Powercal Powermeter: More than just an HR strap

Its been quite some time since I’ve written something in my blogsite. Simply put, I have been in hiatus for several months, avoiding racing. Timex 226 2011 squeezed out my multi-sport juice dry, leaving nothing for 2012. Coupled with a daughter getting into college, the best option for me was to semi-retire from competitive racing and live a normal and fit life, away from the rising costs of race participation and training expenses, but within the confines of a multi-sports athlete’s sanity.

When I decided to wear my lycras and shoes with elastic laces again, I needed to give myself extra motivation to go out and burn calories. Like any other big boy, I needed a new toy to play around with during my comeback. But what? I have basically everything I needed for training.

Then our ever-reliable sponsor, Bikezilla, offered the Powercal.

I have never trained based on power before, and that was one aspect of the sport I want to venture in. How many watts of power do I generate during a bike ride? What was my functional threshold power or FTP?

The Powercal is a power meter which computes one’s power output via the heart rate. The device moves away from the direct force applied power computation by using an algorithm based on thousands of averages ( between heart rates and power ) from different athletes and coming up with a formula on how this can be applied to measure an individual’s power whoever he may be, well, except Lance Armstrong and the other tour riders. People who use crank or hub based powermeters were skeptic of the device, asking how it could be possible. Several reviews found in the internet provide direct comparison between a Powercal and an actual powermeter and have found it to be giving readings of +/- 15w over or under what actual powermeters read. Most have found it consistent.

As someone who does not own a powermeter, Powercal should be useful to me, without skepticism as a result of actual powermeter readings. With its price only a tenth of what a powermeter costs, it shouldn’t be a painful investment.

Just finished setting this toy up. I now have an indication on how much power my legs can produce. Thank you Bikezilla!

The Powercal pairs with any ANT+ compatible device/ display. My Timex Ironman Global Trainer paired easily with it. Felt great to have another field on display with values in it. Pairing is done via making your ANT+ device scan for powermeters. Once it detects the Powercal, just pair it and you’re on your way to training with power.

The first thing one needs to do in training with power is to determine what his functional threshold power or FTP is. FTP generally means the maximal power output one can generate in one hour. It is NOT the average power though. For better explanation, click on the link below:

Functional Threshold Power

I chose the 20-minute all-out approach and cranked a 20-minute time trial on my bike trainer then got 95% of the result -= FTP.

In the 20 minutes of TT, I averaged 208 watts of power which should give me a one-hour FTP of 198 watts. So what is the relevance of these FTP numbers?

If I have an FTP of 198 watts and continuously do 220 watts in a race, I would run out of power even before the race ends…that simple. Your FTP is your guide to how much power YOU CAN use in a race without running on empty and bonking just before you finish. Its the power you can sustain. If there are two sprinters with both having FTPs of 300w, with one going 400w at the start of the race and the other sticking to 300w, the former will be ahead before the first half of the race and slowly fade at the other half while the latter will be consistent and catch up with the former before the end of the race. Confused? Read the link I posted above, again.

FTPs are also used to compute your power to weight ratio. Having similar FTPs doesn’t mean two persons have similar strengths. Power to weight ratio is computed as FTP / Weight (in KGs ). Let’s compute for mine:

FTP: 198w
Weight: 82kgs
Power to weight ratio: 198w/82kgs = 2.41

The magic number is 4, which means I am far off from being an efficient cyclist…Ughh! No worries though, if I want to increase my power to weight ratio, I just have to ride hard…a lot.

Prior to Powercal, all of the above can only be determined with the use of a power meter, which costs an arm and a leg. Previous mindsets were that only the “elite” athletes would invest in such expensive equipment as they need to continually monitor their progress, in all the aspects of their training. Powercal made training with power accessible even to BOP ( back of the pack ) athletes like myself. Costing Php 5,800.00 for the version which includes a speed sensor, and Php 4,800.00 for the version without, Powercal is about a tenth of the cost of “real” powermeters. Not bad eh?

But there is a downside to using HR based power meters than its direct force applied brother: There will still be readings after you stop pedaling because your heart still keeps on beating.

Also, since power is based on HR, the minutest change in your heart rate is translated either to an increase or decrease of power even if you’re pedaling with the same force. For example, my heart rate when on aero position is 141bpm with a power of 220w, once I get on the hoods but still pedaling the same, my heart rate drops to 140bpm as I can breathe easier, my power would also go down to 177w…all these changes with me pedaling with the same force. In real power meters, this doesn’t happen.

The geniuses at CycleOps claim that Powercal is NOT as accurate as PowerTap or other real power meters, BUT it gives a good estimation of an individual’s power…I strongly agree! Having had no experience in real powermeters give me the confidence to trust in Powercal as I have no other device to compare its readings with. If Powercal says that I churn 200 watts of power, then so be it. My target for improvement will be based on it still, not with a real powermeter. The issue with those who have crank or hub-based power meters is that they keep on comparing the results of both, to which no similarities will be found, except probably for the trend lines of the data. If Powercal gives a reading of -15w vs. a power meter consistently, then one must focus on its consistency, not the actual numbers it reads.

Powercal is one budget-constrained athlete’s greatest investment. It will give his training a whole new slew of possibilities in order to improve his performance. The device is easy to use, easy to maintain, comfortable to wear and is reasonably priced. You can use it on whatever bike you have, interchangeably. There shouldn’t be a reason why you don’t have one if you’re a cyclist or a triathlete who wants to improve on each race he joins. In the recently concluded Tour Of Matabungkay, I survived a 130km road race with more than 20kms of climbs, peaking at 2,000+ feet above sea level, by merely keeping within my FTP, using a Powercal. Its how useful it is.

