Fit and Run.Info

A mountainbiker negotiating a single track trail

My plan in Legazpi City was just to cover the Mayon Trail Run but when Yves, the race director, asked me if I want to cover a mountainbike race, the 1st Legazpi All Mountain Challenge, I readily agreed. I really haven’t covered that kind of sport before, only limited doing road races, a few trail runs and a beach volleyball tourney, the latter, happenstance only, and the thought of doing this bike race is something that is quite appealing.

Negotiating narrow trails

I can just imagine the narrow single tracks, downhill, with rocks and roots along the trail. Better still, the view of Mt. Mayon looming over the background is just too hard to resist and why not try this one? A break from the usual race shoot? Good thing that I was provided with a motorcycle with driver, a motocross to be exact. Also, met some great guys from Sports Unlimited who were also covering the race. And off we went up the trail.

It was quite an experience. Going up the rugged trail in open areas, entering single trails that are less than a meter wide and up steep inclines. What made it doubly difficult for me was that there was no foot rest that sometimes my legs dangled. As hard but enjoyable it was, Mt. Mayon always made me gaze up and just look at the mountain. Sometimes when we were under vegetation, it’s cone would peak from time to time from a break in the trees.

Racer with Mt. Mayon in the background

We eventually stopped at the highest elevation of the race route where it affords a spectacular view of the majestic volcano. So close that you can discern the rough edges of the dark lava gulleys contrasting with the areas with vegetation. And was, as the cliche goes, breathtaking.

By this time, the first few racers passed. Two infact are from the Philippine team. I took my shots. Went ahead of the trail. Stopped. Shot. Walked again. Trying to do some test shots using different focal lengths and angles. I also tried high shutter speeds as well as panning shots. Did scaling with the volcano at the background and a racer in the foreground. Eventually, I got tired as I waited and waited.

There were only a few mountainbikers who participated and because of the difficulty of the terrain, especially the uphill leg, many were left behind. When they did reach our area, they were already walking with their bike. Exhausted and out of breath.

We followed the trail and I just had the best downhill experience ever. I was riding the motocross with the driver negotiating challenging trails. There were rocks along the path, some huge, some small but still enough to make the driver maneuver with skill. After a few minutes, we were out into the open. It was sunny. The heat beating down. Searing. But I just enjoyed it. We forged on, passing a dried up river bed, a barangay and eventually at the starting point.

So hot, so tired but I really enjoyed shooting the race and experiencing motocross trailing. Check the images at the gallery.

Check Gallery

This is my first mountainbiking race shoot here in Legazpi City, Albay and, really, I’m still getting a feel of the sport. It was a bit challenging as I was finding what focal length and style will work best for this.

Great landscapes with majestic Mt. Mayon in the background and good trails and tracks too. I should try to shoot races like this one!