John Philip Duenas. Will he improve on his third place finish last year?
A lot goes into being a pro triathlete—grueling training, natural talent, truckloads of sacrifices, unwavering resolve and nerves of steel.
However for some, winning involves some unusual routines and odd rituals.
Cebu Daily News cornered three of Cebu’s hottest triathletes today – John Philip Duenas, Joseph Lumagod Miller and Lorhiz Echavez-Lopez who were more than willing to let CDN into their well kept winning secrets or why they shine in every competition they throw their hats into.
ECHAVEZ-LOPEZ
Cebuana triathlete Lorhiz Echavez-Lopez who won titles this year in the National Age Group Triathlon-Cebu Leg, the Tabuelan 111 Triathlon, and the 2014 Tri Team Championship series in Bantayan Island confessed that she has an Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) when it comes to preparing for a race.
“I suffer from OCD when a race is fast approaching. And the day before the race, I got panic attacks resulting in several unwanted stuff getting into my bag like an electrical tape which ended up in my transition kit,” Echavez-Lopez said laughing.
She’s also a stickler to omens and signs.
“There was one time when I tried inflating my bike’s wheel before a race but the wheel failed to inflate despite several tries and the straw on my water bottle suddenly detached. I took these as warnings that the upcoming race is going to be crappy. The signs were right. The event turned out to be one of the toughest races I’ve joined,” she said.
However, she shared a surefire formula for winning: strong faith in God, rigid training and the support of her family.
DUENAS
The reigning bronze medalist of the Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Philippines has a very simple formula for success: proper training, dedication plus a strong faith in God. He said that each time he joins a race, he never forgets to pray and offer everything to the Man above.
“I have no unusual preparations. I just train hard and pray harder. I leave everything to God and always ask for his protection especially since triathlon is a dangerous sport,” shared the defending champion of Defy 123 Triathlon in Bohol who is also a noted runnng and triathlon coach.
MILLER
For Joseph Lumagod Miller, the lone Filipino professional off-road triathlete believes that the most important thing to do before a race is to have a healthy and energy-filled breakfast.
“I really don’t have any unusual preparation or superstitious beliefs. The only thing that boosts my confidence on race day is knowing that I had a nourishing breakfast and did everything within my means to prepare for the race,” Miller said. He said that he visualizes the race he is about to join for added focus.