Powercal is available at Bikezilla, though its increasing popularity makes it always on limited stock.

Deo P.

SH+ RG 4600 Power

When you’re racing endurance sports, you need your gear to be light. Hours and hours of training and racing make even the lightest of sports equipment a nuisance when it clings to any part of your body during the most stressful and strenuous part of your activity. Though you need these equipment to protect yourself from the elements, there are times when you just want to risk it and take it off.

Not with the SH+ RG 4600 Power eyewear.

Made by Italy’s Ma.ro Group SRL, this state of the art eyepiece is every cyclist’s and triathlete’s dream: light, flexible and durable…and most of all, easy on the pocket.

I have had the RG 4600 for weeks now ( thanks to our friends from Bikezilla ) and have found it to be a letdown at first, then a must-use a few days later, then a regular ornament on my face ( yes, even after sundown ) since. No wonder Paolo Tiralongo of Astana, as well as Team Katusha of Russia, never ride a grand tour without it.

The box

Inside the box

The eyewear is wrapped in a box made of fabric. Opening the box reveals the following:

- RG 4600 frame with an opaque lens attached
- A spare orange light lens
- A spare clear lens
- 1 piece of strap
- 1 piece of cleaning pouch/cloth
- Manual

The 3 lenses in the box basically covers all types of lighting condition: Opaque or Cat 3 for sunny days, Cat 1 or light transparent orange for cloudy days, and clear or Cat 0 for night riding. The manufacturers know cyclists or endurance sports athletes don’t choose any time of the day to train, so they included what we need inside the box.

First Impressions

Trying out the RG 4600 for the first time, I was a bit disappointed when I found it a bit big for my face. Looking down was an issue as the eyewear seem to not grip my temples enough to avoid slipping away from my face. I had to push it back to my nose consistently to avoid dropping it on the floor. I didn’t want to do anything yet to the gear so I kept it that way for about 3 days.

I find the RG 4600 lens bright but dark enough to avoid the glare of the sun. Its perfect for outdoor riding and/or running when the sun is in its full glory. One thing I hate when doing outdoor activities is squinting due to the sun’s glare. The RG 4600 Cat 3 lens made sure I won’t be adding wrinkles on my forehead anytime soon. Comparing the lens with other brands, the Cat 3 lens is brighter than all the sports eyewear I compared it with, at only a fraction of the price.

With the Cat 3 lens

The orange light lens and the clear lens that came with the eyewear

On my 4th day out with the eyewear, I already got annoyed with its fit that I risked damaging it and tried to bend the temples so that it hugs the contour of my face. Lo and behold, it’s made of silicon and is really meant for bending to fit anyone’s face ( yeah, just learned about it after I read the manual, tsk, tsk ). I also bent the nosepads so that it clings in there more securely. Result: Perfect fit!

The temple made of silicon for perfect fit

The nosead is also made of silicon and can be adjusted to anyone's nose easily. So you think your nose is flat? Not a problem. hehe

The lenses have anti-fog technology that REALLY works! I’d like to emphasize the word “REALLY” as I’ve had eyewears that are claimed to have anti-fog lenses only to make me half blind with mists during bike rides or long runs. With the RG 4600, you are assured that no fogging up would happen once you slow down on your rides or runs. It works, period.

On my 5th day out, I accidentally dropped the eyewear to my horror. I’m almost 6 feet and that’s how high it fell.

It remained scratchless and intact.

Over-all, SH+ RG 4600 Power eyewear is my perfect companion. Its just a joy to own it. Gone are the days when I would dig thru a selection of eyewear and choose whatever will fit my workout for the day. Now, its just one eye equipment for all workouts, one stress generator down.

PROS:

- Light
- Comes with 3 lenses for all riding/ running conditions
- Fits anyone’s face perfectly
- Tough and durable
- Affordable
- Really nice colors

CON:

- Cheaper than Oakley and Rayban but more expensive than Spyder, Sprinto and other mass produced sports eyewear.

SH+ RG 4600 retails for Php 4,500.00 at BikeZilla. Be nice to the staff there and you might just score a discount.

Deo P.

There are really just two kinds of people: Those who say “I can’t”. And those who say “I CAN”.

Some of you must have heard about the story of Rick and Dick Hoyt. Rick is stricken with Cerebral Palsy and needed his father, Dick, to move him around in a wheelchair. Together, they have raced numerous marathons and Ironman Triathlon races and inspired an awful lot of people, including myself, around the world.

If a senior citizen and a wheelchair-strapped PWD could swim 3.8 kilometers, bike 180 kilometers and run a marathon ( 42.2 kms ) within 17 hours non-stop, what more a person who’s got younger sets of fully functioning limbs?

The next morning, I started wearing my running shoes and trained my ass off to my first triathlon.

That was in 2008.

Every triathlete’s dream is to finish an Ironman Triathlon. The 3.8K swim, 180K bike and 42.2K run is considered the toughest one day endurance race in the world and has attracted more and more people, who wanted to challenge themselves, over the years. Locally, we have the Ironman 70.3, half the distance of the Ironman, being organized annually since 2009. The first Ironman-distance race organized in the country was held in 2002, almost a decade ago, and was joined in by around 50 triathletes. Last December 3, in the shores of Anda Beach in Bohol, the same organizers gathered together 61 of the country’s qualified triathletes and fired the starting gun of the 2nd Ironman-Distance race in the Philippines, the Timex 226 Bohol Triathlon.

