SCSM 2025, Kiddos, Fat Ass 2026, BIRF & Antique Trail Marathon

Hi folks!

Yeah, it's been a while since my last post. I am taking this downtime from work and training to make a "diary" entry here. I am really glad I have started this blog even before social media (like FB, IG, etc.) has become the medium. Throughout the years, it has become an actual diary, which was really not my initial intention.

SCSM 2026

After 18 years, I managed to run 🏃again the SCSM 2025 (Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon)! Can you believe that?  18 years!😄

The first time was way back in 2008 with Team Clark! 

I am really happy that the race has grown through the years, if the number of participants who joined in 2025 is any indication. More young runners are joining marathons now, which is really nice to see! I hope they keep it up. Indeed, running is here to stay.

Despite being held in December, the weather was still hot and humid, aggravated by the number of runners in some narrow sections. If the weather was cool, this race would have been ideal as the aid stations were okay and the course was relatively flat.

During the race, I saw some Pinoy runners along the course. My 2008 finish time of 3:30 remains my PR for this course compared to 4ish for 2025. I cannot complain as I basically cruised through the race.

The upside is the food afterwards! Yummy. Nothing like eating sumptuous meal after a marathon. Think of it as a reward for your hard effort. You deserve it! 😉 

Incidentally, the design of the finisher shirt has remained the same since 2008!

(The 2008 finisher shirt is almost the same as the 2025 below)

KIDS

Last December 2025, the kiddos came from Berlin to Philippines to spend their holidays here. Aside from spending time together, we went to Buscalan Tattoo Village in Kalinga so 3 of the kids could have a tattoo and an audience with Apo Whang-Od.

We left Clark in the morning and spent the night in Baguio before pushing for Buscalan the next morning. I have driven in a car 🚗and ridden also using James  around the Cordillera like Sagada, Baguio, etc. And anyone who have done so, he/she could tell that there is hardly any flat. Either it is uphill, downhill and/or twisties. Going to Buscalan though are endless twisties. I would not recommend driving to that place for someone who barely started driving. Not safe.

We stayed in Buscalan for a few days since there were many outsiders or tourists who wanted to get their tattoos as well. The place we stayed was decent and quiet. Far from the village and crowd. I did not get any tattoo when asked. Too old for that kind of thing.

One of the highlights as well was the climb to the nearby Mt. Canaan. We had fun especially with the dogs that climbed with us. It was strange since it was the first time we met those dogs.

On the way ride back, it took us 14 hours to get to Clark. No more a pit stop at Baguio for the night.

Good memories.

Ate Patricia and Sophia. Their brother, Nathan opted for extended sleep :)

At 7PM, Apo was tired as she had been tattooing for almost 12 hours!

This dog hiked with us from the start all the way up!

Scenic

2026 FAT ASS

The 2026 edition took place last 3-4 January. Not too many runners and pictures but it is always fun hosting it. Some runners who showed up used it as training event for their upcoming races like Ultra Trail Hongkong for the distance of 100k. I got feedback later on that Fat Ass helped them mileage wise. I'd like to thank also Carlito Buenaventura for giving me a shirt. He is almost always present through the years. I was told, to my shock, that he had to have a heart surgery in the past for a hole or something in his heart. So that explains his absence for the quite some time. But I am really glad he is back. By the way, he won the 24 hours category for most number of loops. Kudos!

BIRF - BATANES ISLAND RUNNING FESTIVAL

Oh man! This race is a lot of work, mostly the preparation, and pre-race coordination by going back and forth to Batanes. Not to mention the airfare costs. I can't remember how many times we had to go back just so we could, in fairness, host a fairly organized race. We kept reminding ourselves that we still owe our runners a quality race notwithstanding the inherent challenges BIRF carries.

One of the things we loved hosting this race was Gov. Aguto, Jr.'s support (he ran the 10k event!) as well as that of the other government agencies. That made our efforts bearable. Even the local businesses were very supportive. Thank you to everyone who supported the race in their own unique ways.

So this is a two-day event of road running around Batan island of Batanes. You can find more information at its FB page  so I don't have to repost everything here except for some notable pictures.

The Batan island is truly breathtaking. So the byline of the Batanes LGU - Breathtaking Batanes is spot on. It is really beautiful not because we were promoting a race there. I always say that you cannot invent a beautiful race course. That is Nature's creation. I have been around joining local and international races and Batanes has one of the most beautiful course I have ever seen. The combination of sea and land is remarkable. It feels that you are not in the Philippines. Hmm, I can compare it to New Zealand. Really, where in the Philippines can you still find a well-preserved environment like in Batanes? None. If there were some, they have been marred now by humans. Humans have the capacity to destroy what Nature has given them. 

On this point, I remember there was this famous falls in Antipolo, Rizal named Hinulugang Taktak before the place became really accessible to the general population. Now, it is gone. Dead. Anything that is easy to get to, humans tend to destroy it even if not intentional. I was also scared for the great Miyamit Falls in Porac, Pampanga during the height of CM50 race especially when I heard that they were planning to create a road network closer to it. Good thing it did not push through. It is quite difficult to get to and from Miyamit Falls. You have to spend hours on foot just to see its grandeur. For now, it is, I believe, one of the most beautiful and well-preserved hidden gems in Pampanga. Truly breathtaking as well.

Going back to BIRF. One of the stressful moments was the day 2 event of 50k ultra. The weather day 1 race was perfect. Cold, windy and cloud-covered sky. Very ideal. 

