Thursday, December 27, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders
Right after Payton was born, I went to a party in Dallas that was hosted by the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. Of course, I asked them to sign a photo for Payton. I figured Jenna wouldn't mind, right? Well, the photo had been buried in some dusty pile. But today, it showed up while we were cleaning Payton's room.
Payton is now almost 4 yrs. old and maybe going on 14. He took the photo from his mom and ran to the corner of the room to take a good, long look at the photo. Jenna asked him, "What do you think of the picture?" Payton just grinned from ear to ear. Jenna rephrased the question, "How does the photo make you feel?" Payton smiled and whispered, "Excited." I busted out laughing, but it probably wasn't the answer his mom wanted to hear. Later, when I was tucking Pay to sleep, I asked him, "What does excited mean?" He said, "Excited is how you feel when you want something more than anything else." Yup, that's my boy!
There are many different types of recovery techniques, and for me humor is one of the best ways to recover from a hard workout. Today was a very hard training day behind the motorcycle. It was cold and windy. I was exhausted after the 3hr session. But Pay's humor helped me bounce back. I feel recovered already. These moments are priceless.
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Payton is now almost 4 yrs. old and maybe going on 14. He took the photo from his mom and ran to the corner of the room to take a good, long look at the photo. Jenna asked him, "What do you think of the picture?" Payton just grinned from ear to ear. Jenna rephrased the question, "How does the photo make you feel?" Payton smiled and whispered, "Excited." I busted out laughing, but it probably wasn't the answer his mom wanted to hear. Later, when I was tucking Pay to sleep, I asked him, "What does excited mean?" He said, "Excited is how you feel when you want something more than anything else." Yup, that's my boy!
There are many different types of recovery techniques, and for me humor is one of the best ways to recover from a hard workout. Today was a very hard training day behind the motorcycle. It was cold and windy. I was exhausted after the 3hr session. But Pay's humor helped me bounce back. I feel recovered already. These moments are priceless.
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Thursday, December 20, 2007
Like Groundhog Day - The Movie
My flight left Manila last night and arrived 14 hrs later in San Francisco. When I arrived, it was earlier on the SAME day I left Manila. Cool, thanks to the international dateline I get to re-live the day all over again. This time around, I'll spend it happily with my family, eat Little Star pizza, and sleep in my own comfy bed. Simple pleasures.
If I could re-do this trip again, I wouldn't change a thing, except, ride a bigger gear. I rode too small a gear for all the races. In Sydney, I needed a 49x14 for the pts., 53x15 for the Scratch, 50x14 for the kilo. At the SEA games, the velodrome was a fast outdoor 333 track. Again, I should have ridden bigger gears too. 52x15 for the pts and 50x14 for the Kilo. These are big gears for me, but the speed at these races required that I should have gone up a gear. Oh well, it's a learning experience.
All in all, this trip has been unforgettable. It has been a once in a lifetime opportunity for a happily married middle aged cyclist with 2 beautiful kids, a SF mortgage to pay, a business to run. I enjoyed every moment, even those moments of doubt and fear. I kept telling myself to "Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid." It worked. The support I received from friends and family was incredible. It sustained me throughout the trip. Thank you very much.
Finally, great news. We've raised almost $5K in donations in less than 1 month. There will be many happy poor children in the Philippines this Christmas. You've made a difference! Please continue to pass the donation page to your community www.firstgiving.com/2008olympics
If I could re-do this trip again, I wouldn't change a thing, except, ride a bigger gear. I rode too small a gear for all the races. In Sydney, I needed a 49x14 for the pts., 53x15 for the Scratch, 50x14 for the kilo. At the SEA games, the velodrome was a fast outdoor 333 track. Again, I should have ridden bigger gears too. 52x15 for the pts and 50x14 for the Kilo. These are big gears for me, but the speed at these races required that I should have gone up a gear. Oh well, it's a learning experience.
All in all, this trip has been unforgettable. It has been a once in a lifetime opportunity for a happily married middle aged cyclist with 2 beautiful kids, a SF mortgage to pay, a business to run. I enjoyed every moment, even those moments of doubt and fear. I kept telling myself to "Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid." It worked. The support I received from friends and family was incredible. It sustained me throughout the trip. Thank you very much.
Finally, great news. We've raised almost $5K in donations in less than 1 month. There will be many happy poor children in the Philippines this Christmas. You've made a difference! Please continue to pass the donation page to your community www.firstgiving.com/2008olympics
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Thursday, December 13, 2007
"Modern Man in Search of a Soul"
In Carl Jung's famous book he says that after 30 yrs of treating psych patients from many different backgrounds and problems, there has not been one whose problem in the last resort was not that of finding a religious outlook in life. No one is really healed who did not regain his religious outlook.
I was thinking of this within the context of how many of the athletes I've had the oppprtunity to know deal with the dissappointment of their results and expectations. Interestingly, those who have a religious outlook, seem to bounce back a lot more quickly from defeat. Many say that GOD has other plans for them. Their faith strengthens them. They seem happier to me and more optimistic. They worked very hard to achieve their goals and made tremendous sacrifices for many years. But unfortunately, things didn't workout. And they take it in stride and smile. "Beat it and bounce," as my buddy Robbie says. Spirituality is a liberating force.
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Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Taxi Cab Confessions
My SEA games trip is over and it's now time for some R&R with Jenna in Bangkok. She has already checked into the Four Seasons, and is enjoying the luxury treatment and brief time to herself without the kids. She hasn't had time just to herself for the past 3.5 yrs, so this is a welcome relief. I owe her big time.
