Posts Tagged with: "Cebu"

You all know how much I love yurbuds (I’ve got three of ’em). So, it’s great news that they’re launching a new product: yurbuds Pete Jacobs Signature Series ITE-100. If you want one, they’re launching these babies at Ironman 70.3 in Cebu. Read the press release below…

PRESS RELEASE: In 2012, Australian triathlete Pete Jacobs came to Cebu, Philippines and won the grueling Cobra Ironman 70.3. A few months later he would go on to dominate the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, the most prestigious triathlon in the world.

With Pete Jacobs holding the crowns of Kona and Cebu, yurbuds proudly announces his Signature Series ITE-100. yurbuds, the official #1 sport earphones in the US, is designed by athletes for athletes who want cutting-edge sound and overall usability when it comes to earphones. Aside from the brand’s “never fall out” trademark for all its earphone styles, the Signature Series ITE-100 sports uniquely reflective, tangle-resistant Kevlar cords, premium sound quality and a 1-button microphone system with track and call control. A multipurpose dry mic/remote allows for easy, hands-free control of any iPhone®, AndroidTM and Blackberry® device. It also comes with two sizes of interchangeable ear buds in each box.

It is also sweat and water-resistant, allows ambient noise, and features FlexSoftTM comfort fit and TwistLockTM Technology – features also found in the other yurbuds styles that have been generating a buzz not just among athletes of all types, but anyone looking for quality earphones that provide superior sound and that stay put through all the twists, turns and sweat that come with vigorous activity.

The yurbuds Pete Jacobs Signature Series ITE-100 retails for P3,000 and will be launched at the 2013 Ironman 70.3 Philippines.

yurbuds is proud to welcome Jacobs in its growing roster of inspirational Signature Series athletes, which also includes San Francisco 49ers running back LaMichael James.

yurbuds is exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Cascos Inc., and is available at the following retailers: Power Mac Center, Digital Walker, Digital Hub, Beyond The Box, Buzz, Planet Sports, The Athlete’s Foot, RUNNR, Chris Sports, R.O.X, Riovana, Rudy Project, Mobile One, The AShop, Specialized Concept Store, Islands and More, IGig Center, Gadgets In Style, The Electronics Boutique, GNC, Gold’s Gym, Nothing But H2O, The Brick, Primo Cycles, Second Wind, and Fitness First.

Cascos Inc. offers a 1-year Replacement Policy on all yurbuds purchased at authorized dealers due to defects. All customers have to do is return the defective unit to the dealer purchased from along with the receipt of purchase. A brand-new unit is provided within 3-4 working days.

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/CascosInc

Just one month to go until Cobra Ironman 70.3 and Alaska Ironkids! I was at the presscon a few days ago to learn more about the upcoming event.

– Women Power! with Vimz of Kulit Runner, Lara Parpan of Women’s Health, and Ani de Leon of The Next Step Tri Camp –

– with Ton Gatmaitan representing Gatorade, Anton Gonzales of KSwiss, and Yong –

Mr. Fred Uytengsu, the man behind Ironman 70.3 Philippines, announced that the swim will be slightly modified from last year’s route.  It will have a deep water start in waves.  Use of timing chip starts had yet to be decided upon.  The bike route will be the same as last year’s course (ack headwind again!)  And, the run has been slightly modified.

Kenneth Cobonpue also unveiled his new design for the medal.  The blue in metal symbolizes the swim, the black rubber for the bike, and the brass for the run portion.

– Ironman 70.3 Cebu 2013 Medal designed by world renowned designer Kenneth Cobonpue –

Here’s some interesting facts shared about Ironman 70.3 Cebu 2013 during the event:

Individual Category
Female 262
Male 1519
Total 1781

Relay Category
All Male Teams 57
All Female Teams 22
Mixed Relay 43
Total Teams 122
Total Members 366

Total Participants
Individual 1781
Relay 366
Grand Total 2147

PRESS RELEASE: The Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Philippines returns to Cebu, the country’s number one tourist destination, as the province hosts its fifth edition as well as the Alaska Ironkids Triathlon on August 3 – 4, 2013.

