Stop, Look and...

So when did Stop, Look and Listen become just Stop, Look.. cross?

Before crossing the street, people STOP (check!), LOOK (check!) and see a few guys (me & my friends, or just me), on bicycles, rolling at a much thrilling velocity of 60+kph.

So? Bicycles don't make noise! Go ahead! Take a step forward.. pssh!

f0r gRanTed..

"Take Care" is probably the most taken-for-granted two-word phrase.

When I say it, I mean it.  'Please take care.' 

iT's a sHoeLace-tYing CoNtesT!

Just this morning I overheard two neighborhood kids talking.
The first asked, "Do you know how to tie your shoelace?"
"Yes", answered the second kid.
"How fast could you tie your shoes? C'mon lets race! I'll race you in tying your shoelace!"

Believe it or not, the conversation stuck in my mind and I kept thinking about it that it made me break the silence in my blog to write about it!


Yey!


I always thought it felt intrusive when others try to question the things I do everyday that I think I do quite well such as tying my shoelaces. Like, C'mon! I do it everyday that I don't even think about it!
Have you ever thought of the details of tying your shoes? Could you write the directions down without  retying your shoes and taking down every loop or the lace?

Which arm goes into a sleeve first when you wear a shirt?

Do you think of which sock you wear first?
What shoe you put on first?

Such details don't need thinking about.  It's what makes life simpler and happier.! Think of the amount of stress you'll get when you have to analyze these things!

True.  Life's greatest joys are found in the simpler things. Life is full of no-need-to-think-about Shoelace-tying Contests that bring you joy although you haven't really thought of why.

So, are you confident with your shoelace-tying skills?

anY w0rse?

"The suppression of the desire to express"

When you know it's possible to express but you also know that not expressing is "the right thing to do."

THAT is probably the worst feeling in the whole world.

Not being able to move.
Not being able to speak.
Not being able to touch.
Not being able to express.


CAN ANYTHING FEEL WORSE?

Coty's iDea no.4

I was curious about what ideas my friend Coty would come up with when she started her 100 Ideas project.
Yesterday, in her post 100 Ideas: 4 I got really curious coz it contained a secret message, cut into several pieces and pasted back randomly. It definitely caught me. So I decided to "decrypt" this code. Using my limited knowledge in image manipulation, I managed to reassemble the message. So, ladies and gentlemen, here's Coty's secret:

(Drum roll)...

I'm secretly mad at my roomates right now because they got up early and woke me up before 6:00 a.m. I was so upset I had to go to the bathroom and quietly cry there because I can no longer take this noise and lack of sleep. I have a test today and I'm afraid I will fall asleep while I take it!

Well, Coty, I hope you did well on your test. :)

..go0d 'ol training days..

After some time of strength and conditioning, a long weekend seemed like a good time to try out and work on the practical. So, me and my friend Francis went on a training day on Maundy Thurday. We started with some drills and then went on to explore the new AIIAS Auditorium. The building has some good architecture. Meaning, it allowed for parkour training. We went around and over the building. And at the end of the day...

..and I try to remember, when was the last time I trained and wounded my hands?

It has been a while.

pedaling again..

About 60 kilometers under sun & rain,

to a hotspring to soothe my way-worn legs,

from pedaling a bike for near 3 hours o' strain

for but to sit for bout an hour long,

in a pool of hot water in a bowl of stone...

The trip took nearly 3 hours, beginning at 8 am and ending 11 am. Rain caused mud from the road to transfer to my cogs & chain. It got so dirty that it started making disturbing noises. I had to stop once in a while to wash the dirt off the chain. Water I used was from my water bottle.

Taking stops at 7-11 in Tagaytay, the AUP Gate, Paseo de Sta. Rosa, Burger King in Calamba, and finally, Dona Jovita Garden resort.

oh.. this was for a company retreat. I just decided to bike there..

..who will I meet in heaven.?

One day, my brother brought home this book by Mitch Albom entitled "The Five People You Meet in Heaven."

Since I didn't have any other book available to read, I started on this book not knowing the amount of wisdom packed in this book.  Once I encountered the first quote: "All endings are beginnings. We just don't know it at the time...", I started taking down certain points that I want to keep.

Although, I don't believe in the books picture of heaven, the idea and the concept just captivated me.  It constantly reminded me of my own life and how I've lived it.

Below are several quotes from the book.  Not all, since I want to tease you into reading the book.  Know more about the book here.

