VMO Stregthening

What the hell is a VMO???? That was exactly my reaction when Doc Randy Molo (an avid cyclist and budding multi-sport athlete) explained to me what my problem was.

Rewind to 12 years ago... Back in college I was playing both UAAP tennis and soccer for Ateneo. During soccer practice one day, I was slide-tackled and what happened next, even I have a hard time explaning. My left leg got caught behind with the tackle but the rest of my body kept moving forward. Eventually, I was in a full split (hurdler style) and my knee landed head first into the ground, just under my ass. It's very difficult to explain how I sat on my knee.

I could not walk off the field, and my cousin had to drive me home. The next day, I went to see a sports doctor. Almost instantly the doctor said I had torn both my ACL and my miniscus. He suggested I undergo surgery right away. I was not ready for that. I had never undergone surgery ever (well, ingrown toenail surgery doesn't really count does it?). I wanted a second opinion. I saw Dr. George Canlas, and he said the exact same thing. However, he said if I opted for no sugery, I would be able to somewhat strengthen the muscles around my knee and function somewhat normally.

I did not undergo surgery, and also did not return to competitive soccer and tennis. From then til March of 2008, I avoided sports wherein there was alot of lateral and quick movement, as my knees were not up to it. I would play the occasional company basketball, volleyball and badminton tournaments, with my 'robocop' hinged knee brace. I stuck to golf, and kept telling myself my knees would not let me run.

Last march 2008, however I accompanied my wife to her first 5km race, and have been running since (See story here). However I was not pain free. My knees would give way at around the 6-7km mark of each run, most especially over concrete. It came to a point where I could not even bike pain free.

Forced to wear my knee brace
With Hannah, Jody & Jaymie (theBullrunner) @ the Happy Run
Photo courtesy of Jaymie Pizarro

I was desperate, and seeked the help of doctor once again. Upon examination and X-rays, the doctor said that I was suffering from PFO (Patellofemoral arthritis). In short, my knees had aged much faster than I have. I was a 30 year old man with 50 year old knees. There was good news and bad news. The good news was that I could swim, bike run and not further 'damage' my knees. The bad news was there was no cure.

Several weeks later, I encountered a cyclist and Sports Doctor Randy Molo in the Pinoy Roadies forum. I went to see him at his clinic, and upon examination, he was surprised to notice that despite my old injuries, my knees were quite stable. He then lectured me about VMO strengthening and how it might help me.

Taken from www.sportsinjuryclinic.net:

"VMO stands for Vastus Medialis Oblique (sometimes called obliquus). This is part of the Vastus Medialis muscle which is one of the four Quadriceps muscles of the thigh.

The fibres of VMO have a more oblique alignment than the other fibres of Vastus Medialis (hence the name!). It arises from the tendon of Adductor Magnus and converges to join the other Quadriceps muscles inserting via the patella tendon, to the tibial tuberosity at the top of the tibia (shin bone). The picture on the right shows the relative position of VMO, just above and to the inside of the knee cap.

VMO is an active and dynamic stabiliser of the patella. In healthy, pain free individuals the fibres of VMO are active throughout the range of movement. In patients with Patello-Femoral Knee Pain (Chondromalacia Patella) the fibres contract in phases, inconsistently and fatigue easily.

The specific role of VMO is to stabilise the patella within the patella groove and to control of the 'tracking' of the patella when the knee is bent and straightened. Mis-firing and weaknesses in the VMO cause mal-tracking of the patella and subsequent damage to surrounding structures and aching pain."

Finally, some hope! I googled more and found exercises to do... (Courtesy of http://www.ualberta.ca)

VMO Leg Lift - Sit holding the unaffected knee to the chest, with the affected leg straight forward. Turn the foot out at a 45 degree angle, lift the toes to the shin and contract the quads hard

VMO Leg Lift Start Position

VMO Leg Lift End Position

VMO Leg Lift End Position (Front View)

VMO Wall/Ball Squat - Lean against a sturdy wall with feet shoulder width apart and about 12 inches from wall. Squeeze a ball, roll or other firm object of similar size between the thighs.

VMO Ball Squat Start Position

VMO Ball Squat End Position

In the last few months, I have been virtually pain free! Thanks Doc Randy, you're a savior :)

Trivia - between my cousins and I, we have over 10 torn ACLs, 8 reconstructive surgeries, and a ton of knee stories.

