2nd Aug, after a good 10hrs sleep 'walup' plate of long-tong & nasi lemak flush down with a nice cup of kopi-O. Had laksa then took 2hrs nap. All these to gain back that which I lost yesterday; my mind n body was utterly drained by the sea, hills n roads of Desaru. The nearest comparison was 27yrs ago when i was an army recruit. This is much worst than any of the marathons that I ever ran.
1st Aug, 6:30am the final preparation begun. As usual, didn't sleep well (must bring my smelly bobsters next time!) enough to last me thru the day. Left the chalets n walk to race site with Perry, Fion, Maryanne, Ken & Esther. Laid out barang barang n proceed to beach at 8.30 for warm up. The sea was cold n very choppy; did some breast strokes to feel the waves n found it very difficult to use front crawl. Was feeling a bit giddy after a short swim n my confidence level plunged to new low : ( "Can survive or not?" The plan is to stay near to the buoys, just in case i need to hang on.
SWIM(2K) 2 loops of 1K: Formed up at starting line n gave Esther a farewell kiss; it's interesting how one would appreciate their love ones more when one's life is on the balance (like our girls who climbed the Himilayas recently)." If that is our last kiss how?", had a silent prayer of safety n appreciation.
It was a mass start, so hundread of bodies & thousands of flinging limbs, the inevitable happened; kana punch on my right eyes (thanfully my goggles stayed intact- Perry got it worst, goggles slipped off his eyes), kana kicked in the abdomen by a froggie n swallowed few mouthfull of salt water. It took me 400m to get use to the temperature n choppy waters. The cross current was so strong that it easily sweep us off course if we don't check our sighting regularly. 2nd loop was easier as we were adapted to the waters. A prayer of thanks after completing loop 2 n head for T1.
Time: 44mins
BIKE(90K) 3 laps of 30k: After the 1st loop, it was like "Shit! Do I have to do this 2 more X!" The hills were tough (to me). Having ride mostly on flats, this was terrible. The last time I felt like quitting any physical exertion was when my Army officer made us run up sand dunes meant for sea reclaimation! On the hills of Desaru, I almost want to throw in the towel after my 2nd lap. The heat, the climbs, the aches, the mental focus,...in my last lap, I was climbing the hills at 10km/h n was trying to shift to the lowest possible gears available, only to find that there was none lower! #$%*&!! why the bike manufacturer don't add in more low gears! After over 20yrs, I found myself talking aloud to myself on the hills of Deasaru; "John, one last hill!", "John, u can do it! Come on! 1 step at a time!", "I am gotta make it!".....When I fnished lap 2, ppl were already running! How demoralising!...."never mind, finishing last also must complete". Started to count ppl behind on my last lap; 21, ok so still won't be last. I was totally depleted (mentally n physically) by the end of the bike leg.
Time: 3hr 43mins
RUN (21K) 2 laps of 10.5K: There was nothing left when I got off the bike; the head n body were empty. After the 1st lap, the thought of quitting resurfaced. "I have come this far would be a waste to quit now"...was reduced to walk/run regime for the final lap.
Time: 2hrs 34mins
Total Time: 7hrs 13mins
Lessons Learned:
1) Don't try this without adequate preparation! I was not, so more suffering than enjoyment.
2) Hill training for cycling is a MUST!
3) Fueling was adequate (5X gels, 2X Rasins, 1X Banana, 3X Salt Tabs)
Conclusion:
1) My current fitness is not ready for half-Ironman and above (the Full Ironmam thingy wld remain as a distant dream)
2) Overall was happy with the swim and glad to be alive to do another race. Satisfied to finish within my targetted 7hrs 30mins.
Very impressed by those staying for hrs to cheer on strangers like us! Some even distributed food n drinks. Thks to Esther who tried to lessen my pain with cool towel and ice-milo and frens like Fion, Maryanne & Ken who cheer us on.
AM NOT GOING TO DO THAT DISTANCE AGAIN ANYTIME SOON!!!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Port Dickson Triathlon (Olympic Distance) 12 July 2009
On the 11th July morning, our 17th wedding anniversary, Esther and I left for PD. Had a break at Pagoh and took some durians!
Check-in at PD Chorus Resort at 2pm. Simple and nice resort with sea view. The weather was good with clear blue sky. Drove over to race site for race kit collection and took a peep at the race site. I had a lump in my throat when i saw the swim route; the water was choppy with lots of waves! Can make it tomorrow??? It didn't help when the organiser said that tomorrow would be worst b'cause of the high tide (in fact it was so bad that 20% of abt 900 starters gave up)! This time kana con by on-line forum; they say the swim here was easy like in the pool! This year they decided to move the start point out to the sea :(
Joined the carbo loading session cum briefing in the evening. The organiser told us the sea would be rough but 'feel free to call for help, they would throw us floats to hold on for a while n would not disqualify us". Small consolation : ( . Thrughout the entire night, the swim, bike n run thinggi kept running thru my mind. So bad that I woke up at 4am when dreamt that I missed the starting time!
