Alings take every opportunity to have fun among themselves, just like their Mang conterparts! |
Once a year, our female counterparts - we call them Team Aling - take center stage in an all women's ride. Right after the STP, they trained week after week to be able to participate and support the Cycle the Wave movement (Women Against Violence Everywhere). It's a ride and a fund raising event to promote awareness of domestic violence prevention programs. They worked as a team to encourage several other women to ride - some for the first time. More than just a bike ride, the training made for opportunities to bond and support each other and become a bigger family. Here's what some of them had to say about the whole experience:
Alings pose for fans at the Finish Line Festival |
My fellow Aling Riders, I am so proud of all of your hard training and fundraising that contributed to the success of this event! Kudos to Marisa & Arlene for sweeping duties and Veronica for leading!
I am so grateful to be surrounded with people that cares, motivates, encourage and inspire!"
- Aling Virna
"Doing Cycle the Wave was a huge thing for me. It was the first bike event I participated in after just a couple of months in training. I was nervous and at the same time excited to see how I would fare among other seasoned riders. The event was so fun and festive probably because there were a lot of us participating as a team plus we had our family and friends to support us during ride day.
We did the girly girl route which was just about right for us beginners. For me it was hard but doable. During a rest stop, I was asked by one fellow rider if our team raced or competed. I replied, "no, we just do it for fun". That's how I see it, having fun with a common goal of reaching the finish line together. I never felt any sense of competition among the team. The only competition we have is with ourselves, trying to find how much we can stretch our limits.
I am so proud to be part of team Aling. Everyone looks out for each other and that, I think is teamwork at its best."
- Aling Jojie
Mangs were never far behind, providing support during training and the actual event. |
On a personal level, the ride with CTW is meaningful to me because this organization acknowledges what I most care about. I got to participate with magnificent ladies, especially with Team Aling. On Sept. 20, 2015, I was riding for myself and on behalf of the people I love, who have had gone through tough times. It’s a wonderful thing to be out there for doing what matters to you."
- Aling Meds
"My experience with CTW was fantastic. Riding with my fellow female teammates, Team Aling, was absolute fun! The camaraderie is heartfelt. "We are family" is definitely the theme of this team.
CTW was pretty organized and well supported. Speaking of support, Team Aling had their cheering squad, Team Mang! A bunch of funny, witty, selfie taking fellows always there for the gals! Thank you for capturing our CTW event moments with videos and pictures. "
- Aling Patty
This year, our Alings really grew not just in number but in strength and skill. We're so proud of what they've been able to accomplish in such a short time and we're looking forward to having more of them join the Mangs in our training rides and the official rides next year. Here's a video summary of what went down this at CTW.