Serbian Skyrunner Wisdom
He loves everything about sports and nature, and his true motivation now days is to inspire young people to train and race in mountain environment.
Zoran is a 60-year-old very strong, fast and experienced mountain-runner from Serbia, Novi Sad.
Mountain running has always played an important part of his life, and now when he’s in the end of his career he just like to last and enjoy.…
This is Zoran‘s story…
Who is Zoran and your story behind?
I’ve always been into sports. I don’t have any great achievements, but at the Balkan level, I was the Balkan champion in the floor marathon. M40. On crossovers others in the Balkans also M40. 2003 bronze medal in the World Cup race on Šmarna gora. Race up and down floor M40. I won the domestic races several times, previously Great mountain race Čačak Jelica Ovčar banja.
I love mountain racing in the nature. Running in nature fills me completely, and I’m always happy in that environment. My way of life.
What is most important for you in life?
The most important thing for me is to be happy, healthy and travel a lot to meet new and interesting people.
Your passion for Skyrunning? Where is that coming from?
My love for skyrunning comes from a young age. Only then was there no race. I trained a lot in Fruška gora and I always wondered when there would be a race on those tracks. Only in 2000. locally, trail races are organized in Fruska, on tracks of 50-58 km. In those years, I mostly won, but there was not much competition, few people knew.
What I like most is the diversity of the terrain, the nature, that’s where I met myself. I love challenges and the harder the track, the better I feel, I enjoy it.
What do you do for training?
For training I usually do different types of workouts in the hills. Running up the hill with a lot of repetitions. Then the same thing but down the hill. Lengths always slightly up and down.
Is Skyrunning a hobby or is it something you do for a living?
Yes, skyrunning is my hobby. Earlier I liked it to be my job, but it never happened. My job is mechanical engineering, and now when I’m at the end of my career in running, I’m also happy with that.
Have you always had this type of lifestyle (Skyrunning etc…) or have you done any change direction in life that you like to mention?
When I was younger, I ran a lot of street races because there were no trail races. Instead I was participating in orienteering, it was in nature.
Which is the most challenging and demanding situations that you been through to get you where you are today as a person?
The most challenging situations for me were at the world and European championships. It is a special experience. Trails are extremely demanding but short about 10-12km.
Do you usually push yourself outside your comfort zone? How does it feel at the time? Can you see that the rewards coming out of this is worth this little extra effort?
In training, I am often outside the comfort zone, it is difficult, but that is why I can handle races easier. I am always very satisfied after a hard workout.
How does your race plans and goals look like for 2020?
I’m older now and I run mostly lightly. My goal is to last a long time and to give an example to young people that it can last a long time in the trail.
How does a normal week with training and all that look like for you right now?
Fruška gora is closest to me, so I’m always here. I often change the location of the training. I train 6 times a week, one day is always for rest. Rest is an easy walk or about 10 km of easy running. Occasionally inserts speed sections. 200-400-1000m- 10 repetitions. Or 200m- 30 reps.
Which are your best training tips to other Skyrunners all over the world?
The advice is as you know. Always warm up well and enough. And a lot of stretching. There will be much fewer injuries because then there is continuity and thus it creates results.
Which are your favourite races that you would recommend to other Skyrunners all over the world?
There are many beautiful races. I was mostly around Europe. Mountaineering is beautiful, Romania also has wonderful trails, Transylvania is beautiful. My favourite race in Slovenia is Podbrdo-42km with high difference 5600m. I ran it in five and a half hours. I Slovenia- Grintovec trail 9km with 1995m high. Difference- . It’s an uphill race- like double vertical :D.
Do you have any dreams and goals for the future that you like to share?
I have no dreams because my career is coming to an end. Just to last and enjoy.
What is your inner motivation?
My motivation is to stimulate young people to do this healthy sport. That fulfills me.
What is your advice to other people that is dreaming of an active lifestyle running in the mountains as good as you?
The advice is to be in nature as much as possible and to enjoy both trainings and races. Nature will give you back much more.
You love nature and she will love you.!
Facts
Name: Zoran Markovic
Nationality: Serbia
Age: 60
Family: I live alone
Country/town: Serbia, Novi Sad
Your team or sponsor now: Team PSD Železničar Novi Sad and AK Fruška gora
Education: metal grinder
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010230550744
Thank you!
Thank you, Zoran, for taking your time sharing your amazing story! Very inspiring!
Wishing you all the best luck in the future with your running and everything that you want to do in life.
Happy SkyRunning!
/Arduua, Snezana Djuric, Katinka Nyberg