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multisportphilippines @multisportph02

MULTISPORTF E AT U R E

THE MOTOR’S STILL RUNNING

LISTEN UP, KIDS. FRANK LACSON ALREADY HAS 30 YEARS ON HIS METER, BUT HE CAN STILL GO HARD WITH THE BEST OF

THEM. IF YOU FIND YOURSELF ON A TOUGH COURSE RUNNING ALONGSIDE HIM, RUN FASTER. HE WILL NOT SLOW DOWN. IN HIS OWN WORDS: DON’T LET THE OLD ONE CATCH YOU

The year is now 2014. Frank Lacson—to some, the Father of Philippine Triathlon, to others the Legend—has been doing this for 31 years. As of writing, he will have finished a whopping 128 triathlons in his career, and when he joins this year’s Cobra Ironman 70.3 Cebu, he’ll have competed in six Ironman races.

Ladies and gentlemen, Frank Lacson is 50 years old, and he is not stopping. In fact, he’s only been getting better and better, as though he is just about to reach his peak. That he isn’t slowing down anytime soon must be one of the reasons Frank is legendary.

“Ironically, now I would say I'm in good shape, compared to the middle years [of my career],” a beaming Frank says. “There was a stage where I wasn't as focused as when I started. I seem to be more excited toward the end.”

“We Can Do That”Both Frank and Philippine triathlon have come a long way from their similar beginnings, decades ago. Frank, originally a fitness instructor, got into the sport after reading about legendary American triathlete Dave Scott. Frank said to himself, “I could do that, too.” From there, transitioning into the sport came naturally to him.

“When I saw triathlon, I found my niche and I said to myself, ‘This is it.’” Soon after, Filipinos had also caught up on this new thing the Americans were getting into, but triathlon’s local beginnings were definitely humble: crude setups, informal races, lack of sponsors, and timing using stopwatches. This was way before the Triathlon Association of the Philippines came in and legitimized the scene by setting proper standards for competition.

A year later, Frank would dominate and finish first in the inaugural Philippine National Triathlon Championship, the first of many accomplishments. Miles To GoIf there’s one thing Frank knows, it’s that he doesn't know what his limits are. “Personally, I've not reached the end,” he claims. “You can say I have unfinished business. I'm in search of how much faster I can get, for how much longer I can do this at this level.”

Now you know why his motor continues to run, why he isn’t hitting the brakes anytime soon. He will keep going while he still can, for the love of fitness and triathlon.

“This growth just inspires me more. It's nice to be there, it's nice to be around and see new faces. I feel happy that the sport is very popular.”

FRANK’SLANDMARK RACES

1985 19911st Annual Chaffey College Sprint Triathlon, USA, 2nd place

Nike Triathlon, Cavite, 1st place

“I remember it had a weird format—we started with the bike first. We biked only eight miles, a couple of rounds of the village.”

“It was all new in the Philippines. Bayongs were our transition bags. You would just lean your bike; there were no racks there.”

“As far as my role goes, my role is supporting the

sport up to now—not only for myself, but also trying to contribute by inspiring

people to keep on and become better.”

Words by Romeo Moran | Photo by Pia Puno

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14 multisportphilippines @multisportph

THE ONES TO WATCH

CAROLINE STEFFEN

CASEY MUNRO

DEFENDING CHAMPION CAROLINE STEFFEN AND SEVEN PROS SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT HEADING INTO CEBU—AND THEY SERVE UP SOME REAL, RACE-DAY ADVICE FOR NEWBIES, TOO

ON TRAINING I’m in Europe at the moment and getting myself ready for the Challenge Roth (Ironman distance race) on July 20. The training is pretty hard at the moment, which is normal for the month of July. I think this training, the race, and the two weeks after will be the perfect preparation to defend my title in Cebu.

ON PRESSURE I love the race in Cebu and will enjoy every single kilometer of it. There is no time to be worried about things like pressure. And because I am

WHAT ATTRACTED HIM TO IRONMAN 70.3 CEBU I just recently raced the 5150 Philippines and had a great time meeting lots of fantastic people. I look forward to testing myself in the Philippines’ heat over the 70.3 distance.

WHAT KEEPS HIM GOING IN RACES I think about all the hard work I

the defending champion, it’s easy for me to stay focused and do a good job.

WHAT’S CRUCIAL TO WIN THIS YEAR I would say the second half of the 90-km bike course. That’s where you can lose the race or make a gap to your competitors.

