Starting point will be at Boso-boso Cycle Park. Open to non-members of Philmofo.org

Date:

• Sunday, August 21
• 4:30am - 8:30pm

Categories:

• All Men
• Mixed

Events:

• 120KM event (start time @ 5:00 A.M. sharp)
• 200KM event (start time @ 4:30 A.M. sharp)
  

Prizes:

• All finishers, regardless of their distance event, will get a Finisher’s Medal.
• Winners’ prizes:
• All Men: 1st @ P5,000 | 2nd @ P3,000 | 3rd @  P2,000
• Mixed: 1st @ P5,000 | 2nd @ P3,000 | 3rd @ P2,000

Fee: 

• P500 per head/team member, inclusive of XCM-MIM shirt, food, and drinks at designated pit stops.

Online registration ONLY! Email brusko@philmofo.org or log on to Philmofo.org. Deadline of registration is on August 17, 2011!

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Just a quick post about the 2nd Karera sa Hacienda race which was held last March 22, 2009, at the Hacienda Escudero resort at Tiaong, Quezon.

The event falling on a Sunday I brought my whole family to the event. Instructions for support were given to my wife.

We met up with my fellow Backout Boys at the Sabak/Filinvest 12 Hours track. Togs riding with Migs, Jun being driven by his wife, and me with my whole family in our car.

We stopped at a McDonald’s for breakfast then went on our way. It being a Sunday traffic was light. Before hitting the exit at the end of SLEX I noticed a yellow Range Rover at the side of the road with bikes on its bike rack. As we were about to pass it I saw a man in the Yellow Cab team uniform emerge from the front of the vehicle (its hood was up I noticed) and I recognized it as Jingo Hervas of Cycling Zone, the organizer of the Hari ng Daang Hari race.

We made good travel time. After parking and preparing we proceeded to the line for the transponder installation. Being too excited we found out too late the P500 deposit payment for the transponders and the actual transponder installation were in 2 different tents. Togs volunteered to deposit for us after collecting our money. As this old man was paying he saw which category I was registered in, the 24-30 years old category, and he couldn’t accept the fact I’m way way way younger than him, telling the organizers I shouldn’t be in that category.

So I was called in to the registration booth to correct this “mistake”, but when I checked I found out I was really in the correct category (I’m only 29 years old… or 30, whoever you believe).

When I returned to the transponder installation tent I didn’t know the long wait is just about to start. The race number assigned to me (047) was assigned to another PhilMoFo, Arman (to whom the organizers assigned the race number 049 to, but that wasn’t what was entered in the database).

More chaos was caused by the actual transponder being installed on different riders’ bikes. The way it’s set is like this:

1. A racer registers for the race
2. The shop assigns a race number to the racer and a manila envelope is given with the assigned race number written on it and the actual race numbers (1 tarpaulin race number for the bike and 1 small sticker with the race number to be applied on to the helmet)
3. Guessing here: the shop will have to either enter the new registrants to the transponder database and/or submit the latest registration forms to whoever is in charge of encoding new registrants to the database
4. Come race day a printout of the database with names, race numbers, and transponder numbers are consulted for correct transponder installation
5. On-site registrants will have to wait for their info to be inputted in the database and wait for the early registrants to finish their transponder installations

Based on this theory human error happens at #3. Then it’s all downhill from there. The bright side is the ratio of mistakes to proper running of things is fairly huge, which is good. Plus, this race is only the 2nd mountain bike race to use a transponder, the first one being the Splash MTB XC Challenge 2 weeks before. Lessons were learned and this time everything was running smoother. Take note: smoother.

A way to fix the mix-up of the wrongly-installed transponders the racers were asked to cross the transponder wires. The organizers then check the names of each rider on their computer as they pass over the wires if the name that pops up is the correct rider’s name. Worked like a charm. After fixing up the mess the racers were all instructed to wait at the starting point for the mass start.

The track was relatively flat and wide. The game here is speed. The problem was the latter part of the track the ground has been covered by a layer of gravel. Loose gravel equates to less traction. It also makes your front tire swerve. Plus, the turns are more dangerous. I’ve seen, and heard of, quite a few riders slip while turning. I, myself, almost crashed on the gravel turns.

My wife did a perfect job of getting my water ready every time I was passing by them. But due to not wanting to stop I wasn’t able to get the offered water in a jug. We need to fix this strategy next time.

After our camp it was a good thing a fellow Backout Boys member, Eugene, whose son was racing, was a little further down the road. They were offering water for drinking and pouring in Powerade bottles with the top part cut off, making an improvised glass for easier pouring.

On the 4th lap (out of 5) I was feeling I wanted Powerade for a little energy boost. As I was nearing my camp I kept on shouting for Powerade. Having misunderstood me my wife took the bottle cap with the spout off. I didn’t take the bottle as I was planning on leaving my water bottle and swap it with the Powerade bottle so I can bring it with me as I do my lap. I shouted what I was planning, “Bottle swap! Powerade bottle swap!” but I kept on pedaling.

After the cemented area where my family was waiting and providing support the track loops around and goes back to the offroad trail. Being the perfect support captain I saw my wife waiting for me again, this time with a full bottle of Powerade and the spouted cap on. I let her know again I wanted to switch bottles and threw my water bottle near her and grabbed the Powerade bottle for my last lap.

I rolled across the finish line, then verifying if I’m done with my 5 laps. Once verified I proceeded to the registration booth for the returning of the transponder and my deposited P500.

Kudos to Hacienda Escudero for letting everyone, racers and non-racers alike (I think), use their showers to freshen up after the race. But with only limited shower stalls (3 only) the line became too long, but not long enough for me to scrap the idea of showering. The wait was tolerable.

Sabak Bike Shop, the organizer, raffled off a whole Mongoose bike. I didn’t get the specs as I just wanted to rest under our tent, be with the family, eat, hydrate, and swap race stories with the other Backout Boys.

After finding out my ranking (11th! 22 seconds slower than the 10th placer!) we all packed up. Tired, satisfied, and regretful. But overall it was a fun day spent with my family and friends… and I got to ride my bike! What more could you ask for?

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