CORREGIDOR: Why I love the 2016 Corregidor International Half-Marathon
I ran the 10k at the International Corregidor Half-Marathon. It was my first time to run in an event. And I found the Corregidor Half-Marathon the perfect choice for first-time runners to experience running in an event. It is both memorable and enjoyable and will encourage first-time runners to keep on running.
Why I love the Corregidor International Half-Marathon:
1. They have a great race route.
FIRST, the race route covers all the major and awesome sights of Corregidor.
Below is just a FEW examples of the major sights you see along the route. I will make a detailed post on the race route later.
Below is just a FEW examples of the major sights you see along the route. I will make a detailed post on the race route later.
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| Topside barracks or Mile Long Barracks |
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| Battery Grubbs |
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| Pacific War Memorial Museum Cine Corregidor Officers' Barracks |
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| The Eternal Flame |
SECOND, the race route covers different types of terrain: hills, trails, flat pavement.
HILLS
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| At the start of the event, we immediately go up the hill. The starting line is at middleside. We proceed at once to the topside, where the major sights are located. |
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| A lot of 10k runners walked up the hillside. |
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| The view at the side of the hill. |
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| Just 5 minutes into the run and we're already at this height. You can see the starting line at the center of the photo. |
TRAILS
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| Going through the forest trails where we encounter more barracks. |
FLAT PAVEMENT
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| Middleside Barracks, where the center of activity used to be. |
2. The event happens in cool January.
The temperature that registered in my phone at the start of the race is 24 degrees Centigrade. The weather is cool and with a slight breeze. Even if the race lasted until late morning, you don't have to worry too much about the sun since you run in a lot of shaded areas.
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| Accuweather temperature at Cavite before 8:15 gun start of 10k. There's no Corregidor option at accuweather so I used Cavite. |
3. They have a late gun start.
The 21k starts at 8:00 AM, while the 10k starts at 8:15 AM. I love a late gun start because my body takes a while to acclimatize to being awake. With a late gun start, I need not wake up too early. I can have my breakfast as late as 5:00 AM.
Very few running events in the Philippines start late, either because the venue that is usually closed during the running event, has to be opened to the public in the early morning. Or, they start early because of the morning heat in a tropical country like the Philippines.
4. No cut-off time for the event.
Since there's no cut-off time, the event is possible for both fast and slow runners, those who prefer to do a brisk walk, and fun runners who also like to sightsee during the event.
The only cut-off time the organizers mentioned is the time to ride the ferry, which is at 2:00 PM.
The slowest runner in the 21k logged at 5 hours and 20 minutes (or 15 minutes per kilometer) and the slowest runner at 10k logged at 3 hours and 5 minutes (or 18.5 minutes per kilometer).
5. The event is not crowded since there's a limit to the number of people who can join the event.
There's a limit to the number of people joining the event because of the maximum capacity of the ferry transporting people in the island, as well as the limitation in resources within the island so only a certain number of people can be accommodated.
The 2016 Corregidor International Half-Marathon had 87 10 k runners and 286 21 k runners.
The 2016 Corregidor International Half-Marathon had 87 10 k runners and 286 21 k runners.
6. If you choose to stay overnight before the event, accommodations at the Corregidor Hotel is not expensive.
The cost of an overnight stay at Corregidor hotel is only 2000 pesos per night for double/twin sharing, with buffet breakfast included.
My son and I chose to arrive at Corregidor the day before the event and stay overnight at Corregidor Hotel for the following reasons:
a. We don't have to wake up at 3:00 AM to ride the ferry. For those doing the day trip, the ferry departs from Manila to Corregidor at 5:00 AM.
b. The ferry makes us slightly dizzy so if we rode the ferry on the day of the event, we might not be able join the event and do the run immediately after getting off the ferry.
c. We don't have to worry about our breakfast, our bags and where to rest after the event.
The hotel provides the breakfast. We leave our personal belongings inside our hotel room. And we can still take a bath and rest in our hotel room after doing the run.
7. The rates for the run and the ferry package is very reasonable.
We spent the following:
10 k half-marathon registration fee: 1,400 pesos (includes the race shirt, finisher's medal, race belt, timing chip, sling bag and 1000 pesos soleus gift certificate)
Runner's rate: 1330 pesos per person (covers the roundtrip ferry, terminal fee, buffet lunch after the event)
1 night at Corregidor hotel: 2000 pesos per room (double/twin sharing with buffet breakfast included)
Optional expense: 250 pesos per person carbo loading dinner, 400 pesos lunch for 2 persons at La Playa Restaurant.
Total expenses for 2 persons (for my son and I):
8360 pesos (for 2 persons)
8360 pesos (for 2 persons)
8. The event is very well-organized, from the distribution of the kits, the ferry departure, check-in upon arrival, and serving of meals.
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| Boarding at the terminal |
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| Orderly check-in at arrival area |
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| Separate tranvia assigned to the different accommodation locations: hotel, resort/cabanas, campers |
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| Carbo loading dinner |
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| Buffet lunch after the run |
9. The run itself is conducted very well. There are well spaced hydration stations, ample signs and guides.
HYDRATION STATIONS WITH FOOD
In the 10k route, there's a total of 5 hydration stations. The water they serve is ICE COLD (very much appreciated by the runners). They also serve some sports drink, food like banana, raisins, camote fries, coffee candy, salt.
SUFFICIENT SIGNS AND GUIDES
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| Signs at the fork |
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| There's always a guide near the sign to check the runners arriving. They direct them to the right direction if they see them going in the wrong direction. |
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| The sign at the trail |
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| They make a checklist of the runners twice just to make sure everyone's accounted for. The first is at Battery Grubbs. The last is at Battery Crockett. |
