Challenge Vietnam 2016 ROCKS!

Vietnam
I had only been to Vietnam once.  It was a leisure trip with my family at Ho Chi Minh City. This first visit allowed me to see a fast developing city and made me appreciate fully the hardships they had endured during the war.  The Vietnamese are truly a resilient race and their kindness makes one feel at ease when moving about in the country. With this, I knew I had to go back.

Drive from  Nha Trang Airport to the city center

News on Challenge Vietnam
I heard about the Vietnam race through the Tri-Clark What's App grapevine sometime 2015.  My team mates got confirmation that the  Nha Trang, Vietnam race would be added to Challenge's half distance triathlon circuit.  

There was a lot of excitement as most of us had not raced in Vietnam!  It was also mentioned in the back and forth flurry of messages that Eric Imperio and his ExTribe team would serve as the Technical consultant for the race. This news made it all the more attractive as Eric, his wife Taleng and the Extribe crew were friends from way back. Plus, I was confident of the race quality that would come from them.  I was fortunate to have joined their well attended Whiterock Triathlon and Balai sa Laiya Extreme Triathlon. With this, I was convinced that the race would be well organized and that athletes would be well cared for from start to finish.

Tri-Clark Team Challenge Vietnam contingent

Registration, Flights and Hotels
As traveling triathletes the 3 most important areas that need to be worked on at least 6-12 months before a race is the race registration, flight and hotel bookings.  Mac, our current Tri Clark President registered 10 Tri Clark Team members for the race.  Allan, Art and Rene worked on the flight and hotel bookings for all triathletes flying from Manila. While I made arrangements for myself as I would be coming from Singapore.

I was able to get round trip flight from Singapore to Nha Trang via Ho Chi Minh  on Vietnam Airlines for SGD265 or PHP8,800 with 30 kg bag allowance. Then proceeded to book my 5 night stay via booking.com's website.  We all decided to stay at Azura Hotel which was centrally located and a quick 10 minute walk from the race venue. Average cost per night in a standard room was USD 25 or PHP1,200.

I decided to fly in on 8th Sep to give me enough time to rest a few days and enjoy the sights prior to the race.

Nha Trang's main beach area

Pre-Race
We had ample time to savor Vietnamese fare in restaurants within walking distance from our hotel. The average meal with drinks in a simple restaurant costs around VND150,000-200,000 or P300-400.  We would then walk to a nearby Vietnamese cafe to get a shot of their drip coffee with milk over ice and with a glass of Jasmine tea that helps cleanse the palate.  If we were in a rush we would just buy a Banh mi (PHP 40) a filling and delicious Vietnamese sandwich, or a bowl of steaming Pho with beef or chicken for PHP 100.

Banh Mi stand

Beef Pho

Vietnamese drip coffee at Me Trang

As soon as Rene, Mac, Allan, John and Art arrived on the 9th we agreed to set-up the bikes to give us time to check the course on the 10th and do the necessary adjustments on the bike with the bike mechanics on site.

Bike check

Bike out!

Carbo Load Dinner and Race Briefing

The dinner that the organizers set on the 9th was amazing. We had a wide array of Vietnamese dishes to choose from and meats and seafood that we could barbecue ourselves with coals in a clay container laid on top of our table! Free flow of drinks were made available to us as well. Truly one of the best pre race dinners I have had!

What a spread!

Vietnamese dance

Let's eat!

Grill your own!

The race briefing held on the 10th was short and sweet, Eric and his swim, bike and run technical directors were on hand to answer queries that the triathletes would have regarding the course and nutrition that would be available.

Pros with Technical Race Directors at the Race Briefing

Race Day
We all agreed to meet at the hotel lobby at 430 am. We then made the easy 10min stroll to the race site.  We had ample time to do the last minute checks on our equipment, do last minute hydration and warm ups.  The day was cool and the clouds overcast.  

Swim Start
It was a rolling start with pro men coming in first, the women pro second, men age groupers third and women/relay last in the water.  
The water was warm and calm through out the swim. 

We were off to a good start.

