I had the opportunity to compete in the 9th Luka Koper Istrski Maraton, a 42-kilometer running competition in Slovenia. Some say it's one of the toughest marathons in Slovenia. It was a challenging race, with strong winds and some elevation changes, but I was determined to push through and do my best.
I felt pride and accomplishment as I crossed the finish line after 4 hours, 9 minutes, and 38 seconds. I had placed fourth in my category and 25th overall among women, which was a great result given that this was my first marathon after 14 years.
This race reminded me of my second marathon, which took place in Ljubljana back in 2009 when I was just 18 years old. Running a full marathon felt like an unbeatable challenge at the time, and I finished the race in 4 hours, 30 minutes, and 1 second. It took me 3 minutes to get to the start line, which is visible as the difference in the official results.
Only two weeks later, I competed in another race, Sladkih 6, where I ran 48.645 kilometers in six hours and placed first in my category U20. That experience showed me that I could achieve more than I ever thought possible, and it motivated me to keep pushing myself to new heights.
Of course, my love for running started much earlier than that. My first marathon was actually in kindergarten, but that's a story for another day! I still feel that same sense of accomplishment and pride as I completed a marathon. Each race presents unique challenges, but the sense of achievement is always the same.
I'm grateful for the opportunities to compete in these races and am excited to continue pushing myself to new heights. Whether it's in Ljubljana, the Slovenian coast, or any other beautiful destination, I believe that the experience of running a marathon will always stay with me.
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