Carpe Diem runner takes silver at Manilva 25km trail race

by Eyleen Gomez
Joanna Niezborala took silver at last weekend’s trail run in Manilva, completing the tough 25km course in a time of 2:45:47.
In the world of running, the allure of the open road often competes with the rugged charm of mountain trails. For avid runner Ms Niezborala, this dilemma led to a seamless fusion of two passions – running and time spent amidst the majestic mountains.
While a seasoned participant in races since childhood, it was only a couple of years ago that she delved into running more seriously.
“At first, I used running to maintain my fitness and improve my cycling. It’s less time-consuming and does not require five hours of your time, unless you are lost in the woods,” she said.
“However, now, I can’t imagine my week without running sessions.”
Although she began trail running just last year, the connection felt natural, merging the love for running with the serenity of time spent in the mountains, away from the hustle of the world.
“It’s very different from road running, full of obstacles, and you need good companions who support you and are ready to suffer as much as you do,” she explained.
She opted to take on the Manilva race to gain more experience without much knowledge of the course. All she knew was, “it was a hard course” and “it was a great training opportunity for me.”
As a result she did not have any expectations but noted that her head was in a good place on the day.
“Some sections were challenging, mainly descents. Rocky, narrow and steep. My strategy was to run as much as I could and walk where needed,” she said
Despite the descents, crossing the finish line brought a sense of accomplishment and she was “happy and injury-free.”
Her legs recovered well from the race, although she found steps somewhat harder than usual. But, this was probably not helped by the fact she completed a 67km bike ride the day after the race.
This level of training is not unusual for the athlete. She trains consistently six days a week, balancing cycling and running.

Looking ahead, she sets sights on future challenges. “Sevilla half and probably a few trails. My plan for the year is to increase the distance, elevation gain, and keep motivated.”
Also running the 25km was Faye Morse, Reda Rimtuke from Carpe Diem Running Club, Michael Rugeroni from Gibraltar Trail Runners.
Taking on the shorter distance of 14km from Carpe Diem was Andrei Catalin Lopatnic and from Gibraltar Trail Runners was Shane Bassett, Ken Navas, Oliver Child and Michael Rudden ran the 14km as independent.