Bike, Run and Finish 

After the 1.9km (Note: we heard after the race that the swim distance was approximately 2.6km because the buoys moved a bit due to the heavy rainshower the night before the race) swim we got a well-deserved freshwater shower and then made our way to the nearby transition area. we got a well- deserved freshwater shower and then made our way to the nearby transition area.  We had organized all our gear in a white waterproof container.

The first 9 km of the bike course was generally flat, but immediately after this the course was filled with hills through out!  The hills are definitely alive in Nha Trang! The course was difficult but the scenery made up for the Challenge we were going through.

As I steadily  did my loops, I was able to see Allan,  then John and Mac zooming away on the course. And by the time I began my run, they were already on the last 8 km of the run !

The run was generally flat  and once again we were treated with beautiful scenery with the generous and kind locals helping cheer us on!  John clocked in the best time.  Alan followed shortly, then Mac.

Alan at the Finish!

John at the Finish!

As i was running, I was happily plodding along and thinking about how lucky we are to do the thing we love doing most at such beautiful surroundings. We are indeed blessed. Life is good!

I crossed the finish line past 1pm with a big smile on my face, legs aching and a livelier  color on my skin!  Our friend Janice, said my name loudly on the loudspeaker while Andrew gladly took my photo at the finish.  Mac then greeted me and said that they had already started drinking ice cold beer at the expo area.  I said I would follow after the ice bath and much needed leg massage!
We all finished and finished strong!

Podium Finish Surprise and After Race Partyyyy

After the massage I had a beer with the gang.  Mac, Allan and John  had waited for me for over an hour!  Rene made his way after the swim while Art also went ahead after his run.  The rest of us headed back to the hotel to freshen up after a few more beers!

I had the best news in this race! Janice and Alman, who were both in the organizing team, had told me that I got the silver in my age group. And that I was initially listed in the men's group, but they realized they had made a mistake. Hahaha!  I am glad to be in the women's category!:)

We drank a couple more beers while waiting for the organizers to award my age group. A pleasant surprise indeed it was for me to have gotten a podium finish. I could get used to this! 

We had a humongous buffet after the race and the guys even tried the barbecued alligator!  I passed on this.
After the big late lunch we rested at the hotel then hit the road once again but this time it was to partyyy!

The after race party was at the rooftop of one of the tallest buildings in Nha Trang!  We got a fantastic 360 degree view of the city while drinking our ice cold Budweiser beer to the music being played by the DJ!
The excellent race day in perfect weather conditions was topped off  by a one of a kind party that showed off Vietnamese hospitality at its best!  Kudos and a big THANKS to the Challenge Vietnam 2016 organizers for making this once in a lifetime long distance triathlon event a reality!

We will definitely be back!


Other expenses to guide you in budgeting a race in Nha Trang :
Taxi to and from airport - you can negotiate this for VND250,000 to VND400,000
If they use the meter it may cost VND450,000-550,000
SIM Card - with data only good for 20 days VND120,000-170,000
Food - VND300,000-VND400,000 per day
Water - VND7,000-10,000 for a 1.5L bottle
Beer or Coffee - VND20,000-30,000
Taxi around town - VND30,000-60,000

Challenge Venice 2016 : Perfect Race-Cation Destination

Full Distance Triathlon

A couple of years have passed since my last full distance triathlon.  Full-distance requires one to swim 3.8km, bike 180 km, and run 42 km, so it entails a whole lot of time and effort to prepare for this physical and more importantly mental endurance race.

Why Do You Torture Yourself?
I get asked many times by friends and family, "Why do you 'torture" yourself?"  Well, hmmm, I like the challenge that triathlon offers since it is multi-sport so you need to do fairly well in the 3 different disciplines.  Aside from this, I absolutely savor the day-to-day training that has to be done a couple of months ahead of the race to get to the finish line.  Your triathlon training, or you can look at it as your part-time gig as a multi-sport athlete, has to be done in tandem with your other jobs or roles, i.e. a father/mother, a brother/sister, a friend, a colleague, etc.  You need to be able to train smart, and at the same ensure that you do not neglect your other important roles and responsibilities. 

Where Should We Race Next?

