RETURN TO PARADISE IN THE BOHOL INTERNATIONAL MARATHON 2018 - PANGLAO ISLAND, BOHOL, PH

Greeting, hivers! We are back and we will look back to our most unforgettable marathon experience outside Cebu – The Bohol International Marathon. Every year, this event has a distinct theme, such as The Heritage Run in 2017, which took place in Tagbilaran City, The Tarsier Run in 2019, which took place in Tagbilaran City as well, and The Return to Paradise Run in 2018, which took place on Alona Beach, Panglao Island and organized by Bohol Runners Club.

The Bohol International Marathon 2018 features four race categories: 42K, 21K, 10K, and 5K, each having its own fee, amenities (singlet, race bib, timing chip, post-race snacks, finisher’s medal, finisher’s shirt and carbo loading) and gun start time.

How did we become notified of this event? My coworkers were big runners, and we the newly hired employees were getting into it as well because we love cardio exercises. They urged us to try the Bohol Marathon with a few coworkers after attending many running events in Cebu. All of the confirmed runners were registered, and we discussed the overall plan. We didn't have any trouble registering because it was done online.

I registered for a 21-kilometer run which is a half marathon, whereas Marycris registered for a 5-kilometer run. My gun start time hits 2 AM while Marycris waited 5:30 AM for her gun start. Participants range from locals to visitors from nearby islands, and some are even international. Before the event began, there was a brief program that included introductory speeches, rules announcement and dance exercises for the participants to warm up their bodies. My gun start is still dark, which is ideal because it is still cool and you won't get too tired.

When I run a 21-kilometer event, I usually run 3 kilometers and then walk 1 kilometer, or I walk when I need to rest during the marathon. However, I recall feeling weary shortly after the 6km point during the Bohol Marathon, which is unusual. Maybe it's the adrenaline and the anticipation of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Since this was a new environment for me, running along the sidewalk was like a mystery that kept opening in front of my eyes. I browsed for churches, chapels, residences, and roads I had never seen before. We ran along the route with my coworkers, hoping that no one would get injured so that we could complete the marathon.

Water stops, bananas, and energy drinks were placed along the route to refill our intake. As one of our coworkers put it, the Bohol Marathon route is truly exciting, especially for the food stations along the way, and as expected, we as participants in the Bohol International Marathon enjoyed not only the breathtaking scenery of paradise, but also the fiesta-like presentations of meals along the road, including lechon, barbecues, lots of crackers, loads of fruits, and the warm welcome of people in every station we passed.

The food served is absolutely delightful to watch, but you must be cautious because you still have a few kilometers to run to reach the finish line, and some events have time limits. And, of course, I'd take the risk; I eat all of the dishes supplied and then walk a few kilometers to let my stomach to digest everything I'd eaten. After that, I kept running and maintaining my pace in order to finish before the time restriction elapsed.

I used an app to track my mileage and time before starting the run. The app is quite useful because it includes an alert for every kilometer you run. During the run, however, I realized that my app, as well as my friends, had already passed the 21-kilometer mark. We were really weary after knowing that their route had been extended by 2 kilometers. We had not anticipated this and were all disappointed. But, in the end, we completed the marathon far ahead of time limit. We were simply overjoyed, and the tiredness vanished as they presented us the medals and finisher shirts. For memories, we posed for photos in their photo wall.

It is a wonderful experience. The entire event was a huge success, and we're quite delighted to have participated in this International Marathon. We just never ran, it's a different whole kind of experience and we'll surely try another Bohol Marathon if situation permits.

We might like to try their heritage run after this Covid situation because we can see famous churches in Bohol along the way, such as St. Joseph Cathedral of Tagbilaran, Our Lady of Assumption Church of Dauis, The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary Parish of Baclayon, and The Sta. Monica of Albuquerque to the still-inhabited ancestral dwellings. The route beside the shore of the Bohol Sea and Panglao Island could also be seen from afar during the heritage run. You can also visit the blood compact shrine, which is a historical landmark.

Following the run, we took a tour of the Bohol countryside, which included the famous Chocolate Hills, Manmade Forest, and other attractions. It's been a long day, but it's been well worth it.

We'll be back in Bohol for sure. It could be in a marathon or just for fun. We'll never know. :)