On my cab ride from the airport to the hotel, the cab driver was keen to point out all the shopping districts, and offered to drive me around to some bargain places. No, thank you. I hate shopping and I'm hoping that Jenna has already done this before I arrive. But what I want is a spa treatment. And when I mentioned this to the cab driver, his head spun around like in the Exorcist. Just like in the movie, he gave me that fiendish smile and said, "Weeally (it's really, but Thais cannot pronounce the r)..yah yah, i know vewy good place, you like go now..weelax and be wery happy." I'm sure you do. I think he was disappointed I declined the offer. Interestingly, it was at the Four Seasons in Bangkok a few year back, pre-kids, where we picked up a taxi to go to an upscale spa but somehow ended up in the shady red light district. These things happen here since there's a lot of kickback for bringing customers for shopping and/or the happy ending massages.
Remember the BeeGees song, "One night in Bangkok, makes the world your oyster, and if your lucky she's a he." It's crazy how many beautiful women are not really women. If they are too perfect then "she's a he." One night in Bangkok is all I need to spend in Thailand then I'm off to Manila.
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On my cab ride from the airport to the hotel, the cab driver was keen to point out all the shopping districts, and offered to drive me around to some bargain places. No, thank you. I hate shopping and I'm hoping that Jenna has already done this before I arrive. But what I want is a spa treatment. And when I mentioned this to the cab driver, his head spun around like in the Exorcist. Just like in the movie, he gave me that fiendish smile and said, "Weeally (it's really, but Thais cannot pronounce the r)..yah yah, i know vewy good place, you like go now..weelax and be wery happy." I'm sure you do. I think he was disappointed I declined the offer. Interestingly, it was at the Four Seasons in Bangkok a few year back, pre-kids, where we picked up a taxi to go to an upscale spa but somehow ended up in the shady red light district. These things happen here since there's a lot of kickback for bringing customers for shopping and/or the happy ending massages.
Remember the BeeGees song, "One night in Bangkok, makes the world your oyster, and if your lucky she's a he." It's crazy how many beautiful women are not really women. If they are too perfect then "she's a he." One night in Bangkok is all I need to spend in Thailand then I'm off to Manila.
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$20K + House and Lot
...Is the Indonesian incentive to all their athletes for winning gold in the SEA Games. Every country has a similar financial incentive but not as generous as Indonesia's. There's a lot at stake for many athletes. It could mean that Santa is coming to town or not. So everyone fights for the win. It's a slug fest. And the sacrifices for many are incredible. I'll write about this later.
I'm really impressed with the quality of competition here. It's world class. The athletes are full time athletes. They are supported by government funding and receive a lot of support. At the Philippine camp for instance, we have some of the best medical staff: orthopedic doctors, chiropractor, physiotherapist, PT, and massage therapists. I kept them busy, sometimes I even got 2 massages a day after my workouts. It's been great. There are also many administrative people who manage the logistics of travel and make life easy for all of us. All that they ask is that we win gold.
We won gold in the points race. My teammate who is arguably the best Philippine rider, Victor Espiritu won it. He covered the breakaway attacks while I rested for the sprints. Consequently, within the first 8 laps he was able to lap the field with the right combination of countries represented in the breakaway. Once he established his lead, we just defended his position and helped him as much as we could. I was able to win some sprints and take away points from the competition and chase down potential breaks. It was a great team race and I'm lucky to have such a strong teammate. The racing was brutal, unlike any points race I've ever done. The overall speed was lower but the attacks were nonstop. It was an exhausting 40K interval. I was cross eyed by the finish, and completely spent.
It was an honor to join Victor on his victory lap draped in the Philippine flag. And watching the flag raised while singing the national anthem was memorable. It's been many, many years since I sang the national anthem as a kid growing up in the PI, but the words came back easily and I sang along proudly.
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Thursday, December 6, 2007
Opening Ceremonies
Breathe...Enjoy the ride. I get this advice a lot. At the World Cup in Sydney, I definitely was so focused on the outcome that I may not have appreciated the experience as much as I should have. But now, with some space between the racing, I'm able to reflect on a lot of great memories.
It was super cool to have witnessed the speed of Theo Bos while he was launching his flying 200. I was riding behind him before his twin turbos kicked into overdrive. It's the ultimate image of speed. I enjoyed the Kilo the best, since I was able to sit up on the starting gate and take in the moment. The stands were packed with cheering Aussie's, the infield was a vibrant color of all the national federations. And there were so many top riders present, who I only saw prior to Sydney on DVDs. And most of all, the opportunity to meet many good interesting people with different backgrounds was priceless.
It was super cool to have witnessed the speed of Theo Bos while he was launching his flying 200. I was riding behind him before his twin turbos kicked into overdrive. It's the ultimate image of speed. I enjoyed the Kilo the best, since I was able to sit up on the starting gate and take in the moment. The stands were packed with cheering Aussie's, the infield was a vibrant color of all the national federations. And there were so many top riders present, who I only saw prior to Sydney on DVDs. And most of all, the opportunity to meet many good interesting people with different backgrounds was priceless.
Last night, I was fortunate enough to experience the SEA Games opening ceremony. It was simply magical. It was unlike any sporting experience I've had. My heart skipped a few beats as we entered the stadium. I did not expect the event to be so grand. As I walked into the stadium, from the silent staging tunnel, we were greeted by an overwhelming applause accompanied by the sounds of a beating drum. Images of Gladiator came to mind. For a moment, lost in my imagination, it felt as though all the thousands of fans, cameras, media, TV coverage, the Prince, were focused on me. And like Maximus, I held my arms high and thought, "Are you not entertained?"
