Alaska Cycle Finisher

I checked my last post and found out that it was made on 18 June 2013.  It tells about my first ultra marathon in Laguna to Quezon which was done to celebrate my 50th birthday.

Today, I want to include in this journal my newest adventure in sports and that is my first Community Ride via Alaska Cycle Philippines where I registered and finished a 20KM ride from MOA to Roxas Boulevard.  We traversed and climbed the Buendia and Edsa Flyovers four times.  I am so happy that I finished it in 1 hour and 18 minutes.  I do not know  if that time is something to be proud of but for a newbie and oldie like me, it means a lot.  It is an affirmation of my strong resolve, character, strength, focus and perseverance.  Above all, it is a realization of a long time dream and I thank God for the blessing of life, good health and financial provision.

Riding a bike had been in my bucket list for the longest time.  I cannot even recall how and when it started.  What I know is that I set the timeline and age for me to learn  it, or to be exact, I told myself that I should be able to ride a bike by the age of  55.   As I mentioned, my dream came true and I am very happy that I made it before my self-imposed timeline.

I cannot thank enough my husband who gave me a folding bike (Mashii) as anniversary gift last October 2014.  With my family’s support,  I slowly learned to balance and pedaled her every weekend. I enjoyed how we bond and move together. After several months of riding her within the confines of the Golden Heaven Memorial Park, I tried her on the road along C5 Extension.

After six months of riding her, I felt the need to buy a new bike which can easily climb the flyovers and the one which I will use in a duathlon in the future (another dream).  So, I asked Engr. Alex, who is a longtime MTB rider to assist me in selecting the bike that will fit me.  He presented several options but I have to consider that his proposal is within my budget.

On 10 April 2015, we  went to Cartimar in Pasay and saw a hybrid bike in a store in Leveriza and we both agreed that such bike is right for me.  We learned that the bike was fixed for the store owner and not for sale.  But after minutes of negotiation, she accepted the offer and I brought home my new bike.

On the following day, I tried my new bike.  I cannot explain my emotions but one thing that I am sure- that I really enjoyed my ride. This new bike also gave me the confidence to register and join the Alaska Cycle which was mentioned to me by Emilee Alfonso, a fellow runner and friend. I cannot thank her enough for this experience and I look forward to more in the future.