British life insurer Pru Life UK partnered with three health and fitness ambassadors to champion the company’s advocacy of promoting a healthy and active lifestyle through cycling. Actor Zoren Legaspi, TV host and former volleyball player Gretchen Ho, and TV host Kuya Kim Atienza will join the country’s biggest cycling festival, PRURide PH 2019 as its official ambassadors.
These three are no stranger to cycling as Ho and Legaspi previously joined PRURide PH, while kuya Kim has completed triathlons here and abroad. While they may practice different disciplines, all three share a passion for cycling, health and fitness.
Legaspi is an avid cyclist who discovered the sport after developing knee problems from playing tennis. He now enjoys the adrenaline of getting on a bike and has competed and placed in several cycling races.
He considers his years of experience in cycling and non-stop practice as an advantage. “My experience is my training. Even if there’s no race, I never stop preparing. It’s back to zero if you stop, even for just one month,” he cautions. He also adds that cycling begins with knowing one’s self and testing one’s limits in distance, speed, and elevation.
A collegiate volleyball star, Ho was inspired to cycle after seeing Filipino-American world tour cyclist Coryn Rivera win the 2017 Prudential RideLondon Classique in the United Kingdom. She intensified her conditioning and strengthening routines to conquer PRURide PH which she treats as a new adventure.
“Don’t be afraid to ride. Take it step by step since it’s all about conquering your fear,” she encourages. “Enjoy the process because riding a bike is a liberating feeling. Slowly but surely, you’ll get to where you want to be.”
Atienza committed to different sports including cycling after having a stroke in 2010. Today, he competes as a triathlete and, like Legaspi, finds it easier to race with constant preparation. He says that the more seat time a rider puts in, the easier to finish long distance races.
“Long warm-ups are important at my age. It’s been helpful because I like longer distances. The young ones are fast, but they get tired easily. When I’ve warmed up I beat them.” He reveals that good, quality gear is just as important, but that the most crucial thing is to get on any bike. “Ride within your means; it doesn’t have to be expensive. The important thing is you just have to bike.”
All three will cycle at the Gran Fondo, a non-competitive race in 30-, 60-, and 100-kilometer rides in Subic. They will likewise grace the two weekends of PRURide PH 2019, which will see professionals, beginners, and enthusiasts from across Asia participating in cycling categories of different expertise levels.
Apart from the Gran Fondo, PRURide PH 2019 will have the City Criterium and the Small Wheels Challenge on April 7 in Filinvest, Alabang. Meanwhile, the Philippine Strider Cup will kick off on May 25, and the Masters Race on May 26 at Subic Freeport Zone. Virtual Race will hold succeeding preliminaries from March 29-31, April 27-29, and May 10-12, and will conclude on May 25, also in Subic. There are also community bike rides for families and friends throughout the festival.
Catch our celebrity cyclists in action at PRURide PH 2019! Register now and learn more about the event at www.pruride.ph.
Meet the PRURide PH 2019 Ambassadors
PRURide PH 2019 ambassadors gear up for PH’s biggest cycling festival
“I was competing in tennis but I got knee problems. I tried cycling and was hooked because I like the adrenaline. I’m I never stop preparing even if there’s no race. If you stop for a month, it’s back to zero.
This is the sport that I’m going to stick with until I grow old. Even on vacation, I think about cycling.”
“I’ve been a cyclist since the ’80s but I only took it seriously when I had a stroke in 2010. I got into a fitness program then became a triathlete. I’m cycling three times a week whenever I have to train for a race. Warming up is also important since I’m a mature athlete. As a triathlete, I like running the most and cycling, for me, is the best complementary activity.”
“As an athlete, I get super competitive in everything I get into. I cycle with my coach and she teaches me the fundamentals like how to switch gears, handle different kinds of terrain, and when to adjust my speed. I also train by conditioning and strengthening my body, mastering cleats, and continuing biking. I plan my training in advance because of my unpredictable schedule. Whatever I can do to move, I will do it. If I have spare time, I go out and run. I have a lot of ways for working out and cycling is one of them.”
About Pru Life UK
Established in 1996, Pru Life UK is the country's pioneer of insuravest or investment-linked life insurance products, and is one of the first life insurance companies approved to market US dollar-denominated investment-linked life insurance policies in the country. Since its establishment, Pru Life UK has expanded its reach to over 130 branches in the Philippines, with the biggest life agency force of more than 20,000 licensed agents, and has emerged as one of the top five life insurers. Pru Life UK holds headquarters in Uptown Bonifacio, Taguig City.
Pru Life UK is a subsidiary of British financial services giant Prudential plc. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, Prudential plc has an extensive network of life insurance and mutual funds operations around the world covering Europe, the United States (US), Africa, and 14 markets in Asia. Its regional office, Prudential Corporation Asia, is based in Hong Kong. Prudential plc has over 26 million customers worldwide and manages £664 billion of assets as of 30 June 2018.
Pru Life UK and Prudential plc are not affiliated with Prudential Financial, Inc. (a US-registered company), Philippine Prudential Life Insurance Company, Prudentialife Plans, Inc. or Prudential Guarantee and Assurance, Inc. (all Philippine-registered companies). Pru Life UK is a life insurance company and is not engaged in the business of selling pre-need plans.
For more information: www.prulifeuk.com.ph
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