All the best to the racers of TIMEX 226 next week!!! 
Monthly Archives: November 2011
Timex 226 Iron Distance Race Updated Course Map
Another Stanley Ong Masterpiece!
So lucky I had the opportunity to work with Stanley and Deborah on behalf of Shiphrah Birthing Home… I get to have these photos 🙂
Filed under Art and Culture, Mommy-hood, Photos
Sneak Peek at Maternity Shots by Stanley Ong for Shiphrah Birthing Home…
Today I agreed to do some maternity photos for the benefit of Shiphrah Birthing Home, as they are trying to raise funds to buy the property where the birthing home stands. Stanley Ong the photographer was really such a professional, and Deborah Gustafson my midwife was on hand to help with the shoot as well! Here is one shot he took…
To Help the Birthing Home:
After renting for 17 years, we have an excellent opportunity to buy the facility for Shiprhah Birthing Home. A ministry of HELP International Ministries, Inc., Shiphrah Birthing Home is a public home place for birthing families. Shiphrah midwives care for women with dignity and love as we teach, do prenatal check-ups, attend births, check moms and babies after birth, and assist couples in their family planning choices.
You can give easily online at http://meansusa.wordpress.com/donat/. Our Recipient Numbers are: R1613 for General Giving and R1674 for Shiphrah Birthing Home land.
Let’s change the world one birth at a time!
By: Darren Gustafson
Filed under Art and Culture, Mommy-hood, Photos, Selected Features
Waiting To Exhale…
I am just about ready to pop, so to speak, but I have a feeling my baby boy will take his sweet time. That’s okay…this early we want to give him the freedom to decide on the important things in his life. He might as well start with choosing his birthday!
I have spent the past few years just rushing through things, but this year was different. I met my husband, got married, and now we are starting a family. Hmm…alright, maybe that too sounds a bit rushed, but I promise it did not feel like that at all! I guess my husband and I both live life at hyperspeed anyway.
Seriously though, I have been slowing down the past couple of weeks in anticipation of Dash’s arrival, as true to his name, we already know we will be chasing him around! But we are happy to do so. In time we hope he outruns us in every way and in the most positive sense of the word.
Still, I have to admit that I am a bit nervous for my most challenging endurance event yet, even though I know that in turn, it will also be a million times more rewarding.
Thankfully, I have a great support group of women who are there for me, and I hang on to every piece of advice (and maternity, and baby items) they voluntarily throw my way. I just want to thank all of these women who have been so helpful in this special time before things start becoming hectic again:
1. I hardly needed to buy any clothes for my growing body since Mona, Belle, and Tonichi gave me their maternity wear.
2. I did not realize that the literature on mommy-hood would be so overwhelming and diverse. Everything from the basic “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” to “Bestfeeding” to “Baby Signing…” thanks to Maricel, Deborah, Candy, Maui, Tonichi, and Pia for pointing me to the right direction. Now let’s hope my brain internalizes most of the stuff!
3. My forever fabulous women friends, those whose names are already mentioned above, plus: Tessa, Doray, Rizzo, Leana, Lara, Leah, Mariela, Honey, Yvonne, Chesca, Vernice, Sandra, Tricia, Chris, Cris, Celda, Ginny, Waya, Oona, Lala, VP, Princess, Gemma, Tita Anthea, Tayo. Thank you for giving me all kinds of support–like simple “how are you doing” messages, nursery items, and throwing me a lovely baby shower.
4. The women in my family– my mom, my mother-in-law, Amar, my sister Sinag, my sisters-in-law Mae, Anna, and Melissa. Lola Mama, who passed away around the time Dash was conceived this year, has made her presence felt in various forms. I am very blessed to have you all in my life.
Filed under Family, Friends, Mommy-hood, Random Thoughts
Timex 226 triathlon offers tough challenge in Bohol (The Philippine Star) Updated November 18, 2011
http://www.philstar.com/SportsArticle.aspx?articleId=749348&publicationSubCategoryId=69&keyword
MANILA, Philippines – The first Timex 226 Bohol Iron Distance Triathlon will be held Dec. 3-4 with the fight for top honors expected to be fierce in the lung-busting 3.8-km swim, 180-km bike and 42-km marathon run event.
The Timex 226 triathlon comes on the heels of Bohol’s successful hosting of the two-day Tour of Bohol last month with the paradise island guaranteeing a more exciting, tougher competition in the upcoming event set to test the field’s strength, stamina and endurance.
But what makes the event doubly interesting is the triathletes would be able to see for themselves the scenic beauty of Bohol since the swim leg will be held at Anda, which takes pride of its immaculate blue water.
The bike leg will pass through the coast of Jagna to the charming view of rice terraces and mangrove forest of Candijay while the run will start from Guindulman back to Anda.
“More than its natural beauty that includes the famed Chocolate Hills and the crystalline beaches at Panglao, Bohol is also a place rich in culture and history. This early, we are already assuring everybody that this will be an annual event,” said third District of Bohol Rep. Arthur Yap, who heads the local organizing committee.
