Bye 2008/1429H

Bye bye 2008 and definitely 1429 Hijrah. The norms "kejap je rasa 2008 dah habis...hmmm". A statement defined as satisfaction achievement or zero achievement. The most important is to look forward for a better tomorrow, which means next year 2009.

There is nothing in my mind for 2009 except thinking of my current tasks or goals. To achieve it. Ada la sikit-sikit personal goals & family goals yang nak kena settle kan. Pelan-pelan kayuh, kasi settle one at a time. No need the new year to start a new.

Ok, may 2009 and 1430H have more rezeki & blessings from Allah. Amin.

Back in the pool

Ever since I came back from Teluk Rubiah & did a short dash across the not so crystal clear pool, I knew that running improved my stamina in a drastic manner. From there onwards, I was craving to do more.

Last Saturday evening's visit to Putrajaya pool came short of a dip since I had to do a close monitoring of my fellow kids & their cousins. Splashing of the cool clear water & some breathtaking strokes of fellow swimmers was definitely a vigorous invitation.

Two days later, after no any physical activites, which is today, I brought along my family back to Putrajaya. Whoaa...it was marvelous.Did 4 x 50 meters with a 1 minute rest. I can go more but save the best for later.

1.23.76
1.28.15
1.25.40
1.30.02

Right now I'm suffering from running nose & regular sneezings. Better get that repair before my next trip :P

Malakoff 12km run

After 2 months of hectic runs midweeks and long runs on weekends, the Malakoff 12km Run was my first race & the last race for 2008. My buddies & me were looking forward for it, making sure to try out our theoretical pace analysis from our trainings. Not just that, it was also the right time to test our running gears grabbed from warehouse sales & running shops after spending cash & time running in them during our trainings.

Come Saturday morning we rallied at Taman Rimba Kiara for our kit collection. We were provided with an overlarge New Balance vest & some other ignorable stuff. I took along Yasmin after her swimming class. All of us dropped by the Garden for a quick tour of Adidas & Mizuno boutiques for some close up views of those gorgeous footwears reviewed from websites & blogs, locals & abroads.

Race day, we left for Taman Tun at 5.20am, carpooled with Nizam. Performed Subuh at Taman Tun's mosque and left our cars there. A half an hour of nerve wrecking moment, qeueing behind the start line & off we hurdled towards the welcoming long & steep hill of the first 3km stretch.

The route was revised to a 2 laps of the same road instead of running on the sprint highway & Penchala Link tunnel. That was a bit dissappointing. So, we had to face the same hills twice. My first lap was an observation one, gauging the juices used & remaining in store. The final stretch back to finish line was more on assessing my strength. It was a great feeling. I clocked 1'03"45min pacing at 5.19min/km...macam laju aje. Bacin pesan, kalau marathon buat pace tu...mampuih ler :P

Training buddies

Illiotibialist

KRU (Kumpulan Rambut Uban)

Macha Rocco

Dealer tupperware

Jiwa kacau

Footwear evaluation phenomena a.k.a. jiwa kacau

Pergh! Hampir semua dah kena sawan kasut. Teringat aku nickname "kasut" untuk sorang member aku masa kat kolej...hehehe. Pitcher softball yang senang mental kacau, actually semua pitcher mental kacau. Ada yang sampai cakap sorang-sorang kat tengah pitch tu.

Ok la, since Hal ada mention in his 5th week schedule, it is time to evaluate our footwear. Evaluate je sebenarnya tapi budak-budak ni dah bantai assessment tahap ISO. Tambah lagi dengan adanya M'sia Sale Carnival. Aku pun terjebak sekali. Actually memang it's a good timing la sebab ni la masa nak dapat good offer or bargains. Kalau takde sale, jangan harap le nak belek any of those juicy trainers from the shelves.

Started from last week, semua dah tak sabor nak tunggu weekend 29-Nov mulanya shopping carnival. Come weekend during our long run, the morning air was filled with shoe & gear talks. Come Sunday, sms & phone calls exchanged throughout the day. Busy, busy, busy with footwear tests & talks.

I was not left out. My month long target for the Adizero Tempo can't be compromised. With only 10% less, aku sambau aje...malas nak fikir lama2 & menanggung seksa jiwa yang kacau. Sekali dengan selai vest Formotion yang nampak lazat bila dah try.

Ropa2nya Bacin lagi jiwa lara kronik dari aku. Sabtu petang dah tunggang terbalik kat rumah. Petang tu jugak dia pi sambau Supernova Sequence kat Pavillion dengan offer untuk trade in his old Asics. On the way balik, call aku dengan nada poyo & puas.

Isnin, aku temankan Saiful to Garden. Yang ni pun lagi rakus. Habis semua kasut kat shelf dalam adidas boutique dia capai & try. Adistar Control 5 or Cushion 7? Tapi eventually malam tu jugak pi sambau Mizuno Wave Rider 12 kat Bangsar with unresisted offer. Dapat staff price, cut off 40% for this newly arrived model Runner's World Editor's Choice...cilakak! Run Selasa petang masing2 memperagakan footwear baru kecuali aku & Nizam. Aku cool saja nak bior depa poyo dulu. Huru hara kejap jugak la Lake Garden petang tu. Nizam dah mula dijangkit jiwa kacau. Siap la nanti aku akan terima phone calls...hehehe.