THE SWIM: 3.8 Kilometers

The race basically followed the Ironman rules and set-up. I have done about 10 triathlons but this was the first time I raced one with no buoy lines in the swim which meant nothing to hold on to in the water except the “bancas” which littered the swim course. It was both creepy and challenging for a slow swimmer like myself, especially if you’re nursing a lingering shoulder injury which restricts your right arm movement.

The battle to finish the swim started a few days before the race even started. It was all mental. I kept on worrying about the no buoy line swim course. It was a safety net for me as my right shoulder has chronic pains due to a bike crash I suffered more than 3 years ago. Good thing the organizers extended a dedicated “bankero” to me just in case I have problems during the swim. I was also allowed to wear a yellow swim cap instead of the red one they provided so my bankero could spot me easily.

Team prayer before the big show

At 7:00 am of December 3, 2011, at the shores of Anda Beach in Bohol, Congressman Art Yap fired the starting gun of the toughest race of the country.

And off we go!

The swim route was a 3-loop clockwise course of around 1.26kms each in clear ocean waters. It was entertaining to see the corals of Bohol which helped in taking the mind away from the depth of the water and the 3.8kms of swimming each of us had to do to complete the first leg of the 3-discipline race we insanely registered in.

The clear waters of Anda beach helped in taking away most of the anxieties the participants had during the swim

My right shoulder started getting sore in the middle of my 2nd lap. My neck also started becoming painful due to jellyfish stings and chaffing. When I turned around to start my 3rd lap, the 3rd and 4th toes of my right foot was in the verge of cramping up so I had to breaststroke a bit to prevent it from totally disabling me. The swim at the shallower part of the course became harder as the waves and currents became stronger. The sun was higher as well, which told me I was swimming for more than 1.5 hours already.

On the last 600 meters of my swim, low tide was setting in. The water became shallower around 5 meters from the buoys where I was. I could stand up if I stepped on the corals but decided against it when I saw sea urchins embedded in it.

After more than 2 hours, I completed the swim. My neck was burning and my right shoulder hurt like hell. I was helped by Cong. Art Yap in standing up. I held my right shoulder as I walked to the beach where I was asked by the organizer, Raul Cuevas of Bike King, if I was okay. I asked for liniment for my shoulder, which unfortunately, they didn’t have. Instead, they poured vinegar on my neck thinking that the swellings around it were all jellyfish stings. The vinegar “burned” the swellings and I screamed in pain shamelessly. Imagine getting burned around the neck with a hundred cigarettes, that’s how it felt like.

Completed the swim in more than 2 hours...

Asking for liniment to apply on my sore right shoulder.

Got doused with vinegar instead for my jellyfish stings. Man that hurt like hell!

THE BIKE: 180 Kilometers

I felt good upon completing the swim san the jellyfish stings and chaffing. Unlike Camsur 70.3, I wore cycling gloves and socks and changed to my cycling jersey for more storage space for the nutrition I planned on bringing with me during the whole 180 kms. Earlier in the day, I stuffed my “special needs” bag with 6 aluminum foil-wrapped rice and adobo which I intended to eat one by one whenever I reach the turn-around points. It was a tip shared to me by Coach Normal Pascual of Team Herbalife. I would be cycling for 6 hours+ straight and there’s no way I’d survive with just energy gels. I needed solid food!

Leaving the transition area, I eased into the bike leg fully relaxed, doing around 25kph. After about 5 kms, I thought I was holding back too much and pushed the pedal to about 30kph. In no time, I was about 15 meters behind my teammate, Col. Bong Patrimonio. Col. Bong was my training buddy for this race. I knew what he is capable of and among all the members of Quest 825, we were the ones whose performances are almost similar in most races we joined, so prior to this race we had an agreement that we would be pacing each other throughout the whole race.

The 180 kms bike course took us to 4 towns: Candijay, Guindulman, Duero and Jagna. The first 13kms out of the Anda transition area was jarring and if you put in too much air pressure on your tires, your body would take the beating early on. It was a relief when we reached the national highway and turned right towards the Candijay turn-around, though we were greeted with a steep short climb of about 200 meters before the road “eased up” on us. From that point on we were on automatic mode: We slowed down on ascents, burned the road on the descents and recovered on the flats.

The first 60 kms of my bike ride went on smoothly. All I took was one energy gel during the whole stretch in fear of getting bloated should I eat even if I was feeling full. However, after passing the road going to Anda and seeing the 200m climb going to Candijay again, I regretted not sticking to my nutrition plan. That short, steep climb slowed me down to about 8kph, almost standing still. It burned my quads to ashes that even if I stood up on the bike, there was just no acceleration.

Reaching the Candijay turn around for the 2nd time, I stuck to my nutrition plan and took in the adobo rice I kept in there. I also emptied one sachet of Glucolyte Hydration Salt in my mouth to keep myself hydrated. In between Candijay and Jagna, I would take one energy gel in both directions.

Staying hydrated over the entire 180K bike course. The heat was oppressive but still managed to smile for the camera.

The longest bike ride I did during my training for this race was 120kms. Beyond that was “twilight zone” for me already. I knew I could ride 120kms, but not sure with 180kms. So anything that I would feel after my 2nd 60kms would be new, and I hoped I’d be able to address it correctly.

At the 145th kilometer of my ride, I cramped. I could feel the cramps creeping up the hamstring of my left leg. I did not stop. I remember Macca saying during the 2009 Ironman World Championships, when he was cramping up on the bike, “You gotta love it!”…and those words resonated in my head over and over as I rode through the cramps. Then an amazing thing happened…when I thought that the cramps would aggravate, it went away at the 150th kilometer. I rode as if nothing happened.