Bike King, headed by its president Raul Cuevas, is the lead organizer of the event in cooperation with Timex, Explore Bohol, K-Swiss, Unilab Active Health, Gu Energy Gel, Amun Ini Resort & Spa, Pocari Sweat, Aboitiz Power and Bike King.
Summit Media, Balls TV, The Philippine STAR and SBR are the event’s media partners.
This is the third time a triathlon event of this distance will be held in the country with the first held in 2002 in a foreign-laced race staged at Matabungkay with Nonoy Jopson and Ani Karina De Leon-Brown emerging as top Filipino finishers.
This year’s staging however is open to seasoned long distance triathletes with the organizers deciding to limit the number of entries to ensure their safety and satisfaction.
Heading the early roster in the male open are Neil Catiil of Timex TMM, August Benedicto of PMI, Joevic Pajarillo of Laguna Lake Tri Team, Fo Check Siang and Christopher McFaul of Singapore, Faivo Bartolome of Tri North, Melvin Pangan of Endure, Gregie Pamakid of Tri Minda, Joey Torres and Guy Concepcion of Polo Tri, Albino Alindogan of Team David’s Solon and Juan Jose Bonin of Triathlon Association from theIsland of Negros (TRAIN).
Ting Joson of Bike King, Laarni De Guzman and Janice Tanada of Timex TMM banner the female competitors.
Filed under Timex
Mona Lisa Ristorante… my favorite resto hands down!
Mona Lisa Ristorante is owned by our good friends, triathletes Mike and Belle Grandinetti, and it is by far the best restaurant in the Philippines. Belle cooks up the yummiest, most salivating dishes…every time I visit I promise to control my portions but end up throwing that plan out the window once I take my first bite. Here are some of their menu items which I keep coming back for… check out the dessert platter with the to-die-for Tiramisu!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mona-Lisa-Ristorante-Philippines/115997488448979
Filed under Art and Culture, Friends, My Favorite People
Timex 226 Triathlon in Bohol: Only 17 days to go!!!
Timex 226 December 3, 2011 Anda Beach, 3rd District of Bohol
Race sponsors:
Timex
Explore Bohol
K-Swiss
Unilab Active Health
Pocari Sweat
Aboitiz Power
Bike King
Media Partners:
Philippine Star
Summit Media
Balls TV
SBR
IronKids Nuvali Video, Complete w/ Aerial Footage!
Many thanks to Mr. Arnold Buena for allowing us to share this very cool video of our last race for 2011 in TREVEIA, Nuvali.
Very nice shots with the helicopter camera!!!
Filed under IronKids
XTerra Putik Pare Race: Fun in the Mud
The Xterra Putik Pare Event held yesterday in Nuvali, Sta Rosa Laguna was something I had been looking forward to watching all year as I joined the race last year and had heaps of fun…dirty fun, as the name connotes, but good fun nonetheless. Participants of Putik Pare basically have to come in pairs- one does a bike+run, while the other does a run+bike, all off-road, after which they run to the finish together.
Pia and Belle, my girlfriends who came fresh from their XTerra World Champs Maui experience were joining the race and I thought it would be cool to cheer for them in the mud pit- a trademark of the Putik Pare race.
My husband Dan whom I found out does not really have a clue about mountain biking (sorry baby, just an observation) decided to join at the last minute too after deplaning from his Taiwan 70.3 just a week before. Good thing Neil Catiil from the RP Tri Team agreed to be his teammate, and thanks to the loaner Elsworth MTB from Tyrone Regaliza and sponsored entry from TIMEX they were all set!
On race morning I donned one of my remaining stretchy Adidas Climacool shirts which still fit my bulging belly so I was prepared to support/ heckle all the racers. I thought it was very nice to go to an event wherein triathletes are not so pressured about their performance/ PRs…just out to have a good time with buddies!
I was happy to see Polo Tri teens Marc Altura and Javi Ocampo, whom I have seen blossom into the formidable athletes they are now from coaching them in the SuperTriKids and IronKids squads, looking game and raring to get down and dirty for something different than their normal sprint distance races.
I ended up spectating with good friends Alex Bok of TBB, David Almendral and Ton Gatmaitan of Gatorade. They had also decided to set up shop by the mud pit and cheer for friends. The mud pit design this year was more watery than that of last year–but longer. It was a good place to watch as this was the last leg they had to do before heading to the finish line.
One by one the pairs came in, and it was interesting to see how they maneuvered the brown waters–marching, trudging, sloshing–some even swam, using different strokes at that. I conclude that backstroke is most effective as demonstrated by Noel Salvador!
The eventual overall winners for the 3 categories were:
Congratulations to XTerra Phil/ Sunrise Events Inc led by Fred Uytengsu, Guy Concepcion, Princess Galura, and the Technical Crew of Neville Manaois and Jeremy Go for a very well organized race. Hope I can get my feet dirty again for next year’s event!
Filed under Adidas, Athletes, Friends, Race Report, Timex
IronKids Photo Gallery 2011
Just thought I would share some nice images from the IronKids races this past year. Enjoy!
Filipina Ironwoman 