Clark Marathon in Feb 2009?

Just as most of us are almost drowning in our own sorrow over the postponement of QC Marathon, Atty. Jon from Clark comes in and brings us a shimmer of hope. Read his comment as written in my QC Marathon post…

Hi fellow runners. I am the Team Captain of Team Clark based here in Clark.

We are coordinating with the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) (where we work at) and other groups/sponsors to continue the 2nd Clark International Marathon with or without the Kenyans (no pun intended). Some sponsors have expressed willingness and support for this race. I hope things will pan out and the clamor for 42k, 21k & 10k races in February will prevail over annoying hindrances.

We will do our best to hold this race most likely by February since January is too soon (it will be January again in 2010 due to cold weather) and even if we (the Team Clark members) don’t run ourselves just so our fellow runners like you would run and enjoy their first 42k or half marathon for that matter.

We will depart from the usual flat route for the 42K and will venture out the Clark Freeport Zone into an area which we call the “Sacobia”, the Next Frontier as aptly called by the new P/CEO Ricafort of CDC (he was there during the NB Power Race 2008). Hilly but manageable terrains and good scenic views in smog-free environment. Believe me we have so many good plans. One of which is finisher’s medal you can proudly hang in your car, office or room.

Like most of you, we are really hoping for a full marathon in February 2009 after the Singapore Marathon in December 7, 2008 (I hope all of us Pinoys will get to see each other in Singapore after the run, say congregate in one area. Maybe TBR can announce a place for this as a good long run for the Bataan Death March Ultra-marathon courtesy of Bald Runner or rumor has it, the 2nd North Face Ultra-marathon.

Please pray for and wish us all the luck.

Folks, it is about time we “institutionalize” an annual prestigous marathon here in the Philippines in the likes of Boston, New York, Singapore or HK marathons. Long shot but definitely possible.

The first step is we form and incorporate an organization of runners and other athletes that will concentrate on this endeavor and carry on the legacy from this year henceforth.

Kaya natin yan!

Atty. Jon, thank you for the info. We do hope Clark Marathon pushes through in February 2009 and more sponsors (ehem ehem) come in to support your endeavor. I’m sure a lot of us “displaced” runners will consider joining this, myself included. More power!

Posted on 11.19.08 to 03 Race Announcements. Tags: Clark Marathon, Races. Subscribe to follow comments on this post. 20 comments. Add your thoughts or trackback from your own site.

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20 Responses to “Clark Marathon in Feb 2009?”

Looks like we have our plan B after all. Back to the drawing board for our training schedule. Lets call on the prayer warriors.. and also sponsors…:)

JunC said on Nov 19 08 at 1:45 PM Reply
Where can we contact Atty. Jon? Our regional TV station (CLTV 36 based in Pampanga) would like to support the event as its media partner. Ran the 10k race last Sunday in Clark.

Billy SJ said on Nov 19 08 at 2:06 PM Reply
Cool. If they want Kenyans to run at Clark again, I got Kenyans who keeps on sending me emails to join races in the Philippines. Ang kukulit at ang daming hinihingi. Kaya tuloy hindi sila nakasama a NB last week. I guess that’s just their passion and the Pinoys are sure not to be left behind.

jinoe said on Nov 19 08 at 2:37 PM Reply
wow a glimmer of hope. seems like fun itong Clark marathon na itech!

hmmm JunC, ibig sabihin sa Clark na ako mag-bike support? nye!

kulitrunner said on Nov 19 08 at 2:51 PM Reply
I suppose if we collectively express our desire here to run or support the Clark Marathon, God Almighty and the earthly sponsors will hear our pleas. I am willing to run the half or (God-willing) the full marathon, pay NLEX toll fees, book a hotel or villa in Clark, carbo-load in C!, Zapata and other Pampango restos, do grocery in SM Hypermart, and bring home a cartload of goods from Puregold as my personal contribution. Oh, I will also bring running friends and family along.

ricov said on Nov 19 08 at 3:01 PM Reply
This will be excellent, will definately compete in this one. It will be great, I love Clark

Philip said on Nov 19 08 at 3:17 PM Reply
I checked out Sacobia on Google earth and I saw a beautiful picture of the Sacobia bridge just outside Clark. I’ll have to check this out next time. Clark Marathon in Feb 2009 sounds exciting!

