Villafria leaves for Mt. Fuji Marathon Monday

Longtime runner Ronald Villafria will be flying to Japan this Monday, 11 days in advance of his participation in the Mt. Fuji Marathon set for July 25.

The Coco Restaurant employee said he is leaving Saipan early to allow his body to acclimate to Japan’s colder weather.

Villafria said he will also be doing some training while in the Land of the Rising Sun’s capital, as he will be jogging around the Imperial Palace to prepare for the 36-kilometer challenge.

The veteran long-distance runner, who wore the CNMI’s colors in the recent 2008 Oceania Championships held here on Saipan, said he has prepared for the Mt. Fuji Marathon by running at least three hours a day the past three months.

Villafria said he has become a familiar fixture in Marpi and Mt. Tapochao the past several weeks because that’s where he and Steve Pixley have been training. Pixley will also run the Mt. Fuji Marathon but will leave at a later date.

Villafria, however, won’t ever confuse Mt. Tapochao with the real deal as Mt. Fuji is 12,388 feet (3,776m) or almost eight times the height of Saipan’s highest point.

He added that he is thankful for Northern Marianas Athletics for picking him to represent the CNMI in the 5000m and half marathon event of the 2008 Oceania Championships.

Villafria said his half marathon experience was especially helpful because, aside from Beach Road being level, the distance is almost the same as the Mt. Fuji Marathon.

On expectations about his race in Japan, the longtime nonresident worker on Saipan said he will be happy just to finish the Mt. Fuji Marathon.

“My only goal is just to finish the course and to meet the time limit on every stage. I’m okay with that, at least my effort will not go into waste,” he said.

The Mt. Fuji Marathon, or Fuji Tozan Race, is composed of two legs—a 15-km race to the fifth station of the mountain and a 21-km race all the way to the top. The final six kilometers of the race is also a trail run.

Villafria also took time to thank God foremost for giving him the opportunity to join the Mt. Fuji Marathon.

He also extended his gratitude to the Legal Department of Tan Holdings Corp. namely Pixley, Ariel Mariano, Ron Biggers, Susan Espanilo, and Maricar Guinto as well as the company’s senior vice president Eli Arago.

Ditto for all the sponsors of his “Run for Run” fundraising event. He also tipped his hat to Luen Fung Enterprises Saipan for shouldering the cost of his roundtrip ticket to Japan. Last but not the least, he also thanked Coco Restaurant, its owner Kyung Rae Seo, and his co-workers for all the support they’ve given him the past several years.

Villafria helped an all-Filipino team composed of biker Rene Calage and swimmer Rezne Wong to sweep their own Pacific Islands Club Double this year as their relay team topped the 6th XTERRA Saipan Championship and 19th Tagaman Triathlon.

He also placed third in this year’s 10K Fun Run in the 3rd Annual Saipan Marathon and 26th Half Marathon last January.

In December last year, Villafria single-handedly took on the almost 20-kilometer Christmas Island Relay run from Pacific Islands Club in San Antonio to the Last Command Post in Marpi, finishing second to Team We Are Legend.