Over 1,200 complete Triple J 5K Bubble Color Run

Kids and adults alike enjoy the bubble shower feature of the 3rd Triple J 5K Family Fun Run/Walk Bubble Color Run last Saturday morning at the Garapan Fishing Base. The return of the event saw over 1,200 participants. (LEIGH GASHES)

The return of the Triple J Saipan 5K Family Fun Run/Walk’s Bubble Color Run saw more than 1,200 colorful participants—with runners Sildrey Veloria and Tiana Cabrera topping their respective divisions. 

The run/walk started and ended at the Garapan Fishing Base with a turnaround just past the Quartermaster Road last Saturday morning.

Runners/walkers were greeted with explosions of colored powder at designated stops along Beach Road then at the finish line, they were met with more explosions of color. They then made their way to “shower” at the bubble machine—with kids and adults alike having fun with the special feature of the event.

The Top 3 overall male behind Veloria’s time of 19:00, were Pony Tang just 17 seconds after, then Kosuke Sato with a time of 19:26.

Veloria was acknowledged for his recent trip down under in the CNMI’s debut in the World Athletics Cross Country Championships 10-kilometer run in Bathurst, Australia last month. Veloria said about repping NMI was that “it was scary at first, but I just focused on my training and went at my own pace…” About the Bubble Run, he said “It was fun. I was hoping to get maybe around 18 minutes but I need more training.”

The Top 3 female is Tiana Cabrera with a time of 23:00, second was Bella Pastula with 23:55, and Marjorie Daria rounded it up with 26:24.

Cabrera, for her part, said this was her third Bubble Color Run and that it “was really good. I just wanted to keep my pace up and it went well. I love these kinds of races because it pushes me and I love the excitement, so it really helped me a lot.”

Triple J Enterprises Inc. vice president Mike Sablan, said in an interview, “This is Triple J’s third Bubble Color Run. We had to stop because of the pandemic during 2020, so we’re so happy to bring this back to Saipan. We were expecting around 1,000 participants but we exceeded that… It was a lot of fun. It was not just a competitive race for those who are working on their times, but it’s also just a lot of family fun.”

“It’s a feel-good type of event made possible by the sponsors and Jones family with the proceeds to be donated to the Make-A-Wish-Foundation and the Marianas March Against Cancer. I’m so glad the turn out came out very nice,” said Sablan.

Sponsors of the event were Tan Siu Lin Foundation, United Airlines, Bank of Guam, Marianas Variety, Mobil Oil Marianas, Power 99, IT&E, Ahglow Products USA, Spa Ocean, Latte Built Gym & Fitness, AB Risk Solution, McDonald’s, Marpac, Micronesian Brokers Inc., Coca Cola, Docomo Pacific, Island Apparel, Gold’s Gym, Sound Hires, Yaong Corp., Ideal Sign, Saipan Computer Services, Matson, and Triple J. 

Results of the rest of the divisions will be posted in the next issues of Saipan Tribune.