HOKA returned to its trail running roots last weekend as close to 100 runners, among them prominent mountaineer Romi Garduce, tackled the exciting five-kilometer Timberland Mountain Bike Park course wearing the versatile and popular HOKA Challenger ATR (All-Terrain Running) 7 shoes.
HOKA Run Club members and friends ran a thrilling route that began with an uphill 900-meter concrete road entering the trails, passing through a gauntlet of fire roads, lush vegetation, mud and gravel, before returning to the area where they began.
The scene would have made Frenchmen Nicolas Mermoud and Jean-luc Diard, the co-founders of HOKA – meaning “To Fly” in the Maori language – proud considering their business began in 2009 creating shoes known for being lightweight, comfortable, stability and durability for the rigors of trail running.
“It is good to see na bumabalik ang sport ng trail running. Something that is both enjoyable but in a different running environment,” Garduce, the first Filipino mountaineer to climb “The Seven Summits,” including the towering Mount Everest in Nepal, noted.
“We want to draw more runners to hit the trails and experience a different form of running. For runners and nature lovers as well, this course is a good exposure to the unique challenges that come with the sport,” said HOKA Philippines representative Sharon Salvacion.
“This is why we are offering a wide range of options for trail running and hiking with one of HOKA’S most versatile models, the Speedgoat 6. This is one of the most widely-used shoes for off-road performance running.”
“We certainly hope that the HOKA Run Club participants enjoyed their trail running experience and were encouraged to join some of our races in the future,” said veteran trail running race director Neville Manaois.
