It’s 3:20 a.m. when I stepped out of the tiny inn where I was staying in town. The day before, I was told by the innkeeper that the lighthouse was just about five minutes away on foot, so I was confident to arrive way ahead of the 4 a.m. gun time.

It was still dark, the rest of the town still asleep, and all I could hear was the slight thumping of the air pods of my running shoes as I made my way towards the direction given me.

It turned out that the five-minute walk was actually around 20 minutes, which meant I was already warmed up when I got there.

Upon arriving at the lighthouse, there were just a handful of runners, 11 to be exact, getting ready for the gunstart.

Ordinarily, starting lines are the most frenetic and nerve wracking of environments with a flurry of activities going on. But this one’s no ordinary road race and no ordinary place.

Located at the northern tip of the Philippines, where on a clear day one can supposedly see Taiwan across the Pacific Ocean, Batanes is sui generis.

The race organizers welcomed us warmly and gave last minute reminders. Since the runners already met each other during the race briefing the day before, the camaraderie was already evident and everyone was wishing each other good luck.

Each runner was provided a motorcycle escort so we could leave our food, hydration, and everything else we would need during the race, with the rider. There wasn’t even any need to bring headlamps since the motorbikes would be illuminating our route.

At exactly 4 a.m., the marathon started with little fanfare. The rest of the race, however, was simply epic.

The runners swiftly slithered along the maze of streets in town, past the airport, and into hills. As the sun began rising a little past 5 a.m., the lush landscape began revealing itself and it was nothing less than breathtaking.

The entire run was on paved roads with ascents and descents, but other than the police vehicles and ambulance provided by the organizers and a few motorbikes and tricycles, one was more likely to encounter cows and buffalos than vehicles along the route.

Batanes is a runner’s dream. The air quality is so good, you can really feel your lungs rejoicing. And while the heat and humidity can be a challenge in early June, you will be far too distracted by the scenic views along the route to even mind the weather. The temptation to stop and take in the beautiful scenery was difficult to fight off, and I had to remind myself constantly that I was still in a “race.”

The Batanes 360 Marathon is a loop course that traverses North and South Batan. We passed through Tayid Lighthouse, the famous Marlboro Hills, the Alapad Rock Formation, the pasture lands of Uyugan, the UNESCO Heritage Building “House of Dakay,” the Chana View Deck, and the Basco Light House that serves as the start and finish area.

Most of the time, the runner had a majestic view of either the Pacific Ocean or the West Philippine Sea.

Indeed, running a marathon in another province or region is a great way to discover it. There is something about exploring an unfamiliar place on foot, witnessing the town and the locals wake up with the break of dawn, and seeing the sights up close, that provide a runner a unique perspective inaccessible to ordinary tourists.

The experience is worth so much more than the token registration fee that one pays for to join the race.

I was second to cross the finish line and the first among female runners. Given the terrain and the heat, this was not a race to chase our personal bests.

But sometimes, we run to chase sunrise, or sunsets, and views that leave us breathless.