I have finally put up my own website and will place all of my updates there from now on. Thanks everyone!!!

here it is http://anikarina.wordpress.com/

Ani :)

 

Ironman Langkawi will always have a special place in my heart.  It was my first ever WTC Ironman Distance race and my first ever Hawaii qualifier...among other things :)

It was a good race for me..I was very happy with my swim as I honestly do not feel that I trained for it properly, and was quite satisfied that I timed in at 1:04, similar to my split last year.  Nothing much to it as I started on my bike leg, which in my opinion was much tougher than last year.  I bet they used a real Tour de Langkawi climbing route....I had conditioned my mind to execute the bike course last year, which also had a sprinkling of rolling terrain but no real climbs.  So I did less hill work than I should have (wrong move on my part anyway), not knowing they would change the course two weeks prior to raceday....and of course by that time it was a bit too late....I had a time goal of 5:45, and I did 5:58, but it's still below 6hours so I took a little consolation in that.
 
The saving grace of the day was that the heat did not manifest at all, and am glad for that....I was having major back and tummy problems starting the run leg and could not take in anything for around 10km at least....so imagine if I were sweating like crazy and I could not replace anything then I would have bonked big time.  I told Patrice I never had to struggle so much for the marathon leg of an Ironman.  We had to go up and down that loop five times, and pass the bridge ten times, and i just wanted it to be over.  I had wanted to beat my run time in Kona but only managed to do 4:35....but it's okay.  I also knew that I was in the second position in my age group and had I at least done my Kona run time I would have been able to chase her, and I saw her each lap at the same exact place, which meant that we were running similar times, but try as I may that was all I could manage for the day.   I am aware that I still had a podium finish and that is always something special. I was happy at the finish because I knew I had given it everything--and that's when I can pat myself on the back for pushing it to the limit.  My hotel was only 1km away from the finish line but I pleaded Patrice to get me a cab as I could not stand up anymore....haha.  It's funny how one can run 42km but cannot even manage a kilometer walk. But that is the human brain for you :)

Joining a couple of bike races and focusing on coaching the Kids for Yokohama World Youth Triathlon for now...till next time!!!
 
Ani

Hello!
 
Apologies if it took a while to post this but I must admit I took the past week kinda easy, processing all of the recent events in my head.  Thanks to everyone who sent messages, and if I did not reply via SMS it's because my phone wasn't working over there (read: low tech kasi!).  Anyway, I knew you were there with me in spirit and it's true that I was just very lucky to be the one crossing the finish line on behalf of everyone...I wasn't alone in carrying our flag.
 
The whole experience is really amazing and I hope to be able to do it some justice by writing it down.  I am joined in this endeavour by all the people who helped get me to the start line and I know that I owe it to them to at the very least try my best.  It is strange, being aware that you are racing on the world's biggest triathlon stage and at the same time not feeling pressured at all, but that's exactly how I felt, because 1) there was definitely no expectation of placing and 2) I knew that I had done my homework and it was just a matter of executing the race. 
 
It felt like another race morning for me, and I just ate my usual stuff (peanut butter and banana sandwich http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/82#8 ).  I even told myself "Good Morning, you're racing in the World Champs today!" just to jolt myself into it, though it still didn't feel any much different than any other race day...which was just fine by me. 
 
I had borrowed a mountain bike from Kuya Tante http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/86#10 , a local Pinoy restaurateur, so I wouldn't tire myself walking to the race venue.  We arrived when it was still dark and I could feel the nervous energy in the air.  It was almost as if I could read the competitors' minds as they went through their personal goals for the day and said their silent prayers to give themselves some comfort.  
 
Aaron Altura pleasantly surprised me by waiting for me at my transition area and pumping my tubulars for me.  It was a very good start, having him come out to support me like that unexpectedly and I really appreciated it.
 
A popular Hawaiian singer performed the Star-Spangled Banner, and a loud cannonball fired to signal our swim start.  From that point on it was pandemonium in the water, and I had to fight for my line the whole way.  I would've made some changes in my navigation but it was a useless battle to go against everyone's path. So I just opted not to stress myself out about my swim split and just went with the flow.  True enough, I looked at my watch upon exiting the water and it read 1:11.  Yikes. My slowest swim for the distance, but hey, no biggie.
 
I changed into my pink trisuit, hopped onto my Pink Ceepo, and pedaled out of T1 uneventfully.  I was feeling strong on the first part of the bike, but very much controlling myself not to push too hard.  http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/82/Hawaii_Ironman_World_Champs_30th_Edition#3
The Queen K highway had a few rolling portions, and I was okay with that kind of course.  The winds started to build up towards the last section of the Queen K and I thought, here we go....this is what they had warned me about.  The headwind was getting stronger and I honestly thought it couldn't be any worse than that, but I was sadly mistaken.  As we veered left towards Hawi, the climbs grew bigger and the winds became brutal, coming from different directions.  I slowed down real fast, although not to my liking.  I kept biking diagonally because I was being blown off to the other lane.  Even though in training I had purposely sought out windy areas, I had never experienced wind that strong.  I was at a loss on how to adapt, and I kept experimenting.  I figured if I move forward faster then I would have less danger of falling sideways because of my increased momentum.  It was a mental struggle for me climbing all the way to the turnaround--after which I thought I would have some relief.  But going back proved to be even more dangerous.  The first part was a long downhill, and the crosswinds were in full force.  I was so wobbly and shaky from being blown in all directions plus I was going down fast--not an ideal combination.  I feared for my life as I had so many close calls and it would've been a spectacular crash if ever I had one.  I kept commanding myself to relax my shoulders so I wouldn't be stiff on the handlebars.  It was a challenge to eat and hydrate as I had a death grip on them.  I basically shoved gel and water into my mouth every time I passed a natural wind barrier like a cliff face because that was the only opportunity to do so.  I couldn't wait to get back on the Queen K highway, and by the time I was able to, I was mentally spent.  It was a bit demoralizing to not be in control of your race 100%.  I had lost so much time and now had to find a way to recover.  It took me a long time to bike that last portion, and I had rough patches.  Although not as strong as those on the north shore, the winds were still there all the way back into town, and I didn't even want to look at my speedometer.  It was an unbelievably slow bike leg of 6:26. Sigh....
 
All was not lost though.  I had come with the secret goal of breaking 12 hours, and after T2 I made some computations and I felt that I could still hack it with the way I had been running during training.  Let's try it girl, shall we?  To do this I had to at least run my marathon at 4:12.  6min k pace.  Hmm. Could be feasible.  
 
If you look at my running pictures, I could have been the happiest girl that day on the road.  p://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/82/Hawaii_Ironman_World_Champs_30th_Edition#5
People were gladly cheering for me because of this and because they couldn't ignore my bright pink outfit.  I guess they thought that I was being extra sweet when I would respond cheerfully to them but what they didn't know was that is was just SO RELIEVED that the bike portion was over.  Haha.  I saw Brigitte, our O3 winner, http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/82/Hawaii_Ironman_World_Champs_30th_Edition#66
twice on the run and we high-fived each other and that was fun for me.  I looked up and saw Nel the Pinoy cabbie http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/78/First_Glimpses_of_KONA_Race_Week#2 drive by and he honked at me and I waved back.  Joel and Patrice wrote a note for me at the motivational corner, which read "Philippines Loves U," and I choked back my emotions upon reading it.  It fired me up even more.
 
Everyone was feeling the heat (I later learned that it reached 40 C) especially towards the Energy Lab but that didn't affect me so much.  I was hopeful till almost the very end that I would make it below 12 hours.  But then when I hit the last 2miles and realized that I needed to run two 5+ minute miles, I ditched the whole thing and just planned to enjoy myself and savour the final minutes.  Patrice had been given specific instructions to 1) find a pole to attach to the flag, 2) hand me the flag on Hualalai Road, and he had been alone in that corner waiting for me for almost two hours.  And upon seeing him I only shouted "give me my flag!!!" because I had been repeating that mantra to myself for hours by then.  I didn't forget to thank him, but only after the race :)  I was focused on seeing that finish chute, and I could finally hear the music and Mike Riley's booming voice on the mike.
 
The last few hundred meters were indescribable.  I was already sobbing and I had to wipe my wet face before I hit the lights on the carpet.  The noise from the crowd was deafening but I had played those final seconds countless times in my mind and I knew what I had to do next.  I proudly waved the Philippine Flag to everybody, and it was beautiful.
http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/82/Hawaii_Ironman_World_Champs_30th_Edition#6
I wanted to show it on behalf of all the people back home who had been waiting for this moment just like me.  I blew a kiss, took a low bow and thanked Madam Pele silently for teaching me a lesson in humility but at the same time being kind enough to grant me a PR. I raised the flag once again and proceeded to let myself be embraced by two Filipina catchers, Lovette and Sally, who had chosen to volunteer and wait for me to arrive. I let the tears flow freely.  I had done my job and I was glad.  My lifelong dream had come true.
 
