Race Report - XRC Subic 2008 (Part 2)

The morning after the road race, I woke up and felt like I got hit by a truck. No, I did not have a hangover, but perhaps I would have preferred one compared to the pain I was feeling in my lower back and neck. No excuses tho, I'm was pushing through with the criterium. You see, I am resigned to the fact that we (as athletes) are never really 100%, and so, we must fight through the pain, especially during races.

A short drive, breakfast...and shortly after I found myself warming up around the track. The criterium was held at the Subic International Raceway, a track which hosts the Philippine Touring Car Championship, and some races in Formula 3, Vintage Cars & 'Run What You Brung'.

Right before the start of the Criterium

I was familiar with this course in a different way. The last time I raced here, my baby (a JDM spec EG6 Honda Civic), came home in a trailer after a downshift at the back hairpin caused the valves and pistons into a permanent french kiss. Almost 10 years later, I find myself riding the same course (backwards tho) using my own pedal power. I guess that's what you call getting old.

My 'Little Mouse' on the road to Subic on that fateful day

During my warmup, Joyette gave me some tips. I promised her I'd try to hang on for as long as I could. I knew this was going to be tough.

Joyette sharing some tips with me during our warmup

A criterium or 'crit' is a relatively short bike race, usually held in closed-off city streets. It's fast and technical, and favors powerful cyclists who have good drafting skills, and a sprint finish.

Before I knew it, we were off. Almost instantly, I found myself at the back of the pack. My strategy was to hold on to the peloton, for as long as I could. It was difficult because of the accordion effect. Since the course is very technical and tight, the peloton is forced to thin out at every turn. Riders in front ride at a constant pace, with little or no braking. Riders toward the rear are forced to slow down, then accellerate out of the turn to chase the group. This accordion effect happens on every turn, so you can imagine how many times one would have to accellerate to chase the pack.

The accordion effect in full bloom

Yours truly, and other riders chasing back the peloton after the hairpin

About halfway through, I, along with half the number of participants had already been dropped by the peloton. We formed little groups of 3 or 4, trying to maximize the effects of group riding. The main straightaway was pure hell as a 35kmh headwind sucked the energy out of us riders every single lap. Pedalling all out only amount to a speed of about 25-28kmh.

I did my share of the work. This taken at the main straightaway, where we faced a 35kph headwind

With about 3 laps left in the race, I was forced to retire, as the leaders were about to lap me. I exited the race track, into the pits. Literally, into the pits. I was humbled, but content.

Great shot, Vince :) I look pretty fast :P

I learned alot in this weekend of racing, and gained a few friends along the way. This was the perfect way to cap the 2008 season. 'Til next year...


Pics c/o Vince & Leian

List of Triathlon, Duathlon & Aquathlon Races for 2009

Updated from TRAP:

Jun 28 - Duathlon - MOA
Jul 5 - SPEEDO NAGT 3rd Leg - Sprint Distance - Cebu
Aug 23 - Ironman 70.3 - Half Ironman - CamSur
Sep 20 - SPEEDO NAGT 4th Leg - Sprint Distance - Cagayan de Oro
Sep 20 - Duathlon - MOA
Sep 26 - Gabriel's Symphony - STK - AAV
Oct 4 - SPEEDO NAGT 5th Leg - Sprint Distance - Los Banos
Oct 18 - SPEEDO NAGT 6th Leg - Sprint Distance - AAV
Nov 15 - Philippine International Duathlon Open - Standard Distance -Subic Bay
Nov 28-29 - Anvaya Cove Triathlon - Standard & STK - Anvaya Cove, Bataan
Dec 13 - Davao Mayor's Cup - Standard Distance - Davao

Race Report - XRC Subic 2008 (Part 1)

Yes. I was ready.

This year was full of firsts for me - Foot Races, Triathlons, Duathlons. This weekend of races was no different - another set of firsts - my first road race and my first criterium...a great way to end the year.

It's not often I enter a race knowing what to expect. However, this one was quite different. I knew exactly what was heading my way. I knew there was going to be pain, but of a different kind. You see, in triathlons, duathlons and foot races, you are really racing against time, against yourself. You decide on your pace, you get comfortable, and you hammer out. In a road race or criterium, you don't. You try your best to hang on to the peloton - or else you'll be riding solo.

