Intramuros, Manila — The rain poured heavily early yesterday morning in the national capital city. But despite the challenging weather conditions, the Spartan Kids athletes were not bothered by the wet, and mud in the garden.

The competitive heat began precisely at 8:30 in the morning, with participants from different age categories ranging from 3 to 14 years old competing against others in their respective age groups.

Lian Refe, one of the Vitalified Kids who had recently earned her trifecta in the last Spartan Kids Race in Baguio City, also joined and finished the competition.

During an interview, when asked what was the most difficult obstacle for her, “The multi-rig because it was slippery.” Failing an obstacle means a 15 burpees penalty. But it didn’t fail Lian from competing against her competitors. Despite facing a single failed obstacle, Lian's dedication to obstacle course racing (OCR) paid off as she secured an impressive 3rd place within her age group. Her coveted trifecta kids medal was also awarded to her yesterday morning.

But Lian doesn’t stop there; she returns to the race course to guide and pace her friend, Sage, to cross the finish line.

Lian expressed feeling "speechless" and "thankful" for the support she received throughout her journey.

As a message to her fellow kids who aspire to start their OCR journey, Lian offers a brief yet powerful piece of advice: "Stay Brave, and Stay Safe!".

Apart from proud moms and dads, the Vitalified Aunt and Uncle are present to show their support for their nephews. Nats Remolacio's presence alongside Kyrie Sebastian and Aljeri Agnasin's virtual support for North Joaquin Fortin adds an extra layer of encouragement to the event. Watching young athletes race is undoubtedly fun to watch. But for Nats, getting them started on their athletic journey is quite an effort for the whole family. "He didn’t want to join at first because he [Kyrie] thinks he can’t do it." Nats said in a short message interview.

In a time when many kids are drawn to their gadgets, Nats decided to take a different approach to encourage Kyrie to start an active lifestyle by presenting athletic wear, "After giving him [a] new race attire, he eventually gave in and got motivated to train." Nats said.

Meanwhile, North Joaquin Fortin, the nephew of Vitalified Aunt Aljeri, developed an interest in joining Spartan Race Kids after watching her aunt's first race in Spartan Stadion back in 2022. However, at that time, Joaquin was only 3 years old, and the minimum age requirement for Spartan Race Kids was 4, making him ineligible to participate. Aljeri saw it as an opportunity to prepare Joaquin for his future races "I encouraged him to join even at a young age so he can develop grit and mental toughness while having fun doing the obstacles." Aljeri said in a short message interview.

In addition to Nats and Aljeri's encouragement, the parents of these young athletes have also joined in on the journey. Inspired by their children's passion for obstacle course racing, the parents have taken up jogging and exercising to stay motivated and involved in their kids' pursuits.

Both Nats and Aljeri went the extra mile by booking a series of training sessions on Obstacle Central to train their nephews and familiarize them with the obstacles they'll face on the race course.

It's a proud moment seeing their kids crossing the finish line and might give tears of joy for Aljeri, Nats, and to all parents of these young athletes. Tears from the sky mirror the emotions of the volunteers inside the race course as the gun starts for the adaptive athletes category or the specially-abled kids.

The atmosphere inside the course transformed from fun to truly inspiring. Volunteers watch in awe and cheer for these athletes as they bravely conquer obstacles at such a young age. The courage of these specially-abled kids touches the hearts of everyone present, spreading a sense of admiration and motivation throughout the race course.

It's commendable for parents who encourage their children to lead an active lifestyle at an early age. The dedication and passion shown by these young athletes in their chosen sports are evident and inspiring. Regardless of the obstacles, mud, or weather they encounter, they approach their challenges with a positive mindset.

Their determination to conquer their pursuits leaves no room for excuses. —The Creatives Team