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It seems that people are confused with the facts, whether I am the first Filipino to do Ironman Hawaii or not.  Let me set it straight.  I am not the first Filipino to do so.  I am just the first Pinay and registered Filipino resident/ citizen to do so.  The organizers recognize this as such. But I would like to applaud the efforts of those before me: Arland Macasieb, Aaron Altura, Herman Rafol, and maybe I have even missed one or two more. 
 
We know Arland and Aaron here.  But we do not know of Herman.  Please allow me to introduce him to you. Herman is a resident of Kailua-Kona, and he works as a bellman, and he has qualified for the Ironman World Championships 5 TIMES. Here he is http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/86#11 , and here is his family, who warmly invited us to dinner in their house.  http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/86#15
 
They are lovely people, and would you know that the owner of these prestigious world championships medals http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/86/The_Pinoy_Community_in_Kona#13 is also the owner of this ingenious comfy pair of bike shoes http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/86/The_Pinoy_Community_in_Kona#14 , which he actually used in the race this year.  Now if that's not Pinoy, I don't know what is!!!
 
I would like to thank Gelly Borromeo, for being wonderfully generous with her apartment http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/86/The_Pinoy_Community_in_Kona#7 and lending it to us without even knowing me.  She was just doing it to support a fellow Pinoy.  And I have to thank Coaches Melvin and Rick for referring her to me :) that worked out super!
 
The Pinoy community in Kona http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/86/The_Pinoy_Community_in_Kona#3 have been amazingly gracious and helpful during our stay.  Tante and Telly, Nel and Cora, Lovette and Sally, Angel Pilago and wife, the Tuanos, Doc Sonny, Precy and the other staff of Tante's Restaurant, all the people I met during the recognition party and all the Pinoys who cheered for me during the race.  You make me so proud to be a Filipino anywhere with your hospitality.
 
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Thanks again to all the adults who helped raise funds for my trip, all the kids who gave me cards and letters for inspiration, and Hawaiian Airlines http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/87#4  for helping me fly effortlessly!!!
 
Again, MAHALO. It has truly been an HONOR.
Ani
 
 
For race pictures, click:
http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/82/Hawaii_Ironman_World_Champs_30th_Edition#
 
 
 

Ex-swimmer takes world’s toughest triathlon test

By Francis Ochoa
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 06:13:00 09/11/2008

MANILA, Philippines—Anyone who had caught a glimpse of 9-year-old Ani Karina De Leon staying up way past her bedtime and feverishly adding the final touches to “a sketch or story made up of drawings” before finally surrendering to sleep would have known even then that she was the type who finished whatever she started.
“I did not care what time it was,” recalled the now 33-year-old De Leon. “I just felt like I had to finish the sketch.”
Whatever that indistinguishable impetus was, it has served her well—even if it didn’t exactly serve the artist in her.
The former University of the Philippines swimming standout is now the country’s top female triathlete after accomplishing what no one else before her has: Qualifying for the Ironman World Triathlon Championships in Hawaii.
The event kicks off on Oct. 11.
For the clueless, triathlon is a lung-crushing sport that demands a mastery of three disciplines—swimming, biking and running. In extended distances.
Basketball’s NBA
The Ironman version of the sport is the mecca of triathletes. It is a basketball player’s NBA.
“Doing the Ironman version of triathlon is always at the back of any triathlete’s head,” De Leon explained. But not all triathletes take it seriously.
After all, Olympic triathlon is already as tough as it gets. After swimming in open, oft-choppy waters for 1.5 kilometers (that’s like swimming 30 laps in an Olympic-sized pool—during a 5.0 earthquake), you mount a bike and pedal like the end of the world is near for another 40 kilometers (Manila to Malolos, give or take a few Ks).
As if that’s not enough, when you dismount from the bike, you have to run another 10 kilometers (Manila to Pasig).
To those competing in the Ironman World Championships, Olympic triathlon has a simpler term: Warmups.
The Ironman version calls for a 3.8k swim, 180k bike (Manila to about 20k short of Lingayen, Pangasinan) and 42k run, which is equivalent to a full marathon.
Competitive
So what’s a weaned-on-the-arts gal whose name means “harvest” in English doing in a sport that after you compete in makes you feel like someone is wrapping rose stalks around every muscle in your body?
“After graduating from UP, there was no masters competition for swimming and that was hard for me because I’m really such a competitive person,” said the interior design major.
“That’s why my sister and I, along with some friends decided to try triathlon, which at that time, was new in the country,” she explained.
When “at that time” came around, Ani and her sister Sinag (They have a brother named Diwa) had finished competing for the UP swim team in the UAAP. Ani had also carved her own niche in a four-year stint at the Palarong Pambansa. But the rush of competitive juices simply refused to be quelled.
“Since I already knew how to swim and I was pretty confident I could handle the bike part because my sister and I used to ride a lot when we were kids, I was pretty confident that I could do triathlon,” recalled the butterfly specialist. “I played a lot of games when I was a kid so I figured the run part would be easy.”
So easy that even when she was a newbie in the sport, De Leon plunged into competition right away, participating in the 1994 Subic International Triathlon event.
The result?
“Put it this way: After I competed there, I didn’t want to do it again,” she said, laughing. “I didn’t even run the whole way. There were parts when I simply walked.”
But where the body yielded, the competitive spirit kicked into high gear.
Borrowed bike
“I just decided to train harder, and this time, train properly,” said De Leon, recalling she was ill-prepared for the Subic tilt that she even rode a bike she borrowed just five days before the event.
But those days are behind her now. She has competed for the Philippines in the Southeast Asian Games as a triathlete in Manila (2005) and Thailand (2007). She also was in the 2003 team to Vietnam, but as a cyclist.
And now, after topping her age-group in the Malaysia qualifying last Feb. 28, she’s headed for Hawaii.
“I’m just excited because not a lot of people get the chance to do this,” she said, conveniently forgetting that not a lot of people would even think of trying.
Her time when she ruled the 30-34 women’s age group was 12 hours and 21 minutes.
“That’s still too far from the times of the best women triathletes in the World Championships,” she said.
And then there are other problems. Triathlon being a new sport, financial support doesn’t come easy for those who participate in it. De Leon has had to rely on sponsors who help fund her trips abroad.
In fact her benefactors are hosting a hula party on Thursday at the Mag.net Cafe on Bonifacio High to raise funds for her Hawaii stint.
And when she finally gets to the World Championships, a little reality check helps her put things in perspective: De Leon’s time is about two hours slower than what the top female triathletes in the world have accomplished in the Ironman championships.
Not only that, her opponents have well-funded year-round training.
Singapore race
De Leon, on the other hand, makes do with what she has. For warm-up, she recently managed to sign up for a Singapore race which is half the length of the Hawaii Ironman event.
She finished 15 seconds behind the eventual winner—and she even took a wrong turn on a forked highway, carrying her bike past whizzing cars in the freeway just to get back on course.
“I have no illusions,” said De Leon. “I still have a lot of work to do and for me, just being able to race against the best and at the same time learn how to compete in the Ironman is really a big, big thing.”
So cross off expectations of podium finishes.
They mean little, after all, to Ani Karina de Leon, the once energetic 9-year-old kid who would squeeze every drop of wakefulness from the late hours to finish an even meaningless sketch and in the process, learned to value the art of making it to the finish.

 

just got back a while ago and can honestly say it was a good trip...had a few rookie boo-boos during my race and could have won 1st in my category if i didn't commit those but i guess it's another hard lesson learned.  either way i am super thankful for the podium finish.
 
swim was two laps and a bit wavy but i've had bumpier swims in singapore so i was happily swimming along anyway..the trouble started on my second lap when we had to overtake all the male age groupers who started 15 minutes later....it was, in a word total chaos. felt like vomiting from having to swim on top, under, beside, and diagonally over the guys.... they should change it back to the 1loop swim like last year. when i finally got out of the water and checked that i still had a decent 35min split i quickly forgot about that...haha.  
 
moving on...bike split was really slow. maybe it didnt help that i veered off-course (mistake number 1) ... there was a left hand turn that we had to make which forked in two and since i was one of the first few females out of the water (we started ahead of the age group guys), i and two other girls wrongly took the left most one...there was no barricade or sign indicating otherwise, and no marshal either.  it actually led to the same major hiway but we had to pass under a bridge and when we came out we saw that we were on the wrong side of the lane...i looked across to the other lane and to my horror saw the error we had committed....the other two still biked ahead (they realized it a bit later than me) but i dismounted, crossed a south super hi way type of road (living in manila does have it's benefits...i'm an expert traffic crosser), carried my bike across the fence, jumped across it, crossed another lane with fast-moving cars,. carried myself and my bike again over the barricade, and got myself onto the right track...still a bit shaky from my hiway expedition but was able to re-focus.  on my 2nd loop i saw that they blocked that other road so no one would make the mistake we made...my mistake number 2 was that i wasn't able to secure my spare tubular tire very well and i had to keep stopping or else i would lose it. felt like kicking myself but i didnt want to lose an expensive and hard to find 650c tire. haha.
 