I also got a lot of tips from veteran riders like Joyette, Makoy & Winston, along with the wealth of information available on the internet. I wasn't ready, but I knew more or less what I got myself into.

This was a crash course in drafting for me. Since I mostly train alone and ride in non-drafting races, I am oblivious to its effects. Tests show that the the 2nd rider in a draft line uses around 25% less energy than the lead rider. The 3rd and succeeding riders use 33% less energy. In huge pelotons, middle-of-the-pack riders can be using 60% less energy. That's a whole lot.

Riders in a perfect Draftline

There we were, about a hundred strong riders, awaiting the starting gun (or shout) of the 70km road race (which turned out to a few KMs less). We were starting on an uphill (can you believe that?). The first few kilometers were to be ridden in a controlled pace - thank God!

And off we went. Being a newbie, I stuck to the back of the pack. As much as I had wanted to try to be in the middle of the peloton (to conserve as much energy as I could), I chose not to, since I was new at this. During the first descent, I rode beside some Team David's Salon riders, an all girls multisports team. They had their coach riding with them, telling them what to do, and firing out tips left and right. I liked the idea, so I stuck with them for a while. I rolled up beside their coach and said 'Coach, kung ayos lang, makikinig ako ha?'. He chuckled and smiled, so I figured it was no problem at all. I learned quite a few tips about cornering and braking. I found some of the girls to be a bit twitchy, so I decided to push forward to avoid any mishap.

A few kilometers of cruising (at over 30kph) and the pack was let loose. There I was, at the back of the peloton, pedalling my heart out. It felt different...it felt great. Around 5-10 kilometers later, the peloton began to thin out, forming different groups. I settled into a group, hoping to maximize the effects of group riding.

The route consisted of 2 laps - out to Ocean Adventure and back. It was a hilly route, with as much as 2km ascents, and a fair share of descents. The descent from Legenda down to the main highway was pretty technical (at least for me).

There were alot of good samaritans along the way...allowing me to take their back wheel, pouring water over my head, and even offering some water (Thanks Winston). There were alot of people handing out water bottles - though those were obviously team support - a privateer like me had none of that help. In hindsight, I should have carried a third water bottle, or sports drink. About halfway through the 2nd lap I was out of water.

Around 2 hours later, I found myself pushing up the last half kilometer ascent to the finish line. In that last kilometer, I passed a few riders who appeared to have been suffering from cramps. They had parked themselves at the side of the road, had their legs stretched out, and were massaging themselves. I kept asking each rider 'Ok ka lang?' as I passed them by. They all said they were alright, so I didn't stop to help. I had the cramps too...but I knew stopping would only make it worse. I had to finish...it's all I came here to do.

The organizers, in true sadistic fashion, figured that it would make for a nice uphill finish. Yes, it makes for an interesting finish, but it's downright sadistic! I crossed the finish line in around 2:06. Not bad, said the pig.

Yours truly making the last ascent to the finish line

I spun for a few minutes more, in the hopes of letting my legs recuperate. When I settled, my buddy Vince and I exchanged some stories with Joyette (who won 3rd place in the race and 1st overall for the season), Makoy of PR, Winston & Ave of XTerra, and Robby of Rikulau. I also enjoyed drooling over the nice bikes these executives were riding.

Joyette Jopson (of Team David's Salon) & Makoy 'the Legend' Almanzor

A guilt-free lunch at Gerry's Grill consisting of Bagnet & Chicken Kebab followed. Vince & I spent the rest of the day drooling over gear in The Bike Boutique, and fixie hunting in the Olongapo bike shops.


Pictures c/o Vince

---End of Part 1---

Top Ten: Who You Callin Tough?

Awhile back, I chanced upon an article on Sports Illustrated entitled 'The 25 Toughest Athletes'. Toughness, in the context of the article, pertained to anything from grace under pressure, to the ability to overcome injury and personal setbacks, to fighting through pain or just utter domination. This is certainly a bar-room type conversation which nobody really wins, but proves to be interesting nonetheless.

The article included some of the obvious ones like Tiger Woods (whose mental game is second to none), Kobe Bryant (who can dominate when he wants in Michael Jordan fashion), Rafael Nadal (he's just a grinder. Period) and Allen 'The Answer' Iverson.