Race Report - Powerade Duathlon

In all honesty, after SUBIT last May, I have been slacking off. I've hardly been riding, and have toned down my runs and swims. The weather hasn't been cooperating since, and I have been finding reasons not to train. Over the last few weeks however, the pressure of Camsur 70.3 has finally gotten to me. It's less than 2 months away. HTFU Javy!

I was excited for this duathlon for several reasons. First, I had not done a duathlon since November last year. Secondly, I have been experimenting on a TT setup for my bike and I needed to test it. Also, I have not done a brick in months, so this would be a great workout. Lastly, the members of the national team would be present, as well as a lot of the elites of triathlon.

I racked my bike, setup my shoes and helmet, and I was set. Did a few hundred meters of warmup and I was good to go. Levy and I agreed to pace together. As I was not sure what kind of pace my legs would give me, I was planning on 4:30-4:45/km pace for the first 7km.

With one of my Idols National Team Member George Vilog

Run 1

The group started off at a frantic pace - of course, the national team members led the pack. About 2km in, there was some confusion and runners ended up doing a little loop. Amidst the confusion was our top National Duathlete August Benedicto, who seemed to have lost his way, and lost ground to the front pack. After clearing out some things with Coach Melvin and the Marshals, he continued on his way.

After about 4km, I found myself pushing a decent pace with Bombie of Tri-Clark. Later on, we caught up with Carlo of Timex and another Tri-Clark member Edward. I held on and finished the first run in 31:30 - right on target.

With Carlo during Run 1

T1 is never smooth for me. In almost every race, I screw up T1, and this was no exception. Right as I was mounting, I realized my cleats would not engage. I checked my shoes only to see my cleat covers still on - a rookie mistake! Note to self: Check shoes in transition :)

Bike

I didn't have much of a plan on the bike. As my setup was only days old, I just wanted to give it a good go and get a feel for it. The course was nice and pretty flat. Apart from a delivery truck parked in the middle of the bike course, it was a pretty good route.

With Deo of Tri-Pilipinas during the Bike Leg

I settled into a pretty good rhythm early. After a loop or two, I was in a pack with a tall kid and Edward of Tri-Clark. We took turns taking leads (not drafting). After the designated 5 loops, I checked my cyclometer and it said 25km. I didn't give it much thought, and proceeded to make another bike loop. The advertised distance was 7km - 30km - 4km, so I really did not doubt my decision. On my way back, I started noticing alot of people already on the run. That's when I realized that I might have made a mistake.

I entered T2 after 32km, and had averaged just a tad below 35kmh - well above my target. The setup seemed to be working! I racked my bike, slipped on my running shoes and visor, and off I went.

Run 2

The 2nd run was much simpler - it was an out and back. I settled into a pretty decent pace, and just thought of holding that pace all throughout. I was feeling pretty good as I tailed Joyette towards the finish line. I finished the 2nd run is just over 17mins, totalling 1:43.

I later on found out that I did, in fact, do an extra bike loop. Many other participants had made the same mistake. I'm not a loop counting person, so I rely on the accuracy of the information provided. Perhaps in the next race, I would be more diligent in asking the race director the exact distances of each leg, so that there would be no confusion.

Next stop, Camsur :)

*Thanks to Hannah for the pictures

Looking Back - Happy TRIniversary!

It's been a year and Oh what a year It's been.

A year ago today, I participated in my first triathlon. It was the Independence Day triathlon in AAV. It was a sprint distance, which I rushed into with only 2 weeks notice. I did everything almost completely wrong that day, apart from the fact I had a pretty decent swim.

Tapped out! @AAV Tri June 2008

I walked in with just a bottle of water, a borrowed bike and running shoes. I wore swimming jammers and a cut-away cycling jersey. No gu, no gatorade, no extra water bottle...WHAT WAS I THINKING??? I walked out of there beaten, yet happy. I was hooked.

@JalaJala

Since then, I've done a few more triathlons (including 2 Olympic distances), duathlons, aquathlons, long rides, a road race, a criterium, a bunch of half marathons and a whole lotta 5, 10 and 15k races. It's been a long and sweaty journey but a great one so far.

With my training buddies Drew & Mer

I've gained alot of new friends, and have been fortunate enough to be part of a great team (Team Super Ahem!), who not only trains hard, but also parties harder! Talk about balance :)

With Half of Team Super @ SUBIT May 2009

Making 'sundo' Hannah @ Condura March 2009

Look who's on a roadie!

