Jessa Mae Roda knew that the title was already in the bag when she reached the last five-kilometer mark of the PCSO Charity Run half-marathon event on Sunday morning at the Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati City.

Roda, a 22-year-old National University standout, broke away from the lead pack in the final stretch to cross the finish line in one hour and 28:01 minutes and emerge victorious in the half-marathon event organized in celebration of the National Day of Charity.

Roda ran with around 4,000 runners and fitness enthusiasts who went through the car-less streets of Ayala Avenue and Makati City before passing through the 3rd Avenue, Lawton Avenue and Bayani Drive in Taguig City before making a return to Metro Manila’s central business district.

“I ran faster down the stretch as I felt that other runners were already catching up. I needed to run faster in th last five kilometers to win this event,” said Roda, a bronze medalist in the women’s 1500-meter run event in Season 87 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

“Although I was nervous at first, I am still happy knowing that other elite runners joined here as well.”

Roda said she is using the tournament as part of her preparation for Season 88 of the UAAP starting November and the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok this December.

Aside from marathon event, she will also see action in 3000m steeplechase, 5km and 1500m run events in the UAAP. In the SEA Games, she will vie in steeplechase and 5K running events.