Regardless of affiliation, members of Team Philippines to IM Barcelona forged friendships through months of training. OPPOSITE PAGE: (from left to right, standing) Jose Moreno, Vinzent Querol, David Richmond, Mark Bustamante, Joey Marcelo; (middle) David Bucad; (seated) Richard Santiago, Mico Torres, and Atty. Jose Mari Magsalin. THIS PAGE: (from left to right, standing) Jonah Rivera, Marvin del Rosario, Sancho Honrado, Keith Peralta, Jericho Salonga, Alex Isip, Jiffy Chua; (seated) Enrico Menichetti, Erich Taca
What are you looking forward to in Barcelona? The run, because it is where I find my strength. Spain is also known for its beautiful coasts and we will be running and biking by the seaside. Biggest lessons learned: Consistency in training. You need to train every day so that your body will get used to the load and it will help you manage fatigue.
Why IM Barcelona? When my teammates and I compete abroad, we make it a race-cation. Our partners take care of the itinerary and we go sightseeing after the race. This will be the first time for me and my wife to go to Barcelona, and it’s my birthday month. Biggest lesson learned? Planning and preparation are important. You don’t decide to do Ironman one day without training for it.
JOSE LUIS MORENO 45, Polo Tri team; Barcelona is his 1st Ironman attempt Profession: investor Years doing triathlon: 6 Most memorable triathlon: Ironman 70.3 in Honu in 2013 and the Cobra Ironman 70.3 in Cebu 2013 where I finished in 5(h):30 (m). Months spent training for IM: 8 Target finish time: Anything under 13 hours, would be nice. In the homestretch, what did you focus on? I got lots of rest to repair my muscles and ate properly How do you balance your time with training? I knew that in training for this race, something had to give—either work, family, or social life. I allocated my mornings to training.
it seems like a fast one. Once I’m off the bike, which I consider the most challenging, I will only rely on myself to get to the finish line. What challenges have you overcome? Mostly health issues. I got sick for a few weeks during training. Biggest lesson learned: Anything can be achieved through hard work and a positive mind set.
KEITH PERALTA 42, Sante Barley team; Barcelona is his 2nd Ironman attempt after finishing Ironman Arizona 2015 Profession: businessman Years doing triathlon: 6 Months spent training for IM: 9 Target finish time: sub-11 hours. In Barcelona, I hope to break the fast record for the Philippines. How do you balance your time? Eight hours of sleep are important. I sleep by 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. so I can have the energy to do everything. I have three kids, aged 12, 10, and three. It’s a must to spend time with them. I also run a business.
Why IM Barcelona? Barcelona is a relatively faster course, plus the weather is good, and bingeing on Spanish food after the race!
How did you prepare for Barcelona? I wanted to improve on my bike in order for me to run better. I ramped up my mileage on my bike rides, training indoors twice a week, then at Clark [in Pampanga] once a week. I went from 120 (kms) to 140, then 160 to 180, and 200 kms. Then I tapered.
Which part of the race course are you looking forward to? The run, because
What were some of your challenges? Last year, I was injured in a race and
ROBERT JONAH RIVERA 40, Sante Barley team; Barcelona is his 3rd Ironman attempt after finishing Ironman Melbourne 2014 and Ironman Arizona 2015
it took me four months of therapy to get back in condition. I had to train harder, while spending time with family and on the business. On the race course I plan to discipline and pace myself. I hope I do well.
Profession: manager of pre-owned car dealership
ENRICO MENICHETTI 35, REVV team; Barcelona is his second Ironman attempt after finishing Ironman Arizona 2015
Years doing triathlon: 5 years Most memorable triathlon: Ironman Melbourne in 2014 which was my first Ironman. I finished it in decent time.
Profession: business executive
Months spent training: 3
Years doing triathlon: 4
Target finish time: “sub-Jonah” which is under 13(h):04(m)
Most memorable triathlon: Ironman 70.3 in Mallorca, Spain because I got to race with my brother.
How did you train for Barcelona? I focused on bike training and mileage, and practicing nutrition for the race. I start at 5 a.m., training outdoors. I’m done by 8:30 a.m., and work from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. I go straight home and have dinner with my family, which is non-negotiable. Saturdays and Sundays are for more team training and long workouts.
Months spent training for IM: 4 months Target finish time: The best that I can do. How did you prepare for Barcelona? I stuck to my training plan and my target mileage. Closer to race day, I focused on preparing mentally for it. I visualize and get to a state where I don’t doubt myself. How did you balance your time with training? I have a full-time job and I travel a lot, so I plan my weekends, and train around my meetings and work. I start at 5 a.m. and get to the office by 10 a.m. Then I train in the evening. My social life suffered most, with friends and my girlfriend asking when they can see me again. Why IM Barcelona? My family is in Belgium, so they can come over and watch me race. I see them only once a year, so this will be special for me.
What’s your motivation? God blessed me with strength and ability, so I use these to honor Him. What challenges did you encounter in training? I trained for only three months. But I race year round, so I count that as preparation. On race day, you never know how strong the current is on the swim or if there are headwinds on the bike. You just have to tough it out. Biggest lessons learned: I have learned to be more patient and disciplined. I appreciate my family more because I am away from them too often.
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