It started off with a silly 5k...seriously :P

Happy TRIniversary to me!

Next stop, Camsur :)

I am Ninoy

Several weeks ago, my teammate and co-member in the IamNinoy Runners group, Jake de Guzman, delivered an inspiring speech at the MOU signing between IamNinoy Runners and the 5775 Reverse the Education Crisis.

With his permission, I have published it here.

Grab a box of tissue paper, and enjoy.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I Am a Runner

My name is Jake de Guzman. I am an Entrepreneur, A Father, A Triathlete, A Teacher, and a Runner.

I started running in 2002 with a group of friends. I was about 160lbs, very pale, and lived a stressful work life without any exercise. I remember the first few runs were painful: my lungs hurt, my shins hurt, my lower back hurt, and all I could do was 15 mins until I had to walk.

After a month of trying to jog, I made it past the 15 minute pain threshold. And once you cross 15 mins, it gets easier to reach 30 then 45 then an hour. And then it starts to feel good. You breathe easier, you feel lighter, and there’s satisfaction that comes from working your muscles to propel yourself forward.

Driven by the need to measure your new found fitness or set a new motivating goal, we decided to join a 10 k race. And for someone who’s never run 10k, it seems like an impossible distance to cover on foot. I remember thinking, the race starts at 6 am, will I be done by lunch kaya? So I trained and ran and ran and the night before the race I couldn’t sleep: I had images of crawling on Roxas Blvd, my clothes tattered by the wind and sun, and me gasping for breathe and dying of dehydration.

I woke up on race day and realized I didn’t know what to eat. So I ate a bowl of cereal, an over ripe banana and 2 cups of coffee. By the time I got to starting line my stomach was rumbling and asking for some attention. All I can say is I had two races that day. One was 10k that I did in 1:08:38 and the other was a 200 meter sprint to the bathroom. To this day I’m more proud that I made it cleanly to the finish in that second race.

There have been many races since then and many more days of just running. Some days are good days and some days are bad. I remember my first 25k half marathon that I wouldn’t have finished without the support of the 2 friends I was running with. I remember my second half marathon that I proudly did faster than the first partly because I didn’t want to stay too close to Zorro. I also remember how my knees ached right after the race and I had trouble just standing up. I remember immediately bonding with a guy in the 10k run of the Subic Triathlon. We said no words but we pushed each other and gave each other strength. We shook hands as we reached the finish together .

I have run to mark special moments.

I ran before my wedding and cried and cried for reasons I didn’t understand. I ran after my best friends father passed and something about the distance I was covering and the constant rhythm of foot on pavement seemed to connect me to his loss and his grieving.

There are days when running seemed easy and the time and distance passed quickly. And there were days that you fight the voices that tell you to stop and you push yourself to just get to the next lightpost, or to put one foot in front of the next ...just to get to the finish line.

So what’s the connection between running, 5775 and the I am Ninoy?

The theologian Karl Rahner once said, “There are certain things that are understood once you have suffered through them.”

As Runners, we understand the power of transformation. No matter our size, fitness level, or experience... We understand how small things done in great ways can create change and be empowering. We understand how important it is to build a base in order to move forward or how nutrition affects the ability of the mind to understand and the body to perform. We understand how long difficult tasks can be accomplished by just putting one foot in front of the next. And we understand how together we give each other energy,motivation, and endurance no matter how long the day or difficult the task.

Another writer and runner, John Bingham, known in runner’s circles as the Penguin because of the way he waddles during a run, says it much better than I can:

“So many of us have changed our own lives through running that it makes sense we would want to change the lives of others the same way. We can take the drive, ambition, and dedication we used to transform ourselves from couch potatoes to athletes and channel that into making a difference for someone else."

When that happens, we'll truly understand the words of the renowned anthropologist Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Thank you.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To date, the IamNinoy Movement has raised close to P500,000.

Sign up and be counted as a Hero.

The Toughest Race on Earth

I've heard and read the phrase 'The Toughest Race on Earth' many times, describing many different athletic pursuits. I often wondered, what really is 'The Toughest Race on Earth'?

You decide.

Here are some candidates, in no particular order:

1. The Iditarod - An Alaskan trail sled dog race wherein 'mushers' and their dogs race close to 2,000 kilometers in as little as 8, or as much as 15 days. 'Normal' weather conditions are way below zero, but when blizzards set in, racers have to endure temperatures as low as -70 degrees Celsius.

