WITH a decent second place finish in last year's 42 kilometer skymarathon, Alison Tellias hopes to be in tip top condition when the 2018 edition of Pilipinas Akyathlon fires off February 3 to 4 in Itogon, Benguet.
Tellias clocked five hours and 27 minutes, four seconds behind champion Marcelino Sana-oy and four seconds faster than third placer Wilnar Iglesias.
However, the stakes are now higher as organizers instead adjusted the race distance to 46 this year with the winner earning a ticket for the Kota Kinablu Run which, just like the Pilipinas Akytahlon, is also part of the Asian Trail Running Series.
Tellias said he likes his chances. This year even with the longer distance as this have been their usual route in several mountain trial running series in this part of the country.
"Hindi natin masabi, pero tignan natin," added Tellias with a grin.
(We can’t say, but let’s see)
Organizers, aside from adjusting distance of the sky marathon, have included the kiddie akyathlon and the vertical kilometer run.
This is aside from the 25 kilometer mountain run and the 10 km trail run.
The vertical run is a 5 km uphill race with 1,000 meter elevation gain.
"All race categories start and end at the Indigenous Peoples' Cultural Heritage Site in Binga, Tinongdan, and goes up the traditional foot trails of the local communities to the village of Lusod and up to the summit of Mt. Ugo for the 46 kilometer race," said Iris Torculas of the PSA said.
Erwin Hermoso, also of PSA, said this year's race will feature scenic routes that include rice fields in remote villages, unspoiled pine forests, and hanging bridges crossing the mighty Agno River.
From the summit, runners then make a U-turn and return via the same trail back to Lusod.
From there, runners descend down the Tinongdan hiking trail to the Agno River valley and follow the path back to Binga.
Hermoso said runners are advised to be prepared for steep ascents and descents and various natural challenges of the trails.
Hermoso and Torculas, meanwhile, urged runners to be self-sustaining in bringing their own hydration gear and nutrition.
Registration is now ongoing until January 15, 2018 at the Lagalag Stores located at the Lower Ground Floor in Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road, Baguio City, and at the Lower Ground Floor Main Bldg, of SM City North Edsa. (Roderick Osis)