"No story sits by itself. Sometimes stories meet at corners and sometimes they cover one another completely, like stones beneath a river." p.10

"Each of us was in your life for a reason. You may not have known the reason at the time, and that is what heaven is for. For understanding your life on earth." p.35

"That there are no random acts. That we are all connected. That you can no more separate one life from another than you can separate a breeze from the wind." p.48

"Strangers are just family you have yet to come to know." p.49

"Sometimes when you sacrifice something precious, you're not really losing it. You're just passing it on to someone else."  p.94

"Holding anger is a poison. It eats you from inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do, we do to ourselves." p.141

"Lost love is still love, [Eddie]. It takes a different form, that's all. You can't see their smile or bring them food or tousle their hair or move them around a dance floor. But when those senses weaken, another heightens. Memory. Memory becomes your partner. You nurture it. You hold it. You dance with it." p.173

I'm converted.  I'm on the search to collecting several of Mitch Albom's books: Tuesdays With Morrie, For One More Day, Have a Little Faith, and my own copy of The Five People You Meet in Heaven.

..fRaGiLe..

The active person that I am, I have been through several experiences that live reminders on my body. For those who are not familiar with these -- these are called wounds, scars.  My experiences, mostly as a child, include bicycle crashes that have left scars on my forehead, knees, elbows. The most painful, I would say, happened recently.. about 3 years ago when I broke my arm (insights-fr0m-my-broken-arm).

I've found out that breaks in the body never heal 100%.  They always end up weaker than they originally were.  I don't play volleyball and sometimes, intercepting a pass during a game of basketball reminds me of this.  They are marked by scars and scar tissues always seem to break more easily the second time around.

After ages of not blogging, this seems like a proper post for this "Month of Love."  Nothing mushy or that sort of thing in this post though.  Similar to physical wounds, emotional wounds will never recover 100%.  And as a result the victim takes care of this wound, scared because it is now more fragile - more easily to break again.

No matter how much time it takes, coz people say "time heals all hurt", time can never heal anything 100%. Not physical wounds.  Not emotional wounds.  It just is not the way it works.  Once you've been scarred, the scar - the reminder - is always there and gets more fragile every time it breaks.


So, have a care for the people around you.  You may be handling a fragile, emotionally broken soul.  Have a care.  Be sensitive.  They may have trusted you enough to expose their 'weaknesses' to you.  Have a care.  You may not be able to heal them 100% but you may be able to help protect that scar and better yet, help soothe it.

2 Phase

My daily schedule for several months now and until the end of the year.

Phase 1: Work
Phase 2: Choir

New tHinGs..

There comes a time in your life when you have to let go of some things important to you to make way for something you think is WORTH the sacrifice.

I think I've come to a certain point.  I haven't been climbing in months, running and swimming have been pushed aside.  I'm almost quite sure I wouldn't fulfill the only two goals I have set for this year.

What has become of greater importance for me? Music - specifically choral music AND the choir I'm in.. and have been in since it began in 2006..

I still try to squeeze everything into the little time that is given to me every week, though.

...

..even the title is blank..

what do you do when you don't feel like writing down anything.?

many months have lapsed since the last time I blogged about anything..

..maybe i'll revamp..

Ready to TRI?

It's one week to go before my target date to my first TRI.  The ANIMO Sprint Triathlon in Alabang is happening on June 14, 2009.

950m Swim, 30km bike, 7km run.. AM I READY?



If ever I'm gonna race on the 14th, I'll be going alone.  No friends who are gonna race with me that are also racing for the first time.  I'll be tri-ing alone.  This will be a moment of truth.  Another thought to think about is have I been training enough?

I have never done a triathlon in my life and the idea of a 'first time' is nerve wrecking.  I have learned from Parkour training that the 'first jump' is the most important.  IF I am going to tri, I want to be able to attack it the best I can.  There will be no DNF (Did Not Finish).

SHOULD I TRI?

The Painful Truth

A friend of mine introduced me to this article: The painful truth about trainers: Are running shoes a waste of money?

When we were kids, we used to run around fields barefoot.  And I never experienced an ankle sprain! The first and only ankle sprain I've ever experienced came from a game of basketball last year -- while wearing shoes..

Click the link above to read the article.

Lance Armstrong's bike Recovered

Word is Lance's bike was returned by some anonymous citizen...without wheels!  I'm sure the got spares of that.  Only one bike from the other three missing has been recovered.


http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=/tech/2009/news/02-19

Lance Armstrongs TT Bike Stolen

I don't usually post this much in a day but somehow I find this news amusing enough to post.

Lance Armstrong's Time Trial bike along with three other Astana Team road bikes were stolen from the team truck February 15, 2009. Check out the full story from CNN: Armstrong's bike stolen after race

Skyway Run for the Whale Sharks: Registration Open!!

As of yesterday, February 16, 2009, the Registration for the Condura Run 09: Skyway Run for the Whale Sharks has been opened. Registration details can be found at http://condurarun.com

Distances: 3km, 5km, 10km, Half Marathon

The Skyway is a Philippine 'high speed' hi-way which will be part of the Condura Run Half Marathon.  No human (outside a vehicle) has been allowed on this road until now.  So take this opportunity to raise funds for the Whale Sharks and to run where no one has ever run before!

See you in the skyway!