We just hope with these right chosen gears, we could excel, motivate & survive the 18 weeks training & eventually achieved our goals. Insyallah.

Run jangan tak run beb...

Lama jugak tak update blog, ada 2 minggu kot. Maybe sebab dah sampai tahap stim nak berlari, so takde feel nak mengarang. Except for tonight. Only this weekend aje yang sought of reda sikit from activities. Dah 2 minggu miss EPL on tv & 2 minggu tak kayuh & 2 minggu tak update blog.

Perkembangan training marathon aku agak positif. Despite some rainy evenings & outstations, aku still survive to squeeze in the mid week runs & have not cheated on the weekend long runs. Ada jugak yang we had to run in rain sebab we have done a lap of the Lake garden route...belasah aje. Tapi tak sehebat those regulars la yang bedal sampai 4 laps until gelap gelita pun lari lagi. Sat lagi maghrib pulak entah ke mana.

Like before during this year half marathon, aku masih cuba survive with a healthy diet especially carbos prior to runs. Watched by cafine intake & those saturated fats. Ngeri ooo...

Running pals were great. We managed to maintain the pack, be it the mid week runs & even the weekend's. At certain session, the comers were encouraging 10 runners. To keep me up with the running anxiety, I would do like what I always do, keep on feeding myself with running infos & facts, and the better deal is going shopping for running stuffs. Hahaha...with the Malaysia sale carnival on, things will be a bit chaotic in the next few weeks.

Eventually aku managed to squeeze in a cycling session as part of the cross training. Come Sunday, though with all the laziness in the world & tiredness from yesterday's long run, aku layan je. Rolled off from my place with Saiful towards Langat & back. Felt good. Just a santai ride spinning all the way. We missed 2 weeks & our milage dah reset balik. Rugi ooo...

New stuff

Whoaaa...ever since I earned the Nike Zoom Victory+, my instinct tells me that I am still not satisfied. Something is not right or a certain percentage of satisfaction was not achieved. Why eh? Hmmm...beats me. Though I ran miles after miles, something felt missing.

Ok lah, eventually I admitted it. I really need a pair of trainers. The Victory+ is not one. Trainer is a pair that I can bedal & belasah throughout the week & the weeks after. A nice comfortable & reliable one.

So, back to the shoe hunting board. One of my favorites. Complex upon complex, shop upon shop. Shoe upon shoe. Lifted it from the shelves, belek-belek & put it back. Nothing struck me. Eventually met Adizero Tempo. Price was too steep but shoe was awesome. Pretty stuff. Cool colours, nice tech, enough weight & just the support that I need. Gonna need some strategies to beat the steep price.

Back at home, I went back to some old materials about shoe finding, shoe buying guide (which I've read thousands of time) & finalising the wet feet test to confirm the info received from the mamat New Balance earlier. Slight pronate! Argh! Do I really need those supported trainers with very high soles? Ok lah, probably the Tempo might help me.

The search goes on & my sleep was compromised thinking of these crazy gears. Took a detour today for a few more shops. "Kalau dah jodoh tak ke mana". A friend & some old sayings used to tell me. Hahahah! I came across my forgotten Supernova (earlier post with details). The price tag was so alarming! Almost took my breath away. Sriap! An hour of deep thoughts & reviews from buddies, I ran effortlessly today. Alhamdullillah.

2nd Week

The second week started with a rest day on Monday as recommended by Hal. After all those freaking fitness chores last week, a day of rest seems so heaven. Baru seminggu dah mula being particular...choit.

11-November 2008 Tuesday, back to the training board.
Venue : Lake Garden
Distance : Scheduled 3m (4.8km); Actual 5.1km
Time : 31m31s

16-November 2008 Sunday
Venue : Taman Tasik Permaisuri
Distance : Long run

Another week of training but weather was not on our side. Out of 3 mid week runs, 2 was cancelled due to the monsoon atmosphere. The guilt for having to stare through the window while listening to the tapping of rain was appalling. However, the long run was completed joyously especially when the running group was joined by some other runners met at the venue.

What a week...?

Whoaa...never done this before but it was great & awesome so far. A week full of freaky fitness activity. Run, run & run which ended up today with a long ride; which was supposed to be a cross training.

Since we've planned for a long ride a week earlier, Bentong was chosen for a revisit. Our last ride here was about a year ago. Six of us were later joined by half a dozen more towards Bentong upon regrouping at peak of Genting Sempah. Ride towards Bentong was fast & energetic, we managed to reach the mamak in 2 hours. The mee goreng was nothing compared to the original mamak next to the famous ABC shop in mid town.

The ride back (up) was the usual 30km non-stop pedalling & climbing, no discount offered. It was heaven & hell. Heaven, when one can enjoy the hilltop climate of Bukit Tinggi & Janda Baik cool breeze & greeneries. Hell, when the going gets tough & the tough gets going.

Group was separated into four. Saiful, Akmal & me were in the third group staying in our aerobic stage. We were wretched to the saddle. Regrouped at Genting Sempah R&R near the buah berangan stall. We managed our final climb of the day, the ultimate McDonald Big Mac climb & spinned away to HOA.

