MANILA, Philippines – The 24-hour Mountain Bike Endurance Race will be held today at the sprawling grounds of the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

The event is jointly sponsored by the city government, the Department of Tourism and the Bureau of Corrections.

Bikers from the city and other points are expected to join the race designed to promote “adventure tourism,” at the five-hectare New Bilibid Prison reservation that houses detention facilities apart from scenic spots.

Glenn Ricaros, head of the city’s tourism office, said that by organizing activities like adventure sports, they would also be able to promote the country’s tourist attractions.

The DOT is donating prizes and trophies for the event.

The race will begin at noon and end at around the same time tomorrow. Registration is ongoing, and participants are advised to use their own mountain bikes.

Ricaros said bikers and guests alike would see landmarks like the Memorial Hill, where some of the NBP directors were buried; and the Japanese Canyon that gained fame during World War II.

Other sites are Jamboree Lake, the smallest natural lake in the country, and the Director’s Quarters, described as a smaller version of the Mansion House in Baguio City.

“Bikers can take a short rest if they want, although their competitors might get ahead of them if their stops are frequent,” Ricaros said.

A camping area will be designated inside the reservation where participants’ families can wait for the race to finish.

Ricaros said bikers could choose from three categories: solo, where men would be separated from women; mixed, where men would partner with women bikers; and team, with five to eight bikers per group.

The race will cover a 5.5-kilometer loop consisting of single and double tracks. The bikers would have to go around the loop as many times as possible until the end of the race. The one who completes the most number of laps wins.

Race director Thumbie Remigio said the adventure race would allow a biker to define his/her limits of endurance, but still test his/her comfort zone.

The race would also promote camaraderie, sportsmanship, teamwork, apart from being a fun activity, he added.

Last year, some 250 bikers from Metro Manila, Baguio, Batangas, Laguna and the Visayas participated in the event. Remigio said there were also bikers from China and Australia.