Already in its fifth year the Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 has become the biggest and best Ironman 70.3 race in this part of the world with over 2,000 participants from 35 countries across six continents. All slots for the race were sold out four days after they were offered to the public and more than 600 individuals are on the waiting list.

The Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Philippines starts with the 1.2-mile swim in open water at the beach of the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa in Mactan Island on August 4.

The 56-mile bike ride will traverse four cities (LapuLapu, Mandaue, Cebu City and Talisay). The culminating 13.1-mile run will be at Punta Engano, Lapu-Lapu City.
Race organizer Sunrise Events, Inc. expects the coming race to top the wildly successful races of the past four years confident that this year’s race will be its biggest and most exciting ever.

Alaska Ironkids Triathlon will be held at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa on August 3. It is the local junior version of the international Ironkids triathlon series. It is open to youngsters age 6 to 14 years old and aims to promote health among the young through proper nutrition and an active lifestyle.

Leading the Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Philippines are the professional triathletes notably three-time champion Pete Jacobs of Australia. Jacobs is a regular fixture of the Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Philippines. He will gun for a fourth consecutive victory after winning the past three editions in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
He will have his hands full against Cameron Brown of New Zealand and Alaska Team TBB’s Mathieu O’Halloran who placed second and third in the 2012 race. Other male professionals to watch out for include Ben Allen Australia, Fredrik Cronberg of Sweden and Michael Murphy of Ireland.

Defending women’s champion Caroline Steffen of Alaska Team TBB returns to defend her crown. Her strongest challenge will come from 2011 champion and 2012 third placer Belinda Granger who is fresh from her triumph at the Century Tuna 5i50 Triathlon in Subic last June.

Expected to compete for the crown are Bree Wee from the United States (who placed second last year), Alaska Team TBB’s Christie Sym, and Jacqui Slack of Great Britain.

The Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Philippines is a qualifier for the IronMan World Championships Las Vegas in Henderson, Nevada on September 8.

For more information, check out the Cobra Energy Drink IronMan 70.3 Philippines website, www.ironman703phil.com.

PRESS RELEASE:

Timex and Runrio will bring their unique racing experience to the runners in Cebu and Davao. Timex, an internationally known watchmaker, is a sponsor of some the world’s most prestigious races. It is the timekeeper of the Ironman World Championships in Kona and Germany, the New York City Marathon, and the London Marathon.

This time around, Coach Rio Dela Cruz will be joined by celebrities and Timex endorsers, Maricel and Anthony Pangilinan together with the rest of their family as the Timex Run goes to Cebu and Davao.

– Timex Run Cebu –

– Timex Run Davao –

The runners are in safe hands with Runrio and Timex. But, there are more reasons why the runners should be excited for the upcoming Timex Run. One sure reason is that they get a chance to meet and run alongside with the Pangilinan family. Maricel, Anthony, Ella, Donny, Hannah, Benj, and baby Solana are all excited to go the Cebu to have a wonderful time.

Just like the Manila race, the run in Cebu and Davao will be divided into three race categories – 5K, 10K, and 16k. These race categories are designed for beginners, fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and casual runners. This will surely be an event for everyone!

Excited already? Cebu runners can register starting on July 02 until August 17, 2012 at the Philippine Sports Commission Office Region 7, Cebu City Sports Center from 9am – 7pm,  Timex Shop Mactan Marina and at The Active Zone (near Bread Talk), Ayala Center Cebu from 11am – 8pm. Registration fees are at Php400 (5KM), Php500 (10KM) and Php600 (16KM).

Of course, no event would be complete without some prizes. Top three male and female winners for all categories will receive a Timex watch. Also, all registered participants will get 20% discount on all Timex watches worth P3, 000 and above! They can claim it before race day until September 30, 2012.