There were a few more interesting names like Anderson 'Spider' Silva (Current UFC Middleweight Champion, best pound for pound MMA in the world), Fedor Emilianenko (One of the toughest MMA Heavyweights) and Floyd Mayweather (#1 Boxer in the world) - real world tough guys. The rest were a merry mix of athletes, who were mostly american football and hockey players. The lone Triathlete was Chrissie 'Chrissie Who' Wellington, 2 time defending Kona Champ.

Although up to a certain extent, I agree with the article, I'd like to make my own top ten of the toughest triathletes. The elites will always be elites, and there's no doubt how tough they are so I have chosen to highlight the ones who finish in the dark (most of them).

It'd be tougher than completing an Ironman to cut the list down to 10, so just allow me to pick some of my favorites. Here they are, all inspiring...in no particular order.

1. Dick and Rick Hoyt - Together, they have completed over 200 Triathlons, 60 Marathons, and inspired millions with their story. For the runners out there, Dick and Rick have the following personal bests: (Marathon 2:40, Half Marathon 1:21, 10k 35:48, 5k 17:40). Need I say more?

2. Sister Madonna Buder - She's the 'Nun on the Run'. The oldest woman to complete the Ironman Triathlon (at age 76). She has completed over 20 Ironman Triathlons since she started in 1982 (at age 52).

3. David 'The 100 Mile Man' Goggins - This weightlifter transformed himself into an UltraAthlete in months, won Ultraman (triple Ironman Distance) on a rented bike! Daily workouts include 20-30 miles of running, 50 miles on the bike and 90 minutes of weightlifting.

4. Jonathan 'Blazeman' Blais - Fighting ALS, he completed the Ironman at Kona in 2005, and became the first person with ALS to complete the Ironman. Although he did not need to, he log-rolled over the finish line, an act which those who race in his support, continue to follow. The next year, he returned in a wheelchair, and was only a spectator. In May 2007, he died.

5. Scott Rigsby - The first Double Amputee on prosthetics to complete the Ironman. Having no legs didn't stop this man from Tri-ing. Through his racing, he continues to inspire amputees and double amputees to look beyond their physical disability.

6. Brian Boyle - From Coma to Kona! It's difficult to sum up in a few words what this young athlete has done, but he escaped death a few times, and came back, learned to walk again, and eventually became an Ironman.



7. Sarah Reinertsen - The first female amputee to finish the Ironman Triathlon. She holds or has held world records at 100m, 200m, 400m, Half Marathon & Full Marathon distances. She is also the youngest member of the U.S. Paralympic team.

8. Jason Lester - Already an Ironman, Jason persisted through many obstacles, which included the loss of his family and a near-fatal accident which left him with one arm. He will be taking on a more difficult challenge this year - Ultraman Hawaii - a double Ironman distance held over a few days.

9. Marc Herremans - This once Elite athlete has bagged two top ten finishes with a best 6th at the Ironman World Championships. A near fatal cycling accident left him crippled from the waist down. Keeping his Kona dream in check, he transformed himself, and in 8 months captured the Ironman World Championship in the Handicapped Division.

10. Julie Moss - Julie's crawl towards the finish line at Ironman Hawaii in 1982 will always be remembered as one of the sport's most inspiring moments. Competing as research for her thesis in Exercise Physiology, she found herself in the lead but severely dehydrated with 2 miles left in the race. Her body had given up, but her mind and heart had not.

Now...who you callin tough?

Love/Hate. This is the New Balance

LOVE/hate. Love Running More. This is the New Balance. New Balance could not have put it any better.

Six months ago, I hated running. Six months ago, I had never ever run for more than 15 minutes. Six months ago, I did not think my knees would hold up ... and yet this morning, I found myself staring down my very first 25km race.

The LOVE/hate relationship between running and I began as early as 6, when I started playing competitive soccer and basketball. I simply hated it. Fast-forward through grade school...high school...college - nothing changed. You see, I was more of the 'let's skip the warm-up and drills, and get right to the scrimmage' kinda guy. I loved sports...but I hated running.

A few months ago though, things changed, as I guided Hannah through the gates of her first 5k. A few triathlons, duathlons, an a ton of mileage later, and here I stand - a convert. Yes, I love running.

