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Zoren Legaspi is joining the world's biggest cycling fest, his first int’l cycling event
Zoren Legaspi has been cycling for roughly three years now. He’s become quite an active member in the local cycling community, participating in events left and right.
This weekend, the Kapuso actor is about to embark on his first international cycling event, incidentally the world’s biggest cycling festival.
Pru RideLondon 2019 has an expected turnout of more than 100,000 cyclists from all over the world, and Zoren is among the official Filipino delegation.
According to Zoren, he’s been training for the event since June. “I would normally ride around Mall of Asia, which is a flat ride,” Zoren tells GMA News Online. “But for this event, I took out my flat rides and started going for more uphill ones.”
From his Pasig home, the PruRide ambassador would ride up to the Sierra Madre “and then come back all by myself.”
Going on solo rides is among the new things he introduced to his workouts, to train himself in changing tires, he said.
He's been preparing for this first international cycling event, but here's the interesting thing: Zoren is not planning to achieve, or even beat, his personal best.
“My initial goal was to perform,” he begins. “But I realized, if you’re zooming, hindi mo mae-enjoy yung experience.
“You’re there sa finish line, amateur ka lang naman. Wala namang trophies, it’s not a competition. So I told myself, I’ll enjoy the ride and take selfies, na lang” he smiles.
It sounds a tad leisurely, especially for Zoren who admits to being super competitive. But he says even that too takes a lot of power and athleticism. “It takes a lot of power to stop and start and stop and start. [Basta] Balak ko talaga mag-picture taking. I want to be able to keep stopping for photo ops, selfies [and then go back onto pedaling].”
It echoes Zoren’s favorite thing about the sport. For him, cycling gives him the chance to travel and discover places, a benefit unique to cycling. “When I ride, ang dami kong nadi-discover. I really feel closer to people and to nature also,” he says.
In fact, one of the things he likes to do when riding through Sierra Madre, is to knock on people’s houses and ask if he can maybe sit in their front yard.
“You really get to meet people and to share stories while exercising. And often, when I’m riding, I realize how lucky I am. Wala pala akong dapat problemahin.”
In London, he will be participating in the Surrey 100, an event that covers a total distance of 100 miles. The route, “made famous by the world’s best cyclists at the London 2012 Olympicss” boasts of leg-testing climbs from closed roads in London into the stunning countryside.
“But my fear really is getting lost,” he shrugs. “I’m very bad when it comes to roads, because I’m always getting lost!”
Zoren’s solution? To connect with the Filipino community “para may kasama ako, just in case. I’ve become more confident knowing there is a Filipino community there.”
Pru RideLondon was developed by the Mayor of London, Trasport for London, and London & Partners in partnership with Surrey County Council and sponsored by Prudential Life UK. This the seventh edition of the festival and the fifth year that the Philippines will send an official delegation. — LA, GMA News