Race day for me is the bonus... the icing on the cake, the cherry on top of the ice cream.  It signals the end of a particular journey where immediately after you think about the next race!  You may think it's slightly odd that after doing a long and tiring race,  your body in bits, you are already thinking about the next one.  It sounds weird but it's true!  This is what my team mates and I talk about.  First, we share our experience of the race, then we drink lots, eat lots, recuperate for a week or two and then we ask the question,  "Where should we race next?"

Why Challenge Venice?

I chose to race in Venice because I had been there years ago but was only able to go around for a few hours.  Not enough time really to appreciate the sights and sounds. Venice was a perfect race-cation destination because the other places I wanted to visit again were a train, bus or car ride away.   Florence, Tuscany and Rome were on the list!

This was a race that I had signed up for in December 2015.  I was not feeling great physically at the time since 2015 found me living/working in a different country, traveling twice monthly and nursing a nagging cough at the latter part of the year.  The cough eventually led to a recurrence of my asthma as soon as the festivities of New Year 2016 began.  Not the best way to start training for a race. So, after taking stock of what I needed to do to get my health back, I took the necessary steps to repatriate myself back home by end March.  Happy to be back home. There is truly no place like home! 

Training and Travel Prep

Training began on April 5 and continued for 60 days!  Definitely not ideal in terms of training for a full distance triathlon but this was the only time I had.  Got into the 'minimalist training' mode.  Did mostly run/walk, spinning at the gym, swim workouts during the first 30 days.  Then slowly got into an average 10-13 hours of combined swim, bike and run/walk workouts per week during the last 5 weeks of training. Slow and steady workouts were done in tandem with a renewed emphasis on the regularity/consistency in my breathing.  Very important as my lungs were not in tip-top shape.  I was super careful, I was slow but steady.   I listened to my body and rested when it asked to rest.   I ate enough and slept early. 

Air tickets were booked in March (Air France RT to Rome US$740, plus US$90 OW Rome to Venice, plus Air France charges US$100 per way for the bike or US$200 additional). Accommodations booked in April, average room US$80-100 (per night for 2 to 3 pax). 2- week itinerary set was for 5 days in Venice, 1 day in Florence, 3 days in Tuscany and 3 days in Rome, plus 2 days of traveling from Asia to Europe.  Meals approximately US$40 per day.  Bus and train transport approximately US$10 per day.  Rent a Car (used to drive from Florence to Tuscany) approximately US$100 per day.  Incidental expense to purchase your museum tickets (US$15), vino (lots of this @ US$8 per bottle!), beer, espresso, extra orders of pizza/pasta and gelato!  Lots of gelato - to be eaten after the race! 

Traveling with the Bike

Special mention goes to traveling with a bike to Europe.  I found this out only 2 days before my actual flight! Air France charges US$100 per piece of sports equipment.  The equipment has to be packed in a case that is within the dimensions specified by the airline with a max weight of 23kg.  

I normally travel with 2 bags as my bike frame is packed in 1 bag and my wheelset in another bag. The total weight may be within the limit BUT if I traveled with my 2 bike bags, I would be charged double for using 2 bags or US$200 per way.   Yikes!   So, I ran to my friendly neighborhood bike shop and was relieved to find that they had a hard case bike box I could rent for 2 weeks!  Took my packed bike to the shop and had it repacked in the hard case. 

I was fortunate that I was able to rent a hard case as I was told by Bernard, a Filipino triathlete who also joined Challenge Venice, that a friend of his traveled with a soft bike case in Europe, unfortunately his bike was broken/smashed by the airline.  No race and no bike for him!  Plus, the carrier did not pay him for the damage they had done as this was stipulated in the terms and conditions that they would not be held liable for any sports equipment damage.  I had asked the check in attendant of Air France to put FRAGILE stickers on my bags but they refused and said that it was up to me to ensure that I packed everything well. 

So I got the bike hard case ready in time for the flight BUT as I arrived in Venice my bike was not there!  I filed a complaint at the Venice baggage counter and had to wait for 3 days for my bags to get to me!  Got my bike late afternoon of Jun 3.  Assembled it on the 4th of Jun and checked in the bike at 5pm.  Just in time for the race.

Challenge Venice 2016

Arrived late in the afternoon of Jun 1 after a 24 hour journey.  Rested, saw the sights of Venice and waiting anxiously for the bike for 3 days. Bike arrived late afternoon of Jun 3.  I was only able to assemble the bike and relax on Jun 4!

