SINGAPORE — The cheers of random people and the event announcer echoed that Sunday afternoon from the beach of the Hyatt Regency in Danang, Vietnam as I approached the finish line. It was my first Ironman race for this year 2018, and my 5th Ironman finish.
As an OFW, it is never easy to be far from family and friends. Challenges from work and cultural differences among people I am surrounded with can be very overwhelming. In order to have a good professional work-life balance, I engage in “crazy stuff” like triathlons (swim-bike-run) and obstacle races.
A triathlon is composed of three disciplines that demand focus, determination, motivation, consistency, and commitment. An obstacle run, on the other hand, is a core exercise along the run course which actually benefits my triathlon fitness.
Both events are never easy, and can even be risky — but with good and consistent trainings, both can be very fulfilling. The most rewarding part for me, aside from the experience and earning a beautiful finishers medal, is being able to travel to different places and meeting different people with the same passion as mine. Above all, it is experiencing the culture of another place and experimenting with their local food. Having all these in one event fulfills my heart and soul, continuing to fuel me to be motivated in my professional work.
Trainings
Triathlon is an endurance sport so it takes a long process to develop and improve one’s self. To be fast, one has to invest in time, equipment, and proper nutrition. The sessions can be easy, moderate, comfortable, and hard. All these cannot happen in one day, nor one ween or even one month, as you are building yourself to be a better version of yourself yesterday.
There are also key points of certain stages during the preparation, such as reaching one’s peak performance, and tapering two weeks before race day.
Nutrition
Before, during, and even after my races, I strive to always eat healthy, and as much as possible, I avoid sugar and junk foods (which could be hard when we girls experience cravings). I always make sure to take multivitamins during trainings sessions as these can be physically demanding of energy and are times when we tend to lose more body liquids. This is also the time when our immune system is weaker because of constant fatigue. It is very important to keep yourself fit while on the training to have a continuous momentum.
The race
On race day, proper energy nutrition intake, electrolytes, and hydration play an important role. Above everything, I always say a prayer the moment I get up with the alarm clock. I remind myself that as I swim, I swim with my God. As I bike, I pedal with my Lord. And as I run, I run with my God.
On that day, I strive to execute to the letter everything that I had prepared for months and months in trainings.
But I also remind myself that no matter how high our expectations are, we should always leave room for a heart to accept reality. Because sometimes, the spirit is strong but the body is weak. So the goal would just have to be to enjoy the whole process, the preparations, the feelings, the experience, and the learnings this sport teaches us.
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Ida is a civil engineer working at the Land Transportation Authority of Singapore. Her passions include travelling, anything outdoors like trekking, camping on the hills and valleys. She grew up in Ozamiz City, then earned her degree at Silliman. After college, she just wanted to settle down in Negros Oriental; so her family moved to Sibulan. Ida has completed the Cebu Ironman in 2012 and 2016, the Putrajaya Ironman Malaysia in 2016, the Ironman Sydney in 2017, and Ironman Vietnam in 2018. Before joining these sporting races, she used to join beauty pageants and bikini opens around the Province and in Ozamiz.
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