Turning right going to the Anda transition area was the best part of the bike. It meant I only had 13 kms to go to complete the bike leg. Again, it was jarring. The roads were not as smooth as we wanted it to be but just the same, it was refreshing. Runners were already on the run course as I made my way to transition 2. My nutrition plan worked. At 8:45 mark of the race and after biking for about 6hrs, 30mins non-stop, I felt great upon dismounting from my bike and didn’t feel wasted. It was a good sign.

Completed the bike leg in around 6 hours, 30 minutes. A good 30mins faster than my target time.

THE RUN: 42.2 Kilometers

I was done with 2 of the 3 legs of this race and felt good leading to the marathon. The night before, I asked my wife to get me one cup of rice plus viand and leave this at the transition area. I felt I’d bonk if I didn’t eat a full meal before I run the final 42.2 kilometers.

Having a full meal before the marathon

While resting and eating at T2, Col. Bong Patrimonio arrived. The two of us would start running together at the 9th hour of the race. We walked the first 300 meters as I was still full with the meal I just had and started the run with a jog. Both of us still had good legs but we didn’t want to burn those out early on. We ran 8 minutes then walked 2 minutes until we completed the first 10K lap. Upon starting the 2nd lap, we wore our headlamps provided by Energizer as it was getting dark already.

We were joined by another teammate, Arbs Portugal, on our 2nd lap and the 3 of us soldiered on in completing the first 21K of the run.

Everything was dark and lonely on our 3rd lap. We would never leave each other alone as there was, literally, strength in numbers in that condition. We stopped at every aid station, which unfortunately, was down to 2 from an initial of 3. The aid station at the 1.5K mark ran out of fluids and only the ones at the 3K and 5K were left.

Just before our final 10K, Col. Bong, Arbs and I on our last banana stop.

On our 4th and final lap, we were joined by Jojo Bonnin of Team TRAIN ( Bacolod triathletes ). The four of us ran through the dark with only our headlamps keeping us on track. Once we turned around at the final 5kms for the last time, we congratulated each other already.

On the final 1.5 kms, we agreed to cross the finish line one by one. This race was so important that having our photo taken at the finish line, alone, would be something to cherish the rest of our lives.

As I enter the finishing chute of the race lined up with people on the right side, I looked up to the sky and blew a kiss to God while thanking Him endlessly. A few meters to the tape, I pumped my fist in triumph.

At exactly 10:49:36 p.m. of December 3, 2011, after having been in motion for 15hours, 49 minutes and 36 seconds, at the Anda Plaza Beach, Anda, Bohol, I crossed the line to become one of the first 60 triathletes to finish the toughest one day endurance race in the Philippines, the Timex 226 Iron Distance Bohol Triathlon. With that finish comes my membership into the exclusive club of Ironman Distance finishers, a dream I had since late 2008.

A victorious Ironman crossing the finish line!

My world stopped and my mind emptied. I looked for my wife, Carol, who has been waiting for me for more than 15hours. I have done it!

All the muscles in my body got beaten up. I could hardly bend my knees and even seating on a chair was a chore. The soles of my feet were all blistered and burning. One thing that found its way back to me was my smile. No amount of pain and suffering would equal to the victory I felt. It was surreal.

A big THANK YOU to all the people who helped me achieve this dream most especially to my Quest 825 brothers and FB friends, and to the organizers for extending assistance to me during the swim.

Thank you to my sponsors: Potencee, Immuvit, Provigor, BikeZilla, The Batis Project, Ridley, Lazer, SH+ Eyewear, Hutchinson’s, Token, C-Joist, FDRC, Sportspray and Trident Logistics.

Thank you to the mayor and people of Anda, Bohol and Congressman Art Yap for the warm reception.

A big thanks to Jijo De Guzman for the photos.

Thank you as well to the organizers, Bike King ( Raul C., RickyLed, Ting J., etc. ) and Timex Philippines for putting up one great event. I’m sure a lot of athletes will join this event next year and most of the 61 who started will come back.

To the most important person in my life and my number one supporter, my wife Carol, who has been keeping up with my early morning trainings and long weekend absence from home, I love you very much…

Thank you Lord for giving us the strength and providing us with your hedge of protection as we raced in the open streets of Bohol and deep, clear waters of Anda. To YOU be the glory!

Some, if not most, of who will read this report will ask why we, triathletes, do what we do. Believe you me, we have asked ourselves the same question over and over again a few days after finishing a race, when our bodies are stiff and bruised. How much more comfortable and relaxing is it to just sleep in in the morning and drink coffee instead of waking up when everyone else is still asleep, to train.

What some people don’t understand though, and probably never will, is the undescribable feeling of breaking the tape at the finish line. The adrenalin rush that makes you pump your fist when your body has nothing to give anymore. The realization that you are capable of things you yourself had never imagined. The idea of pushing your body to its utmost limit until all that drives you is the thought of your family waiting at the very end of the race. The angst and the gritting of the teeth that says, “yeah, I’ve done it!” when your name is called when you enter the finishing chute. That’s what we crave for…that’s what we live for.

We are IRONMEN.

I won’t be racing long distance in 2012. I will let my body heal and recover. 3 years of continuous grinding must have taken its toll on me. God willing, once I get back to the scene, I have moved up to the next age group. Whew! I’m getting old!

Til the next race guys!

Can you be one of us?