Schedule

Jun 3, 2-7pm - Athlete Registration, Triathlon Expo and Bike Service

Jun 3, 6-8pm - Welcome Party

Jun 4, 11a - English race briefing

Jun 4, 3-630pm - Bike Check In and Bags Drop

Jun 5, 345am - Bike Check open

Jun 5, 450am - Bus to Venice START

Jun 5, 630am - START

Woke up at 330am on race day to ensure that I had sufficient time for breakfast and complete my morning rituals.  Arrived at the stadium at 415am.  Did a last minute equipment check, pumped my tyres then made my way to the bus pick up area.  We left at 450am for the 15minute ride to Venice.  We then walked for 20 mins to the University Ca'Foscari start area.  Waited for nearly an hour for the race to begin.   This was the beginning of a very long day for me!

The water was 21 degrees and quite cold for me.  For majority of the athletes, the water was comfortable. The rolling start began with the pros, females, then males.  I saw a pro female get injured (corals) when she jumped in for the practice swim.  She got out of the water with a huge gash on the under side of her foot. It was quite bloody and not a pretty sight.  The medic carried her in and gave her first aid.  A few minutes later I saw her being carried into the water with her bandaged foot!  Fierce!

When it was time for the females (I think we were a little over 50 females out of the nearly 900 triathletes) to get in, we were constantly reminded by the swim marshals that the tide was very low and that we should not jump in.  We all took our time in getting into the murky sea with two divers already in the water helping us to get in safely.  There were numerous rescue boats, kayaks, jet skis and divers throughout the 3.8 km long swim course.  It is Venice after all, so they had all the water support they needed for the race! 

Mid way through the swim a female athlete hit me on the right side of my body. She struck so hard that my body began to tense up.  Water got in my goggles and the strength of the hit made my left leg tighten! I then felt my leg cramping so I waved the nearest rescue boat.   While the boat made its way to me a man stopped to asked me if I was ok.  He was so calm and composed, and this helped me relax.  The boat arrived and the two marshals looked at me to check if I wanted to stop.  As I calmed down, my leg began to relax. I gave an ok sign to the marshals and carried on with the swim.

The tide was so low and the organizers did not want any of the racers to get injured.  So, the marshals had to fish us out of the water at the end of the swim.  I had to reach out with both hands then they grabbed both my hands, held my arms and got me out of the water safely.  As I got out and walked briskly to the bike area, I took in steady breaths to further calm me down!

Bike course was smooth and steady.  We had lovely views of the Veneto countryside, between Treviso and Venice.   The Italian spectators cheered us on throughout the course.  "Brava, brava, brava!" was what they would shout as I passed.  All the traffic controllers and traffic police on motorbikes were very efficient and they ensured the riders safety at all times.  We were give lots of electrolytes, water, bananas, gels, nutrition bars throughout the bike course.   The course had a steady headwind throughout but overall the ride was pleasant.  As I hit the 110km mark, a slight pain began to develop at the back of my knee.  The pain began to slowly increase and by the time I completed the 180km ride and dismounted I knew that I would be dealing with major discomfort throughout the run.

A few kilometers into the run, I was able to ask the medic to bandage and spray my left leg to minimize the discomfort I was feeling on the left knee.  I was practically limping throughout the run but decided to focus on the sights and sounds at Parco San Guiliano.  I saw interesting people along the way, racers from all over the world,  spectators continued to cheer us on!  There was more than enough nutrition to allow us to finish the course.  I decided to stick with Coke, bananas, Gu gels, oranges throughout the run!  As I was super slow on the run because of the nagging pain on my left knee, it took me a long time reach the finish.  Darkness eventually set-in.  After more than 15 hours of racing,  I finally caught sight of the Finish!  Happy to have finished in one piece in over 15 hours!:)

Kudos to the Challenge Venice organizers for making the race truly memorable!

A big thanks to Tri-Clark Team, family, friends and Shay for cheering me on and believing that I could do it!

Going Green...Starts with a Simple Green Smoothie

Sis, I found such a refreshing smoothie recipe online that is so easy to make and tastes yummy!  

