La Union Ku Ikaika Marathon 3/5/10/21/42K (La Union)

more details pls..thanks!!!

@sir iRunners: is there any chance of a shuttle being provided for this event for those coming from manila? 🙂

Sir Jason, Madali lang po byahe papunta dito, just look for Partas Bus Company which is located at Cubao area they provide the best service and their DeLuxe Buses are really comfortable. We are also considering to use a shuttle to fetch runners from Manila in group, once its final we will post it and keep you updated. This i promise you Sir you will treasure your running experience here in La Union babalik balikan nyo ang La Union after this event!

i plan to arrive at the site around 1-2am and hangout there till the race starts. can i do this coz can’t afford to take a room? by the way can i just register during the race day itself? thanks

Jalena, ma’am you dont have to worry to much about the accomodation here first,you can check-in to our official transients houses that only charges 100pesos for overnight stay, second you can bring your tent and just set-up a tent along the beach, dont worry about the security and safety because this event is supported by our very own Governor and he is a stickler when it comes to peace and security, but if you wish to pursue your plan then we will set-up a 24hours hangout-restaurant to accomodate all runners who like you would rather stay and wait for the run. We cant wait to see you here in La Union! With iRunners, it’s gonna be more runs and more fun here in La Union!

i agree with pinoyultramarathoner, i hope this gets resked to may 26

@irunners – I understand the predicament of some regarding the date of the race. why it should be moved, etc.

but I’d rather have the race on the 19th itself. there are races that i opted not to join because of conflicts with the LU marathon. please consider those who are outside La Union who have already filed their leaves and booked accommodations.

also, the month of May is the peak season for surfers/tourists in San Juan, La Union. Changing dates will be a logistics nightmare in terms of accommodation for your runners who want to support your cause.

noted po namin sa iRunners ang lahat ng suggestions nyu fellow runners…for the meantime we invite all our dear runners specially outside La Union, eto po ang kauna unahang Full Marathon na gaganapin taon taon sa Northern Philippines particularly here in La Union, kaya ganun na lamang ang aming determination na maisakutaparan eto, gusto po namin na bigyan ng napakagandang Challenge ang event na eto…napaka Unique po ng Ruta na ginawa namin, tatakbo po ang Full Marathoner sa flat concrete roads about 1.8km then iiwas sa main highway at babagtasin ang buong bayan ng San Juan La Union, sa gilid po ng tobacco/Corn Fileds, napakasarap po ng hangin sa umaga sa lugar na eto, napaka peaceful ng lugar at iilan lamang ang maliliit na sasakyan na dumadaan, sa di kalayuan ay aakyat po sa Bundok ng Bacsil, isang historic noong WW2, overlooking po ang la Union sa tuktok ng bundok at maraming puno at masarap ang hangin. Uphill down hill po ang ruta sa pagakyat sa bundok, kapag naabot ang itaas babalik po paibaba maraming downhill para magrelax kunti ang runners,,sa ibaba ng bundok tatakbo ulit sa fields magcrocross sa Baroro River dadaan sa Cabaroan Bridge, derecho po sa may San gabriel la Union, kapag naabot po ang turning point sa kapatagan, babalik po subalit wala ng bundok na dadaanan patag na po at ang pang Finale ang sa may town plaza ng San Juan La Union papasok po sa beach, wala na ring flat roads tabing dagat na po na 1.9km…napakagandang takbuhin ang beach hanggang sa Finish Line sa tapat ng Kahuna Resort…

napakasarap po ang pagkakataon na eto na makatakbo kayo sa La Union, ibang klaseng event eto, you will pass 4 Tracks- Roads, Fields, Mountain, Beach in just one run…that’s why only the strong will endure…Ku Ikaika Marathoners mabuhay po kayu!

To all my fellow runners, if you register on or before April 21, 2012 your runners bibs will be personal one, your name/petname will be written on it, so go to the nearest registration site of iRunners and avail of this promo. See you in the finish line!

Fact: We only live once, so wise men says, maximize your existence and be the best that you can be. Fact: Sooner or later all of us will die and disappear from this world, wise men say, we all be gone in oblivion. Fact: Runners are unique human specie, aside from the fact that they have considerable large lungs they also have efficient heart, iRunners says runners don’t run away from a good cause especially if this will give you a chance to be part of History! So join the first ever La Union International Marathon, maximize your existence, experience a new running experience here in La Union, expand your horizon go beyond your limit and challenge yourself and be among one of those men and women who are worthy to be called the real strong running specie and the test – the La Union International Marathon (ku ikaika/only the strong will endure) ARE YOU STRONG ENOUGH?

maganda po hangarin ninyo, yung date lang ang hindi hehe

I’m just waiting for the details about the bus. 🙂 no moving of dates please registered na rin ang iba kong kasama dito sa greenfield run 🙂

to all my fellow runners from manila and places outside la union, we have posted the details about the accommodations, or hotels, inns, resorts, and transient houses in our fanpage @facebook, just type irunner for details. see you here in La Union because its more runs and more fun in la union!