This morning's New Balance Power Race was very well organized. Extribe did an excellent job. There were aid stations galore, and the route was simply excellent. Kudos to the organizers for putting up possibly the best race of the year!

I have never run 25k ever, so I did not know what to expect. It's a good thing my buddy Drew promised we'd run together. We started off pretty slow, but as the crowd began to thin out, we began to pickup our pace. To pass the time, we were exchanging stories and goofing around with the people around us... before we knew it, we were at the halfway point (at 1:11:45 on my watch). At this point, I knew that even with a positive split, I was on route to make my 2:30 target. Drew, on the other hand, is Mr. Negative Split...which only meant one thing - one of us would have to budge assuming that we were to stick to our plan.

Long quick downhills and a few aid stations later, we found ourselves at the 21k mark (at 1:59). My legs were starting to shutdown at this point, and my knees were starting to feel the pain, but we pushed on. We went on to post a negative split and finished in 2:20 (unofficial - my watch). Mr. Negative Split got the better of me today - Thanks Buddy!

I used to hate running. Sometimes, I still do...but things change.

Here's one of the New Balance Ads - the LOVE/hate campaign - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kviG6cGzpTU

Play it Forward

I originally wanted to call this blog 'Play It Forward', this blog being about sharing experiences, hoping that readers would be able to take something from my experiences, and learn from it. Someone had already reserved the URL, so I just ended up with Positive Split.

This year's triathlon and duathlon season is coming to an end, and has been very fulfilling. Diving headfirst into the world of triathlon is no joke, and it would have not been possible, without the help of my fellow athletes. This entry is my way of P(l)aying it forward...giving back. I am no expert, but I have learned alot the past year, and I'm hoping you would too.

Here are some of my favorite tips & tricks, which are a culmination of what I've read (in books, magazines or on the Internet), what I've learned (through my experiences) and what others have taught me.

Learning

• Research, research, research! There are a ton of sites and forums on the net, and a ton of Tri-bloggers to learn from. Also, there are always friendly people around who are always ready to give advice (sometimes unsolicited) - so don't be afraid to ask. See bottom for my favorite sites
• Experiment! Don't be afraid to try out new things. Not all you read or hear will suit you. Also, if something works for you, however alien it may be, stick with it - for as long as it will not put you, or your body in danger.

Training

• Make a plan and commit yourself to it! There are alot of training programs available on the Web. At the start of the week, plan out your training schedule, and try your best not to miss a workout.
• Resist the urge to Overtrain! Although volume can do wonders, doing too much too soon will only result in overtraining. Resist the urge, listen to your body, and take a break once in a while. If you're following your program, chances are you're doing alright.
• Mix it up! It may get boring and monotonous at times, so try and change things up. Swimming/Biking/Running the same distance at the same speed every time won't really help speed you up. Incorporate some Interval and Speed Sessions in your training program. Try Brick workouts too.
• Join a Master Swim Class, Group Ride or Running Group! There's alot to learn from these people, and you will benefit most from a few workouts with them. Better yet, join a Triathlon Team.
  
• Incorporate stretching, yoga and core workouts.
  
• Maintain a training log - Jot down your workouts, what you ate, and even what you wore - it might come in handy one day

Equipment

• Get a good pair of running shoes! Have your feet, old shoes and gait checked, and make sure you buy a shoe that's right for your foot
• Get bike-fitted, or if you already have a bike, have a bikefitter adjust your bike so that you will pedal and ride efficiently, and avoid the aches and pains that is a result of a mis-fit.
• Get a tri-suit, or worse case, a 2-piece. It will not only save time, but it will be comfortable. If you're not commited, you can start with trunks, and a top.
• Get a road bike! You MAY not need a triathlon specific bike (contrary to what most people say), especially if you are targetting short distance triathlons & duathlons (with bike legs 40km or less). Research, ask for advice, then decide. If you have to borrow a bike for your first triathlon, do so.
  

Racing

• Taper the week before the race!
  
• Relax, and enjoy the race! You've done the work, so enjoy the race. Don't be too hard on yourself, especially on your first race.
• Hydrate! Make sure you drink enough fluids (and have some Power Gels if need be). Even if you are not thirsty, drink water or Gatorade. For a Sprint Tri, have at least 2 water bottles on your bike, and make sure both are empty before you begin the run.
• Finish strong, and smile! It may be difficult, but it will be worth it.

