RUNNERS are in for another challenging test of skill and endurance under the scorching summer heat as the Laoag Sand Dunes Challenge returns tomorrow to highlight the celebration of the Ilocos Norte capital city’s annual Pamulinawen Festival.
A brainchild of Laoag City Mayor Mike Keon, who used to be the country’s sports czar as Gintong Alay executive director, the event will be held on the famed rolling dunes of the Ilocos Norte capital city.
Keon said that the races will be in the 5K and 10K distances, which is expected to draw another competitive field similar to last year’s edition when national track and field athletes led by former Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association national training director Renato Unso saw action.
A 400-meter runner, Unso was one of the products of Gintong Alay, which sparked a local renaissance that transformed Filipino athletes into a force to reckon with on the international stage from the late seventies to the early nineties.
Still sharp and spry at 69, Keon said that four national long-distance runners are expected among those who will compete, plus other entries from as far as Pangasinan, Baguio, Bulacan and Calamba.
Keon said that Vigan City Mayor Jose “Bonito” Singson Jr. is a major supporter of the event since the latter has asked his fellow city chief’s help in organizing similar races in Vigan, fostering closer ties between the two Ilocos cities. — Bong Pedralvez
