I have done the first two legs of the Powerade Duathlon but something in the 3rd leg just kept me excited. Probably it was because this race would be my first after Camsur 70.3 and a real test of how I improved race-wise...if I have improved at all.
The run and bike routes of this race was similar to the 2nd leg, only 1 loop more in the bike portion to complete the 30K published distance. I have completed the 2nd leg in 1 hour, 55 minutes and expected to finish the 3rd leg in about 2 hours and 5 minutes given the longer bike portion.
At around 5:00 a.m. of September 20, I was already parking my car at Mcdonalds Macapagal. There were quite a number of participants already, some new faces and a lot of familiar ones. Met old and new friends from takbo.ph, pinoymtbiker.org, tri-pilipinas and pinoyroadies.org. Also met some friends I made in the previous marathons, duathlons and triathlons I joined. The beauty in competing in these types of races is that not much people join unlike in marathons, so you almost meet everybody the more you join.
With Doc Randy of Pinoyroadies.Org
With Pinoyroadies guys ( photos courtesy of Ronald )
Around 6:25 a.m., everybody was given 10 minutes to complete their pre-race warm-ups, then we were called in to the start line. As expected, the gun sounded off when most were still chatting. I knew this would happen so I avoided any conversation with anyone before the race started.
I stayed in the middle of the pack at the start, then slowly made my way towards the front to escape. I planned this before-hand. I didn't feel comfortable running with many people around me and thought I'd sprint early to escape the pack. I eventually did.
I ran the first kilometer in 4:58, thus keeping myself in front of many others. It was cruise control from thereon.
Race start. Trying to escape the pack early. ( photo courtesy of Javy O. )
I planned on running at an average pace of 5:30 for the first run. That would put my first 7K run at 38:30, good enough to get me within my target of 2:05 for the race.
I finished the first run portion in 38:43, slightly off my 38:30 target because of the extra 200 meters of the course. I must have been doing well when I caught up with my friend Noel at the transition area. For the record, I haven't been able to catch Noel in the transition from the very 1st edition of this race. He was always ahead of me by more than 2 minutes entering T1.
Keeping a strong stride throughout the first run ( photo courtesy of Javy O. )
Noel and I mounted our bikes at the same time. He accelerated so fast that before I even made the right turn going to the bike course proper, he was already 20 meters ahead of me. Lesson learned: Never, ever pace with a man who's just got a Cervelo Soloist!
I kept an eye on Noel. For as long as he's not more than 500 meters away, I'm fine that he's ahead. I kept an average of 33kph all throughout the bike portion. Noel was pulling away from me but not as far as the first 2 legs of this duathlon.
Upon making my 3rd loop on the bike course, a familiar voice came from behind..."Sir Deo..."...It was Makoy, a friend from pinoyroadies.org. I didn't expect it! I knew I was ahead of him by more than a kilometer during the first run and now he has overtaken me in the bike. I was at 35kph when he passed me by, he might have been doing more than 40 kph! I tried to keep pace with him, but to no avail. I could see him getting farther and farther away but I couldn't do anything. He really showed what a true cycling "halimaw" was.
I felt my calves cramping on my last loop. I shook it off, drank my anti-cramp and dehydration elixir and pushed on with the race. I pedaled flat the rest of the bike course to avoid the cramps and entered the transition area around 8:20 a.m. for the 2nd run. My total time then was 1:37. I averaged 33 kph in the bike and completed it in 57 minutes. Then I realized I had a shot on going sub-2 in the race!
It was pushing and digging deep from thereon. I had to stretch my calves 200 meters into the 2nd run just to avoid the cramps, then baby-stepped the next 200 meters to get my rhythm back.
I saw Makoy around 300 meters ahead and pushed on, catching him before the run turn-around. Noel was just around 300 meters ahead of us.
Then, a bad break...
I turned around too soon, missing the bracelet being handed out at the turn around point. I had to go back 15 meters to get it and that's when Makoy put the lead on me. He was just 30 meters ahead but seemed to have gotten his strides back. He matched my pace, even pulling away further by a few meters at a point.
300 meters into the finish line, Makoy was around 20 meters ahead of me and my time was at 1:58. I can do 100 meters in 30 seconds and that's when really pushing for a sub-2 hours kicked in. I pushed and pushed, gritting my teeth due to pain. I didn't stop at any water stations anymore, I needed to break 2 hours.
100 meters to the finish line and I was at 1:59. Makoy would finish at sub-2, I wanted to also. 30 meters to go and I saw Makoy crossed the line, I gave it all.
I finished in 1:59:47 according to my Garmin. Though I would have been too elated, I'm waiting for the final results.
Painfest on the 2nd run ( photo courtesy of Javy O. )
I held on to a post after the finish line. I was huffing and puffing like a dog. I never raced as hard as this one, not even in Camsur. I was proud of myself. I now understand what "push" and "digging-in" means. I just raced my fastest duathlon and I'm so damn happy about it.
Congrats to all who joined and finished. Thanks to Javy and Ronald for the photos. I got news that a final leg will be held in December. Expect me to be there as well.
Deo P.
Update: I just saw the results today. I missed sub-2 hours by a measly 25 seconds....oh well....:-)
