Race Review : 9th DYAB Kapamilya Run
Date & Venue : 28 June 2009, 6AM, Sumilon Road, Cebu Business Park
Organizer : DYAB 1512 and ABS CBN Cebu
Race Director : Joel Baring
Except for the participation of the Shutter 8 Camera Club, there were no new things introduced during the 9th Kapamilya Run. The organizers used the same race course for the 3K, 5K and 10K events and there were the same problems encountered as in previous races.
First, the good stuff.
Using the same route is good because a familiarity with the race course can make it easier for runners to predict their pacing throughout the entire run and improve on their previous records. For example – because of my familiarity with the 10K course, I knew I could speed up and pick up on the fast portions of the route namely: from JY Square to UP Cebu Campus, from SSS to Capitol Church, from Capitol Bldg. to Fuente Rotunda and from Robinsons to Camp Sergio Osmena. I also knew that I would slow down on the inclined portions of the route such as corner TESDA to USP, the steep rise near Maxwell Hotel on Escario St. and the uphill climb from STC to Iglesia ni Kristo along Mango Avenue. However, it would be good if the organizers can introduce a new distance next year -- perhaps a 15K event for DYAB’s 15th year anniversary, which means a new route and a new challenge for loyal Kapamilya runners.
Thumbs up to the marshals and barangay tanods who assisted the runners in crossing the busy intersections at Escario, Capitol and Fuente Rotunda. But there were corners without any marshals such as corner D. Jakosalem and Mango Avenue, and on Gorordo Ave. corner Mango Ave.
The ubiquitous presence of the ERUF paramedics and ambulances was a reassuring sight. You know you’ll be attended to with dispatch in case runners have medical emergencies along the race route. Thanks ERUF.
The participation of the Shutter 8 Camera Club was a welcome addition. Runners really have no chance of capturing themselves in running action, so basically, they have no photographs that could memorialize their efforts along the race route, except for the poses with friends at the start/finish area. Action shots are always better than firing squad shots. Thank you Shutter 8 Camera Club for capturing poetry in motion! Hope to see you again next year.
The awarding program was relatively faster this year. Primarily because the technical team was also faster in coming up with the results.
Now for the rap sheet.
There were two things that really bothered me during the race—the dismal conditions at the water stations and the time-keeping.
The 10K course had a total of five water stations – one station for every 2 kilometers. The first station located across Waterfront Lahug was OK. There was plenty of water and enough cups for everyone. However, when the runners reached the second water station at the UP Cebu campus, there were no more cups left. The runners were forced to take turns drinking from one pitcher, while others had to drink directly from the huge five-gallon bottles. Imagine my horror when just as I was about to take my turn to drink from the pitcher one male runner dipped his hand inside the pitcher to get water to splash on his face! But when you’re really thirsty wala nay arte-arte – inom ka na lang! It was the same story at water station number three located near the Public Library. The fourth water station located near Robinson’s Place had enough cups but the water was running low. Thank goodness for Coach Precing who came after me on his bike with an ice-cold bottle of mineral water. Thanks Coach! You were a lifesaver. I noticed other runners who had their own support group such as Dr. Peter Mancao and the Guardo brothers – Jerry and Jeson. But runners who can afford their own water support groups are rare. In fact, runners should not have to bother having their own support group if the organizer does its job well.
Not providing enough cups and water at water stations is a cardinal sin for race organizers. It shows an utter lack of care for the welfare of the runners. Determining the number of water cups needed for every water station is no rocket science. It only takes simple arithmetic -- number of runners equals number of cups multiplied by two or three since runners sometimes take 2 cups at a time. The organizers could have provided cooling sponges dipped in ice-cold tap water. This way, the runners need not waste mineral water for drinking for cooling their faces, heads and bodies. I did not see any coordination at the water stations at all. The volunteers manning the stations were left to fend for themselves and had clearly no idea what to do when their supplies ran out. Race organizers should designate at least one race official to make sure all water stations have enough supply of cups and water and are handing out these provisions as efficiently as possible to the runners.
I have a few questions about the time keeping. I noticed that Veronica Ong was running with Annie Neric’s group who was a good 15 minutes ahead of me. But when the announcement of winners came, Veronica’s name was not called. Could there be a discrepancy at the time-keeping? Just asking.
DYAB and ABS CBN Cebu’s Kapamilya Run has had a loyal following year after year. Proof of this is the fact that the 9th Kapamilya Run still managed to gather some 1,200 runners, even though the organizers gave participants barely two weeks to register. There could have been more runners but the organizers ran out of registration forms five days before the run. I know of running events that can only gather 500 to 700 runners even after four weeks of registration. Running events exist because of and for runners. Therefore, organizers should at least try to make it as painless as possible for the runners who support their events year after year after year.
There are many things that the Kapamilya Run organizers can work on in order to come up with a bigger and better race next year. Here are some of Marathon Foodie’s suggestions:
- Better pre-race organization. Announce a race date at least one month before and commit to it. Runners train seriously for an event such as the Kapamilya Run. Being wishy washy abut the schedule will turn off participants.
- More venues for registration. The ABS CBN Complex at Jagobiao Mandaue is like 100 light years away from where the participants come from. WOW Travel and More and Holiday Gym and Spa are good venues for registration, but the organizers can also partner with Ayala Center Cebu and athletics shoes stores as registration venues.
- Set a deadline for registration. No more on site registration. This, to avoid
discrepancies in the time keeping of late registrants.
- Set a date for the pick up and distribution of race numbers and singlets. This
to avoid the last-minute distribution of race numbers and singlets on race day which always delays the start of the race. Better yet, maybe the organizers can device a way of distributing race packs upon registration. This is doable. I’ve seen this done before.
- Baggage counter. Not all runners have cars where they can leave their things. Here’s how it works – tape the bags with the runner’s race number written on the tape. The runner can only claim his bag using his race bib.
- Instead of a runner’s certificate with runny ink, the runners can have finisher’s pins and buttons as memorabilia of their running achievement. Not only does this create goodwill with the runners, this is also good marketing strategy for the organizers. This is good for the longer distances – 15K and above.
- Please please, do not ever run out of water and water cups ever again.
Photo Credit: Kenneth Casquejo