6.30am - The time has come, drove over to race site for the usual prep. The weather was cooling with light rain. Perfect for a race (just like KL marathon)
7.30am - Took a good look at the sea n die liao! High tide, strong wind n very choppy sea! Took a warm-up swim out n don't really like the water temp, too cold n too choppy to see ahead. Was in fact a little panicky. I was not alone, many were already grumbling at the beach and filled with self doubt;"Can I do it?" Many were trying to cheer up n boost the confidence of their intimidated friends. Glad to meet Robin & co n exchange some best wishes.
8.15am - My veteran wave starts. In no hurry to plunge into the water. Did some froggie before using front crawl. The wave was so choppy that I could hardly see ahead at times; can see only the wall of waves coming! Funny, somehow I felt much better with all those trashing limps around, its like feeding on the confidence of others. There were some jokers who relish the waves; like little kids making joyous cheers everytime we ride the crest of the waves. It was a great help to take my mind off my fears! So I tell myself to enjoy the waves too and don't fight the sea. Finally reached the 1st turning buoy after some hard pulling and head into the harbour. With the calmer waters, I could concentrate on my strokes but reserved my strength for the choopy sea later. Goggles got fog up n the U-turn buoy never seems to arrive! Finally u-turn n made it out to the sea again. This time it was much easier as the waves pushed us towards shore. Was a very relief and happy man when I felt the sand under my feet; I did it! Never mind that I was 8mins behind targetted schedule.
Swim Time: 48mins
Cycling: Smooth transition at T1 n head out asap. Again kana con!; someone said the route is flat but it is far from the truth! Up n down, up n down! Quads started to hurt at 13k so I tell myself to enjoy the occasion. So took some time to admire the surroundings...saw this fuuny tree that stood out like a sore thumb...then incredibly, I spotted this dark brown hairy worm trying to cross the road infront in a hurry n was right in line of my path! Hope that it lives to tell his friends of his close shave with the twin" Flyers"! :) Then I saw one of the worst bike accident; this pro n very fast Cervelo rider was on the way back facing me. He suddenly lost focus n went onto the dirt path beside the tarmac, then man n machine did a 360* somersault in the air! Landed, sat up then laid down again holding his chest. Luckily, the race official was near by to help. Reached u-turn point and took some fluid from bottle while cycling. Error in putting back bottle onto rack n lost the entire bottle #@!%^ stupid! My speed ranges from 30+km/h for flats, 40+ for downhills n 12km/h for uphills. Trying to pump up the hills but my quads really hurts. So play safe n reserve strength for the run. Glad to finish it w/o accident and managed to cut 6mins off my targetted cycling leg : )
Bike Time: 1hr 30mins
Run: Transition at T2 is faster than T1. As expected, need to shuffle my leaden legs for 1k b4 picking up speed. Met Eddie from Keypower at 1k n he was alread heading back! Told myself to let loose n flow; so losen my hip n stride. The slopes here r not as bad as in KL n the cool weather helps. Quads were about to cramp after all the slopes n was glad to make it thru the last one; another one more slope would be disastrious. Very satisfied with my run (esp overtaking those bikers who overtook me!) and was 5mins within my target.
Run Time: 55 mins
Total Time: 3hrs 20mins (targetted 3:30)
Lessons Learned:
1) Weakness in quads n lower back
2) Cycle with spare tyre n pump; handful of cyclist with punctured tyres
3) Service bike to prevent broken chain, gear hub, etc
4) Keep away from motor boat/jet ski! The desiel smell made me want to puke! It threw my rhythm & focus off course
Conclusion: It was a marvelous feeling at the finish line; one that would not forget; First for overcoming the fear of the sea, then to finish the race w/o incidents or injuries. It is especially sweet to know that all these months of training paid off and it dawn on me that lots of factors could hv derailed the quest; weather, logistic, body & mind, accidents,...we can train like mad but have to quit b'cause of broken bike (which i saw a few), injured body n surrendered will. Like the Chinese saying it requires"Timing, Material/Logistic & Human" factors to succeed, thus all must come together in unison on the race day to achieve the single minded purpose of crossing that finish line and that I think is what makes the Triathlon so challenging and gratifying! We truly deserve every gram of that silver medal that we proudly hang around our necks!
P.S Many thks to Esther who's support is indispensable! Muck!