• Route : HOA - Bentong - HOA
• Milage : 96.49km
• Clock : 4hr 16min

1st Week

After all the hassle & mentally disturbed process of getting a satisfied & worth shoes, it is time to hit the pavement. Started yesterday, introduced by fellow friend to Lake Garden panoramic & cooling route. Owh...got myself the hyped Nike Zoom Victory+ at a good bargain that I can't resist...knowing Nike's hikey price tag.

4-November 2008
Route : Lake Garden
Distance : 5.1km (1 loop Carcosa + 1 loop lake) - 3.17 miles
Time : 29m14s

5-November 2008
Route Lake Garden
Distance : 5.6km (2 loops Carcosa) - 3.47 miles
Time : 36m22s

6-November 2008
Outstation

8-November 2008
Route : Double Hill, Bukit Tunku
Distance : 10km
Time : 1h17m16s

Total 1st week : 20.7km (12.8 miles)

Ok, so I've taken this thing seriously now. Perhaps I should, since the goal is something that cannot be taken lightly. My first approach into the world of serious running was facilitate by Bacin, being introduced to runner's hub, our famous Lake Garden. As scheduled by Hal Higdon, start easy. 2 days in a row enjoying the cool climate of greeny Lake Garden together with fellow running enthusiasts. They are quite the gila-gila type also, so easy to blend in but not to follow their pace should one decide to commit suicide.

The scheduled weekend long run today was decided to be the legendary Double Hill. My first attempt. No double nor triple but hill after hill through all those big mansions of Bukit Tunku residencies. Four of us (Bacin, Akmal, Saiful & me) paced it slow & steady. Pace setting & running buddies are truely a remarkable strategy be it physically & mentally.

Coolrunning

Whoaa...I didn't realise the new challenge really obsessed me too much. Well actually I favor browsing the net for knowledge & infos of stuffs that falls under my interest categories. Cycling, running, hiking, moutaineering, photography...but all are seasonal. This month's big task will be running.

Finding the best shoes was never easy for me ever since. School pairs excluded in the discussion though. Be it a pair of working leathers to the casual ones. Getting a pair of clipless for my mtb & roadrides gave me nightmares last year. Luckily I found Sidi, best ever. Won't change to other names but still curious to try out Shimanos.

Running shoes was not so difficult to grab in the early days in campus, maybe because the design was simpler. I had asic gel, adidas & nike cross trainer before & they served me undoubted till the end. Ever since I lost my last running pair, the Adidas due to it's age, I was caught in the shoe finding nightmare again. Never found anything that pleases me until now though I bought a pair of New Balance last year for temporary usage. It served me in the 10k and half KLIM in two consequitive years. Maybe it's about time to be serious in my search.

It started earlier this week. I shall start with my several comebacks to Jusco admiring my almost a year Adidas Supernova Control 10 sitting helplessly on the shelf. Had it KIV due to it's ridicilous RM399 tag. Only now it's been reduced by 10% which is still at RM359 ridiculous tag. It's a stability shoe for underpronators or supinate runners but it fits me so good.

Then a visit to Adidas (M) store in Pavillion based from a friend's suggestion. A 10 minutes chat with the sales assistant broaden my knowledge about Adidas technology. He advised the Supernova Control 10 is not meant for natural feet like me...pulak! I was eyeing those slicky Adizero though those are racing shoes (not at that stage yet).

Stopped by two Nike store today. First visit in Suria KLCC and tried out my long admiring Air Pegasus. The price was reduced (from RM349 to RM249) due to it's odd sizes stock but was unfortunate Pegasus was only available for wide feet...argh!

The second Nike store rendevoued me with the stylish Zoom Victory+. First perception, looks nothing more than a stylish weekend walking shoes though the sales guy insisted that it's for running. Tried it on, felt the outsole was flat & hard. The fitting was cool since it looks narrow & wrapped around my feet nicely.

Last but least, I met Mizuno Wave Rider 10, earlier model than the 11 (current). Jusco had it slashed by up to 50% from RM429 to RM215!!! Whoaaa...this is really making me crazy.

Back to the www & I crazily read reviews of each pair of shoes. Now I had to narrow down & compare it at every angle i.e. availability in size, price, looks, comfort, etc.

Generally all the above shoes have it's pros & cons as summarised below:

Adidas Supernova Control - only availabe in Jusco since old model, size also limited, price tag a bit crazy for my wallet but the snug fit was cool. Might need to find out more from interview with sales guy.

Nike Zoom Victory+ - price about the same as Supernova. Read two reviews by fellow local entusiast runners & received good reviews be it for training or for short races. Attractive looks. Lightweight.

Mizuno Wave Rider 10 - have the lowest price tag among the three which also fit my wallet. Good reviews from websites since it's predessors 8 & 9. Lighweight enough for training & races.

New challenge

Out of nowhere bila balik dari Melaka ride, aku suddenly felt healthy, strong and confident. Maybe sebab after Sahara, the impact to fitness aku bertambah & also maybe sebab aku dah fully recover from my month long sinus. Harap aku stay this way.

Loads of activities came across my mind. I just need to lay in piece by piece & manage the calendar. However, the thought of going back to running was considered. Apa kata next year's KL International Marathon aku try buat full marathon 42km? Seems like doable. Thanks to Alwin bagi aku link to Hal Higdon's (http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Mar00index.htm) training for marathon website. Need 18 weeks (four an a half months) of commitments & discipline.

