First attempt on Audax BRM 600 in Subic

600 Kilometers. 40 Hours. Countless moments where my body screamed to stop.🚴‍♂️🔥 Taking the bus solo from Manila to Subic Bay to save on diesel, I had a solid game plan for my first Audax BRM 600. But an ultra-endurance ride has a way of testing every single plan you make. Saturday, May 30: The ride started strong. I was rolling well, meeting acquaintances, and making new friends on the road. But at the 200km mark in Sual, Pangasinan, things took a dark turn. My stomach completely shut down. Every attempt to eat or even drink water triggered intense gagging, acid reflux, and the overwhelming urge to vomit. By the time I reached the 300km checkpoint in Tarlac City at 7 PM, my original plan to push to 400km was out the window. My condition was worsening, and I had to take a long rest at a nearby transient house. Lying there from 7:30 to 11 PM, I was in a dark place, staring right at the bitter pill of a DNF (Did Not Finish). But failure simply was not an option. Throughout the hardest, darkest moments of the ride, I just kept hearing my wife's "pabaon" words before I left home: "Tapusin mo 'yan ha. Huwag ka mag Give up, kaya mo 'yan, I love you." That was the only fuel I needed when my body refused to take any. I dragged myself back out at 11 PM for the 100km push back to Sual. I caught up with Sir Teddy in Mangatarem, rode together through the night, and fought through the sleep deprivation and exhaustion until the steep climbs of Mabini finally separated us. Sunday, May 31: The next day was a blur of unforgiving heat, forcing fluids down just to survive, 10-minute micro-naps at an eatery in front of a Police Station in Infanta, and gathering every ounce of strength at a 7-eleven in Masinloc just to survive the 4% average gradient of the almost 2kms long Pangolingan climb. I hit the 550km Cabangan checkpoint at 3:25 PM, physically shattered and still fighting a weak, upset stomach. After one last rest, I rolled out at 3:55 PM. The final 50km stretch felt like an absolute eternity. I was barely managing 18-23kph, grinding out every single pedal stroke. At 6:58 PM-with just one hour to spare before the massive 40-hour cut-off-I crossed the finish line.🏁 Extremely exhausted. Completely filthy. But with enough energy left to ride back to my Airbnb and a massive smile on my face. There were so many brutal lessons learned out there on the road, but the most important one is that THE MIND WILL PUSH THE BODY FAR BEYOND ITS LIMITS IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT "WHY." I am incredibly proud to say I am officially an Audax BRM 600 Finisher!🏅💪 Congratulations to all the Finishers of the Audax BRM 600 in Subic on May 2026.🍻 And still, congrats to those who DNF'd but still continued to finish the route. Cheers to Audax PH and its staff, and to all the participants that I've met along the ride. 🍻 Rock 'n Roll! 🤘 #AudaxPH #AudaxSubic #AudaxRandonneursPH #AudaxSubic600km #SoloRider #RideTilICantNoMore #insta360x4 #insta360