Pinoy Triathlon

Coffee at 1,500 Feet with The Foldies

Tradition number 99: Sunday Ride with Da Classics

We were supposed to meet 5:00 A.M. at '7-11 Bayan' but my folding bike got a flat tire going to the place so I headed back home to get my MTB. The venue was changed and I found myself pedaling 8 kilometers to our new assembly place at my friend's house. I switched to his Dahon folding bike and off we went to climb Lucban, Quezon, some 1,500 feet above sea level.

Stopped at a Plant Shop on the Ascent to the Town of Lucban

Folding Bikers in Action

Someone Loves Chito - we didn't eat here though - Photo by Zaldy Manalo

At Kamay ni Hesus Shrine to Have Our Bikes Blessed by a Priest - Photo by Byron Labay

Having Coffee at Patio Rizal Before We Head Back Home

So how do you spend your buddy rides? I'm sure it's always exciting, playing catch up and all with your mates. :)

Bohol 226 - 2014

December 6, 2014, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines

One doesn't simply sign up for an IM distance event. But if you have 5 months left to train then this becomes a real possibility don't you think. ;)

So here's the simple plan:

1. Get my marathon legs back to where it was a year ago. It may be slow but I think I can finish with those legs.

2. When I get confident with my jogging legs, hopefully by September, I'll focus more on my swim and bike the rest of the way.

3. Play it conservatively on race day (without getting cut off) and nail my nutrition.

Sounds like fun? Or pain? Definitely sounds like a plan to me. :)

Here's wishing for my own 17 hours to glory.

And hoping for some of you to be doing this with the rest of the Batch 2014.

Audax 300km Brevet Ride (Subic to Dasol and Back)

EPIC. The whole experience was just beyond those rides that I did in the past (duh.. never even done a double century).

We were up early and waited at the parking lot of Mango Valley Hotel. There were about 60 riders and 1 guy had a flat tire already. The bikes were so diverse. I've seen Strida foldies, touring bikes, roadies, 29ers, 26ers, tri bike, 16 inchers, 20 inchers, and holy smoke... a fat bike!

Near Sta. Cruz Town Proper on My Way to The Turnaround Point

At exactly 3 a.m., the organizer on her road bike shouted out 'Let's roll' and we did roll with our fancy headlights and rear blinkers. Our group is called United Folding Bikers led by my high school classmate Byron of bisikletaadventures.com. I got separated from the group pretty fast but found myself riding with fellow UFB Larry for some stretches of the never ending road.

My Bike, a Bridge, a River and a Mountain... somewhere :)

The first few kilometers were ridden in the darkness of a familiar route where the White Rock Triathlon was held. The weather was fine and pedaling was easy. I had my cue card stamped at exactly 5:01 a.m. in the first control point at kilometer 51.7. It was at a gas station and some riders were resting for a bit.

... and a Bridge

After a brief stop - maybe 10 minutes - Larry and I went off but when the rain fell hard at around 5:40 a.m. I went for my jacket and we got separated. Then came the rising sun with its mighty heat spread on every road and bridge that lied ahead. I arrived at Kilometer 105 control point, it was a gas station and this time there was no stamping just a time-of-arrival note on the cue card. 7:18 a.m.

Told You There were Bridges

I was about to leave the gas station when I noticed that my front tire was flat and was lucky enough to get it at the control point with our Support And Gear vehicle nearby.

Beach at 150 Kilometers Out

I got to the turnaround point at 9:24 a.m. - Banana Beach Resort Kilometer 150. A lot of riders were resting and chatting in the cottages. I just refilled my water bottle, took some pics and headed back. The ride back was uneventful just lots and lots of roads and bridges with the second David's Salon Women's Team in sight for some time. Because of the headwind I was still pedaling conservatively at this point and got to the next control point - kilometer 195 - at 12:18 p.m.