my run was very straightforward, just checking my pace against other people i knew and progressively increased my speed.  truthfully, I was feeling fresh and felt satisfied when i crossed the finish line, until i found out that: 
 
   ATHLETE                        RANK     AGE/DIV       SWIM         BIKE      RUN          TOTAL
1THOMPSON, Sarah     16/37/28  30/30 to 34    00:36:430    2:48:59  01:58:38     05:28:52
2DE LEON, Ani Karina    9/43/29   33/30 to 34    00:35:360   2:53:07   01:56:41     05:29:07

and then i wanted to kick myself for the umpteenth time that day....aaaaaaaaaaaaargh. 15 friggin seconds.  SHOULDA WOULDA COULDA. vented my frustration that night by repeating the story over and over and over to my friends who were with me there and texted my friends over here.
 
but on the plane today flying back, i knew that all was well and thanked God for the weekend.  and for all of my blessings. yes it could have been better, but it could have been much worse. and to put things into perspective, i was talking to alex bok, the manager of tbb the other day.  he was asking me how my prep for hawaii was and i answered that singapore was my last tune up race.  he said, yeah, i know, it's just for your training, but imagine for some people it's already a lifetime achievement. i'm glad i remembered our discussion and i know how true it is.
 
well, that's my race story and i am sorry for the novel haha...hope everyone has a great week ahead!!!
 
P.S. like me, patrice won a slot in his category and qualified for the 70.3 world championships. we had to give up our slots though because hawaii is going to cost a lot of money and we would probably go bankrupt if we go to florida a month after...haha.
P.P.S. i know how lucky i am to have friends organizing the send off party this friday and going out of their way to support a fellow athlete.  thanks so much.  i really really appreciate it.
 

The race (4km swim, 120km bike, 30km run) was extreme but I found myself smiling because of the following moments:

1. Anton and Rizzo leading the sing-along at the aid station as we passed them on the run
2. Pia and her kids coming out of Pancake house at every lap to cheer
3. Joel following his prior orders from moi to hand me out my coffee in can as I came out of T2
4. Doray pushing drinks on two occasions: on the run course and at the party!!!
5. My girlfriends donning different team uniforms but still cheering equally loud for me nonetheless
6. Every time I would see Arni biking or running merrily along like she was doing a fun 10k race....
7. Wayne and Stella shouting at me midway on my run telling me Wayne won 1st in his category!!! Woohoo!!!
8. I can hardly remember all of you guys, but I know that Nix, Bong, Chari, Dick, Raffy, Chito, Dain, Angela, Ann, among others, stayed on to support our very very long race....thanks so much :)
9. Of course I was so so proud of my training buddies Mark, Maiqui, Peter and Patrice winning first in the Overall Team Championships!!!  Well deserved.
10. Joey Torres successfully completing another long race just two weeks after doing a 70.3 in Rhode Island.
11. Running with Amanda was special and we were both lucky to have each other for that 30k run.  And we high fived each other quietly with each guy we passed...hehe, sorry macho men!
 
and last but not the least...
 
12.  He will hate me for making this public, but I was laughing for 10minutes because on the second lap of the bike, a "friend" proudly shouted at me that he peed on himself....and you have to understand that this was after a very long discussion the day before with me telling him that this is what he should be doing and not stopping at a portalet each time. He was majorly grossed out when I told him with a straight face that this is what i have been doing at every long distance race that I had to do and told me he would do no such thing. Haha!!! Well he did and he placed very well indeed :)

On to the next race!!!
Ani

Cover Story
Power Woman

By Aries Espinosa
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:14:00 03/23/2008

 

MANILA, Philippines - In recent years, the high walls that surround what has always been described as a “man’s world” have slowly been chiseled away, thanks to women who will not be boxed by tradition. These days, people no longer do a second take when they see women cab drivers, welders, soldiers, scientists and top level politicians.

But nowhere is the concept of woman empowerment more apparent—and more challenged—than in the world of sports. By sheer bulk and brawn—nature and testosterone at work—as well as constant practice under the approving gaze of a male-dominated world, men’s winning performance has set the gold standard for athletics. For the longest time, men have been believed to be the stronger sex.

Well, tell that to the Marines. Better yet, tell that to Ani Karina de Leon, multiple National Triathlon champion, who last Feb. 23 again emerged from the box labeled “petite, fragile woman inside, handle with care,” and emerged victorious in the Ironman triathlon in Langkawi , Malaysia .

Competing among a field of 700 triathletes, 22 of them fellow Filipinos, De Leon swam 3.8 km, biked 180 km, and ran 42 km for a back-breaking, lung-busting, muscle-tearing 12 hours, 21 minutes and 17 seconds, to cross the finish line first in her age category (30-34), leaving many of the supposedly stronger men eating her salty dust.

More importantly, De Leon’s victory earned her the right to represent the Philippines in the mecca of triathlons: the Ironman Hawaii in Kona this October. “I’m the first ever homegrown Filipino in history to qualify in Hawaii,” she says with justifiable pride. (Take that, you chauvinist iron man!)

And there’s no doubt as to her gender, either. This triathlete may swim, bike and run like Mars, but she’s got a soft spot when it comes to matters of the heart. In fact, she admits to a budding romance with another triathlete—a foreign male—but ssssh, mom doesn’t know just yet, she confesses sheepishly. Alright, we can print that, she says, “because I’m about to tell her anyway.”

That’s all in the future though. Right now, what she’d like to tell the world is how she started on the road to Langkawi, and eventually, to Hawaii.

It all started about 21 years ago, when she was 12, De Leon reveals. “I began as a gymnast, then took up swimming when I was 14 at the UP Integrated School.” Her coach and swim buddies apparently noticed her all-around strong physique and encouraged her to run and bike as well, as a way of “cross training” for her main sport of swimming.

In 1994, when she was 19, she joined her first triathlon, a “beginner’s” distance of 1.5 km swim, 40-km bike, and 10-km run. “I was traumatized after that,” she laughs, “and I didn’t join another triathlon until 2000.”

What actually kept her busy during that time was college. She concentrated on finishing her Interior Design degree in UP Diliman and passing her board exams. As an artist De Leon also painted, and was already working for an interior design firm when competitions beckoned once more.

She joined the national team from 2000 to 2006. “At first, my life was like 70 percent devoted to career and 30 percent to the sport, but then the ratio just slowly swung in favor of the triathlon side. Now, my life revolves 100 percent around the sport,” she explains.

More like 120 percent, if you look at De Leon’s typical week. That’s because aside from training her already well-conditioned body (read: 12-percent body fat) for upcoming triathlon events this year, she also trains the next generation of triathletes.

De Leon runs a race series for children 15 years old and below for the Superkids Youth Development program of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (www.triathlon.org.ph, click on the Superkids link).

“More than just developing their skills and preparing these children physically for multi-sports such as triathlons, this program also develops their confidence to face life as a whole,” she explains.

De Leon also manages to find time to run the Pinay in Action race series and fitness programs. Pinay in Action, as described in www.pinayinaction.com, was “created primarily to uplift the lives of the Filipina…to empower women and girls by providing venues for a healthier lifestyle and tools and information for a better future. Organized by Senator and fellow triathlete Pia Cayetano, Pinay in Action’s principal advocacies include a year-long program that involves conducting running clinics nationwide for public schoolgirls (Check out pinayinaction.com).

“We’re trying to remove the typical stereotype of women as being emotionally and physically weak, using the sport of running as our main medium to get the message across,” stresses De Leon.

Actually, De Leon and her family ARE the message. Older sister Sinag is considered one of the female pioneers of triathlon in the country. Younger sister Daniw has already begun participating in run races, and 12-year-old niece Raya has already started doing triathlons.

Mom Anna Leah Sarabia, a known advocate of women’s empowerment, whom De Leon ironically describes as “not having a single thread of athleticism in her body,” serves as her greatest inspiration.

“She has consistently shown strength of character from the time I could remember, up to now. She has always allowed us do our thing, while leading by example,” the daughter muses.

But De Leon is now in lonely territory, being the only homegrown Pinoy to compete in the Ironman Kona in Hawaii this October, an event that only about six percent of all triathlete applicants worldwide can get to start in, much less finish. A lifelong dream for this triathlete, the Ironman Hawaii will test every inch of what De Leon has become, and what she has become, she says, has been the result of thousands of decisions made every single day of her life. These are decisions, she proudly declares, that she has made herself.

With such ironclad determination and character, who can doubt that De Leon is made of sterner stuff? Alas, ladies, the IronWoman cometh.

Hi all,

 

Thanks so much to everyone who sent good luck and congratulatory messages. It is amazing reading all of them and seeing how some of you were able to keep track of our individual splits and race updates.  It was a really really good weekend for me and the rest of the Filipino crew in Langkawi. One of my friends asked if it was my most significant moment in triathlon so far, and I guess I hadn’t processed what had happened yet at that point, so when I looked at him blankly, Maiqui Dayrit, who was standing beside me then answered a big hearty “Yes!” on my behalf.  I had him and Mark Ellis to thank for getting me safely to the finish line (more on that later), and although the race is over, I can still feel the outstanding support I constantly receive from friends like them.

