TakBOOOO Bayani

Takbo Bayani is an upcoming race organized by the City of Marikina and the Marikina Sports Commission through Hon. Marides Fernando and Hon. Vic Sabiniano. There are two things terribly wrong about this race:

1) Bayani Fernando’s head superimposed over his clipart physique on the registration form. Que horror! A graphic designer’s worst nightmare…

2) The exclusion of women in the 21k race. Yes, you read it right. Only men are allowed to participate in the half marathon.

I was bothered by this last week but I gave the race organizers the benefit of the doubt thinking that they must have had a good reason to ban women from the half. Apparently not.

From Marga’s blog, she quotes a runner friend who questioned the race organizers about the gender bias and this was the response:

“It was a decision made by the Marikina Sports Commission to limit the 21k to male participants only because they felt that there might be very few or no female participants at all. We’ll take note of your concern and maybe in our succeeding events we will consider all genders in the 21k category.”

I think that’s the lamest excuse. Have these race organizers ever attended a race? Are they implying that we women can only run as far as a 10k? Do they not know that some women can even outrun men? And, one last question, are they living in the 21st century?

I am certainly not joining Takbo Bayani. And I hope no one else does. That’s why I’ve scrapped it from my list of races.

Posted on 08.03.08 to 03 Race Announcements. Tags: Races. Subscribe to follow comments on this post. 29 comments. Add your thoughts or trackback from your own site.

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29 Responses to “TakBOOOO Bayani”

that photo is sooo horrible. palibhasa winnie the pooh ang katawan ni bayani

marga said on Aug 03 08 at 3:42 PM Reply
Hahaha! Bayani looks soo gay in that photo

Passion Runner said on Aug 03 08 at 4:12 PM Reply
Wahahaha that is soooo bad, so blatanly sexist and mind bogglingly dumb! They actually think they can get away with it. The organizers must never have been to a single race! Not seen the amount of female participants! How successful do they think their event can be by excluding women. Wow that is so…dumb. As for the clip art, he must have an ego the size of Metro Manila! Hahaha what a joke.

rick said on Aug 03 08 at 4:42 PM Reply
hahha… is BF running or dancing CHA-CHA? I want this photo for my Blog! hahha

lonerunner said on Aug 03 08 at 5:16 PM Reply
Ironically, Men’s Health is staging a race in The Fort on the same day (Aug 17) and women are not excluded from that race.

runmd said on Aug 03 08 at 6:17 PM Reply
Absurd…absolutely a publicity cr_p.

Firstly, the gender discrimination – I bet whoever thought of this has been traumatized by the opposite sex – ergo the macho BS rule of not including women/female.

And lastly, please please please stop the publicity gimmick of morphing bodies – you want to project health DO IT don’t paste it.

Disgusting!!!

Idnod said on Aug 03 08 at 7:01 PM Reply
DISGUSTING!!!

This run definitely belongs to the DUMB & DUMBER HALL OF FAME and deserves international recognition in the world of running.

Idnod said on Aug 03 08 at 7:12 PM Reply
One last…

Google this…

First Steps by Gordon Bakoulis
“A Handful of Female Marathon Pioneers Inspired a Generation of Women Runners.”

Wow! Marikina Sports Commission please update your rule books (circa 1960s) we’ve already crossed the year 2000 — get over Chariots Of Fire.

Idnod said on Aug 03 08 at 7:29 PM Reply
email them, people! let them know your utter disgust!

bf.funrun@gmail.com

marga said on Aug 03 08 at 7:36 PM Reply
honestly, when i first saw the poster, akala ko girl yung model because of the form hehehe… kahit kailan talaga, sablay si BF.

bobby said on Aug 03 08 at 8:16 PM Reply
Helo Baya(g)ni,

It seems you and your wife were head on for early politics but you missed the point and barred the most vital runners – Women. You know what, the reason why we -Men – race extremely fast because of her he he he Takbo ayan na si Kumander!!!! Now I understand why you adore the Pink color because you’re Bigotry….. PINAY in ACTION…. What we are waiting for….. Lusob!!!

No worry folks there are 2 races left on 17th.

Regards to all runners
Cheers,
Jhamfrens

Jhamfrens said on Aug 03 08 at 8:21 PM Reply
They almost caught me today at the Milo race, they had a stall there and I almost signed up. Luckily I already signed up for the human race or else I would have. I just hope other people read this first before signing up. It is a pity though that there are only so few 21km races in the Philippines so I try to use every opportunity I can when there is one availlable.

