As an endurance athlete, fatigue is my number one enemy. Most days, I take on a long-distance trail in one day. Sometimes, I compete in a back-to-back endurance race.

Whatever the circumstances are, I’m certain I’ll be driving to the race venue and back. Gone are the days when I was a passenger prince. I decided to become part of the next-generation of athletes who forge their own path towards greatness.

I didn’t want to feel like I’m just riding the wave, or just cruising through time while doing endurance sports. Instead, I wanted to take on the challenges and land a podium spot one day.

This aspiration of mine felt attached to driving the Next-Gen Ford Territory for over a year now. The Next-Gen vehicle somehow allows me to become the Next-Gen athlete I’ve always wanted to be.

Becoming my extra legs when I couldn’t feel them anymore

Like any Next-Gen Ford vehicle, the Next-Gen Ford Territory Titanium is designed to assist you in having a comfortable drive.

When my back feels heavy and I barely have the energy to move my shoulders and arms, the rotary e-Shifter makes it easy to change gears with just a simple twist on the knob-like dial.

Since most of my endurance races happen in the mountainsides, I’m used to parking the vehicle on slopes. I would burst out in tears if I had to drive my manual hatchback and park it on a slope.

The Next-Gen Territory, luckily, has a Hill Launch Assist, Roll Over Mitigation, and Hill Descent Control built in its system.

Together with its Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), the Territory stabilizes on an uphill slope, preventing it from rolling over.

This is particularly helpful when my legs don’t work like they used to before. I don’t have to use my remaining leg power and my vehicle’s torque when I have to leave the side street parking.

I simply have to step on the accelerator, and I don’t have to worry about rolling over or suddenly speeding up since the system works hand-in-hand to support the Territory when driving on a hill.

Smart enough to do what I’m supposed to

When you’re tired from a race, you often forget where you put your keys. I used to scramble finding my keys just to enter my vehicle. But that was not the case when driving the Next-Gen Territory.

When the keys are within a 90cm range, as long as you have it with you, the Territory unlocks so you can enter right away.

You also don’t have to insert the key since it uses a Push-Button Start. Just step on the brakes, press the START/POWER button, and voila!

Often, I don’t have functional brain cells after an endurance race. I sometimes forget to release the handbrake. Thankfully, the Electric Parking Brake automatically releases once the vehicle detects that the driver door is closed, and when you step on the accelerator pedal.

Once you drive away and you forget to lock the doors, the Territory automatically locks the vehicle once it reaches enough speed and momentum.

On certain conditions, I also like how the Territory automatically does what I need to do before I even do it. For instance, the Rain-Sensing Windscreen Wipers activate automatically when it detects water on the windscreen. I still have control over its intensity and speed, though.

But it’s a nice touch that I get to concentrate on the road instead of getting distracted by the volume of rain drops.

Entertaining enough to keep me awake

Upon entry inside the Territory, it instantly feels like home with the perfect entertainment setup. Most endurance races finish at noon time, and I stay inside the vehicle to cool down.

The 12-inch colored touchscreen enables me to play my favorite music, whether via Radio or Bluetooth. It works hand-in-hand with the 6-speaker system to immerse me.

Sometimes, I play my favorite OPM tunes and take a nap inside the car.

When I have enough energy to drive, the steering wheel is packed with necessary controls for music playback. It also helps that the Next-Gen Territory is compatible with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

All I need to do is connect my smartphones and tinker with the connected apps through the huge touchscreen.

Comfort is king

Whether as a passenger or as a driver, the Next-Gen Territory feels comfortable inside.

The interior uses a perforated partial leather seat material, keeping me warm when the vehicle gets too cold, but at the same time, comfortable to sit on even if the weather is scorching hot.

My beau finds it easy to rest while I drive, and makes himself comfortable by reclining the seat through the 4-Way Manual Adjust Passenger Seat.

When I feel the fatigue, I just adjust the 10-Way Power Adjust on the Driver’s Seat to make sure I sit in a way that I get to be still focused on driving.

For most weekends, the Next-Gen Territory easily becomes my home. It’s cozy enough yet you still get to personalize it to appease your senses and levels of comfort.

Keeping you safe and sound

While I appreciate having an intensive Driver-Assist Technology like I experienced driving the Next-Gen Ford Everest, the Next-Gen Territory has everything I need.

The Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Cross-Traffic Alert helps me switch and/or merge lanes, especially on busy roads and traffic jams.

When on the freeway, I get to relax a little bit using the Cruise Control, giving me extra peace of mind that I wouldn’t go beyond the speed limit.

And when I need to park, the Next-Gen Territory uses its High Definition 360-Degree Camera to aid me while driving. Though it has an Active Park Assist feature, I still believe I have better parking skills. At least, I think I do. And I’ll keep believing it until circumstances prove otherwise.

Lastly, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System will always be a helpful feature for me. I often forget to check the tires since I’m always in a hurry, and seeing the information regarding my vehicle’s tire pressure in a glance helps me prepare for a long drive.

Truly an endurance athlete’s choice

The Next-Gen Ford Territory enables me to show up as the endurance athlete I want to be.

With its creature comforts, driver-assist technology, and high-tech features, I get to balance my life being an athlete, a goal-getter, and a lover boy who finds joy in driving to keep his beau safe and sound, even when extremely fatigued from competing.

I get to attend my races, and show up in my training, dates, and important occasions in my life.

If this is my own path towards greatness, then I’m proud to be part of the next-generation of athletes who get to balance life and sports. I’m certain that one day, I’ll still land a podium spot at the right time.

Above all, I’m glad that the Next-Gen Ford Territory is with me every step of the way, whether on the city or on the trail.

For more information about the Next-Gen Ford Territory Titanium, visit the Ford Territory page. Reserve the Next-Gen Ford Territory through www.ford.com.ph or check your nearest Ford dealer.

SEE ALSO: Quality time goes miles with the Ford Territory Titanium X | Tracing roots across Manila with the Next-Gen Ford Territory | When the Ford Co-Pilot 360 takes over | Celebrating spesh occasions with the Ford Territory