19/02/2026
WRAPPING UP THE VENTURA TRAIL RUN 2026
It has been four days since Ventura Trail Run 2026, and we know many of you--our incredible runners (and honestly, all of us on the race team) are still very much in "rest and recovery" mode.
Our journey to the starting line was paved with its fair share of doubts, detours, and delays. Yet, looking back, we are filled with so much joy that the event finally commenced and concluded so successfully despite every hurdle in our path. After a long wait, watching the calendar flip from our original November 2025 date to February 2026--all while the heavens tested our patience with severe weather disturbance, the Ventura Trail Run 2026 finally roared to life under much kinder skies!
Ventura Trail Run 2026 wasn't just a race; it was a triumphant reunion of the trail community, proving that some things are truly worth the wait. In many ways, it served as a firestarter for the trail season, providing a much-needed alternative to the road running events that have saturated the race calendars across Antique and the greater Western Visayas.
It was a breath of fresh air to witness the energy at the Barangay Patlabawon Gym--from the nervous excitement of the runners at the 30KM, 20Km, and the 10KM gun start to the final, exhausted smiles of the last person to cross the finish line. It reminded us all why we love this sport: the grit, the glory, and the incredible people who make it happen.
This event was a testament to what happens when an entire community, from the local government unit to the barangay—pulls in the same direction to celebrate the wild beauty of our home. We did not just conquer trails, but we also built memories that will outlast the soreness in our legs, and the exhaustion of our souls.
With these thoughts in mind, we owe a massive debt of gratitude to everyone who helped make VTR 2026 a trail running experience truly worthy of its own telling.
To the Local Government Unit of Patnongon. Without your trust to the raceteam and logistical support, these trails would still just be lines on a map, and never truly explored;
A special salute and countless gratitude to:
Office of the Municipal Mayor, HON. JOHNNYFLORES S. BACONGALLO, and Vice -Mayor HON. THOMAS V. BACAOCO, for their vision and selfless support.
We also thank the office of Mayor Bacongallo for the provision of free transportation to our runners and marshals to the race venue. Duro gid nga salamat!
To the Office of the Municipal Mayor of San Jose de Buenavista, HON. PAUL JOSEPH N. UNTARAN, for your invaluable support to VTR 2026 by providing free transportation to our runners and marshals from San Jose to the town of Patnongon. Thank you so much, mayor!
The SANGGUNIANG BAYAN MEMBERS and GLADYS MAE ANN N. ESTARIS (Municipal Tourism Officer) for giving us the opportunity to promote outdoor sports tourism, by also supporting community based tourism in Patnongon. Thank you for allowing the Ventura Trail Run to be one of the highlights of this year's Udyakan Festival! 🧡
To our safety guardians:
MDRRMO Patnongon
MHO Patnongon
Patnongon Municipal Police Station (PNP)
Patnongon Fire Station (BFP).
Thank you for making sure the only thing we lost on the mountain was our breath! Your mere presence throughout the race already safeguarded everyone.
To the heart of the race, the Punong Barangays and their respective councils:
Hon. Eduardo M. Dubria (Patlabawon), for letting us turn Patlabawon gym as the race venue.
Hon. Acuisa (Villa Crespo)
Hon. Baculna (Aureliana)
Hon. Ramos (San Rafael)
Hon. Victoriano (Tamayoc)
Without your support and cooperation, VTR2026 would not have been successful as it was. Your tanods and community members were the smiling faces and the cheering crowd that kept our runners safe and on track. Duro gid nga salamat!
To our volunteers/marshals from different outdoor and running orgs, you are the real MVPs! Your selfless support and presence during the race made every detail easier to navigate. You are the soul of this running and outdoor community. Shout out to:
Friends of Antique Trail Runners,
Team Buok
Igbaras Outdoor Adventure
Teamtasyon No-More/ Master Muscle Fitness
Iraynon-Bukidnon Tumandok Mountaineer
Bugasong Slow Runners Club
Dao Running Club
Team Murats
To those who fueled us and dressed us, our valued SPONSORS and SUPPLIERS, thank you for believing in the VTR race team. Your support was the safety net that allowed us to take this leap, and your generosity ensured that our runners and marshals/volunteers felt cared for from the first kilometer to the last:
Yapee Yipee
Elsa & Friends
Amazing Toast and Taste
Antique Pasabuy by Yourshopper
Teacher Vene
Arct Draft Prints
Bread and Butter
Beauty Essentials
Lastly, to our VTR Runners and Finishers: You came from all over to test your limits against the raw beauty of Patnongon. You braved the grueling ascents and technical descents, and the treacherous, loose, and sharp rocks throughout the course. More than just a physical feat, you navigated the mental challenge of following the markers and signages through the wild to reach that finish line.
We were thrilled to see so many new faces entering the trail running world, and we are certain we’ll see that same fire in your eyes at future events across Antique. It is our greatest hope to see these emerging athletes carve their own destinies in this sport, perhaps one day standing shoulder-to-shoulder with local legends like Stingray Onifa and Larry Apolinario. Whether you stood on the podium like Arven Jimenez or Ivy Galuyo, or you were the very last person to cross that line, you have earned the title of a Ventura Trail Warrior. Congratulations to you all! Keep treading new trails and never stop exploring!
The VTR 2026 Race Team admits there is always room for improvement. We want to keep growing, and that means we remain genuinely open to your suggestions and constructive criticisms to help us do better next time. This experience has been a vital stepping stone, helping us learn how to take bigger, more confident strides in future events, if there will be any in the near future. For now, Ventura Trail Run 2026 Race Team is signing off.
Patnongon is quiet again, but the echoes of your cheers still ring in the ridges. Until the next Latas, Takras kag Lagas, trail fam! ⛰️✨
VTR2026 Raceteam officially signing off.
