Anita Calbert and Dragomir Ristanović are the winners of the 3rd Subotica Half Marathon
We have reached the 3rd Subotica Half Marathon, which was held in 2019. This sporting event, no less well attended than the previous ones, also produced its winners in the men’s and women’s categories.
The title of fastest woman went to Anita Calbert from Subotica, who says she chose running as her favourite sporting discipline because of its simplicity and accessibility, but also the challenges it offers her as a sport. “Running has brought me many benefits, both physical, such as better fitness and endurance, and mental – stress relief and a sense of achievement. For me running means a challenge, freedom and a way to keep a balance between body and mind.” According to her, running requires discipline and dedication, which sometimes means getting up early or giving up some other activities.
She rates taking part in the Subotica Half Marathon as outstanding, because in her opinion the competition is well organised and the atmosphere is inspiring. “The half marathon is very important for our city, because it promotes a healthy lifestyle and a sporting culture. To everyone planning to register for the races this year, I say: prepare well physically and mentally, listen to your body and enjoy the process. As motivation, I wish them to believe in themselves and enjoy every step.”
Dragomir Ristanović from Belgrade, who won the men’s race, points out that running has always been present in his life as a kind of superpower he activates as needed, to escape from something or to reach something. “I don’t feel I ever started or stopped running, because that passion simply appeared and has remained present.” From personal experience Dragomir claims that running has numerous health benefits that he cannot even explain himself, but he is especially grateful to running because it taught him discipline and the realisation that only regular and dedicated work is the key to success. “Being calm and focused on the goal at moments when there is no motivation, you run out of breath and your legs give out is a skill that makes the difference when you face any other problem in life. As a famous rugby player said: ‘Today I will do what others won’t, so that tomorrow I can do what others can’t.’ Sacrifice is always the price you have to pay to be a better version of yourself, but I don’t see that price as a cost, but as a deposit that will pay off many times over in health, emotions and memories.”
For the impressions he carries from the 3rd Subotica Half Marathon, he says, words fail him. “When I rewind the film in my head, it is as if someone edited that footage and cut out all the bad scenes. I remember a beautiful sunny day, a river of cheerful runners, fans and volunteers, and that feeling of the finish tape ‘embracing’ my chest. It was unreal, unforgettable and simply impossible to describe. I am an architect and urban planner, and for me every walk through a city is an adventure of a kind, and running gives all that a new dimension. It opens the heart of the city to us and lets us, striding down the middle of the street, experience it in a way unknown even to many who have lived there for decades.” As he points out, in his opinion Subotica is a treasury of rich cultural and historical heritage, fairy-tale-beautiful buildings and landscapes that take your breath away even without a race. “I believe that, thanks especially to the half marathon, a great many people have realised that.”
Asked what he would say to everyone planning to register for one of the races this year, how to prepare and what motivational messages he would send them, our interviewee says: “If you are aiming for a good result, remember that there is no bad training session, only the one you did and the one you didn’t. Find your pace and try to hold it, spend yourself, but always recover and beware of injury. If you are aiming only for a good time, arm yourself with a smile and show up in Subotica. My personal advice is to aim for both!” And when we asked him what running means to him personally, he jokingly replied: “Oops, my interview time is up. Sorry, but I have to go to training…”