Banana Boat Beach Resort in Dasol, Pangasinan

With only a hundred kilometers left, I was beginning to think that I could really survive this epic shit :P intact and in time. Next stamping was done at the same gas station as the first stop which was at kilometer 248 of the ride. 'Heure de passage': 3:19 p.m.

Control Point at Kilometer 195

I caught some riders on folding bikes at approximately 260 kilometers and talked for a bit before I stopped to ready myself for the final push with only 30 kilometers left. With the threat of another rainfall I rode hard clinging to the aero bar whenever possible and finished the Brevet Ride at 5:51 p.m. still far from the cut off time of 11 p.m. Woohoo!

I got my medal and they took the cue card so they can send it to France for official verification.

Cue Card and Medal at Mango Valley Hotel

It was a challenging ride to say the least and here's how I did it: I rode conservatively for 270 kilometers and stopped often to take pics and relax, I ate a pack of Milky Way choco mini bars, drank lots of water and Gatorade, and ate 3 Spam and cheese sandwich sparingly for the whole duration of the ride. And I knew my fellow UFB teammates were with me and could back me up.

United Folding Bikers at ACME Inn Subic (Photo: Byron Villegas)

After reading this and you're asking yourself 'Can I do this?' the answer is a big 'Yes you can'. I trained, but the longest ride I've had during training was 57 kilometers so if you've been riding for quite some time and do your homework, you'll be fine.

2013 Races I Missed to Post Part 1 - Tri United 2 2013

Playing catch-up blogging this time of the year for some races I joined last year.

Having fun yet begging my legs to go faster - Tri United 2 - 2013

Tri United 2 distance was 2K swim, 60K bike, 15K run at Playa Laiya in San Juan, Batangas. I had a great swim by my own standard, not fast of course, but to me it's quite on the money to exit the water in 37 minutes.

I was a bit lacking on the bike leg. Can't think of anything I did wrong during my taper week but the legs weren't quite up to the task. I was, and still am a slow rider so it was ugly when I felt my legs getting heavy early on the bike. It was 3 loops and I noticed how fast other riders were passing me. There were aid stations on the route with energy drinks and bottled water distributed as riders slow down to get some. I was still lucky to get it done in 1:52.

Then came the run on a rolling terrain. I started slow and couldn't get to level up a notch so I could gain some ground on other age-groupers. I was waiting for the 'second wind' to kick in but it never came. It got uglier when at about 12 kilometers I felt my heart was beating faster than it's supposed to, I stopped for a moment then continue as the rain blessed us. I loved that I got to run in the rain. :-) Ran 1:16 for a total of 3:46 which was a far 18th in our age group. I was 26 minutes behind the first finisher.. booo! Haha just kidding, I was happy though to see the finish line (who doesn't).

Triathlon takes a lot of time to figure out and this race proved that I was not good enough in prepping for a race. I was familiar with the route yet that meant nothing when the gun was fired.

Finished on a Ramp with Red Carpet - I LOVE THIS GAME!

To all of you who are going to this race be sure to be there early for the parking lot. Don't know about the parking scheme these days though.

Just Jog

We all know the many benefits of jogging, and if not, just google it. :-) So let's promote jogging. It doesn't cost much (running shoes only) and company is optional.

Planned Races and Stretch Goals - 2nd Half of 2014

There are some races that I wish to join but for some reason I just won't be able to register like the Philippine Duathlon Open Leg 3 in Clarkfield, Pampanga and Century Tuna 5150 Tri in Subic Freeport. But still, I have some scheduled races that would hopefully materialize. Here is the list with mission-impossible goals.

July 20 - Run for Laity 10K - stretch goal 42 minutes
August 31 - Milo 21K elimination leg - stretch goal 1:30
September - SBR Duathlon X2 - stretch goal top 3 finish in age group
October 5 - Run United Philippine Marathon - 3:35
October 26 - Tri United 70.3 TBD but if the race course is easy - 5:30
December 6 - Milo Marathon or Bohol 226 Tri - 3:24 for the marathon and for Bohol 226: to finish inside the cut off time of 17 hours and hopefully be in T2 before 5:30 P.M. cutoff time.

