Vermosa Sprint Triathlon
Sprint triathlons are the best. It is hard enough because of the blistering pace that you need to maintain throughout the race but short enough that you'll still have the energy to enjoy the post-race activities. Although a short race, it doesn't lack in competitiveness. Some seasoned triathletes still join these Sprint races as part of their training or they just want to race -- like me 😊
One of the premier organizers in Manila, Bike King Philippines, holds some of the well-organized and exciting multi-sport races. Last June 9, 2019 was their annual short distance race in Vermosa Sports Hub, the Vermosa Sprint Tri.
On to the race recap.
Swim
The Swim leg was held in the Vermosa Sports Hub Olympic-sized pool -- one of the few 50 meter, 10 lane pool that's available to the public. Since I was a late registrant I was part of the very last group to be released. Our heat was a mixture of Age Groupers from as young as 18 yrs old to the a a triathlete in the 50s age group. An hour and a half has passed since the first group was released, it was finally our turn to get in the pool. The advantage of being part of the very last group is that the lanes are no longer crowded. There were less participants on the lanes or resting on the walls. With free lanes it also made it easier to pass someone.
This type of condition is ideal to get a good swim split or even a PR. As the air horn pierced the morning calmness, our group of five was finally off. The gentleman from the 50s age group busted out of the gate and was like a torpedo fired from a submarine. With around 15 meters to go in the first lap all I can see were bubbles that he left while speeding through to the next lane. I've had my fair share of sprint races and know better not to try going toe to toe with a fast swimmer. I reminded myself to race my own race from the swim all the way to the run. So I turned my focus on my stroke, my form and my kick. I was being very methodical with my swim. I wanted to achieve a fast pace but at the same time conserve energy for the next two disciplines. On the last lap, as I saw the 15 meter indicator flag I knew it was time to kick and pull harder. I have to prepare my limbs for the transition. Coming out of the pool I thought I had a good swim and equaled my best 500m time.
I completed the swim in 11 mins and 38 seconds (12:31 including the run from the pool to T1) almost a minute slower than what I was expecting -- my 500m best is 10:46.
Bike
Amongst the three disciplines, I think the bike leg is my strength. For one, it is the leg that I really enjoy the most. There's just something about getting on my bike, pushing those pedals and that feeling of slicing through the wind. Like what they say, it's the feeling of getting your gift from Santa on Christmas Day. However, that doesn't mean that I've measured up to the elites or the best riders in my age group. I am still a middle of the pack biker with lots of room for improvement.
Every mutli-sport event that I've joined I always try to hit an average of between 32 to 35 km/hr. But that has yet to happen. Even in courses considered as a fast course, I've only manged to average around 31km/hr. This race, unfortunately, is no different. Over the 20km bike course, I only manged to average 30.9km/hr. My fastest 5km split was at 31.2km/hr. An under inflated front tire did not help my cause during the race. I can feel my bike struggling against the tires gripping the asphalt road. I needed to push more to get to my desired speed. Luckily our bike coach was on the bike course to help me inflate my front tire on my last loop. It was no surprise that this was also the time I posted my fastest 5km split. The downside is I lost around 1-2 minutes from stopping. It was a 4 loop bike course with 2.5kms per way. The problem of racing loops is you lose your momentum when you approach that u-turn at both ends. Soft tire and loop course excuses aside, there's still a lot of room for me to work on and improve.
Run (the dreaded leg)
I have to admit that the run continues to be my water loo. The training sessions leading to the race I try to emphasize the need to work on my speed, ability to maintain that speed and really just digging deep and grind it out. I always find my mind breaking during the run leg and giving into the call to slowdown and walk. I've never had a race where I dug deep enough to run the entire run course. I Aside from the stops on the aid stations, I would convince myself that I needed the walking rest to finish strong. But in reality it is my mind breaking faster than my body.
The Vermosa Hub run course was hilly with some left and right turns to boot. Throw in the cement pavement and scorching summer sun, it was a disaster in the making for me.
Off the bike I felt I had a good start pacing between 5:40 - 6 min at the first kilometer mark. I took a quick Pocari stop on the first aid station and quickly got back to running. Looking back, the stops at the aid stations doesn't help me because I lose time and momentum which adds to the mental part of the game (that it is easier to stop/walk than to keep on going). This unfortunate strategy will pave way to how I will execute the rest of the run leg. At the 1.5km mark I found myself having another quick aid stop. By this time my pace dropped to above 6 mins and I was quickly losing time. At the half way mark, after a big climb, I made another aid station stop dousing a bottle full of water over my face and core to keep the temperature down. Again, my mind was rationalizing that I need the quick rest to have a strong finish.