Members ( from L-R ): Wilnar Iglesia, Arbs Portugal, Julius Dela Rosa, Jason Dela Rama, Luis Arcangel, Bong Patrimonio, Deo Patalinghog, James Dulalia, Erick Guieb, Karlo Pena, Emil Ancheta, Ronald Declarador, Mark Mercado

Quest 825 stands for Faith…in the Almighty God, in ourselves, in our family, in each other. We push our body to its limits, knowing that when it falters, the brotherhood that we nurture will be there to keep it up, standing proud, making its final step in crossing the finish line…

Quest 825 is a Family…not a team…we live and breathe multisport supported by a foundation of loved ones. They cheer for us, we race for them…

Quest 825 is about Triathlon…and the discipline it instills in all of us. Discipline that we employ in our careers and personal lives…

Quest 825 is about Cycling…we pedal in circular motion, similar to how we see life. In every “UP” there is a “DOWN”, and the crank that we call “brotherhood” will always be there to ensure that we go up as fast as we can after every down, making us move forward in everything…

Ask yourself…

Can you be one of us?…

*Quest 825 is powered by: Bikezilla, Ridley Bikes, Token Wheels and Bike Parts, Immuvit, Potencee, SH+ Eyewear, Sportspray, Milrose Development Corp, Hutchinson’s Tires, Lazer Helmets, Concrete Ventures Group, Inc. and Trident Logistics.

The 2011 edition of the Philippine Ironman 70.3 in Camsur is the most awaited event of the year for most triathletes. It is on its 3rd year, which, rumor has it, would be its final year in the country. Talks about the event being extended for another year at another venue floated in the air, but no one has neither confirmed nor denied this “chismis”.

I wasn’t planning to race this year, but after realizing that the event could be in its last year of offering, I changed my mind and toed the line in August 14 at Lago Del Rey of the Camsur Watersports Complex in Naga, Camarines Sur.

Checking-in my bike at the Transition area

This year’s edition is the biggest so far, with more or less a thousand participants trying to have that Ironman 70.3 medal hanging around their necks by the end of the day. Most registered just to finish, some registered to have a fighting chance to get to the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, the Holy Grail of Ironman triathlon. I registered to try to be one of less than 400 triathletes in the country who can say they’ve done this race 3 times, at least for a year if World Triathlon Corp. ( WTC ) renews the Ironman 70.3 franchise in the country.

The SWIM: 1.9 Kilometers

This year’s race has the biggest number of participants in the event’s 3-year history. In 2009, there were only 400 of us, then we increased to 600 last year, and finally, 800+ this year plus 101 relay teams which would put the total number of athletes at more than a thousand. No wonder there were a lot of heads covered with swim caps at the start line!

The first wave, composed of the Filipino Elites and Professionals, was the first to go at 6:15 a.m. The organizers bunched the 30-49 age groupers into one big wave composed of more than 600 athletes. Mix that with a little more than 50-meter wide starting area and you have a melee in your hands.

We were off at 6:20 a.m. and immediately, the washing machine started. I got hit almost instantly on the head which misaligned my goggles. I tried swimming through the chaos with a leaking goggle but gave up around 200 meters from the start. I needed to fix my goggles and held on to the buoy. However, there were several athletes already hanging on for dear life and the buoy line, which was a little over one meter away from me, seemed so far. I swam forward and got hit on the shoulder by a breast stroker. I swam past him and cut him off his line so I can hang on to the buoy.

Fixed my goggles and swam again. 150 meters forward and BAM! Another hit on the head while I was about to take in air. Water entered my nose and I choked. Treaded water to compose myself and breast stroked a bit to get my bearings back. Held on to the buoy and looked around to see who else were holding on for safety.

“Bro!”, someone said. It was Lt. Col. Bong Patrimonio, my teammate. His goggles got knocked out. All that water and we bumped into each other almost 400 meters into the swim. Amazing!

I was hoping to finish the first part of the swim in 40 minutes, I got out of the big lake in 39, I was within target to break 1 hour for the first time in this race. Excited, I hurriedly ran to the small lake for the conclusion of the swim. I thought that, similar to the first two years, the 2nd part of the swim would be less stressful as the racers have thinned out already. I was wrong.

Getting out of Lago Del Rey towards the wakeboard lake to complete my swim

The small lake was still littered with swimmers when I dove in. I tried to stay away from any of them so I could be at peace, swimming. But that wasn’t to happen. 100 meters into the small lake and hands were tapping my feet and nudging my side. All I could do was to battle it out and hope that the swim finish was near.

150 meters to the swim finish and I got hit on the head for the 3rd time. About 100 meters to go and I got kicked by a breast stroker on the groin which really shook me. It was so painful that I swallowed about half a glass of the murky water of that lake. Yucckkkk!!!!

Swim done in 1hr, 1min and change!

Finally reached shore in 1 hour, 1 minute and change. Disappointed but not discouraged, I did a quick transition and mounted my bike in 1:05 of the race.

The BIKE: 90 Kilometers

I planned on doing the bike leg conservatively this year . In the past 2 years, it was pedal to the metal for me after I mounted my bike, resulting to me melting on the run after. My teammates who recon’d the course two weeks earlier were one in saying that we all should conserve on the first 45k then hammer it going back to CWC. That became my plan.

Getting out of Transition 1 to start my bike. Cloudy skies above

It was the small chainring for me initially. I was keeping an average of 30kph which was within my target pace. However, seeing the dark clouds above, I thought that once rains fell, the roads would be harder to ride on. I increased my pace to about 32kph average and then, at around my 15K mark, it rained, and it rained hard.