PART OF THE COURSE SHE LOVES I love the swim. It's such a nice course in the crystal blue water and I also love the run course, which is mostly because of the heat.

have put in during training and how much I suffer during those sessions to get a result that I desire on race day.

HIS GOALS I always have the first goal of having fun—that is all that really matters and Ironman 70.3 Cebu is perfect for that.

WHAT ATTRACTED HIM TO IRONMAN 70.3 CEBU To race Cebu is part of my love for the Philippines. It’s a wonderful place and I have been told Cebu will be an amazing race! 

WHAT KEEPS HIM GOING IN RACES I think, first off, I always feel like a winner just by getting to the starting line. In the race I feel and tell myself I'm so lucky to be doing this amazing sport and have my family and friends, so I always finish with that strength.

ADVICE TO FIRST-TIMERS Always have fun, work on how your body feels, and keep a smile on your face!

ERIC WATSON

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UNTIL NOW, THERE WASN'T AN INTEGRATED AND CONVENIENT SOLUTION FOR CARRYING NECESSITIES WHILE RIDING. SWAT (STORAGE, WATER, AIR, TOOLS) TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATES BIKES, RIDERS, AND EQUIPMENT BY PUTTING ALL NECESSITIES IN A CLEAN, SLEEK, AND AERODYNAMIC LOCATION THAT’S EASY TO ACCESS. EVERYTHING YOU NEED, RIGHT WHERE YOU WANT IT.

SPECIALIZEDPHILIPPINES

RESERVE RACKREMORA AERO STORAGE * KEG STORAGE WITH TOOL WRAPFUELCELL AERO STORAGE

* For Alias and other bikes with similar mounts

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MULTISPORT 101 CAMP 2014 LEG 2: BIKING

WORLD VISION RUN 2014Child-focused humanitarian organization World Vision held its biggest fundraising event, World Vision Run 2014: Run for Children on June 22, at Bonifacio Global City, Taguig to an overwhelming turnout of 4,200 runners. Now an annual event on its third year, the World Vision Run gathers different stakeholders and supporters in raising funds to help 8,000 children through its Child Sponsorship program. Participants ran five different categories: 21K, 10K, 5K, 3K, and 500m. Six winners were chosen from each category—three for male, and three for female. The winners were awarded with gift prizes from the event sponsors.  The 500-meter dash category, a first for the series, was created for children up to 12 years old, keeping within the family theme. The children were joined by their parents and guardians and received generous goodie bags from

MultiSport, the country’s biggest free triathlon magazine, follows up the strong opening of its MultiSport 101 Camp series with its first biking leg this year. Good weather greeted around 70 cyclists who came down to the Bonifacio High Street Activity Center on June 21 to learn more about the basics of biking from MultiSport Philippines editor in chief Coach Patrick Joson, whose coaching forte lies in cycling. Coach Patrick brought a more scientific approach to his lecture, teaching techniques that draw on harnessing the laws of physics for optimal performance. Afterward, Coach Patrick led the participants around Bonifacio High Street for two 5K rides for them to apply what they had just learned. A short raffle, sponsored by Specialized, was also held, guaranteeing that the participants definitely went home happy.

01 ALL AGES WERE ACCOMMODATED WITH THE NEW 500M CATEGORY02 WORLD VISION ADVOCATES TIPPY DOS SANTOS, MARC NELSON, JASMINE CURTIS, AND SAM CONCEPCION HOSTED AND JOINED THE FESTIVITIES

01 THE PARTICIPANTS RODE TWICE: ONCE TO GAUGE THEIR INITIAL RIDING

FORM, AND ANOTHER TO APPLY IMPROVEMENTS FROM THE LECTURE

02 COACH PATRICK WORKED CONCEPTS OF GRAVITY

AND GEOMETRY INTO HIS POSE METHOD-INFLUENCED LECTURE

03 CYCLISTS OF ALL AGES, SKILL LEVELS, AND WITH ALL KINDS OF

BIKES JOINED THE SECOND LEG

event partner Toys ‘R Us. Another delightful addition to this year’s run was a Zumbathon, as fitness experts recommend Zumba to be a good complement to running.  Meanwhile, 21K runner Arnel delos Santos chose the event as the perfect venue to propose to his girlfriend Joyce Camantigue. Friends of the couple lined up at the finish line wearing t-shirts that spelled out J-O-Y-C-E, and holding a streamer that read, “Will you marry me?” Still catching her breath from finishing her 3K race, Joyce said yes, eliciting cheers from their fellow runners.  The event was well-supported World Vision celebrity advocates Christian Bautista, Marc Nelson, Tippy dos Santos, Jasmine Curtis, Sam Concepcion, and Aljur Abrenica.Members of the Philippine Coast Guard also participated, led by their spokesperson Cdr. Armand Balilo, a former sponsored child and now a child sponsor himself.

