Posts Tagged with: "Triathlon"

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.

“A miracle is a shift in perspective” 

– quoted by Gabby Bernstein from A Course in Miracles

The Crash

I woke up on the sidewalk of Daang Hari Road with my friends and a crowd of bikers hovering over me. What happened? Where was I? In my mind, I had been pleasantly biking along. Last I remember was thinking we were definitely going to reach our 100k target because we all felt strong and fresh at around 57k.

My friends told me I had crashed. The look of worry on their faces was indescribable. They said they heard me scream and, within a few seconds, I keeled over to my right side, slammed my head, elbow, and legs on the ground, and skidded with my bike for a few meters on the rough concrete. They said I lay still on the middle of the road for a long 2 minutes. By then, a crowd of bikers stopped and blocked the road from oncoming vehicles for us. I was breathing, then I began to mumble words. I even managed to give my cellphone password so they could call my driver to fetch us. My friends knew I was alive, but they worried about the damage done on my body.

I woke up dazed, confused, and clueless. I could not remember anything from the accident. I tried to remember the names of my kids, Anton & Nia, and when I said their names I heaved a sigh of relief that I didn’t suffer from amnesia. I asked my friends what happened and they explained it in detail. At that time, I thought I had been conversing normally with them. Later that afternoon, they admitted that they feared for me because I had asked them the same question and they answered in full detail five times over.

I was rushed to the Emergency Room of Asian Hospital. I had a CT scan, xrays, and treatment of my wounds. I was cleared from any brain trauma and broken bones. I went home with five huge wounds on my right arm and legs (aka tocino as the bikers like to call it), a bump on the right side of my head, neckpain, a cracked helmet, and a scraped handlebar on the bike as souvenirs. Still, I felt blessed to be alive. It could have been a lot worse and I was lucky.

– In the ER of Asian –


– My cracked Specialized helmet kept me safe. Thanks to Dan’s Warehouse for offering to replace it upon hearing of my accident –

The Injury

The accident put things into perspective for me. You see, for the past two months now, since the day after London Marathon last April 21, I’ve been suffering from Post-Tibial Tendonitis. Post-Tib is an injury on the inner ankle often caused by overuse. Flat footed runners, such as myself, are more susceptible to this.

For the past months, I’ve barely been able to run. With Tri United 2 and Ironman Cebu 70.3, I’ve been worried, frustrated, sad, and angry. Even if there weren’t any upcoming races, I still would’ve felt the same way because, well, you know me, I just need my running.

For the most part though, I’ve been trying to be optimistic about the injury. I got therapy done at Peak Form regularly. I had my foot taped with Rocktape.  I focused more on what I could do such as swim and bike rather than what I could not do. And, I even refused to rant about it on this blog thinking it would go away if I didn’t acknowledge it. (Yeah right, LOL!)

It’s NOT The End

So, I haven’t been running because of the injury. I can’t swim because of the accident. I’m skipping Tri United 2 this weekend. And, Ironman Cebu 70.3? Hmmm that’s up in the air right now.

It sucks. Yes, it really does.

Usually, I’ll throw a tantrum about how 6 months of training has gone down the drain, how unfair life is, and proceed to drown in my sorrows with a bottle of Nutella. But, for some reason, I don’t feel like doing that at all. I’m disappointed, but I’m not devastated.

Like I said, the accident put things into perspective for me. In the blink of an eye, without warning, my life could’ve ended, yet I came out with wounds that will heal in time. To complain about an accident, an injury, or a missed race at this point seems silly or, worse, ungrateful. It’s a miracle I’m alive.

I came home that morning of the accident and kissed my kids on their cheeks as they ate breakfast. I whispered my kids names to myself again, Anton and Nia, and scooped a spoonful of Nutella into my mouth. Life is good.

After a full day of swim camp on Friday (click HERE to read Part 1), I woke up the next day eager to learn more…

DAY 2: JUNE 1, SATURDAY

1) Classroom Session – 1 hour

After a light breakfast, we met Shinji for another classroom session. Here he showed us videos of his own swim and spoke in more detail about how to achieve speed with precision and proper technique rather than power. I remember him telling us: to be a better swimmer use your mind, not your muscles.