However, the early morning like 2AM of day 2, I was told and learned that weather would be bad as in rain and strong wind. I could no longer sleep thinking how to manage the ultrarunners and the deployment of aid stations (we had to pack after the first day of the event since I could not imagine leaving our support crew there overnight) for day 2. 

I had to consult our group before the early morning start how to navigate or manage this weather challenge. Even the staff from different government agencies were apprehensive that the race would be cancelled, an option I did not take critical. I told them these are ultrarunners who are used to nasty weather especially running up in the mountains.

I am just glad for Tim Tuscano (who ran back to back, 42K and 50K!) who told me that there would be a clear weather window around 8AM. I checked the weather forecast that there was one indeed. That is all we needed to start the race. However, we needed to delay the start to allow the sun to rise for the ambient light for the runners even if it was raining still. With these, we deployed the runners but that meant scrapping the original idea of permanent aid stations at pre-determined locations. We told the runners that there would be two (2) vehicles which would be carrying logistics and leapfrogging to support the runners. Mid race, my group had to support the fast or lead group while Felix and Waldi would be for the back group of runners. I worked! Thank you so much to Felix and Waldi for their immense support and commitment!

So everything was executed well for the desired result but the means to achieve it might have been changed due to unforeseen circumstances. I can't imagine cancelling the day 2 event and bearing the grunt of its consequences. In my decades of organizing races, there was never an event that I had to cancel. Sure, there will always be problem during race week but you just have to aways find a solution. Some are immense problem and some are just okay to solve. But as much as possible do not cancel (of course, always keeping in mind the safety of runners at all times). As we are wont to say in ultrarunning, you control the things you can and let go of the ones you cannot like the weather. This also applies in life.

So for the pictures now! (More on BIRF FB Page)

After BIRF, I ran this distance covering the 21k race plus more with some sightseeing detour.

Got sunburned though 😕😎

ANTIQUE TRAIL MARATHON

This event took place in the last weekend of March 2026. You can find more details at its FB page.

One of the main factors why I joined this race is simply because I had not been in Antique before. I ran the 42km trail race. It was nice to see our old friends and meet new ones. The bar for hosting a championship event has been raised again. You could see in how they set-up the race venue. Felt like you are in other countries. So kudos to the organizing team and the LGUs for their support!

Special thanks to Tin Ferrera, Ysa and RD Toto for all your support! Appreciate it. Nice to meet Cyril (who posted in FB) and Ling from Malaysia (my roommates). Atty. James with his wife, Pat Aquino and wife Ro, Majo, Al, Louie, and others were there too!

It is a tough course especially the Sibalom National Park. Navigating that part, I swear, it fell like I was in Mt. Arayat in Pampanga. Too technical and the vines on the ground could face plant you. Almost the same terrain and flora. Maybe twice as big, and longer than Arayat. By 9AM you have to contend with the heat until past noon. I am just happy to be out there again with Nature and to cross the finish line. Aid stations placement was perfect. Enough food and fluids (I noticed no fresh bananas when we passed by although watermelon was aplenty. That is okay). In some portions, I was famished and you just have to love the boiled eggs with Himalayan salt! My only sin is I had a few chugs of ice-cold Coca Cola during the latter part of the race when the sun 🌞was mercilessly cooking us to medium well 😁 (I can't believe we have emoticons now here :) I don't drink sodas for years now except this unfortunate circumstance.

One of the highlights of the event is talking to John Stingray Onifa, who happens to hail from Antique. To date, I will dare say he is one of our best (if not the best) and talented trailrunners from the Philippines. His race results speak volume. He could compete against the stack of equally talented athletes from other countries. Something we should be proud of really.

So right after the trail talk, I went down from the stage and approached him. I have only read his good exploits through FB. Meeting him in person is something I will not let pass. So we had a brief conversation in Taglish and it goes something like this:

Me: John kumusta? Nice to meet you in person.

John: Hello po sir.

Me: Nababasa ko mga races mo abroad and kayang kaya mo mag compete sa Asia. Pero parang hirap ka sa Europe, ano?

John: Opo.

Me. Bakit kaya?

John: Altitude po. Iba doon.

Me: What if punta ka doon ng at least 6 weeks. Puede na yun?

John: Di po.

Me: Gaano katagal ka dapat doon?

John: Isang taon po.

Me. Ah para totally ma acclimate ka?

John: Yes po.

Me. Yun nga lang need mo ng sponsor pag ganyan.

We paused and went to another topic and this part is where I was really impressed by him.

Me: Curious ako pag compete sa labas, ano sa isip mo?

John: (Without batting an eyelash, he went to boldly say this) Talunin ko sila. Na kaya ko.Yun lang nasa isip ko.

Me: Ah makes sense. Keep it up and I am proud of you.

John: Salamat po.

We shook hands and said our adieu. 

I am not sure if it is what he said or how he said it or both when he said his primary mindset is to beat his competitors. There was never a hint of bravado or self-indulging BS. His level of confidence is on another level. That is really impressive. He knows what he is doing and with a talent to boot. As they say, tough MOFO (no pun intended).

Later during awarding, I purposely waited for the ceremony just to find out his finish time. He won the 42k championship with an impressive time. During the race, I saw him chasing the lead runner from Davao and managed to snag the win from the latter. Cool. 

I am happy to see a lot of young fast runners now coming from different parts of the Philippines for trailrunning. I hope this is something to continue through the years. Who knows what we might produce, a runner or a group of runners who potentially can compete on such high-level, world class stage!

After the race, I spent a few days in Iloilo for some needed rest before the flight back. I love Iloilo food! 

Medal

Tatoy's resto in Iloilo