ON THE GO!

Biking has always been a hobby that offers a lot of benefits. It does not only afford the biker his much-needed exercise but also allows him to use an efficient mode of transportation that does not contribute to environmental pollution. But for this young triathlete from Mandaue City, it’s way more than that.

Nineteen-year-old Justine Pesons started hitting the pedals as a childhood hobby when he was just seven years old. He always wanted to go around the neighborhood using his bike. So who would have thought that a few years later, this would lead him to a sport that he described as one that “you’ll never get tired of loving.”

Two years ago, he saw the bike leg of the Ironman Triathlon and this spurred his interest to be competitive using his bicycle. So he joined his first triathlon event, a national age group event in Danao City. He was part of the relay team as the biker along with his friends and finished first in the relay category.

“I did not expect it. It was a great experience especially for a first-timer like me,” says Justine. That event paved the way for him to venture into the other facets of the sport and started to join fun runs. “I also started to practice swimming on my own since I have no coach until I improved my swimming skills,” he said, “After more than a month of training, I started to join individual races in triathlon.”

He has participated in a handful of competitions already including the most recent Iron Man Philippines 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship’s relay category here in Cebu. Apart from the enjoyment, Justine chose the sport because it challenged him not just physically but also mentally. He said that motivation is key to achieving success at the finish line.

Facing challenges head-on and being motivated are qualities that he carries over to his studies. He makes sure that the balance between sport and school is maintained. “I usually train early in the morning before class. Then I go back to training after my school work is done,” he shares.

Justine, a marine transportation freshman at the University of Cebu LapuLapu and Mandaue, also makes sure that with all the training and studying, he spends quality time with family especially on weekends.

He counts discipline, respect, teamwork and resilience as among the valuable lessons he got from competitions. “In life, you can’t always win. You’re going to make mistakes. The same goes with any sport. I have learned to trust my skills and not doubt myself even when things get tough because I always bear in mind that I can hurdle any challenge. So all I do is pick myself up, keep going and do what I have to, to be better and do better,” he says.

Being immersed in triathlon has taught Justine a lot of things that he found useful not just in his life as a young athlete but also as a student and son.