My first Ironman

Joining the 70.3 CamSur Ironman was a last-minute decision for me. The whole time my husband Anthony was preparing for his registration and training, I felt the excitement but never entertained the idea of joining. One day, I overheard some people talking about their relay teams. I was inspired to join because I was confident I could swim the 1.9-kilometer leg of the race but not do the 90-kilometer bike or the 21-kilometer run.  Within a week though, our Team Tri-Umph was born when my brother-in-law Gilbert Simpao agreed to put his biking prowess to good use after having trained for fun with other Ironman participants. Because our family friend Nica Ong of Leona’s Cebu decided to make the event part of her preparation for her upcoming run at the Amsterdam Marathon, we made history!

For one whole month, I focused on my swim program but also kept in mind the idea of having fun throughout the whole experience. I wanted to be a part of Philippine sporting history but had envisioned myself finishing well with a smile on my face and my teammates equally glad to have accomplished such an extraordinary race together.

I believe that our Plantation Bay Loving Life detox program two weeks before the race was a perfect way for me and Anthony to get all revved up for the actual event. Not only were our bodies cleansed, the spa experience also helped us relax a lot.  I also took advantage of practicing my swim at Plantation Bay’s super wavy beach, which was just like a simulated relay race experience.

It was a great privilege having shared with Anthony my victories and concerns about the race as it neared while he fought for training time in between his travels, seminars, meetings, dates with each of our children, and other responsibilities. I know many couples struggle in the area of sharing the joys and pains of preparing for a big race such as an Ironman with their non-participating spouses. Many husbands have shared with me how they long to have their wives cheer them throughout the race instead of seeing their races as a competition for their time with their spouses. If more couples get involved, I believe there will be more unity in a marriage because the excitement will be shared and the victory will be a family affair. Besides, all the aches and pain fade away with a big hug and kiss from a loved one who excitedly waits at the finish line.

With swim tips and a loaned superhero suit from my good friend, three-time Olympian and swim icon Akiko Thomson, I was all set for my swim. In fact, even before the race, I felt such a winner already with the thought of swimming in the same relay event as Akiko and 54 other relay teams.

My sister-in-law Donna was our official cheerleader and photographer. We also got support from our family drivers Mario and Manny who were contemplating on joining the next Ironman after having experienced the race from the sidelines.

With each lap, I prayed for God to put a song in my heart, which made me enjoy my swim though I was being kicked, shoved, and pulled in all directions while there was hardly anything I could see in the murky waters of the lake. What kept me going was Gilbert telling me the night before that he was so excited about the race. Coming from a man of very few words, I knew how much the race meant to him. On the last stretch of the swim, I swam faster because I didn’t want to disappoint him as he waited at the transition area, knowing he’d have to bike as fast as he could to make Nica have a good start for her run.

By the grace of God (and believe me you need lots of it for such high-intensity races), our Team Tri-Umph finished swimming in 45:49 minutes, biking in 3:22:45, and running in 2:20:28 with a total time of 6:31:47. 

 The 70.3 CamSur Ironman, though marred by a tragic event, was a most exhilarating, heart-pumping, truly inspirational experience!  It was an amazing race, which we finished with amazing grace. The event was wonderfully organized in a perfect setting with the local people cheering us all the way.  There was a lot of camaraderie among the participants and the scene at the finish line was truly unforgettable, making us excited to come back and beat our best time for next year’s race. Go, Team Tri-Umph!

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E-mail author at mommymaricel@gmail.com.