Prince Joey Lee and Maricar Camacho led the 18,000-strong field which participated in the first Midnight Run Manila.
About 18,000 runners flocked to the SM Mall of Asia Grounds early Sunday, September 7, for the Midnight Run Manila, a unique race that swapped morning sun for neon lights and party vibes.
The event lived up to its name as the 21K participants took off at exactly 12 a.m., followed by the 10K runners at 12:40 a.m., and the 5K field at 1:20 a.m.—all in a festival-like atmosphere with DJs and a glowing race village.
Prince Joey Lee and Maricar Camacho ruled the 21K main event of the HOKA Midnight Run Manila. Lee crossed the finish line in 1:10:28, holding off Rico Jay Patanao (1:10:46) and Jhon Paul Mauricio (1:17:11) in the men’s division. Camacho emerged victorious among the women with 1:28:50, finishing ahead of Jalene Cruz (1:32:15) and Eloisa Cusi (1:33:23).
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RUNRIO president and CEO Rio de la Cruz hailed the night race as a success: “We’re pumped with the turnout. It was a different experience for our runners as we lit the tracks and the finish line tunnel in neon lights while also keeping the vibe alive with our DJ at the race village.”
In the 10K category, Daniel Jorge Cadavos topped the men’s division in 38:00, followed by Joed Alegre (39:39) and Nicanor Mabao Jr. (42:35). For the women, Maria Jonna Lina Abutas clocked 44:36 to beat Hazel Mata (45:09) and Meg Genuino (51:52).
Meanwhile, the 5K saw Mark Anthony Oximar dominate the men’s side in 18:10, ahead of Mon Teruel (19:15) and Jeffrey Reginio (19:27). Jo Punay led the women with a time of 24:19, outpacing Maricris Naciluan (27:53) and Joanalisa Diones (29:04).
The Manila edition is just the beginning, with Midnight Run Davao set for September 28 and Midnight Run Cebu scheduled for November 30, promising more late-night races under neon lights.
[Editor’s note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]