Here’s what Shinji mentioned are skills to increase speed:
1) balance and streamline to reduce drag
2) quick motion (hand spear and body roll)
3) focus on forward movement to save energy
4) use hybrid energy source

Shinji taught us how to increase speed without losing efficiency or stroke length. He said that the key to increasing tempo without losing propulsion is to use 1) Spear (upon entry), 2) Grip, and 3) Finish.

We were then given tempo trainers, a gadget like a metronome for runners which beeps to provide the rhythm of ones stroke. We were to use this for our next session. I decided to purchase one for P1800 so I could use it during training.

– Finis Tempo Trainer –

2) Open Water Session – 1.5 hours

We boarded a speedboat which took us to Anselmo, a cove with the water even clearer than the beach we swam in the day before. Even better, this was private so we had it all to ourselves!

– All aboard! Swim camp classmate Mara, Mark, Raymond, Sid, myself, and SBR’s Carlos –

– Anselmo –

– Our wonderful instructors: Sandra Taylor, Ria Mackay, and Karen Robertson –


– with the master himself: Shinji! –

It was here that Shinji talked about proper sighting, swimming straight or turning, drafting, and overtaking by increasing stroke length and not tempo. After a brief demo, we swam in pairs practicing our new skills.

– Swim class begins! –


– Learning in the water! –


– with my swim buddy –

We were then divided into small groups of around 10 swimmers led by a TI instructor. I was in Karen’s group.

We started out by the shore. She would brief us then give us a short drill or a specific area we should concentrate on, then she’d announce: “Now, practice it. 50 strokes.” and, like obedient students, we would swim out into the sea. This went on for about four or five more times. One time she told us to swim with our eyes closed so we could note how far we would veer from the center and determine the frequency of our sighting. Another time she asked us to focus on our arms in front of us. We went further and further out into the deep sea. Before we knew it, we had been out for an hour, wading, swimming, like a full-hour classroom session except this was out in the sea and we had been floating the entire time.

To end the session, Karen asked us all to set our tempo trainers to 1:20 and swim back to shore easy, on our own. We all swam with our newfound Total Immersion skills and, even if I hadn’t swam over 1k in the past months, I was amazed to find myself reaching the shore without even feeling exhausted. OMG it does work!

– with Karen –

– Class Picture! –

We were treated to a wonderful buffet lunch by the shore and some of us took the speedboat back to the hotel. Unfortunately, I could only stay until this session due to family commitments. For the rest of the day, some students had booked one-on-one full hour sessions with Shinji (separate fee from the camp fee). Later that evening, they had a Pool Session where all students were videotaped again. The videos were then evaluated during the Classroom session.

– Bonding time with the family before we took off for Manila. We loved Pico de Loro! –

DAY 3: JUNE 2, SUNDAY

On Sunday morning, an open water race 1k & 2k was held. It was open to the public, but all participants of the camp also had entry into this race. It was a great way for them to practice all the new skills they learned during the two-day camp. By this time, I was already at home in Manila, but I did see all the fun they had through photos.

– My classmates after the race! Congratulations everyone! –


– Race participants: Erwan, Mark, Raymond, Sid, Raoul, and Nonoy (my first TI instructor way back in 2009) –

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

The Total Immersion Smart Speed and Open Water Skills Camp is an excellent way for you to learn the skills of the Total Immersion technique. While you can take classes from Aqualogic Swim Co. or read books and practice TI on your own, learning from the master himself, Shinji Takeuchi, and the other great instructors, in this two-day camp definitely speeds up the pace, gives you immediate feedback on your areas for improvement, and makes it a more fun experience for you.

The camp was very well-organized. Everything—from transportation, food, accommodations, including special requests—were attended to. Shinji Takeuchi, despite English being his second language next to Japanese, is an engaging and generous speaker.  It need not be mentioned that he is a master of Total Immersion and he is well-equipped to lead the TI camp.  The other TI instructors were very knowledgeable, amiable, and helpful to all participants.  Perhaps one of the best things about this swim camp was the fun, light, and supportive atmosphere which made the learning experience even more memorable.

