Official Ironman.com Coach Lance Watson was in Manila to give us a talk. I learned a lot from him and he is one of the best in our sport today. Here is our group picture with all the coaches of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines and Tom Carrasco our President.
Filed under Coaching and Training, Events
Here are some random shots of PINAY IN ACTION activities, plus Pia and I running as Pinays In Action 🙂
Filed under Articles, Events, Pinay In Action, Running
Pinoy SuperTriKids participate in World Kids Triathlon and Sports Summit in Japan!
The SuperTriKids’ participation in the World Kids Sports Summit and the World Kids Triathlon in Yokohama was an invaluable and enriching experience for each and every one of them. The seven boys and six girls all came home more motivated about training for and racing in international level competitions. Akira Michiko Sam from Davao was 6th in his wave and Gabrielle Allen Santiago of Laguna was another standout among the boys, placing 7th in his category. Teri and Andie Santos from Westgrove also did well among the girls, placing 6th and 8th, respectively. Most of their teammates where also competitive enough to stay in the middle to upper end of their pack in their first-ever international outing, which included hundreds of participants from countries like the USA, Ireland, Israel, Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, etc.
Here are some quotes gathered from the kids and parents:
Santos girls: “Our ultimate objective was to give it our best shot, and I honestly believe we did.”
Larry Ocampo: “It was a life-changing experience for Javi. He had to be disciplined in training and studying prior to the trip, and while in Japan, it was great for him to befriend kids from around the world and race at a higher level. He is determined to improve and return as a faster triathlete. As a parent I am very happy to see Javi’s discipline, confidence, social skills, and determination to be better get a major boost as a result of his participation.”
Alex Sam: “Both the summit and the triathlon were good exposure for the kids not only to different issues regarding the environment and how they can help in their own small way, as well as to other kids doing the same sport which serves as a confidence builder to make them strive more for their next events. The kids are now looking forward to more events like this and are excited to compete with other nationalities in the future. Thanks to TRAP for giving the kids the opportunity to attend this event. Congrats Team Pinoy SuperTriKids.”
Mylene Mapa: “The coaches were very supportive and attentive to the needs of the team. Nacho enjoyed the camaraderie with his teammates, as well as the new friendships formed and the healthy competition with other athletes from different countries. It was a great learning experience!”
Thanks to: Senator Pia for sponsoring our use of training facilities!!! TIMEX for the watches and caps!!! Gatorade for the Drinks!!! TRAP for keeping the program going!!! IGE for the Uniforms!!! Sir Tom, Coaches Rick, Abet, Joel, Patrick, Paolo, and all the Parents who constantly support their kids to become better athletes!!!
Athletes:
Boys
Gabrielle Allen Santiago, Nacho Mapa, Javi Ocampo, Ralph Gonzales, Gene Paguia, Akira Michico Sam, Miguel Dizon
Girls
Joey Santos, Teri Santos, Andie Santos, Denise Faith Garcia, Tintin Manalo, Bea Salera
Filed under Articles, Coaching and Training, Race Report, SuperKids, Timex, Triathlon for kids
http://superkids.triathlon.org.ph/athletes.htm
The following is a speech written by Josephine Santos, 13 years old and Team Captain of the Philippine Delegation of 6 girls and 7 boys to the first ever World Kids Triathlon Championships in Yokohama Japan on August 23, 2009. The kids have been preparing for this historic event and are pretty excited about the race. Read on…
Merit of Nurturing Physical and Mental Health through Sports
By: Josephine Marie M. Santos
Team Philippines
Good Morning fellow athletes! I am Josephine Marie .M. Santos , 13 years old, and captain of the Philippine team.
The Philippines , my country, is an archipelago like Japan . It is made up of 7, 107 islands—when it’s low tide. It is found in the Southeastern part of Asia right below Taiwan and east of Vietnam . The Philippines is rich in breathtaking landscapes such as the Chocolate Hills in Bohol , Mayon volcano in Bicol, and the Banaue rice terraces in Ifugao. It is blessed with beautiful beaches like the world-famous white sand Boracay beach in the South and Pagudpud in the North. Did you know that the Philippines is the 3 rd leading copper producer in the world and the 2 nd only to South Africa to gold production?
