The Hermit Turned Aquathlete

AQUATHLON (noun) - a two-stage race that involves swimming and running...unidentified word in most of the dictionaries but popular among athletes, particularly triathletes...

every breath you take...every move you made..i'll be watching you...

I never thought that Ateneo Aquathlon will be my second official aquathlon...yes you read it right...i joined SheerWill's Aquathlon Cup (SWAC) last year which i consider my first official...my respect to sheerwill who challenged the hermit to swim and later, dared to try aquathlon... 


November 13, 2009...as an aquathlete wanna be, i joined the group of siyokoys and struggled to finish the 400m x 7km x 400m aquathlon...with my guts, i survived but ended up tired and wasted...discovered that swimming and running is fun...

Two months later, another aquathlon was set...i trained hard...tried to learn the strokes and kicks with my friends chelly, argo and decipher...almost every week...we swim, we run..but due to all expenses-paid out of the country trip, i failed to join SWAC4 and missed the challenge...

not a fun neither a marathon...

Again, i got an invitation from a friend to join Ateneo Aquathlon...i am hesitant, afraid that i won't finish the race in an acceptable time...yes i can swim badly, i can run better but not yet ready to level up...thus, convincing power is up on the air until i was altered to register...

with the coach and the manager

March 14, Ateneo Aquathlon d' day....my mind was set to finish the race in 35min...i am prepared...confident that i can do better compared to my first aquathlon...i want to prove something...excitement over tense...my swim-leg went well alternating freestyle with breast stroke everytime i feel tired...however, my run was not good as my swim which i didn't expect...BAD run, that's how i described it...side-stitch strikes again which made me run slow and walk...my body just recovered right after the turn around...

running pic i grabbed from erwin cabbab fb account...link given by the hotlegs

MISSION accomplished...I finished the race within my target time despite of the unexpected circumstances... another event which will be part of my history...i am not yet a good swimmer, a fast runner either...but i believe that there's always a space for learning and improve the sports that i am learning to love...

with ateneo aquathlon commissioner "intimmyd8" 

• salamat rico aka sheerwill for believing in me... i survived again...more SWAC
• salamat coach rodel for motivating me...i was really threatened...2-1-1 na! congrats! (oo na, mas mabilis ka pa rin sa akin kung di ka lang injured)...
• salamat ateneo swimming team for a well-organized aquathlon...from registration to gun-start to freebies...bigatin...
• congratulations takbo.ph certified aquatheletes...and spectators
• gerard and wilnar...humanda kayo! ;)..loko lang...

w/ the sirenas and the syokoys

'til next time

* photogs - argo, timmy, nuttybunny, z and erwin cabbad

The 42K Journey of the Hermit

Condura Run 2010 – Run for the Dolphins
Ika-7 ng Pebrero, 2010 – Fort Bonifacio, Taguig – Skyway
Distansya: 42.195K
Oras: 5hr22mn43sc

the newborn marathoner

“Ready na ba ako? Nasa kondisyon na ba ang katawan ko? Panahon na ba?” Ito ang mga katanungang naglalaro sa aking isipan bago ako mag-desisyong subukin ang aking kakayahan sa isang full marathon. Na-inspire ako sa mga kwento ng kapwa ko mananakbo, challenging sabi nila…yun nga lang, dapat isa-alang-alang ang perfect timing at sapat na training. Parte na ng buhay ko ang pag-takbo, ang pagle-level up ay bahagi na nito. May goal ako, may gusto akong patunayan sa sarili ko…alam ko ang kakayahan ko, alam ko kung hanggang saan ang limitasyon ko, kung kailan ako bibitaw, kung kailan ako susuko..

Ang Condura Run Skyway Marathon ang nagbigay-daan sa akin upang tuparin ang isang hangarin, hangarin na makapag-full marathon ngayong 2010. Alam ko, hindi pa ako hinog, kulang pa sa karanasan, newbie, pero gusto kong mapatunayan na ang determinasyon at disiplina ay maaaring maging paraan upang maabot ang aking minimithi.

TENSYONADO! ganyan ko maide-describe ang aking damdamin ilang oras bago mag-simula ang hudyat ng 42K gun start. Kasama ang Team Galloway (tracy, carina, timmy, doc marvin, carlo, raff at doc art), umikot kami sa palibot ng BHS upang ikondisyion ang aming katawan..walang akong kibo, walang imik, takbo lang sa gitna ng dilim, sa malamig na ihip ng hangin. Napawi ang aking kaba kahit paano, sa mga sambit buhat sa kapwa ko mananakbo, goodluck, ingat, enjoy the race, kita-kits sa skyway…sinabayan pa ng fireworks na nagpa-gising sa lahat…

Maganda ang aming simula, sa Galloway training plan na 5:1..Bayani rd, Kalayaan flyover, Buendia ave, takbo.ph aid station hanggang sa marating namin ang Skyway, naging consistent ang aming takbo. Target ko ang 5:30 finishing time, mabilis sa isang virgin marathoner kung tutuusin…ngunit ito ang naging motivation ko upang matapos ko ang aking unang marathon sa loob ng 6hr cut-off time…Split time ng grupo ay 2:25hr, maganda at maayos… ngunit bahagyang napawi ang lakas ng bawat isa matapos ang skyway turn-around, may naiwan, may nauna…
Kasama si Tracy at Carina, binaybay namin muli ang kahabaan ng skyway, bumagal man, ngunit ang lakas at tatag ng loob ay nanatli, hanggang sa umabot sa skyway hill, ang pinakahihintay ko…

