#BuildChampions one step at a time

MANILA, Philippines – We know of many stories about champions. They have succeeded and inspired people in their own journeys.

For these individuals, it’s also about learning as they constantly improve themselves to become better and stronger physically and mentally. They work hard each training day and persevere through the challenges they face.

But more than just having qualitites and the mindset of a champion, the journey involves practicing the right technique, balancing all aspects of life and having proper nutrition. 

For those who live an active lifestyle, physical preparation is just half the battle. Proper nutrition and maintaining healthy eating habits play a big role in sports. Even if you have one goal and you’re willing to do whatever it takes, you can only go as far as your body will take you.

Athletes and MILO Marathon King and Queen Rafael Poliquit and Mary Joy Tabal, know this all too well.

Standing at 4-foot-11, Mary Joy is the current marathon queen of her hometown Cebu. But don’t let her small stature fool you. The 25-year-old long distance runner has gone through a lot of hard training sessions and races. “I have been told that I can’t run with the elite runners because of my height,” she said. “When I joined a triathlon in Cebu, I just kept on overtaking the pros, and they were wondering how a little kid has joined a triathlon event and was flying while running because I was so fast.”

She has since won local, national and international races, besting more experienced runners, and she continues to do so today. After 4 years of hard work, patience and maintaining a healthy diet she was named the MILO Marathon Queen. She held the title for 2 years in a row.

She has also represented the Philippines in the Paris Marathon in 2014 and ranked 17^th overall. She will also be participating in the prestigious LA Marathon this month and aims to improve her standing based on previous races.

For Rafael Poliquit it’s a different story. A member of the Philippine Air Force, he earned his first ever title as the MILO Marathon King in 2014. “Many times I didn’t win in competitions but after every loss I became more motivated, more eager,” he said. It was unexpected of him to bag the title as he trained on his own. It was an even bigger surprise when he defeated his running idol, Air Force superior officer and five-time MILO Marathon King Eduardo Buenavista, as he gained speed during the last 10km of the marathon.

His self-training includes running at least 2 hours a day and 180km a week. He also joins a race every Sunday to improve his performance and eats right. “My food program comes from the US, my friend there is helping me now,” he said.  

Poliquit was able to balance his work and training each day and now finds himself preparing for the LA Marathon. His dream is to represent the Philippines in the SEA Games, ASEAN Games and the Olympics.

LA Marathon

In a few days, Mary Joy and Rafael will face a new challenge. They will both be participating in the LA Marathon on Sunday, March 15. It’s a whole new challenge altogether – there are new opponents, an unfamiliar course in a different country, the inevitable case of the nerves before the race starts, and staying healthy all the way are major obstacles that they both have to overcome.

Tabal and Poliquit have proven they are champions. And if they can do it – if they can push themselves beyond their limits – you can too.

If you live an active lifestyle, or aiming to improve your skills in what you do, how important of a role is proper nutrition?

Be the best that you can be. Share your stories, inspire others, and show your support for Mary Joy Tabal and Rafael Poliquit as they represent the country for the upcoming LA Marathon on Sunday, March 15 at 7am (10pm on March 14 in the Philippines).

Continue to send us your messages of support for the two athletes and read on what people had to say about their own personal journey to achieve success in their lives. – Rappler.com

Note: Rafael Poliquit finished 24th place out of 12,708 runners while Mary Joy Tabal finished 27th place out of 9,625. Congratulations!