Some famous sports and games in the Philippines are basketball, badminton, and the local games. These local games like the patintero, piko (also known as hop-scotch), sekio, and sipa have been passed on from generation to generation. These games and sports are so popular in our country that you can see people playing them outside their houses, in schools and even on the streets. Take basketball for example, every community has a basketball court as a permanent fixture in their parks, plazas and even street corners! In school, local games are included in our Physical Education subject.
When I was 5 years old, my father taught me how to swim and trained me for an aquathlon. My first aquathlon race was a 100 m swim and a 500 m run. I started crying after the first 50 meters of my swim but my dad knew that physically I was capable of finishing the distance of the pool because he prepared me well that summer. He encouraged me to keep on going even if I was the only one left in the pool. I finished the swim and I started running. I started to feel good, and even overtook a bigger girl. I’m glad things turned out that way. What if he felt sorry for me, pulled me out of the water when I was crying and let me quit? Was it okay not to finish what you have started? What message would that have given me? There is a quote by John Collins, which goes: “you can quit and nobody else will care but you’ll always know” and I have learned to live by it.
Engaging in sports involves many aspects of the human being. On the physical side, as athletes, we have to keep our bodies in top shape by eating the right kinds of food and practicing self discipline in working out regularly, getting enough sleep and balancing our priorities. We build self-confidence, perseverance and discipline. It makes us goal-oriented, self-controlled, and we develop independence and assertiveness. Studies show that young people who participate in organized sports perform better in school, develop better social skills, are more team-oriented, and are generally healthier.
Engaging in sports offer opportunities for leadership, socialization and other important skills for handling success and failure. It teaches us to accept responsibility for our own behavior. When playing games, we learn how to follow rules. We understand that we need rules to keep things in order. Each person must follow the rules. Following rules mean that we respect the rights of others. We are able to compete, but we do so within a system wherein safety is considered and losers do not suffer too much. Sports also provide an outlet for releasing tension and anxiety. We are able to socialize with others more successfully.
The merit of nurturing physical and mental health through sports is that you have a positive outlook in life. You can develop a sound mind in a sound body. Having a physically and mentally healthy body can promote social well-being among young people. Everyone dreams of a better world, where there is peace on Earth and goodwill to all. Friendship breeds camaraderie, a common bond which unites people of different experiences, culture, and race.
You should have a balanced physical and mental capacity so that we never give the excuse: “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”. Sports not only take care of the body but also the spirit. Since we, the youth are the future, healthy kids mean a healthy world.
Engaging in sports prepares us for life. Life is tough. Sports make us tougher.
Thank you.
Filed under Articles, Selected Features, SuperKids, Triathlon for kids
| SuperTriKids Camp, Ayala Alabang, May 2008 | Jun 12, ’08 10:45 PM for everyone |
|
Congratulations to all the participants!!! Thanks to our supporters and friends who helped out, Sen Pia Cayetano, Rick Reyes, George Vilog, Patrick Joson, Joel Santos, Rizzo and Anton Tangan….you made it all happen 🙂 Special thanks to TRAP and Coach Rob Pickard! Photo Credits: Isa Cruz, Omi Gozon, Rizzo Tangan
|
Filed under Athletes, Coaching and Training, Events, SuperKids, Triathlon for kids
Since switching from a career in art and design to one in sports, I have found that the only creative outlets I have are writing and designing triathlon outfits. In all of my Ironman Races I have worn my own pink designs. No, pink is not a particular favorite, but I just get a kick out of the fact that most men get pissed off when a pink bike and a pink suit can either keep up with them or overtake them (now the secret is out haha).