I would highly recommend this camp for beginner swimmers who want to learn how to swim for recreation, fitness or competition. I would also recommend it for beginner triathletes who need basic skills in swimming for triathlon or those who need to overcome their fear and build confidence for open water competitions.

Is TI for advanced competitive triathletes?  Ria Mackay mentioned that there is much debate over this and TI never promotes itself as the best technique for triathletes.  However, TI can promise to teach you efficient swimming with speed that can make you competitive enough for triathlon.  At the end of the day, it is up to the athlete to decide if this is the best technique for him/her given his/her goals.

The next Total Immersion Smart Speed and Open Water Skills Camp led by Shinji Takeuchi will be in September 2013. To register, visit Aqualogic Swim Co.

Ria Mackay – Head Instructor & Founder
Phone: +632.703.6386 / +632.837.1716 / +632.794.3393 / +63.917.858.AQUA (2782)
Email: info@aqualogicswimco.com
Website: www.aqualogicswimco.com

* Some photos courtesy of Aqualogic Swim Co. Photographer VT Roman

It’s Father’s Day this coming weekend. Here are some gift ideas for the active Daddies out there:

1) Nike Free 5.0

Nike’s answer to minimalist / barefoot shoes. It offers runners increased foot strength with a dynamic, glove-like and comfortable feel.

Availability: Nike Park
Price: P5,295

2) Adidas Energy Boost

adidas’ new proprietary cushioning material, BOOST™, allows the runner to feel a continuous energy return and has been proven to be three times more temperature-resistant than standard EVA material providing a more consistent and comfortable run.

Availability: Adidas
Price: P7,995

3) Newton Men’s Distance

Lightweight neutral performance trainer designed for speed and spirited runs. This shoe is good for short- or mid-distance racing and weekly speed workouts.

Availability: RUNNR
Price: P7,995

4) PUMA Mobium Elite

Performance trainer that expands and contracts as the foot moves. The shoe encourages a more natural and efficient mid-foot strike.

Availability: Puma Stores, Planet Sports

5) Sony’s new Walkman Sports MP3 Player

Sony’s new Walkman® Sports MP3 Player (NWZ-W273) is a water-proof, all-in-one digital music player designed to conveniently and comfortably wear to the gym, the trail, the treadmill, or even into the pool. The NWZ-W273 is available in blue, pink, white and black.

Phone: Sony’s customer service hotline 878-7600
Website: www.sony.com.ph
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SonyPhilippines
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SonyPHinc

6) Ecoxgear

The first Floating Bluetooth speaker in the world with an amazing sound! It is shockproof, waterproof, and it floats! It has a great battery life and is universal for most phones and MP3 players.

Price: Ecoextreme P3,500, EcoBT P6,500, Ecoterra P9,000
Website: www.tenkiebox.ph

7) ID on Me Emergency ID Bracelet

A must for every runner’s safety and security. This allows the runner to carry personal details on the wrist or strap it on your shoes.

Price: P599
Website: www.idonme.com.ph

When I started running in 2006, it was my secret dream that the rest of the family would pick up the sport, too.  The hubby eventually started running and he completed his first marathon at the first TBR Dream Marathon in 2010 (good choice for a first, eh?)  We ran NYC Marathon together later that year.

As for the kids, they would run shorter races with us.  Sometimes, I would take them out on weekends for short bike rides and runs.  But, I never ever wanted to push them into taking the sport more seriously.  I believed that if I wanted them to enjoy this sport as much as I did, they had to want to do it for themselves.  And so, through the years, I’ve been living a very active lifestyle allowing the kids to see me come home after a long run, pack my running gear for a marathon abroad, or simply listen to me wax poetic about an awesome run.  At the same time, I prayed, hoped, and waited that one day they would ask me for more serious training.

After years of waiting, that day finally came!  At least for my older son, Anton, who is now 12.  (12 already? How time flies. Sigh.)

