Terry Larrazabal Bike Festival

Last week I joined my very first Mountain Bike Cross Country race at the 7th Terry Larrazabal Bike Festival held at Subic. Biker No. 384 in a 6"x6" tarpauline was hanging in front of my Haro Sonix Full sus All-Mountain and in my 3-liter Mule Camelback. There were 60 riders in my heat and it was the second. I was racing in the Masters 1 category and hell no, I am not an expert. It was my very first race and my bike was barely two weeks old. Categories were based on age brackets and not by experience or skill level, otherwise I will be joining Beginners. So what the heck I was doing in that race given that very newbie premise? Well, I bought this size 18 Haro in Bike Town Cyclery in Makati on March 24. The good staff of the shop told me about the TLBF coming on March 30 to April 4. I asked Mang/Kuya Jun the ever helpful technician of Bike Town if I could go there and just watch. He said if I'm bringing my bike I’d better join one of the races. He said it is not the idea of winning but joining the event for the experience and to meet other bikers since I was literally new to the scene. Nice one. Yeah, why not? There I found myself filling out the registration form. Thanks to Elaine for the assist. Bike Town owner Atty. Goyo is also the chief organizer of the event and the son of the person to whom the festival is dedicated to.

TLBF is held every year by the Larrazabal Family of Ormoc, Leyte as a tribute to their father the late Teodoro Larrazabal, former OIC Mayor of Ormoc City after the Edsa Revolution of 1986. This weeklong bicycle indulgence that features races for road, mtb 4x, XC, trials, dirt jumping, downhill, BMX, and triathlon is held to cultivate in the youth an aptitude for physical power through a sport. Must be the biggest bike event in the Philippines and could be in Asia. Big names like Brian Lopes and Hans “No Way” Ray were just among the regulars here, mind you. I first came across the name Brian Lopes way back August 2002 edition of Mountain Biking magazine which featured the Chevy Trucks National Championship Series in Big Bear Lake. Article writer Scott Hart described Brian as will always be known as the sport’s king. That time Brian had already held four National titles and 19 individual wins. I’m pretty sure he didn’t stop from there, obviously as he remains one of the biggest attractions in TLBF. Now he's got 9 National Championship titles, 6 UCI World Cup Championships, and 4 World Championships and a Hall of Fame. He was running for GT then but unfortunately he lost the Pro Dual Slalom to Haro rider Keith Voreis though he was the favorite to take home the trophy. Funny, my bike is also a Haro. Wish I could do some downhill someday before Brian even thinks of hanging his Ibis for good. Haha! So when I heard that Brian is coming to the fest my interest grew.

As the gun was fired to mark the start of the race, bikers started to jockey for position. It was going to be a total of 7.5km of gruelling ride specially for first timers like me. The track was on the slopes of Hill 631 some 20km away from the Convention Center and was merely an hour if you "padyak all the way". Not a good warm up for any neophyte. I decided to find a good heart to hitchhike to preserve my energy. Luckily, I found three good samaritans. Thanks to Wennie and company who were also heading to the same direction to participate in the XC and in the 4X. I said to myself if I beat one person to the finish line I will be the happiest person on that day . The race should go first one loop on a 1.5km asphalt road. Race director said it was needed to avoid heavy congestion uphill specifically on the single track for the 60 adrenalized bodies. After one loop, bikers headed up to the mountain. Oh boy I was already tired. The slope was only a 30 degree inclination but it was a long climb. As the race director had anticipated, there was a long line in the single track. Nobody can really overtake somebody. It was only near halfway and I was already on the tail pack. I could see the "halimaws" or monster riders pulled away early on back in the first loop. As the few more than a dozen of us dismounted our horses to weave our way through the narrow single-track, going up and down the side of the hill, some of the guys already conceded as I heard the person two lengths ahead that we should take it easy since the lead pack was already far ahead and pushing our bikes on foot would really stall a lot of time. He meant there’s no way anyone from our pack would win it or even make it to the qualifying 25 for the final race. I also thought about it but I was focused on finishing the race and not on winning. Maybe next year my goal will go a notch or two higher, of course.

As I made my way out of the S-shaped single-track to proceed to the turning point up the hill, the lead pack was already coming down fast. Oh wow this is great. Push, push, push! I was running on the smallest ring and the biggest sprocket. I’d like to remember centering in breathing technique so I wouldn’t give out a lot of air from my lungs. I saw the marshall at the turning point taking down the riders’ numbers to show they passed the checkpoint another hope shone my way. I told my self now we go downhill all the way. This was the first time I would test my bike how far she can go and how tough she is. My Marzocchi 33 Bomber was doing well over the bumps, small rocks and roots. On the way down, I was going some 50 kph and enjoyed the vibration from the 4-inch travel fork. I felt I could do faster but I don’t want to risk more since it was my first time. Entering the asphalt loop for the final leg another rider passed to my left so he must be coming down like 55 or 60. There I could see the strengths and weaknesses of my bike. Off road it runs almost perfectly beautiful, but in paved it tends to be slower no matter how hard you pedal, maybe because of the shock. I got a 2.1 Rock Shox.Yes, I remember the reviews online that there was some bob from it on the level ground. But generally, this is a good bike. I like it very much. Not to mention it was Bike of the Year for 2008 by Mountain Biking Magazine.

Sadly as I was approaching the finish line, the next heat (Masters II) was already there assembling. I was among those automatically disqualified after 25 riders had crossed the finish line. I veered my bike to the side of the track as I won’t be able to pass. I thought I must be so much behind the time that the next heat was already about to start. I looked behind and saw some 12 or 13 bikers still struggling their way. That gave me the grin. I am proud to be able to beat that number of people as I only hope for just one but also a bit sad that I wasn’t able to cross the line of glory on my very first race.

Some important notes during my Sat and Sun stay in the Fest. I met a classmate in High School who I last saw on our white toga some 16 years ago. Let del Mundo, also an outdoor enthusiast came with her hubby Eric who is also a rider of PMTB and a regular of La Mesa Dam. They brought with them their 5 year-old twin daughters. Eric did not join any race though. It was really hard coming to big events like this without knowing anyone. Being a newbie is like first day in school. You look around and don’t seem to recognize anyone. Few basic rules apply. Smile, be friendly, and talk and talk and talk only about bikes. They will come to you.

I stayed in the Forest Complex in the Upper Cubi of Subic. It was some 5km away from the Central District where food chains were located. FSC don’t serve any food except for coffee and instant noodles. Not enough for any sweat-soaked rider. So the thing was you have to drive that far just to get to McDonalds or Chowking. So when I left the hotel in the morning under the scorching heat of the April sun and the humid breeze of the Bay to eat, I didn’t bother to pedal back which was mostly uphill until it’s time to sleep.

Post TLBF, Puting Bato-Maarat Trail

Over all my experience in TLBF is fun. I enjoyed it. Met people who also have high regard to biking. Just a few days after the fest, I received a couple of invitation to do some serious trail. Finding time for a tour of Puting Bato, Maarat Trail, and AFP Housing, I joined Wandie1024, Jeremy2K5, and Hector on a Black Saturday which covered some 75km from my house and back.

I also made some solo rides to McKinley in Fort Bonifacio for some trail practice on weekdays. Good thing is McKinley is just a stone's throw away from my pad. It's always nice when you have an accessible trail, though not as great as those in real outdoors, when your feet seems to be on the loose.