Conquering Myself at the Ateneo Aquathlon 2013

I swam like there's no tomorrow. I ran my farthest race. I conquered myself at the Ateneo Aquathlon.

I'm not an athlete. Never was, perhaps never will be. But I do try to stay healthy, and I love to swim.  The feel and the sound of the water soothes me to the core. When I'm in the water, I feel isolated from everyone and everything else in the world and being in that state can be very calming. It clears my mind and I emerge revived, refreshed, recharged.

I'm a fitness swimmer at best. My strokes are far from perfect, my speed in the pool is less than average, and I remain doubtful of my endurance since it has never really been tested. Moreover, I can't dance. I have no such talent nor ability in it and I'd be clueless if I ever find myself on the dance floor. Swimming is the closest I can get to making rhythmic coordinated body movements.

As a runner, I suck. I rarely enjoy the act of running. It doesn't give me the isolation I get from swimming, but the sound of the wind, rustling leaves, and chirping birds are a welcome treat. Most people would say running is easier than swimming. I beg to disagree. I run because I have to, when I have to, and that's usually when I'm training for a hiking trip. Plus, there's a quiet strip at a nearby village close to where I live giving me no excuse not to run as a fitness activity.

That being said, why did I join the Ateneo Aquathlon?

A Good Week

The week that started on Sunday, April 3, was among the rare times wherein I felt I accomplished so much in a span of 7 days.

It started with the Ateneo Aquathlon on Sunday, April 3. Naldy, Gianne, and I went to the Ateneo campus where I joined my first ever aquathlon event. I was, almost literally, testing the waters so I joined the Aquathlon Lite category which meant a 400-meter swim, then a 3-kilometer run. My goal only was to finish, as I have not had enough time to train. But I felt so proud of just being able to do it.



 

419 was my "lucky number"

I felt so strong as I swam past another participant.

On Monday, April 4, Gianne and I flew to Cagayan De Oro where she was to spend the first half of the summer with my side of the family. The plan was for her to enjoy hanging out with her cousins while in a different environment from what we have in Makati. I had to take her there myself to see what her activities were going to be and give safety instructions to the adults who were going to look after her. I also had to make sure her diet was well endorsed because she has food allergies. Besides, it was also time for me to survey the scene since I would be spending a lot of time down there the rest of the year. 

Gianne kept herself busy with word-find puzzles while waiting for our flight.

Gianne was taking the flight safety instructions really seriously.

 

And we arrive at the City of Golden Friendship- Cagayan De Oro City.

But the day did not end there. We grabbed lunch, then made a quick stop at SM for some food supplies, then proceeded to a meeting that my mom has arranged go discuss a potential "project" that she and I would be doing together.

I didn't take photos on Tuesday, April 5, but it was made up of catching up with family and just hanging out at my parents' house in Initao, Misamis Oriental.

In the morning of Wednesday, April 6, we trooped to the nearby river, and I say nearby because it's only a 5-minute walk away. We enjoyed the sound of the flowing water as the kids took a quick dip. Gianne's regular playmates were four of her cousins who were spending the summer also in our side of the family as they live in nearby cities during school months. 

The water is ankle-deep at most parts during this time of the year.

More water fun in the afternoon- we headed to the beach. It's not as close to our house as the river, but it was an easy drive at only 5 kilometers away.

 And while Gianne and her cousins enjoyed the sun and sand, I went for a quick run at the beach. It was a perfect- I felt relaxed by the gentle sea breeze and the sound of the sea was very calming.



Thursday, April 7, rolled in and it was time for me to leave and go back to Makati. I felt confident that Gianne would be okay there without me since I have endorsed her well and I have given her instructions on her routine.

I was back to work on Friday, April 8. Had to finish turnovers to my replacement; I had only 1 week left with my employer by then.

On April 9, Saturday, was my comeback climb after my seven-month hiatus from climbing as Naldy and I joined a MakTrav (Makiling Traverse) climb. It was also a chance for me to settle the score with Mt. Makiling because when I first did the MakTrav in June 2010, I had an upset stomach and was nearly dehydrated by the time the climb was completed. It was also going to be the first climb for my "new" Columbia trek shoes.

Thanks to Sir Rics Cabusao of PALMC for this photo.

Thanks to our EL, Mayan of PALMC, for this photo.

One of the "fun" parts of the climb. Thanks again to Mayan for this pic.

I always like taking a photo at the summit, especially with Naldy, because Makiling is where we both started climbing, though separately, as he climbed it in 1991 and I in 1993.

It was a week of travel, adventure, fun, bonding, and exploring. After this week, I felt excited and optimistic about the future, and ready to embrace the possibilities that it can bring. I feel I can push myself to the limit a bit more and still find myself enjoying life.