Pinoy Triathlon: July 2016

Pinagbanderahan Hike

Pinagbanderahan, Zig Zag Road along the towns of Pagbilao and Atimonan, Quezon

Coming from Lucena City this is the most accessible mountain for me to climb. Combined, the ascent and descent usually takes two hours, but since I insisted on going inside two of the caves, and it rained during the middle of our trek, I was on that mountain for almost three hours.

The trail was mostly stairs, so it was a workout for my thighs and legs. The floor was also damp, so we had to navigate carefully or else risk tumbling down. Since it was the rainy season, the trees and the leaves scattered on the floor were peppered with water. So the effect of it looked like everything was glistening under the weak sunlight.

We were the only people to climb that day, so it was kind of scary to think about the fact that the three of us have the mountain to ourselves.

The difficulty level of this mountain is 1/9, but I was heavy breathing in some parts of the mountain despite its unassuming level. There are many undiscovered caves on this mountain, but only one is really safe for climbers to explore.

Kuya Mario, our guide, was nice enough to tell me a bit about the history of Mt. Pinagbanderahan. He could have saved himself from explaining though because I could have just read about it at the top.

Reaching the top was refreshing because it was so bright compared to the shade of the forest we just passed through.

Going down was easier for me even though I slipped and fell on my butt. It was raining but the cover of the trees made it feel like it was only drizzling so we didn't get that wet from our climb. We used a different exit, so we had to walk on the road to return to the park. This climb was short but straightforward. And the caves were a nice addition to the hike. This is a perfect mountain to climb for beginners.

PS - There is a parking lot, bathrooms and eateries beside the tour guide's office at the top of Zig Zag Road.

Regent 5150 Triathlon

Sunday, June 5, 2016
Subic Bay, Olongapo City
1.5K - 40K - 10K

I arrived in Subic Bay at around 11:30 A.M. and went straight to Travelers Hotel to pick up my race packet. The place was full, a bit crowded except at the stage area. I proceeded to pick up my race kit and then lined up to have my race number tattoos sticked to my arms and legs.

In the afternoon I brought my bike to the transition area. The bike check in was the same for Subic Bay IM 70.3, me and my bike was photographed for security reasons.

On the day of the race here's what I remember.

Swim
It was a rolling start kind of swim and together with my teammate Lloyd I lined up in front of almost every age grouper. With a very tight goggles hugging my face to avoid leakage I didn't enjoy the swim as much as I would like to. With too many scratches on the goggles I I couldn't see where I was supposed to go, I guess it's my vision and the flare from the sun. Luckily I started in front and avoided the frenzy of swimming in the middle of the pack.

Bike
I started slowly and entered the airport tarmac hoping to get faster but still my bike powers continue to fail me hah! I wouldn't bet on myself even on a lucky day. I don't think the day I'll become a stronger biker will ever come... EVER haha. But considering that I wasn't hitting the road anymore I knew I was lucky with my race time so far. The bike course was technical. There was a portion where overtaking was a no no. It was over in 1 hour 23 minutes.

Run
Transition 2 was at the Remy Track and Field oval. It's my first time to go in a transition area inside an oval. The run course was fairly easy. We run through a part of the bike course. I was really lucky to swim early as the sun was pretty much unobstructed the whole day. Just like in my previous runs, I thought i could've gone a little bit faster but I was worried side stitch would just ruin the race. 52 minutes into the run and the race was over for me. It was a also a first for me to finish while running on the asphalt of a track and field oval. It felt like I was an athlete at least for that moment.

The Loot
Having a sponsor like Regent Corp. I knew my hands would be full but I decided to jump in the nearby swimming pool before joining Lloyd for a quick massage. Also a first for me to have a massage after the race. It's awful I've ignored all the massage tents in the past.

The Finish Line
It's kind of surreal to see two finish lines in the same place. Regent 5150 and Sunrise Sprint had one each for their respective finishers. The medal felt solid and heavy. I waited for some time for the bike check out before going back to the hotel. I joined this race as a package with the Subic Bay IM 70.3 and next year I'll probably join both races again.

A nice addition to my collection of medals, really solid and expertly done

Registration area at Travelers Hotel

Patching the race number tattoos

Tri necessities booths inside the registration area

With my dirty Orbea aluminum road bike

Transition 1 at ACEA Hotel

Attending mass at a chapel inside Subic Bay Freeport

Red One, Rogue Too, Kap, MeltMyFart :)

I would've shown a pic where I was running through here but my eyes didn't look good

Even in photos I look extraordinarily slow, like going for a chillax ride

Awarding just beside the finish line... no I wasn't at the photo

It could be the race course but going slower is definitely becoming my trend ;P

No Ride, No Power

I've been busy and lazy to workout for a couple of months now due in part to some business matters but mostly due to just being LAZY. Since June I only had two bike rides and those were in the races I joined. I do some indoor trainers though.
I wish the roads a little bit safer, the sky forgiving, the time longer, the work lesser, the bed less seducing and the mind willing. Naahh!

My one ride on the month of June happened at Regent 5150

My last ride so far at Tri United 2

Parked indefinitely and terribly missing the road

Swim Analysis by Mediswim

Swim Analysis by Coach Jaycee Macdonald

Photos by Nikki Santos

The frames from my video analysis confirmed that I swim crappy at best. :) Everything is just awful, but hey everyone has something to improve right maybe just not as many as I have to though. No wonder I go slowwww.

There's a good reason why you should try swim analysis by Mediswim.

Total Immersion by Mediswim

WHY LEARN TOTAL IMMERSION SWIMMING?

Total Immersion™ (TI) programs aim to help adults learn proper stroke technique through a progression of drills that lay the foundation for graceful and effortless swimming, regardless of age or skill level. Students will learn balance, streamlining, rotation, and all of the necessary movements which lay the groundwork for efficient and relaxed swimming based on the TI method. Total Immersion swimming programs also teach every student how to SWIM INTENTIONALLY, by practicing deliberately rather than habitually so that each lap eventually becomes effortless and enjoyable. Train Smart, Effective, Precise.

WHICH PROGRAM IS RIGHT FOR ME?

INTRODUCTION TO TOTAL IMMERSION – ADULT LEARN TO SWIM

> Develop comfort, control, confidence in the water!

> Learn the basics of efficient freestyle (with STROKE MECHANICS)

> learn how to swim with your body; we don’t use swim prosthetics- Kickboard, poolbuoys. YOU DON’T NEED THOSE.

EFFORTLESS ENDURANCE 1.0 –

> If you’re a triathlete/ progressive swimmer who want to save more energy and be more efficient during swim course

> Let speed come to you by learning the foundation of Balance, Core Stability, Streamline and Propulsion

WHY ENROLL AT MEDISWIM?

> We’re a LEGIT Total Immersion Swimming – CERTIFIED swim instruction school. Beware of coaches who ARE NOT TI certified and didn’t not go through Coaches’ Course Certification, but teach TI and offer Effortless Endurance and Smart Speedclasses. ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE TI CERTIFICATION SEAL!

>We do HANDS ON coaching by joining our students in the pool to properly guide them in every drill!

> We also teach our students to have more kinesthetic awareness by utilizing their bodies when they swim rather than depending on swim aiders — kickboards, pull buoys, flippers, etc.

> We also provide Stroke Analysis which is very helpful if you want to improve your stroke mechanics!

> We say no to GARBAGE YARDAGE training! Quality vs. Quantity

> Just to reiterate, QUALITY vs. QUANTITY. We want our students to get quality learning and develop quality skill out of what they paid for.

COURSE FEES