The next leg of the MultiSport 101 Camp will be a swimming leg to be held in July. Stay tuned and follow us on Facebook at MultiSport Philippines, as well as Twitter and Instagram at @multisportph for updates on how to register. The MultiSport 101 Camp 2014 is made possible by Asics, Mueller, Dan’s, Specialized, GoPro, Bonifacio Global City and Bonifacio High Street Activity Center, and Lifeline Ambulance Rescue.

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RUN UNITED 2

4TH MAKATI BIKE 4 M.E.

DBB CHALLENGE SERIES: MT. SEMBRANO TRAIL CHALLENGE

Over 12,000 runners turned up on June 1 at Kilometer Zero in Rizal Park for a chance to pound the pavement and push their limits at Run United 2 2014, the latest leg in the Run United series. For the first time ever, the event was held in the open roads

of Manila, stretching into Cavitex, with a lot of runners enjoying the straightforward route. Cebuana Mary Joy Tabal and Kenyan Eliud Kering emerged as the top finishers in the 32K women’s and men’s category, clocking in at 2:11:28 and 1:59:34 respectively. “My time was below my expectation of two hours and 10 minutes. I had an upset stomach during the race, which affected my performance,” said the 24-year-old, also the country’s representative at the recently concluded Paris Marathon last April. In the men’s 21K, Richard Salano, who won first place in Run United 1 last March, outran the rest of the division with a time of 1:13:45 to claim the top spot once again. Kenyan Irine Kipchumba won the 21K women’s race after a 1:32:02 finish. Fellow Kenyan Elphiz Kiptarus dominated the men’s 10K, clocking in at 31:44, while Cindy Lorenzo bagged first in the women’s category after completing the race in 43:23.

Over 50 challengers made their way to Barangay Malaya in Tanay, Rizal on June 21 to take on the first-ever Mt. Sembrano Trail Challenge. The participants, who arrived as early as 11 pm Friday night from Manila, Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas, started the race at around 6 am and managed to finish the 13K uphill climb in five hours. The course saw the runners hiking up the ridges of Mt. Sembrano to reach the summit. Koi Grey completed the course in 1:20:49 to bag the

01 KIDS UNDER 12 HAD FUN IN THEIR OWN CATEGORY 02 RUNNERS WERE NOT LEFT WANTING IN FOOD AND HYDRATION 03 THE STRAIGHT COURSE STRETCHED FROM MANILA TO CAVITEX AND BACK 04 COACH ANI DE LEON-BROWN RAN OUT AND TORCHED THE COMPETITION

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championship for the Male Category, while Cheryl Bihag led the ladies with a 2:03:09 finish and Benj Termulo placed first in the Bek Category after 2:11:29. Finishers got a medal, finisher’s shirt, a meal, and loot bags with items from sponsors. A raffle draw was held after the awarding, where lucky winners got to take home calf sleeves, hydration bottle, jacket, and items from Adidas and the North Face. The event, the third leg of the DBB Challenge Series, was the fruit of a month-long preparation spearheaded by RD Rayman “DBB” Delos Angeles, Ronnel Go, Ariel Aquino, and MGM Productions.

To highlight this year’s celebration of Environment Month, the Makati Department of Environmental Services held the 4th Makati Bike 4 M.E. (Mother Earth) last June 15, 2014 at Makati City Hall Quadrangle. The activity saw 1,000 cyclists from different barangays and cycling clubs gathering early Sunday morning at the City Hall Quadrangle. Participants started registering at 5:30 a.m., and the event began with a short program—conducting a

01 ALL 64 CHALLENGERS MANAGED TO COMPLETE THE 13K TRAIL BY THE 11 AM CUTOFF TIME

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brief calisthenics routine before the cyclists took off. The 4th Makati Bike 4 M.E. was a collaborative effort with the Parks and Green Division, Makati Cooperative Development Office, Makati Cycling Federation and their environmental partners.

01 OVER 1,000 CYCLISTS RODE AROUND MAK ATI, A CITY PRONE TO

TRAFFIC CONGESTION, TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

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MULTISPORT E V E N T S

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