CLARK FREEPORT — Amid the bustling life in this Freeport, a formidable challenge arises — the Titan 77.7 Philippines.
On September 10, the roads of Clark and the Acacia Park of host venue Filinvest Mimosa+ Leisure City will be the battleground for this ultimate test of duathlon stamina and spirit.
Nestled within the economic vibrancy of Pampanga and Tarlac, Clark Freeport Zone offers more than just business opportunities. Its where natural beauty meets world-class infrastructure, making it the perfect venue partner for an event of this scale. The athletes will not only race through challenging terrain but will also bear witness to the rich tapestry of Clark’s history and heritage.
“With its extensive road network, expansive green spaces, and thriving sports community, Clark Freeport Zone emerges as the ultimate sports destination and a haven for athletes. It features world-class venues for a wide variety of sports, providing the ideal stage for athletes to demonstrate their unparalleled abilities,’’ said Atty. Agnes Devanadera, President and CEO of Clark Development Corporation.
Beyond the bustling roads of Clark, participants will be challenged across 77.7 miles of run-bike-run. In metric terms, that is 4 kms. of run, followed by a 100km bike ride and a finishing 21km run or a total of 125kms.
“Last year, I raced the inaugural event as part of my preparation for an Ironman event that I signed up for. Duathlon is a different breed of physical pain. You could see in the pictures that I was suffering in the run leg, and that was part and parcel of being undertrained due to my busy schedule as a race organizer,” added race director Jumbo Tayag. “Follow my advice, respect the distance.”
Arguably, the sport of duathlon is tougher physically than its multisport cousin, triathlon. Triathlon’s first leg is swimming, wherein more of the upper body is used. So, 77.7 miles of lower body beating and coupled with a race course that is only 19% of the terrain is considered flat, then there is no doubt that this is Asia’s Toughest Duathlon Race. For the 550 athletes who will toe the line on September 10, each kilometer is a testament to grit and determination.
“When we were offered an international duathlon race brand years ago, we felt that financially, it was not feasible with the conditions we were in with the local endurance market. So as a group, we at GoClark decided to conceptualize a duathlon race brand, something that we can call our own, a 100% Pinoy brand. We came up with a race- format that is unique and palatable not only to the local market, but also to international athletes looking to race overseas for a challenging race,’’ said Coach Abe Tayag, GoClark Director for Athlete Services.
“We are still at around 95% local Filipino participation, but we are glad that the local participation reaches as far as Davao Del Sur to the south and Isabela and Benguet in the North. We grew participation by 31% this year, and we are ecstatic about that. But we also want to increase participation of visiting international athletes. That would truly boost sports tourism.”
Three hundred twenty of the 550 participants in this event will race the Titan 77.7 category. The marquee event category attracts highly trained athletes longing for long distance duathlon glory. One of them is top age group triathlete Reagan Nabua.
Before Nabua became an accomplished age-group triathlete, he started off as a duathlete, travelling to Clark and joining standard distance duathlons.
“Standard distance duathlons (10km run-40km bike-5km run) are already punishing enough, so this Titan 77.7 distance will be doubly hard and painful. It will be my first time doing a long distance duathlon, so hopefully I will be ready. Matira ang matibay,” added Nabua, who was Ironman 70.3 Davao’s first Pinoy age group finisher.
One of the sub-plot is that Titan 77.7 Philippines is the culminating event for the GoClark Duathlete of the Year Race Points Series.
Renowned Coach and long-time age-group champion Don Velasco is aiming for a second straight Duathlete of the Year honors, but he himself knows how big of a challenge it will be. “It’s hard to imagine how difficult the revised bike course would be. From longer false flats to more shorter steeper climbs, it will be harder to keep a steady pace on this revised route. This is Titan 77.7, the tag-line as Asia’s toughest duathlon is true.”
“The top age group duathletes in the Philippines are here, and it is exciting to see all of them battle it out for the glory of being their age group’s top athlete,’’ mentioned Race Director Jumbo Tayag.
For celebrity athlete-vlogger Aira Lopez, Titan 77.7 Philippines will be an opportunity to get her racing legs back after a short hibernation.
“It’s been a while since I have raced due to my busy schedule so Titan will be an opportunity to get back in the swing of things. I will be racing the sprint category, so hopefully I will be fully trained come race day. Clark has always been my favorite race venue so I will enjoy its atmosphere and challenging terrain,’’ said Lopez.
