Ateneo Aquathlon 2014: Newbie Report

Pic from the Ateneo Aquathlon fb page

I first came across the Ateneo Aquathlon after joining the Pex Swim Club. I was assured that the race is perfect for beginners and completely doable with ample training.  And what can I say. I had a lot of fun and my endorphin surge lasted throughout the day. This being my first ever race, I can't offer an in-depth analysis of how the race went, except that, well, it went smoothly.



Training
When I decided to join the Ateneo Aquathlon about two months ago, I couldn't even swim 50m without stopping. My form was terrible and I get extremely exhausted after 25m that it takes me minutes to swim another lap. For a total noob, 600 meters seemed to be a daunting distance.

For the past two months I tried to get as much help as I could, from friends who were avid swimmers, and countless tutorial from Youtube. In that span of time my skin has become perpetually baked, save for my buttocks and part of my legs that is covered by my trunks, but at the same time my form has somewhat improved, and I could swim a descent 100m without stopping. Given the progress I have made, I was pretty much confident that I can complete the entire 600m.

My problem was the running part. I haven't run for the past two months because of the shin and ankle pain I got from a recent hiking trip. It only subsided a week before the race, during which I have only run on two occasions. Thankfully I never got sore, which usually happens when I resume a routine after a long hiatus.

The Race
I checked in on time, got my body marked, wore my singlet - I couldn't believe that I was actually participating in an actual race, and an aquathlon at that. There was a strong competitive vibe at the Ateneo Covered Court, everywhere I looked there were - what looked like - seasoned athletes, what with their trisuits hugging their ripped built, doing all sorts of stretching I'm not even familiar with. There were, however, a sizable group of newbies - they're usually the ones who chose to wear the race singlet.

At around 7:00 AM, participants from our category - male 26-29 years old - were called to the holding area for a short orientation. The swim, we were told, consists of three sets of 8 laps, zigzagging across a 25m pool. The route for the 5k ran was a bit too complicated, and I didn't really bother listening and memorizing the route as I was busy trying to calm myself down. I decided to just go with the flow and trust that they have positioned marshals  and sign posts strategically to prevent a runner from wandering off track.

At around 7:15 AM, I was already at the pool with about ten other swimmers cramped in one corner of the pool. Even if I was in front of the pack, nearly everyone swam past me right on the first lap. It was a total chaos and I'm surprised that I actually managed to breath with so much water splashing around. I swam in the most relaxed manner I know - as since this is the only way I would last in the pool. 24 laps seemed like an eternity, and I myself was surprised that I actually completed it.

The running route started uphill. As soon as I made my first few steps I could feel an onset of cramps on my calves and hamstrings. I've had a terrible experience with cramps before, and I knew that if I get an attack early on, I might not be able to complete the race. I decided to walk, and gradually I increased my pace until I was able to run without a feeling of cramps nagging.

And voila, after another eternity, I completed the entire aquathlon. I crossed the finish line, sans any cheers, congratulatory remarks from the announcers, which of course, were only given to early finishers - but I felt like confetti were being thrown into me.

Post Race
They say that races such as these don't put a premium on who wins first place and what not. Every athlete is only up against himself, and quitting is the only way to lose. It is this kind of competition that has made me try out running and swimming, as I sucked at any other kind of sports in high school and college. Right now I'm thinking about signing up for another aquathlonnext month :D.

The race high lighted the weaknesses I need to work on - speed, skill and endurance. A few misses:

1. I wore slippers to the swimming area. Lesson learned: bring only race essentials to the swimming area. There's no time to leave unnecessary belongings back to the covered court. I ended up leaving my slippers somewhere.
2. I brought my MP3 players with me but I only remembered to put them on when I more than halfway through the running part. It could have helped me swim faster.


For Noobs
The Ateneo Aquathlon - like many aquathlons held in swimming pools - are beginner friendly.  Pretty much everything you will need are a pair of goggles, swimming attire, running shoes and descent swimming skills.