 

Those who are close to me know that joining Ironman Worlds in Hawaii has been one of my fondest dreams for many years now, and a year ago I decided I couldn’t shelve it any longer. I didn’t mind the heat too much considering my genetics so it was either going for it in Langkawi or a lottery entry.  I’m not ashamed to say that I tried both ways, but now I can see why God never intended for me to win in the Hawaii Sweepstakes draw when I entered it! 

 

Crossing the finish line wasn’t an easy feat, and I had to fight hard for that slot. Although I am a veteran triathlete, I am a beginner to this distance and had a lot of doubts during the course of the race, particularly the latter end of the bike and the run leg.  I had to stop at every single aid station (a total of 41) just to pour water on myself because otherwise I would have overheated, and I still don’t regret taking the time to do that.  I had blisters from lap 1 because I would rather have wet socks and shoes than get dehydrated. I knew I was leading in my category and I also knew that the Frenchwoman from Reunion Island was chasing me down.  It’s one thing to have someone breathing down your neck for 10km, but for 42km, it is extremely stressful.  It was a fine balance of sticking to my plan and known limits and not trying to be reactive to her—I didn’t want to push too hard too early and then crash.  She kept gaining on me, and from a lead of almost 20min, I only had 3 minutes on her at the very last turnaround with 7km to go.  It didn’t take a genius to compute that she would soon overtake me if I continued with my pace. It was then that a switch suddenly turned on inside my head and I started running like a madwoman.  I knew I could handle running fast for that remaining distance, and I could not leave anything more to chance.  I wanted that Hawaii slot, and there was no way I was going to hand it to her. From then on it was only a hurried sip of water and defizzed Coke from the aid stations.  I was now getting annoyed at the narrow run path and having to overtake people when earlier on I was happily cheering for them.  At 1.5km to go I spotted Mark and Maiqui, and realized I had just whittled down the 6 minute gap they had on me so I was even more encouraged.  I caught up with them with 1km to go.  They were startled but happy to see me, only to quickly discover that I had no intentions of staying with them for a merry chat.  In between breaths I explained and apologized profusely that I was leading but someone was closing in on me, so I had to go, NOW.  They immediately took in the weight of the situation due to my panic-stricken expression and decided to pick up their speed too.  Mark said later on that he didn’t realize that his legs would follow his brain’s command in switching from a 7minute/km pace to a 4:30/km pace just like that.  They were my saviors in that last, long kilometer to the finish line.  It was a frenzy of shouting, panting, crying, and egging each other on.  Mark, who was obviously still the best runner among us, ran in front and took on the role of rabbit.  I kept asking Maiqui to look at the back to check if anyone was there, and he would say “no one Ani, no one”….that is, until the last 300meters, when he said, “I think someone is at the back, let’s pick it up some more,” and the turn to the finish couldn’t possibly have come sooner.  When we finally

made it to the chute, I burst into tears from relief, joy, fatigue, and gratitude….the three of us crossed the line in a tight embrace, and our faces in the finish line pictures will say it all.  Mark was jubilant, I was crying, and Maiqui was just plain happy.  The person immediately behind us turned out to be someone else, and the girl second to me ended up finishing more than a minute behind.  We made it.  It was more than I could have ever hoped for, and I had done it with my friends.

 

I didn’t embark on this journey alone, and I definitely felt that my angels were with me leading up to Langkawi and that they worked even harder to give me strength on race day.  My fellow Pinoys in the race course and family and friends who were praying from back home gave a steady stream of great energy so I cannot ever claim to have accomplished everything by myself.  The Fitness First Tri Team--Mark, Doray, Joel, Maiqui and Gianina, Ige, JC, Chari;  the Tri Clark Gang and their families, led by Abe, June, Rico, Jumbo, Raffy, Chris, Abby, Tintin (also of David’s Salon); the Tri Hard Boys—Vic, Vinny, Greg and Paolo (also of TRIADS); Retzel, Alex, and Leo, were the finest bunch of people anyone could ever train, travel and race with.  My dear friend Vera and his trusty group of Thai triathletes took good care of me and my bike the whole weekend. Just so I could prepare better, Pia offered a room in her house to me in Alabang without my even having to ask for it, and I cannot possibly repay all the support that she and the rest of the Cayetano family have provided me.  My own family, especially my mom and sister, put up with my many absences and remain very patient and understanding to my chosen sport. 

 

Well, that’s my post-race report for now, sorry I couldn’t make it shorter.  Let's cheer for our racers this coming weekend in Taupo, NZ...Manda, Jonjon, Andy, Deo, Cris, and Rune, hope they will have happy stories to bring home too! 

 

Ani

 

Female Age 30-34
Place Bib Name Nat Cat Swim Chg1 Bike AftBike Run Total
1 625 Ani Karina De Leon PHL F 30/34 1:04:49 0:02:21 6:01:11 7:08:20 5:07:05 12:21:17
2 624 Soizic Coudiere REU F 30/34 1:06:27 0:02:36 6:20:34 7:29:37 4:49:43 12:22:40
3 637 Emma Penver MYS F 30/34 1:45:55 0:05:58 6:25:43 8:17:35 4:33:42 12:59:15

 

Thanks to Jumbo for compiling this:

Pinoy Finishers Total time
Tayag, Abe 11:07:15
Oracion, Leo 11:21:02
Bautista, Alex 11:27:55
Kit Jr., Rosalino 11:48:07
Dayrit, Marco 12:21:16
Ellis, Mark 12:21:16
De Leon, Ani 12:21:17
Ayson, Enrico 12:47:02
Tayag, Jumbo 13:13:21
Ouano, Paulo 13:14:49
Munoz, Joel 13:17:52
Ellis, Rhodora 13:22:50
Orquiza, Retzel 13:37:42
Zapata, Jose 14:34:47
Tongson, Vincent 14:47:03
Ongyanco, Chari 14:36:32
Tongson, Vincent 14:47:03
Navarro, Christine 14:48:27
Magno, Victor 15:53:43
Manas, Johann. 15:12:15
Nepomuceno, Chris 16:17:55
Banzon, Gregory 17:06:03

Confessions of a Triathlon Drama Queen

Ani Karina S. de Leon

 

 

Preparing for an Ironman* can be a bit tricky. I remember, among many of the jampacked days that I have, one such night wherein this thought crossed my mind.  It was the last week of December.  It was almost 9:30pm and I had yet to start my designated workout for the day, which was a 2 and half hour run.  I wasn’t very happy about having to do it so late, but it was the only opportunity I had.  Ironman Malaysia, the race I had set out to do, was going to be in February, so I had to train through the holidays (not a simple feat if your social life is high on your priorities—luckily for me, it isn’t).

 

I had efficiently and consistently stayed away from most of the Christmas parties and reunions, but I couldn’t miss the ones my own family was celebrating.  Normally, I enjoyed prolonged gatherings with them and would even volunteer to shuttle my nieces and cousins around, but at that moment I was just agitated at having so little time to fit in anything else aside from my work and training, which I could barely put together as it was.  As I drove to the safest place I could run alone in at such a late hour, I dwelled on having to run till midnight and successfully built up a foul mood in the process.  I knew that it was nobody’s fault though, and couldn’t really get mad at anybody in particular.

 

As I got out of the car, I saw a lone runner just finishing his own workout.  Well, somebody else trained late today, I thought, but still earlier than me!  He walked to the parking lot and we recognized each other. It was an athlete that I had trained when he just a beginner.  We chatted for a bit. He was also preparing for another Ironman race, later in the year.  I was happy that he was so excited about it.  He asked me for advice and kept marveling at the fact that I was still trying to carry out my run even though it seemed absurd to do so given the circumstances.  I secretly worried that I was setting such a bad example with my stubbornness, but it seemed to have a positive effect on him.  He continued on to praise me and said nice things, like, “you inspire us with your determination and perseverance,” and “you make us proud with your accomplishments.” 

 

He finally left and I set out on my route.  Amazingly, I felt very light and my disposition became sunnier in spite of the dark night sky.  My friend’s words had reminded me of how far I had gone and how blessed I had been to be given the opportunity at all to do such things.  My whole life, I had been gifted with excellent health and a fitness level which enabled me to do diverse challenges, sometimes on a whim.  I suddenly felt ashamed at having been such a drama queen.  I had nothing to complain about.

 

Earlier in the day, some of my teammates also did the same 2.5 hour run, but at different times and in different places.  Ige, similarly, had high aspirations and the accompanying pressures and expectations to do well, but also had a lot of work commitments. He ran in between his appointments.  Maiqui ran while his family was vacationing in an inconvenient training venue—through sand, hills, and hard terrain.  Mark had to run in the sweltering heat, and because he was Caucasian and suffered more than us Asians in these conditions, had almost given up but didn’t.  Joel, who has two lovely daughters, had to run tired as he was constantly looking over various architectural projects and seldom had enough room to recover.  Doray, who always had to juggle between a highly demanding job and her family aside from focused training, actually had the flu and hadn’t been able to run at all, but did so the next day, as soon as she could get out of bed.  I didn’t really have to look far for inspiration.  All around me were my friends, still trudging on, still completing their task without much hype and hesitation. 

