Team Marv.n.Jo Completes Its Second Triathlon

It was an inevitability, a foregone conclusion, an axiom. Call it what you will, but the fact remained that we would not be a one-hit wonder in this newfound passion for the sport of triathlon.

With the wisdom and experience gained from our previous bout with Shadow Cliffs Park, we set out on August 16th to conquer it once more, but this time with more than just a casual expectation of finishing.





We triathletes are a rare and eccentric breed. It is hard to explain, but there is a strange power that draws us to do what for most is a daunting endeavor. It might be the serenity of the lake as the sun rises above it, beckoning us to explore it depths. Or perhaps it is the uncertainty of the moment, as we ponder whether or not we will find out what we are truly made of today.

Is it the camaraderie that so strongly binds us with our partners and teammates? Maybe it is the knowledge that through this process, we will come out wiser...faster...STRONGER.


Well, the answer should come as no surprise. For it is all of these reasons and much more beyond them, that drives us to push the envelope as hard as possible and cross that finish line.







And so with God above us, our families behind us supporting us all the way, and our triathlon "family" beside us, we set out to prove that we could not only repeat history, but better yet, we would improve on it.









We did so much better than we could have possibly hoped for. I was proudest of Jo. Despite the injury that had befallen her just five days before...despite the 5 days of downtime, unable to train and maintain...despite the fears and anxiety that creep into one's mind following a fall from a bike...my amazing wife overcame adversity to shatter all doubts, dispel all fear, and to promptly OBLITERATE her original time, finishing 23 minutes faster! That day, Jo truly epitomized what it means to be an ENDURANCE athlete.













My own performance was likewise an improvement. About eight weeks time between this race and the last, gave me plenty of opportunities to improve. My proudest accomplishment that day was on the swim leg of the race. I attended a swim clinic, learned new drills, refined my stroke, and 7000 yards of swimming later...I swam the exact same 400 yards in 4 minutes faster time than I did back in June. For the uninitiated, let me tell you...4 minutes improvement in a swim is MONUMENTAL! Overall, my time improved by 13 minutes since our last race! This was definitely a successful event for both of us!

A warm and heartfelt congratulations goes out to some of our Tri family who also raced that day: (clockwise from bottom left) Tom Nguyen, Kathleen Ajero, Pia Barton, Marcely Narcisso-Ackley. Great job and great finish everyone!




A slideshow of more images from this day. Click Below. photos courtesy of Jackie DeGuzman