SWAC 4: All Natural Goodness

Sheerwill Aquathlon Cup 4th Edition

Camp Aguinaldo, 30 January 2010

"Organizing it may be hard, even a dent on the pocket, but when you see happy faces and look back at what you have collectively achieved, all the hardships melt away. Suddenly you feel you can do the whole process all over again."

SWAC started as a simulation aquathlon to make friends believe that the average runner can be an aquathlete too. Its participants have moved on to racing actual aquathlon events, but they continue to participate as athlete or marshal. It is on its fourth edition now, but up to now I am still amazed how SWAC came about and evolved. With each edition though I am slowly beginning to understand. SWAC may just be a series of simulation races - with no frills - but what it has is all-natural goodness. That goodness is manifested in these:

Fulfilled dreams
 In that morning runners became aquathletes.

 SWAC 4 Lite Category participants:  mostly first-timers

(400m swim, 3k run)

Julie the Hotlegs Runners discovers her legs can swim too. First-timer Julie wins the SWAC 4 Lite Female Category. Congratulations Julie!  Read her account here.

The couple who swims and runs together, stays together. Biggest Loser Contest (Season 1) Champ Bryan and Eire at the pool, doing the Lite together.

Read Bryan's account here.

Sid. Biggest Loser Contest (Season 2) weight loss contender. First multi-sports race experience.

Read Sid's story here.

Cess. She had to think of a clever way to make it to the event. Smart girl. Gutsy girl. First aquathlete done in her teens.

Read her story in her Facebook Notes here.

V for Victory. Erick outswam and outran everyone in the Classic category. Big in talent, big in humility. Congratulations, monster Erick =)

Read his race account as told by his wife Let here.

Competition

To compete with others...

Swim monsters battling it out in the Classic Category:  Ian, Jason, James, Deo

Top five in the Classic Division:  Vinci, Erick, Jason, Deo and Ian.

To compete with oneself...

 

Volunteerism

 Registrars and body markers

 Lap counters

Time marshals with some of the participants

Shared Birthdays, Joint Celebrations

Jan and Rico on Jan 31

Byran and Jet in mid-January, BongZ early Feb

Thanks for sharing in the food costs =)

Collective Effort

 Rico explaining the swim laps

RJ explaining the run route he helped map and measure.

RJ also reserved the venue while Tere helped secure permits and worked out food arrangements.

Many thanks for all the help. There were difficulties, but you two made it happen.

Triumph of Will

Wilnar. Milo Marathon finalist. Swimming newbie. Recipient of the Sheerwill Award for  summoning the will to learn how to swim. Congratulations.

Jet in transition. Tired but not beaten. Jet willing himself to practice swimming and finish the race. Sheerwill Awardee for sheer determination. Congratulations.

Ross. First-timer. All smiles as she was about to finish. One of the few ladies who dared to slug it out simultaneously with the Classic men. Sheerwill awardee for courage and determination. Congratulations.

Can do Attitude

SWAC supports entrepreneurial spirit and shares the Can Do Attitude with PhotoBongBong Yu and Carol.
On behalf of SWAC 4 participants and guests, thanks for the photo souvenirs.

Hearty Meal, Healthy Drinks

Free meal and drinks treated by celebrants, collectively shared,
traded over race stories, laughter, friendly banter and good-nature ribbing.

Fun & Laughter

Shared Memories

Shared experiences, shared birthdays, group photos, collective laughter,
common dreams, same fears, shared accomplishments

Will there be SWAC 5? Time alone will tell. It may be tough to organize one, but for so long as there are friends wanting to try and needing some encouragement, I suppose SWAC will live.

Who knows, maybe in the next edition we will swim and run on this island paradise?

Good times. All natural high.


(Thanks to Rodel, Bryan, Brando, Marvin and Bong Yu  for the photos)
Results of SWAC 4 can be viewed in the takbo.ph forum thread.