 

All the same, I guess I will always allow myself to have a bit of drama in my life.  I was raised by my parents to be an artist anyway, and that’s my excuse.  Like most people, I listen to upbeat tunes in my iPod, but I do insert some sentimental or operatic tracks too, and wholeheartedly let Sarah Brightman’s or Maria Callas’ mournful singing take over my emotions as I bike along the rice fields and watch the sun rise.  On some occasions, I missed JJ, my old training partner who is now based in France, and wished that he were still here.  We trained for our first Ironman distance race together more than 5 years ago, when we didn’t really know what we were doing, and now that I’m racing it for the second time, it would’ve been nice for him to be there as well.  Plus he would’ve kicked ass.

 

My mini bouts of sappiness are not a genuine cause of concern though.  Recently, I gained even more motivation to do well in the Ironman.  Joan Cadelina, a woman I met through another multiple Ironman finisher, Geraldine Santiago, is going through her treatment for breast cancer as I write this piece and needs to generate funds because of this.  I have decided to help her in my own little way by dedicating my race to her and women just like her, and will gather pledges for their benefit through our Pinay In Action** Network.  There is no more room for whining on my end, because Joan’s sickness is as real as it can get.  Where the acting up stops, random acts of kindness begin.

 

I’m aware that true-to-life stories don’t always turn out to be comedies or chick flicks.  But I believe there are always heroes and heroines out there who have personal tragedies to contend with but demonstrate courage nonetheless.  And like a typical girl, I always hope that everyone will eventually have the happy ending they deserve.

 

 

*An individual long distance race covering 3.8km of swimming, 180km of cycling, and 42.2km of running.

**Visit pinayinaction.com for more info.

**Mark Ellis, one of the athletes mentioned above, is also gathering pledges from friends for Gabriel’s Symphony Foundation, which continuously supports deaf, mute and cleft-lipped children. Visit gabrielsymphony.com for more info.

 

Team T1 AVAYA boys speak up!

 

1. Describe the race in three words:

Ige: Wild! Intense! Solid!

Def: Solid at palaban (and a challenge)

James: ONE LONG ADVENTURE

 

2. What was the hardest part of the race for you?

Ige: The navigation part at night where you're tired, sleepy, hungry and your minds playing tricks on you.

Def: You always have wet socks, so blisters will be hell. They multiply and grow bigger everyday - and still lots of trekking and running to go.  Locating the CPs accurately. Not hard, but a major hassle was bumping my right leg into a colony of sea urchins!

James: Blistering and chafing. Plus catching up with my teammates.

 

3. Any memorable moments?

Ige: Hmm...each part of the race was memorable but my fave would be the super race pace mountain bike leg on the last day going to the last CP.  We were there BUT not quite...yet!!!

Def: Where do I begin??? Swimming at 10:30pm for hours to get to another island; our huge bangka being sucked underwater in a dark stalactite cave; eating 5 star style; trekking while sleeping or sleeping while trekking; and of course our motto: 'how bad do you want it???' There's

more but I'll save for when we go partying! haha!

James: The inter-island swims. I would never do that except if my life depended on it.

 

4. Tips for aspiring Habagat joiners?

Ige: Training should be a lifestyle and always enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Choose your teammates well and physically and mentally prepare much much more than you would expect.  Learn to give and take for the sake of the team. This is definitely not just one of your ordinary urban races that you see in reality TV.  

Def:Train hard, and keep fit all year round. Pick good teammates. During the race, keep an open heart and an open mind. Never say die! And it can be done =)

James: Train, train, train to be confident on what you've never done before.

 

5. Say something about each of your teammates.

Ige: Ani- Newly baptized multi day adventure racer!  Solid foundation, definitely an asset to teammates and a threat to opponents in future adventure races to come. James- Silent James, dependable and soft spoken.  Will rise to the occasion if needed. Paolo- The Erik Dekker of the team!  Hardworker and never say die attitude!  The perfect energizer beast on multi day races.  

Def: James - silent but deadly; the man you want to consult when you're lost haha! Ani - she knows how to dig very very deep; nice to have that woman’s care amidst the tough adventure. Ige - high spirited; fighter; wouldn't do it without him - he gets my jokes!

James: Miguel- Strongest in the team, overall. Always composed. Always had that extra energy if needed from him.  Ani- Has the heart of a real champion. Will step up to lead the team at any given point, without hesitation. Paolo- Always charged. Loud talker. Keeps us on our toes. Always know where the food is.

 

6. Would you do it again?

Ige: Where do I sign up?

Def: Heck yeah! Can I have the same team?

James: DEFINITELY!

 

Day 4: Breakdown: Peeling the Onion and Digging Way, Way Deep.

 

CP 22	N 09 51 40	E 126 00 52	Near an airport
CP 23	N 09 50 51	E 126 06 35	River mouth
CP 24	N 09 50 33	E 126 08 16	Facing the pacific coast
CP 25	N 09 48 28	E 126 09 52	Near a good surf spot

 

 

 

 

At LP3 we picked up our bikes again and even though my saddle sores were painfully fresh I had to add on to them again for one more day. I had never had that much friction on my sensitive parts before because as a road biker everything is just smooth sailing on asphalt and concrete.  I didn’t have that luxury now, and we were desperately under pressure to finish today because it was the last day to do so.  We were cutting it really close. I had had very little sleep (some by the side of the road, some on a concrete bench, some under a coconut tree) and was burning the last few strands of my candlestick.  I was near the breaking point.  The boys were nice enough to let me be but gently reminded me of our goals.  I could see that they were tired too.  I summoned all my mental strength and shut down the rest of my bodily functions which were irrelevant to riding a bike.  I felt like I was in a dream-like state but my body knew what to do because I had switched it to Automatic Bike Mode. 

 

We were nearing the end and I knew that we could make it soon.  But the Spirits of the Carrera Habagat Race had a few more ordeals set up for team T1-AVAYA.  Just when we thought we had arrived at CP 23 and had only 2 more CPs to go, we discover that in our rush we had missed CP 23 and were actually at CP 24.  We had to backtrack yet again.  I was incensed.  I could not imagine going back and forth another time.  My bike shoes had given way long ago and were just being kept intact with duct tape, and of course my underside was still hurting. In my mind I had done my last cycle leg for this race, but now we had to do two more as a result of our mistake.  It was too much.

 

It was never a question though.  We had to do it. I had to go back.  They couldn’t finish the race without me. And I couldn’t bear to let my teammates down. I was sobbing and yelling angrily at the same time.  “JUST FIND IT!!!! JUST F-----N FIND IT, OKAY!!!!!!!!!”  I had a sudden rush of adrenaline along with my outburst and pedaled like a madwoman, speaking loudly to myself for motivation.  Ige was telling me there was another team catching up with us.  I looked wildly at him and said, “Am I not here, and am I not trying the best that I can??? Just leave me alone!!!”  Oh dear.  This is what happens when you try to make a team player out of someone who has been competing in individual sports for most of her life. 

 

Finish Line!!!

 

FINISH

At a Beach Resort

 

 

We all got our acts together eventually since we understood that it was crunch time.  We found CP 23, went back to CP 24, and swam and ran to CP 25.  Surviving Carrera Habagat and finishing it the first time around is unforgettable, and my teammates and I soaked it all in.  We had gone through so much together the past four days and were the 8^th team to come through.  We were blessed enough to see the beauty of this part of the Philippines in a way that no tourist ever could. This race revealed our character like nothing else ever could. I smiled at Ige, Def, and James, and silently thanked them.  They were excellent athletes and human beings and it was a privilege to have done this with them.  This race was by far the hardest one I have ever had to do in my whole life, and mind you, I have raced a lot.  But in my opinion, joining a race that isn’t challenging at all is just a waste of time, and in this respect, Carrera Habagat was time spent very well indeed.

Day 2: Dry Land, Water, Dry Land, Water.

 

CP 8	N 09 41 32	E 126 00 17	Near the coast
CP 9	N 09 43 56	E 126 02 37	In a baranggay
CP 10 / LP 2	N 09 45 26	E 126 03 10	In a town

 

Today we trekked and swam the whole day.  We were now ranked as the 7^th team, and since the top contenders were hours ahead, we decided to change our game plan and just enjoy and finish the race. The main highlights of this section:  Bushwhacking and trailblazing amidst tall cogon, swimming from island to island in the dark with equipment in tow, getting horribly victimized by a bed of sea urchin and losing my trek shoes in the ocean.  We get to LP2 around midnight.

 

Day 3: The Bike Ride That Wouldn’t End + Time Space Warp at CP 19 + WAR!!!