Hurry and register now, time is running! Assembly time for all categories is at 4:00AM. Gun start times are at 5:15AM (16KM), 5:30AM (10KM) and 5:45AM (5KM). Run with Team Pangilinan and Coach Rio at the TIMEX Run 2012 Cebu and Davao!

Cebu Secretariat – Audie Marte (09282439643)

For Davao Run, Registration is until August 24, 2012 at TIMEX Store Abreeza Mall and TIMEX SM City, Davao from 11am – 8pm. Registration fees are at Php400 (5KM), Php500 (10KM) and Php600 (16KM).

Finally, I can say it, I am an Ironman 70.3 Finisher!

Crossing the finish line last Sunday was one of the most fulfilling finishes, a culmination of all the blood, sweat, and tears—not just during the almost 7-hours of the race—but throughout the past months of arduous training, juggling nine workouts a week with family and work. Looking back, I still can’t believe I survived!

My official results:
Swim – 00:43:26
Bike – 03:28:18
Run – 02:28:52
Total – 06:50:35

As most of you know, I had a 6:49 target time set by Specialized to win my Shiv. I missed the target time by 1 minute. If you want to be anal about it, I missed it by 36 seconds. I’ve said all the curse words in my head, thought about all the what ifs, but nothing is really gonna give me back those 36 seconds. Do I return my beloved Shiv? Read on and you’ll find out. (Yep, pang telenovela na ito)

SWIM: 1.9k at 43:26

Before the race even started, as triathletes made their way to the water start several meters from the shore, many had wounded themselves from the sharp corals and rocks underneath…including myself.

– Guess who I bumped into before the race? Good friend and pacer at my very first marathon, Neville Manaois. He was part of the organizing committee for IM 70.3 (Photo: Neville Manaois) –

– Before entering the water thinking about two things: 1) What the hell did I get myself into? 2) Where do I throw this cup of water without getting penalized for littering? (Photo: Robert Acosta) –

– Nerves. Nerves. Nerves. (Photo: Robert Acosta) –

Even if I swam upon entry, I got huge scratches on my knee and several cuts on my hands and feet. Still, I don’t think it was an issue for many of us. We were going to be Ironmen—well, at least half of an Ironman!—in a few hours and nothing was gonna stop us!

Wave 1, with the pros, elite and majority of the men, went off at 6:15 am while Wave 2, where all women, relay teams, and men 18 to 29 or 50 and above, were to start at 6:25am. I had never joined a triathlon with a water start, but with buoys to cling to as we waited, it didn’t cause as much of a problem as I initially thought. Thank God we didn’t have to tread water as I probably would’ve bonked by the swim! Hah!

The gun went off, I started my Garmin, and swam ahead. I had swam the day before and, much to my pleasant surprise, I didn’t encounter any of the rumored “Twilight Zone” current nor jellyfish that scared me to death. I focused on my strokes, steady and strong, as advised by Coach Andy Leuterio, and enjoyed the pristine water while occasionally spotting sea life below.

The swim was a rectangular 1.9k course with majority of the route going against the current. Except for the time I got kicked in the chin, it turned out to be a wonderful swim. Most of the triathletes posted spectacular times. I finished my swim at 43 minutes, 6 minutes faster than I expected.

– The swim was fantastic! I enjoyed every minute. (Photo: Millette Rances) –

When I got out of the water, I discovered that my Garmin didn’t start at all! Without my swim time, I lost the chance to monitor my time. I was going to go into this race “blindly” which meant two things: 1) I would go by feel which is one of my favorite ways to race, and 2) I would have no idea if I was to make my target time to win my Shiv.

– Out of the swim at Transition 1. Drat, the watch isn’t working! Paaaanic! (Photo: Mia Macaraig) –

BIKE: 90k – 03:28:18

The bike is my weakest area. I only learned to ride in cleats in February and got the Shiv in April.  I was confident about my bike skills and the distance, but when I heard that Cebu had nasty headwind and crosswind, I was concerned.

