Reminiscing my cycling days after 1977

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

AFTER winning the 1977 Marlboro Tour of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao staged in the month of June, I took a respite for five days and resumed pushing the pedals of my bike again to avoid getting complacent and rusty. I knew I had to be ready to compete in any national cycling event at anytime of the year. Of course, the rainy season stopped me from riding but it did not stop me from keeping myself physically fit by running, jogging, playing basketball and table tennis inside the gym. I had to maintain my stamina and breathing discipline which I believe helped me a lot to win three national championships, four runner-up plums and lifting Pangasinan and Cosmos in the team championship many times over. Of course, both proper nutrition and discipline also were major part in all my victories. That had been my routine since I turned professional in 1965 until my last triumph in 1977, and before my migration to Uncle Sam’s land on April 19, 1978.

I attempted a comeback in 1982 at the age of 36. While I passed the strenuous Marlboro Tour elimination round using the same method that made me champ three times, however, I did not place prominently this time. I finished 16^th overall in the general classification out of 84 starters but my team Broncos, landed second overall. It was my worst performance since I turned pro in 1965 and I’ve come to realize that it was ‘father time,’ as many call it.

My family and I then moved to Guam after the big race. Although I failed to do an impressive finish in the Marlboro Tour ’82, I did not hang my shoes and continued to bike in Guam with some new and close friends like American triathlete Anthony Milevsky, Japanese rider Kobayashi (I forgot his first name) both from the U.S. Air Force stationed in Guam, and Guam-born with Chamorro-Dutch parents Ric Baza. Since most were working, we could only bike briefly after work but we found time to train longer during holidays. My cycling son Jazy soon joined cycling circle after graduating from high school and quickly dominated Guam’s bikefest, winning seven times during his teenage days elevating him to the level to represent Guam twice in the Olympics: 1992 Barcelona and the 2000 Sydney.

Cycling is not so popular in Guam. Like the U.S. mainland, Guam’s most popular sports are baseball, American football, soccer, marathon and basketball. Cycling (maybe) is their sixth pet. I only raced twice in Guam and won once in 1985 before Jazy’s migration to the tiny island. I placed third once in 1988 which Jazy won, and Berkley (I forgot his first name), a Caucasian rider, finished second.

I came back to the Philippines in June 1993 and I only visited America when the time allowed it. But because of my love for biking, I continued to ride whenever and wherever until I met an accident on September 9, 2001 in Barangay Longos junction in San Fabian on my way home from Damortis, La Union. Fortunately, I just suffered slight contusions and concussion. But since that accident, I have not ridden my second racing-bike to this day. (My French-made bike brand Peugeot that made me champ is still in Guam) The rest was history.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourself as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past. For behold, the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth will also disclose her blood, and will no more cover her slain. ISAIAH 26: 20-21

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