 

CP 11	N 09 46 33	E 126 03 11	Near a community
CP 12	N 09 47 08	E 126 09 20	Near a market
CP 13	N 09 46 08	E 126 07 32	Near a coast
CP 14	N 09 49 15	E 126 03 12	Near an intersection
CP 15	N 09 57 32	E 126 00 20	Along the coast
CP 16	N 09 56 40	E 126 02 20	An inland baranggay
CP 17	N 10 03 32	E 126 03 10	In a beach
CP 18	N 10 01 12	E 126 04 28	Near the coast
CP 19	N 09 59 03	E 126 03 12	Near a baranggay
CP 20	N 09 56 42	E 126 06 07	Along a beautiful coast
CP 21/ LP 3	N 09 51 52	E 126 05 59	An old town

 

After napping and replenishing our packs with food and drinks, we pedaled stealthily into the blackness like some obscure renegade group on an important mission.  I was really anxious because my headlamp was damaged from being submerged underwater and I was very very new to mountain biking.  I could barely manage going through obstacles in broad daylight and now we had to navigate single track trails at a fast speed.  I knew I was taking numerous risks following my teammates blindly, but I had to trust in them—I really had no choice.  It was an unbelievably lengthy sixteen hours that I would be spending on the saddle, a personal record by far.  My butt was really hurting now, and my patience was running thin because we kept getting lost.  We had started biking just after midnight and at 4pm I was so glad we could chuck the mountain bikes away.  We climbed a wall and rappelled downwards, and this was by far the easiest and most fun part of the race for me.  It was almost a gift. 

 

After this, our team got a second wind even as we heard the news that the first team, Davao Eagles, had already finished.  We didn’t mind.  We were confident that we would be accomplishing the same thing in just a matter of hours. 

 

Alas, it was not to be, and my patience would have to be tested more in the succeeding checkpoints.  We ran around in circles in search for CP 19 and were again clueless on where to go next, even though, incredibly we had already passed it earlier in the day en route to another checkpoint.  We felt like we were stuck in a Time Space Warp and we were getting tired.  I was the first to snap.  I screamed my head off because I felt (wrongly) that the boys were largely responsible for the poor navigation.  I couldn’t understand why we couldn’t locate it, and I was extremely frustrated at having to do so many unnecessary kilometers.  We were running around like headless chicken and bickering like schoolchildren.  Fighting was quite unnatural for us as we all liked each other very much, and after a while, we laughed at ourselves and our strange predicament.  We loosened up a little bit and agreed to work more closely as a team from then on.  Not coincidentally, we found the infamous CP 19 shortly after that.   The CP 19 volunteers were kind enough to let us doze off for a few minutes in their tiny hut and even serenaded us with their guitar.  Their CP was worth looking for after all.  It was nearing dawn when we woke up and it was like a Death March towards the last LP.

 

Day 1: Now what?

 

Seventeen teams were bold enough to join this year.  Our Team, T1-AVAYA, was the only team flying in all the way from Manila. We were instructed to bring our bikes, Personal Flotation Devices (or life vests), and trekking gear.  We would have to go through 7 Checkpoints before the first Logistics Point.  These were the coordinates and clues:

 

CP 1	N 09 32 31	E 125 50 20	Port of Hayanggabon
CP 2	N 09 35 52	E 125 54 47	Sohoton Tourist Center
CP 3	N 09 35 35	E 125 55 15	Inside a lagoon
CP 4	N 09 36 39	E 125 56 18	In a barangay
CP 5	N 09 37 28	E 125 55 13	Near a barangay
CP 6	N 09 39 06	E 125 55 17	Near a small pier
CP 7 / LP1	N 09 37 02	E 125 57 57	In a town

 

We were all quite good in biking, and we were actually swapping the lead with the Dumaguete Team for the first 76km leg, but unfortunately, James got a flat tire (our first of five!) and we watched helplessly as the other teams passed us.  The boys fixed it as I cheered them on, trying to keep our spirits up.  We got back on the muddy dirt road and we managed to arrive in 4^th place at the Port of Hayanggabon.  We were still feeling quite jolly and energetic. 

 

The next thing we had to do was paddle for a couple of hours to the next few checkpoints.  James and I shared an outrigger and Def and Ige paired up in a bigger one because the smaller one seemed to be an awkward fit.  Admittedly, paddling was our weakest link as a team because we never really practiced it, but we agreed that we would be fine. 

 

Well, we spoke too soon.  To get to one of the checkpoints in Tinagong Dagat (Hidden Sea), we had to pass a tunnel-like cave. We were warned beforehand by the local fishermen that the current was strong inside, and at this point it was already night time.  Def, who was the tallest among us, had a hard time avoiding the stalactites because of the low ceiling.  James and I continued rowing a little ahead of them. After a few moments though, we looked back and they weren’t there.  We thought they were just mucking around.  It was dark already so James decided that while we were waiting he would put on his headlamp, so he opened his dry bag.  It was then that we heard the two of them calling out to us in panicked voices.  We headed back towards the cave and saw that they were trapped in one corner because of the strong current.  We didn’t know any better, and by the time we realized that we shouldn’t even go near them we got swept by the current too.  James and I were now in an even worse position than they were, and it was only a few seconds afterwards that our boat capsized underneath theirs.  It was complete chaos.  I realized that my mobile phone, which had been our emergency line, was swept away along with James’ stuff because he had left his pack open when we went back for our teammates.  I was pissed and lost my composure for the first time during the race.  We were in the middle of nowhere and couldn’t paddle out. Now what???

 

It cost us almost two hours but with some intervention from the locals we were able to get our boats back upright, sans two oars and some of James’ gear.  That left us with one small paddle for each outrigger, which of course slowed us down again.  But we went on, docked the boats, and scaled a treacherously jagged surface towards the next CP.  Once we where on higher ground, we got lost and went back and forth as we were debating on which direction to follow.  This wore us down and we found an empty basketball court wherein we decided to sleep for 30 minutes.  The boys found it easy to sleep whereas I had a very hard time because my shoes were wet and my socks were grimy, I was covered in mud, cut by rocks, bitten by giant mosquitoes—and frankly, I am still a girl who likes to be clean.  I know I signed up for it but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I would adjust to the hygiene issues as easily.  I probably slept for a total of 6 minutes.  The Mt. Everest Girls had advised me to bring a lot of socks in a zip lock plastic bag at all times and I was glad I listened to them. I changed my socks and left the filthy ones in the basketball court.  We trudged on through the night and at around 7am we made it to LP1.  I was happy to see Manny, Atoy, Ai and Toby.

Surviving Carrera Habagat: My first foray into the World of Multi-Day Adventure Racing

Ani Karina Sarabia de Leon

 

When Miguel Lopez (a.k.a. Ige) first broached the subject of forming a team for the Carrera Habagat, I didn’t even pause to blink and said yes to him right away. 

Of course, I was going to join as a complete beginner and had little idea on how demanding this undertaking would be.  We were talking about the toughest adventure race in the Philippines—it covers the largest area and takes the longest time to finish.  But I had always wanted to do it, and knowing my schedule, I may not have another opportunity to try it out, so I decided that it was now or never. 

 

Our team was to be composed of Ige, Paolo Defensor (a.k.a. Def), James Tagara and I.  I had known Ige and Paolo for a very long time, but this was the first time that I was going to meet James.  All three of them were members of the Ayala Mountaineers.  I wasn’t a mountaineer, and my only qualifications were these: I was an experienced triathlete and I had climbed a few mountains and I was exposed to the mountaineering scene because my sister was a prolific climber of UP Mountaineers fame.  I specifically warned them that outside my taxi cab driver-like knowledge of the maze that is Manila, I wouldn’t know how to plot a map in the wild and what to do with the bearings on my compass. On the other hand, I was willing and able to do extremely difficult challenges. Def and James were avid adventure racers but this was their first multi-day race too. Only Ige had joined it twice before.

 

We were all very hopeful and optimistic nonetheless, and thankfully we found very supportive partners in AVAYA Communications, The North Face, Ige’s own T1 active wear, Promax, Accelerade, and Endurox.  We also signed on Manny Torralba and Atoy Jamilla to be our official support crew—they were both veteran mountaineers and adventure racers.  I didn’t own a single piece of adventure racing gear, and I was so grateful to have Tricia Chiongbian, Thumbie Remigio, Rizzo Tangan, and my sister Sinag help me out.  Aside from this, Ai Eway from AVAYA and Toby Martin from AMCI also expressed their desire to assist us in any way they could. This certainly helped us firm up our resolve.  So we registered, bought the plane tickets, and headed to Surigao.

 

Traveling from Manila to Surigao City with 8 people, dozens of baggage and equipment plus 5 mountain bikes (Ai brought hers too) was no mean feat in itself. We flew into Butuan City and from there took a multicab, a bus, a jeep, and finally hopped onto our bikes for the last 5km towards the lodge.