2. Badwater Ultramarathon - Dubbed 'The World's Toughest Footrace', this Ultramarathon (a footrace covering a distance of more than a marathon - 42km and above) takes ultra-runners 215 kilometers from Badwater Basin, through Death Valley ending at Whitney Portal. If running 215 kilometers wasn't tough enough, take into consideration the over 8,000 vertical feet (2,500m) which the runners have to ascend. And Oh, I forgot to mention, it's hella hot too.

3. Enduroman Arch to Arc Triathlon - 'An ultra-distance triathlon. The triathlon starts with an 87-mile run from London's Marble Arch to Dover on the Kent coast, then a cross-channel swim to the French coast, and finishes with a 180 mile bike from Calais to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The clock starts at Marble Arch, London and stops at Arc de Triomphe, Paris. Only five athletes have ever completed the challenge, the current record being held by Enduroman's Eddie Ette and currently standing at 80 hours and 5 minutes.' (Wikipedia)

4. World Deca-Ironman Championships - And you thought an Ironman was tough? What about 10 Ironman distances non-stop? 38 kilometers of swimming, 1800 kilometers of biking and to top it of, 10 marathons (420 kilometers of running) constitute a deca-ironman. Need I say more?


5. Le Tour de France - One of world's most popular cycling races, takes cyclists close to 4,000 kilometers in 3 weeks, around France. Over the duration of the course, cyclists climb as much as 100,000 vertical feet - that's climbing Mount Everest three times!


Not to forget, there are other multi Ironman distances like the Ultraman (2x Ironman), Triple Ironman and 5x Ironman distances. Who would have thought the Ironman is not enough?

Any takers?

*Photos c/o Google Images

Race Report - Subic International Triathlon

My race weekend began quite early. On Saturday morning, my best bud Elmer and I rode up to Dungaree Beach to watch the Women Elites and those who joined the Sprint and Mini-Sprint Events.

After a very quick swim, two Chinese athletes led out of the water, with a chase pack of about 4-5 athletes, including our very own LC Langit. While they headed out to the bike route, we rode back towards boardwalk, to catch their bike and run loops. We were surprised to see a Japanese athlete leading the way on the bike. The chase pack was around 2-3 minutes behind, led by LC Langit.

In ITU races, the elites are allowed to draft on the bike. I'm not a big fan of this 'rule' for several reasons. First, it practically negates the bike portion of the race, turning the race into a virtual footrace (with a 1.5km swim and 40km bike 'warm up'). Secondly, any swim or bike breakaway is 99% useless, as the chase pack has the advantage of group riding, and most often will catch the breakaway. Last, not everyone wants to take their turn up front, there are some who tend to conserve energy, resulting to wheelsucking.

As the women elites hopped off their bikes in T2, the Japanese was slightly ahead, with the chase pack only a minute behind. After the first of 4 run loops however, LC suffered from stomach cramps, and got dropped. I later found out that she did most of the work on the bike. Props to her for finishing 5th overall. She will be a force to reckon with in a few years. You made us proud, LC!

Race Day

The day started VERY early, probably due to the fact my best bud Elmer, was tossing and turning the whole night, and finally got up at 3am. I don't blame him, as about a year ago, I could not sleep before my first race. At around 3:30am we finally got up and started our morning routines. After breakfast, off we were to T2 to setup, and finally to T1 for final bike preparations.

I had very much been anticipating this race since this is THE Olympic distance race of the year. I was very much excited to be swimming, biking and running amongst the who's who in Philippine Triathlon. I was stoked! Add to the fact it was Team Super's coming out party - with our TriSuits and all!

Me, Drew, Ann, Jody, Elmer & Jake

It was a long wait. The first wave (Elite Men) started at 6am, followed by the Women Age Groupers at 6:30am. Ironically, after the two waves disappeared, the number of people around seemed to increase. I had already been anticipating a crowded swim, but it was only then that I really realized it wasn't going to be pretty. There was almost 200 of us in our wave.

Last Pee break before the Swim Start

I did a short warmup in the water, and light stretching. Before I knew it, we were already being called to the starting line.

The Swim

The swim consisted of 2 750m loops, rectangular in shape. It was a beach start, and Drew and I found our starting position in about the 3rd row, near the bouy line. Although I did not think this was a good idea, I figured it was still better than having to swim sideways through the pack.