Slippery when wet. Rains drenched all of us on the bike leg

Every raindrop at 34-35kph were like pellets from an airgun. Each brought sting to the skin, and coupled with moist sunglasses, the ride became harder but manageable. My brakes became less effective and I had to ride gingerly on descents for fear of sliding down. I slowed down a bit and hoped for the rains to ease up.

Reached turn-around after 1:30 @ 30kph average. The rains eased up going back so the roads became clearer and more visible. I was aiming to reach transition 2 in 4 hours or less and seeing I only had less than 1hr, 30mins to do it, I increased my speed.

Going back, the rain eased up.

Reached T2 in 3:59 of the race. Right on target!

The RUN: 21.1 Kilometers

The cool bike ride plus strictly following my nutrition plan must have kept my calorie inventory in check as I felt strong when I dismounted from my bike unlike the past 2 years. My target for the 21K run leg was a total of 2:30, with the first 10k at 1:10.

My strides were short but my cadence was high. Somehow, doing this makes me run longer at a comfortable pace. The rain had stopped and I was praying that the sun wouldn’t show so as not to “steam” all of us. Camsur 70.3 is known for its hot run course, something I really don’t miss about this event.

I was keeping a good pace until the first 10K. I beat my target of 1:10 and registered a minute faster at 1:09. I was ecstatic! It was already around 5:02 of the race and thoughts about finishing the race in sub-6:15 already crossed my mind. I was feeling great and eating and hydrating well.

Then suddenly, at about the 10.5K mark, I felt some pain on the front right part of my abdominals. At first it was manageable and I didn’t mind it, I just slowed down a bit. However, as I was trying to dismiss it, the pain got more intense. At first I thought it was a sidestitch, but, after stretching my right arm, it didn’t go away. Then I realized, it was abdominal cramps. It was so severe that I had to stop dead on my tracks and bend. Deep breathing didn’t help. I walked about 500meters hoping it would go away, it didn’t.

Reaching the 12K mark jog-walking, I decided to let it all out. “Bonk na kung bonk!” Miraculously, the more I ran, the less pain there was. I tried increasing my pace but the pain would come back intensely. I tried feeling the pace which would allow me to run and not feel the pain too much at the same time. I hang on to a 7:00 minutes per kilometer pace.

Was never in danger of bonking due to nutrition.

I still had 5K to go at 6:00 of the race. There was no way I’d finish in sub-6:15. The abdominal cramp slowed me down big time.

I still had a kilometer to go at 6:30. CWC was within sight. There were bits of sharp pain on my right calf due to impending cramps but it didn’t prosper.

Within the last 200 meters, I felt I still had some calories left in my tank to sprint to the finish, and sprint I did.

Sprinting to the finish line in the last 200 meters.

Crossed the line in 6:38, almost 20 minutes better than last year. I wasn’t dead tired upon crossing the finish line. I handled the course well this time.

A 3x Philippine Ironman 70.3 finisher. There are less than 400 of us who can claim such title in the entire country.

Philippine Ironman 70.3 2011 in Camsur didn’t beat me to a pulp in its biggest edition. My team, Quest 825, trained well for this event and everyone finished strong. In fact, I was 2nd to the last who finished among the 9 of us who joined the race, and to think that I was the only one who have raced it 3x in a row only shows how big a leap Quest 825 have made in its performance.

Glory be to God for a safe race!

Thank you to my wife, Carol, who has kept up with my early morning workouts and early night trips to dreamland.

Thank you to Potencee and Immuvit for the support!

‘Til the next race!

The 2011 edition of the Matabungkay Long Distance Triathlon started with a bang and ended with participants melting in the heat of the July 17 noontime sun. The race, formerly known as Tri-King Matabungkay Long Distance Tri, has been renamed to Tri-United Long Distance Tri with the major sponsorship of a local pharma company actively making its presence felt in the triathlon community. It attracted more than 300 triathletes, both local and foreign. The race is 2kms of swim, 60kms of hilly bike ride and 15kms of hellish run in the heart of Matabungkay.

I have done this race last year and came back primarily due to one reason: to qualify for the Timex 226 Iron Distance Triathlon in Bohol in December. For everyone’s better appreciation, an Iron Distance race is the toughest one day race in the world, consisting of a 3.8km ocean swim, 180km of bike and 42.195kms of run. An Iron Distance race has a 17-hour cut-off, anyone going past 17 hours is automatically disqualified.

My time last year: 5 hours, 6 minutes, 57 seconds. Qualifying time: 4 hours, 45 minutes. That would mean cutting at least 22 minutes from my time last year to qualify for the race I have been wanting to join since I started doing triathlons 3 years ago.

MY PREPARATION

I totally stopped smoking since mid-March of this year. Whatever money I saved from not smoking I spent buying energy gels for my training. I re-programmed my sleeping habits so I could wake up at 4:00 a.m. every morning to either swim, bike or run. To make sure my body copes up with my training volume, I never forget to take my daily dose of Immuvit and Potencee. I swam 8kms a week, biked 150kms a week, and ran 40kms a week. If you’re training with such volumes, every supplement you can put into your body is welcome.

RACE DAY: SWIM 2 KILOMETERS

300 pumped up triathletes got the shock of their racing lives at the sight of the swim course. 6 to 10 feet of swells broke the spirit of those who were not used to swimming in the open seas. Trying out the course myself, any attempt to swim against the giant waves were complete failures. I needed a plan to get through the first part of the race, otherwise, all my training will be thrown out the window.

