First Davao City Trail Ultra draws 3,000 runners
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 July 2026) – High atop a plateau framed against the backdrop of the city’s mountain ranges, around 3,000 runners will lace up on July 26 for the DC Trail Ultra, the first-ever trail run sanctioned and organized by the city government of Davao.
In an interview with MindaNews Thursday, Acting Head of the City Sports Development Division Michael Denton Aportadera said the vision for the race started last year but only fell into place early this year, in collaboration with local technical working groups, culminating in an event that melds sports and tourism.
Aportadera said that while Davao has built a reputation as a city active in running and similar activities, they felt like there were still things that needed to be explored. Combining nature with exercise, a trend that started in the city around the time of the pandemic, became a focus in the design of this year’s inaugural run.
“We have so many people into that, so that’s why we decided to let everybody appreciate the beauty of Davao City beyond the roads,” he said.
This invitation was extended not only to the residents, but also to trail runners from different parts of the Philippines, and even some countries in Southeast Asia, to boost tourism.
“When they come here, they spend at least a week or two before the said race date, and they bring along their family with them. They would enjoy the local food, experience the local culture, and stay in Davao City. So if you sum it all up, it’s good for the economy, for tourism,” Aportadera added.
For Rudy Comawas Jr., or Nyor, who hails from Maragusan, Davao de Oro, it was a call that needed to be answered.
Covering four distinct distance categories, the DC Trail Ultra routes will traverse the city’s natural landscapes, with Baguio Central Elementary School as the starting point. The most grueling of these is expected to be the 50km category, which traces a 50.85km route along a terrain that features a 2,404-masl elevation gain and a 2,395-masl elevation loss within a 15-hour cut-off time.
This is the race Nyor is running in this year’s DC Trail Ultra, which is his fifth trail run since he started running in 2025. In his first trail run, where he also ran 50km, he finished three minutes shy of the cut-off time at the Bukindaw x Santo Tomas challenge. To prepare for this one, he did a series of long-distance runs where he set a weekly target distance of 50km. He also did heat training and elevation gains training, as well as minor hikes while carrying a 20-kg loaded bag.
“Gina-expect gyud nako na lahi ni siya na bukid, di ni siya basta-basta, kailangan nimo i-prepare imong self ayha ka musabak. Aside pud ana, ang trail run, di nimo masiguro imong lawas sa bukid, mao na kailangan gyud [mag-prepare] (I really expected that this would be a different, extraordinary route, so you need to prepare yourself before you take it on. Aside from that, in trail running, you cannot be entirely sure of your body’s condition when you’re already up there, so you really need to do the work to prepare),” he said.
Arnie Macañeras, professional trail runner and team captain for the Philippine Trail Running Association (PhilTRA) National Team, echoed Nyor’s sentiment about the importance of training. Currently in Indonesia for a separate trail running competition, Arnie said that he had experienced the route himself and found it technically remarkable.
“Katong nag-ruta mi dira, naay mga parts na very technical; kung wala kay preparation ana, maglisod gyud ka, (When we did that route, there were some parts that were very technical; if you haven’t prepared, you’d really have a hard time),” he said. Training, for him, is a legitimate way to prepare, especially if it’s consistent. “Di lang yung once a week; gawin nilang thrice or apat na beses sa isang linggo na consistent na training (Not just once a week; ideally, it should be thrice or four times a week, done consistently),” he added.
The DC Trail Ultra is a PhilTRA Championship Qualifier race, which uses a points-based ranking system to scout for promising talents to represent the Philippines as a PhilTRA national athlete. It is also officially recognized and indexed by the International Trail Running Association (ITRA).
Aside from the 50-km race, the event also features a 25-km race, a 12-km race, and a 5-km race, making it inclusive and appropriate for various skill levels.
Beyond the competition
At the People’s Park on July 23, Niell was picking up his race kit for the 12-km race, holding it up to proudly take a photo. A road runner, the DC Trail Ultra is going to be his first trail run.
“First time sa Davao City na mag-handle og trail so na-engganyo sad ko. Also, as a first-timer, excited din to represent Davao City ani na trail run (It’s Davao City’s first time to handle a trail run, so that encouraged me to join. Also, as a first-timer, I’m excited to represent the city in this trail run”), he said.
Trail running friends Nelieta, Danly, Rosebel, and Jerson also signed up for the race, running in different distance categories. Nelieta, who started trail running three years ago, described it as a more challenging form of running. “In trail, you use more muscles: your abs, your quads, more muscles are used,” she said.
But they were united in connecting trail running to something beyond its physicality. Nelieta was a runner when she was young, so when trail running became popular, she found a way to reconnect with her past passion.
“It’s a form of looking back as to where you belong, and it’s a form of therapy,” Jerson added, which was affirmed by Danly.
For Nyor, trail running became a core part of the strategy to finally quit smoking and transform his physical health, going from 103 kilos to 75 kilos. He also saw positive changes in his mental and emotional health. “Kung bad day, idagan ra na nimo, ma-okay na. Stressed ka, idagan na nimo, okay na, (If you’re having a bad day and you run, you find that it gets better. If you’re stressed and you run, you feel better)”, he said.
Aportadera also said that sports, like trail running, can bring people and families closer. And as in the case of car-free Sundays at the Coastal Road, where runners like Nielle are grateful for the privilege to run without worrying about vehicle traffic, Dabawenyos can get inspired to be more active and live healthier lives, he said.
Nelieta and Rosabel ended by simultaneously quipping, “Movement is medicine.” And for Arnie, trail running grants a profound sense of appreciation for God’s work.
“Ma-appreciate kaayo nimo unsa ang gibuhat sa Ginoo para sa atoa. Although kapoy na kaayo ka pero murag mabawi ba kay makita nimo ang nature na ‘wow, naa diay ingani na di nato makita sa city lang’ (When you’re up there, you can really appreciate what God has created for us. Although you’re tired, the exhaustion dissipates because you can see Nature and it makes you realize, ‘wow, this beauty outside of the city exists’),” he said.
Underpinning the science
Davao City District Health Physician Luis Antonio Flores attributes these physical and mental benefits to specific physiologic mechanisms triggered by exercise, like trail running.
“Pwede siya makadecrease sa chance of being depressed and anxiety tungod sa decreased cortisol and increase in serotonin, endorphin, etc. (It can decrease depression and anxiety risks because it decreases cortisol while increasing serotonin, endorphin, etc.),” he said.
Trail running also boosts the body’s stamina, which reduces the chance for burnout and fatigue, while also improving overall health.
“Due to [an] increase in VO2 max [or the volume of oxygen the body consumes at maximum exertion], beneficial pud siya sa cognitive function circulation and metabolic functioning (Due to an increase in VO2 max or the volume of oxygen the body consumes at maximum exertion, it’s also beneficial for cognitive function circulation and metabolic functioning),” he said.
For fellow enthusiasts, Nyor reminded that listening to the body should be of paramount importance, even with proper training.
“Always listen to your body na di nimo ipugos. Kung di makayag dagan, baktas. Di man na makawala sa imong dignidad (Always listen to your body and don’t force anything. If you can’t run, walk at your own pace. That won’t strip you of your dignity)”, he said.
Winnings
Php1 million pesos worth of cash prizes await the top runners of the DC Trail Ultra, with cash prizes for the Top 10 male and Top 10 female runners in each distance category. Top 3 male and Top 3 female finishers by age category will also receive cash prizes, according to the Davao City government. (Kat Petines-Rabino/MindaNews)
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