Runners, Friend, this is your Race Director for the La Union ku ikaika Marathon Randy M. Abasolo now composed and ready to tell the story on the side of iRunners because as much as you deserved an explanation we are also obliged to tell the truth because only the truth can liberate us and render us the deserved judgement of people who are affected by the issues

Issue No.1: Delayed release of Singlets

What really happened: The singlets should have been distributed on May 15, 2012 if not with the trouble we suffered from our supplier (BGRP Trading) who promised to deliver the singlets but failed and only able to finish the singlet on May 18, 2012 exactly 10:30PM, and the JCI President (Niki Valero) have to spend on gasoline just to pick up the singlet at Bulacan para po mahabol lang na masuot ito ng Runners before they run. For the record we paid 70K as advance payment but despite the said supplier failed to deliver the singlets as agreed and scheduled. For the record, Niki Valero, a good man as he is paid the balance on time despite of the trouble brought by the delay of the said supplier.

Lesson Learned: Look for a more reliable supplier

Issue No.2 : Shortage of medal

What really happened: The event should have used a Barcode system. What was planned was the registration will stop on the 15th of May and will only accept 30 onsite participants on the eve of the event, this way the needed medals are well accounted and budgeted as well. On May 6 the estimated quantity of medals have been ordered from our supplier. However, on May 8, upon computation/assessment it was found out that the event need to raise more fund to augment the need to pay some obligations of the event, so the Financer decided to shift from Barcode to Manual timing (which is cheaper) coupled with the plea to open the registration until the day of the event in the hope to raise the needed fund. What contributed more to the shortage was the unaccounted and surprise request of the financer (two days before the event) to get atleast 40 medals as his reserved medals for his friends. Because of the turn of the event, the result was, on the day of event medal count are already short by 100plus medals.

Lesson Learned: Ideally, Stick with your horn and fight for your runners and for their medals no matter what the cost or
Practically, implement a ‘first hundred basis’ or the lower categories runners (3k, 5k, 10k) is only good for first hundred finisher and prioritize the half marathoners and full marathoners by making sure they all get their well deserved medals

Issue No. 3 : Inaccurate measurement of the route

What really happened: I have to admit that due to our incapacity to acquire a more sophisticated gadget we got the route measured incorrect. We use a car in the measurement and later we found out that there is a big difference when you use a car especially if you took the right side of the road instead of taking the middle or center of the road during measurement. So an additional 2k was added to the 42k and an additional 1k or so is added to 21k. With regards to 5k we intentionally lengthened it to 200meters to get across to a Resort that is very supportive of our group and promised to help us out in the event.

Lesson Learned: Buy a sophisticated gadget or borrow one.

The truth (is on part of the iRunners) there are only two major issues that haunted us on this event; the chaos brought about during and by the release of singlet can be remedied if and only if the supplier delivered it on time, as promised and agreed by them. The medals that broke the heart of some of our runners (and Us as well) could be remedied if we only have enough sponsors to finance the event and the shift from Barcode to Manual timing could have been avoided and that could prevent the demise/shortage to happen.
I have to admit that in the part of iRunners and AKO personally ay nagkulang dahil, tinanggap ko po ang project na ito na alam ko na napakaiksi ng preparasyon. The project was offered to me 1months and 28days prior to the event. I learned, we learned a lot from this experience and i know that i grow and will continually grow from it. Given a chance i will never let myself and my people go into a battle with little preparation. Given a chance again i will see to it that 6months is the minimum planning period for an event with such a magnitude.
Sana po mapatawad nyo po ang aking pagkukulang, sa mga damdaming nasaktan patawad po. When Stan and I conceptualized the event we thought that at the end of the event the runners will be the one dare to say ‘i stand strong’, nagkamali ako/kami dahil the statement is aptly and more applicable to me, to us because this is what is promise to you my friends and fellow runners, iRunners will stand strong in the midst of it, to stand strong against the trials and adversary to continue give you fun and more runs here in La Union.
We ask for your forgiveness and we hope to see you again (given a chance) here in La Union.
Maraming salamat po.

Sincerely,

Randy M. Abasolo
iRunners
Founder