Marathon Foodie Race Review: The Great Lapu-Lapu Run (Part 1)

Organizer : Lapu-Lapu Sports and Events Bureau
Race Director : Joe Derezas


Registration, singlet, pre-race organization

-There were two registration sites in Cebu City – the Cebu Pacific Office at Robinson’s Place and Cebu Grand Hotel along Escario St. The Marathon Foodie went to the Cebu Pacific registration site three times (on Sunday morning and afternoon July 19, and morning of July 22) but the registration person was either off duty, absent or MIA in all those three times. Undaunted by this early setback, the Marathon Foodie made the trek of the Cebu Grand Hotel. The front desk guy who manned the registration was professional and very enthusiastic – signing up was fast and painless. Well done Grand Hotel!



Marathon Foodie's triathlete friends from www.sugbutriathlon.com

-The singlet was poorly designed. Whoever had the brilliant idea of choosing black as singlet color is definitely not a runner and has absolutely no idea how hot it is to run on the road. Isn’t it elementary science that black and all other dark colors absorb light and heat; while white and pastels are cooler because they reflect instead of absorb light and heat? And what’s with the orange polka dots? It only managed to make the runners look like some kind of sea reptile. The Marathon Foodie chucked the singlet altogether and instead wore the yellow I Am Ninoy runner’s shirt, in honor of Tita Cory. I also saw my new pals at www.sugbutriathlon.com debut their new sugbu tri running shirt made of dri-fit material and in the color white. See what I mean?



Marathon Foodie with Twinkle Ignacio and Tsuneishi Runners all the way from Balamban, Cebu


- The race map that came with the race packet was a foreboding. It was complicated, cluttered, confusing and unclear. It looked like a download from Google Earth with arrows when they could have just made their own simple and easy to understand map.

The map was crucial especially those unfamiliar with Lapu-Lapu. Many runners got lost trying to find the starting area and consequently lost precious time for stretching and warm up. Because many runners got lost, many came late and were jostling on the way to the starting line.

Just like the others, the Marathon Foodie, my sister Arlene and BFF Mary got lost. The map to the starting area did not show Crown Regency as landmark. We had to pay a tricycle driver to lead us to the venue. The residents we asked could not give directions to the Hoopsdome because they apparently did not know what and where in the world the LLC Hoopsdome was.

-There was no secure parking area.



with Maitland Smith runners

-The Marathon Foodie likes the shoe bag that came with the race packet. It makes for great post-race receptacle for wet gear and clothes.

-The race bib was not color-coded. When I saw this, I knew immediately there was going to be confusion at the finish area. Color-coding the bibs will tell the technical committee at a glance which runners ran which event. This is crucial in correct and efficient time-keeping.

The color-coding of race bibs can be done even at pre-registration, even if the race pack is handed out upon registration. If Milo can color-code their bibs, why can’t GLLR? In fact, based on all the races I’ve joined so far, color-coding of race bib is the norm, whether it’s a small race like monthly Run for Sight series or Milo. True enough, there was some confusion at the finish area.

The feedback I got from sports reporter Caecent No-ot Magsumbol is this:

“Medyo gubot ang results because dili controlado sa technical committee ang results, so nay mga categories na saag-saag.”Gikinamot, mano-mano lang gihapon even in this day and age of technology that could have made the timekeeping and releasing of results faster (and more efficient)”