ABOUT ANTON

Indulge me for a moment here and allow me to tell you about this not-so-little boy of mine.  He’s a good boy. He’s quiet, respectful, obedient, and humble.  (I won’t argue with you, he probably got this from his Dad haha!)  At the same time, underneath all this shyness, he’s also smart, a deep thinker (a trait he got from him Mom.  Er, that’s what people tell me.)  His teachers tell us that he’s an old soul who throws out questions like an adult sometimes.  Last March, he graduated from Elementary school.  He was one of only two kids who bagged ALL the awards given out that day.  I was floored…and, I was overjoyed.  It was truly one of the proudest moments of my life.  The feeling beat a marathon finish 10x over.

– That’s my boy! –


– with the proud Mama and sis! –

If that weren’t enough, a few weeks after graduation, with summer upon us, Anton gave me even better news: he wanted to run and bike with me.  My reaction?  First, I was ecstatic!  Okay, let’s do this!  I had images of me and my boy running and conquering hills together and riding past cars (and Vin Diesel in a jeep) all over the city!  Then, reality struck.  While I could easily take him running longer with me, I worried about biking out with him. Wasn’t it irresponsible of me to send my dearest child out to bike with a newbie biker like me? With visions of me struggling to uncleat and dismount as I try to save him from an oncoming truck, I thought it best to find a coach to get his feet wet into this world the right way.

DUATHLON CLASSES WITH COACH NORMAN

Lucky for me, I’ve got a lot of great coach friends around.  I texted coach friends like Ani de Leon-Brown and Norman Pascual who I know train kids regularly.  After checking schedules (my daughter decided to take up swimming with Ria Mackay’s Aqualogic Swim Classes. More on that next time) and figuring out how I could possibly train for Ironman 70.3 in August while taking two kids to different sessions this summer (gaaah! the life of a tri mom!), I decided to go with Coach Norman’s Duathlon Sessions for kids in SM Mall of Asia every Wednesday and Friday. I thought if he wanted to get into triathlon later, then it would be easier for him already.

As for his gear, I chose NOT to spend to much on this just yet.  The only thing we really invested in were his shoes: Asics Gel Kayano, a few months ago. (I love run shoes and one should never compromise on this. So there!) I got Anton a very cheap mountain bike in Cartimar a few months ago and this was what we use for now.  For shorts, the hubby lent him.  For his tops, I gave him some of mine.  Hey, stop laughing about how frugal we are! I’ve got a couple of barely used football shoes, a tennis racket, and goggles gathering dust at home to remind me about spending too much too soon.  I just told Anton to prove to me first that he’s interested in doing this long term and we’ll support him all the way.

The first few sessions were one-on-one which was awesome for a beginner like Anton.  Coach Norman started with basic mounting and dismounting lessons, gearing, and even rode out with him around SM MOA a couple of times.

– with Coach Norman –

– Running seems natural for this kid. He actually leans forward and lands on his mid foot –


– After running, he gets on his bike –

By the next sessions, four other kids, all siblings, joined Anton for more fun sessions.  They raced with each other and even rode MOA in drafting positions.  During the last sessions, Anton even learned how to do a flying dismount, something I can only do in my dreams.

– They rush to wear their shoes, helmet, head off to bike, then run –


– The bigger kids biking –

– Little Sis comes out to watch Kuya. I’m hoping the bug rubs off on her too –

For now, Anton enjoys every single session and, for that alone, I am thankful.  I’m crossing my fingers that he’ll continue this even when school starts in June.  Just yesterday, he asked me: Mom, when can I get a nicer road bike?  Aaaah, it may burn a hole in our pockets, but, hey, it was music to my ears!

MORE INFO ON TRIATHLON FOR KIDS

If you want to get your child started in triathlon or swim, bike, and run, here are some info that may help.

COACHES

• Coach Norman Pascual – 0917.862.6224, tricoach norman@yahoo.com
• Coach Ani de Leon-Brown – 0915.444.0290, anikarina@gmail. com

RACES FOR KIDS (click on the links)

• Running – Unilab Active Health
• Run, Aquathlon, Triathlon – Alaska IronKids Philippines

MAGAZINE

• Junior Triathlete – published by Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan and Coach Ani Brown