The past weekend where the Ironman 70.3 was held in Puerto Princesa will surely inspire people including locals to take up the triathlon sport and maybe take a stab at next years Ironman as the City looks to hold this exciting event on a yearly basis.
Nothing is perfect on its first try as the City hosts the Ironman but surely the participants and organizers were impressed and the local people did not mind that major roads were closed the whole day. It was a confluence of many things that brought about an almost an extraordinary event.
But many circumstances have come into light about the resilience of some tri-athletes in completing the Ironman triathlon invoking admiration from netizens and everyone.
One of the highlights of this display of courage was Mary Pauline “Paw” Fornea who got her shoe damaged after running 3 kilometers of the 21km leg. She wore sandals but later she finish most of the race barefooted.
She went on to write in her Facebook post:
“My first Ironman 70.3 Race: IRONMAN 70.3 Puerto Princesa 
My shoes was damaged at KM3 of the 21km run leg. Instead na ma-bad trip, mag-tantrum, umiyak at tumigil sa race… I focused myself on HOW I CAN FINISH my first Ironman 70.3?
“Quitting” is NEVER my option. Kahit gapangin at kakaladkarin ko ang sarili ko sa finish line… Kahit madugo… gagawin ko.
Ito ang option ko: BAREFOOT RUNNING 
Kahit mainit parang impyerno ang panahon at most especially ang semento na may maliliit na tipak ng bato at bubog. Tuklap at dumudugo ang paa, pero hindi ang puso ko. 
If that was not a display of courage then we do not know what is. If others had to finish the race with hard effort as the Ironman is of endurance and indomitable will, her personal effort is doubly hard with the heat of the cement road exacerbated by direct contact of her feet with small stones and what particles are on the road floor.
She went on to share a poem which she memorize by heart and no doubt help her finish the race.
“Share ko lang po ang poem na mine-memorize namin by heart sa Philippine Military Academy at US Naval Academy:
“Don’t Quit”
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low but the debts are high,
And you want to smile but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is strange with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many failures turn about
When we might have won had we stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow –
You may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out –
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
You can never tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit –
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.
Congratulations to Ms. Mary Pauline “Pawie” Fornea and to all the participants of the Ironman 70.3 Puerto Princesa. Also to everyone who made the event possible. Truly a remarkable feat.
Photos from Ms. Mary Pauline “Pawie” Fornea, Sportograf.com, Jenn Rausa and Kentclicks