Philip said on Aug 03 08 at 8:21 PM Reply
this is one of the reasons why you should NOT vote for bayani fernando in the 2010 presidential elections.bunch of amateurs these organizers.a not too subtle way of campaigning and pushing for their man.but what an irony-bayani pa namang napangalanan ang amo nila.i would rather run men’s health come august 17 or better yet doze of to dreamland.and the picture-fits bayani to a T-bagay!!!!

bugobugo85 said on Aug 03 08 at 10:32 PM Reply
TBR, a disgrace to even have it here in your website…lets put up a race “wag kang tatakbo Bayani” or “Takbo Bayani AGBAYANI”…TBR, pls remove that pic from your site…

mond said on Aug 03 08 at 10:34 PM Reply
unbelievable, isn’t it?!? when i first read about it in marga’s blog, i thought it was a joke, but apparently not. i’ve been encouraged to see a lot of races happening in the philippines, but unfortunately for the reasons mentioned above by the marikina race commission, this race just needs to be scratched from the books.

e-rod said on Aug 04 08 at 1:31 AM Reply
Jaymie, I said it on another blog but it’s pre-1971 all over again. People like Kathryn Switzer paved the way for women’s running. Grete Waitz, Joan Benoit Samuelson and Rosa Mota’s performance in the 1984 Women’s Olympic Marathon paved the way for future runners like Katherine Ndereba, Deena Kator and Paula Radcliffe.

Because of promotors like Walt Stack here in San Francisco and Fred Lebow in New York, women’s running is at its highest peak ever!

I agree with e-rod that the race needs to be scratched from the books.

sfrunner said on Aug 04 08 at 2:16 AM Reply
good thing tbr that you posted this item here. shows what kind of president bayani will make. better shout takbo sb!

uy february 1, 2007 ha, qc international marathon. definitely the biggest prize money in philippine marathons today at 250K. ang pinagdedebatehan na lang ngayon ng konseho is whether they add a car to the pot and invite Haile Gebre Selassie to run.

campaign to councilor doray delarmente thru coach rio to really push through with the car for the winner or to the record breaker. ang daming car dealership sa qc na pwedeng gawing sponsor ha. baka mag agawan pa ang mga yan.

nick torre said on Aug 04 08 at 5:57 AM Reply
Now that steam has been let off, let’s get creative and help these so called sports commission going.

Suggestion, to avoid any misunderstanding a proper event name should be in place…

1) Anal Soup #10 Run — oops sorry typo (cut & paste kasi eh)! este Annual
2) Takbo “Baya(g)ni” — (Jhamfrens Says:August 3, 2008 at 8:21 pm)
3) Roller Ball Run

I guess this would have avoided misunderstanding in the running/sports community.

Then again…it’s best to scratch IT (ha ha ha-no no no, let them) from the books.

Idnod said on Aug 04 08 at 7:25 AM Reply
the johnny’s-come-lately who’re riding on the popularity of running and using it to propel their political ambitions like the senator hosting a tv program. but they miss the point, so what else is new?

roadrat said on Aug 04 08 at 7:48 AM Reply
hehe, february 1, 2009 pala.

nick torre said on Aug 04 08 at 9:22 AM Reply
The Organizer must have done much research before making a decision. They must have consult like TBR who are into the race for quite a long time if I may say so. In my experience joining race I found out there are more and more women joining the half marathon and it is something encouraging to me. Well I do hope next time. For the moment no Bo’s. done and done. alright fellas…

Alfred said on Aug 04 08 at 10:49 AM Reply
I sent an e-mail per my respect for Marga, TBR and all women runners. In Sunday’s San Francisco Marathon, the two half marathons, the 5K and the Progressive Marathon, over 35% of the starters were women. There were over 19,000 starters.

The last two Bay To Breakers have had more women participants than men. If the organizers of TakBOOOO have any questions, they can e-mail me anytime.

sfrunner said on Aug 04 08 at 11:21 AM Reply
yo wayne. that’s really sweet of you buddy.

marga said on Aug 04 08 at 4:18 PM Reply
good thing i’ve read this before signing up, it’s a lame idea not to include women. FYI to the organizers, all women of the PNP have finished their 21K Graduation Run, and that includes me and I’m proud to say that most of us even out run the men!

if i havent signed up for Run for your life on the same day of this TAKBOO Bayani, magsign up ako for 10K pero 21K ang tatakbuhin ko! ampf!

bern said on Aug 05 08 at 9:15 AM Reply
boycot seems a weak protest. how about joining the 21km run as bandit runner, wear a race bib of women’s right protest and show them their big mistake. Finish their discrimination in the finish line. It will be a big impact if done.

mic said on Aug 05 08 at 12:51 PM Reply
We are happy to announce that the 21K category women’s division is now open. Spread the word fellow runners!

bf.funrun said on Aug 05 08 at 4:44 PM Reply
Hi! Jaymie you seem a little bit upset. Just take it easy keep your cool. Cge ka madali ka tumanda nyan. hehehehehe… I rather run smiling all those disappointing race than crying in the rain. keep smilin and keep running hehehehehe…

Alfred said on Aug 07 08 at 3:53 PM Reply