How motherhood and solo-training prepares Azara Garcia de los Salmones for World Mountain & Trail Running Championships
- Azara Garcia de los Salmones has always trained alone since she became a mother, and the solitude has made her mentally strong for the task of trail running
- The World Mountain & Trail Running Championships are taking place in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in November
Azara Garcia de los Salmones has an edge over other trail runners, earned by training on her own for 14 years. She will represent Spain at the World Mountain & Trail Running Championships in Thailand, hoping her national pride will add to her mental strength.
“Ever since I became a mum 14 years ago, I’ve always trained alone. I think that has made me very strong mentally, with a lot of suffering capacity and very competitive against myself, which gives me a plus in the competition,” de los Salmones, 37, said.
The Championships will take place in Chiang Mai from November 11 to 14. They are being co-organised by World Athletics (WA), World Mountain Running Association (WMRA), International Trail Running Association (ITRA) and International Association of Ultrarunning (IAU). There will be prize money for the top five men and women.
“Since I was very young, my dream was always to run with the Spanish national team,” De los Salmones said. “It is a unique and unforgettable feeling to wear the Spanish shirt. I feel much more responsibility, I do not run just for me, also for my country and my colleagues. It scares me a little and at the same time motivates me like never before.
“Wearing your selection’s shirt makes you take out of you up to what you don’t have. It gives you strength you thought you didn’t have.”