Check-in at PD Chorus Resort at 2pm. Simple and nice resort with sea view. The weather was good with clear blue sky. Drove over to race site for race kit collection and took a peep at the race site. I had a lump in my throat when i saw the swim route; the water was choppy with lots of waves! Can make it tomorrow??? It didn't help when the organiser said that tomorrow would be worst b'cause of the high tide (in fact it was so bad that 20% of abt 900 starters gave up)! This time kana con by on-line forum; they say the swim here was easy like in the pool! This year they decided to move the start point out to the sea :(
Joined the carbo loading session cum briefing in the evening. The organiser told us the sea would be rough but 'feel free to call for help, they would throw us floats to hold on for a while n would not disqualify us". Small consolation : ( . Thrughout the entire night, the swim, bike n run thinggi kept running thru my mind. So bad that I woke up at 4am when dreamt that I missed the starting time!
6.30am - The time has come, drove over to race site for the usual prep. The weather was cooling with light rain. Perfect for a race (just like KL marathon)
7.30am - Took a good look at the sea n die liao! High tide, strong wind n very choppy sea! Took a warm-up swim out n don't really like the water temp, too cold n too choppy to see ahead. Was in fact a little panicky. I was not alone, many were already grumbling at the beach and filled with self doubt;"Can I do it?" Many were trying to cheer up n boost the confidence of their intimidated friends. Glad to meet Robin & co n exchange some best wishes.
8.15am - My veteran wave starts. In no hurry to plunge into the water. Did some froggie before using front crawl. The wave was so choppy that I could hardly see ahead at times; can see only the wall of waves coming! Funny, somehow I felt much better with all those trashing limps around, its like feeding on the confidence of others. There were some jokers who relish the waves; like little kids making joyous cheers everytime we ride the crest of the waves. It was a great help to take my mind off my fears! So I tell myself to enjoy the waves too and don't fight the sea. Finally reached the 1st turning buoy after some hard pulling and head into the harbour. With the calmer waters, I could concentrate on my strokes but reserved my strength for the choopy sea later. Goggles got fog up n the U-turn buoy never seems to arrive! Finally u-turn n made it out to the sea again. This time it was much easier as the waves pushed us towards shore. Was a very relief and happy man when I felt the sand under my feet; I did it! Never mind that I was 8mins behind targetted schedule.
Swim Time: 48mins
Cycling: Smooth transition at T1 n head out asap. Again kana con!; someone said the route is flat but it is far from the truth! Up n down, up n down! Quads started to hurt at 13k so I tell myself to enjoy the occasion. So took some time to admire the surroundings...saw this fuuny tree that stood out like a sore thumb...then incredibly, I spotted this dark brown hairy worm trying to cross the road infront in a hurry n was right in line of my path! Hope that it lives to tell his friends of his close shave with the twin" Flyers"! :) Then I saw one of the worst bike accident; this pro n very fast Cervelo rider was on the way back facing me. He suddenly lost focus n went onto the dirt path beside the tarmac, then man n machine did a 360* somersault in the air! Landed, sat up then laid down again holding his chest. Luckily, the race official was near by to help. Reached u-turn point and took some fluid from bottle while cycling. Error in putting back bottle onto rack n lost the entire bottle #@!%^ stupid! My speed ranges from 30+km/h for flats, 40+ for downhills n 12km/h for uphills. Trying to pump up the hills but my quads really hurts. So play safe n reserve strength for the run. Glad to finish it w/o accident and managed to cut 6mins off my targetted cycling leg : )
Bike Time: 1hr 30mins
Run: Transition at T2 is faster than T1. As expected, need to shuffle my leaden legs for 1k b4 picking up speed. Met Eddie from Keypower at 1k n he was alread heading back! Told myself to let loose n flow; so losen my hip n stride. The slopes here r not as bad as in KL n the cool weather helps. Quads were about to cramp after all the slopes n was glad to make it thru the last one; another one more slope would be disastrious. Very satisfied with my run (esp overtaking those bikers who overtook me!) and was 5mins within my target.
Run Time: 55 mins
Total Time: 3hrs 20mins (targetted 3:30)
Lessons Learned:
1) Weakness in quads n lower back
2) Cycle with spare tyre n pump; handful of cyclist with punctured tyres
3) Service bike to prevent broken chain, gear hub, etc
4) Keep away from motor boat/jet ski! The desiel smell made me want to puke! It threw my rhythm & focus off course
Conclusion: It was a marvelous feeling at the finish line; one that would not forget; First for overcoming the fear of the sea, then to finish the race w/o incidents or injuries. It is especially sweet to know that all these months of training paid off and it dawn on me that lots of factors could hv derailed the quest; weather, logistic, body & mind, accidents,...we can train like mad but have to quit b'cause of broken bike (which i saw a few), injured body n surrendered will. Like the Chinese saying it requires"Timing, Material/Logistic & Human" factors to succeed, thus all must come together in unison on the race day to achieve the single minded purpose of crossing that finish line and that I think is what makes the Triathlon so challenging and gratifying! We truly deserve every gram of that silver medal that we proudly hang around our necks!