200 angry men diving into the water

The horn sounded and we were off. It's hard to explain what the swim is like. It's a constant struggle. You're just getting hit from every angle. I tried my best to push forward but there was just no space. I tried to find a rhythm, but I couldn't. I just focused on surviving, and finishing the swim. As I got out of the water after the first loop, I checked my watch, only to find it hanging, about to fall off. The pin must have been knocked off in one of those encounters. I took my watch off, slipped it under my tri-shorts and finished off my 2nd loop.

The 2nd loop was a bit easier, as the pack had already thinned out. I came out of the water in 28:30 - not my best, but I'll take it. I was happy to be out of the water.

At T1 with Jomac of Team Herbalife

The Bike

My transition started off pretty smooth. I slipped on my helmet, put on my shades, moved the watch from my shorts to my back pocket and began pushing my bike out to the mount area. As I hopped on my bike and began pedalling out, I kept missing my shoe, and it kept scraping the floor. I had to mount-dismount several times before I finally got going. A rookie maneuvre. Note to self - practice transitions more!

The bike route was slightly easier than TLBF. It consisted of an out and back route (Dungaree - Ocean Adventure), then flats to boardwalk, and a last 10km loop around the CBD. My strategy was quite simple - conserve on the uphills, hammer the downhills. The climbs are tough, especially when you're recovering from the swim and still have a 10k run to think about.

Riding behind National Duathlete Augusto Benedicto

On the first few climbs, I was being passed by veteran riders (mostly Fitness First cyclists). On the downhills however, I caught them. Going downhill is about the only time I like the fact I am a hefty guy. After the turnaround, it was a few climbs back up, before the last downhill back to Argonaut. Somewhere in that stretch, I rode beside my idol Abe Tayag, who looked mean in his CEEPO. I probably managed to keep up because I could be more aggressive on the quick turns on my road bike, as opposed to someone on a Tri bike. I was starstruck, and said a quick hello, before he sped away.

As I got back to the CBD, I was relieved to know even though I had around 20km more of cycling to do, it was all flats left. I tucked into my 'aero' position on my miniTT bars, and tried my best to maintain 30kph. After passing T2 for the first time, I had 10km left, and I tried to maintain a good pace. It was a headwind heading out, and a tailwind coming back. Cheers were coming from teammates, friends, family and even from construction workers (I think they were there to watch the women). As I ended my bike leg, I had a big smile on my face - A Chrissie moment. However, a hot 10km run was looming.

I slipped my feet out of my shoes heading near T2, and dismounted at the line. As I pushed my bike along, my shoe dragged (Again!), and snapped off. I carried my bike (ala Cyclocross) into transition. Good thing a marshall picked up my shoe and gave it back to me. I slipped my running shoes, put on my race belt and visor, and off I was to the run.

The Run

The run consisted of 4 loops of 2.35km, plus a mini 600m loop to the finish line. The route was flat all the way, and had some shade. My plan was to try to hold a pace between 11:30 and 12:00 per lap, giving myself a shot at breaking 50 mins. I had never officially broken 50 mins in a 10k race, so I had been wanting to do it in a Triathlon. My first lap went pretty smooth, I crossed my marker at 11:28 - on the dot! I let no aid station pass me by. Each one, I took 2 cups - one to drink and one to pour over my head. Also, I bathed in the water shower every loop, just to keep my body cool. Second lap came - 11:30. I was doing pretty well. I felt like i was slowing down, and by the time I passed my marker for the 3rd time, I had slipped back by almost a minute. I had around 3km left. I sucked it up and tried my best to push my pace a tad faster. I managed to squeeze a bit more pace from my shuffle, and finally crossed the finish line.

Hot Run!

My finishing time was 2:37, and I had managed a 49:33 run split! I was ecstatic! I finished 22nd overall and 7th in my age group. The field was pretty deep, and it was an honor to be racing with these vets.

I spent the next half hour catching my breath, and cheering on my friends and teammates, as each of them crossed the finish line, mostly setting personal records. By the time all were done, we were famished, and retreated to The Lighthouse for a sumptuous lunch and recovery drinks.

The Lighthouse

The race was very well organized, and certainly is a must-do. I can't wait to do this one again.

Congrats to Elmer (for finishing his first Oly with a great time), Jake, Jody, Levy and Ann (for setting new PRs), Drew (for his podium finish) and Migs and Packy (also for setting PRs).

