KEVLO boss gets confidence booster in quest for marathon’s Six Star Medal

CEBU, Philippines — Cebuano businessman-sportsman Mark Philip Geniston is overwhelmed with joy after completing his first international marathon recently.

The founder and Chief Executive Officer of KEVLO Skin Clinic who is an accomplished multi-sport athlete was among the finishers of the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by Asics two weeks ago in Australia.

He clocked in four hours, 22 minutes, and 26 seconds, which was way above his 4:30 target.

While he is happy with his performance, Geniston said hurdling his maiden 42.195-kilometer race on foreign shores was an eye-opener.

“It pushed me to make some necessary adjustments to my training, especially in preparing for more challenging courses. For instance, I realized the importance of incorporating more uphill training. The hilly Sydney course was tough, and that experience made me rethink my approach,” shared Geniston.

“Additionally, the cold weather was a huge contrast to Cebu’s tropical climate. I learned that mental and physical preparation for colder climates is essential, so now I’m focusing on that. Moving forward, I’ll also make sure I arrive an hour earlier at race locations to properly warm up, which I didn’t manage to do in Sydney,” he added.

Inspired by his Sydney success, the 49-year-old Geniston trains his sights next on a much bigger challenge.

That is to claim marathon running’s greatest prize - the Six Star Medal.

Introduced by the Abbott World Marathon Majors in 2016, the Six Star program honors runners who complete all six Major marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York, and Boston.

“Although many people say “age is just a number,” I want to prove it to myself. I want to show that no matter how busy we are, with proper time management, we can still make time for training and not use “busy” as an excuse,” said Geniston, who is set to begin his Six Star journey in New York on November 3.

“Achieving the Six Star Major Marathon Medal is about challenging myself and inspiring others, especially those who think they’re too old or too occupied to pursue such goals. This journey is a personal testament that with the right mindset, determination, and discipline, anything is possible,” Geniston concluded. — (FREEMAN)