Race Report - White Rock Half Ironman

I really didn't know how to start this report...perhaps a good starting point would be right after Camsur. Two bad things happened at Camsur - pacing and nutrition. I vowed I would try my best to stop these from happening again so when I resumed training post Camsur, I focused on my running. I did not want to walk again. Also, with the help of Harvie (Hammer Nutrition Philippines), I was able to improve my nutritional plan. Upon analyzing my Camsur race, I realized that I took in too much fluids, and possibly overhydrated. Lesson learned.

In all honesty, all my focus was on running better. I've read so many articles about race day performance, and all say one thing - THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A GOOD BIKE, AND A BAD RUN. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but I did. I began admitting to myself that perhaps I paced too hard on the bike in Camsur, which may have caused me to tap out early in the run. So in White Rock, the plan was simple - A relaxed swim, a controlled bike, which would hopefully leave enough energy for a decent run.

Race Day came quick, and getting inked, all setup even quicker. Since there was very little of us, it was less hectic and more relaxed. For the swim, I decided to sit behind Harvie since he was a left side breather. The counter-clockwise swim posed a problem for most of us right side breathers.

The gun went off, and so did we. Right off the bat, I got stuck behind a group of Sabak boys. Got hammered and kicked a few times, and finally found some space. Rounding the bouy and heading back for the first of 3 loops was tough, since the sun was staring straight into our faces. I could not make out where to go, and tried my best to swim as straight as I could. Exiting the water for the first time, I spotted Harvie right ahead of me, and as we re-entered the water, I tried my best to keep at his feet. I did...for the next 2 loops..and we finally exited in just over 25mins...WHAT???? (We later found out that the bouys were stolen overnight and the course had to be redone and ended up shorter by 300-400m.)

Rolling out of T1

T1 went smooth and slow...I hopped on my bike, and I was off. Apart from passing Hiro, and Jomak and Kap Rayzon passing me...the first 60km was awfully lonely. I was riding solo with nobody in sight for almost 2 hours. At around 60km, Jumbo rolled up beside me, and I decided I would try keeping with him for the next 30km. We rode legally for the next 30km, and despite traffic in the last town, rolled into T2 in pretty good shape.

T2 was even slower, as I took time to put on socks, compression socks and my running shoes of course. Jumbo and I exited transition at the same time, and began running together. Our first few KMs went pretty quick, and without any drama. I was actually relaxed, and had a rhythm going...the complete opposite of Camsur. Then the hills came. On the first set of hills, I was able to keep up with Jumbo. However, on the second ascent, I began slipping back. Entering SBMA was a relief, knowing that we would have at least 7km of flats. The group of Makoy, Joyette and Matt were a pleasant sight as well. I made the run turnaround in just under an hour, and figured I was doing alright. I dared not push the pace knowing that I would have to encounter the same hills headed back.

Rolling into T2 with Jumbo of Tri-Clark

As I was exiting SBMA, Roy of Team Timex rolled past me. I tried to keep up but I was running out of steam. On the first set of hills, Amanda ran straight thru me. Again, I could not keep up. Little by little I was slowing down. I just kept telling myself 'It's only 5km left'. Heck, that was the longest 5km of my life. When the hills were done, there was about 3.5km left, and I was a dead man shuffling. In the last 2km, Meyo and Larry ran past me, and I could not stride with them. My pace was 8:12/km. Yes, that's close to a walk :P

Managing to Smile on the Run inside SBMA
Photo Courtesy of Ria

I entered White Rock and tried to surge (and look good for the crowd and my wife) but my legs were locking, so I shuffled along. I never felt so good to cross the finish line. I made it (again)...and this time it was better.

Finishing with a Smile...alot of us did.

Hannah had a gig in the evening so right after the race we had to drive back to Manila. We missed the party but I heard it was fun. Congrats to George for finishing first, and Jomak and Kap for their strong finishes. Congrats also to Roy & Jumbo for podium-ing in our age group - I hope one day I can stand alongside you guys. And congrats to all the others who posted great times - Levy (podium finish), Ting (Champion), JP, Erick, Hector, Harvie, and all the other White Rock Warriors.

Headstand at the finish
Photo courtesy of JC Pineda

Thanks to Hannah for forever covering the race. Congrats to the Extribe group for once again, a great race.

