On to the next! This might be Team Megawide’s current mantra conquering race after race in the past months. After placing podiums in the recently concluded SuBIT 2024 (Subic Bay International Triathlon) and showing skills and endurance in Ironman 70.3 Lapu-Lapu, Team Megawide is now gearing up to dominate the much-anticipated Ironman Philippines on June 9. With nine members joining the full distance—including team captain Alex Isip, and a few others prepping for the 70.3, training must have been blood, sweat, and tears.
“Actually, the challenge is how to be fit the whole year. We have to be motivated and inspired all the time and that’s not easy. But if we want to inspire others, we have to do it also. So I really train everyday because I have to show my team. I’m leading them, so I have to be a good example,” shares Isip.
Among all the Filipino males who participated in Ironman 70.3 Lapu-Lapu, Isip (AG 50-54) and his teammate Paolo Sauler (AG 40-44) ranked third in their respective age groups while fellow member Noel Mondero (AG 55-59) ranked second. And just last May, Mondero yet again, emerged victorious bagging gold (AG 55-59) in SuBIT together with Eli Julian Dela Cruz, Philip Bucad and Bryan Lucas who also podiumed in their age categories. Fellow veteran Sandy Syjuco also conquered his age group in Ironman 70.3 Vietnam last month, which qualified him for the upcoming Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Taupō, New Zealand this December. The upcoming Ironman Philippines will also offer qualifying slots for the World Championships in Kona, Hawaii this October.
Certainly, there is no stopping this executive team from being fit while maintaining a balance between work and family. After all, their team motto “Being active; building discipline,” already speaks volumes of their dedication to their chosen sport. In fact, despite their whopping 42 active members, they still find time to train together.
“Usually, we swim in Celebrity Sports (Plaza). That’s two to three times a week, then have breakfast afterwards and get to bond as a team. And then sometimes, when we have Saturdays for our long rides, we end up biking together,” shares Sauler.
But when asked what motivates them even more to bring their A-game every race, Isip’s team only has one name in mind—Megawide. For two years now, Megawide Construction Corporation—one of the country's most innovative engineering and infrastructure conglomerates, has been a major sponsor of their team. Although this appears to be Megawide’s first triathlon team sponsorship, their partnership with Team Alex seems to be built on solid ground as both parties advocate a holistic lifestyle.
“I guess it speaks into their company’s goals since they also want to establish living a healthier lifestyle and having healthy employees. It is a big blessing to have a major sponsor that’s very easy to communicate with and we’re very grateful for that partnership,” explains Sauler.
Aside from each member's grit and commitment to triathlon, sponsorship from Megawide surely helps them engineer an even better performance.
“The members, they’re very excited to train each day. They already have a sense of purpose each morning when they wake up, “Okay, let’s train. Let’s get ready for Cebu so we can give good mileage to our sponsors.” Kasi that’s all they want in return. To be able to give them good mileage,” adds Sauler.
While their team’s goals echo that of Megawide’s, this current sponsorship also laid the foundation for Team Megawide to inspire not only their members but the whole community. With hopes to encourage the younger generation and a new breed of triathletes, Team Megawide opened its arms to younger members this year.
“They’re the younger blood so they’re eager to train and race. We also learn from them and as deference, we try to guide them in the right direction. Veterans like Alex and our other members, they’re able lead by example. If we can inspire others to be a better version of themselves, it is already an achievement for us,” explains Sauler.
Isip religiously wakes up everyday at 5AM, gets his workout done, and by 8AM, he’s already in the office. In his own words, “The busier a person is, the more he needs to be fit all the time.” Indubitably, his commitment to health and fitness is at the core. In fact, even in his own business—Alex Restoration, his car restoration team also engages in regular exercise routines. And this is also what he aspires to do in their triathlon team—where success isn’t measured by podiums claimed but by how much lives were changed.