We all marched in dressed in our respective team outfits waving our flags. I wanted to break formation and run up to the stands and give everyone a high five. I was simply and completely overjoyed to be part of this. It would have been perfect had my family and friends been here to enjoy the festivities with me.
The evening was like a Superbowl spectacle of fire works, music, and dancing, but with a very special spicy Thai flavor. The night was just as Maggy would say, "OOOsome." Breathe and enjoy the ride - Absolutely!
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Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Charity Update
I'm very grateful for all the support and generosity from friends, family, and colleagues. It's amazing how quickly we've raised 10% of the targeted donation amount of $25K. I get an email alert after each donation, and there were moments when my blackberry would not stop vibrating from all the alerts. Thank you, I truly appreciate everyone's help.
After the SEA Games in Thailand, I will be traveling to Manila to again visit the charity. I will also work on securing a corporate sponsor to match the donations raised. Winning a gold medal in Thailand will help attract sponsorships. Therefore, I'm hopeful my best will earn us the gold.
Also, I want to assure everyone that 100% of your donation will be used to help the poor, hungry, and homeless children of the Philippines. I will directly be involved to make
sure that we all can be a force of good and help make a difference.
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Thailand
...Rolled out the red carpets for the SEA Games. After a long flight from Sydney I was greeted by the Thai Federation at baggage claim. An army of helpers, picked up all my bags and carted it down to a reception lounge, where food and drinks were provided. Then we were driven by chartered bus to the Athletes Village in Korat. The movie, Beowulf was played on the bus. Thought this movie was still out in the theaters.
There's a security point check-in before you can enter the athlete's village. It's not as strip down tight like airport security, but the guards are armed and there are German Shepard bomb sniffing dogs. It's alarming, but generally, it feels safe here among the 5k+ Asian athletes/coaches. There are more sporting events here compared to the Olympics. I'm meeting a lot of great athletes in boxing, rugby, tennis, swimming, and the world champion billiards team. I'm hoping to pick up some tips to improve my sorry game.
The housing is dorm style rooms but the fridges are stocked full of water, cokes, and my favorite recovery drink- Nestle chocolate milk. Score.
The dining hall is all you can eat Thai food. There's a hot Thai food section and a Not hot section. I didn't read the signs on the first day and ate some scorching food. My mouth is still on fire from the Thai chilies I ate.
The venues are state of the art facilities. The velodrome is way cool. Each team has their own locker rooms and shower rooms. And Thailand has provided us with a team bus similar to the ones the pro riders use in the Tour. There is a shower room/ bathroom/ and a pimped out disco ball to boot. I love Thailand! Now I gotz to go for my Thai massage.....
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There's a security point check-in before you can enter the athlete's village. It's not as strip down tight like airport security, but the guards are armed and there are German Shepard bomb sniffing dogs. It's alarming, but generally, it feels safe here among the 5k+ Asian athletes/coaches. There are more sporting events here compared to the Olympics. I'm meeting a lot of great athletes in boxing, rugby, tennis, swimming, and the world champion billiards team. I'm hoping to pick up some tips to improve my sorry game.
The housing is dorm style rooms but the fridges are stocked full of water, cokes, and my favorite recovery drink- Nestle chocolate milk. Score.
The dining hall is all you can eat Thai food. There's a hot Thai food section and a Not hot section. I didn't read the signs on the first day and ate some scorching food. My mouth is still on fire from the Thai chilies I ate.
The venues are state of the art facilities. The velodrome is way cool. Each team has their own locker rooms and shower rooms. And Thailand has provided us with a team bus similar to the ones the pro riders use in the Tour. There is a shower room/ bathroom/ and a pimped out disco ball to boot. I love Thailand! Now I gotz to go for my Thai massage.....
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Sunday, December 2, 2007
Managing Expectations
A friend told me that more athletes see a sports psychologist about managing unrealistic expectations than any other problem. I think I may need to see one after this Sydney World Cup.
I should have been more realistic with my expectations. Oh, there goes gravity, back to reality. But, I'm glad to have had this learning experience, and now that it's over, I have a renewed commitment to work even harder at improving my game for the next round in LA. It's a whole new level at the World Cups but it's manageable. I'll have 3 more shots at goal but I need to focus more than on just endurance events. At this level, I need to specialize in the points and scratch races only.
After the racing was all over, my new adopted teammates, Team Global, and I just kicked it at the hotel bar and kept the pints flowing. It's been fun hanging with Maggy, Supermac, Princes Louis, and Cakein. You can race alone but it's very hard. I'm really glad I met a great group of people. And together we helped each other through the racing and logistics, and had we had a blast.
It was crazy getting to the airport this Monday morning. Everyone's bikes were picked up at the velodrome last night, and dropped off at the airport. Imagine trucks loaded with boxes of Look, and BT bikes being dropped at the curbside without the riders. There were probably a million dollars worth of equipment just sitting there. Amazingly, the teams look out for each other and we all got our equipment.
I just got rooted (bad Aussie word) by Thai Airlines. Since I'm not flying to the great US of A, I was charged $20 per kilo over 30 kilos. I paid $1200. INSANE! Better fly my bags first class for that. Anyhow, now, I'm off to Thailand for the SEA Games. Wish me luck.
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I should have been more realistic with my expectations. Oh, there goes gravity, back to reality. But, I'm glad to have had this learning experience, and now that it's over, I have a renewed commitment to work even harder at improving my game for the next round in LA. It's a whole new level at the World Cups but it's manageable. I'll have 3 more shots at goal but I need to focus more than on just endurance events. At this level, I need to specialize in the points and scratch races only.