Keep on Tri'n Hard...and P(l)ay it forward!

Favorite Sites/Blogs:

• Everything/Everyone on my Blogroll
• SlowTwitch
• Runner's World and Bicycling
• Beginner Triathlete
• Mark Allen Online
• Total Immersion Swimming
• TriFuel
• FirstwaveTri & PECA Yahoo Groups
  

Please feel free to provide your own tips & tricks :)

Lovin' the Lunars

I love my Nike Lunars...I really do.

In my recent trip to U.S., I brought only two pairs of shoes - a pair of Converse Chuck Taylors (my wedding shoes) and my Lunars. I figured, they're all I really need. In fact, I was in my Lunars 90% of the time - partly because 10% of the time I was airing them out :P

Hannah & I, In our Wedding day Converse Chuck Taylors

Call me silly, but I love my Lunars so much, I decided to take a few pictures of them.

After the Men's Health Miracle Run - It's first road race

At the Red Rocks - As close to 'Home' the Lunars can ever get :P

At the Twin Peaks, the highest point in San Francisco - Lovin' the View!

At Golden Gate Park - How I wish I could run here everyday! (Lucky you Wayne!)

I visited the Nike Shop near Union Square and saw the Livestrong Nike Lunars....Gorgeous! AbsoFFFFINlutely gorgeous. I can't wait! Apparently Lance Armstrong wore them when he ran a two sub 3 hour marathons (Boston & NY if I'm not mistaken). Dammit! You were 'retired', came from stage 4 cancer, 7 TDF victories, and you can still run a 2:47 marathon???

Lance, finishing the boston marathon in his Livestrong Lunar Trainers

To date, I have put 178 kilometers on my Lunars (running that is). My nifty online training log www.logyourrun.com not only keeps track of your workouts, but also your shoe and bike mileage. Why is that important...you might ask. Apparently, even though our running shoes seem to be in 'good condition', they should be replaced every 600-900km.

Thank you Nike for giving me my Lunars :)

P.S. - Not many people know it, but Converse is actually owned by Nike. In 2003, Nike bought Converse for $300+ million dollars. Remember that - one day it will be a Jeopardy question. And Oh...Sinatra was not the first artist to record and release the song 'Fly Me to the Moon', contrary to popular belief. He's probably just the most popular one.

Fly me to the moon
Let me sing among those stars
Let me see what spring is like
On Jupiter and Mars...

Race Report - Philippine International Duathlon Open

I arrived in Clark the day before the race (Saturday) as Hannah and I were lucky enough to crash in one of her friend’s places just outside the base. To kill time (yeah right), we drove the bike route. It was very picturesque, and with rolling hills, trees and lots of greenery. I took time to appreciate its beauty – since, when you’re crawling up a hill at 10kmh on your last gear, panting, legs cramping…its quite hard to appreciate the beauty around you. I was ‘bitin’ with the drive – I wanted to try out the bike route, just to get a feel of it…so off I went.

The bike route for the standard distance consisted of 5 loops of this 8km course. The route starts off with a slight incline and a few twists and turns around the parade ground, until the main road is reached. From there, it’s 2 small hills, then a short downhill – and that’s where all the fun ends. The next 1.5 kilometers is uphill all the way to a place they call the ‘ruins’. How apt! My legs (and ego) were ruined each time I reached its peak. However, just as you are about to curse the course, it quickly becomes your best friend.

Luckily, what goes up, must come down. Its pretty much downhill all the way back from there. Big-ring-small-cog kinda downhill. 60kmh-put-your-head-down-grab-your-drops-tight and pray-you-don’t-hit-a-pothole kinda downhill. After about 1.5km of that, a slight uphill, a few turns and you’re back in the parade grounds.

I didn’t bother running the run course as I was hoping to save all the energy I had left for race day. I had been nursing a cold, and have not been feeling well since the AAV Triathlon last sunday.

My targets for the 10km-40km-5km Run-Bike-Run course, were 55mins for the first 10k, 1:25 for the bike leg (adjusted it after I surveyed it) and 28mins for the last 5k, plus change for transitions. Those targets would have brought the total to about 2:50.