A big thanks goes to the founders of Simple Green Smoothies for this recipe.  See below a cute recipe card they developed that one can use as reference.  You can print a copy of this recipe and post on your refrigerator door so that you are reminded of the various ingredients you can blend together to create your own special smoothie.

For my green smoothie, I used the following ingredients that I can easily get at my neighborhood supermarket :

2 cups romaine lettuce
2 cups water
2 bananas (medium sized)
1 cup cut fresh pineapple
1 red apple (medium sized)

I blended the romaine and water first, then added the rest of the ingredients to the mix,  fresh bananas, apples and the frozen pineapples I had cut and stored in my freezer a few days earlier.  My yummy smoothie was ready in less than a  minute.

With this recipe, I was able to make three medium sized glasses which I consumed  throughout the day.   One smoothie glass served as my morning snack, the second smoothie I took in the afternoon and the last I took an hour before bedtime.

So why have I started making green smoothies at home?

Well, for the past couple of months my body has been asking for it.  Plus, the one week detox (check out my June post)  I joined last month,  made my body all the more want for better types of nourishment.  I am not kidding!  It wants food I can readily digest,  tastes fresh, and food that helps makes me feel lighter overall.

My journey to eat better quality types of food is going to be a long process.  It will take months and years before I reach a point where I am 110% happy with my food choices.  We all have to start somewhere, right?

Tour de France shows us what "Nerves of Steel" are about

Sis, the Germany win at the World Cup was absolutely fantastic!   I watched the replay of the game yesterday morning (3am was just too early for me) and was able to marvel at how the two teams played so hard to get the gold.  But, in any sport there can only be one winner and Germany got all its stars aligned at the right place and right time! It was such a pleasure to see how in synch the German players were throughout the match.   Excellent show of team work Germany!

I read a very interesting article about how the German team was able to acclimatise and recover well throughout the World Cup by spending time in Campo Bahia, a training camp located close to Rio de Janeiro.  Campo Bahia gave the team a venue to continue their training in a beautiful environment and at the same time focus on the build up of the all important team spirit that was evident throughout all their matches. Check out the article on Campo Bahia

I appreciate football but ever since I started joining triathlons, I developed a keen interest in cycling events.  As we all know, cycling is a third of the three disciplines one needs to train for in a triathlon.   The Tour de France, one of the oldest and most prestigious of the world cycling events, is one that I had been following through the years.

Yesterday was a full-day of sports, World Cup finals in the morning and Stage 10 of the Tour de France at night.  Yesterday's stage proved to be very memorable as one of the favorites to win the race, Alberto Contador, suffered a bad crash on a descent and had to bow out of the race because of a fractured tibia.  This comes after an earlier crash by last year's Tour winner, Chris Froome, who fractured both his hands.

I am in awe of all the riders who have gathered enough experience and courage to join the Tour.  All the riders have to contend with the ever-changing weather conditions, sunny one day and rainy the next.  Throughout the race one is faced with brutal mountain climbs that are horrifically steep and then upon reaching the top of the climb a rider has to contend with narrow and windy roads on the way down (as they say what comes up, must come down!) which they need to ride as fast as they can, sometimes reaching speeds of over 100 kph.  Can you imagine being on a bike that weighs less than 7 kgs. and going downhill in winding roads at over 100 kph?  Scary thought!  The Tour has become so popular, that fans all-over the world line the course at various locations.  At times you can see over eager fans who cheer and give a pat to the rider as a sign of support, but this may prove to be detrimental at times as it may startle the rider unnecessarily.   But despite all these circumstances, the riders with "nerves of steel" still continue to amaze us by joining the Tour.  Kudos to all of you!!!

In addition to the live telecast of the Tour, I would suggest that you monitor the Tour website to appreciate the goings on of the race Tour de France 2014 .  They have live commentary, maps, daily news, photos and videos, that make the Tour experience absolutely enjoyable!

