The Galaxy Manila Marathon was as good as advertised as it lived up to the hype of being the country’s biggest premier race.

Over 19,000 runners from 16 countries joined in the crown jewel of the Philippines’ running calendar at the SM Mall of Asia Grounds over the weekend.

About 3,000 of those took part in the 42K race which traversed a scenic route around the major thoroughfares like Roxas Boulevard and Buendia Avenue as well as some of the capital’s historic sites like the Rizal Park and the walled city of Intramuros.

Organized by RUNRIO with Samsung as title sponsor, the race really tested the runners’ endurance and fortitude, especially with the high stakes hanging in the balance with this being sanctioned by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association, part of the World Athletics Rankings Competition, and is certified by World Athletics.

But the spotlight wasn’t just on the elite runners, with the Galaxy Manila Marathon also a display on how serious the Philippine running community has come to be.

A record 7,000 runners joined the 21K race, setting the mark for the biggest turnout for a half-marathon race in the country.

And it wasn’t just athletes like Nikko Huelgas, but also celebrities such as Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio, Ramon Bautista, and Bernadette Sembrano who pushed themselves to the limit as they sent a strong statement that the Filipino runners are hungry for more.