Marathon queen conquers ‘great race’

Christine Hallasgo had competed in a lot of races over the course of her long and impressive athletic career.

But there’s a great race that she will do everything to conquer: Motherhood.

Hallasgo, who used to be Southeast Asia’s marathon queen, said she’s looking up to her fellow mothers — Elma Muros-Posadas and Marestella Torres-Sunang — in making sure that she juggles her athletic career and responsibilities as a mother to seven-year-old Chrisxiah Mae.

The 31-year-old long-distance specialist admitted that being both an elite athlete and a hands-on mother isn’t easy but she’s doing her best to fulfill those roles to perfection.

“I make them (Muros-Posadas and Torres-Sunang) as my motivations since they have proven that they can stay in the national team while having kids,” said the 31-year-old Hallasgo after picking up a silver medal in the 5000-meter event of the Philippine Athletics Championship.

“Being an athlete, we see our children as our motivation to train hard. You have to be disciplined in what you do and work hard to achieve your dreams.”

Hallasgo had found perfect role models.

Married to national team coach George Posadas, Muros-Posadas had a stellar career, winning a total of 15 gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games while attending to the needs of her children in Klarizze and George Michael Jr.

Meanwhile, Torres-Sunang, who is married with former national team member Eleazar Sunang, pocketed five SEA Games gold and competed in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics shortly after giving birth to her son, Matvie, in 2014.

Hallasgo admitted that being both an athlete and a mother isn’t easy, especially when she has to miss important events due to training and competitions.

“There are times that I wasn’t able to go home for months because of training. I am just thinking that I have to do this for her,” said Hallasgo, whose husband, Wilmer Hallasgo, is taking care of her daughter while tending to their business in Bukidnon.

“That’s what it takes to reach your dreams. You have to make a lot of sacrifices, like missing special moments.”

But all those sacrifices are worth it whenever she gets a chance to go home.

“We would bond as a family whenever I go home. I would take her to places she wanted to go and join her in the playground,” Hallasgo, a three-time SEA Games medalist and veteran of the prestigious Tokyo Marathon, said.

“I make the most of my time there since, thinking that I still have to go to Manila to train again.”

Hallasgo revealed that her daughter is showing interest in becoming a runner.

But she’s not forcing her to follow her footsteps.