Cuba aje...will try to plan & work out the training logs.

Post Sahara

A week after the gruelling Sahara ride, some of us looked forward to go back to the normal routine of hitting the tarmac. Eventually the same corum rolled in at my place & we took the Semenyih loop. A breakfast stop at Tekala & we continued up Bukit Sg Tekali. A second breakfast of mee jawa at Batu 14 before rolling back in covering 62km in 2 hours 36 minutes.

Some theories or presumptions were made during this post Sahara ride. I have no idea whether it's true or vise versa but just for the sake of recording it for future analysis:

1. Us cyclist involve in mountainbiking & roadcycling need to balance the time spent between these two types.
2. Roadcycling rewards oneself with extra endurance or fortitude.
3. Mountainbiking in the other hand could tutor a cyclist with the sudden boost climb or sustaining a long granny.
4. Roadcycling provide muscle strength through thousands of cadence especially the lower body.
5. Mountainbiking though helps to build the extra upper body muscles through handlebar controlling on technical climbs & definitely the bike hiking commotion. Best example was this morning's Bukit Sg Tekali 2km climb in a less suffering moment.

Malacca Sahara Ride

Eventually I have this chance of calming oneself & mood to post my late entry for the recent event took place last weekend. Yep, the ECC Malacca Environment Ride or we called it the Great Sahara Ride was the one we looked forward to join.

Seven of us from KL convoyed in two cars rendevoued with another two whom we called "orang tempatan" in a'famosa resort Saturday evening after hurdling the deepavali traffic on the highway & very warm weather. All went smooth with the kits collection & our check in into the 2 rooms condo. We had early dinner in Tampin, a walked in tom yam stall which seemed descend enough. Maybe it was due to the large tv screen showing Manu vs Everton in live which attracted us more.

We ended our day with the dissappointing display by fellow Malaysia football team whom was defeated by Vietnam in the Pesta Bola Merdeka. The 2 hour long game ended with a sudden death penalty kick of 1-0. Everybody went to sleep without further argument.

The big day started as early as 5.30 a.m. as not to cramp up the toilet schedule for all nine of us. Grazing at the starting line an hour early than supposed to be & off we rode the 7km rolling road to Simpang Ampat & into the village & estate roads.

There were 9 checkpoints to be completed & definitely dozens of mind blowing climbs. Most are plantation roads connected by tarmac kampung road between the stretch. Some route came as ridiculous as it could be when one had to haul one's bike up steep & slippery jungle loose slope. The queue was unforgettable. Lucky for some us whom was rewarded with a long, hot & loose downhill. Definite loose when the rear wheel going ahead of the front. With some body balance, it was definite fun.

Upon reaching CP5, some of us started to doubt the capacity & challenge awaiting for the rest of the ride. We had 15 minutes pit stop at a makcik's shop munching karipap, cool 100 plus & mee hun goreng. "Alang alang menyeluk pekesam, bior sampai ke pangkal lengan". That was the similar phrase to explain it from Azahari's point. Instantly he was named the "penganjur" from it.

The task & torment started immediately as we turned off from the civilised kampung road, into the bright shiny, hot & glimmering open trail which was climbing and climbing endlessly. The sight of fore riders pushing motionless was disturbing. This was the ultimate Sahara. The climb was divided into three sections. The first climb was enough to drain oneself huffing & puffing trying horribly to reach the first peak under the ice cream umbrella.

Seeing the second climb with tiny riders crawling made everybody crazy. Any miracle or magic or any surviving technic would come in handy but it was helpless. It's only mind & strength. Push upon push, jerks upon jerks with secured foot, we drag ourselves & bikes up. Upon reaching the second peak, a 3 minutes stop was enough to decide that we had to close the agony fast. The third climb made us to the "bukit botak" with no shade at 1.15 p.m. with a sticker for CP6.

Mtb rules of thumb was, one climb must be rewarded with an awesome downhill. In this case, the rules were bent & broken with shattered hearts for every mountainbikers. The downhill was only walkable with very steep & slippery loose sands. Crap! That was the biggest bang for most of us.

The rest of the ride was more of completing the ride rather than enjoying it with task. The weather was definitely killing most of us. I was lucky to survive with enough prep milage & hydration but not enough to satisfy myself. The smacking of unsuitable terrain & challenges into the ride was not so cool. Not looking forward for another mtb long ride to soon.

Facts :

• Team name : kudokukayuhgagahberani
• Team menbers : Nizam, Mutalib, Bachin, Saifullizan, Alwin, Dicky, Zamri, Azahari & me
• Distance for 9 stikers : 55km
• Ride time : 4 hours+
• Outdoor time : 6 hours+

Klawang turned Tekala

I was very much looking forward for the Sunday ride ever since I missed last weekend's due to family obligation. It was supposed to be a Kuala Klawang trip which was later discounted to Titi but later was slashed to Tekala ride only...hahaha.

However, it was a good one. Climbing Peres while chatting along with Saiful was a surprising when we didn't notice the 9km peak was only a talk away. Upon deciding and some negotiating, Klawang ride detoured to Tekala for fresh santan nasi lemak & kuih sambal. There were about nine of us.