Tagaytay Pista Ng Pag-Ibig 2009

Yesterday, February 15,2009, I witnessed my first live cycling event in Tagaytay City.  Headed by Tagaytay City Mayor and PhilCycling President, Bambol Tolentino, the Pista Ng Pag-Ibig (Feast of Love) is done every year.

I was reminded of my first running event (the Makati City Hall Vertical Race).  I was wearing jogging pants and a shirt.  I was surrounded by bronze skinned runners showing off their massive, well-toned legs through their 'ultra-short' shorts.  I was watching several runners warming up.  I was intimitated!

I didn't join this cycling event - which was also an event where they take the top 10 junior finishers and train them for a cycling event in Singapore - but I was really intimidated!  I just stood/sat scanning the human powered machines zooming past, while cyclists were warming up, trying to identify their equipment and taking mental notes of their riding techniques and form.  I fed my mind on the pretty eye candies - frames, wheelsets, components.  I, ofcourse, rode my bike to the place.  I am proud of my bike, don't get me wrong! But that time, I didn't associate myself with my bike as I wasn't dressed to match my bike.  I also watched as some people approached my bike and admiring it! Haha.. the pride of the builder!! ..but I didn't mention that it belonged to me. (how pathetic!)

The event also included a 160km ride.  As the race started, I watched these cyclists starting strong!  I wondered how they could keep up that pace when they had to ride 160kms.  Maybe it seemed strong to me, when to these steel legged superhumans, it was just another joy ride.  I was awakened to the world of cycling and how much more I have to train!

A pedal away

My road towards a triathlon is now just a pedal away.  I've spent a couple of months building up a road bike.  The process took more than that considering the time it took to scout for parts & prices and to research about proper bike fit.

Finally, I've managed to complete a machine.  Completely bought (except for handle bars & calipers) from Cycle Art in Quiapo, Manila.  This shop has probably the best customer service around.  I've been to other bike shops in the area and none came close to the friendliness of the people at Cycle Art.

Specifications:

Frameset: Kinesis KT415 TT SPF
Wheelset: Shimano WH-R550
Shifters: Shimano Sora STI, 9 speed
Front Derailleur: Shimano Sora
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Sora
Crank: Shimano Sora 50/34
Cassette: Shimano Tiagra 12-23, 9speed
Handlebars: MOB
Stem: FSA
Headset: Kinesis (manufactured for Cane Creek)
Breakset: Shimano Sora

The bike weighs a total of 20lbs which I consider incredibly light compared to bikes I have previously ridden.

The Kinesis kt415 has a TT (time trial) geometry with a seat angle of 76 degrees.  It came with fork and seat post.  I am planning to buy clip-on aero bars and transform this bike into a tri bike.  For now it will remain a road bike with tri geometry.  All components are Shimano Sora except the Cassette and I'm also planning to upgrade these to 105.  But not now.  I was on a budget and the real investment I made was on the frameset.

I built this bike up and fine-tuned the shifting and the stack and reach and was finally able to ride it a week after I finished assembling it.  Last Sunday, February 8, 2009 was the day I took it on it's first 40km trip.  I also took it for hill training last night.

I would like to especially thank Desiree of Cycle Art for being so helpful and accomodating.

If you wish to contact Cycle Art:

Cycle Art Mktg. Quiapo, Manila
Mobile: +639177951122

I'm still not abandoning ol faithful.  The bike I started training on:

Bomb?! ..Oh...

There a lot of things that can freak a crowd out and cause total chaos. One of which is a bomb threat. Imagine you are in a mall full of people when someone shouts "BOMB!!" and runs!! What do you think happen? Ahh.. Stampede!!

In the Philippines, and probably most anywhere in the world, joking about bombs isn't the funniest joke. Specially in airports. You could get caught, jailed, fined, then jailed again...ok, maybe not. I had a similar experience just recently. Not in an airport, nothing was funny (until I noticed), no one was jailed.

I traveled to Quiapo, Manila to purchase the lacking parts of my bicycle project. I was traveling with my friend RJ, who was also scouting for bike parts. On our way home, we decided to take the LRT. Train stations, in the Philippines at least, have security guards checking the contents of your bags. I was carrying a bag where I put my goodies. Approaching the security guard's desk I unzipped my bag and opened it. She (the security guard) was checking the contents. She found something and was gesturing - asking what it was. It was my bike handpump that I forgot to remove from my bag. "Bomba po!", I said. She let me pass.

Then, it dawned on me!! What the hell was that?! Did I just tell a security guard it was a BOMB? I was laughing to myself. I innocently answered her question saying that it was a hand pump! You see in the Philippines a pump is bomba, same filipino word for bomb. I was aware of the rules about making fun with bombs and such. I was glad I wasn't apprehended. It could have been serious!

Well, earlier, we were on the train and took out my water bottle to drink. While drinking, I tilted my head up and saw the sign saying "No Drinking!" My, my, me! I hurriedly put my water bottle away.