Quite ambitious? I thought so too but hey, a stretch is a stretch. The probability that I would meet at least 1 goal is close to zero. :-)

BTW I'm joining the Audax 300K ride but it's not a race and just finishing is already a stretch for me.

Audax 300

July 5, 2014 - Subic 300 km

Don't know if I can finish this but I'll definitely be on the starting line with my high school classmate.

Here are some ride information from their website: http://www.audaxph.com/ride-information

July 5, 2014

Audax 300km Brevet Ride (Subic to Dasol and Back)

For those who will be doing the 300km Audax Brevet Ride on July 5, please see details below:

2:00am - registration and preps for the 300km riders
3:00am - start of the 300km ride at Mango Valley 1
6:27am - close of the 1st checkpoint (shell station at Cabangan roughly 51.7km from the start)
1:02pm - close of the 2nd checkpoint (turnaround point in Dasol, Pangasinan)
4:02pm - close of the 3rd checkpoint (Total Gas Station in Masinloc roughly at the 195.5km point)
7:33pm - close of the 4th checkpoint (shell station at Cabangan)
11:00pm - close of the Audax Ride (last stamping at the lobby of Mango Valley 1 along Dewey St.)

Things to do prior to the ride:
1) Read the Audax Ride Rules.
2) Have the proper bike lighting. We will be starting off at 3am so lights are a must. For those who don't have lights, you are expected to stay at the back of the group.
3) Ensure you can be self-sufficient on the road with enough cash, your mobile phone, route map, cue sheet, inner tubes, repair kit, pump, food, energy bars, etc.
4) Take note of the cut-off time for each checkpoint.
5) Relax and get plenty of rest.

The route should approximately look like this: (click to enlarge the image)

Rejoice! It's flat.

I'm a Jogger

If I jog 9 times more than I do run, does that make me a runner? See, that's why I'm a self confessed, certified jogger. In a world where runners abound I'm one of the few joggers left who actually enjoy jogging. Of course there were times when I tried to run with my hair admittedly being whipped by the wind but that's rare and short.

I am Hercules, and I am a JOGGER

Sometimes I train with runners and yes they're fast, dedicated and they really do run. Jogging is what they take for warm ups and cool downs and easy days though. When I see them do their stuff it's impressive and I just can't call myself a runner. Back in the old days a lot in my neighborhood were joggers and they never called themselves runners so I guess I'm old school or an idiot who doesn't buy into the running term.

You don't have to run at a certain speed to be a runner - yep there's also this

Last summer I saw a tech shirt for a running event that was printed with the words 'cradle of the elite' something, it was cute and I like the design and hope someday I'll be able to wear one without feeling like a poser.

I'm just saying.. you know, a jog is a jog. And here's wishing a hundred more jogs will make me a runner. :-)

Training Week - June 2-8, 2014

Monday - Went jogging in the neighborhood for 7 kilometers at 5:30 pm.

Tuesday - Jog on the same route at the same time. After dinner I hopped on the bike trainer for 70 minutes.

Wednesday - Bike Trainer again at night.. 80 minutes of easy spinning.

Thursday - I'm a jogger so I went jogging again for 37 minutes. :-)

Friday - Bike trainer ho hum.. what can I say? Felt lazy to ride and roll outside.

Saturday - Accompanied my nephews and nieces on their 'outing' to Caliraya Springs Golf and Country Club. As they went to the cave for some exploration (highly recommended) I biked to their parking lot which is about 11 kilometers from the clubhouse. The place is called Eco Park but it's a funny name coz a lot of people were doing their laundry beside the park. Tried their natural river pool and went back with my foldie to the clubhouse.

Sunday - I went back to Caliraya to see the kids. I used the roadie and got a photo of Lake Lumot just before getting a flat tire.

Total mileage / time: Swim = Zero, Bike = 190 kilometers, Jog = 2 hours