We hit Bukit Sg Tekali on our back to Batu 14. My second attempt riding from home was never been good clocking 90km in 4 hours 18 minutes. I spinned on my way back from Batu 9 to home to avoid tired legs. Looking forward for another tar & grime.

Syawal 1429 Hijrah Super Sunday

Pergh! Mantap! Tu aje yang mampu aku lafazkan hasil dari kayuhan semalam. Dah lama sangat aku tak rasa penyeksaan macam tu. The last Saturday night of Ramadhan, aku determined to gauge my level of lengit by joining some friends riding the Putrajaya 32km Ramadhan route. Ternyata & terbukti aku LENGIT tahap 3 ever since I was diagnosed with a severe sinus about a month ago. Nasib baik tak pongeh sangat sampai meracau-racau since aku constantly paced myself although I was left a kilometer behind by the peloton.

Came Syawal & lots of saturated fat & carbo, I was eager to wait for the first Sunday ride. All holiday travelling & time were well planned so as to tune myself for the much awaited Super Sunday. Not forgetting for record, the Syawal one week holiday was celebrated awesomely with fellow families & close relatives. Kids were enjoying every second of it.

Datangnya Ahad, aku mulakan kayuhan dari rumah. Ada tersilap perkiraan sikit in terms of ride distance & time dari rumah aku, so aku terlewat sikit sampai ke meeting place Batu 14. To my surprise, boleh tahan ramai jugak yang kayuh hari ni rupanya. Most are familiar faces from Ramadhan night ride, ada lebih kurang 10 orang. Geng PCC dah 5 minit gerak. Slow pace from there to Batu 18, providing me chance to recover from the 11km dash from my place.

Sampai Batu 18, another bunch joined in the group forming quite a large 20 people crowding the Kg Sg Lui road. Dah terasa macam open house raya pulak ramai-ramai macam ni. Maybe most of us dah simpan gian lama tak kayuh sebulan puasa. Up to Genting Peres & back to Batu 14 for roti canai before I headed home completing 81km in 3 hours 21 minutes under the scorching Sunday sun. Although the last kilometer was started to feel the pain in my legs, it felt great. Looking forward to build stamina again.

Selamat Hari Raya to all. May we meet again with a meaningful Ramadhan & Syawal next year.

Month of remembrance

Ever since I started actively swimming a month ago, my sinus became worse. It turned uglier with the extreme weather nowadays. Extreme hot & cold in a day is enough to make one's life miserable for the remaining days. I was glad, come Ramadhan, travellings and meetings were kept to a minimum. Or else I will not survive the airconditioned meeting rooms & inside my car with the scorching sun outside.

Upon giving up with the self recovery running nose, I've decided to give a try with the common Clarinese (ubat selsema). The wet nose went away, no more stuffed nose during nightimes. Too much of a hope, the dry nose followed with extreme headache. I survived with days of wet nose, but a day of headache is too much. Two days of paracetamol or panadol would only chase it for a few hours. Eventually, I went back to my family doctor. Ada duit semua boleh jadi eh?

With consistent supplements (no drugs attached) everytime I have during the 8 hours window (non-puasa time), I took it for almost two weeks. Alhamdullillah by today (complete 1 month suffering), I gained my strength & confidence back.

My cycling was abandoned for the whole period of my mourning month. A few attempts were arranged but with no enthusiasm. However, a few events are up the sleeve right after hari raya. We've arranged for the upcoming Malacca mtb jamboree in 26-Oct & Powerman in 9-Nov. Might try out the Pesta Penang Roadrace for a plate or two of nasi kandar & laksa. Muahahaha!

Last dirt...

Ramadhan is coming in 2 days. I have to squeeze in at least a ride. Too bad I had no options but to chose today & it was the last dirt for August. Joined a group of beginners & thanks to Saiful whom hosted the show. Macam-macam hal, macam-macam perangai...which reminded me of my early days into cycling...muahaha. OK la, apa ada hal? Janji kayuh and have fun...layan je ler. FRIM was the best venue for beginners for it's "breathtaking" climbs from the hospital and the much further demanding sight of "steroid hill" (refer earlier post).

I've decided to switch to my old riser for more freedom of ride since it's going to be the last before a month break. We rolled off an hour delayed due to the beginners syndrom (last minute preps). Apa ada hal? Layan je ler...hehehe. Start the first climb, some decided to attempt it fast thinking to finish it in one breath. A breath in need is a breath "indeed". Aku tengok aje sambil layan crank besar masak kicap, avoiding any cheating attempt.

Steroid hill was achieable by most of us, be it fast, slow or hike a bike. We rolled into the canteen for a 30 minutes breakfast. Ramai jugak mountainbikers today. As we rolled in, some groups rolled out. We headed into Dreamtrail and smacked the singletracks as enjoyable as could be. Awesome riser provided me with a descent downhill & casual climbing.

Punya lah lama tak masuk FRIM, ropa-ropanya all those nurseries near the temple gone already la. Giving way for a new wider road and the new UiTM campus. Heard it's for the medical school since it's near to the Sg Buloh Hospital. Road was definitely dusty & full of potholes. We called it a day at 12.30pm. Dude, it was a great outdoor outing to end the month.

