ANI De Leon-Brown, Laarni Paredes, and Ting Joson are inspiring female emissaries of multi-sport who carry on with their maternal duties, while holding court in both the workplace and the racecourse. In this second and final installment of a two-part feature on Iron Moms, we probe deeper into the lessons triathlon has taught them, the challenges that lie ahead, the people that motivate them, and their thoughts on ‘chicking’ guys.
What has been the biggest challenge in and out of triathlon?
Ani: Triathlon is a real endurance sport in more ways than one. Apart from the physical, I have had financial, emotional, and mental hurdles (to deal with). Injuries are one thing; at least you know how to start to address those, more or less. But in this sport, I have had to build, rebuild, and let go of certain relationships and start again from scratch so many times. I really appreciate all the people who have helped me along the way. There are a lot of good people in our sport.
Laarni: I’m a bit of a procrastinator, so time management has always been a challenge for me. I always end up cramming for everything, even for work and training. During the holiday season, I’m one of those panic buyers running around malls and tiangges on Christmas Eve.
Ting: Balancing time with family, work, race organizing, and triathlon. Time is so limited, and I have to prioritize and give up some activities that don’t really matter much in the long term.
Areas for improvement?
Ani: It changes. Before, I needed to work on my run more. Now, I think I need to work on getting more saddle time, which I sorely lack!
Laarni: I still have to work on my time management skills, especially now that I have a baby. I have a stay out nanny only on weekdays, so I have to make sure that I get to do most stuff during the nine-to-six window she’s in.
Ting: A lot! Bike and run. I love biking! I don’t have the speed; I have the endurance though, and can probably bike for days. I am a lazy runner; but once I get the rhythm, I can go on and on.
What has triathlon taught you?
Ani: That I can endure a lot of pain. That I can learn to be flexible. That improvement is a constant thing. And yes, that youth is wasted on the young! (Laughs)
Laarni: Triathlon has taught me to just keep going, despite the pain or fatigue, or the laziness. When I’m in a race and I feel like just dropping out and begging for the ambulance to fetch me, I just think that the finish line is somewhere out there — even if I still can’t see it. In a way, triathlon has taught me to have greater faith — faith that things will work out, faith that I’ll finish and be kept safe. Keeping this kind of mindset helps me keep my calm during races, as well as during difficult life challenges.
Ting: Set priorities. I had to give up a lot: socials, involvement with some foundations (UP Alumni Associations), hanging out with friends. I had to prioritize family, work, and training. Discipline. I have to find time for my passion. If that means waking up at 5 a.m. everyday, then I will. There are lazy/cheat days when I just need to sleep in; I do that too. That is still part of the discipline. If I am tired or too stressed from work, then I skip training altogether.
Describe the balance between motherhood and tri-ing.
Ani: I am still learning. But
It’s easy really: Don’t have a social life and you’ll manage just fine! (Laughs) Yup, I don’t really go out anymore - 9 p.m. is bedtime. Gone are the days of going to sleep at 1 a.m., and still waking up at 5 a.m. to train. You just can’t do that with a baby to take care of. You have to remember that the moment you get sick, the whole household is paralyzed!
Laarni: It’s just crazy! There are many times I still get overwhelmed and frustrated by the many things I need to do in a day. But I’ve set my priorities straight: I’m a wife and mom first, then a working professional, then a triathlete. In the past year, I’ve been quite busy learning the ropes of motherhood and balancing it with work, so I haven’t been much of a triathlete.
I usually train 10 hours a week, 15 if I’m lucky. But I’m trying to rework my sked so that I can add a bit more training time in the next few months in preparation for Enervon Active 226 in December. Last year’s 226 was very, very painful for me, because I didn’t train much and still had so much baby weight on. I know it sounds nuts, but I did it just to see if I can make it. But after realizing how much it hurts, I vowed not to race a full distance again so out of shape. The iron distance is ruthless that way. Respect the distance or suffer in agonizing pain.
Ting: It was more difficult when (my daughter) Isabella was younger and had to be tutored from school, and when she could not understand why a bike ride will take five hours. Now that she has gotten into triathlon herself, it’s so much easier since she can relate to what I do and our races become bonding moments.
We hardly race together. If she has a race, then I concentrate on supporting her. This sport is probably the best thing that happened to both of us. We have become closer to each other because of tri.
What are your priorities?
All Three: Family, Work, Triathlon.
How do you make everything fit?
Ani: Barely! But I learned a long time ago not to be obsessive anymore. Surprisingly enough, that was also the exact moment I stopped getting injured. If you try to be such a control freak with everything, you just bring more stress on yourself.