There were two options in swimming in such conditions: 1) dodge the wave and go under it once it hits, or 2) make yourself very light on the water and ride the wave. I chose the latter.

Not so pleasant-sized waves greeted us at the start of the race.

When the race started, several participants pulled-out right away for safety reasons. A few more were pulled out from the water by rescuers when these people couldn’t take it any longer. There was only one mantra among those of us who continued: “DON’T DROWN!”

Nearing the turn-around buoy about 350 meters from the beach, the usual “washing machine” took place. I got kicked, I kicked someone, I got punched, I punched someone, someone pulled my leg, I kicked him back…all done in more than 30ft deep waters. The funny thing is, as triathletes, we call it “fun”. Crazy? Yes, at some point.

After 55 minutes and about 2 full glasses of salt water, I completed the 2km swim. Praised God and ran towards the bike to start the 60 kilometer torture.

Happy to have survived the choppiest swim start I have ever been a part of.

PART 2: BIKE 60 KILOMETERS

I had heavy legs when I mounted my bike which was unusual as I didn’t push too hard on the swim. Stayed on the small chainring to ease things up a bit then once I reached the national highway going to Calatagan, Batangas, I let it all loose.

I was doing 35-40kph on the flats, enough to make me catch up on some of those who were ahead of me in the swim. Enroute to the 1st turn-around, the course was changed. Apparently, some repair works were being done on the published route so it had to be changed at the last minute. Instead of riding on flat roads, we had to suffer on a 2-kilometer stretch of climbs. Not ideal but thinking of the downhill after, it was better than getting flat tires on rough pavements.

The downhill was fast. I reached about 60kph when nasty crosswinds started blowing trying to lift my bike off the ground. Nerve-wracked, I squeezed the brakes and controlled my pace. 45kph was more manageable.

Dodging the headwind for a faster bike ride.

Completed the 60K ( or should I say 53K ) bike course in 1:45:37. Reached transition area in 2 hours and 52 minutes and started running in 2:55:00 of the race which meant I still had 1 hour 50 minutes to beat the 4:45 qualifying time for the Bohol race.

PART 3: RUN 15.5 KILOMETERS

My best 15K run was completed in 1 hour, 26 minutes. In this race, I had 1 hour, 50 minutes to do it. Piece of cake? Not!

With almost no clouds overhead and the sun vaporizing any water on the ground, the heat became terrible as we approached mid-day. There were several water stations along the course but I could sense that it would all run out of fluids as the race progressed to conclusion.

On my 2nd lap of the 3 lap run course, one water station was just giving out carbonated fluids which go against my stomach. They ran out of water.

Surviving the run.

After completing my second loop of the 3-loop run course, I was at 3:58 of the race, with 47 minutes to go to complete the final 5 kilometers of the race and qualify for Bohol. I relaxed a bit as I wanted a strong finish.

With 1 kilometer to go, with no more energy gels and water, I stopped running and walked. My tank was empty, no more calories to burn. I tried squeezing the energy drink out of my water bottle and got a few drops. It was enough to fuel me on the last 600 meters.

Finished in 4:37 and qualified for Timex 226 Iron Distance race in Bohol in December. Yahoo!

I finished the race in 4 hours, 37 minutes and 25 seconds. More than 7 minutes ahead of the qualifying time for the race I have been preparing for throughout my triathlon life. I slashed about 30 minutes off my finish time last year, I guess all my hard work paid-off!

I blew a kiss to God. The thought that He was with me the whole time drove me to the finish line.

Thank you to Potencee and Immuvit for the support. Yes, I’m a stronger triathlete now because of these brands. In the last Immuvit Metafit for Cyclists Session, I was found to have the endurance of a 25 year-old. Not bad for someone turning 43 this year.

Until the next race!

*Photos stolen from the Bike King FB fan page, one courtesy of Emil Ancheta’s camera, some courtesy of Pio Sugay and one I have no idea where from. Thanks guys for unselfishly posting the photos for us to download!

Immuvit: PCL Tour of Clark was the race I was most excited about in this trilogy. It was a 2-day event, with three stages divided into: Stage 1: 47km Team Time Trial, Stage 2: 63km Criterium Race, and Stage 3: 118km Road race. It was a Tour De France of sort, only 7 times shorter.

Day 1, Stage 1: Team Time Trial

Our team’s time trial team had 8 members. Only the times of the first 5 to cross the finish line were to be considered for the team’s official time. This meant that 3 of us can opt not to ride with the stronger 5 members of our team towards the finish line. However, team time trials are played or ridden out in strategies. You wouldn’t want the stronger 5 members to bear the brunt of the headwinds and crosswinds as well as burn themselves up during the early part of the ride, you would want them fresh on the final kilometers so they can hack it out until they cross the finish line.

I led the team first, being the team captain. The strategy was to allow each member to lead the pack for 30 seconds until every member had his turn. Feeling short in training, I offered to “burn” myself up on our first lap so as to keep the other 7 members of the team fresh on the 2nd and final lap.

Leading Quest 825 out of the holding pen at the start of our TTT

Our speeds varied. In the climb to Fontana, we kept around 30kph then about 50kph on the highway leading to the windy stretch of road near SM Clark, at around the 15km mark. Once we were back on the road leading to the starting line for our second lap, I got dropped already. I’ve done my part. My teammates James Dulalia and Melvin Pangan would help the remaining 5 riders out until they too got dropped near the start of the second lap.

