Looking back on this last year of racing, you could say I was pretty lucky for the most part. No punctures on the tires, no mechanical failures on the components, and no crashes. Consistent performance all around from my beauty of a bike - wish I could say the same of my legs! ;)

Now, I'm not a techie person at all. I usually get updated on all the latest bike stuff by my tri dork friends who love to post links and photos of new gadgets and gear. I must (shamefully) admit, that I never used to care about the inner workings of my bike. It was only on occasions when my position needed adjustment or some components were actually malfunctioning, that I gave my ride particular notice. But with the bigger challenges of racing in the professional category, I needed to have a better understanding of my equipment and its maintenance. And over time, I learned to be more discerning on my choice of equipment, and I learned to take better care of it.

And this past year, what made me sit up and pay attention was the fact that I didn't have any dramas with poor shifting, rear brake caliper problems, successive flats on training rides, etc. 

So here's a closer look at the bike that got me smoothly through 2014:

These components are rather under-appreciated by most beginner athletes, and at times even by more experienced athletes, when the racing conditions are flat, fast, and easy. But when you race events like Challenge Philippines, rated by some pros as one of the toughest, hilliest half distance triathlon in the world; or Ironman 70.3 Cebu, with its windy bike course and rough road surface, you will be put in situations where fast and accurate shifting is not only a big advantage, but an actual necessity. The Dura-Ace series, the lightest and most precise of the Shimano groupsets, with that extra eleventh gear, definitely contributed to my performance in such technical races. 

You can call it good luck, but you can also call it Columbiere and Courchevel! My Maxxis tires proved trusty throughout the year, with not a single flat in all my races. Racing primarily in the Philippines and Asia, road surfaces can vary from great to downright scary. These tires proved very versatile, with solid performances across many types of surfaces and weather conditions. 

After four consecutive weekends of racing and running around like a headless chicken, trying to sort things for the big move to Subic Bay (yes, will be living full time there by 2015!!!), I've finally had some time for the site! Racing Tri Noah, Laguna Phuket Triathlon, Challenge Laguna Phuket, and Ilocos Triathlon 113 back to back to back to back has left me in big need of some easy days. And today was one such lovely, easy Sunday morning in the University of the Philippines campus with some friends. (Will get around to CLP and 113 reports soon...ish).

I've been running in Brooks shoes for almost a year now, and have used only the Pure Connect for all my training sessions. I have a neutral foot strike and I'm not too heavy, so I prefer using lightweight neutral shoes with minimal cushioning, with a heel-to-toe drop that is not too steep. Pure Connect delivers on all these requirements. It is the lightest in the Brooks PureProject series, but still has some good cushioning for my longer runs, and has a midsole drop of 4mm. My feet remained blister free on the times I used them without socks, thanks to the smooth fabric upper and nicely rounded heel. And unlike other lightweight shoes with low heel-to-toe drop that I've tried before, the Pure Connect also has substantial arch support. 

I even used the Pure Connect 3 (below left) for Challenge Philippines early in the year, having first tried it just a couple of weeks before the race. And I used the Pure Connect 4 (below right) for the recent Ilocos Tri 113, with absolutely no break-in beforehand. Overall, it is an ideal training shoe for those who have a neutral strike and can get away with not much cushioning or support, like myself. But they can also be a great option as a racing shoe for those who prefer a little more cushioning than racing flats, and for those racing marathon distances or longer.

But for almost all of my races this 2014, I've used the Brooks T7 Racer. It's a minimal road racing shoe, coming in at 6.4 oz and in my favorite color - neon! :p I wear them with bungee laces for racing, but the original does come with this awesome orange set with silver stitching. I use them sockless everytime, and have had some issues with blisters on top of my foot, due to the stitching inside, especially when they're soaking wet from dousing myself at aid stations. But nothing that a few swipes of petroleum jelly inside the shoe couldn't handle.