For some reason I found my stride and some resiliency on the back end of the run. I felt the much awaited second wind and was really hoping it will carry me to the finish arc. Any runner will agree that getting that second wind is much welcomed phase. This is where you get past being tired and the feeling of your lungs about to explode. One foot moves in front of the other, you hear your steady and rhythmic breathing, your arms swinging like a grandfather clock's pendulum. All of this happens with the least effort. My pace was back to 5:40 mins/km with some drops to 6:20 due to the inclines going back. With a little over a kilometer to go, one last aid stop and a 10 second rest, I knew I had to pick up the pace and try to catch some of the runners in front of me. Coming in to the last 400m, I descended from the streets of the Vermosa Complex to the Track Oval picking up my pace along the way. My 6:30 became 5:40 to 5:20 down to 5 mins/km and finally maxing out at 4:32 as I cross the finish line.
In the end
One of the reasons I like joining Bike King Sprint races is the opportunity to finish in the Top 10. The start list probably lacks the star power that Sunrise Inc and TRAP (which always includes Philippine Team members) brings. But it does not lack in fast and seasoned triathletes competing for a spot in the podium. It is also a good test of one's improvement and measure yourself against better competition.
Again, starting in the very last group (because I was a late registrant) I wasn't going through the course with my age group. It was hard to tell who is first, second or third. All I could do was try to finish the race as fast as I can. On the run course I watched some participants from age group on their way back as I was making my way to the half-way-mark u-turn slot. At the back of my mind I was thinking there's an outside chance that I can land in 3rd place. Though it will be up to how I finished my run leg.
A Family Event
It was truly a great Sunday Race Day morning. Our first triathlon as a family ❤️❤️❤️ and the kids 3rd triathlon (most of their races were Aquathlon and Runs). All of us were able to finish the race safe and sound. Best of all Nylo (IG: @nylo_cabero) and my wife (IG: @dhescruz) both landed on the podium in their respective age groups.
👏👏👏
Kudos to Bike King Philippines (IG @bikeking_ph) for another well organized and successful event. It hit all the right spots in what we look for in a race. This race will definitely be in our race calendar next year.
Credit goes to @bikekin_ph for all the images used in this blog
One of the premier organizers in Manila, Bike King Philippines, holds some of the well-organized and exciting multi-sport races. Last June 9, 2019 was their annual short distance race in Vermosa Sports Hub, the Vermosa Sprint Tri.
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| Team Banayad Family |
I initially planned to sit this race out and just document the race through videos and pictures of my wife and the kids. Instead, I did a last minute registration and made it a family event. This is the first event where all of us are racing. Usually, my wife and I would join a race and the the kids taking pictures or the other way around. This time the kids did a 400m swim, 15km bike and 2.5km run while we did their Full Distance Sprint (500m swim, 20km bike, 5km run).
On to the race recap.
Swim
The Swim leg was held in the Vermosa Sports Hub Olympic-sized pool -- one of the few 50 meter, 10 lane pool that's available to the public. Since I was a late registrant I was part of the very last group to be released. Our heat was a mixture of Age Groupers from as young as 18 yrs old to the a a triathlete in the 50s age group. An hour and a half has passed since the first group was released, it was finally our turn to get in the pool. The advantage of being part of the very last group is that the lanes are no longer crowded. There were less participants on the lanes or resting on the walls. With free lanes it also made it easier to pass someone.
This type of condition is ideal to get a good swim split or even a PR. As the air horn pierced the morning calmness, our group of five was finally off. The gentleman from the 50s age group busted out of the gate and was like a torpedo fired from a submarine. With around 15 meters to go in the first lap all I can see were bubbles that he left while speeding through to the next lane. I've had my fair share of sprint races and know better not to try going toe to toe with a fast swimmer. I reminded myself to race my own race from the swim all the way to the run. So I turned my focus on my stroke, my form and my kick. I was being very methodical with my swim. I wanted to achieve a fast pace but at the same time conserve energy for the next two disciplines. On the last lap, as I saw the 15 meter indicator flag I knew it was time to kick and pull harder. I have to prepare my limbs for the transition. Coming out of the pool I thought I had a good swim and equaled my best 500m time.
