A 22-KILOMETER running event is rarely staged anywhere by organizers here and abroad.
Runners usually take part in the standard 21-km races, or in 10-km runs, instead of 11-km events.
But when it was held recently, a former varsity athlete conquered the women’s division and became the fastest runner overall in the second staging of the Gatorade Run at the Mall of Asia grounds.
“Pacing lang ako. Nu’ng first kilometer, mga lalaki ang nauuna. Nu’ng second kilometer, ako na,” said Nhea Ann Barcena.
The 34-year-old Barcena was the first to reach the finish line when it was over.
Barcena, a technical operations’ staffer at Ayala Land when she is not coaching and running, surprised everyone when she breasted the tape in one hour, 33 minutes and 39 seconds.
She even beat police officer Vander Vizconde, the top finisher in the men’s division.
“I was in the lead until the finish. Humina ang takbo ng mga lalaki,” said Barcena, who used to be middle distance runner for University of Santo Tomas when she was still in college.
Organizers, led by Gatorade top executive Tony Atayde, said such a race was organized to encourage runners to go for the extra mile, or that extra kilometer.
As a result, more than 8,000 enthusiasts took part that morning.
The 30-year-old Vizconde claimed first place in the men’s action in 1:39.08, more than five minutes behind Barcena.
Silamie Apolistar finished second to Barcena in 1:45.35, followed in third by medical doctor Emilaine Balatibat (1:56.38).
Jeremy Remegia took second in the men’s 21km action in 1:34.43, with Alexander Cenzon emerging third in 1:46.30.
German teacher Ander Rekakoetxa topped the 11-km men’s event in 45:54, followed by Yuniel Enreras and Roderick Saludes.
Cinderella Lorenzo topped the women’s 11-km run in 50 minutes and 12 seconds, with coach Ani Brown and Krizia Quilantang taking second and third, respectively.