FOR THE first time in my life, I am welcoming my age with open arms. I proudly turn 46 years old today. Nothing can stop the hands of time, so we might as well strap a Timex on those wrists and start running.

That?s what I did at the grueling Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines. Running that triathlon made me realize the immense capacity the body could have to push its limits.

For two back-to-back weekends, Bicol was my holiday destination. The Ironman in Camsur was followed by a trip to Misibis Bay for serious pampering and luxurious entertaining, which made for truly contrasting vacations.

Upon arrival in Camsur, we were greeted by an adrenaline rush. Governor LRay Villafuerte and his lovely first lady, Lara, had pulled out all stops to ensure that all the triathletes from around the world would have nothing but the best at the Camsur Watersports Complex or CWC. After months of training with swim coach Guy Concepcion, bike coaches Robin Valdes and Paolo Defensor, and race coach Ani de Leon, I knew I was ready to be an Ironman.

Race day was nerve-racking! After I got marked with my race number, there was the rest of my equipment to prep. Goyo Larrazabal of Bike Town Cyclery, who is now the youngest Comelec commissioner, worked with Norman Cruz of Adworks to create my bling-bling bike.

My heart was pumping, my tummy turning, and my mind going wild. I had to remind myself that I was there to just enjoy the experience.

I was so nervous that I was 50 meters into the swim before I realized my goggles were still on my swim cap. No wonder the race official in the kayak beside me was looking at me strangely!

Incredible time

Overall champion Terenzo Bozzone of New Zealand had a swim time of 24 minutes. My gosh! That was just my transition time! He blew the field of 450 away with an incredible time of 3:51.

I guess my priorities are different from these supermen. My idea of a triathlon is a three-outfit event ? a Speedo speed suit, a Bike Town cycling jersey, and Nike running apparel.

And biking in the rural landscape should not be a head-down, pedal-away thing. There were fascinating views of Mt. Isarog to consider and various spectators to wave back to as I pedaled along.

The most demanding leg of the Ironman was the run. Eleven-time Ironman champion Lisa Bentley of Canada proved her mettle as she came from behind to post a scrambling victory in the women?s category of the lung-busting race.

As I neared the finish, I felt so victorious and thrilled to accomplish the event that I decided to dance across the line. Senator Pia Cayetano, who finished hours before, congratulated all the finishers, as well as Gov. LRay, who says he will join next year.

At the victory dinner, I chatted with second place finisher, Gina Kehr of USA, who was so delighted with the warm hospitality of the Pinoys. Gina and I ended up both podium finishers. Of course, hers was a hard-earned one, while mine was serendipitous. It turned out that only three women were in my age group. So even though I finished just a few minutes shy of the eight-hour cutoff, I still took home a trophy!

Race chairman Fred Uytengsu was shocked when I grabbed the mike and thanked all my sponsors, Timex, Speedo, Bike Town, Oakley, Nike, Audi and Phiten, as well as all my friends in the Polo Tri Team and Fitness First. I figured that I might never have another chance to give a triathlon trophy speech, so better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission!

Undiscovered paradise

How does one recover from an Ironman? There?s no better way than to head right back to Bicol, but this time to the Misibis Bay Raintree Resort in Cagraray Island, just off the coast of Legaspi City.

Misibis Bay is paradise waiting to be discovered. It all starts upon arrival in Legaspi. Early in the morning, the majesty of Mayon Volcano is unencumbered by cloud cover. All I can say is: ?It really is a perfect cone!?

Misibis Bay Raintree?s gracious owners, Zaldy and Mylene Co, had invited my family and I to visit their resort, so we were in luxury mode all throughout. We first stopped by their Hotel Venezia for a quick breakfast, then hopped over to their new project, the Embarcadero Mall, where we caught their fastcraft boat to the island.

Arriving in the resort was a joy, with cultural dancers swaying on the sidelines while waiters offered delicious little glasses of halo-halo and cold towels. Resort manager Ian Varona briefed us on the amenities and activities available in the island.

From our spacious villa, we could see the deep blue waters of Misibis Bay opening up into the Pacific Ocean. It?s a sight to contemplate while getting a welcome foot bath from a pretty Bicolana.

Misibis Bay Raintree is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. The Raintree group is the resort?s management team, the same as Discovery Shores Boracay, so one gets the same level of expert, personalized ?service with a heart.? Attention to detail, warm hospitality and delicious food truly set Misibis apart.

The in-room massages were so relaxing. Urban Spa?s Irene Ibañez personally trained the masseuses of the resort. Dennis and I enjoyed a massage every day we were there.

Helicopter ride

To surprise us on Sunday morning, Zaldy sent his personal helicopter to pick us up and give us a tour of Mayon Volcano and the ruins of Cagsawa church. I used my new Flip video camera to take dramatic videos of the lava flows. In the afternoon, Dennis and I tried out scuba diving in the bay and ATV driving in the Eco Park nearby.

The beauty of Misibis is that it is ideal for a romantic getaway and just as perfect for a family looking for a fun vacation. Fashion designer Rajo Laurel and Nix Alanon even extended their stay for a much-deserved break. If you?re interested in making Misibis your next holiday destination, check out www.misibisbay-raintree.com or call their Manila office at 6838222.

How does one recover from Misibis Bay? In my case, the best way is to enter my 46-year-old legs in the Ayala Eco Dash Environment Run at Fort next Sunday. Join me by registering in any of the Ayala Malls, and let?s all help make this a greener world.

E-mail the author at seaprincess@inquirer.com.ph.