I completed the swim in 11 mins and 38 seconds (12:31 including the run from the pool to T1) almost a minute slower than what I was expecting -- my 500m best is 10:46.
 |
| Swim Tip: Learn the tumble turn. This is a great advantage in triathlon races held in a pool. |
Amongst the three disciplines, I think the bike leg is my strength. For one, it is the leg that I really enjoy the most. There's just something about getting on my bike, pushing those pedals and that feeling of slicing through the wind. Like what they say, it's the feeling of getting your gift from Santa on Christmas Day. However, that doesn't mean that I've measured up to the elites or the best riders in my age group. I am still a middle of the pack biker with lots of room for improvement.
 |
| Aero if life! |
 |
| Bike Tip: Check your equipment before the race! |
Run (the dreaded leg)
I have to admit that the run continues to be my water loo. The training sessions leading to the race I try to emphasize the need to work on my speed, ability to maintain that speed and really just digging deep and grind it out. I always find my mind breaking during the run leg and giving into the call to slowdown and walk. I've never had a race where I dug deep enough to run the entire run course. I Aside from the stops on the aid stations, I would convince myself that I needed the walking rest to finish strong. But in reality it is my mind breaking faster than my body.
The Vermosa Hub run course was hilly with some left and right turns to boot. Throw in the cement pavement and scorching summer sun, it was a disaster in the making for me.Off the bike I felt I had a good start pacing between 5:40 - 6 min at the first kilometer mark. I took a quick Pocari stop on the first aid station and quickly got back to running. Looking back, the stops at the aid stations doesn't help me because I lose time and momentum which adds to the mental part of the game (that it is easier to stop/walk than to keep on going). This unfortunate strategy will pave way to how I will execute the rest of the run leg. At the 1.5km mark I found myself having another quick aid stop. By this time my pace dropped to above 6 mins and I was quickly losing time. At the half way mark, after a big climb, I made another aid station stop dousing a bottle full of water over my face and core to keep the temperature down. Again, my mind was rationalizing that I need the quick rest to have a strong finish.
For some reason I found my stride and some resiliency on the back end of the run. I felt the much awaited second wind and was really hoping it will carry me to the finish arc. Any runner will agree that getting that second wind is much welcomed phase. This is where you get past being tired and the feeling of your lungs about to explode. One foot moves in front of the other, you hear your steady and rhythmic breathing, your arms swinging like a grandfather clock's pendulum. All of this happens with the least effort. My pace was back to 5:40 mins/km with some drops to 6:20 due to the inclines going back. With a little over a kilometer to go, one last aid stop and a 10 second rest, I knew I had to pick up the pace and try to catch some of the runners in front of me. Coming in to the last 400m, I descended from the streets of the Vermosa Complex to the Track Oval picking up my pace along the way. My 6:30 became 5:40 to 5:20 down to 5 mins/km and finally maxing out at 4:32 as I cross the finish line.
In the end
One of the reasons I like joining Bike King Sprint races is the opportunity to finish in the Top 10. The start list probably lacks the star power that Sunrise Inc and TRAP (which always includes Philippine Team members) brings. But it does not lack in fast and seasoned triathletes competing for a spot in the podium. It is also a good test of one's improvement and measure yourself against better competition.
Again, starting in the very last group (because I was a late registrant) I wasn't going through the course with my age group. It was hard to tell who is first, second or third. All I could do was try to finish the race as fast as I can. On the run course I watched some participants from age group on their way back as I was making my way to the half-way-mark u-turn slot. At the back of my mind I was thinking there's an outside chance that I can land in 3rd place. Though it will be up to how I finished my run leg.
A Family Event
It was truly a great Sunday Race Day morning. Our first triathlon as a family ❤️❤️❤️ and the kids 3rd triathlon (most of their races were Aquathlon and Runs). All of us were able to finish the race safe and sound. Best of all Nylo (IG: @nylo_cabero) and my wife (IG: @dhescruz) both landed on the podium in their respective age groups.
👏👏👏
Kudos to Bike King Philippines (IG @bikeking_ph) for another well organized and successful event. It hit all the right spots in what we look for in a race. This race will definitely be in our race calendar next year.
Credit goes to @bikekin_ph for all the images used in this blog
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