With less than a month left from the biggest race of her sterling career, Cebuana marathoner Mary Joy Tabal is giving her all in the remaining stretch of her training in Japan to make sure that she’ll be ready for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Tabal was so busy on her training that she even wasn’t able to take a break to celebrate her 27th birthday last July 13.
“My birthday was like any regular day because I was training,” Tabal said.
Tabal is focusing on steady-paced endurance running under the tutelage of Japanese trainer Akio Usami, who is also coordinating with her trainer and partner, John Philip Dueñas in Cebu.
The former Southwestern University runner said she still has to improve her weaknesses, particularly sustaining a pace in a marathon.
“They told me that I already have the speed, but I lack the pacing for a marathon distance race. So they are trying their best to give me the proper training for this and I’m kind of worried because days are passing really fast,” Tabal, the National Milo Marathon Queen, said. “I will focus more on steady-paced endurance running. I will focus on these training programs that they have given me. It’s going to be difficult, but I will do my best.”
Tabal is targeting to finish the women’s marathon race in the Olympics in two hours and 40 minutes or less. Her personal best in a full marathon is 2:48.00 which she got on 2013 during the National Milo Marathon Finals in Manila.
She said that the average finishers of the Olympics in women’s marathon is 2:30, which is a lot faster. Tabal motivated to surpass this challenge. “I know that it’s going to be very challenging because I only have less than a month to train for Rio, but I will do everything that I can.”
Meanwhile, the Cebuana will be missing the courtesy call and send-off ceremony at the Malacañang Palace with President Rodrigo Duterte on July 18 since she will still be training in Japan. She is scheduled to leave Japan on Aug. 2. The Olympics women’s marathon is set to start on Aug. 14.