MILO Marathon veterans Erinio Raquin and Cellie Rose Jaro triumphed in the 21K centerpiece event of the National MILO Marathon Lipa race on Sunday. Almost 7,000 participants enjoyed the good weather as they took to the running routes of Batangas. Raquin and Jaro have both secured their slots in the National Finals and each took home the top prize of P10,000 in cash and a trophy. Both will go head-to-head with the country’s best runners at the National Finals in Angeles on December 6, where the MILO Marathon King and Queen titles are up for grabs. This year’s King and Queen will be sent by MILO to the USA on all-expense paid trips, for a chance to run in the prestigious 2016 Boston Marathon.
Raquin posted a time of 01:15:13, beating rivals Archie Patubo (01:18:16) and Rolando Anonuevo (01:22:33) who came in second and third place, respectively.
30-year-old Raquin is no stranger to winning in the MILO Marathon. The native of Oriental Mindoro won second place in the Manila leg of the 2013 MILO Marathon Manila leg, and finished third in the 2013 National Finals. This year, he is aiming to top his achievements. “I have been doing a lot of long runs, drills and workouts. I also watch my intake of food and vitamins,” shared Raquin. “My main aim was to reach the qualifying time. I’m happy that I was able to win. I will now prepare very well for the finals.”
In the distaff side, Jaro finished with a time of 01:35:47, while Janeth Lumidao (01:37:16) followed in second place and Rowena Valdez (01:40:23) in third.
20-year-old Cellie Rose is one of the five siblings in the Jaro running family. Now a sophomore and varsity member at the University of the East, Jaro proves that balancing her studies with her running career can be achieved through determination and time management. “I do long runs in the morning then focus on my studies in the afternoon. It’s really important to manage my time well,” shared Jaro. “I was not able to train much for this race because I have classes in the afternoon. For the National Finals, I will focus more on long runs to build up on my endurance.”
The National MILO Marathon is not only a breeding ground for local talents but also a program that empowers children nationwide. With the support of the Department of Education and the National MILO Marathon runners, MILO’s Help Gives Shoes advocacy will provide 10,000 underprivileged youth with brand new running shoes this year. MILO is working with DepEd in the selection of deserving public school student beneficiaries.
The race will resume in Naga (August 16), before heading to Lucena (August 30), Iloilo (September 20), Bacolod (September 27), Tagbilaran (October 4), Cebu (October 11), General Santos (October 18), Davao (November 8), Butuan (November 15), and Cagayan De Oro (November 22). The National Finals will be held on December 6 in Angeles, Pampanga.