Laarni: I just take it one day at a time. I guess it’s a matter of sticking to priorities and being at peace with them. I think it also helps immensely to be fit, so we moms can do more things. When I became a mom, I had a greater appreciation for the benefits of staying healthy and fit. Kasi naisip ko, ‘What if I get sick, even with a simple cold? Puwedeng mahawa ang baby ko, and I would have to keep her away from me. Or what if I’m not fit? How can I take care of my baby, my husband, work, and work out — all in a day?’
There was a brief period, for about two months, when we didn’t have a nanny, and it was two solid months of hard labor. I thought, ‘If I weren’t used to working out, I’d probably get sick a lot, because I was always so exhausted.’ It may sound counterproductive, but exercise really does give us more energy to do more things.
Ting: That is part of the discipline. I have to make time for my priorities. Weekdays start at 6 a.m. so I can swim, bike, or run before heading to work. Weekends get really busy with long training and spending Quality Time (QT) with Isabella when all I want to see is sleep after a long ride/run.
Who/What are your inspiration(s) and source(s) of strength?
Ani: Every now and then, I will pop in a Kona (Ironman World Championship) video. I cry every single time. I really admire all the women who have made it there, pros and age groupers alike, as they each have different stories and obstacles to overcome. Even though I am aware of the level of commercialization in our sport nowadays, deep down it is still the athletes who are at the heart of it.
Laarni: My family: my very supportive husband and our baby; and my mom, who’s always there to help us raise our kid.
Ting: (Retired and undefeated four-time Kona Champion) Chrissie Wellington inspires me, especially after I read her story. But the source of my strength is my family, most especially my daughter, Isabella.
What are your future challenges and/or bucket list items?
Ani: I want to do a race in Europe, as I have not raced there yet. I want to improve my PR in Ironman and Half-Ironman distance triathlons; and hopefully, a sibling for Dash, God willing.
Laarni: I want to qualify for the Boston Marathon, and maybe qualify one more time for Kona in the next 20 years or so! (Laughs). I’d also like to try an ultra marathon, maybe 50-80 kilometers, to see if it’s something I’d enjoy doing.
Ting: I would like to do Kona, of course. How, I don’t know. So if not Kona, I would like to be able to do at least an iron distance race every two years. Each race will have to be different from the previous one.
How long do you intend to keep on tri-ing?
Ani/Laarni/Ting: For as long as I can.
What are the positive and/or negatives of tri-ing?
Ani: You just have to make sure you do not become too self-absorbed. Unfortunately, this sport kind of breeds that. But I am fortunate; because I have the best tri-women friends around, who all rock and they keep me grounded all the time!
Laarni: Positives: It keeps me healthy and fit. I get to meet people who are as passionate about our sport. Negative: Expensive, especially for us. Everything (equipment, gadgets, registrations, etc.) costs twice as much.
Ting: Positives: A lot! With health benefits, the friends/friendships you gain from the sport. Your team becomes your second family, especially in my case, since I slid into the role of team mom. I don’t even recall how that happened.
Negatives: It tends to make a person anti-social. I have lost touch with some of my friends. They invite me to go out, but I can’t stay out so late anymore. I fall asleep, and their ‘gimmicks’ start at 10 PM, which is close to my bedtime.
How do you stay feminine in such a masculine sport?
Ani: A lot of pink in my wardrobe; but that’s only because I genuinely like pink. Otherwise, I don’t really feel obliged to alter my choices based on this.
Laarni: I like keeping my hair long, kasi I like it when I’m biking and I hear people say, ‘Uy, babae’ or ‘Go, Ate.’ When I cut my hair short, kuya ang tawag sa akin. (Laughs)
Ting: Hmmm. I guess it’s all in the apparel. I am picky with my apparel and the way I look, be it training or racing. I will not race without make up on. I even test all my make up before I race with it. And my nails are always polished before a race. It’s part of my race prep.
What’s your take on ‘chicking’ guys at the races?
Ani: What can I say? I love it! (Laughs)
Laarni: I think it’s awesome that a lot of girls have gotten so much stronger now, to the point that they can beat a lot of guys. It just goes to show that girls, often perceived as the weaker sex, can be as fast, and maybe even faster than some men in races.
Ting: Cool, if you are able to (chick guys). But it’s not something I gloat about.
Ani, Laarni, and Ting: Iron Moms and inspirations all. They stand for the strength and spirit of mothers and athletes alike, who tirelessly hold the home together, bring home the bacon, and take more than just one for the team.
We’re just lucky to have them.
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“(24/7) once you sign on to be a mother, that's the only shift they offer.”
- Jodi Picoult, from her book, My Sister's Keeper
[For Part I of Bobby Go's two-part blog on Iron Moms, please click here]
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