Sa pagbaba ng skyway, doon ko naranasan na unti-unti ng nilalamon ng hapo ang buo kong katawan hanggang sa marating ang aid station ng takbo.ph…kakaibang suporta ang naramdaman ng bawat isa sa amin…sa tugtog ng musika, sa hiyaw ng mga kasama, sa saging na ipinamamahagi…Pinagpatuloy ko ang aking pagtakbo at madalas na paglakad…here we go again, kalayaan flyover, isang nag-uumapaw ng takbo ang aking ginawa hanggang sa marating ang tuktok ng tulay…

Ang nalalabing 5 kilometro ng ruta ang tuluyang nagpabagsak sa aking katawan…ang araw ay tuluyan ng naghari..manhid na ang katawan ko, paralyze na ang paa ko…ngunit nagpatuloy pa rin ako hanggang sa huling 2 kilometro, wari ba’y sinukluban ako ng langit at lupa, trinaydor ng aking kakayahan…bahagyan napaiyak ako…hinahanap ang aking pamilya, ang aking mga kaibigan…san sila? bakit ako nagiisa?..saglit akong huminto at muling humugot ng lakas ng loob at isipan sa Maykapal, hanggang sa naka-tanggap ako ng isang text message mula sa isang kaibigan, na nagbigay sa akin ng encouragement na tapusin ko ang sinimulan ko…

cess the bunso...my pacer for my last 100m sprint

Muling nag-balik ang aking lakas matapos kong makita ang isang kaibigan na naghihintay sa akin, kaibigang di alintana ang init na dulot ng araw…kaibigang sinamahan ako hanggang sa marating ko ang finish line…

my finishing moment

Nag-uumapaw ang puso ko sa kagalakan at kaligayahan matapos kong makita ang aking ina at kapatid sa sa finish line, ang pagsalubong at pagyakap ng mga kaibigan sa takbo.ph at ang pagdiriwang sa tagumpay ng bawat mananakbo…SALAMAT!

we conquered the skyway

my takbo.ph family...the masters

dahil sa karanasang ito, mas lalong tumaas ang pagtingin ko sa mga mananakbo ng full marathon. Saludo ako sa inyo…Salamat team CB, team Galloway, cess, jhun c., mccoy, pepsi, zi, and margalicious..kudos to condura organizers.…hanggang sa muli!
p.s. salamat cap tere sa pagsalubong ng isang masigabong yakap matapos akong mag-cross sa finish line ;) woot woot

the banner by margalicious

photogs - carmen, brando, que/jinoe, mccoy

Unang Pamumundok sa Mt. Batulao, Batangas

Mt Batulao

November 29, 2009 – Batulao, Batangas

welcome to mt. batulao, nasugbu batangas

gary b., drunkenlily, winceth, silverprex and jayrulezzz - hydrice at the back of the cam 

Two days ago I was invited by cindy aka drunkenlilly to join them in their climb during our small gathering at gilligans-makati, parang usapang lasing pa. without any hesitation, nag-oo ako, not considering the things that I should bring, i am not prepared. i would say it was really an abrupt decision. pagkakataon na to conquer the mountain. sa totoo lang, di ko pa naranasang mamundok. the plan was finalized the same night. the climb was scheduled same day with new balance power run. right after the race, i went directly to pasay terminal to meet the group, cindy, lorie, gary b., pat and carlo. we took the bus going nasugbu batangas. on our way, i felt some pain in my calf, not yet fully recovered with my previous race. when we arrived in batulao, the pain was overcome by my excitement. time to enjoy the walk, the climb, the nature.

i respect the mountaineers the way they respect others especially the locals. iba pala pag-umaakyat. long tiring walk, but making sure that i will enjoy every step I do. daming kwento na may kwenta, tawanan at iyakan (referring to lorie). we arrived at the camp site before 17:00h, prepared our things and built the tent. gary b. and cindz cooked for us. sarap ng adobo at bolognese sausage, rated gary b. 5 stars. syempre after kainan inuman which transformed us from comedy to drama.

malalim na  usapan between pat, cindy and me, same with lorie and carlo, the never-ending laughter man. sa mandaling salita natapos ang inuman at exactly 00:29h. i woke-up later than my expected time. i planned to hit the summit and wait for the sunrise, pero hindi ako nagising. not to spoil my time, I asked lorie to join me to summit. this was our first climb syempre first summit din. hirap pala. eto lang nasabi ko “astig”. isa sa di ko malilimutan sa summit ay ang mangutang kay aling mountain dew. we forgot to bring money, face value na lang pinangtapat namin. we went back to camp site, syempre sobrang kwento kami ni lorie. we packed our things but before we leave of course class pic (takbo.ph ritual). conquering mt. batulao is one of the experiences that i will treasure, same with the people who patiently accompanied me. salamat cindy, carlo, lorie, pat at gary b. sa uultin

summit of mt. batulao

sunrise

ang inutang na mt. dew w/ lorie

my first class pic w/ t.ph on the mountain - di sa race yan

*ang ibang litrato ay kuha ni carlo serrano