Race Report - Ironman 70.3 Philippines

Finally Aug 23 had arrived, and everyone was pumped. I'm not gonna talk much about the other stuff like registration and other pre-race activities. The only thing I will say is that it was nearly perfect - Kudos to the production team for really putting on a show!

Fast Forward to Race Day

Surprisingly I got to sleep pretty well. I only woke up 2-3 times during the night, and lulled myself to sleep by playing the race in my head. By around 3:45AM, I was already up. After getting dressed and fixing my gear, I proceeded to have breakfast. I boarded the bus headed to CWC, and the next thing I knew was I was already getting inked.

We had already checked in our bikes and T1 and T2 bags, so there was nothing much left to do than pump my tires, put fresh bottles and do last minute bike checks. Shortly after, I proceeded to the lake and did a short swim warmup, and some light stretching afterwards. The energy in the start area was amazing, and so was the anxiety. After the Pros were introduced, 7am was looming and the race was ready start.

Swim - 1.8km

I positioned myself on the outside left, thinking that if I swam relatively straight, I would be taking the shortest route to the turnaround, which was around 600m away. When the gun went off, so did everyone. For the next 400m, it would be about finding space. Constantly getting tugged at the feet needs getting used to, and you must really have the patience not to let it affect your rhythm. Nearing the swim turnaround, I finally got some space and was working some kind of rhythm. Visibility was near zero (I couldn't see past my spearing hand), and so taking someone's feet was more difficult. Heading back, I found myself veering off course, most oftenly to the left. This was the same problem I had in Subic. I adjusted my rudder and voila...I started swimming straight (Joke!). The swim back was mostly uneventful, as I just concentrated on swimming as straight as I could and maintaining a good rhythm.

The Washing Machine Live at CamSur

As I got out of the first lake, I glanced at my watch and it read 23mins...right on target. A short jog over to the small lake, and I found myself trailing my training buddy Drew. This 2nd lake posed a problem, since it was a counter-clockwise swim, and I was a single side (right) breather. However, 50m into the swim, I had a eureka moment. The 2nd lake was a wakeboard lake, hence there were cables which pulled wakeboarders through the course. For some strange reason, the idea of following the cables (sighting it on my right) seemed like a good idea. I followed my instincts and proceeded to guide myself around the lake following the cables. It worked perfectly!

I exited the 2nd lake at around 35mins...a pretty good swim.

T1

I picked up my bag, entered the tent, sat on the chair and emptied out the contents. I had been playing this transition in my head for several times... Put nutrition in back pocket, put on headband, put on helmet, put on watch, put on shoes, put on shades....done! In the middle of all of that, a foreigner beside me was struggling to put on his tri top (he swam bare torso) and asked me for help - Note to self: It's hard to put on tight clothing when you're wet. I was off...

Bike - 90km

The bike leg was amazing. Kids lined the streets holding flags and screamed 'Go, Go Ironman'. It felt like the Tour de France! The support on the streets definitely pumped me up. Aside from the occasional cheers, I got the usual 'Hey Joe' despite wearing the Philippine Flag on my chest. Maybe now's the time to finally have that 'Tangina mo, Hindi Joe ang pangalan ko!' jersey made :P

Still happy entering T2

The course was an out and back, roughly 90km total. They said it was flat, and most of us believed them. As I approached the turnaround point, my watch read 1:17...I thought to myself...this could not be possible...I was flying! Then it dawned on me...we must have been going downhill or had a tailwind. Sure enough, a few mins later, I found myself grinding out...barely making 27kph. The way back was tough, but again, the crowds on the streets (some said there were 90,000 people) kept us participants going. Before I knew it, I was on the main road, with less than 10km left to T2. I was feeling great. I made it to T2 and I was actually around 5 mins ahead of my target.

T2

T2 was much less complicated. After racking my bike, I walked to the change tent with my T2 bag, which had already been positioned at my rack. I changed from cycling to running shoes, took off my helmet and replaced it with a visor, and put on socks. As I was about to exit, Drew came in. I decided to wait for him so that we could run together.

