Home // 2012 // September

La Mesa Offroad Duathlon

 

Mud-spattered participant at the Adrenaline Offroad Duathlon at La Mesa Nature Reserve.

Dirt finds its way into this racer’s tongue and teeth. Photo taken during the Adrenaline Offroad Duathlon at La Mesa Nature Reserve on September 09, 2012 by Raph Rios and the Office of Senator Pia Cayetano.

My first duathlon. The goal was simple: to not suck. By this I meant: to finish at a decent enough time, and maybe (if I was lucky enough) not in the bottom half of the list. It was that simple. I had no illusions about winding up on the top ten, much less stepping up to the podium… well, maybe just a little.

I have heard from friends who’ve done triathlons that duathlons can often be more punishing. Running, then biking, and then running again really test the limits of your legs’ powers of endurance. Against my slacker instincts, I said: Bring it on. I joined the Adrenaline Offroad Duathlon at the La Mesa Nature Reserve on September 9. Read more [+]

Slacker In Motion

Fitness and physical excellence are secondary to the pleasures of the play.

Another blog about outdoor stuff? Why not?

For some time now I’ve been toying with the idea of setting up a website about the fitness activities I’ve grown to enjoy. I used to do websites before and I kinda missed tinkering with design and content. However, I kept putting off developing this site on fears that I might be mistaken for a hardcore fitness buff. The mere thought of this was horrifying. Obsessing about abs, and counting calories have never been my thing. And beer, donuts and crispy sisig will always be part of my checklist for nourishment.

This is not really a journal on how to be healthy. Getting mistaken for a fitness guru ranks up there in my list of nightmares, along with getting exiled to a country where booze is illegal, and the possible return of dialup internet. Read more [+]

Upgraditis or Gear Lust

How do you muster up the fortitude to resist buying new gear when your current ones still work?

So you just bought those new top-of-the-line racing flats. They look great, feel even greater, and they just cost you half a month’s salary. Expensive? Who cares? Because after a week of breaking them in, you feel like you could challenge Dean Karnazes to an ultra smackdown! Hey, bring it on Bikila. Usain Bolt, your days are numbered haha!

But a week later, you pass by your favorite running store. Something catches your attention. What are those things on display? What are those bright, shiny, gorgeous, kickass things? Salivate. Drool. They whisper to you: “Come to me baby… Take me home… Bring me home now and I’ll show you all the pleasures of the world…” Read more [+]

Monsoon Biking

Rain clouds brought on by the Habagat darken the Metro Manila skyline.

Mountain biking is one outdoor activity that generally becomes more enjoyable with a bit of rain. Trails get more challenging when the dirt gets soaked, and pedaling up a slope becomes even more of a mental game when mud enters the equation.

Mountain bikes are also all-weather machines that can take the worst of what nature can dish out and still get the rider to where he or she wants to go to. Read more [+]