I know, I know. Too many topics in one blog post.
Well, work and life took precedence and so blog writing took a back seat ... but not running.
Let's get to it, shall we?
MT. NEGRON
During the early years of our training in Miyamit and even before the hosting of the race on what is popularly known now as CM50 (Clark-Miyamit Falls Trail Ultra), I have been told by our Aeta friend, Joseph about Mt. Negron. Those were during those few times we went up to the peak or u-turn of CM50 known as "Mt. McDo", roughly 3kms close to Mt. Pinatubo. That was around year 2010 or even earlier.
You can see Mt. Negron on your left going up to Mt. McDo (I can't recall why the locals call it so). And in one of those occasions I was with Joseph, he did mention that nobody had managed to climb Mt. Negron even the locals. That it was wild and overgrown.
I must admit that every time I passed by Mt. Negron then, it exuded this dark, foreboding energy. Mysterious. I could not explain why at that time until the locals opened it to climbers recently.
Words spread around fast and by the time we knew it, we were planning to join the influx of climbers. So, in the early morning of 09 March 2025, I found myself with the Tellias brothers (James and Al), Joshua (thank your picking me up), and Mar en route to Mt. Negron.
How was the climb? Well, it was difficult! It took us 14 hours to finish when the total distance is not that long (33k)! All of us rated it at 9, 10 being the most difficult and to think, we are all veteran ultrarunners in our own respective rights. You will not be able to fastpack because the locals did not bother to clear the trail. It was slow-going pace with steep ascents and precarious descents. We were just glad it did not rain.
So, are we going back? Hell no! All of us agreed not to because of the overall unpleasant experience. For one, we were charged exorbitantly. I think Php2,500 per head (1K goes to the guide and the rest to the alleged "organizer"). Methinks, it should be the other way around. The guide should receive more, frankly.
Secondly, the trail needs some serious clearing. In one of the pictures below, you would see some skin cuts due to abrasive plants or leaves. Nasty. You pay that much fee and you wonder where it goes. At the very least, they should cut and clear the path to the peak.
Thirdly, the surrounding place around the registration hut is horrendously dirty as in garbage and poops all the over the place. You wonder again whether they even know the concept and relevance of environmentalism now.
Lastly, our guides went back to us after we were about to leave and demanded extra payment for resting in some of the huts along the way. We all went bonkers. Seriously? So much for the fee we paid.
So, all of you have been forewarned. If you have new updates, let us know.
Some pictures below:
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How was the race? I rather enjoyed it especially during the early hours in the morning when it was cool but it was quite hot and scorching mid-morning. The marking along the course is spot on. Dedicated ribbon for each distance so you are just plain dumb if you get lost :) However, the organizer should improve on the food and fluids being served at each aid station. I don't know what is happening lately but most trail races now serve inadequate fuel and fluid for the runners. It is disheartening and, in some cases, appalling (like in one of the races I joined just last week in which us runners felt such disservice. No food!).
CASCADE TRAIL CHALLENGE
Cascade Trail Challenge 2025 • Intrepid Spirit
This is a 36k race and is part of the Philippine Mountain Trail Festival last 01-03 May 2025 in Kayapa Nueva Viscaya. Hardcore Hundred or H1 is the signature race (100 miles). I would normally opt for the Mt. Ugo race after having done the H1 before but I wanted to see the falls along the course. It said so in the race description.
I rather enjoyed this race as well. Lovely course and the view is fantastic. Not too short nor too long. Just right.
Some observations though. The organizer should also consider improving on what they serve at the aid stations. Not enough and the quality can be much to be desired for. Also, there should be a dedicated marking for each distance; not lumped together. Some runners did get lost. So that is something to work on. Overall, it is all right.
BATANES ISLAND MARATHON 2025
I have been to this wonderful island with our entire law office before the pandemic. Breathtaking sceneries and hospitable people. I got asked to go there to run this race. It was the 1st edition.
I saw at the start line Patrick Aquino, Manny dela Serna, Andrei Lim and Ro Jervoso, some good old friends from the running community.
The race is not a good experience. So why not good? To begin with, I am not known to bitch about little things in a race. At its bare essence, I just want to run. This one, however, is something else.
The event started at 12 midnight. So, no view to see, which is real bummer. Then there was the late announcement for the requirements on headlamps (duh) and a cup or bottled water on the guise of no plastic cups would be served at the aid stations. Then, the placement of aid stations was not announced in advance. So we did not know when to replenish and how far. There was no marking along the course. You have to figure it out on your own. There was no GPX on the exact route. In this day and age and availability of GPS watches and other similar gadgets, that should be a basic detail of a race for the runners. Then also the Start/Finish line area was "anemic." No digital timer, not enough lighting, the Start/Finish tarpaulins were pathetic (so small and some runners commented that the race felt like a Barangay-level race) and we were given really convoluted reasons during race briefings. This is downright insulting. To think that some of us there are veteran runners, who have joined local and international races. The actual distance is more than 42k. My watch registered 44k plus.
Worse, there was no food at the aid stations (except at the turn-around point or last 7k to the finish line for 42K consisting of boiled eggs only). No fruits even bananas. At the aid stations, we were served only water - help yourself style. By the time, 42k runners reached this station, most of them had probably bonked big time already since the route is hilly and challenging. The winner of the 42k took him close to 5 hours to finish. Go figure. Even the event shirts are of poor quality. Textile is not at par.
Races like this should be banned when, by all indications, runners were shortchanged. This is a disservice to participants who paid the registration fee by their hard-earned money and spent some cash to get to Batanes. Costly to travel. And what did they get in return? Personally, we in our group felt like we were robbed and the race seems like a mere cash cow. Maybe next time this happens, we should sue them for treating us sloppily and shortchanging us runners.
As I wont to say, runners pay the registration fees and they expect some decent things in return.
In fact, there was an online commotion about this race. One runner (we know now is Mara Nograles) could not help but publish her disappointment and protest. Poor girl. I cannot blame her. She spent quite a bit of sum to join the race and get there via airplane to have perhaps the lousiest race experience of her life.
Would I go back to join this race again? Heck no unless I have become stupid.
Cheers,
Jon (peaking his training for Lavaredo on 28 June 2025)