Run - 21km

Drew and I began running at a pretty good pace. However, around 10mins in, I had to stop to pee, and told him to go ahead. There was not a cloud in the sky, and reports said it was pushing well over 40 degrees. It was close to noon then, so I made sure I stopped at every aid station, pouring as much water over my head, and getting some water and Gatorade into my system. About 3km in, my stomach felt really bad, and it seemed to be rejecting something. I stopped and proceeded to the side of the road, where I ended up puking. Everything came out, including my breakfast. A member of Sunkist Tri-Hard, which I later found out was Sec. Noy Andaya, briefly stopped to make sure I was alright, and handed me a bottle of water. This gesture of sportsmanship is what this sport is all about - thank you Sec. Andaya.

Drew and I starting the 21km hot run

I knew I needed to recover somehow, so I started walking for a few KMs. Once I felt a little better, I managed to alternate between jogging and walking. My race had gone south, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. As I was ending my first loop, my wife screamed 'Dig Deep!'. I then realized that this was what I have been training for. I needed to just suck it up and make do with what I had left. I shuffled the remaining 11kms, quads dead and calves locked-up. I walked every hill, and took my time in every aid station. I wanted to make sure I made it home.

With a few mins to spare to break 5:50, I finally crossed the finish line. The last 20m, running through the chute, and hearing your name is simply amazing. The sense of accomplishment makes all the pain worthwhile. At the finish, I was greeted by my wife Hannah and my teammate Drew. It never felt so good to be done.

Ironman 70.3 Finisher

I'll end here and save the learnings for another blog. It was a great experience and I have to thank Hannah (for not only the excellent race pics, but for all the support) and my teammates, especially Drew (for pushing me in every single workout).

My facebook status says it all...




See you all again next year. It was a pleasure. Congrats to all who started :)

With 2007 Kona Champ Chris 'Macca' McCormack


With the uber photographer and race journalist

T minus 6 days to Ironman 70.3 Philippines

Today's training day consisted of just 7km, with plenty of hills and under the hot noontime sun. I figured a good way to prepare myself for next sunday's big race was to not swim, bike or run.

The beautiful view from Hole #1 from Wack Wack East Course

I have to admit. My game started rough. I dubbed my first shot, something which I have not done in years. I went on and managed to scrape a bogey on the first hole. I was able to gain some rhythm after that. My drives were decent, my irons were blazing hot, but my putter was ice cold. I made two birdies and managed to shoot a decent 79. Not bad at all for my first round in over 3 months.

For those who do not know me too well, I'm really a golfer trying to swim, bike and run. I come from a family of golf addicts. The kind of addict that head to the golf course during a typhoon, hoping the skies would clear out. The kind of addict that wakes up at 3 or 4am, to catch the Masters, British or U.S. Open.

One of the many ditches and water hazards in Wack Wack' East Course

Golf and triathlon are almost complete opposites. Golf is almost purely mental, and triathlon all physical. However different they are, they share some striking similarities. Golf has taught me so many things through the years, here are some which I'll be taking to next sunday's race.

• Relax and focus
• Concentrate on the task at hand
• Find your rhythm
• Make the most out of the situation you're in
• Play it smart
• Avoid taking unnecessary risks
• Enjoy

The Pagoda at the 18th hole

It took over 4 hours to complete the 7km, 18 hole course...lousy by any running standards, but a great way to spend a sunday afternoon. The work is done, and there's nothing left to do than relax and recuperate. Good luck to all those who will be competing in Camsur.

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

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 - TLBF Olympic Triathlon

Exactly a year ago, I was very unhealthy, weighing more than 185lbs, and drank alcohol almost every night. I smoked alot, and did not exercise one bit. Alot can change in a year. Just a year ago, I ran my first 5km. It was tough, especially on my ego. It was at the Mizuno Infinity Run, and I had 'joined' to support Hannah, who had started running a few months back. I promised her I'd run alongside her (or just try to keep up). We finished in 32:30, and that's how the story began. Shortly after, I quit smoking, cut down on my drinking and dedicated my life (at least the rest of it) to being fit.

A year later and there I was staring down my first Olympic/Standard distance Triathlon. An Olympic/Standard distance Triathlon consists of a 1.5km Swim, a 40km Bike, and a 10km run. It is the official distance on the ITU Circuit and was formerly referred to as 'Olympic Distance' because it is the distance used in the Olympics.