Kuala Klawang revisit

We had fun, we had joy, we had season in the sun. haha, itulah yg kita orang rasa masa kayuh ke kuala klawang & back to batu14 tadi. We even had the afternoon shower on the way back to batu 18. That was when we stopped for a lucrative laksa buyong in the soaking wet.

Dah lama aku tak buat long ride. Dengan berbekalkan 2 kayuhan ke Tekala & Peres crank besar masak kicap 2 weekends yang lalu, aku gamble untuk join kayuhan ke Kuala Klawang dengan selsema sebak di dada. Kalau dulu-dulu, selsema sikit pun dah ngeri nak kayuh...itu pun sebab kononnya dengar pesanan2 orang la. Tapi sekarang wa belasah aje, janji mental sihat & kuat.

Kayuhan ke Kuala Klawang memang mantap sebab maybe banyak turun & rolling. We all sampai pekan untuk menjamu nasi campur at 10.45am gitu. Duduk satu kedai dengan konvoi Subaru Impreza yang potong we all kat puncak Peres sejam lebih yang lalu. Semua mulut nganga bila konvoi Impreza start enjin untuk balik. Mantap!

11.45am we all mula mengangkat punggung untuk menawan bukit bukau yang dituruni masa pegi tadi. Kayuhan dari pekan ke Titi untuk 10km yang pertama memang steady lagi. Lepas tu bila dihembus headwind, keadaan peloton kecil telah bersepah kepada cebisan-cebisan yang lebih kecil...hahaha! Kayuhan untuk the next 10km memang agak sengsara especially bila mendaki beberapa jalan berbukit sebelum sampai jambatan.

The remaining 4 riders at the back regrouped after the bridge before attempting the 13km climb back to Peres. Some of us dah mula mental kacau. Kaki dah mula sakit-sakit la. Termenung pun ada. Wa gagah kan jugak untuk climb walau apa pun. Pelan2 wa kayuh dengan Saiful, while Azahari pi teman Akmal yang dah tertinggal hampir kena sawan kat belakang. Bacin & Bukhari dah hilang entah kat depan, jauh sangat agaknya.

Bacin & Bukhari dah sampai puncak 40 minit earlier dari aku...lama tuh! Cuaca was just nice, not too hot, not too windy but the sight of dark clouds worried me. Azahari sampai 10 minutes later, followed by Akmal lagi 10 minit.

Zaaas! Kita orang turun tanpa cakap banyak. Masing2 dgn mission untuk complete kan ride. Tapi next target will be laksa buyong. 3km sebelum sampai laksa buyong, hujan turun dengan lebat. Aku teruskan kayuhan dengan the remaining juice yang ada. Dengan perut yang dah mula dingin2 beku, the sight of gerai laksa buyong memang dinanti2kan. Definitely aku dah hampir mental kacau. Hidangan laksa dibedal sekali hirup. Hujan dah mula reda. Kayuhan balik ke Batu 14 dalam sejuk memang layan. Ropa-ropanya kita orang clocked 5 jam lebih untuk complete kan 120km averaging at 22kph. Giler lama! Tapi janji stim.

Liquiman

OK la, wa admit sekarang dah kemaruk swimming pulak. Cita-cita nak masuk triatlon la konon tapi cita-cita yang agak mengerikan especially bila dok kenang part swim tuh...sriaaap! Takpe la, buat masa ni since tengah kemaruk, wa layan aje selagi mampu. Started since anak wa sign up for her swimming class every Saturday. Bila dok tengok yang baru belajar & yang dah boleh berenang, memang mendatangkan stim...hehehe. So wa pun approach la sahabat karib wa yang memang wa tau dok layan jugak sendri2 kadang2, Saiful la saper lagi.

So, salah satu hari tu balik dari kerja wa setting dengan dia pi pool yang dekat for both of us. Wa pun mula lah kuar ilmu2 & skill wa yang belajor tak habis zaman sekolah rendah dulu, 30 tahun dulu beb...giler lama tapi masih lagi wa ingat nama teacher wa Cikgu Arafah. Kira dia la paling cool kat sekolah masa tu sebab pakai swimsuit time ngajor. Saiful pun tegur2 la sikit mana yang boleh & hulur2 sikit tips. Wa pun try la walaupun badan memang kejong je nak perbetulkan apa yang patut.

Lepas dari tu, stim dah mari. Every week wa mesti layan, at least once, the most twice. Wa layan breaststroke je la, so takde la pongeh sangat & sambil2 nak improve breathing. Rasa memang best. Tambah lagi pulak sekarang tengah Beijing 2008. Wa pun layan ler almost setiap swimming competition yang ada. Kira nama Michael Phelps tu wa akan ingat la untuk olimpik tahun ni.

Sekarang sorang lagi plak member wa dah join the session, Bachin, yang dah complete Ironman last Feb & tanpa segan silu menurunkan ilmu apa yang dia belajor dengan national swimmer. Apa lagi? Bila dah Ironman dah masuk pool, freestyle le jawapnya. Stroke memang boleh kata hancur gak la, tapi wa layan je janji stim.

