June 27-29 - It was party time once again! The UP Mountaineers was celebrating its 37th year. And I was celebrating my 10th year as a member. It's a milestone year for me. I can't believe I'm stuck to one thing this long (my longest relationship so far. hehe). I have a lot to be thankful for from the organization.
And so, as all the UPM parties go, this was an evening to be rowdy and have fun. We've lined up a number of awesome bands to liven up the evening even more. And they did. We had an epic moshpit as the party came into its final hours. Sweaty men and women braved the dance floor, in the name of good violent fun. I had to act as bouncer, as the crowd swelled into one organic blob that threatened to eat up the sound equipment. All I could do was push them away from the stage and speakers. Too bad we had to end a bit earlier than usual. People were still raring to go. I guess it was better that way.
When I got home, my face had a small scratch and my left thigh was a bit bruised. I don't know where I got both. That's a sign of an awesome party!
It has been raining on and off in SBMA, which adds a little more dangerous excitement to the race. The course is hilly, and if the roads are wet, then the descents would be hair-raising and accident-inducing indeed, if the racer is not careful.
I was assigned away from the action, at the second transition. This was also a point-to-point race, that is why there are two transition areas. We were tasked to receive the racers off from the bike section and show them off to the run section. As was expected, there were a few racers sporting new bruises on their legs, arms, and body, as they lost control in the wet tarmac. But by the time most racers came to us, it was scorching hot, for the racers and especially, for us.
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A few hours of sleep and we were off to Subic Bay. It was 5150 Triathlon weekend, and we signed up to be marshals; just like last year. LA was racing this year, so we're also there to support him.It has been raining on and off in SBMA, which adds a little more dangerous excitement to the race. The course is hilly, and if the roads are wet, then the descents would be hair-raising and accident-inducing indeed, if the racer is not careful.
I was assigned away from the action, at the second transition. This was also a point-to-point race, that is why there are two transition areas. We were tasked to receive the racers off from the bike section and show them off to the run section. As was expected, there were a few racers sporting new bruises on their legs, arms, and body, as they lost control in the wet tarmac. But by the time most racers came to us, it was scorching hot, for the racers and especially, for us.
T2 was so busy with racers coming in and going out, I didn't even notice when LA came through. There was organized chaos in those two hours that the area was open to the racers. It was a good thing that my fellow marshals, volunteers from local colleges, were such troopers. They managed to soldier on under the unforgiving sun, and shrugged off a few a-hole racers who were shouting at them for who-knows-what reasons.
The good thing about 5150 is that it's done after 5 and a half hours. A couple of hours more, and we might all have suffered heat stroke (we eventually had to put the guys in shifts of work and staying under the shade, so that everyone got to rest).
It would've been fun to stay another night in Subic, if only we didn't have work the next day. We had to catch up on sleep when we got home. I'm too old for two consecutive nights of two-three hours worth of sleep. I accepted that bitter fact some time ago.
The good thing about 5150 is that it's done after 5 and a half hours. A couple of hours more, and we might all have suffered heat stroke (we eventually had to put the guys in shifts of work and staying under the shade, so that everyone got to rest).
It would've been fun to stay another night in Subic, if only we didn't have work the next day. We had to catch up on sleep when we got home. I'm too old for two consecutive nights of two-three hours worth of sleep. I accepted that bitter fact some time ago.
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