P.S Many thks to Esther who's support is indispensable! Muck!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
28th June 2009 - KL SCM
My 1st ever overseas event. Has been eagerly waiting for it to arrive n it finallyy did! Reached KL on Fri n did some shopping at China Town area n eating; durains of course! Next day took a train to KLCC; nice building n feels good to see it up close. Did some more shopping n lots of walking. Rested early to prepare for the main event.
28th June 3am, woke up, took banana n hot milo b4 joining Jimmy at lobby. Short walk to the start point at Dataran Merdeka, which looks very much like our Pandang. "High tide" half hr b4 start, went looking for toilet but need to pay n didnt carry $! Thanks to the concealment of darkness n plants at a small nursery, managed to off-load some unwated hot-tea : ) Think the plants won't mind, next yr must take a look n see how well it grows! While forming up at start pt, the sky opened up and was very cooling n remian so throughout, perfect for running.
5am, off we went, reminding myself to wtach out for pot holes, vehicles, hills n body posture. I was so engrossed in all these that I hardly notice the surrounding scenery. 1st drink stop they already giving 100Plus n sponge, very impressed. At 15k they started giving bananas, surely there must be some mix-up! There wasn't as many pot holes as expected n the traffic was fine with me; the policemen were so runner orientated that they would stop all traffic even when there was only 2 of us crossing the junction, much to the ire of the drivers.
There were lots of slopes, lost count of it. Especially taxing was the one at 33k mark leading into the highway. Committed a big mistake here; while trying to stretch muscles, I pulled my R- calf muscle. No choice but to take more walking breaks. Then at 37k, the drinks stn ran out of water! Poor runners were literally scanvenging for water among the empty bottles, helpers were trying to collect whatever droplets of water they could. This was the final straw that kills off all hope of a sub 5 finish :( Finally reliefed to arrived at end pt in 5:10. Pleased with the time considering the tough course.
Nice to share this experience with our fellow Punggol runners n get to know each other better; Perry, he should write a column on FOOD APPRECIATION! n Jimmy is like a Rhino; coming fresh fr SD Ultra n Puket Mararthon then finished KL below 5hrs! He don't know the word 'pain', dont know the word 'give up', dont' know the word 'breathless' ....so i decided to buy him a dictionary! LOL...Respect him for his can-do spirit considering all his injuries n pain. Met some runners from Alor Star at bus depot who called themselves "Ironmen". Hope to see them in our SCM.
Lessons learned:
1) Good to hv strategy for every race
2) Don't be over conservative at early stage
3) Walk breaks n strectches are good but be careful in pulling sore muscles
28th June 3am, woke up, took banana n hot milo b4 joining Jimmy at lobby. Short walk to the start point at Dataran Merdeka, which looks very much like our Pandang. "High tide" half hr b4 start, went looking for toilet but need to pay n didnt carry $! Thanks to the concealment of darkness n plants at a small nursery, managed to off-load some unwated hot-tea : ) Think the plants won't mind, next yr must take a look n see how well it grows! While forming up at start pt, the sky opened up and was very cooling n remian so throughout, perfect for running.
5am, off we went, reminding myself to wtach out for pot holes, vehicles, hills n body posture. I was so engrossed in all these that I hardly notice the surrounding scenery. 1st drink stop they already giving 100Plus n sponge, very impressed. At 15k they started giving bananas, surely there must be some mix-up! There wasn't as many pot holes as expected n the traffic was fine with me; the policemen were so runner orientated that they would stop all traffic even when there was only 2 of us crossing the junction, much to the ire of the drivers.
There were lots of slopes, lost count of it. Especially taxing was the one at 33k mark leading into the highway. Committed a big mistake here; while trying to stretch muscles, I pulled my R- calf muscle. No choice but to take more walking breaks. Then at 37k, the drinks stn ran out of water! Poor runners were literally scanvenging for water among the empty bottles, helpers were trying to collect whatever droplets of water they could. This was the final straw that kills off all hope of a sub 5 finish :( Finally reliefed to arrived at end pt in 5:10. Pleased with the time considering the tough course.
Nice to share this experience with our fellow Punggol runners n get to know each other better; Perry, he should write a column on FOOD APPRECIATION! n Jimmy is like a Rhino; coming fresh fr SD Ultra n Puket Mararthon then finished KL below 5hrs! He don't know the word 'pain', dont know the word 'give up', dont' know the word 'breathless' ....so i decided to buy him a dictionary! LOL...Respect him for his can-do spirit considering all his injuries n pain. Met some runners from Alor Star at bus depot who called themselves "Ironmen". Hope to see them in our SCM.
