Tuesday, December 31

Grateful for 2019

Coming from an uncertain 2018, I said to myself I will take it easy the following year when it comes to my races. I will only join races that I can manage to squeeze into my schedule.

With no definite goals and targets for 2019, indeed I choose races that I can manage to travel. My Saturdays becomes open which gives me time for trainings and racing, indeed I became literally a weekend warrior. When I do not have commitment in my family I take it a chance to train in the mountain, when a race that I joined can be done without me being away from my work, I do that, even if it means I have to go straight to the airport from work on a Friday and go straight to the starting line to catch up the start of a race with less sleep and rest or no sleep at all. I sleep at rest during the travel.  And same goes on going home after the race. Most of the time I go straight to the airport after finishing a race, to catch up my flight and there were instances that I have to bring my Monday office uniform for I will go straight to the office after I get off the plane. And for all those travels, I only had a carry on luggage, aside from the fact that it will save me some penny, I can be out straight from the plane to catch up a taxi ride rather than waiting for my luggage at the assigned luggage conveyor.

But surprisingly I managed to do more races than I thought I can. Statistics for the year are as follows:

27 Registered Races
2 DNS
4 DNF
4 Full Marathon (Road and Trail)
4 50km Ultra Race
5 55 to 50 mile Race
3 100km Races
5 Below full Marathon Races
8 Out of the Country Races (Malaysia, Taiwan and Hongkong)
7 Asia Trail Master Races Category 

My 2019 races are the following:
1) HongKong 100km Ultra Trail Race - January 19-20, 2019 (HongKong) DNF, #1 Out of the country travel 
2) Seven Eleven Road Race - 32km Road Race - February 3, 2019 (Philippines)
3) Lumban Challenge - 16km Trail Race (Philippines) 3rd Place, Female Category, February 10, 2019
4) Conquer Ascend: Maragondon Peaks Challenge - 42km Trail Race (Philippines )  February 24, 2019 - 2nd Female Category
5) Cordillera Mountain Ultra - 50km Trail Race (Philippines) ATM Race#1, March 10, 2019
6) Sungai Menyala Forest Trail Race - 50km Trail Race (Malaysia-#1) ATM Race#2 - 2nd Female on Age Category - my first international race podium
7) Ultra Trail Mt. Guguan - 100km Trail Race April 27 and 28, 2019 (Taiwan) DNF, #2 Out of the country trip
8) Tayaw Trail Festival - 25km Trail Race ( Philippines)2nd Female Category, May 12, 2019
9) Hardcore Hundred - 100mile Trail Race May 17 & 18, 2019 (Philippines) - DNF
10) Penang Eco Trail Race - 100km Trail Race (Malaysia -#2) ATM Race#3, July 13 &b 14, 2019
11) Run Against Cancer - 12km Trail Race (Philippines) 2nd Female Category, July 21, 2019 
12) Milo Marathon Elimination  - 42km Road Race (Philippines), July 28, 2019
13) Trail Mania PH Marathon - 42km Trail Race (Philippines), August 18, 2019
14) The Magnificent  Merapoh Trail - 100km Trail Race (Malaysia - #3) ATM#4, August 25, 2019 
15) Conquer Assaul: Maragondon Trail Trip Ultra - 55km distance, (Philippines) September 21&22, 2019
16) South Sierra Ultra - 50km Trail Race, Sept. 29, 2019
17) Mt. Talinis Mountain Ultra - 70km Trail Race, (Philippines) 3rd Female, ATM#5
18) Ultimate Trails of Penanng (UToP) - 100km Trail Race, October 12 & 13, 2019 , (Malaysia #4), 5th Female
19) The Great Malaya Race - 100km Trail Race (Malaysia #5) DNF
20) Altra Superior Talamitam - 16km Trail Race, (Philippines) October 27, 2019, 2nd Female
21) Survivor50 - 50km Trail Race, (Philippines) November 3, 2019, 3rd Female
22) Clark Mayamit 50 Ultra Trail Race - 87km Trail Race (Philippines), 6x joining this race, 5consecutive times and made me a certified badass
23) Punisher 50, 80km Trail Race, (Philippines) ATM Race#6, 2nd place, my 10th Grand Master Race, making me 2star GM
24) Monte Alba - 42km trail race (Philippines)
25) Malaysia Mountain Trail Festival - 70km Trail Race, Malaysia #6, ATM Race#7, 6th Female
26) UTMB - August 31 - Sept. 1, 2019, DNS
27) Iranian Silk Route Trail Race - Sept. 29 to Oct 5, 2019, DNS