– I look like I’m strolling in the park with my boyfriend, the Shiv. Next time, please remind me to rush out of transition. I wasted 5 minutes here! (Photo: Mirian Libre) –

As soon as I exited the transition area, the wind enveloped me. They weren’t kidding when they said there would be crosswind and headwind. Most of the bikers ahead of me were comfortably in aero position while I tried to calm myself, focus, and gain confidence even if the sound of the wind was unnerving.

The 90k route took us through four cities of Cebu: Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Cebu and Talisay. We ascended Marcelo Fernan Bridge, heading toward a letter M route, then back up the bridge to end the bike at Shangrila hotel. Again, I was to maintain a steady ride paying little attention to time nor speed and ensuring my heart rate didn’t go above 155.

As I’ve experienced in the past, particularly during the inaugural Cebu Marathon, Cebuanos go all out when cheering for athletes. I was glad to see hundreds of spectators, mostly students, lining both sides of the road. They cheered with so much enthusiasm and sincerity that it energized us and even provided entertainment for the long road ahead. I can’t count how many times I heard “You go girl!” (mostly from the gays, hah!), “You can do it!,” and even “Iya Iya” or “Ann Ann” (not that I look like any of these celebs that are a dozen years younger than I am, but mainly because I was a female and they knew both were in Cebu!)

– On Marcelo Fernan Bridge (Photo: Michael Ocana) –

The climb up Fernan bridge was not as difficult as I expected, probably because my training at Nuvali provided hills that were far longer and steeper. As we ventured out towards the M loop, it was a battle against the headwind. This made the course tough and, needless to say, for me, slow. The wind at certain portions, by Radisson Blu hotel and at SRP, made me even more cautious. At certain points, I could see my speed (or the lack of it) and I had to remind myself to just go by my own pace. I maintained my heart rate and pushed forward.

– Making a u-turn at the loop (Photo: FinisherPix) –

The good thing with the headwind was that, on the way back along the M loop, we enjoyed the tailwind. And, boy did I enjoy it! I was thrilled with the ride back; it was fast and easy and it allowed me to forget, even for a while, about the time and to simply enjoy the experience.

When I reached the transition area, I was extremely thankful for a safe ride without any flat tire or road mishaps. Even better, I knew I had enough left in the tank for a steady run.

RUN: 02:28:52

Without my time, the only plan I had in mind was to run a negative split: run easy on the first 10k and go faster in the second half.

The run was a two-loop course via Punta Engano starting and ending at Shangri-la hotel.

I was fortunate to start my run feeling strong. I found my rhythm by the first few kilometers and repeated a single line over and over: “I am a runner!” reminding myself that this was my strength and I was going to kill it.

By the second half though, the body and mind were tired. We were also running under the afternoon heat. I had a race belt carrying my own hydration, but I would stop at every station to pour cold, murky water (who cared where it came from?!) all over my body. I ran with soaked socks and shoes and this caused my feet to blister. At one point, I stopped by a medic station to ask for petroleum jelly. They had no clue what this was. Even when I asked for powder, they frantically went into the house searching for this. With the clock ticking, I decided not to wait and went ahead despite the pain employing a strategy I’ve used in past races: mind over blisters.

It was great to see other triathletes, especially my teammates from Unilab Active Health, along the course, supporting each other by exchanging high fives or yelling “Looking good!” or “Go! Go! Go!”

– Fun but painful run! (Photo: Lloyd Joseph Lawas) –

When I passed one teammate, Jake de Guzman, his simple gesture of pointing at me then beating his fist against his chest, made me dig deeper and push harder. This was no time to slow down or give up. It reminded me of the months of training together when I shared with him the sacrifices I had to make as a working Mom, when we compared notes on workouts and nutrition, when he told me, as we ended our training: “The Shiv is yours. The time will just confirm it.”

As I neared the end, a marshal yelled: “Malapit na. 800 meters nalang!” It was at this point when I decided to make a go of it. After 200 meters, much to my horror, the next marshal yelled: “Malapit ka na. 1km nalang!” Gasp! I didn’t know if I was going to laugh or cry!