Lessons learned:
1) Good to hv strategy for every race
2) Don't be over conservative at early stage
3) Walk breaks n strectches are good but be careful in pulling sore muscles
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
26th April 2009 - Raw Duathlon
Woke up at 5.15am, felt lousy, not enough sleep last night; went to see Chinese musical at NLB. Took bread with peanut butter n Milo. Load stuff and reached race site at 6.30am. Wow, so pack already! Set up at transition area and did some warm up. Looking at the cloudless sky, thinking "surely today would be hell!"
Race kicked off at 7.30am sharp. Target to do a 1st 10k run at 60mins. By the time I went into my 2nd loop of 5k around the Changi Aerospace Centre, our dear sun was smiling brightly! Did 58mins, ok within target; not much problem faced. HR at around 90%
Was glad to get the 1st 10k run over and move on to the bike because there are lots of shade along Changi Coastal Rd. Beginning of the cycling session was heavenly; cooling head winds and plenty of cover. Then something that I never experienced occurs at the 7k mark; right calf began to cramp! Shxx! Still got 33k to go and cramps now?! Had to improvise a way to get around it. Dropped the gears and started paddling with left leg and right leg going thru motion. 500m later, it works! Happily, I up the gears after another 1k as right leg seems to be fine. At 12k, now my left calf started to cramp! Wa lao! They taking turns to strike! #@&*! Tried same technic but pain got worst and had to stop. Took opportunity to fix my number tag that came off and take some energy drinks. Did some stretches and go again. By this time the MBs were passing me by :(
Kept at low gear ratio and reduced speed, don't want any more protest from my legs. Is it due to restricted blood flow to legs? Wrong posture? Need to find out more later. Tried to pick up speed at 25k & again at 30k but felt the muscle pull in calfs. So back-off and tried to maintained at about 25km/hr throughout the rest of the distance at about 80%HR. Praying that legs would hold till the finish line. Tried to hold the lower handles and I think it helps to relief the strain on the calfs. Back aches; lower back muscles need strenghtening. By the time I went into my final 10k loop, most of the stylo-milo bikes were gone; they were already running the next 10K! Was a relief to complete my bike leg in 1:42 and prayed hard that legs would not cramp in final running leg.
The next 10k run was one of the hardest that I have ever done! At 35 Degrees heat, our Raw Duathlon became "Cooked" Dauthlon! Told myself to practise positive self-talk, so I told myself that I thrive in heat (after all the LSD with PCRC) and remind myself that Desaru would be worst. It helps when so many participants began to walk in the sweltering heat, so I can pick them off one by one, and it boost my self-belief. Told myself that whoever adapt to the situation will have better chances of success, so continue to press on. In the 1st 5k loop, we graciouly pour ice water on our body and heads with cups.....in the next 5k loop, we lost all manners and pour by the jugs! The ice water did wonders to lower my HR from 90% to 86%. The cooler we are, the more efficient we can run. Ambulances zipped thru a few times, heat stoke cannot play play.
Staring at the burning and blurring tarmac reminded me of my army days whereby we were 'terkan' by the saddistic sgt; making us do push ups and sit-ups on the parade square at 12noon!%$#&! Thoughts like these make me laugh and it helps to elevate the pain. At least for a while. Tried also to encourage some of my fellow suffering souls. The heat got so bad that my only focus was to get from one water point to the other and dream of jug of ice water!
Almost wanted to tear off all my cloths at 7k! God! you can put me anywhere but not in the desert!!! Funny thing was I began to salute those hardy creatures that thrive in the desert! Think I am going crazy!
The sight of the Finishing Point saved me from insanity! Quickly zipped up my cycle shirt, align the number tag (so that photograper can capture mah!)... and adjusted my running posture....die die must appear nice in pics :) . Call it vain,, call it whatever....we deserve it!
Glad to see Esther n children at the finish line. Message to kids: Dad has done it, so can they!
Last 10k run was 1hr 4mins.