After the racing was all over, my new adopted teammates, Team Global, and I just kicked it at the hotel bar and kept the pints flowing. It's been fun hanging with Maggy, Supermac, Princes Louis, and Cakein. You can race alone but it's very hard. I'm really glad I met a great group of people. And together we helped each other through the racing and logistics, and had we had a blast.
It was crazy getting to the airport this Monday morning. Everyone's bikes were picked up at the velodrome last night, and dropped off at the airport. Imagine trucks loaded with boxes of Look, and BT bikes being dropped at the curbside without the riders. There were probably a million dollars worth of equipment just sitting there. Amazingly, the teams look out for each other and we all got our equipment.
I just got rooted (bad Aussie word) by Thai Airlines. Since I'm not flying to the great US of A, I was charged $20 per kilo over 30 kilos. I paid $1200. INSANE! Better fly my bags first class for that. Anyhow, now, I'm off to Thailand for the SEA Games. Wish me luck.
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Friday, November 30, 2007
I needed a life vest today
Today is definitely not a memorable day. It started off badly when my chain snapped while riding to the track. So, I had to walk back a couple of kilometers to the hotel. Then when I eventually got to the track, freakin' team USA, who i was sharing space with, totally displaced me by moving the Philippine sign to the Porsche Aussie squad, and they in turn buried it somewhere never to be found. So I had no where to park my gear. It's the first time I felt alone here.
So I eventually just tagged along with Magnus. Then, I found out that I left my assos chamois creme at the hotel. Me and the boys just weren't comfortable from then on. And it gets more comical actually.
I got to the start line, and the chief commisaire said I had the wrong numbers on. They issued new numbers in the morning. He asked me if my team manager had them. Nope. I am the team manager, rider, mechanic, a bad one at that, massuer, and oh yeah, I'm riding too. Anyhow, this is the World Cup, the majors of track cycling, and he wasn't going to just let me in with the wrong numbers. So I ran to get the other set of numbers with my cleats on. The race was delayed 5 minutes, which pissed off the other teams.
I ran back, and 3 teams had to help me unpin, re-pin, and, oh, I needed a holder too since I was in the blue line. Japan stepped in to help me and we we're off for my first world cup race. Definitely, not an ideal start. And it went from bad to worse.
I was just spinning in squares-- must have been from all the walking, running. I don't know why but I just had no leg speed. When the attacking started, it was game over for me. Today, I felt like a Saturn car racing against Formula 1 cars. It was my worst track day ever. But, I finished and I tried with what I had today. I wasn't tired, just couldn't turn the pedals. Tomorrow is a new day and I'll try again in the Scratch and Kilo. But, I'm doing the Keirin. No sense in doing it without any leg speed. It would have been dangerous.
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So I eventually just tagged along with Magnus. Then, I found out that I left my assos chamois creme at the hotel. Me and the boys just weren't comfortable from then on. And it gets more comical actually.
I got to the start line, and the chief commisaire said I had the wrong numbers on. They issued new numbers in the morning. He asked me if my team manager had them. Nope. I am the team manager, rider, mechanic, a bad one at that, massuer, and oh yeah, I'm riding too. Anyhow, this is the World Cup, the majors of track cycling, and he wasn't going to just let me in with the wrong numbers. So I ran to get the other set of numbers with my cleats on. The race was delayed 5 minutes, which pissed off the other teams.
I ran back, and 3 teams had to help me unpin, re-pin, and, oh, I needed a holder too since I was in the blue line. Japan stepped in to help me and we we're off for my first world cup race. Definitely, not an ideal start. And it went from bad to worse.
I was just spinning in squares-- must have been from all the walking, running. I don't know why but I just had no leg speed. When the attacking started, it was game over for me. Today, I felt like a Saturn car racing against Formula 1 cars. It was my worst track day ever. But, I finished and I tried with what I had today. I wasn't tired, just couldn't turn the pedals. Tomorrow is a new day and I'll try again in the Scratch and Kilo. But, I'm doing the Keirin. No sense in doing it without any leg speed. It would have been dangerous.
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Thursday, November 29, 2007
Points Race Heats
Gotta love my heat, the past 4 world champions are in mine - llaneras, Schep, Rybin, Newton, and toss in Magnus, to the mix for more hurt. Guess there are no easy heats at this level. Wish me luck.
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The Day before race day
...is usually the most anxious & stressful day. And generally, the more I think about the race the worse i do. It's best just to kick it and have a lot of laughs. And that's what i did with my new composite team, Team Planet, of Lone Wolf Riders - Magnus Backstedt, 05 Paris Roubaix winner from Sweden, Kate, Commonwealth medalist from Scotland, and Louis, pro rider from Ireland. Our team manager is Martin Mcrossin, commentator for cycling TV and last yrs. Track worlds. He actually represented all of us at the managers meeting. Picked up our numbers and confirmed our entries. It's really cool to have some camaraderie with great riders I've just met.
Initially, I was worried it was going to feel a bit lonely here on my own, but not at all. It's a great community, and that's what I enjoy most about track. You really get to know many good people, cuz there's a lot of downtime b/w workouts, racing. Anyhow, I'm in a good mood since we spent the later part of dinner just telling some jokes, which I'll keep of the blog and will share in person. But one funny story Magnus said was about the Uruguay Madison team.
He said it's going to be a slaughter house for the madison heats. He couldn't believe it when he witnessed one of the Uruguay riders hanging on for dear life on the top railing between turn 1 and 2 in the steepest portion of the banking 42degrees, steep. The coach had to bail the rider from the top stands. Guess the rider was going too slow and freaked out. Can u just imagine it. I know how it must have felt for the Uruguay rider.
