MARY JOY TABAL’S goal in the Milo Marathon National Finals is clear: complete an unprecedented six-peat and reset the event’s record.
Despite the cancelled training trip in Italy, the 29-year-old pride of Cebu is positive that she can pull off a good performance in the national finals, which is set on Dec. 9 in Laoag City.
“To defend my title and yes part of the goal is to break my Milo Marathon National Finals record. Hopefully I will be injury free,” Tabal told SunStar Cebu.
Tabal of Motor Ace Racing Team owns the women’s 42-kilometer record at 2 hours, 47 minutes and 44 seconds. She set it in the Iloilo City national finals in 2016.
Tabal said that right now they’re approaching the peak phase of her training five weeks left before race day.
“All my training will be in Cebu. Right now I’m done with the base and build phases. We’re going to do the training’s peak phase this week and next week,” said the 29th Southeast Asian (Sea) Games gold medalist.
The stakes are high in this year’s national finals as the Milo Marathon King and Queen will bag a ticket to the 2019 Sea Games, which will be hosted by the Philippines.
Tabal and her team originally planned for her to spend six weeks at Tuscany Training Camp before the national finals. But Tabal’s visa was delayed, prompting the team to cancel the Italy trip.
“My team, Motor Ace Philippines, has promised to provide the necessary things I need even if I’m not training abroad. I will just stay focused on the goal,” said Tabal.
The national finals will be joined by the country’s top runners. The winners in the various regional legs will converge to battle for the annual titles. (RSC)