John Ungab
Ronda Vice Mayor John Ungab was one of the thousands who joined this year’s Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines held last Sunday here in Cebu.
Ungab has joined the past four Ironman races but he said this year was the most challenging. He finished the race in eight hours and 12 minutes.
“It was my worst finish but the best experience by far,” he said.
READ: Fr. Brian finishes race with a ‘miracle’
The strong current and the “unusually high” waves almost made him miss the cutoff time which would disqualify him from the race. But he managed to continue and finish the 1.2-kilometer swim leg of the triathlon.
“I was even crying while swimming, thinking that I would be disqualified for the first time.”
He said he began thinking of his family, who has always been his inspiration to finish races he joined.
“My family was waiting for me at the finish line. My little girls were expecting me to finish. I told myself that if (the marshals) will block me from continuing, I will still insist and convince them that I’ll make it up in the bike leg,” Ungab said.
Ungab has always been into sports since he was young.
He played basketball but stopped after he broke his ankle in an Integrated Bar of the Philippines basketball league game. He tried biking and then running.
When Ironman was first held in Cebu in 2012, he registered even if he was not yet prepared, especially in the swimming leg.
But since then, he has been training for triathlons and consistently joining races.
Ungab became controversial early this year after his wife allegedly attacked a lady lawyer with a baseball bat.
MORE IRONMAN FEATURE STORIES HERE