Erick Guieb, Luis Arcangel, Arbs Portugal, Retzel Orquiza ( guest rider ) and Julius Dela Rosa carried on our race for the team. Eventually, our team would finish with an average of almost 34kph, placing 24th out of 30 teams that started. Not bad for our very first TTT.

Day 1, Stage 2: 63km Criterium Race

Later in the afternoon, all of us except for Melvin started the 63km Criterium race. The route was to go around the Fontana climb, 5 times!

I hung on to the peloton on the first two laps. We were averaging around 35kph and everyone seemed to be in a hurry to finish the race. There was no let-up until we started the 3rd lap where I slowly got dropped. Finished the race 7th to the last but happy to have completed and not DNF’d.

Starting my final lap on the 5-lap criterium

Day 2, 3rd Stage: 118 km Road race

A lot of the participants in the first day of races did not start the 3rd stage. I understood them.

The 3rd stage was a 118km painfest and went through the same route as the team time trial 5 times.

The neutral zone was 10kms, and the peloton took it easy. Even after we were released, we didn’t push it hard for the first 20kms. Nearing the end of the first lap, I placed myself at the front of the peloton, driving the pack to 35kph. It would be the last time I’d be at pace with them.

On the start of our 2nd lap, at the foot of the climb to Fontana, the peloton still pushed. I was initially at the front and slowly found myself in the middle of the pack. Before reaching the peak of the climb, I was at the tail-end already. Going down on the first descent, I got dropped completely.

I was basically alone on my 2nd lap, which was the worst place I could be.

Halfway through the 2nd lap, I cramped. I had too much to drink the night before and wasn’t surprised about the cramp. I pushed until I reached our support van at the top of the Fontana climb. I stopped and called it quits.

James Dulalia, my teammate, passed by and egged me on completing the race. We were together for most of the 3rd lap but I pushed ahead at the foot of the Fontana climb. Halfway through the ascent, my quads cramped. It locked. I almost fell off my bike. Shook off the cramps and pedaled until I reached the top where I called it quits. There was no way I’d finish in such conditions with 40kms remaining.

It was my first DNF ( did not finish ).

Moments before I called it quits, nearing the top of the Fontana climb

Immuvit: Tour of Clark was the first time my team, Quest 825 Cycling, joined a 2-day, 3-stage cycling race and we did well as a team. Individually, there were improvements needed and we still need to identify the roles each of the member will have to play.

This trilogy, by far, is the most fulfilling stretch of races I have experienced in my sporting life. They say you need a month to recover from a marathon. In my case, it was just 2 weeks.

It was a test of fitness coming from the “gluttonic” eating of the holiday season, and I realized the added weight was a substantial disadvantage in racing. Lesson learned.

‘Til the next race!

I crammed for training for the Bike King Cycling Classic on February 19. It was a one-day cycling road race organized by Raul Cuevas of Bike King bike shop at BHS. It was also the maiden race of Quest 825, my new cycling team.

The race was a 65-kilometer agony. The route was to take us through the Naval Magazine area at Subic towards the road to Ocean Adventure, which meant we would be challenged by headwinds, crosswinds, about 10 kilometers of climbing and heat. Painful? Yes! Fun? Blehhhh!!!

We were gathered at the Legenda Hotel for the registration and some photo ops. The race started at 9:00 a.m. with the Cat 3 riders riding off, followed 5 minutes after by us at Cat 4. Earlier, it was announced that the neutral zone would be 5 kilometers of only 25kph maximum speed. It wasn’t what happened.

Photo ops with the team plus some friends from Tri-Minda

Roughly 2 kilometers into the neutral zone, the speed went up to around 32kph then 35kph until the peloton started to break apart. I was at the tail-end of the peloton, barely hanging on.

Was still able to hang on to the peloton at this point

The peloton totally broke apart when the climb to Ocean Adventure started. I let the peloton go and thought of reserving my strength for the last 10 kilometers of the race. In a snap, I was alone. Then I caught up with someone and we tried helping each other out. Then another joined us. We formed a peloton of 5 riders, the ones dropped by the speedy lead pack.

Our small peloton wouldn’t last long though. Two riders got dropped while I was dropped by the other two. I was alone again.

Going down Ocean Adventure posed a challenge to me and my bike. I had 80mm deep rims on and the crosswinds became a concern. I was descending at 60kph when a nasty crosswind blew. I felt my front wheel lift up about half an inch from the ground. Good thing I didn’t brake hastily in panic, otherwise I would have rolled over the pavement.

The crosswinds at the naval magazine area weren’t fun either. I had to lean to my right to control my bike and lean on my left after making the U-turn.

The sad part was that we had to go through the same ordeal twice.

Getting bruised and battered by the nasty crosswinds

It was a relief getting through Ocean Adventure the second time around as it meant I wouldn’t have to climb again and fall prey to the crosswinds going down. Upon reaching the naval magazine area for the third time, my cyclo computer already registered 53 kilometers. I still had about 12 kilometers to go and was wondering why I was seeing other riders already spinning with their teammates.

After making my final U-turn at the naval magazine area, I was already at the 54th kilometer of the race. I started to increase my pace in hopes of catching up with other riders.

Pedal to the metal, trying to catch up with other riders

I was surprised seeing the timing mat about 100 meters ahead of me. Apparently, some marshalls made some mistakes on the course cutting it short by 10 kilometers. I was so frustrated I thought of protesting. My plan was to hack it out in the last 10 kilometers and when I was just about to start, the race ended. Bummer!

I finished seventh to the last. Though it was a miserable first road race finish, I was still happy I was in one piece. Lesson learned: use the 80mm deep rims for time trials, not road races.

( To be continued )