Let’s Run, Dad.
As endurance athletes, we all have our reasons why we “tri”, run, and do what we do. For Marcus, triathlon, along with running, has a whole lot of meaning attached to it. And it begins with his Dad.
We we’re scrolling along our feed and we saw this post from Marcus Faytaren. A member of Youth Development Team and currently training under tutelage of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) and its Coaches. We talked to him about how he started, and most importantly, how important his dad is to him and why he wants him to run. But more importantly, we got to find out what goes behind the mind of a competitive athlete and importance of a strong support system.
Screengrab from Marcus’ facebook page
I want to run with my dad Jonathan Abaya Faytaren, the person who introduced me Aquathlon and Triathlon and opened opportunities for me through the help of Batang Tri Grassroots Program, where-in I received my first pair of running shoes sponsored by BROOKS (2015) – one of the main supporters of Batang Tri Grassroot Program. So that I can encourage him to run and lose weight to improve on his health condition, which he badly need right now. I couldn’t have been such a better athlete without him. Since it has been half year now, so busy preparing for future races like SuBIT and Batang Pinoy etc. that would be some of the qualifiying races for the athletes that would be sent to race with other athletes across the globe for the Youth Olympic Games. So thankful to all my Coaches: Coach Kevin Eijansantos, Coach Jojo Macalintal, Coach Joel Villa, and Coach Jeffrey Tan.
#RunHappy #BrooksRunningPH #BrooksTogetherWins
SBR.ph : Hi Marcus! Welcome to SBR.ph! Can you tell us more about your post? Why do you want your Dad to run with you?
Marcus : My dad is a good hardworking father who raised me to be a disciplined, strong willed, and kind hearted son. For all that he has done I want to pay him back by helping him to get back his old gym bod or a better, fitter Jonathan.
SBR.ph : You’re one of the young guns of Philippine Triathlon. How did it all start?
Marcus : I started swimming at a young age. My parents Gina Lopez Faytaren (Mother) and Jonathan Abaya Faytaren (Father) wanted me to learn how to swim as a life saving skill specially because floods are common in Marikina. After a few swimming sessions under my inspiring coach Joel Villa, he told my parents that I had the potential to become a good swimmer. In a few months I was a novice at Valle Verde where I got the “Most Outstanding Swimmer Award”. My life as a swimmer bloomed from there as I became more motivated to be a successful swimmer. To this time I keep dreaming and still work hard on achieving more awards and to be a delegate to represent NCR Region at the Palarong Pambansa in a few years. In triathlon, my career actually started when coach Kevin Eijansantos pulled me out from Batang Tri to join his Tri Team titled “Coach Keb Racing”.
SBR.ph : What role did your Dad play in your career?
Marcus : He (my dad) was so determined to make me a successful athlete that he pulled me out of swimming and introduced me to a new sport (Triathlon) and forced me to make a deal which is to earn money to build a bike. Well I agreed on that as I’ve saved my daily allowance just to earn money to buy bike parts, di naman katagalan yung pagipon ko mga halos isa’t kalahating taon lang naman inabot, yung bike ko na yun proud na proud na ako dun kahit yung frame ay yung galing Quiapo lang na Cervelo S1 frame na nagkakahalagang tatlong libo tapos naka Sora Groupset lang kahit makita ko mga kalaban ko na naka Cannondale, Scott, Specialized na frame na naka 1o5 na Groupset o kaya Ultegra di ako na down kasi alam ko pinagipunan ko yun.
SBR.ph : You mentioned something about the Batang Tri Grassroots Program (BTGP). Can you tell us more about it?
Marcus : Batang Tri is a Tri team made by head coach of TriMac Jojo “JoMac” Macalintal this team helps kids with potential all around Luzon to have formal training, and is the first tri team that I had to train and competed with, Batang Tri has a coach that has good history, racing in triathlon, coach JoMac and asst. coach Jeffrey Tan make sure to keep their athletes motivated everyday to get them showing their best in each and every training as possible.
SBR.ph : You must have plenty of Sponsors by now. Who are they?
Marcus : TYR, Brooks, Seafood Island, Cratoni Helmets
SBR.ph : What were your first races?
Marcus : I started off by joining some Aquathlons just like Ateneo Aquathlon, Splash & Dash, and the Iron Kids, my first Aquathlon race where I raced with strong triathlete Sabino Czar “Bambam” Manglicmot a former team mate of mine. That race was ALASKA Iron Kids Aquathlon at Marist School, Marikina where I came out 3rd place. Now I’ve graduated from ALASKA Iron Kids after winning 2nd place for three times and twice bagged the 3rd place. With Batang Tri my first race was the Bataan International Triathlon(Bi3 2015) at Las Casas, Bataan where I lost at the swim leg because I lost my concentration feeling confident that I was sure to win I lost my way but I still managed to catch up with the leading contenders. I grabbed only the fourth place overall. I have learned from that race that “Over confidence is not a good thing after all” which I no longer had in the next races. My first TRAP race was the Philippine Aquathlon Championships(PAC 2016) at Camayan Beach Resort, Subic, the first race where I trained under my able coach Kevin Eijansantos,-currently new Phil. Tri Team Coach. In this race I got 3rd place in the Youth Category.
SBR.ph : What are your goals as a Triathlete?
Marcus : I have only one goal for now as a triathlete, and that is to be picked as the Philippine Delegate to the Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games and to win honors for the Philippines.
SBR.ph : Thanks, Marcus! We hope your Dad Jonathan reads this and fulfills your wish. :) Good luck!
T.A.G.G.E.D. (The Age Grouper) is the lifestyle section of SBR.ph where we feature age group and select athletes from all over country and give them the platform to shine and share their story. Want your story on T.A.G.G.E.D.? Email us at tagged(at)swimbikerun.ph
