Sport | My Gran Fondo Ride (Short Version)

I've been riding my bike seriously for some time now and I am glad that PruLife UK has been actively sponsoring bike races.  I've joined their criterium race in Alabang and now we were privileged to have joined their Gran Fondo in Subic.

The event is a fun ride (included in their PRURide PH 2019) consisting of three categories, 30, 60, and 100 kilometers.  I would have loved to do the 100 kilometers, I wish.  Everytime I rode for more than a 100, my body screams ouch.  My routine ride is only 50-60 kms and I would have chosen this right away.  I opted for 30 as this trip was part fun and part business.  I was invited as part of the media group and happily my bike was as well.  I had to  finish my ride asap and interview people that our readers would be glad reading about.

The main focus of the PRURide PH 2019 is their UCI 2.2 sanctioned race for which domestic and international teams joined.  These races are important to them as each stage has credited points they need to qualify for the upcoming olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

Going back to the Gran Fondo, the 100kms started at 6am, then both the 60 and 30 simultaneously come 7am.  It traversed through Rizal avenue and turned off towards the airport, passed that and went up to somewhere in the middle of the jungle (I think).

The first 10 kilometers were a breeze as it was flat roads.  The next fifteen was an uphilll battle.  It was comparable to my ride going up Tagaytay, but this was much tougher.  Many times I almost decided to simply turn around and make it a 20km Gran Fondo, but I when I saw people on their way back to where we started, I told myself, if they can do it, that I can do it too.  

In the end, I finished the uphill climb and when you go up hard, going downhill is scary easy.  I was riding almost 50 kilometers per hour on my bike on free wheel.  The feeling was great and the lost time I made going up, the downhill ride made up for it.  

Then I was back to the flat lands again and I went for the finish line.  There are no first placers in the Gran Fondo, no prizes and just one recognition - a finisher's medal which I liked.

Thank you PRURide PH 2019 for the experience and for sponsoring the race for our athletes.  It has been a truly inspiring and wonderful event you gave for us and more power.  Can't wait to ride again in 2020.