The Lang-ay Run is featuring the funding of blood bank in holding their yearly event to commemorate the 50th founding anniversary of Mountain Province.
The Run partnered with the Philippine Red Cross- Mountain Province Chapter this year to help raise funds for establishing a stable, and self-sufficient blood bank, aside from its usual raising of environmental awareness, sports tourism, and physical fitness through the sport of trail running.
The racecourse is designed for beginners, runners who are looking forward to have their first taste of a trail run and, at the same time, the setting of a fleeting record time for a half marathon trail run for the experienced.
This year’s half-marathon, half-trail run edition takes runners to three of the 10 beautiful municipalities of Mountain Province that have distinct and captivating sceneries.
The course offers a friendly altitude gain and smooth terrain for an easy and enjoyable run where runners expect a taste of running through pine forests, mossy forests, exposed trails and roads, technical trails, passing by irrigation systems, villages.
The 21K category will start at 5:00AM at the Abatan Elementary School in Bauko while the 42K category will start at 4:00AM at Tadian Municipal Hall grounds, Poblacion, Tadian.
42K runners will traverse a route that will eventually join the trail of the 21K runners where they will use the Old Spanish Trail from Barangay Abatan until Barangay Bagnen.
The Old Spanish Trail in between the two barangays is composed purely of trails passing through Malupa, Mt. Am-o, Maliboo, Kamalin, Bato, Mangasil, Mt. Kapuwaw, Cotcot Aso and eventually to Bagnen Proper.
From Bagnen, runners will traverse the road going to Barangay Balintaugan, descend to Barangay Ankileng, Sagada.
It is in Ankileng where the Pongas Falls is located. From Ankileng, runners will proceed to Barangay Suyo. Part of the route shall give the 21km and 42km runners the opportunity to experience spelunking in Balangagan Cave, runners will enter the secondary entrance of the cave and will reappear at the exit point behind the Montanna Inn.
The Balangan cave can thrill runners by the experience of discovering the earth’s underground natural laboratory.
From Montana Inn, runners will ascend to Kaman-utek, Marlboro country and will descend to the main road until the finish line at Rock Inn, Batalao, Sagada.
The 12K category will have a gun start at 5:30AM and will traverse a loop that both starts and ends at the Rock Inn.
Registration fees for the run are P2,500 for the 42K, P1,500 for the 21K and P750 for the 12K.
A personalized race bib, finisher shirt, medal, trail snacks at aid stations, post race meal, Red Cross Premium Bronze membership will be given to 42K and 21K registrants. 12K registrants get personalized race bib, finisher shirt, water at aid station, Red Cross Premium Bronze membership.
The Premium Bronze Membership with the Philippine Red Cross is good for one year. This entitles the runner to accident assistance benefits with worldwide coverage, 24 hours a day.
Interested runners may avail of this event by registering online, in-store, or at some Mountain Province Tourism of Red Cross offices.
Registering online can be done by visiting the Team Malaya website at http://teammalaya.org/lang-ay-trail-run/, where instructions are given on how to undergo the process.
Registering in-store can be done at the Lagalag Store Baguio at Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Rd., Baguio City from 10AM – 6PM.
One may also visit the Philippine Red Cross – Bontoc Office or any of the Sagada, Tadian, or Bauko Tourism Offices to register.
42K and 21K runners need to present Medical certificate issued October 2016 or after, a whistle, hydration gear (bottle/flask/bladder) with at least 1000 ml capacity, headlamp, basic first aid kit, windbreaker / rain jacket, fully charged cellphone with load/credits for call and text, at least P300 cash.
12K runners need to present Medical certificate issued October 2016 onwards, whistle, hydration gear (bottle/flask/bladder) with at least 500ml capacity.
This trail run from the wide open spaces of the mountain trails to the underground labyrinth is being organized by Team Malaya.
By: ARMANDO M. BOLISLIS with reports from JENNIFER GUEVARRA.
