The highly anticipated 2nd leg of the National MILO® Marathon concluded with a resounding success at the iconic Plaza Mabini in Batangas City last June 11.
Families and friends from all walks of life were part of the 5,000 runners in an event that once again reminded Filipinos to star or restar their active lifestyles this 2023.
Being a household name nationwide, MILO has launched several sports programs in the past as part of its “giving back” project.
One of which is the National MILO Marathon that has energized Filipinos for more than 40 years— making it the longest running and most prestigious run in the country.
Even runners from neighboring cities, provinces, and regions made their way to Plaza Mabini to be a part of the MILO® Marathon’s comeback to Batangas City. With its 3KM, 5KM, 10KM, and 21KM race categories, the run served as a space for seasoned runners and first-time participants alike to challenge themselves, set personal records, get active, and celebrate the joy of running.
Among the top finishers of the 21KM Women’s category was Rasette Pesuelo, a breast cancer survivor who chose the MILO® Marathon as her own comeback to running after a hiatus of almost 4 years.
A former ultramarathoner, Rasette shared that finishing the 21KM in itself was already an incredible milestone in her recovery journey, and taking home the 6th Runner Up medal was an unexpected but delightful surprise.
Aside from stories of determination or redemption from participants like Rasette’s, the MILO® Marathon also served as a place for more casual runners to work on getting active or even just spend time with loved ones.
3KM finishers Gel and Michael Borja, together with their sons Kiel and Kyle, were among the thousands of families that spent their Sunday morning running with MILO®. When asked why they include their kids in runs, Gel shared the importance of such events in introducing sports and an active lifestyle to her kids: “Para ma-experience din nila yung pagiging active… habang bata pa ma-experience na nila yung mga sports at [maging mahilig] sa sports.”
Apart from the run itself, attendees also enjoyed watching a cheer dance competition that energized Plaza Mabini with the teams’ loud and exciting routines.
The competition included elementary to college level teams from schools all over Luzon. Emerging victorious after a morning of cheers were Tayabas East Central School of Quezon Province for the elementary division, University of Batangas for the High School division, and Southern Luzon State University of Quezon Province for the College division.
“The MILO® Marathon is not just a race; it is a celebration of the indomitable spirit of Filipino kids and families. The event in Plaza Mabini, Batangas, showcased the remarkable enthusiasm from the Batangueños to start their active lifestyle and also help MILO in developing our grassroots programs. As MILO® continues its mission to inspire greatness in every Filipino kid, the marathon serves as a testament to the power of sports in fostering young champions through unity, personal growth, and a healthy lifestyle,” shared Carlo Sampan, Head of MILO® Sports.