Sometimes I feel like I'm going to slide down the bank and take out everyone below me as though I was the bowling bowl and they were the pins. And it'll be an embarrassing strike and I'll get my butt kicked off the track. Yup, I would grab the rails too rather than slide down. Wish i had a picture of the blooper moment.
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Initially, I was worried it was going to feel a bit lonely here on my own, but not at all. It's a great community, and that's what I enjoy most about track. You really get to know many good people, cuz there's a lot of downtime b/w workouts, racing. Anyhow, I'm in a good mood since we spent the later part of dinner just telling some jokes, which I'll keep of the blog and will share in person. But one funny story Magnus said was about the Uruguay Madison team.
He said it's going to be a slaughter house for the madison heats. He couldn't believe it when he witnessed one of the Uruguay riders hanging on for dear life on the top railing between turn 1 and 2 in the steepest portion of the banking 42degrees, steep. The coach had to bail the rider from the top stands. Guess the rider was going too slow and freaked out. Can u just imagine it. I know how it must have felt for the Uruguay rider.
Sometimes I feel like I'm going to slide down the bank and take out everyone below me as though I was the bowling bowl and they were the pins. And it'll be an embarrassing strike and I'll get my butt kicked off the track. Yup, I would grab the rails too rather than slide down. Wish i had a picture of the blooper moment.
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Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Sydney - Training Session with the Russians and the French
There are over 500 athletes competing at this Sydney World cup. It is the most attended world cup ever. Everyone who rides a track bike really fast is here to qualify for Beijing. Joshiah Ng said that in 2004 it was easier to get UCI points for the Olympics. But now the field is alot bigger & the competition is tougher. That's great news for the sport. Not for me personally, but I get up for competition.
Speaking of competition, I was chillin in the hotel lobby with Magnus Backstedt. He too is riding solo for Sweden. There 6 other solo riders here. Ireland, Scotland, Finland, Sweden, China Taipei, and the Philippines, and we all share the same locker. Good to know i'm not the only lone wolf. Nonetheless, I'm proud to represent the Philippines. And a lot of the other federations I've talked too find it pretty cool that I'm here trying. Go Philippines they yell out loud. Guess they never seen a Filipino ride this fast or be as tall =).
Speaking of competition, I was chillin in the hotel lobby with Magnus Backstedt. He too is riding solo for Sweden. There 6 other solo riders here. Ireland, Scotland, Finland, Sweden, China Taipei, and the Philippines, and we all share the same locker. Good to know i'm not the only lone wolf. Nonetheless, I'm proud to represent the Philippines. And a lot of the other federations I've talked too find it pretty cool that I'm here trying. Go Philippines they yell out loud. Guess they never seen a Filipino ride this fast or be as tall =).
I followed Mikel Bourgain on his flying 200. All I can say is that he is soo smooth. He doesn't look like he's trying but he's flyin. Not that big of a guy. Actually, most of the really fast sprinters aren't as big as the video makes them out to be. I have a photo of the Bos and I, and honestly, i looked bigger up top. And yes, my legs r bigger too. But i am waaaay slower. Size doesn't matter.
I almost got killed by the russian sprinter. I was getting started on my flying kilo and he was diving in for his 200 sprint and we barely missed. He said something in russian. And I said probably the same thing in English, fx@#. Then i also dropped in behind Ignatiev during the russian team pursuit, double disc and all. They were flyin, but i went around them on my last lap of my kilo effort. I think i may post a new kilo pr if i'm not too tired after the pts, keirin, scratch, then kilo. My starts are rockin. I did my first lap in 19.3 about 2 secs faster than my LA start at Natz. Hopefully, i'll do a 105+. The speed is coming back, finally, after all the weight session.
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My Olympic Dreams for the Children
As a member of the Philippine National Cycling team, I will be competing around the world in Sydney, Korat, Thailand, Los Angeles, Denmark, and Manchester to qualify for the '08 Beijing Olympics in track cycling. I am dedicating my Olympic pursuit to a charity serving poor children in the Philippines, and I need your help.
I am currently in Sydney, where I am getting ready for the 1st rnd of the World cup. I''ll be on the road, racing and promoting the charity for a month. It's already difficult and lonely being away from my family especially during the Holidays. Before I left home, my son, Payton, reminded me of the true purpose of my trip when he said, "Dad, you're leaving us to help the poor children, right?" I replied, "I hope so."
What I'm trying to achieve is more than just about biking. Hopefully, at the end of it all, whether I make it to the Olympics or not, we will have made a difference in the lives of poor children in the Philippines. Then, all the hard work and sacrifices will truly be meaningful.
Please support me along the way by donating to the charity. To donate and learn more about what I'm doing, simply go to:
I am currently in Sydney, where I am getting ready for the 1st rnd of the World cup. I''ll be on the road, racing and promoting the charity for a month. It's already difficult and lonely being away from my family especially during the Holidays. Before I left home, my son, Payton, reminded me of the true purpose of my trip when he said, "Dad, you're leaving us to help the poor children, right?" I replied, "I hope so."
What I'm trying to achieve is more than just about biking. Hopefully, at the end of it all, whether I make it to the Olympics or not, we will have made a difference in the lives of poor children in the Philippines. Then, all the hard work and sacrifices will truly be meaningful.
Please support me along the way by donating to the charity. To donate and learn more about what I'm doing, simply go to:
www.firstgiving.com/2008olympics
Thank You!
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If I had one day in Sydney...
Where should i go? Well, that was the ? I asked my driver. Figured I might have Sunday to tour after the racing.