Total Time: 3hrs 48mins
As I was enjoying my drinks and banana in the shade......in came Jimmy! Well done bro! Can see that he was totally "cooked" too! :) We were like beef steaks....the "WELL DONE" ones! :)
So, next year going again? During the run, "No!", now "Yes!"...the eternal irony of ALL endurance athletes! ;)
Race kicked off at 7.30am sharp. Target to do a 1st 10k run at 60mins. By the time I went into my 2nd loop of 5k around the Changi Aerospace Centre, our dear sun was smiling brightly! Did 58mins, ok within target; not much problem faced. HR at around 90%
Was glad to get the 1st 10k run over and move on to the bike because there are lots of shade along Changi Coastal Rd. Beginning of the cycling session was heavenly; cooling head winds and plenty of cover. Then something that I never experienced occurs at the 7k mark; right calf began to cramp! Shxx! Still got 33k to go and cramps now?! Had to improvise a way to get around it. Dropped the gears and started paddling with left leg and right leg going thru motion. 500m later, it works! Happily, I up the gears after another 1k as right leg seems to be fine. At 12k, now my left calf started to cramp! Wa lao! They taking turns to strike! #@&*! Tried same technic but pain got worst and had to stop. Took opportunity to fix my number tag that came off and take some energy drinks. Did some stretches and go again. By this time the MBs were passing me by :(
Kept at low gear ratio and reduced speed, don't want any more protest from my legs. Is it due to restricted blood flow to legs? Wrong posture? Need to find out more later. Tried to pick up speed at 25k & again at 30k but felt the muscle pull in calfs. So back-off and tried to maintained at about 25km/hr throughout the rest of the distance at about 80%HR. Praying that legs would hold till the finish line. Tried to hold the lower handles and I think it helps to relief the strain on the calfs. Back aches; lower back muscles need strenghtening. By the time I went into my final 10k loop, most of the stylo-milo bikes were gone; they were already running the next 10K! Was a relief to complete my bike leg in 1:42 and prayed hard that legs would not cramp in final running leg.
The next 10k run was one of the hardest that I have ever done! At 35 Degrees heat, our Raw Duathlon became "Cooked" Dauthlon! Told myself to practise positive self-talk, so I told myself that I thrive in heat (after all the LSD with PCRC) and remind myself that Desaru would be worst. It helps when so many participants began to walk in the sweltering heat, so I can pick them off one by one, and it boost my self-belief. Told myself that whoever adapt to the situation will have better chances of success, so continue to press on. In the 1st 5k loop, we graciouly pour ice water on our body and heads with cups.....in the next 5k loop, we lost all manners and pour by the jugs! The ice water did wonders to lower my HR from 90% to 86%. The cooler we are, the more efficient we can run. Ambulances zipped thru a few times, heat stoke cannot play play.
Staring at the burning and blurring tarmac reminded me of my army days whereby we were 'terkan' by the saddistic sgt; making us do push ups and sit-ups on the parade square at 12noon!%$#&! Thoughts like these make me laugh and it helps to elevate the pain. At least for a while. Tried also to encourage some of my fellow suffering souls. The heat got so bad that my only focus was to get from one water point to the other and dream of jug of ice water!
Almost wanted to tear off all my cloths at 7k! God! you can put me anywhere but not in the desert!!! Funny thing was I began to salute those hardy creatures that thrive in the desert! Think I am going crazy!
The sight of the Finishing Point saved me from insanity! Quickly zipped up my cycle shirt, align the number tag (so that photograper can capture mah!)... and adjusted my running posture....die die must appear nice in pics :) . Call it vain,, call it whatever....we deserve it!
Glad to see Esther n children at the finish line. Message to kids: Dad has done it, so can they!
Last 10k run was 1hr 4mins.
Total Time: 3hrs 48mins
As I was enjoying my drinks and banana in the shade......in came Jimmy! Well done bro! Can see that he was totally "cooked" too! :) We were like beef steaks....the "WELL DONE" ones! :)
So, next year going again? During the run, "No!", now "Yes!"...the eternal irony of ALL endurance athletes! ;)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
My First Triathlon Race with Medal!
19 April 2009: Tribob Sprint Triathlon:
Woke up like last Sunday at 5.30am and shxx! it was pouring outside! Not sure if the event would be cancelled. Took same breakfast as last Sunday TriFam event. Thankfully rain stopped at 6.30 and reached site at 6.50am; lucky few to park near the race site. After the rain it was cooling and met KM Wong and Zul! Maybe we can start training together at our PCRC!
Zul went for 2nd swim wave while I choose to go in the last wave; less people better. Took a pre-race dip in the sea and felt good. As I stand at the starting line on the beach, somehow I got sandwich in the middle of the pack! Too late to manoeuvre to the back, so just go along and hope for the best.
As usual, the start was so frenzy! The adrenaline overflows, I think! Found myself getting used to all the trashing of limbs and the sound of thrashing waters like that of hundreds of fishes thrashing in the water as the fisherman reel in the net. Being caught in the middle, I learned the meaning of being elbowed, kicked and pushed! Kana elbow in the face once and learned to 'siam' and fight back; you have to fight for your own space. If not they swim all over you! Had to push away some swimmers to gain space and protect face. Was very weary of the breaststrokers; a kick from their legs pack a punch. Was glad I did not receive any kick in the face. Surprisingly, I wasn't afraid of all these joistling around, in fact I found it to be quite fun! Didn't need to do lots of sighting as the swimmer next to me was doing breast stroke, so i presume he should be able to see the markers clearly. Some of these breat strokers are really good! Swam off-course a little, but better than last weekend. Relax the last 100m to enjoy the sensation of floating in the sea, take a good look at the blue sky and peep at myy fellow swimmers.