I was very nervous, for several reasons. First, it was my first open water swim. All this time, I had been training and racing in the pool. Open water poses alot more problems, the biggest of which being navigation. Second, the bike route was downright masochistic! Popo & Thumbie said the bike route had 'moderate hills', when in fact there was more than 1,000meters of vertical gain in 40km. Note that in most triathlons, bike legs tend to be flat(ter). Lastly, it was hot! Hydration was key. And oh, one more thing posed a problem - the transition area - which was not only as tight as Embassy on a saturday night, but was on the beach...sandy feet anyone?

My race strategy was quite simple. For the swim, I just wanted to get a rhythm going, and finish comfortably in under 30mins. If I could catch some draft packs, then well and good. For the bike, it was to go easy on the ascents, and hammer the descents. I have ridden parts of the course in the past, and have fallen victim multiple times. One thing was for sure - I had to respect the bike course. For the run, it was basically to do as much with whatever I had left.

A short race brief, a few swim warmups, and we were ready to go. The gun went off and the elites dashed forward, and began hopping over the water and dolphin diving. It was almost 25m in when I finally found space and began swimming. Right off the bat, it was about getting space. Getting kicked, elbowed and shoved takes getting used to. Around 100m later, the pack began to thin out, and finally there was some space.

Beach Start

The swim consisted of 3x500m loops, straight out and back. A bouy line separated the to and fro. I began swimming close to the bouy line so as to navigate better, however, I found myself hitting the bouy multiple times. I tried to adjust by trying to swim slightly away from it, but then found myself about 20m off to the side - a total waste of effort. It doesn't take a genius to know the shortest distance between two points is a straight line - quite simple eh? I struggled to navigate, and did my best. Exactly 27 mins later, I was out of the water and off to T1. Swim, Check!

Drew & I - syncrhonized swimming (Yes Alf I missed you!)

I leisurely hobbled over to T1, and stopped at the Gatorade booth with Drew prior to getting to our bikes. How I wish there was always a Gatorade booth in transition. A quick transition, and off to the bike leg I was - sandy feet and all.

Quick stop - Hydrate!

During the race brief, they mentioned that the bike leg was draft legal. I guess they decided so because the streets were not closed, and parts of the course were tight and technical. Not much of a woo-hoo there since drafting uphill is like driving a Ferrari on EDSA during rush hour. Keeping to my strategy, I took it easy on the first bike loop. Right off the bat, it was a climb - a 180m vertical ascent in 2.5km. After about 6km, it was a right turn at IDESS, and 3km of technical downhill, followed by the opposite. There was hardly any flats in this course, so it was either you were resting (or hammering) on the downhills, or suffering uphill.

I was feeling quite good on the bike, and ended up riding with Drew on the second loop. We rode shoulder-to-shoulder as we do in training rides. Drew even commented that it felt like a training ride since we were relaxed and chatting. On the last ascent, I no longer could keep up so I rode the final 10km alone. I came into T2 just under 2hrs, and knew that I had a shot at breaking 3hrs.

With my feet out of my shoes, ready to dismount at T2

I racked my bike, ditched my helmet, grabbed my running shoes and headed out. Yes, I ran barefoot til the road - where I decided it was better to put on my shoes, rather than risk having a lot of sand in my running shoes.

The run route consisted of three very flat, yet hot 3.4km loops - making 10.2km. There were 3 aid stations along the way, and a Fire Truck providing some rain. I was feeling quite good off the bike, and started at a pretty good pace. My goal was just to keep an even pace, and probably push a bit more (if I could) on the last loop. I let no aid station pass, about 9 times, I drank water and poured another glass over my head. It was probably around 40 degrees out there, with absolutely no shade.

During the VERY HOT run

I pushed, but I didn't have much left, and ended in 2:48 - my longest race to date. I was very happy with the outcome, and I'm very much looking forward to the next. Another first for me - Olympic Tri, Check!

Thanks to Zed Avecilla of The Lighthouse Marina Resort for providing us with THE LIGHTHOUSE, as well as great food and drinks. Lovely place, great food, great service :)

Yes, we stayed INSIDE The Lighthouse

Congrats to Drew for bagging 2nd place in his AG and 10th overall. Congrats to my fellow virgins Pao, Migs, Packy & Ting for a job well done!

Drew of Team Super Bagging 2nd Place in his Age Group

Thanks to Hannah for the solid race coverage and beautiful pictures :)

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