Kalau kail panjang sejengkal, lautan luas hendak juga wa duga. Atas racun roundup Bachin, wa terjebak jugak berhijrah dari pool 25m ke 50m tanpa rasa kesal. Nah! Tu dia! Sayup mata memandang bila tengok tebing sebelah sana. Boleh ke Cin? Wa tanya bila kita orang start dari end yang 2m deep. Kat situ pun dah huru hara buat breastroke sebab psiko air dalam...hahaha.

Bacin kata boleh punya, layan je slow2. Wa pun bedal. Bila dah lepas breaststroke 50m, wa try la pulak tekan freestyle 50m. Alamak! Boleh ler. Bacin kata lu try pulak 100m. Pergh! Mantap! Walaupun dah hujung2 tu memang rasa huru hara macam ikan belacak...Hahaha! Tapi all good. Memang best untuk recover dari penat lelah wa travel outstation every 2 weeks.

What a liquid weekend...

Ok...yes I was facing a deteriorating health as I approached the weekend. Thursday was felt like a very long day. The whole morning in the office, the afternoon was in Ulu Yam facing this macam bagus Dato' & the rest of the day got stuck in the evening traffic at middle ring road from ulu klang to ampang & cheras due to one and only evening shower for the week. Due to the exhaustion behind the steering wheel, my body gave way for the attractive cold night early right after dinner.

Friday morning felt a bit of headache. I was thinking maybe due to the extra hours I spent sleeping the night before. I was complaining to myself thought rushing out a contract document for binding was the target for the day. Eventually I managed to send it over to the shop & made it for a late entry to Friday prayer in Maluri. The remaining afternoon was pleasing myself with what a weekdays it were.

The Saturday ride was awesome. It was something I looked forward to. Without my health in jeorpadise, aku belasah aje kayuh...janji puas hati. Four of us started from Batu 14 to Tekala and back. The pace was strong and fast as we concluded our ride. Memang best.

Sunday, time to suffer oneself by waking up at 5.00am. It was Ekiden run's day. We had fun though but I still had running nose...argh!

Rolling in

Lama sangat aku tak sentuh roadbike aku. The last time was in May when things turned out to be too groovy...tangkap nafas kuda masa panjat Bukit Batu 14...hehehe. Ok, sekarang agak-agak dah muak sikit layan mtb since last month's critical mass. This morning I attempted a very casual, zero commitment road ride from Batu 14 to simpang Peres with Saiful...despite tidur lambat (layan melalak kat pondok daaa... =P).

Of course la aku terlajak tidur, bangun exactly at 7.00am although I was supposed to LEAVE home at 7.00am...hahaha. Lucky most of the ride stuff dah ready before tidur. Though I was planning to ride from home, things took a turn as the clock strikes 7.15am. Drove casually after informing Saiful for my delay.

We rode off towards simpang Peres & back stopping by at Batu 18 for roti canai on the way back, joined by Dicky & Man. We clocked 37km...hahaha, averaging 22kph. Antara kayuhan yang paling puas pernah aku buat sebab feel tu ada, despite torturing oneself on Sundays & end up dragging oneself surviving the family's chores for the rest of the day.

Spent the whole afternoon for a long nap with my sons, taking advantage of the sudden downpour. Petang layan kids main badminton & managed to gather about 8 neighbours' kids 5-8 years to join our evening ride with wifey around the neighbourhood. Quite an achievement =)

My first Mass experience

Yep, got to know about this phenomena from one of those Bicycling issues back then. It was Vancouver or San Francisco? Sorry, can't remember, but it was something though. Something that attracted me to read more rather than the normal stuff reviews & tips.

Came across the local event myself while I was surfing the net last month & I did leave a supportive comment to the blogger. Last night, I was proud to be part of an international event. Yeah, people see in different perspectives. I saw it in mine.

As I was about to discover more about it while browsing the local blogs, my earlier opinion came true. In US it involves massive tragedies with the law & politics. Here, it involves the normal sick opinions of bringing people down from doing something good...too bad.

However, all in all in depends on the motive. We, here, Malaysia, KL are just another typical Malaysian whom want to enjoy the sport in every kind of way it is presented. Ride & live.

Kayuhan Jatidiri (Meal Version)

Since our roadtrip to Kuala Kangsar and back was 60% mountainbiking and the remaining 40% more like an Asian Food Channel coverage, I've decided to dedicate this post for the food or meal review.

With compliments to our food guide Azahari, we managed to secure a variety of popular Perak delicacies. The following food trails prevails:

As we abandoned Tapah R&R for it's crowd on our way to Kuala Kangsar, we held on for another hour to ingest Mee Rebus Ramli in Ipoh. A bit different from it's counterpart like mee rebus in Johor Bahru, the restaurant attracts locals and travellers to Ipoh with this specialty. The place is strategically located out of Ipoh town away from busy traffic, along the main federal road towards Sg Siput. It also serves a few other dishes like lamb chop, chicken chop, etc.

Our tea time was served with a famous local laksa Pak Ngah in Kuala Kangsar. Popularly known located behind a chinese school. A bit different from the famous Penang rivals, it surely serves the locals eternally. Laksa Tanjung Bungah and the more defined taste of laksa Teluk Kumbar dole out a better ding for me though.