She said that I should definitely check out the Opera and alot of places are within walking distance from there. OR "Do u want to see Bush?" Ahhhh, i don't know what u mean. Even in Thailand they aren't that blalant about it. They ask if u want a massage first. So i figured it meant something else. She meant outback. But i told her what i iniatially thought she meant and we started cracking up. She then was nice enough to give me a brief aussie slang crash course.
I've also had a busy day with getting setup with my bikes and the workout for today. The coolest thing is that I worked out with the Dutch and Chinese teams today. And i did a couple of laps behind the Bos. Gotta eat now and catch the team bus back to the hotel and snooze! Long 2 days.
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Sunday, November 25, 2007
Sink or Swim
I've always jumped into the deep end with alot of the things I've done in life. This Olympic pursuit is just another challenge I hope to rise up to.
One thing is for sure, i couldn't have done this on my own. There are so many people i'm forever grateful for their suppoprt and generosity. Robbie, Brian, Matias, Bill, Tim, Altamarano have all hooked me up with the equipment I need so i don't look so ghetto against the competition. Then there's Taylor, my chiropractor; Jay, head of IO-USA, altitide simulation, Mark, massage therapist and Vlad, my Olympic gold medalist Belarusan coach, who make sure I'm firing on all cyclinders. They make sure I'm physically in top shape.
There's my national coach, Jomel, who's taken care of my racing logistics and has warmly welcomed me into the National team. Then there's my great business partner, Ray, who's a great moral and financial support to this exciting adventure. As he says "Its just another validation that we have still not seen the best that life can offer." To do this at my not so young age, married, 2 children, a business to run, a mortgage to pay, well, it's all a bonus and proves that life does get better with age.
And most of all, i could not do this without my family's support. My aunts, cousins, my mom, and brothers have all given me so incredible support. I owe so much to them. And most of all, I owe everything to Jenna and the kids. They give me the courage and strenght to pursue this dream.
Sink or swim? Well with all the help i've been fortunate enough to receive, i feel like i'm already floating. Thank you everyone!
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
One thing is for sure, i couldn't have done this on my own. There are so many people i'm forever grateful for their suppoprt and generosity. Robbie, Brian, Matias, Bill, Tim, Altamarano have all hooked me up with the equipment I need so i don't look so ghetto against the competition. Then there's Taylor, my chiropractor; Jay, head of IO-USA, altitide simulation, Mark, massage therapist and Vlad, my Olympic gold medalist Belarusan coach, who make sure I'm firing on all cyclinders. They make sure I'm physically in top shape.
There's my national coach, Jomel, who's taken care of my racing logistics and has warmly welcomed me into the National team. Then there's my great business partner, Ray, who's a great moral and financial support to this exciting adventure. As he says "Its just another validation that we have still not seen the best that life can offer." To do this at my not so young age, married, 2 children, a business to run, a mortgage to pay, well, it's all a bonus and proves that life does get better with age.
And most of all, i could not do this without my family's support. My aunts, cousins, my mom, and brothers have all given me so incredible support. I owe so much to them. And most of all, I owe everything to Jenna and the kids. They give me the courage and strenght to pursue this dream.
Sink or swim? Well with all the help i've been fortunate enough to receive, i feel like i'm already floating. Thank you everyone!
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Monday, November 12, 2007
Philippine Trip - Training with the National Cycling Team
Here's a quick recap of my 15 day trip
Day 1: 20 hr flight to the PI, where I sat uncomfortably in coach watching some bad movies and ate some not so good food. But I was excited about the trip and the time flew by, I actually was lucky enough to sleep most of the way. When I finally got to Manila, I was greeted by my aunt, grandpa, and the suffocating heat and pollution. But my aunt reminds me that this weather is actually cool for this time of the year. But coming from San Francisco, well this mild weather is like an inferno. Later that night, I went out to a cool bar to see TJ, the son of my host family, play with his band. I drank a few rounds of vodka tonic with the hope that it will knock me out for the night.
Day2: The vodka loading didn't work. I woke up at 3am with a hangover instead. And my jetlag was pretty bad since there's a 15 hr time difference b/w SF and Manila. I tried very hard to force myself back to sleep - blinders, ear piece, nothing worked. It was impossible. Later in the day, I met up with the team and coaches. Got the grand tour of the velodrome and housing facilities of the team. The velodrome was actually packed with people praying. It turns out that the team shares the velodrome with worshipers every Wed and the weekends. This means that we can only train during certain days/hours. Wouldn't want to upset God by interrupting a prayer vigil =)
Day 3 - 6: Hard Training behind a moto. We were doing 2 a day training sessions in the heat and smog. I was exhausted everyday. And the jetlag was killing me. My teammates are really strong, and I'm honored to be able to join this team of dedicated and talented riders. Most of my teammates, have ridden for the National team for a few years and have represented the Philippines in many prestigious international events like the Asian Games, Tour of Taiwan, Tour of Langkawi, SEA Games, etc. This year will be my first and I hope to make the most of it by qualifying myself and the team for the '08 Beijing Olympics and winning gold at the SEA Games.
Day 7: Day off. I spend the time visiting the charity that I'm helping out, The Philippine Childrens Fund of America PCFA. They have built a ranch 2 hrs from Manila in the outskirts of Clark, the former US Airforce Base. The ranch is a a unique biopreserve and a sanctuary for abandoned animals. It's a beautiful ranch located in the ancestral grounds of the Aeta community, who are the aboriginal people of the Philippines. The goal of the ranch is to create a sustainable community to help fund educational and feeding programs for the Aeta children and also the orphaned children in Clark. It's a great charity that I'm happy to be helping out.
