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| (Image Source: Manila Standard/ASICS Philippines/Sunrise Events) |
The ASICS Rock n' Roll Running Series on June 19 in Manila gives local marathon a different look and perspective with a huge field set to grace the staging of the four-category event making its first foray in Southeast Asia. Unlike in regular marathon races, the world's largest running series packs with lots of surprises and innovations, including mixing running and endurance with partying and a concert that will have runners and walkers treated to music throughout the route embellished with themed water stations and a huge musical bash at the finish.
It is actually a day-long affair in historic city atmosphere with the 5K and 10K races set to flag off at the break of dawn and the 21K and 42K events to be held early evening. Slated to take place as part of the nation's capital's 450th year anniversary, the first ASICS Rock 'n Roll race in Southeast Asia and the first in Asia since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic will highlight Manila's historical markers, including the Walled City of Intramuros and the National Museum, marking the first time that the capital city's sights and landmarks will be featured in such a sporting competition. The world's largest running series will also pass through the National Museum complex, Intramuros, the Manila Cathedral, Manila City Hall, the Kartilya ng Katipunan, the Jones Bridge and Chinatown in Binondo as well as the famous Manila Bay sunset. Event organizers Sunrise Events Inc., IRONMAN Group and Rock "n" Roll Running Series and the host city are optimistic of a successful staging of the four-category event that they say will be distinctive from regular marathons. Rock 'n' Roll Manila will mix running and endurance with entertainment, as there will be a concert to treat participants to music throughout the route. There will also be a musical bash at the finish that will run through midnight.
Registration is ongoing at www.runrocknroll.com.manila with onsite listup at Garmin stores (through cash and GCash mode of payment) at Glorietta I, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, The Podium, Ayala Vertis North, SM North, SM Aura, Uptown and Alabang Town Center. The 10K and 5K races will be flagged off at 5:00 am and 6:00 am, respectively, while the 21K and 42K events will be fired off at 5:00 pm according to the IRONMAN Group and Rock "n" Roll Running Series, organizers and producers of the event. Fees are at Php950 for 5K, Php1,850 for 10K, Php2,450 for half-marathon and Php2,650 for the 42K run. For the Remix Challenge, rates are Php3,600 for marathon +5K, Php4,100 for marathon +10K, Php3,800 for half-marathon +5K and Php3,400 for half-marathon +10K. Prices, however, may change until slots last. There will also be a wreath-laying ceremony for Dr. Jose Rizal from 8:00 am to 8:30 am on race day at the Rizal Park, another landmark of the country's vibrant and sprawling capital.
Race week will kick-off on June 14 with the health and fitness Expo, featuring the latest products from ASICS and trends in the running industry. The run kits for the series will include registration shirt, race bibs, finisher medals in all categories and finisher shirt for the full marathon participants. Also to be awarded are the Remix Challenge medals. RockNRollMNL (facebook) and asicsrnrmanila (Instagram) are the social media accounts of the event backed by Alaska, Gatorade, the Philippine Star and Lightwater.
