In the Bicolano Penguin's interview of Kap Jen Evangelista and Kap Ray Javier on the origins of the Pinoy Runners Global 2021 Challenge, one of the questions raised was what is the key to success of those who accomplished the earlier PRG 2020 Challenge. Being a finisher himself, Kap Jen shared his own experience while Kap Ray suggested that it would be a good idea to ask a few of the other finishers. Hard working that the two are, they did touch base with a few and we are now blessed to get to know more the keys to success of a trio of proven and accomplished Pinoy runners.
Will start with the ladies.
Michelle Magalindan Valera
Originally from the town of Sta. Cruz in Zambales, Michelle is a member of Brgy Dallas. For the PRG 2020 Challenge, she amassed a stagerring mileage of 5,265 miles. To give perspective to that huge number, Appari in the north of Luzon to Sulu in the south of Mindanao has a distance of 1,328 miles. Michelle's mileage is almost 4 times as long. For her key to success, we quote from Michelle's Facebook post:
"Dedication; determination; discipline; being task focused; one step, mile and day at a time; and everything we do matters... MAKE IT COUNT!!! I'm grateful and thankful for each day I have the opportunity to run, running as being part of my lifestyle creates a journey of my running streak. I've been running each day since June 29, 2019, since we've taken a vacation in the Philiipines. I had a crazy thought about a running streak and I started going at it one week to months at a time, then the year came this past June, but I said , I'm not going to set a date to take a rest day, just keep on going...so I keep moving forward each day...I refresh my mind everyday and continue to challenge and also enjoy what the day brings no matter what I go through with family, work and life, God always seems to make it work for me. The enormous support and love from my family and friends kept me inspired and kept the fire lit.
Positive attitude and doing what you love will take you far in life while staying in the present and make the best of each day. I've ran 5,265 miles this year; since the pandemic in March 2020, all the races were cancelled and undertook so many virtual marathons...I started having 20 miles obsessions and the highest I've ran in one week was 130 miles which I ran 5 X 20 miles. I joined many challenges to add spice in my running journey and meet more runners globally. Honestly, I've faced so many obstacles, challenges through all the uncertainties we have right now; I've braved the different situations I have to deal with my family's schedule, have to keep assessing and reassessing how my body and mind were handling all the running I'm doing, and ran through various weather on each season...still the hardest part is to start ...but once you've taken few steps, and apply all the form, mechanics and mental toughness, you can do and be whatever you put your mind into, but JUST DO!!!
Rose Valdez-Russell
Currently based in Florida, Rose hails from Toboso, a small town in Negros Occidental. She has been running for 6 years already and is now one of the leaders of Brgy Florida. A finisher of the PRG 2020 Miles Challenge, she was also recognized as "2020 Pinoy Mamaw Queen.
For Rose the keys to finish or meet 2021 miles are the following:
1. Enjoy the run. It's not about speed so don't pressure yourself.
2. Run your own pace. It's not a competition to anybody else, but you're competing with yourselves to get better from the previous year.
3. Use your fellow runners as motivation to get up and move your legs to run.
4. Do some exercise aside from running. It will help you to prevent or avoid injury in the future.
5. It's a whole year challenge so take it day by day.
And now we hear from the only "thorn" among the roses...
Zaldy Peralta
Zaldy is a leader of the Filipino Athletic Club Ireland (FACI). According to Kap Jen, Zaldy is the first one to declare finishing 2,020 kilometers during the PRG 2020 Challenge. Declared in April 2020, his accomplishment was like a ray of sunshine for other Pinoy runners in an otherwise bleak running atmosphere at the hike of the global pandemic.
In his words, inspite of the global pandemic, Zaldy managed to finish the 2020 km Challenge for 89 days due to:
1. Determination
2. Discipline
3. Passion to run/walk long distance almost everyday
4. Goal orientated
There you go. The sharing from 3 proven and accomplished Pinoy runners. We admire their generosity in sharing their key(s) to success. May the 500+ Pinoy runners from all over the world who have registeted for the Pinoy Runners 2021 Challenge find inspiration in the experience of Michelle, Rose and Zaldy.
Knowledge is priceless.
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