Triathlon, after having pedaled downhill, swims back to life

My good friend EUGENE SANCHEZ, a longtime swimmer, biker and runner all bundled into one (in a word, “triathlete”), emailed me with fantastic news. Says Eugene (who, last Sunday, ran the 10K Rotary Run in a speedy 47 minutes):

“For years, triathlon has been silent in Cebu. Gone were the days when we were represented in national races and Cebuano triathletes placed well in podium finishes. That is, until last Dec. when ex-triathletes unified under one Cebuano Tri-club to bring back the sport.
“Thus, SUGBU TRIATHLON was born. First event was the Pipit-Pipti Mini-Triathlon, which consists of a 300-meter swim, a 15K bike and a 3K run. Entry fee was pegged at only P50—thus the name “pipit-pipti tri.” The first event was held last Jan. at Scuba World in Mactan where 30-plus athletes joined.

“The 2nd Pipti-Pipti Tri event will be held on March 1 at the Bachao Beach Resort in Catmon. Race distance is the same. With Catmon’s flat bike-and-run course, athletes will be treated to a nice day of fun racing… if you consider pushing yourself to your maximum heart rate as fun!

“The people behind Sugbu triathlon are inviting all athletes not just from the swim, bike and run sport, but anybody who’d like to have a go at something different on a Sunday morning. So put on your swimming trunks and goggles, dust off your father’s old bike, grab your worn-out running shoes and head up to Catmon and see if you have the speed and endurance to finish this mini-sprint triathlon. Do the tri, bai.”