Transition was smooth and sped away as fast as I could in my son's bike. The first 5km seems like eternity! and everyone seems to be faster than me! The next 5km, managed to catch up with people using mountain bike. Then my mind began to drift and lost focus; resulted in inefficient paddling. And it seems so hard to catch the next guy. Forced myself to concentrate on technic and it did wonders; managed to overtake some more riders :). Still has a lot of work to put into my cycling, it sucks!
The running leg was/is/will be a drag during the beginning stage. As the mind began to drift again, i almost wanted to stop and walk but told myself to focus and take a step at a time. Regulated my breathing rate and be mindful of my running posture and it helps; found my rythm only at about the 2km mark! From then on the run became more enjoyable. The cooling isotonic drinks and icy plain water was a welcome relief for my head and body . Felt great to overtake youngsters in their 20s :). So relief to see the finish line and some girls were kind enough to hold up the finishing tape and I literally jumped into it! It makes me feel that I am a winner!
Congratulated a lady of 60 yrs at the finish line and she gave me a 'High Five"! Amazing lady and I hope I would still be able to do it at her age :) Well done lady!
Lesson Learned: Stay focus! Stay Focus!! STAY FOCUS!!!
Overall it was more enjoyable than last weekend, as it was my first Tri race. Looking forward to the longer distances for new challenges and with longer running distance, hope that I can catch up with more people! :)
Finally, many thanks to my dearest wife, Esther who took all those superb shots and bear with the heat and hassle!
Woke up like last Sunday at 5.30am and shxx! it was pouring outside! Not sure if the event would be cancelled. Took same breakfast as last Sunday TriFam event. Thankfully rain stopped at 6.30 and reached site at 6.50am; lucky few to park near the race site. After the rain it was cooling and met KM Wong and Zul! Maybe we can start training together at our PCRC!
Zul went for 2nd swim wave while I choose to go in the last wave; less people better. Took a pre-race dip in the sea and felt good. As I stand at the starting line on the beach, somehow I got sandwich in the middle of the pack! Too late to manoeuvre to the back, so just go along and hope for the best.
As usual, the start was so frenzy! The adrenaline overflows, I think! Found myself getting used to all the trashing of limbs and the sound of thrashing waters like that of hundreds of fishes thrashing in the water as the fisherman reel in the net. Being caught in the middle, I learned the meaning of being elbowed, kicked and pushed! Kana elbow in the face once and learned to 'siam' and fight back; you have to fight for your own space. If not they swim all over you! Had to push away some swimmers to gain space and protect face. Was very weary of the breaststrokers; a kick from their legs pack a punch. Was glad I did not receive any kick in the face. Surprisingly, I wasn't afraid of all these joistling around, in fact I found it to be quite fun! Didn't need to do lots of sighting as the swimmer next to me was doing breast stroke, so i presume he should be able to see the markers clearly. Some of these breat strokers are really good! Swam off-course a little, but better than last weekend. Relax the last 100m to enjoy the sensation of floating in the sea, take a good look at the blue sky and peep at myy fellow swimmers.
Transition was smooth and sped away as fast as I could in my son's bike. The first 5km seems like eternity! and everyone seems to be faster than me! The next 5km, managed to catch up with people using mountain bike. Then my mind began to drift and lost focus; resulted in inefficient paddling. And it seems so hard to catch the next guy. Forced myself to concentrate on technic and it did wonders; managed to overtake some more riders :). Still has a lot of work to put into my cycling, it sucks!
The running leg was/is/will be a drag during the beginning stage. As the mind began to drift again, i almost wanted to stop and walk but told myself to focus and take a step at a time. Regulated my breathing rate and be mindful of my running posture and it helps; found my rythm only at about the 2km mark! From then on the run became more enjoyable. The cooling isotonic drinks and icy plain water was a welcome relief for my head and body . Felt great to overtake youngsters in their 20s :). So relief to see the finish line and some girls were kind enough to hold up the finishing tape and I literally jumped into it! It makes me feel that I am a winner!
Congratulated a lady of 60 yrs at the finish line and she gave me a 'High Five"! Amazing lady and I hope I would still be able to do it at her age :) Well done lady!
Lesson Learned: Stay focus! Stay Focus!! STAY FOCUS!!!