Ani Karina Sarabia de Leon
The Goal: Finish Line at Alii Drive
My Ironman World Championships Race Story (as written for Metro Active) Today I was able to achieve my lifelong dream. I know that not many people get to say that. I officially became an Ironman World Championships participant—I definitely know not very many people get to say that either. Treading the waters of Kailua-Kona Bay minutes before the race start, it almost felt like I was still watching one of those videos that I had seen hundreds of times…except for the fact that now, the giant inflatable Gatorade bottle was right beside me, and I was about to swim with a big mass of people—1,800 strong and unbelievably able bodies to be exact. It felt surreal. How did I get here, in the beautiful Big Island of Hawaii, qualified to join the greatest competition known to my sport, the Everest that all triathletes aspire to? Everything that led up to this moment suddenly flashed in my mind. My first efforts at swimming freestyle with the help of Coaches Bernie and Noel at the U.P. pool. My first ride in the countryside on a borrowed road bike. My first frustrated attempts at running. My first triathlon competition. My long stint as a national athlete. My countless hours of training and racing, and with it, all my career ups and downs, triumphs and disappointments, precious friends gained, lessons learned the hard way, and literally all the blood, sweat and tears that I spilled to get to where I am now. It was an incredible journey, and one that I treasure as much as the destination itself. The cannonball fired by the US Navy to signal the race start jolts me back to reality immediately, and a mass of world-class triathletes jostle frantically for position in the water. All that pent-up energy from months and months of preparation and anticipation are instantly unleashed and I cannot begin to describe the chaos of it all. These were all warriors hungry for battle, and I am right there with them. Amazingly, after a few hundred meters, I feel relaxed and it feels like any other race, and for the moment, I forget the fact that I am in the world championships. Despite the non-stop aggression going on around me all the way to the end of the 3.8km swim, I settle into a good rhythm. I get out of the azure waters thoroughly primed for the toughest legs still ahead: the 180km bike and the 42.2km run. I had done my homework, and I wasn’t completely terrified. Just a little bit…. The pros who had done this race a couple of times had forewarned me about the powerful winds which were notorious for blowing away athletes off the course. They weren’t kidding. Just like any typical triathlete, I had set personal time goals for my race. As I rode further out, I had a sinking feeling that I was not going to meet my target for the bike. The winds were so strong and I felt horribly unequipped to maneuver my way through it. My tires were literally bouncing off the road with each blast that the seas and lava fields blew in my direction. I couldn’t even let go of my handlebars long enough to drink from my bottle or to down an energy gel. I was getting tired—more mentally than physically. I was sadly aware that I was not 100% in control of the situation. I was fighting so hard to stay in the race, and I went in and out of it so many times. What people don’t realize about Ironman distance racing is that it is such a long day that your attention span and your focus will inevitably wane. I knew this of course, but that didn’t prevent it from happening. Fortunately, I also knew that even it you get into a really bad patch, you could snap out of it and get a second wind again as if nothing happened. I finally complete the bike leg, with much relief that I could put the winds of the Big Island behind me, and also that I didn’t suffer any crashes or mechanical problems. Now a 42.2km marathon on its own is enough to intimidate a normal person, but as I looked at my fellow competitors, this didn’t seem to bother them one bit. It was just another day at the office. I took my cue from them, and focused on the task at hand. A good triathlon coach once told me, even if you are running 42km, just concentrate on the one square kilometer in front of you. This proved to be a real good piece of advice, and as I passed mile marker by mile marker, I quietly gave myself a pat on the back. The spectators all over the race course gave us such wonderful positive energy and this helped me move a little bit faster. My trusty support crew of two, Patrice and Joel 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 40C) 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 to my personal target of sub-12 hours. But then when I hit the last 2 miles and realized that I needed to run two 5+ minute miles, I ditched the whole thing and just planned to enjoy myself and savor 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 could only shout “give me my flag!!!” because I had been repeating that mantra to myself for hours by then. I didn’t forget to thank him after the race. But right now I was focused on seeing that finish chute, and I could finally hear the music and Mike Riley’s booming voice on the speakers. The last few hundred meters are 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, in its debut here on Ironman World Championships grounds, and it was beautiful. 
