Mayon 360º' ultra marathon sets off April 6

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, April 5 (PIA) – At least 180 competitors, comprising local and foreign runners, signed up for this year’s April 6 50-mile run around the circumference of the iconic Mt. Mayon stretching through three cities and seven towns of Albay.

Dubbed "Mayon 360º" in time for the celebration of Albay’s Daragang Magayon Festival 2013, the extreme marathon will test the speed and endurance of runners that include WC 200ZK champ Marcelo Bautista; Bataan Death March 102K champ Joel Bengtay; Willy Rotich and Albert Omboga, overall champions of the first and second editions of Mayon 360º, respectively; Mario Maglinao and Martin Balaybo, Filipino champions of the first and second editions of Mayon 360º, respectively; Merlita Arias and Janette Agura, overall champions of the first and second editions of Mayon 360º, respectively, in the female category.

Mayon 360 º ultra marathons is organized Legazpi Chapter of the Junior Chamber (Jaycees) International, provincial Government of Albay and the Liga ng mga Barangay, Albay Chapter.

JCI Chapter president Yves Yu said this year’s edition of Mayon 360 becomes more interesting and worth watching since champions from Baguio, Cebu and Manila will also be coming to Albay vying for the title and top prize money up to P30,000.

Local competitors comprised 80 percent of the runners.

Yu added that Kenyan runners are also back to defend their titles.

Filipino runners, meanwhile, are betting and express optimism that one of them will notched the overall championships besting the defending foreign runners.

The race, according to Yu, is sanctioned by the Philippine Association of Ultrarunners.
Governor Joey Salceda said the Mayon 360º Run will be the first of its kind in the province and the entire Bicol region in terms of distance and race route.

The race will starting from the Peñaranda Park in front of the city hall and the provincial capitol here, and will go through an all-paved road, with close to 60 percent asphalt and 40 percent concrete, passing along 77 barangays near the foot of the volcano.
Gun start will be at 4 a.m. on April 6.

The race ends on the same day at the same park to complete the 360-degree route.

The route highlights Albay’s tourist destinations including Cagsawa Ruins in Daraga town; Camalig town, the home to the popular Albayano dish—pinangat, and a good site for heritage tour for having the most number of Spanish houses in the province.

The town of Guinobatan is the hometown of local hero Gen. Simeon Ola, the last Albayano general to surrender to the American troops during the Filipino-American war; while in Ligao City there is the famous for its Kawa-Kawa Hill, where pilgrims scale its 236-meter elevation during Holy Week to meditate in its Stations of the Cross featuring life-sized statues.

Another is in Barangay Buang, Tabaco City, at the junction leading to the Mayon Skyline Park nestled on the slope of the volcano at 2,500 feet elevation.

Tabaco City showcases two churches in Albay that are registered in the National Historical Institute as National Heritage Site--the St. John the Baptist Church--stands.

Malilipot town, known for being home to abaca twine “lubid” makers, is next.

Next is Sto. Domingo, home of Potenciano Gregorio, the composer of the world-known Bicolano love song “Sarung Banggi.”

Sto. Domingo is also frequently visited by tourists and vacationers for its black sand beaches resorts located at Barangay Kalayukai.

Mayon 360º is only among the various rare and extreme sport events to be highlighted in the 2013 Daragang Magayon Festival that refers to the province’s mythical legend of Daragang Magayon (beautiful lady) from where Mt. Mayon derived its name. (MAL/PIA5)