Former Philippine Sports chairman Dr. Aparicio Mequi, with the organizers of the Dumaguete Adventure Marathon, promises a real adventure to sport runners who are tired of pounding the concrete and asphalt roads in a mountainous terrain in a full 42K marathon, with the tournament set next month.

Mequi, who is the Foundation University director of the Institute of Youth Sports for Peace, said, "We have expanded the race into a full 42K marathon but most of the running will be in the scenic mountainous terrain surrounding Dumaguete."

For weeks, varsity athletes of FU have been running the DAM trail in the hills of Valencia and Sibulan towns in order to identify areas where water and food stops as well as rest rooms may be needed.

The thrill of running "off the beaten path" has attracted runners from as far away as Manila, Bacolod, Cebu and some parts of Mindanao, who joined the previous two DAMS.

The DAM has been setting the trend for the holding of races in this part of the country. In 2009, it introduced the idea of running in the mountain trails to enable runners to see the scenic sights and the greenery of Negros Oriental.

This will also be the first race in Negros Oriental to use timing chips for accurate timekeeping. The Jaguar Bronze Timing Chip, which can accommodate up to 5,000 runners, will see its debut in the Philippines during the DAM, the organizers said.

To encourage early registration, the fees before October 15 are P175 for the 3k race (for children 12 and below as well as adults 60 and above), P300 for the 5k race (13-16 y.o.), P350 for the 10.5 K, P400 for the 21K and P600 for the 42.195 K.

Starting October 16, the entry fees will be P200 for the 3k race, P300 for the 5k race (13-16 y.o.), P400 for the 10.5 K, P500 for the 21K and P700 for the 42.195 K.

Walk-in registrants on race day will be assessed P300 for the 3k race, P600 for the 5k race (13-16 y.o.), P700 for the 10.5 K, P900 for the 21K and P1,300 for the 42.195 K.

Registration is going on at the IYSPEACE office at the Foundation University north campus (Tel. +63 35 422 9167, +63 35 422 9167 local 101, 113 or 165) or online at the Dumaguetemarathon.com website.

FU athletes run the trail of the 42K Dumaguete Adventure Marathon which will be held on Nov. 20 which starts and ends at the Robinson's Mall Dumaguete and takes runners through a scenic, mountainous terrain in the towns of Sibulan and Valencia.

In keeping with FU's advocacy for rice conservation, the prizes for the marathon will be bags of rice, which may be convertible to cash for out-of-town winners.*RG

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