Chains on Terrains, May 30, 2009

May 30, 2009, Cul-de-Sac, Westgate Arcade, Alabang - It has been more than five years since I last heard from Arnold Abenoja, an old mountainbiker friend from the Mtb Addicts group, and I was surprised hearing from him the other day. First time we worked in an activity together was the first Chains on Terrains in 2003. That was a long time ago! Fast forward, now he called me and wanted me to assist in this 2009 Chains on Terrains as its host. I readily obliged and wouldn't want to pass the opportunity to see old familiar faces in the mountainbiking community. It's about time I pay them a visit!

5am, I was already up and about, readied my camera, my baseball cap, my jacket,

and my shades, the clothes that I'm planning to wear for the day. I knew that it'll be a long day. Got out of the house by 5:45am, head towards SLEX to get on the bus to go to Westgate in Alabang. I got in the venue by 6:15am and easily noticed that it is already starting to be abuzz of activities: riders unloading their mountainbikes of their respective racks from their cars, pickups and SUVs. The organizers (Festival Mall officials and representatives, and the Mtb Addicts) are already up and about. The mountainbikers, their friends, have already started to increase in numbers.  You can already sense that early that they're 

observing who amongst the participants would be strong sprinters, and also those who are good spinners, and have endurance to stay and finish the whole 12kms. of the trails. By 7:30am we had our breakfast at Congo Grille at Westgate, alongside was the briefing on how the event would be during the day. Exchanging pleasantries and stories of our good old days when the area in Filinvest Alabang was one of our private playground as high-rise commercial building has not yet existed. We remember the lush greeneries, full-blown trees, stretched of tall cogon grasses that populates the place before. It was one of the mountain-bikers' nirvana: our playground near our homes riding our bikes the whole day. Now we see new buildings and establishments populating this wide expanse. We enjoyed such story-telling as we had our breakfast, in a company of good friends.

By 8am, everyone has geared up for the first race of the day and started to fill up the starting line. You see riders in different sizes and colors, in different nice and expensive cross-country bikes, nice colorful jerseys. You see a collections of friends who are joining the race while some are supporting and cheering friends. You can see that it will be a fun time with friends that day.  An average of 70 mountain-bikers are now amassed and waiting for their categories to be called and start the exciting cross-country circuit race for the day.

By 9:30am the first pandemonium broke loose. The first race started and the riders scrambled for the strategic position while entering the trailhead. It was a steep and slippery climb as the rain the night before made sure that it will be full of slippery clay of mud from start to finish. The whole circuit course runs an average of 6kms. in one loop. The riders would have to traverse twice the course that is a mix of flats, drops, uphill climbs, and some nasty technical sections within that 6kms. route. Compounded with the continuous rains before and during the race, it sure became a gruelling course to ride.  After the first lap, you'll see who already would be winning the first race. A lot of riders bogged down on their first turn - from broken chain, flat tires, stucked in the mud, and falling off their bikes. You see riders agonized as the traverse the trails. There were three categories - Seniors, Masters 1, and Masters 2 - who competed during that event. There were the 

usual strong winners but there were also some surprised winners during the event. The last set of race ended around 1:00pm. After getting rained at, slipped a couple of times in the mud, me and other marshalls headed back from the race course to the stage venue. Soaking wet and mud, I was the designated co-host (as I did during the 2003 Chains on Terrains) for the awarding ceremony. While announcing the race and raffle winners, you see tired but smiles of the faces of those participants. Still muddied up, you get to hear their friends cheer at them as they accept their awards and prices. 

As we closed the event, the whole organizing committee thanked their sponsors, their volunteers, and those who actively participated in this fun event. All are looking forward for another plans for a cross-country bike race soon. The whole activity of the day ended around 1:30pm with everyone satisfied and enjoyed the who festivities.

Indeed, life is good!