Below are some info that may be of interest if you decide to follow this years Tour de France:

1.  First Tour de France was held in 1903; primary purpose of the first tour was to sell more newspapers
2.  First Tour had 5 stages vs. 21 stages in todays modern day Tours
3.  A few riders in each team aim to win overall but there are three other competitions that draw riders: points, mountains and young riders
4. Overall (Individual) or general classification - riders' times are added so that the rider with the lowest aggregate time wins;  the overall leader has the privilege to wear the yellow jersey
5. Mountains classification - points are given to the rider who is first to reach the top of each climb
6. Points classification - points are awarded to riders depending on the type of stage i.e. flat, mountain, etc.
7. Young rider classification - leader is determine the same way as general classification, but restricted to riders under the age of 26; the leader of this classification wears the white jersey
8. Since 1975 the race finish has been held at the Champs Elysees
9. Most stages are in mainland France but since 1960s the Tour has included stages in nearby countries i.e. Belgium, England, Germany
10.  Youngest ever winner of the Tour - 19 yrs; oldest winner ever - 34 yrs.

Yeah, Deutschland!!!

After 114 minutes of football -- unglaublich!!! Unbelievable!!! The long awaited goal 6 minutes before end time by Mario Goetze on a pass by Schürrle.  After tense moments half-expecting Argentina's star player Lionel Messi who is constantly lurking around Germany's goal waiting for the right moment to sneak in a goal...it is over!!! Die Deutsche Mannschaft hat es geschäft! The German team has won the World Cup!!!

Goal-maker Goetze kisses the Golden Cup

Again, what a game!  Was für ein Spiel!!!  I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, holding my breath as spectacular play flashes through the screen. Argentina's super strong defense squeezes out Germany's repeated attempts to drink from the Cup.  Then, finally, the Cup could not be denied to Deutschland!

First, Khedira was not on the starting 11 due to an injury. Christof Kramer takes over, but is later sidelined with a possible concussion as a shoulder smashes into his neck and head during play. Schweinsteiger falls several times to the ground due to fouls on him, with one foul resulting in a small cut on his face with blood dripping out just below his right eye.  But he gets up yet again, even as I wince with him in pain, and I wonder how the bodies of these players can take such punishing blows. The team out on the field continues to work wonderfully together -- calm, focused, patiently waiting for the right  time -- Boateng, Hummels, Kroos, Höwedes, Klose, Muller, Schweinsteiger, Özil, captain Philipp Lahm, Schürrle and Neuer, yes, Neuer, who stonewalls all Argentine attempts on the goal.  He is later chosen to receive the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper of the tournament, and one former Cup player even goes so far as to say that he is the best goalkeeper in history!

The Argentine team puts on a valiant attempt, and how close they were, they could almost have tasted the sweetness.  Messi, even as his head is hung in defeat, so close to ultimate glory had his team brought home the Cup, looking unhappy as he climbs up to the stage, is awarded the Golden Ball trophy as the best player in the World Cup.  How he must have longed to hoist up the Cup.

Amazing! Finally, Germany's 4th World Cup win after 24 long years.

Herrzlichen Gluckwunsch, Deutschland!!! You totally deserve it!

What a World Cup!

Just watched the Germany-Brazil World Cup semifinal game last night, and wow, I must take back a lot of what I said in my previous blog post (which I wrote after watching the Brazil-Colombia game).  This was a game worthy of the World Cup -- even with the thrashing of the Brazilians 7-1.

Amazing game -- the Germans played so well -- just how football should be.  They showed teamwork, focus, concentration, sportsmanship, and humility, even as the Brazilians fell apart, maybe psychologically affected by the absence of top-gun Neymar and captain Thiago Silva.  You could see how the German Mannschaft was not just one or two players, but a team playing together.  I couldn't believe how they got 5 goals within the first 30 or so minutes of the first half -- volleying in one goal after another as if playing against some college football team instead of the mighty Brazil.  I had joked around previous to watching the game about a possible 4-0 -- but the actual result was totally unimaginable.

I can not believe how much I am enjoying watching football at the World Cup. Terrific games! Different styles, different emotions...  Another semifinal game tonight -- Netherlands vs Argentina, to decide who plays against Germany for the World Cup 2014, then the finals on Saturday. So looking forward to it -- I am a total football fan!

What I learned from the World Cup

Sis, I don't know how it is on your side of the world, but World Cup Fever is at an all-time high here in Germany.  First because Germany has a pretty good chance at making it to the top.

