Festival of Runs now globally recognized

The Annual Festival of Runs, which hosts multiple marathons of various lengths in one day, has just recently acquired globally recognized certification for each marathon, leaving the Marianas Visitors Authority hopeful for an increase of international participants.

Four certificates were obtained by a team led by MVA community projects manager Martin Duenas for the Saipan Ultra Marathon, Saipan Marathon, Saipan Half Marathon, and Saipan 10km, officially measuring in distance at 50km or 31.07 miles, 42.195km or 26.21 miles, 21.0975km or 13.11 miles, and 10km or 6.21 miles respectively by the certifying body, the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, or AIMS.

The certificate also includes recognition from the International Association of Athletics Federations, or IAAF.

MVA board chair Marian Aldan-Pierce said the certification might prove to be significant in attracting international markets to Saipan.

“We are hoping that it would bring us more runners since it has been certified by AIMS and IAAF. We just have to make sure that we take advantage of that and publicize it. The Festival of Runs has been a very successful program of MVA but there has been a decline in the last couple of years so we hope that [the certification] could boost up the participations,” she said.

“I think because of the certification the marketing people of the various countries would now take that and make sure that everybody knows about it.”

MVA managing director Chris Concepcion said the certification allows for additional advertising of Saipan as well as additional perks for international and local marathon-runners that are interested in joining the oldest and most prestigious marathon in the world—the Boston Marathon.

“Now that we have [been certified], we are officially on the global map [for marathons],” said Concepcion. “Our membership in AIMS automatically list us in their website of world-recognized marathons. We get a free quarter page advertisement in their magazine (Distance Running Magazine) every year.”

Concepcion added international marathon-runners access the globally recognized AIMS and IAAF website to see which marathons they can run in.

“We should expect more international participants because we are going to market it as [a way to join the Boston Marathon].”

One may expect a qualifying slot in the Boston Marathon by joining and finishing the Saipan Marathon.

The certification issued by AIMS and IAAF has a five-year term that is easily renewable at the end of the term should there be minimal to no changes in the marathon route.

Concepcion said a representative of AIMS that went through the route by bike and was also escorted through the highways by the Department of Public Safety manually measured the marathon.