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 the Goddess 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. for more pictures, you can visit http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/82/Hawaii_Ironman_World_Champs_30th_Edition http://anikarina.multiply.com/photos/album/78
Book Review: The Perfect Mile by Neal Bascomb
Ani Karina S. de Leon
For those of us living in a country wherein the metric system is the standard for measuring distance, we may not have any idea nor even care about the significance of the mile in the history of athletics. Only well informed or serious runners would probably be able to give you the exact number for determining whether you fall into the category of great runner or not. And that, of course, is four minutes: to this day, it is still the yardstick for separating the truly fast from the average miler.
Not too long ago, May 6, 2004 to be exact, the world of athletics celebrated the 50 year anniversary of the first moment any individual was able to break the four minute barrier. That honor goes to Sir Roger Bannister from the UK.
The author, Neal Bascomb, gives the reader a remarkable historical backdrop of running during that era, including the frustrating politics, controversies on pacing, timing, and the influence of certain personalities like the famous athletes and coaches of that time.
The book revolves around three main characters and not just around Roger Bannister though, as the piece is generally about the race to break the 4minute mile, which apparently was a huge and almost impossible goal to achieve then. The struggles and successes of John Landy of Australia and Wes Santee of the USA are vividly recounted as well, and their personal lives only add more color and drama to the already thick plot.
It is inspiring to say the least, and only goes to prove that human beings are capable of realizing their full potential if they are determined enough. I will also never think of the mile run in the same way again.
Fitness First Team Combat: Me, Ige, Mark, Dane, Eric
Filed under Coaching and Training, Race Report, Selected Features
Alternatives to Running: Being Pro-Active When Injury Strikes
Let’s face it, whether you’re a serious athlete or a casual gym-goer, you probably don’t like being sidelined with injuries. We’re happiest when we get to play. However, experts advice you not to ignore your injury by training right through it. It’s not the end of the world though, and there are other exercises you can do to stay in shape and avoid further stressing out your pain.
Strengthens leg muscles, tones buttocks and provides a good all-over aerobic workout. Technique is more important here than on any other machine, otherwise you are wasting your time! Don’t support yourself on your elbows or lean in too much. Hold on for balance, still stand fairly upright. These machines are relatively easy on the joints, but people with knee problems should talk to a doctor beforehand.
With the elliptical, your feet never leave the footpads—and this is good because that means it’s low impact. It is still weight-bearing though, and this helps maintain and improve bone density. It has a continuous and fluid movement which takes out the stress on your joints. It is a full body workout with great cardiovascular benefits.
Biking outdoors, aside from being a great alternative to running, gives you so many other benefits, like experiencing great views, having fun on a group ride, and feeling the wind on your face. It’s gentle on the knees and can help you burn a lot of calories. You’ll develop your quadriceps muscles, gluteal muscles, and hamstring muscles, all of which are necessary in running. Most of the time though, urbanites find it much more convenient to bike indoors, to avoid uncomfortable weather, cars and pollution, dogs, and bad roads. Among the indoor exercise bikes we have the Spinning Bike and the Recumbent and Upright Cycle Machines. The Spinning Bike is excellent because its geometry is very similar to that of a real bike, and the best way to enjoy them is to sign up for spinning classes. These classes are so popular because of the social atmosphere and having an instructor up front telling you what to do is easier and less boring than doing it alone.
Even if you can’t run on the treadmill for now, there’s another way for you to use it—walk! It will give you great aerobic fitness, done at moderate and high intensities. You can even walk everyday if you want to, provided you alternate your efforts between easy and hard.
This is a great routine which combines both cardiovascular fitness and resistance training. In the gym, you move from one exercise station to another within a span of 30-90 seconds. You can use a wide variety of equipment such as weights, dumbbells, physioballs, medicine balls, ropes and surgical tubing, and machines. One circuit can include 6-15 stations, and may be counted as one set, with the option of repeating the whole routine 2 or 3 times.
This is actually number one on my list, and it’s the only one that perfectly simulates running form. There is no impact, it provides a great workout because of water resistance, and it’s good cross-training even if you aren’t injured. Find a pool that is deep enough for you to run in without your feet touching the floor. Invest in a good aquabelt to make your session easier.
Filipina Ironwoman 