To donate visit: www.firstgiving.com/2008olympics
Day 8: Sick. The fatigue, hard training, and the pollution have finally caught up to me. I spend the day resting/sleeping and just eating fresh philippine fruits, like Atis, Mango, Lansones. Yum.
Day 9: Press Conference time. I was invited along with the coach and the team captains on a press conference that was attended by the Philippine sports writers for the major papers. The press conference was also on live radio and taped for TV. It was the cool. I fielded alot of questions about my background, results and chances for the winning a medal at the SEA GAMES. I answered the questions in Tagalog, which surprised alot of the journalist. But they were pleasantly surprised and i think b/c of it, they were more interested in what I had to say. I was working the press with the hope that they create good exposure that will help me land a corporate sponsor for the charity. Anyhow, it's good to be bilingual. Now I have to teach my kids to speak tagalog.
Day 10 - 11: 2 days of Medical checkups. The full workup, piss into a cup, draw blood, pushup and situp tests, xray, VO2 max testing, flexibility and strength test. I even took a psych test. Also, I had a dental checkup, cleaning. The dentist says that they want to make sure the athletes have a nice white smile for when we win gold at the SEA Games. It's all a big deal in the Philippines. I'm starting to feel the pressure, well, I'm looking forward to winning gold. One of the cool benefits of being on the National Team is that I get full dental/medical coverage in the Philippines and anywhere I compete overseas. Just so the movie Sicko about Healthcare problem in the US, and it made me appreciate this benefit all the more.
Day 12-13: We weren't able to ride for the past 2 days because it was raining and the velodrome is unrideable. They used shiny paint for the pavement and it feels like riding on ice when there's a little bit of water on the track. So I've been riding the rollers a few hours a day instead. When the rain finally cleared up, the coaches double checked the track, wiped it down by getting down on their hands and knees. Then we did some speed drills and a timed attack. I did a 500m tt and flying 200. My times were slow for me since I've been sick, but I was still able to post the fastest times.
Day 14: Got the greenlight from the coaches to take the the team out to a comedy club where we stayed out til 3 Am. This is probably the teams last relaxing day before the hard training push for the SEA Games in December. So everyone was really up for partying that night. It was a lot of fun hanging with the guys, and cracking up while I embarrassed myself on stage by singing karaoke to Sexy back and doing a dance off. Beer, well lots of it, gives you stupid courage.
Day 15: Fly Back to San Francisco. But not before, I was detained in the airport for having an overweight oversized bike case. They were going to charge me $750. That got me all stressed out and I had to unpack my bike and unload some extra gear. I finally got the weight down so I only had to shell out $150. Still, it sucked and got me all stressed out for my 20 hr flight back to SF. Not good. In the end, I got sick again and finally, had to take antibiotics to get over the bacterial infection. It was a fun trip, but I'm happy to be back home with my family. I really missed Jenna, Payton, and Aria. It was hard being away. I can't believe I'll be away for a month in Nov.-Dec while I compete in the Track World Cup Events in Sydney & Beijing, and the SEA Games in Thailand, and back to Manila to meet with the president. It's a hectic but exciting time.
Day 1: 20 hr flight to the PI, where I sat uncomfortably in coach watching some bad movies and ate some not so good food. But I was excited about the trip and the time flew by, I actually was lucky enough to sleep most of the way. When I finally got to Manila, I was greeted by my aunt, grandpa, and the suffocating heat and pollution. But my aunt reminds me that this weather is actually cool for this time of the year. But coming from San Francisco, well this mild weather is like an inferno. Later that night, I went out to a cool bar to see TJ, the son of my host family, play with his band. I drank a few rounds of vodka tonic with the hope that it will knock me out for the night.
Day2: The vodka loading didn't work. I woke up at 3am with a hangover instead. And my jetlag was pretty bad since there's a 15 hr time difference b/w SF and Manila. I tried very hard to force myself back to sleep - blinders, ear piece, nothing worked. It was impossible. Later in the day, I met up with the team and coaches. Got the grand tour of the velodrome and housing facilities of the team. The velodrome was actually packed with people praying. It turns out that the team shares the velodrome with worshipers every Wed and the weekends. This means that we can only train during certain days/hours. Wouldn't want to upset God by interrupting a prayer vigil =)
Day 3 - 6: Hard Training behind a moto. We were doing 2 a day training sessions in the heat and smog. I was exhausted everyday. And the jetlag was killing me. My teammates are really strong, and I'm honored to be able to join this team of dedicated and talented riders. Most of my teammates, have ridden for the National team for a few years and have represented the Philippines in many prestigious international events like the Asian Games, Tour of Taiwan, Tour of Langkawi, SEA Games, etc. This year will be my first and I hope to make the most of it by qualifying myself and the team for the '08 Beijing Olympics and winning gold at the SEA Games.
Day 7: Day off. I spend the time visiting the charity that I'm helping out, The Philippine Childrens Fund of America PCFA. They have built a ranch 2 hrs from Manila in the outskirts of Clark, the former US Airforce Base. The ranch is a a unique biopreserve and a sanctuary for abandoned animals. It's a beautiful ranch located in the ancestral grounds of the Aeta community, who are the aboriginal people of the Philippines. The goal of the ranch is to create a sustainable community to help fund educational and feeding programs for the Aeta children and also the orphaned children in Clark. It's a great charity that I'm happy to be helping out.
To donate visit: www.firstgiving.com/2008olympics
Day 8: Sick. The fatigue, hard training, and the pollution have finally caught up to me. I spend the day resting/sleeping and just eating fresh philippine fruits, like Atis, Mango, Lansones. Yum.
