Cebuana Olympian and Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) gold medalist Mary Joy Tabal is intensifying her training in Tuscany, Italy and she doesn’t need to look far for motivation.
Tabal is bidding to become the first ever runner to win five straight titles in the grand finals of the 41st National Milo Marathon which will be held for the very time in Cebu City, Tabal’s hometown, on December 3, 2017.
In previous interviews, the running phenom admitted that it will be a huge honor for her if she can earn a record fifth women’s title in front of her fellow Cebuanos. Only Eduardo Buenivista has five Milo Marathon titles although he did not win them in consecutive years.
This early, Tabal is already picked the overwhelming favorite to rule the women’s race. She was the first Filipina to compete in Olympic marathon in Rio de Janeiro last year. She also won the country’s first gold medal in the 29th SEA Games in Malaysia last August.
However, the 28-year old barangay Guba, Cebu City native said she won’t be complacent in the upcoming race that’s why she is training hard in Italy together with elite foreign marathoners.
“As of now I am training continuously, in fact I already started my base and endurance training in Cebu last September which was two weeks after the SEA Games. When I got back here in Italy, I continued the program and now I focus on speed as we continue to level up my training,” said Tabal.
“I am doing well with my training here in preparation for Milo Marathon and I hope that I will be in my best shape a month from now,” Tabal added.
She also expressed her excitement to compete again in her hometown. “It’s been a while that I have not run a marathon in Cebu so this race will be very exciting for me,” said Tabal.
Tabal will compete against the champions of the 15 qualifying legs held all over the country in the December 3 grand finals.