Nora Trklja: “Running is part of who I am, it’s something I couldn’t do without even if I wanted to”
We continue to bring you the stories of our winners, who have left their mark on each of the previous six Subotica Half Marathons.
Nora Trklja, two-time winner of the women’s race at the 2nd and 5th half marathons, says that her running story began at the seaside, when she was about 19. “I enjoyed the perfection of morning runs with the sea air, the seagulls and the morning sun. Since then, right up to this, my 35th year, running has been an integral part of my life. I never deliberately thought about choosing a sport to do; somehow it came spontaneously, it felt extremely good, so I would rather say that running chose me.”
Nora, who is a fellow citizen of ours, points out that running clears her thoughts, frees her from stress and very often helps her make decisions on important questions in life. “If I am upset, running relaxes me; if I am exhausted, running restores my strength and energy. Running training time is actually the time when I am on first-name terms with myself, it is my therapy, I talk to myself openly and directly, I resolve my dilemmas or just philosophise about life. Honestly, sometimes I am a complicated person, so through running I make life easier for the people closest to me, sorting out for myself what I can.”
Our interviewee adds that it is nicer to run in company, because it feels much better than running alone. “Running has brought me beautiful friendships, wonderful experiences and travels, and I look forward to everything still to come. One of the most beautiful things running has brought me is that I became part of the ASICS FrontRunner team of Serbia, which is part of the global ASICS FrontRunner team. Our mission is to promote running, a healthy lifestyle and the positive effect of physical activity on physical and mental health. I enjoy that role and I really take pleasure in spreading the love of running.”
Asked how much running requires sacrificing free time for the sake of good fitness and physical readiness, Nora Trklja points out that it has never taken up too much of her time. “As much time as someone spends in the gym for the sake of a good physique, I spend in training. It is important to train smart, that is, to have planned sessions, especially if you are preparing for a race or a racing season. As for sacrifice, there have been situations where I had to limit myself to one glass of wine when going out or at a celebration for the sake of a good race result, and that was the hardest for me. It has also happened that, because of family obligations, my training was reduced to running from work to home, but whoever has the will and desire always finds the time and the way.” She adds that in recent years, as part of preparing for some races, there have been hard sessions when she went to her limits, and races during which she wondered what she needed all that for. However, the happiness after successfully completed training and the pride in the result achieved were greater than all the temptations, so they outweighed all the hard moments.
Nora Trklja believes the Subotica Half Marathon is the race with the most beautiful course in our country. “Although I am very subjective, since I was born in Subotica, I know I am right. In her opinion the organisation is phenomenal, and the people involved in the half marathon are, as she points out, wonderful, because they do their job with heart. “I am very glad that the City has stood behind the Subotica Half Marathon from the beginning, and I am extremely proud of my Subotica. My heart is full when I see hundreds of satisfied runners. Every year the organisation gets better, and I believe that this year too the organisers will outdo themselves. Subotica is the pearl of Serbia, a clean, cultured city with wonderful people and beautiful architecture, a multi-ethnic city where differences are respected, so the half marathon is extremely important for the city. Before the half marathon started being organised, I knew many runners from Serbia who had never visited Subotica. Everyone who has run in our city so far is delighted, both with the race itself and with Subotica. When someone takes away such positive experiences, next time they bring their friends and family, visit Subotica outside the race too, and pass on positive experiences to the people around them. Serbia has a very large running community, so organising the half marathon is a real hit for the further development of our city’s tourism, and the date of the race is perfectly chosen, because our Subotica is at its most beautiful precisely at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn.”
To everyone planning to take part in the Subotica Half Marathon, our fellow citizen says that they have chosen a great race and that they will be delighted with both the organisation and the medal. “Given that the race is in summer, be sure to take water at every refreshment station, bring honey or a gel with you to replenish energy, don’t forget to smile and enjoy the most beautiful race course in the country! The best motivation is the thought of the feeling of crossing the finish line on the beautiful square in front of Subotica’s City Hall!”