■ Ofelia C. Empian
The 2024 edition of Mount Ugo Marathon will unveil four new trail distances for outdoor running enthusiasts thisyear.
Organized by Intrepid Spirit and King of the Mountain Trail Run Philippines, the Mt. Ugo Marathon features the 47-kilometer, 23K, 13K, and 5K categories set on Feb. 3 to 4.
“The diverse distances allow everyone to experience the magic of the trails, making it a race that holds a special place in our hearts,” organizers said.
Mountain running enthusiasts and athletes will go through the trails of Mt. Ugo, cradled between the towns of Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya and Itogon, Benguet.
The marathon takes runners to Mount Ugo’s summit, approximately at 2,220 meters above sea level.
Registration is ongoing until Jan. 14 for the trail race in partnership with the province of Nueva Vizcaya and municipality of Kayapa.
Race qualifications for the event include: runners must be 18 years old on race day for the 47K and 23K, while runners must be 10 years old on race day for the 13K, and six years old on race day for the 5K category.
Participants must have completed qualifying races from Aug. 1, 2023 to Jan. 31, which should be verifiable through the Internet ideally via the International Trail Running Association (ITRA) event results website.
For the 47K, runners must have officially finished at least one 21K or longer trail race; for the 23K, runners must have officially finished at least one 10K or longer trail race; and for 13K, participants must have officially finished at least one 10K or longer road race or a 5K or longer trail race to be accepted for the race category; while there are no race qualifications in the 5K.
Registration rates are pegged at P3,995 for 47K; P2,995 for 23K; P1,755 for 13K; and P955 for the 5K. Runners are advised to bring the required gears as mandatory checking of gears will be implemented during the event.
For more information and to register, visit the Intrepid Spirit Facebook account.
The Mt. Ugo Marathon is a qualifying race backed by the ITRA and has been a point-earning race for the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, the largest and most popular ultra-marathon trail in Europe.