DATC said on Nov 19 08 at 3:31 PM Reply
Nice.

But “flat”? …

“…We will depart from the usual flat route for the 42K and will venture out the Clark Freeport Zone…”

The NB Power Race 2008 route was a giant ramp for alien space ships disguised as a hump. My altimeter recorded over 100m rise to the halfway point and towards the finish with the lowest point somewhere the Expo area.

If the Sacobia will better the Clark route in term of incline…I’M IN!!! – ha ha ha

Idnod said on Nov 19 08 at 3:47 PM Reply
sana nga po matuloy yan! para yan ang 1st half marathon ko

jhunie16 said on Nov 19 08 at 5:31 PM Reply
Hope this pushes thru as a follow-up to the SG marathon. Runners unite!!!
I’m sure all runners will support this run.. Congrats Jaimie on your fast 25K..

sundaywarrior said on Nov 19 08 at 7:11 PM Reply
Masaya ‘to, homebase pa rin.
Hey Jon, you didn’t mention it to me during the NB Clark. Lets go CDC.

Please keep in touch TBR.

run unltd. said on Nov 19 08 at 8:10 PM Reply
Folks, I will keep all of you updated from time to time. I hope by next week, we will have something “good” to report.

I don’t want to say more than I should at this point but rest assured that we have been working silently in the background just so this Clark Marathon would push through even before this crisis broke out. You may not know it but this clamor has jolted some people from their complacency. They know now.

I guess the postponement of QC Marathon served as a catalyst.

I hope more sponsors will express support publicly. Oh yes, this reminds of the so-called top 100 corporations in the Philippines.

(run unltd., sorry it did not cross my mind during the NB race perhaps due to sheer exhaustion. Haha.)

atty. jon said on Nov 19 08 at 10:03 PM Reply
wow Clark again. time to start training.

ibetlacbay said on Nov 19 08 at 10:54 PM Reply
exiting! a new york, boston, berlin, london marathon set here in local grounds…more exiting! sana mangyari! mabuhay mananakbong pinoy!

beni said on Nov 20 08 at 12:39 PM Reply
cool! just be wary of baldrunnr’s recent horror story.

mikey said on Nov 20 08 at 3:19 PM Reply
sana matuloy..
… maybe I should start training for the half.

christy said on Nov 20 08 at 3:57 PM Reply
the big ones – new york, chicago, boston, and even hong kong, singapore taipei are all sponsored by banks or financing institutions. i.e. ing, standard chartered, bank of america, john hancock et al.

maybe ing may be enticed into holding one here in pinas, after all, they have been sponsoring our co-runners to do ingnyc. probably former ing sponsored runners can be tapped to do the representations.

just a thought.

mikey said on Nov 20 08 at 4:58 PM Reply
Wow! hope and prayers for the 2nd Clark marathon.. Surely another great race at my hometown… Etamu sasawang pupulayi!

Michael P. Gatmaitan said on Nov 20 08 at 5:37 PM Reply
Hope n matuloy yung 2nd Clark marathon kasi part kami nung 1st nag enjoy yung mga tropa ko……..
Balitaan nyo kami kung kailan or the exact date of 2nd Clark Marathon….

Good luck sa lahat ng mga pinoy runners

I hope so too Edz. Will let you know once i get word…

edz said on Dec 16 08 at 12:11 PM Reply
Sorry to bring a not-so-good news during this Holiday Season.

I am afraid we will ALL be running during the Philippine Marathon in March 2009 as the much-awaited Clark Marathon has been moved to December 05, 2009 (tentative) much to our, well to put it mildly, disappointment. We tried our best but just as some things in life, things just don’t seem to work.

Just keep on running and let us consider this as just a hump down the road. You get over it sooner than you think.

HAPPY HOLIDAY!

Atty Jon! I’m so sad! I’ll get over this in a week or so Well, I guess it’s better to delay the marathon and take time to prepare for it than to rush into it. Wish you all the best in the planning. Happy Holidays to you too.

atty. jon said on Dec 19 08 at 5:09 PM Reply