By ACE DARYLL MARCOS
(This article was published by Manila Bulletin on September 30, 2026. View the article here.)
At A Glance: Four Filipino endurance athletes brace for a grueling testas they take on the challenging Oxfam 100-kilometer Trailwalker event set in November in Hong Kong.
Four Filipino endurance athletes brace for a grueling testas they take on the challenging Oxfam 100-kilometer Trailwalker event set in November in Hong Kong.
Covering most of the MacLehose Trail, starting at Pak Tam Chung in Sai Kung and finishing at the Harrow International School which serves as the 10th and final station, Team Oxfam Pilipinas has shifted its training to a higher gear as they prepare for the intense race which is highly demanding both physically and mentally.
United by a shared goal, John Alster Soriano, 42, of Pangasinan; Adrian Marcelino, 34, of Bulacan; Rey Angelo Imperio, 26, of Quezon City; and Jess Pomido, 35, of Eastern Samar are training as a four-man team for the grueling 100-kilometer challenge which they are targeting to finish in under 48 hours.
“I want to prove to myself that I can do difficult things and come out intact, or even stronger,” said team leader Imperio during a press conference on Wednesday, Sept. 29, at the Ardenhills Suites in Quezon City.
To prepare the team, Tanay Mountaineers, led by founding chairperson Engr. Carlos Evangelista Inofre, created a simulated 100-km training course in the mountainous areas of Rizal.
“Tanay Mountaineers at Oxfam Pilipinas ay matalik na magkaibigan. They help Tanay mountaineers na mas mahasa in terms of trainings and capacity building,” said Inofre.
Tanay Mountaineers Operations Officer John Lloyd Tica also extends his help as the team’s endurance and recovery trainer.
The Oxfam Trailwalker event is an international endurance and fundraising challenge where four-person teams tackle the 100-kilometer trail and must cross the finish line altogether.
The team has one final training session in Rizal from Oct. 16 to 18 before heading to Hong Kong for the challenge.