Overall it was more enjoyable than last weekend, as it was my first Tri race. Looking forward to the longer distances for new challenges and with longer running distance, hope that I can catch up with more people! :)
Finally, many thanks to my dearest wife, Esther who took all those superb shots and bear with the heat and hassle!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
1st Triathlon Race!
12th Apr 2009: The day began early, much earlier than I would prefered. It started at 1am and at every hourly thereafter; dreamt of the race and kept waking up! Finally 5.30am arrived, had nice cup of hot coffee and 2 slices of bread. Reached MOE Changi at 6.50am. Beautiful cool and sleepy morning with scattered cotton clouds. Thankfully the sea was calm with light winds. Registered, spread items and do stretches. Then a dog came and stop at my feet and kept sniffing! Paul, my new found friend, joked that it's a anti-dopping dog! That's how the conversation started. Next was at the beach reciving final instructions. Then this Causasian, Trevor, in my age group came over and chat. Said he is slow in swim and run; in the end he came in 3rd! Nice guy.
The swim kicked off and as usual the 'pro' rushed to the lead. My matra is to 'focus' n 'relax', so start off way behind. The frenzie of so many people swimming and thrashing in the water together really can make one excited and charged! Had to calm myself down as my heart goes hay wire. A few long look at the blue sky has a calming effect on me. Told myself to just enjoy it. Overall I swam like a snake; going off-course at various places, so hard to spot the small buoy. The training at Sentosa paid dividends; 2months ago I would not step into the sea without a life jacket!
Finally, reached shore n head for the bike. Suprisingly not as goggy as expected. There weren't many bikes left, so quickly put on whatever necessary and head out to the road. Mid-way the hip and tigh weren't feeling too good. To take my mind off the pain, thought abt how/what to write in my Facebook. Didn't catch any front participants. Almost caught up with a lady but the traffic lights wasn't favoring me today.
When I finished my cycling, some of the runners were already back! So I began to run as fast as I could, but it is impossible to run fast at the start; the legs are wooden n the breathing is out of sync. Finally, managed to catch 2 front runners! The weather was great! In the excitement of it all, forgotten to start my stop watch. Think I did a respectable time in the run.
It sank in at the finished line that I have finally completed a Tri Race and felt so good to share it with Esther; without her support and encouragement, it would be impossible for me to train for it.Don't think I can ever thank her enough. Thanks also to friends who came to help; Mitchell (S'pore youngest Ironman), Perry (who pushed us further out the sea) and Maryanne (who spent many Sat afternoon at Sentosa with us and patiently guide the 'old man' along). Without you guys, my dream would always be a dream! Looking back, such excitement is good for our soul, body and mind! And dreams are good for us to keep going....I dream to do a full Ironman one day but there are still lots of work to be done in my swimmiing n cycling. Can I ever achieve it? I think I can if I am willing to put in effort to train and dare to dream! Are you?
The swim kicked off and as usual the 'pro' rushed to the lead. My matra is to 'focus' n 'relax', so start off way behind. The frenzie of so many people swimming and thrashing in the water together really can make one excited and charged! Had to calm myself down as my heart goes hay wire. A few long look at the blue sky has a calming effect on me. Told myself to just enjoy it. Overall I swam like a snake; going off-course at various places, so hard to spot the small buoy. The training at Sentosa paid dividends; 2months ago I would not step into the sea without a life jacket!
Finally, reached shore n head for the bike. Suprisingly not as goggy as expected. There weren't many bikes left, so quickly put on whatever necessary and head out to the road. Mid-way the hip and tigh weren't feeling too good. To take my mind off the pain, thought abt how/what to write in my Facebook. Didn't catch any front participants. Almost caught up with a lady but the traffic lights wasn't favoring me today.
When I finished my cycling, some of the runners were already back! So I began to run as fast as I could, but it is impossible to run fast at the start; the legs are wooden n the breathing is out of sync. Finally, managed to catch 2 front runners! The weather was great! In the excitement of it all, forgotten to start my stop watch. Think I did a respectable time in the run.
It sank in at the finished line that I have finally completed a Tri Race and felt so good to share it with Esther; without her support and encouragement, it would be impossible for me to train for it.Don't think I can ever thank her enough. Thanks also to friends who came to help; Mitchell (S'pore youngest Ironman), Perry (who pushed us further out the sea) and Maryanne (who spent many Sat afternoon at Sentosa with us and patiently guide the 'old man' along). Without you guys, my dream would always be a dream! Looking back, such excitement is good for our soul, body and mind! And dreams are good for us to keep going....I dream to do a full Ironman one day but there are still lots of work to be done in my swimmiing n cycling. Can I ever achieve it? I think I can if I am willing to put in effort to train and dare to dream! Are you?
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
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