 

The night before the race, the organizers gave us several maps of Surigao, Bucas Grande, and Siargao.  The names of certain towns and baranggays were erased and we were given basic directions on how to get to the checkpoints.  We had to get from Checkpoints (CPs) 1 to 25 in the proper sequence, and we could only see our support crew at three Logistics Points (LPs).  The boys, particularly James, stayed up late to plot out the course and everyone in the team packed the necessary gear.  Boy, and I thought readying triathlon equipment was tedious.

 

Last night, as I was trying to execute a complicated pose in my yoga class, the instructor mentioned something that caught my attention.  She said, “find that point between pain and pleasure in your stretch.”  A few of us gifted with more lively imaginations giggled, but it was the perfect way to describe that asana, and that got me to thinking what a very thin line it was between the two. 

 

I also recall reading a study published in a magazine a few years ago about the so-called, elusive “runner’s high.”  Curiously, it could only be achieved at a pace that was neither too easy nor too difficult for the person running.

 

Is this how it should be?  Is this the key to finding balance in everything we do?  Is this why the Buddhist teaching which shows us “The Middle Path” so important for us to understand?

 

In sports, if you slack off and have too many easy days, you can’t expect a good result.  But if you push way too hard, you can either get injured or will be just plain tired on the day of the big event and can’t perform as well.  And if you still insist on doing this over and over it would surely lead to extreme fatigue and burnout.

 

When is enough enough anyway?  Sans a heart rate monitor, speedometer, power output meter and other training devices, are we all equipped with an inner alarm that tells us when to keep pushing and when to stop?

 

Of course we are.  We are the masters of what is good for us.  Now if only we would listen.  I myself have wasted many a racing season because I would foolishly ignore my intuition and follow what others are doing because it sounded like it worked for them.  Comparing yourself to other people too much can be detrimental.  And this goes both ways—for I discovered that for me to do well I would have to do more than the normal share of long workouts, whereas for some people, short and sweet seems to do it for them.

 

Lance Armstrong (and just when you thought I would go through this whole article without mentioning him, eh), while being interviewed for a major international publication once, was asked what sort of pleasure he derived from all that hard work which he put into his training and racing.  He couldn’t understand the question and requested for it to be repeated a couple of times.  It wasn’t till later that the interviewer realized—pain was Lance’s pleasure.  Again, very thin line.  Driving himself onto this extremely high threshold makes sense to him though, and we all know that he has reaped huge successes for believing in himself, trusting in his instincts and ignoring the naysayers who kept telling everyone what could not be done. 

 

Find your balance.  Strive to be the very best version of yourself because you just might be surprised how far this will take you.  Testing your limits can be a truly rewarding endeavor. But most of all, take pleasure in the whole experience.

 

And if doing what you like the most means eliciting stares from strangers who conclude that you are one of the crazies from your weird whooping and grunting sounds on the treadmill, then so be it.  Hey, they called Galileo crazy once but he was on to something wasn’t he?

The Flip Side of the Coin: A Tale of Two Wheels

 

It was one of those days.  You know, when you just have sooo much to do, are swamped with deadlines, barraged by phone calls, plagued with pending matters.  And then you end up being too overwhelmed to accomplish anything.  Aarrghh.  Just as I was staring blankly at my computer, my good friend and training companion sent me an SMS, at 9pm, to be exact.  The message read: “Hey, you wanna go mountain biking early tomorrow?” I read it one more time just to be certain.  After which I blinked, and without knowing the details, replied, “Sure!”

 

The thing is, we weren’t even mountain bikers, nor did we own mountain bikes.  We knew how to bike, yes, but we were roadies.  For the sake of those who can’t distinguish one from the other, roadies only cycle on paved road (asphalt and cement), and mountain bikers ride on all sorts of rough terrain.  Huge difference. In terms of bike frame type, wheels, the presence/ non-presence of shocks, apparel choices (earth-toned versus screamingly vibrant jerseys) among other things.

 

But I had great trust in my friend and knew that she could pull this one off and that we would be able to borrow two complete sets of gear and equipment just in time for that group trail ride.  So there I was, up at 4am, having resolved to ditch work the night before, with just about two and a half hours of zzz’s.  Such are my decision-making skills sometimes—not exemplary, really.

 

To my defense, in my experience, behind every crazy plan lies an equally inspired and wonderful opportunity to have fun, and this simple formula of mine may not be risk-free, but 99% of the time, it works out, and I end up having a blast.  And it was tricky at first, what with me tensing up on the brakes and falling, and my friend squealing when we passed a slippery path and each time we had to go over complex single track trails.  By the end of the ride though, even if we were both definitely still amateurs, we got the hang of it and I honestly couldn’t believe that I had waited that long to get on that mountain bike trail. It was like learning to ride again for the very first time—I felt like a kid.  Rolling through yellow green cornfields and red earth under the clear blue sky drastically changes ones’ state of mind, and mine was a far cry from the frazzled shape it was in just a few hours back.

 

A typical roadie group ride for me nowadays is more of the controlled kind—we have our set speeds, cadence, and routes.  We time everything, we are aware of our caloric and fluid intake, our wattage, our heart rates, and when we are done all is nice and neat and mud-free.  Nothing wrong with that, and the truth is, I can’t deny that I do love speed, I love riding in the peloton (a big group of cyclists), and I love the sound of carbon wheels zipping by smoothly.  That is who I am, and part of what makes me happy, and I wouldn’t know what to do if someone stole my road bike from me (oh, hello, someone actually did, but I digress).

 

For once, however, it was so refreshing to see how “the other side” does it.  Yup, you read it right—a lot of you may not be aware of it, but mountain bikers and road bikers come from two different cultures, and in a lot of cases do not even like each other.  For example, I’m the type of cyclist who normally says hi to other riders, but (and am not proud of this) if a fellow on a mountain bike passes by, I do tend to ignore him and if I don’t, I am not as enthusiastic in my greeting.  And it’s not only me, that’s just how everyone else behaves.  Why? I don’t know.  

 

Maybe it comes from not knowing enough about the other.  To everyone else who isn’t really into cycling, it seems like a cyclist is a cyclist is a cyclist.  Right? Am afraid not. People judge one another.  Because of hairstyle, skin color, fashion sense, and other petty things—in our case, it’s the choice of ride.  It really does sound strange and inappropriate, written clearly like that.  Your wheels define your personality type, and therefore you are automatically boxed into a certain category. 

 

I think all this is but an extremely minute sample of how we earth-dwellers should learn to co-exist and respect one another.  If BMX bikers, mountain bikers, and road bikers, can learn to share their love of two wheels together, they can learn to play together.  In the recent ESPY Awards, the Peace Players International, whose advocacy is to eliminate the warring Protestants and Catholics in the UK, stated that if people can learn to play together, they can learn to live together.  And they use sports activities as a vehicle to encourage the two sides to interact.  It appears to be very simplistic, but on a grander scale, applied to states, nations, and continents, you can see that it does have its place in paving the way for reconciliation.

 

As for me and my friend, we’re just gonna hop on our rides, let our hair fly freely, hang with our new-found bike buddies, and keep exploring new terrain.  Because so far, we like the view on the other side too.  Peace, man.

 

*Thanks to Anthony and Tony of Kanin Club in Paseo de Sta. Rosa, Poch, and their very accommodating mountain biking group for taking Pia and I in so readily.

A Week of Ice Kacang, Futsal, and

Five Colored Rings*

By Ani Karina S. de Leon

 

There are certain things in a person’s life that tend to create an impact on how he lives the rest of it.  These catalysts or triggers could be significant events, exciting places, or special people.  Or, if you’re really lucky, it could be all of the above at once.

 

Last month, I was fortunate enough to represent the Philippines in the 10^th National Olympic Academy Session in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  There were around 70 participants, half of whom flew in from all parts of the world and half of whom were Malaysians.  Each one of us was below 35 years of age, was a sports leader or training to be one, and most importantly, each one of us was eager to make a difference for the betterment of sports in our respective countries.  An idealistic and formidable task, sure, but since we were all young and energetic I suppose it came with the territory.

 

So what was the objective of bringing us all to this convention?  Quite a lot, in fact, but the main aim was to imbibe the ideal of OLYMPISM into our hearts and minds, and from thereon the rest were details.  Honestly, I didn’t even know that such a word existed, but upon learning that it did, it was unsurprisingly easy for me, being an athlete for most of my life, to recognize the concept.  As a matter of fact, as I got to understand it more, I knew that I was very familiar with it because I had been practicing it throughout my career.  And for the first time the session gave it value, and for me this mattered a lot.  You see, I always tend to make analogies between sports and life experiences simply because it is something that I know best to do.

 

According to Mr. Chua Ah Tok, NOA Director of Malaysia, sporting education is the best and most effective tool available to educators the world over to help in forming morally and physically robust adolescents (and eventually adults), and that the age old motto of Olympism- Citius, Altius, Fortius, applies not just to sports but to everything we do. 

 

Citius: faster, not only in running, but also in the sense of swift perception.  Altius:  higher, not only with respect to an inspired aim, but also in the sense of setting a superior benchmark for the individual.  Fortius: stronger, not only in contest, but also in the struggle for existence.