– Last few meters! –

When we made our way into Shangrila, I thought that the race would soon be over, but, oh no, it wasn’t! With each turn, I would search for the finish line only to discover that there would be more meters to run. Where was the finish line?!!

After what felt like forever, I did cross the finish. I glanced at the clock ahead of me: 6:59. Since I started with Wave 2, 10 minutes after Wave 1, this meant I came in at 6:49. 6:49!!! Holy Shiv, I hit my target on the dot! I crossed the finish beaming with pride, I finished! Not just that, I won my bike!

– with the guy who prepared me for this race, Coach Andy Leuterio! Can’t thank you enough for all the pain and suffering, Coach! (Photo: Andy Leuterio) –

– Ton Gatmaitan and I took a leap of faith last December when we decided to sign up for IM 70.3 together. Here we are ecstatic after the finish line (Photo: Andy Leuterio) –

– My close friends in running…and now in triathlon: Jay Nacino and Jun Cruz. Jun and I trained for IM 70.3 together from the roads of Nuvali to Ultra. Couldn’t have done this without him! His key role was to lift me up from my bike every time I crashed! (Photo: Jun Cruz)-

– with good friend Hector Yuzon of Secondwind. Hec analyzed my past races and prepared a target pace and time for IM 70.3! Aaaw, don’t you just love having OC triathlete friends?! Thanks Hec! (Photo: Andy Leuterio) –

– Laugh trip! Ton, Hec’s IM hair, and Coach Andy’s hair. (Photo: Andy Leuterio) –

– with JaneJane Ong and world-renowned designer Kenneth Cobonpue with the IM 70.3 Cebu medal that he designed. Unfortunately, my medal fell apart as soon as I crossed the finish (Photo: JaneJane Ong) –

– Teammate August Benedicto (in white with the trophy) is the Top Filipino Elite finisher with a time of 4:27! Here he is with my teammates from Team Unilab Active Health. I was probably sleeping or eating when this photo was taken. Thanks to Team ULAH, especially Clinton Hess, Pot, and Vida for the great support! (Photo: Pia Panlilio) –

OFFICIAL TIME

Later in the evening, I checked the Ironman 70.3 Cebu official results and discovered that I finished at 6:50:35. I missed my target time for the Shiv by 36 seconds. 36 seconds!!!

What if I didn’t stop during the swim to ask the marshal which way to the finish? What if I practiced a quicker transition? (My total transition time exceeded 10 minutes much to my Coach’s shock.) What if I had pushed just a wee bit faster on the bike? What if I didn’t wait at the medic station for the petroleum jelly? What if I didn’t pee six times?! (Seriously, I did! haha!)

So many what ifs. Sigh.

Thankfully, the good people at Specialized, Joey Ramirez and my Coach, Andy Leuterio, decided that they’ll still award me the Shiv. As Coach Andy texted: “Time targets are good but we shouldn’t attach too much fulfillment to them. What matters is how you finish the race.”

I’m blessed. I really am thankful for finishing the race safely, for being surrounded by such positive and supportive coaches, friends, and family, and for having the opportunity to participate in the race that pushes you so hard you feel so alive.

I really have no right to complain or to regret.

So, here’s my last what if:  What if I just sign up for Ironman 70.3 next year and prove to myself that I can cut more than 36 seconds off of my time?  Hmmm…let’s see!

NEXT: It Takes a Village to Raise a Triathlete – the coaches and friends who helped me train for Ironman 70.3

I did it! I finished the Ironman 70.3 Cebu last Sunday! It was a 1.9k swim, 90k bike ride, and 21k run that was pure suffering and so much fun!

While I’m busy organizing my thoughts into a blogpost, scrounging around the house for food, and well, um, basically just resting, allow me to share with you this video from the race.

Everytime I watch it, I feel like I’m back at the starting line with all the other 1,700 participants…

Click HERE to visit Ironman 70.3 Website.

Video courtesy of Ironman 70.3 Philippines 2012