The sunny town of Laoag City in Ilocos Norte is making a mark in sports tourism as the only locality to conduct a unique running competition in sandy terrain.
 
As part of the celebration of the 27th Pamulinawen Festival, the city staged the second installment of the Sand Dunes Challenge at Barangay La Paz last Saturday, February 24.
 
The running challenge offered three categories: 5K and 10K for adults, and a separate 5K track for younger runners.
 
About 500 local and national athletes and running enthusiasts took the challenge and ran in the sandy and hilly terrains and the beachfront of the La Paz Sand Dunes.
 
City Mayor Michael Marcos Keon, who is also a running enthusiast, said the sandy running track is designed to test the endurance and strength of the runners.
 
“The 2nd Laoag City Sand Dunes Challenge marked another remarkable success, solidifying its reputation as one of the most unique races in the country,” Keon said.
 
He added, “This extraordinary event unfolded amidst the picturesque and undulating landscapes of the Laoag Sand Dunes, providing a challenging yet awe-inspiring experience that blended endurance and skill against the backdrop of nature's rugged beauty.”
 
The local chief executive recognized the event as a major tourism opportunity in the city as it highlights the famous tourist site in the unique sporting event.
 
To further promote the La Paz Sand Dunes, the participants were treated to exhilarating 4x4 rides and sandboarding sessions, courtesy of the city government.
 
“This challenge is not like any other, because running in sand is really hard. This will test your endurance, test your stamina, test your capacity to deal with pain, but it will make you a better runner and a better person,” Keon encouraged the runners in his short message.
 
In the end, Ritchie Estampador and Christine Hallasgo garnered first place in the 10K Men and Women’s category, respectively.
 
For the 5K run, James Darrel Ordoña for male and Joida Gagnao for female won the category.
 
Finally, Michael dela Cruz and Nathalie Faye Miguel ran the fastest in the special kids’ category.
 
The one-of-a-kind Sand Dunes Challenge is sure to come back for its third year in the next Pamulinawen Festival – an event that’s becoming one of the most anticipated activities of the celebration. (JCR/AMB/EJFG/PIA Ilocos Norte)