Million Hectare Challenge

Organizer:
Haribon Foundation


Registration:
Could be done online through the Haribon official website, Runner's Runner, R.O.X., and many different Mizuno branches.  I'm not sure if they got more than 200 people to sign up, and I think that the marketing strategy could have been better.  My first suggestion for next year's race would be for the organizers to revisit the accessibility of the registration details--postings on different web pages should not only focus on the online process, which based on the comments of some runners in www.takbo.ph would be out of the question for non-credit card holders, and had there been more information (or more venues, for that matter) on walk-in registrations, it might have helped drive the participation rate from running communities.  The elusive race map might have been a factor in the low turnout, as it was only available in the race kit, though the websites did say that it will be in the Pasay area (CCP Liwasang Ullalim).  I heard there was information available in the FAQ's, but I didn't have the patience to look for it there.


Race Kit:
Includes singlet, race bib with attached time chip, race guidelines, route map, and inserts about Haribon.  Per the literature provided, participating in the run also means you adopted a seedling in support of the movement "Road to 2020", which aims to plant 1 million hectares of native trees all over the Philippines.  Excellent cause, which is why it was quite regrettable that there weren't that many participants.  


The Race:
The 15-km route was made of two laps around the CCP area, and fortunately today was a cloudy day, so I didn't finish my run "two-toned", as my boyfriend puts it.  There were only a handful of water stations along the way, but after the U-turn point on Roxas Boulevard, they were giving away full bottles of mineral water, which makes up for the scarcity of the stations.  The race marshalls at the turning points of the second lap were no longer there to help direct traffic and inform runners of their turning points, which worried me because I am probably the lousiest of the lousiest at directions on this planet.  I'm sure other runners there would agree that we appreciated their encouraging cheers when they were there, though.  At times they made me chuckle, too, those nuts.


The Activity Area:
Among the numerous booths in the small activity area were the onsite registration booth, baggage area, food stalls (which offered "real meals", not just pre-packed "silog" meals--a plus for me), free massage area, first aid, and the Haribon booths that sold different Haribon products, offered free face painting service, activity areas for kids, and informational booths about the many initiatives of the Haribon Foundation.  Of course, during the program, they awarded the fastest male and female runners of each race category, and they also raffled off prizes from sponsors.  


Overall, it was a good run.  I sincerely hope that next year's MHC would entice more people to sign up than this year.