Tough event eases stress for Sen. Pia Cayetano

PILI, Camarines Sur—In a mini-skirt that bared long, well-toned legs, and a sleeveless top that revealed heavy tan lines in her back, it’s not hard to imagine why Sen. Pia Cayetano looks amazingly fit and ready for such an event like the Ironman 70.3 Triathlon.

“This is my stress reliever,” Cayetano told the Inquirer yesterday, moments before her final practice for her seventh attempt at a strength-sapping 1.9-km swim, 90-km bike and 21-km run event here.

“This is the only time when I can ignore my cell phone, ignore my staff and let it all hang out,” she added. “Being in the Ironman is like life, you encounter hurdles and difficulties and you survive them.”

Despite her enormous work in the Senate, Cayetano trained all-year round, seven days a week to prepare for the event.
Cayetano, a second-term senator, primed up for the event by biking at least two hours a day and upped her usual daily morning runs of 45 minutes to two hours in the last six weeks.

And that doesn’t include visits to the gym for strengthening.

“I don’t really like to set a time goal for myself, because it will only stress me out,” Cayetano, who will campaign individually in the 45-and-above division, said with a smile. “But it would be nice to finish in under six hours. That would make me very happy.”

Cayetano is enjoying her time here as she was seen walking the streets Friday night before stopping by a joint for ‘halo-halo’ together with her son and her staff.

“That’s what this is all about. I’m going to finish (the event) and enjoy it,” she said, knowing that after tomorrow, it will be back to reality for her and everyone else in the Senate.