Day 9: Press Conference time. I was invited along with the coach and the team captains on a press conference that was attended by the Philippine sports writers for the major papers. The press conference was also on live radio and taped for TV. It was the cool. I fielded alot of questions about my background, results and chances for the winning a medal at the SEA GAMES. I answered the questions in Tagalog, which surprised alot of the journalist. But they were pleasantly surprised and i think b/c of it, they were more interested in what I had to say. I was working the press with the hope that they create good exposure that will help me land a corporate sponsor for the charity. Anyhow, it's good to be bilingual. Now I have to teach my kids to speak tagalog.
Day 10 - 11: 2 days of Medical checkups. The full workup, piss into a cup, draw blood, pushup and situp tests, xray, VO2 max testing, flexibility and strength test. I even took a psych test. Also, I had a dental checkup, cleaning. The dentist says that they want to make sure the athletes have a nice white smile for when we win gold at the SEA Games. It's all a big deal in the Philippines. I'm starting to feel the pressure, well, I'm looking forward to winning gold. One of the cool benefits of being on the National Team is that I get full dental/medical coverage in the Philippines and anywhere I compete overseas. Just so the movie Sicko about Healthcare problem in the US, and it made me appreciate this benefit all the more.
Day 12-13: We weren't able to ride for the past 2 days because it was raining and the velodrome is unrideable. They used shiny paint for the pavement and it feels like riding on ice when there's a little bit of water on the track. So I've been riding the rollers a few hours a day instead. When the rain finally cleared up, the coaches double checked the track, wiped it down by getting down on their hands and knees. Then we did some speed drills and a timed attack. I did a 500m tt and flying 200. My times were slow for me since I've been sick, but I was still able to post the fastest times.
Day 14: Got the greenlight from the coaches to take the the team out to a comedy club where we stayed out til 3 Am. This is probably the teams last relaxing day before the hard training push for the SEA Games in December. So everyone was really up for partying that night. It was a lot of fun hanging with the guys, and cracking up while I embarrassed myself on stage by singing karaoke to Sexy back and doing a dance off. Beer, well lots of it, gives you stupid courage.
Day 15: Fly Back to San Francisco. But not before, I was detained in the airport for having an overweight oversized bike case. They were going to charge me $750. That got me all stressed out and I had to unpack my bike and unload some extra gear. I finally got the weight down so I only had to shell out $150. Still, it sucked and got me all stressed out for my 20 hr flight back to SF. Not good. In the end, I got sick again and finally, had to take antibiotics to get over the bacterial infection. It was a fun trip, but I'm happy to be back home with my family. I really missed Jenna, Payton, and Aria. It was hard being away. I can't believe I'll be away for a month in Nov.-Dec while I compete in the Track World Cup Events in Sydney & Beijing, and the SEA Games in Thailand, and back to Manila to meet with the president. It's a hectic but exciting time.
The Child is Father to the Man
...I understand that it means that Payton's childhood helps shape the man that he will become. But it's also literal for me since Payton told me today that I should not eat treats in front of him since he's not allowed to eat treats everyday, only once a week. And I make it hard for him not to stick to this rule, when I eat junk food. "OK, dad?" "Yes, Payton."
Thursday, November 8, 2007
"You're a good dad too"
I woke up today feeling like crap. It's now the 3rd day of my antibiotic medication and I think my body just feels worn down from battling the sickness and the general fatigue from the training and jet lag. I seriously just wanted to stay in bed all day. Read a good book and have breakfast brought to me in bed. Reason #10 to move back to the Philippines, where this would be possible. Still trying to sell Jenna on this living in the Philippines concept. Anyhow, I slowly got my self up and helped get the kids ready for their busy day - pre-school for Payton and gymnastics for Aria.
Then I got on the trainer since it was relatively cold outside to ride while I'm still suffering from bronchitis. Being sick really sucks. I feel so out of shape. How the heck am I suppose to be competing at the World Cup in 3 weeks? My coach says we have time, but we need to speed things up. I just gotta be careful not to get too eager with getting my training back on track. Also, today I started the IO altitude simulation program http://www.io-nz.com/ at Chiro Medical. The IO program is suppose to help increase my natural levels of EPO by exposing me to hypoxic air for a total of 15 hrs. Today, I simulated oxygen levels at 13,000+ feet for 1.5 hr. Tomorrow, I'm getting brought up to 14-15K feet. But I'm tired, even though I just sat in a nice comfy leather chair while I sucked in hypoxic air.
The best part of the day was when I was hugging Payton good night. I gave him a nice big hug and told him that he was such a good boy. His response "You're a good dad too, daddy" He made my day.
Then I got on the trainer since it was relatively cold outside to ride while I'm still suffering from bronchitis. Being sick really sucks. I feel so out of shape. How the heck am I suppose to be competing at the World Cup in 3 weeks? My coach says we have time, but we need to speed things up. I just gotta be careful not to get too eager with getting my training back on track. Also, today I started the IO altitude simulation program http://www.io-nz.com/ at Chiro Medical. The IO program is suppose to help increase my natural levels of EPO by exposing me to hypoxic air for a total of 15 hrs. Today, I simulated oxygen levels at 13,000+ feet for 1.5 hr. Tomorrow, I'm getting brought up to 14-15K feet. But I'm tired, even though I just sat in a nice comfy leather chair while I sucked in hypoxic air.
The best part of the day was when I was hugging Payton good night. I gave him a nice big hug and told him that he was such a good boy. His response "You're a good dad too, daddy" He made my day.
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