 

Such is the magic that the Olympic Games can cast upon us, and for those particular two weeks every four years, we are spellbound. The five rings which display our racial and multicultural diversity are at the same time the glue that binds us together. For a moment, it doesn’t really matter where you come from—we are all the same.  Why is that we are so affected when we watch our athletes achieve unbelievable sporting heights?  We admire them because they too are fellow human beings who went beyond their so-called limitations and are able to realize their full potential as individuals.  If they can do that in sports, well then, we can do it in “real life.” 

 

Raise your standards.  Find your path, and do not live in mediocrity.  We are here on earth for a reason, and you may not be an Olympian athlete, but you definitely are built to be an Olympian in something else. 

 

P.S. Thank you to Ms. Gina Calaguas of the Philippine Olympic Committee, Mr.Chua Ah Tok, Mr. M.P. Harridas, Ms. Mae, Dr. Mean, Nick, Li Neo, Benny, Melissa, Chan, Sean, and all the other moderators and staff of the Olympic Academy of Malaysia.  All my love to Kiki, Quyen, Jamie, Nazroff, Katsuya, Petri, Udesh, Eddie, Elaine, Parissa, Jess, Jack, Kenny Roger, TEAMPLAY members, and all my wonderful batchmates in the 10^th NOA Session. 

* From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1. Ice kacang or Ais kacang (Chinese: Hanyu Pinyin: hóngdòu bing; literally "red bean ice"), is a dessert served in Malaysia. It is also known as air batu campur (ABC) in Malay. It is sweet-tasting and is ice primarily served with sweet flavoured syrup and jelly. The word Kacang (note that kachang is an old spelling) is a Malay word for bean, and the word "ais" is a translation of the english term "ice". Other Asian Variations Include: Bingsu: Korean, Bàobīng:Taiwanese, Halo halo:  Filipino, Kakigōri : Japanese.

2. Futsal is an indoor version of football (soccer). Its name is derived from the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol sala/de salón, which can be translated as 'indoor football'.

3. What do the Olympic rings signify?  According to most accounts, the rings were adopted by Baron Pierre de Coubertin (founder of the modern Olympic Movement) in 1913 after he saw a similar design on an artifact from ancient Greece.  The five rings represent the five major regions of the world: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. Every national flag in the world includes at least one of the five colors, which are (from left to right) blue, yellow, black, green, and red.  It is important to emphasize that Pierre de Coubertin never said nor wrote that the colors of the rings were linked with the different continents.

Becoming a Runner

 

By Ani Karina Sarabia de Leon

 

 

“Excuse me, I couldn’t help but wonder—are you a runner?”

 

If I were standing in line for groceries or at the atm today and someone asked me that question, I would be totally tickled with the flattery and would be floating on cloud nine for the next couple hours.  Unfortunately and to my complete and utter devastation, queries like that are seldom directed towards me. 

 

Aah don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about my built.  In fact people automatically assume that I am an athlete when they see me, as what I am is a sun-streaked, tan line-patterned, muscle-flaunting, generally perky kind of gal hauling around probably way more energy than what is considered normal.  Indeed, I’m happy to be me, thank you very much.

 

But what is it about the runner’s mind and body that makes me sooo want to be recognized as one?  I can’t say exactly why, but as a competitive triathlete I have secretly strived to achieve this kind of appearance, even though I realize that given my genetics this dream may actually prove futile.  Heck, now that I get a chance to thoroughly think hard about it, ever since I was a kid and would visualize what an athlete should look like, I know I always imagined the limber body of a long distance runner.  Without a doubt, it was also their mental tenacity that I was doubly attracted to. It’s just a remarkable combination to possess.

 

By some strange stroke of destiny and without my planning to do so, I have eventually made a serious career out of sports.  Countless hours of training and racing have already gone through my entire system by now, and with it, a relatively more mature perspective on what an athlete truly is.  And honestly—I still admire runners the most.  So I guess I was right all along. 

 

But now it is more real to me.  Now more than ever do I have an even greater respect for those bloody hardcore maniacs who spend a good number of their waking hours clad in nothing more than bits and pieces of lycra and their worn down training shoes.  Why?  Simple.  It’s just so damn hard. Among all the sports that I do I, personally still suffer most when I run. 

 

This may not be the case for everybody, and if you are one of those gifted few who seem like prancing gazelles that fly with the wind, then lucky you, is all I can say, embrace that gift and do not throw it away. 

 

But I know that I am like the vast majority who initially feel unnatural and awkward trying out this running business.  And my message to that majority is—SO  WHAT.   Gazelles feel clumsy too when they are baby gazelles (sorry, didn’t know the exact word for that) learning how to walk.  Don’t allow yourself to be discouraged if you suspect that you’re taking longer than your mates to get to the speeds that you want.  There is a lot of running to be had, it’s not going anywhere, and no one’s going to take it away from you.  Hence, I suggest you do the wise thing and enjoy every moment of your journey into becoming a runner.  One day you’ll wake up and realize that you already are one.

 

I still like to have that visual of what an athlete should be like in my mind, but this time she has my face on her.  Cause you know what?  Why should I apologize for not being long and skinny like those classic marathoning fixtures you see out there?  I insist that I am defined by what I do, and not what I look like.  And we do what we choose to do, whether we are conscious of it or not, and whether we like what we are doing or not.

 

I am a runner.  Running is what I do, and I claim it as my birthright.  Slow running, fast running,   Ugly-ass running, beautiful running.  Group running, solo running, short running, long running, easy running, gutsy as hell kind of running….it’s all mine now.

…………………………………………

"Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstance."
Bruce Barton

"Even if you fall flat on your face·at least you are moving forward."
Sue Luke

"Roger Bannister studied the four-minute mile the way Jonas Salk studied polio—with a view to eradicating."
Jim Murray, LA Times

"No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable."
Sir Roger Bannister

"The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win."
Sir Roger Bannister

"Mind is everything: muscle--pieces of rubber. All that I am, I am because of my mind."
Paavo Nurmi

"Hard things take time to do. Impossible things take a little longer."
Percy Cerutty

The Fun Club

By Ani Karina S. de Leon

 

I have to be honest-I am as much a fan of sports as I am an athlete.  At the very basic level, I think this is a requirement if you want to succeed in what you are doing—you have to be in love with it first.  Truly, madly, deeply. 

 

This is also of course applicable too in the realm of sports.  You act like a crazed telenovela addict and schedule your life around the airtimes of the games that you want to catch on TV.  Your wardrobe is dictated upon by the colors of your favorite team.  Your walls or desktops are decorated with various pictures of your sports heroes and you talk about their stats and details of their love life as if they were a family member or a close friend of yours.  You surf the internet endlessly on any information you can gather about them and actually own an account complete with user name and password on their website.

 

I’ve had a couple of phases over the years wherein I would cry (and this is really painful for me to divulge) if my basketball team (Purefoods, just in case you were curious) would lose to the opposing side.  I kid you not.  I hated having to show up in school the next day just to see the gloating faces of my classmates who supported the other squad.  Ugh.  The agony I had to go through. 

 

I once worshipped Michael Schumacher and Lance Armstrong so much that I would buy all the magazines I could find that had them on the cover.  Of course this proved to be a very expensive pursuit for me so I had to give it up and just accept that it was taking up too much of my time worrying if I had checked every issue of F1, Bicycling, Procycling, VeloNews, and the occasional Sports Illustrated and Outdoor Magazine Covers. 

 

People close to me know of my tendency to fanaticism.  A cycling buddy of mine relocated to Guam a couple of years ago and as a result had to leave most of his stuff behind.  During that period I lived and breathed the very thought of Lance and he bequeathed me with a door-sized hard mounted poster of the 7-time Tour de France Champion as he was distributing his belongings to his friends.  I placed it immediately in front of my bike trainer and would actually talk to the picture every now and then.

 

Being a genuine supporter, though, is even a step further than being a mere admirer.  I am aware of this because throughout my involvement in sports I have seen race volunteers and personal crews of different athletes toil much harder and longer than the participants themselves.  They have to wake up as early, baby their charge, forgive them for their grouchiness about the pettiest of things, and look after them when they are finished because they are the stars of the day—hence the royal treatment. I have been both at the giving and receiving end of this so I know what I am talking about.  My dear, dear friends once surprised me with a banner which said “Ani’s Fun Club” (pun intended).  I was so touched—if only everyone could be so lucky.

 

We like to classify sports into individual and team categories.  I say there is only the latter kind, and every triumphant athlete recognizes this.  Even the lone marathoner has at least one or more of the following: a spouse or partner, a coach, a training companion, a masseuse, a therapist, an agent, a manager, a sponsor, a psychologist, etc.   

 

No man or woman is an island, and in what we do it is no different.  The more you acknowledge and thank your devotees, the happier they will be to take care of you in every way they can. And the sooner you realize this, the faster your performance will progress. 

 

Simple as that.