Pinoys Beat Monks to the Finish at Laguna Phuket International Marathon

I heard Laguna Phuket International Marathon was a huge success. I’m still pounding my head against the wall for getting injured weeks before the race, but hey there’s no point in crying over spilled milk, or in this case, a missed international 42k race in paradise which my legs were absolutely ready for…tsk tsk.

Overcast skies and a gentle sea breeze made perfect running weather for the Laguna Phuket International Marathon last June 12, 2011.  It was the marathon’s biggest-ever field in its six-year history, with some 5,000 runners from 45 countries signed up for a full marathon, half marathon, 10.5 km run, 5 km Community Charity Walk or a 2 Km Kids’ Run.

The 42km winner for men was Russian Vsevelod Khudyakov who finished 2:33:51.  Would you believe he ran the 42km just 24 hours after arriving in Phuket from Russia to make a last-minute race registration?  Winner of the women’s marathon was Mari Kauri of Finland with a time of 03:30:46.

Spotted in the race were Filipino runners!  (I checked results and there were only 6 male runners in the 42km.  Next year there should be 1 vindictive female, right? Hah!) Here’s a photo sent by the race organizer capturing Pinoys leaving the monks behind…