What difference would it make in your life if you had an absolutely unshakable confidence in your ability to achieve anything you really put your mind to?
Have you ever had moments where you doubt yourself and your capability to actually accomplish things and entertained thoughts in your head saying you can’t do it, you’re not good enough, you’re weak, never strong enough, and you’re bound to fail? I have! Quite a lot of times! Well, almost all the time actually! But I am just glad that despite all the doubts, I often prove myself wrong. Photo below is a proof! Doubted I’d ever finish a 70km+ Mountain Marathon, and I did! 😀
Hello again friends, mumsh, veshies, fans (chars!), and oh, haters? It’s me again! It’s been quite a while as usual since my last race report entry. My bad! Life got in the way and struggled to get my writing mojo back. Soooo! What have I missed? A lot I guess. As much as I want to constantly write an entry here, my schedule is crazy and sometimes procrastination gets in the way. Yeah, Spank me! Okay, I am just excited to share my last ultra trail race experience. Long overdue actually. I have been wanting to blog about it after getting back from that out of town race but, yeah, I got lazy and busy. 😀
So back to the questions above, do I ever doubt myself? Certainly I did have doubts and a lot of demons in my head when I signed up for my last race, the Mt. Talinis Ultra Mountain Marathon 2019. It wasn’t really something that I and my team planned for long, it was a sudden decision through the persuasion and encouragement of RD Carlo Chiong who also served as our coach and mentor in preparing for the race. It was not in my plans just yet to increase race distances as I wanted to be more comfortable with 50kms first before going up a notch higher. But my training partner was too determined to run 50miles in Mapawa that I committed to her that I’d join her in trainings in preparation for the hell-ish Mapawa 50miles race. But because we were part of the organizing team, running the said race became impossible. Hence, the shift of race and venue! Pla decided to run in Mt. Talinis Mountain Ultra Marathon and encouraged me to register as well so we get our 70km race unlocked! It was a bit of a hard decision actually but I signed up a day after she did anyway. So, there! 70km trail running for me and my training buddy. At first I was just cool about it, not excited, not threatened, steady lang. Until the days progressed, I felt like I was cramming with training, though I think we were just right on track training-wise. But still, nerves were starting to get the best of me as the final day approaches. The demons in my head were starting to creep in and there I was, beginning to get scared and actually entertained the thoughts of bailing out! It was my first 70km trail running race and I didn’t think I would be able to make it to the finish line on time. The intermediate cut-offs were intimidating me big time! I always get intimidated with intermediate cut-offs! Looks like I developed trauma with intermediate cut-off as my first ultra dnf was due to not reaching the AS (Aid Station) before intermediate cut-off time, though that was my first and only DNF so far. But anyway, the training continued.
