The Incredible Tale Of A Destitute Ultra Winner
He was the last to sign up and the first to cross the finish line.
He was the last to sign up and the first to cross the finish line.
The story of 21-year-old ultra runner Aivan Villalon of Sipalay, Negros Occidental in the Philippines sounds like something out of a movie. He won the Coast-to-Coast Run, a 65-kilometer race from Toledo City to Cebu City Capitol, which took place over the weekend.
He did it while wearing a pair of broken shoes that he’s had for three years. According to a report on the Sun Star Web site, Villalon was a last-minute entry to the race. He showed up for it on Friday,which made him the last person to register. He then spent the night in a building across from the Toledo City Hall, sleeping on a bed fashioned out of a cardboard box.
Apparently, he took the lead from the start and set a new personal record for 65K at 6:22:52. The Web site noted that he sustained no injuries during the race.
For More: Sun Star