Philippine Running Boom: a Manila-only Phenomenon?

As we usher in March, a cursory look at the upcoming races nationally and in Cebu reveals that in the next 4 months, or right before the regional Milo eliminations, 35 races have already been advertised and, of these, roughly 6 out of 10 will be in Metro Manila. If one considers that only 1 of every 5 Filipinos resides in the metro (18 % or 16.3 million (M) of 92.2 M Philippine population based on 2009 figures), one concludes that there is a national imbalance, a disequilibrium to use a science word, in running vis a vis our national demographics.

The most running-friendly provinces turn out to be Cebu, Laguna, Rizal, and Benguet, all of which are either close to Metro Manila or large cities in their own right. Of course, statisticians may argue that this sample size is small and, hence, not robust enough, or that the provincial runs may not be advertised in the blogosphere, if at all. And they probably are right. But if we argue in this manner, we’ll be missing the point! A better question might be - how to disseminate the benefits of running outside of the metropolis? True, the great Milo Marathon running series has done and will continue to do an excellent job of reaching the grassroots! But can we do more? Can we capitalize on the present running boom and turn an elusive dream – to develop and perhaps clone a Pinoy Haile Gebrselassie - into reality?

Here’s my take on the topic on how we might be able to do it, given my yet limited exposure to the sport and my being from the province (well, sort of).

Find Local Sponsors (or Sponsors: Support the Local Races). Organizing local races takes resources, particularly the first time they are held. But race participants are a captive market. Local health and fitness-related outfits should be interested in reaching an audience already into fitness, and thus should be receptive to the idea of bankrolling local activities. Websites of local running clubs such as the Makiling Runners in Los Baños, Laguna can be good sites to invite possible race sponsors. The SBC Kaizen Wellness Center-sponsored run and Macrunners’ invite below are good examples of these possibilities.

Involve Organized Groups (Military/police personnel and Employees Unions). Regular military, police, and fire prevention personnel as well as cadets-in-training are required to do regular runs anyway, as a part of their way of life. Having them run organized races is but just another logical step going in the same direction. Other groups could be work-, church-, advocacy-, school-, or local goverment unit-based.

Ride on the Spirit of Volunteerism. To partially offset the cost of staging runs, provincial race organizers could try to capitalize on the spirit of volunteerism or bayanihan that permeates Philippine society, even more so in the provinces. Volunteers can serve as marshals, hydration assistants, data loggers, timers, even cheerleaders and dancers. At the Cebu Marathon, for example, placard-bearing volunteers egged-on runners, boosting their sagging spirits. Reduced overhead costs lead to lower registration fees and thus more participants.

Integrate Running with School/Workplace Athletics. Of the 2,060 private and state-run colleges and universities in 2008, 1751 or 85% were outside Metro Manila. These fertile grounds for identifying future track or long distance running superstars have yet to be fully tapped. What is needed is to integrate athletics, in general, and running, in particular, into the school curricula, with race participation being part of the practicum. Similarly, running can be integrated in workplace intramurals. A 5K fun run, for example, can be held as the opening salvo for year-long sports activities within and between institutions.

Organize Running Clubs and Develop Leaders. Running clubs are excellent sources of running-related information and training support and camaraderie. These clubs could also mount advocacy campaigns to promote running with support of the local government. Some provincial races in Cebu and Laguna, for example, have been sponsored by the local running clubs shown below, in collaboration with local government units. Also, these clubs provide opportunities to identify leaders who can become race directors and take on the challenge of being the face for running at the local level.

Source: http://www.friendster.com/photos/105490337/ (topmost pic)

Liaise with Media, the Blogging World, and the Community at Large. It is important to cultivate ties with media, link up with major running blogs such as Takbo.ph and Reelrunning for national and local exposure, respectively. At the ground level, it is important to get police, barangay, and community health officials involved at the outset in order to avoid security, traffic, waste management, and other logistical complications. Seeking support from the citizenry-at-large would promote ownership of running activities by local communities, greatly contributing to a race’s success.

So, therefore, can we do more? Can we capitalize on the present running boom and disseminate the benefits of running to the provinces? I dare say yes though the road may be full of twists and turns, and the climb could be steep. But one only needs to look at the hallways of history to find them littered with the fossils of giants who failed to innovate and seize opportune moments - PanAm, Enron, and, recently, Lehman Brothers. Running is too enjoyable a sport for us to confine its benefits just to a select segment of the populace. We must do more to defy what seems to be the running boom's current geographical and social limits!