A loooooong day was ahead.

Race Day

I woke up very early, had my usual pre-race meal (peanut butter sandwich) and went off to the parade grounds. As usual, got inked very quickly, got my race number, and fixed my transition area. It felt weird having practically nothing in the transition area – just my bike and my helmet. I kept having that ‘what did I forget’ feeling – perhaps it was just another case of start line stress.
A quick warmup, race briefing and before I knew it, I was at the starting point of my very first Duathlon.

Right before the starting gun shot off – I found Levy. We talked for a bit, and in the process, he told me not to be surprised if the run times were very quick, as the course was uphill one way, but downhill the rest. Thank God he told me this – otherwise I might have paced myself too much!

A around 6:40, the starting gun went off…and so did we. After the crowd thinned, I found Levy and a few other participants. I decided to hang on for the first 10k (or the most I could) . We were going at a pretty good pace, and before I knew it, the first of 4 laps had gone. Lap after lap I hung unto his back (Levy, I hope you did not mind), and fortunately I made it to the end. We ended our first 10k in about 48:45 – which is tremendously fast for someone like me.

Me pacing with Levy aka 'Happy Hour'

A quick bike-to-run transition, and off to the bike leg. What followed were five laps of pure heartache and bliss. Heartache one way, bliss the other. Heaven and hell shared the road in this one. My planned race nutrition consisted of a bottle of water, Gatorade and 2 packs of GU. Tri-berry (w/caffeine) on my 2nd bike lap, and Espresso Love (w/ 2x caffeine) towards the end of my bike lap. By my 4th lap, I had already run out of all fluids. Its either I drank too much, or brought too little – at that point I was hoping it’was the former. My calves were already cramping during the last climb, so before the descent, I did some of my on-bike stretching. I ended my bike leg in about 1:24 – which was decent in my standards.


At this point I realized that my 2:50 target was well within reach. All I needed to do was fight through leg cramps and a sidestich and finish the last 5k. A run-shuffle made up most of the final kilometers. I was running on pure pride – hopefully it was enough. Apparently it was – my last 5k was just under 26 mins.

Bonked with 5km to go!

I crossed the finish line in 2:41:45. I made it…well within my target.



Shortly after, I found out that Philip aka ForeignRunner suffered a puncture during his first bike loop – causing a DNF. Sorry to hear that bro. Next time! You would have schooled us – we know it!

Me,Philip aka 'Foreign Runner' and Levy aka 'Happy Hour'

Thanks to Hannah (for all the support and race coverage) , Vince(for the pictures), and Levy(for all the advice).

Good job to Vince, Paolo, Marga, Harry, Hubert, Annie and all the other first timers ☺ Props to Coach Rick and the rest of TRAP for a very well organized and fun event. We should have more of these ☺

Next stop : New Balance 25k

P.S. – The top 5(consisting of the country’s top Triathletes and Duathletes) all finished under 2:00. Damn! Arland Macasaeb, a two-time Ironman finisher, and one of our premier triathletes, finished in 5th.

Of leotards, unitards, spandex,lycra and other skin-tight garments...

Triathlon Gear Lesson One - Tri Suits

A Triathlon suit usually comes in either of 2 designs - a 1-piece or 2-piece. They are made from very stretchable, but breathable materials - which usually ends up in a merry mix of Lycra, Nylon, and other proprietary 'skins' which have their own claim-to-fames. Tri-suits usually have zippers - some in front, some at the back - which, at the end of the race, are most often zipped down and stuffed with all sorts of sponges to help fight dehydration.

I just recently found out why, in longer distance events (like a Half Ironman or Ironman distance), racers prefer to wear a 2-piece - simply because it is easier to take a leak.

On your right is a sample of a Cervelo 1-piece Tri-suit. Lovely.

A tri-suit IS NOT A LEOTARD. It is ALSO NOT A UNITARD. For those who don't know any better, here's the 411 on UNITARDS and LEOTARDS...

According to Wikipedia a Leotard is a 'skin-tight one-piece garment that covers the torso and body but leaves the legs free. It was made famous by the French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard (1842–1870), about whom the song "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze" was written.Leotards are worn by acrobats, gymnasts, dancers, thespians, and circus performers both as practice garments and performance costumes. They are often worn together with tights. There are sleeveless, short-sleeved and long-sleeved leotards. A variation is the unitard, which also covers the legs.'