Anyway, luckily, here in Germany, all the games are covered on public TV -- public TV is paid for by the people. Each one has to pay an amount, called a gez here -- something like Euro 18 every month if you have a house or apartment, which means pretty much everyone. Before it used to be paid only by anyone who had access to media -- like a television or a radio, or even a computer.

So back to the World Cup. I couldn't believe how rough and tumble football was. Okay, I am not an expert, but I do know that people can get pretty hurt from the things these players are doing. I am thinking if a normal person was out there running full speed with a ball and someone puts a leg in front of him -- basically, you know, like the thing we used to do in elementary school, when we put out a leg to trip someone, and laughed when they did trip -- the other person could get pretty hurt.  Or when someone stands right behind another who is currently jumping high -- meaning obviously that they land on the other person and completely lose their balance and fall on their backs -- and this, from some really high jumps -- that could mean a real ouchy.  (I remember they used to call it "sahod" in the Philippines-- translating to "scoop" in English).  But that seems to be pretty much what football playing is all about -- and this at the World Cup.

Until I saw how Germany played vs France, then I knew it could in fact be a gentleman's game (They do call rugby as  hooligans playing like gentlemen and football as gentlemen playing like hooligans ). Here in this game, everything was pretty orderly, the players were dribbling the ball nicely, passing nicely, heading in goals nicely, saving nicely and correctly and there was not too much pushing and pulling and clawing and desperate kicking and tripping and diving.  I am not saying that all South American teams play that rough and tumble way -- Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay -- hmmm, wait a minute...  Could it be that some teams are more evolved?  Playing the game a longer time, perfecting the moves, but it ain't fun playing only with each other, so you have to let the other kids in.

The crazy thing is, you can see every little move now on high-definition television, so for every foul or almost foul or red card or yellow card, there is an instant replay in slow high def motion.  And you see the culprit and his devious plans. Like, say, a player biting on another player's shoulder or a player running full tilt and with a little jump, planting a knee into the middle of another player's back, or a player belly-flopping and diving wildly even as the other player just scratches his head.   And the referee who is supposed to penalize evil pats his hand. What lesson does one learn?  Could it be that "one can get away with anything even when everything can be played back and checked in slow motion"?   How can you solve this problem? -- Maybe whenever there is an iffy decision, then they can check out the playbacks -- but then that would be just about everything and the game would go on forever, so scratch that.

Another realization is that I actually enjoyed the rough and tumble football loads more than the orderly football. I liked watching the players cry their hearts out like little lost boys when they lost and wholeheartedly dancing together, kneeling and pointing fingers up to their God, leaping and jumping over each other for joy, dancing and hugging and tightly embracing and kissing, yes, even kissing, when they scored a goal.  Wow, the depths of their emotion!  Those are the moments you remember, but then, when I look back, I think about those times when they were playing and maybe unwittingly (?) seemed to be out to physically hurt the other team's players, and there are, in fact, bruises and broken bones, even blood at times.  Is this something one should enjoy?  Pretty much reminds you of the arena/colosseum times when the gladiators are out in front of city crowds to fight each other to the death for the entertainment of all.  And yes, during those times, the crowds roared and enjoyed the blood and gore and egged on the gladiators to greater glory.

It seems to me also that football reveals the character of a nation. Which one gets things done in a disciplined, orderly, mannered way, and which gets it done in a haphazard, not following all the rules, even desperate, sacrificing it all, way. I hate stereotypes but football style does seem to play out these stereotypes.

I am also pretty much impressed at the dedication and athleticism of these football players -- aside from their wonderful abs, of course!  To reach this level, they must have trained forever -- lived, slept, ate football, given up a lot. You can see this passion and hunger in each of the player's faces.  I am worried every time they fall if they would get up, but they always seem to do so -- although, once in a while, with a little acting, it looks like.

Anyway, I am out of my depth here.  Just some ruminations on football and the World Cup from an observer.  Looking forward to Brazil vs Germany.  Chaos vs Clockwork?  Emotion vs Precision?  Pure joy vs Fulfilled Expectation?

And my final lesson, Football is like life.  Here you can fill in all your cliches...