the Asia Trail Master Series.
Wilnar Iglesia—Finisher of the Penang Eco 100K; Mesastila Trail Challenge 100K and other Ultra Trail Races in the Asia Trail Master Series.
Rose Betonio—Finisher of the Monster Ultra 200K in Singapore and 2nd Runner-Up in the Coast To Coast 444K Ultra in Malaysia. She also finished 2nd Runner-Up in PAU’s North Coast 200-Mile Run and finisher of PAU’s West To East 280K Ultra.
Cheryl Bihag—Finisher of this year’s Beach Bunch Trail Challenge 100K; The Magnificent Merapoh 100K Trail Challenge; Ultra-Trail Panoramic 100-Mile Run; and other Ultra Trail Races in the Asia Trail Master Series.
Kat Bermudez-–Based in New Jersey, USA and wife of Conrado Bermudez, Jr, is the First Lady “Virgin” Pinoy to have joined the Barkley Marathon finishing the 1st loop with 12 pages gathered. She finished the 2017 Rocky Raccoon 100-Mile Run in Texas, USA.
Rhoda Oporto & Remy Caasi—PAU’s Top Lady Ultra Runners who finished the PAU’s 200+K Road Grand Slam Ultra Marathon Series for 2017.
Bong Dizon, Rolan Cera, Fer De Leon, & Jon Borbon—Finishers of the PAU’s 200+K Road Grand Slam Ultra Marathon Series for 2017.
Thomas Combisen, Gibo Malvar, and Salvador Sietereales—Candidates for the PAU’s 100-Mile Road & Trail Grand Slam Ultra Marathon Series for 2017.
Thomas Combisen & Ronnel Valero—PAU Top Ultra Trail Runners who finished among the Top 10 Local Runners in the 2017 Hardcore Hundred Miles Trail Run.
Congratulations to everybody. Keep inspiring other runners to excel and to join international ultra running events and local ultra running events.
The following is a Powerpoint Presentation on the Rules & Regulations of the 2018/10th Edition of the Bataan Death March 102K Ultra Marathon Race. All Runners and their respective Support Crew & Drivers must abide by these instructions. Any infraction of these rules and regulations will jeopardize the success or finish of every runner during the event.
The 10th Edition of the Bataan Death March 102K Ultra Marathon Race (BDM 102) is a Qualifying Race for the 2019 Western States Endurance Race (WSER) in California, USA.
For the first time in this blog I will be featuring an article (based from my own view and opinion) on Pinoys who excelled in running or those who have shown the true spirit of an outstanding runner, whether they are based locally or abroad for the year 2017. I will limit my story for the Marathon and Ultra Marathon distances.
Marathon Distance:
Top Award For Best Performance: Mary Joy Tabal was our First Gold Medalist in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in the Marathon event with a finish time of 2:48:26 hours beating the second runner by seven (7) minutes. Her personal best time in the Marathon distance was 2:43:31 hours at the Ottawa Marathon Race in 2016, which qualified her to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. In the local races, Mary Joy Tabal has in her name a record in the history of running as the First Female Champion of the MILO Marathon for five (5) successive years. Last December, she won the MILO Marathon in Cebu City with a time of 2:58:01 hours, the day after his father died.
Mary Joy Tabal From Cebu City (Photo From Facebook)
Ultra Marathon Distance (Road)
Top Award For Best Performance: Rolando Espina is now the Filipino Record Holder for the 24-Hour Run finishing a distance of 210.798 kilometers (130.99 miles) in the July 2017 IAU Belfast 24-Hour World Championship held in Belfast, Ireland. He is also the Overall Champion in the 9th Edition (2017) of the Bataan Death March 102K Ultra Marathon Race with a time of 9:26:39 hours, the second best time finish in the history of the event. He is the first and only Filipino who have finished the Spartathlon in Greece in two consecutive years, 2016 & 2017, with finish times of 33:19:33 hours and 32:30:03 hours, respectively. He is also the Overall Champion and New Course Record Holder in this year’s PAU’s West Coast 200K Ultra Marathon Race with a time of 26:45:18 hours.
Rolando Espina From Bacolod City & Based In Ireland (Photo From Facebook)
Ultra Marathon Distance (Trail)
Top Award For Best Performance (Male): Hermogines “Gene” Olvis outstanding performance at the 2017 UTMB Race makes him as the Best Male Performer in Ultra Trail Running for 2017 for finishing the race with a record finish time (among the local runners) of 35:33:54 hours. He also finished Overall 2nd Runner-Up in the 2017 edition of the KOTM’s Hardcore 100-Mile Trail Run with a time of 30:17:29 hours.
Gene Olvis (Photo from Facebook/Jajaferrer.com)
Top Award For Best Performance (Female): Sandi Menchi Abahan outstanding performance at the 2017 TDS Race (118K) @ UTMB makes her as the Best Female Performer in Ultra Trail Running for 2017 for finishing 21st Overall in the Female Category and 9th Overall in her Age Category with a record finish time (First Female Local Finisher in the TDS & Record Holder) of 23:27:16 hours. Being a member of the Philippine Skyrunning Association Elite Team, she won as the Female Champion for two successive years, 2016 & 2017, in the Mt Kinabalu International Climbathon Race with these finish times, 2:58:48 hours and 3:04:30 hours, respectively.
Sandi Menchi Abahan @ TDS Finish Line (Photo from Facebook)
Finally, I earned my #Legit Boston Qualifier at the age of 65 years old at the 2017 Revel Canyon City Marathon Race with an official time of 3:46:06 hours. My BQ time for my age is 4:10 hours.
My New PR since I retired from the military service & as the Bald Runner.
Boston, here I come in April 2019!
Bonus: I won the First Place in my Age Category Group (65-69 years old) out 16 Finishers.
2017 Revel Canyon City Marathon Race
Aside from being a Senior Citizen, I am the ONLY General of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as a Boston Marathon Qualifier.
The ONLY General Of The Armed Forces Of The Philippines (AFP) As BM Qualifier
Bald Runner 
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