Tired, Sweaty, Hungry but Oh So Happy - That's team Super for you!

Thanks to Zed & The Lighthouse Marina Resort for the accomodation and food, Hannah, Ady, Vince, Makoy, Alf & Ivy for the race coverage and cheering.

Race Report - Speedo Aquathlon

Rewind

12 years ago to the date (April 19), my closest cousin died in a tragic car accident along South Superhighway. He was on his way home from his girlfriend's place, and was somewhere between Sucat & Bicutan, when his tire blew, causing the car to go out of control, and unto incoming traffic. He died instantly.

Mikel and I grew up together, born only months apart. We spent summers together, and had the same passion for sports and the outdoors. He moved from Bacolod to Manila to attend college at the Ateneo, where I was too. Instead of sleeping at his dorm, he preferred rooming with me. We shared a room and a bed, amongst alot of other things.

Growing Up

Both of us loved sports. Mikel represented La Salle Bacolod HS in Soccer and Basketball. In high school, I represented Ateneo in Tennis, Golf and Track & Field. Miks was one hell of an athlete.

It was because of Miks that I rekindled my love affair with soccer. I remember waking up early on saturday and sunday mornings, heading to Ateneo to kick around, and maybe play a pickup game or two. During afternoons, we would head to San Lorenzo, and play 7 or 8 aside. It was something we shared.

During the summer between 1st and 2nd year college, we had both made the team which would represent Ateneo in the Under-19 Nationals. We had a blast.

I vividly remember that fateful morning. My mom frantically woke me up, I looked at her face, then at Miks' side of the bed. It was then I realized that something bad had happened, since the sheets were cleanly tucked, and the pillows untouched. All my family convened at my Granma's house. All but me.

A few days later was the finals for Under-19 Nationals. In Miks' honor, the entire team wore a black band with his number '16' on it. During the start of the game, we had one minute of silence to honor him. I was filled with too much emotions, and could not finish the game without breaking into tears.

Fast-forward

On the way to AAV for the Aquathlon, I was accompanied by Hannah, Mikel's younger sister Ines, and my best friend Elmer who married her - talk about making the world smaller. Elmer was there to join the Triathlon Mini-Sprint - his first.

As I was driving along south superhighway, at just about the point and time exactly 12 years ago where he had met his untimely death, all the hairs in my body stood up. I felt him - and he was smiling at us. I was dedicating today's race to him.

The Race

As expected, the race was gonna be short and not so sweet. The 750m swim + 3.5km run was going to be quick and tough. I saw some familiar faces, and figured if I wanted a medal for Miks, I would have to work for it.

There's not much strategy in a race like this, it's just pedal-to-the-metal from the get go. The swim was tough, and for the first 250m, I was swimming alone since the faster swimmers had already packed a lead. Then I felt someone beside me, I glanced over and saw Tony Welsch. I let him pass with the hopes of taking his feet. What I didn't realize was Jon-jon Rufino already had. I tried to hang on to them for as long as I could.

Transitioning to the run, heart going bonkers

Shortly after, we were getting out of the pool and it was time to run. I quickly put on my running shoes, took a sip of water, put on my singlet and off I was. I came out of the water in 7th, and got one guy in transition (he chose to put on socks). So I started running in 6th, and knew if I wanted to place, I needed to advance a place, without losing one.

Finishing not so strong :P

I kept a pretty even pace, and finally settled into 5th place after a kilometer or so. I tried to keep up with Tony, but he was just way too fast. I eventually was trailing TI Coach Nonoy Basa, but did not have enough to chase him down. I held on crossed the line in just over 30 mins, in 5th place. My work was done - that was for you Miks!

With Ironman Ani de Leon

I quickly caught my breath, and headed over to the pool to support my best bud for his first triathlon. He managed a decent swim, an excellent bike split, smooth transitions, and a good run - finishing 10th overall (despite there being elites).

Mer finishing strong!

All in all, a good day. We miss you Miks!

Congrats to Lee, Ian, Deo and the rest of the first time finishers! Thanks to Hannah once again for the full race coverage :)


'Time keeps on slippin, slippin, slippin
Into the future
Time keeps on slippin, slippin, slippin
Into the future

I want to fly like an eagle
To the sea
Fly like an eagle
Let my spirit carry me
I want to fly like an eagle
Till Im free
Oh, lord, through the revolution'
- Steve Miller Band