Although some triathletes have been known to be acrobats in the water, and have been seen dancing whilst crossing the finish line, they DO NOT wear LEOTARDS.

A Unitard, on the other hand, is 'a skin-tight one-piece garment with long legs and sometimes long sleeves. It differs from a leotard in that a leotard does not have long legs. Superheroes are often depicted wearing unitards.






Although some triatheletes may be considered superheroes, they DO NOT wear UNITARDS.



A cycling bib is a 'pair of cycling shorts that are held up by a bib (integral suspenders/braces) instead of an elastic waistband. Pro and serious riders tend to prefer bibbed shorts over non-bibbed shorts, due to the discomfort that often occurs with an elastic waistband, such as tightness (digging into skin) and chafing. The bib part of the short is made of spandex and polyester with large sections of netting to help cool down the rider.'

Although some unitards may look like cycling bibs, cyclists DO NOT wear UNITARDS.

As a side note, Freddie Mercury (the legendary frontman of Queen) was known to wear alot of Unitards during their concerts (or were they really Cycling Bibs? :P).

Was Freddie Mercury an avid cyclist? How can we forget his song 'Bicycle Race' which came out in the album 'Jazz'. In the same album, he tells 'Fat Bottom Girls' to 'Get on your bikes and ride'. Avid Cyclist? Perhaps.

I want to ride my bicycle...I want to ride my bike...

Talk the talk, walk the walk. Next time you talk to, or about a traithlete or cyclist, do us all a favor and DO NOT use the words LEOTARD and UNITARD. Unless, of course, you want us to call you a RETARD.

End of Lesson One ;)

PS: Not all people look horrendous in UNITARDS and LEOTARDS. See below...

AAV Triathlon - October 12 2008

I arrived in AAV early, and had the chance to survey the 'famous' Ocho-Ocho bike route - which caused more than half the participants to be disqualified last Animo Tri. It was quite simple after all, that is, if you could keep track on which part of the bike loop you are on - fatigue does not help matters at all.

Got inked, got my race kit, and all was set. Luckily, I was given a corner spot - this somehow makes the transition area 'roomier' and makes it easier to locate. After preparing my transition area, all I needed to do was to warm-up (which I did not do). 'Start line stress' got the best of me, and the bathroom beckoned.

I started off in front - hoping to break away and miss some of the kicking and shoving which usually comes with a packed start. I got my rhythm after a few laps, and was in the zone (which is rare because I dread the swim). I had a perfect swim, except for the fact that I had to wrestle Alf for over almost 500 meters. I got out of the pool in just under 17:30 - way quicker than my usual swim time. Maybe the wrestling helped.

A quick transition, and off to the bike leg. I was riding my Cervelo Soloist (aka Sandy) for the first time (built the bike day before the race). I had not been training on dropbars for the past 6 months, so the feeling was alien to me. Levy aka 'Happy Hour' passed me during the last lap of the bike leg - I had been waiting for him to pass me all along. Except for the humps and the fact that somebody was drafting off me on the bike (You know who you are - Mahiya ka! Have some pride!), the bike ride was good. No excuses tho, I hit my target, finishing the bike leg in 1:00 flat.

Another perfect transition, and off to the run . I was feeling a bit dehydrated at this point, and I was beginning to fight cramps and a side stich. About a kilometer or two into the run, Phillip 'Foreign Runner' passed me too. I was certainly struggling. It was at this point that I realized my 'dream' of breaking the 2hr mark was not within reach. I dug deep but it was not enough. I bonked...

A run time of 42minutes brought the total to 2:04. I managed to finish 5th in my age bracket, and 23rd overall. What suprised me was that I posted a the 7th fastest swim split. I cannot complain about my time since it was decent, considering the fact that I had spent the past month vacationing.

Thanks to Hannah for full race coverage (despite her aching legs from her previous day's Half Marathon). Thanks to TEAM SUPER for support as well! You guys really ARE SUPER! Thanks to Vince for the parts :D

Congrats to the Winners, Suzi for finishing 1st in her age bracket, Levy for finishing 3rd and Phillip for finishing 4th in their age brackets.