Upon registration and freshen up, we headed north to Taiping for our dinner. It's a revisit for me. We had to abandon...again, the famous kuew teow Doli due to it's crowd...again. The long faces of the waiting customers was not a recommended atmosphere after travelling 30km with ravening appetite. We headed straight for the jack pot. Yong tau fu sotong & kang kung behind Taiping Bomba. Crowd was under control. Two servings with hot lai cee kang was enough to make anyone propped against the chair. The ingredients with generous sotong guaranteed a come back.

We saved the best for last. Reloading carbos, calories and spice was our last "eatenary". The starving tummies waited patiently for the widely told "nasi wongeh" or "nasi ganja" in Ipoh town. It is actually a nasi kandar with kuah campur, fried chicken or mutton curry. The taste and feeling was undefinable. Every head across the round chinatown tables bowed in full faith towards the plate of white rice and spices. I can still recalled the site of it and the mouth watering taste at the edge of my mouth as I write this up. Another blessing for a come back.

Kayuhan Jatidiri (ride version)

Alhamdullillah everything turned out awesomely & handsomely as planned. Our first roadtrip for 2008 mountainbiking style. 10 of us signed up for the Kayuhan Jatidiri Mtb Jamboree in Kuala Kangsar. First time held with the support from the state government and local authorities. It was supposed to be a cross country outing and relinquish oneselves to the peaceful atmosphere of Kuala Kangsar town and contryside.

Seven of us gathered up at my place for bikes & kits transfer. Two cars with seven bikes rolled off at 11.30am after having a glitch with Saiful's rack. Traffic towards Duta Toll Plaza was nonviolent. We rendevous with Azahari and the Selama boys at Sg. Buloh R&R.

Maintaining moderate highway speed to save fuel consumption with 4 bikes on the roof, we managed to reach Ipoh for lunch about 2 hours later. We opted for the old trunk road from Ipoh to Kuala Kangsar via Sg Siput "highway" and managed to reach Kuala Kangsar Rest House an hour later, just in time to check in and registration at the Jaitidir booth.

The ride next morning was flagged off sharp at 7.00am at the main road by the town bridge where about a thousand moutainbikers crowded the streets. The idea of screening of cyclists via the 10km road stretch was cool. By the time we reached the trailhead, all of us were basically stretched out according to ones pace. The initial climb on the trail was a bit choked up by some inconsiderate kiasus but all went great for the next 20km.

The remaining 20km cross country trail was 80% singtracks and 20% firetracks. Some long steep grannies and some short bursts required in ones legs. Most of it were rideable. Things turned truely overwhelming when it was time to roll down the hills. Snaking trails under shaded rubber trees was magnificent. Fast bumpy long descents on palm oil estate tracks were jaw gripping and something one had to focus on. My Reba was floating away on the trail magnificently. We regrouped at every checkpoint or whenever necessary.

The excitement were cut short when the trail ended abruptly while we were on the verge of hunger for more adrenaline. It was time to loosen up the muscles pedalling back to town through the scenic Kg Talang where Man Laksa movie took place. I couldn't agree more, the view was breathtaking. Again the journey back allow us to share the ride stuff on our bikes. We finished our remaining 10km back at Laman Budaya about 11.30am. Just in time to catch our check out time from the lodging and drive home.

Fellow mountainbikers: Alwin, Saifullizan, Azahari, Mohd Padzli, Nizam Maybank, Nizam TNB, Mutalib, Akmal, Sidek, Aku .

Attempting Genting

Attempting Genting is one of the toughest challenge for a fellow cyclist, especially the ones with constant laziness & spirit...like me for the last 3 months. However, with the recent Fraser & Sepang milage on mtb, I put high hopes that my mtb will bring me up there in the clouds of Genting.

The rolling from HOA was delayed by 15 minutes due to some selfish scumbag. The climb up to Genting Sempah was nothing more than normal, same as riding my roadbike...60 minutes. Sky was a bit gloomy & foggy as it appeared between the canopied winding old Gombak road. We regroup at the top under the bridge, the normal spot for any ride be it to Genting Sempah, Janda Baik or Bentong.

A handful other decided wisely to turn back down to HOA, not pursuing their dreams in the sky city. Nine were determined to torment oneself gauging the limit of the sky. Six on roadbikes, 3 on mtbs.

The first 3km climb from the police post was something to be cursed about. It was tremendously steep with no discount. Motorized vehicles were jamming the throttle hard as they passed us exhausting behind choking fumes. We regrouped at a roundabout since that was the only flat spot around. The remaining climbs were a bit flexible continued with a long fast descent towards Gohtong.

We had our late breakfast at a mamak joking around about this crazy attempt. After half an hour, five continued on pursuing their determination, while four called it a day. Considering another week to the 40km Kuala Kangsar epic, this Gohtong attempt is enough. The rolling down the 3km last stretch reached 70kph with blazing adrenalines.

Ok, maybe I'm going to go back down the comic era lane again...say 10 years back when I was a Marvel & DC superhero fanatic, especially after spending the last 2 hours confronting big green guy on the big screen. Yep, the superheroes are hitting the big screen again this time of the year.

It started with the egocentric, self-centred Mr. Tony Stark, which is also known as the Ironman. One of my favorite. A month ago, Ironman flew across the big screen. I was fascinated the way it was presented, same as how they made Spidey in his first 2 episodes. However, the third sequel was a bit of a flop.

Today, I trusted my instinct to watch the Incredible Hulk, played by Edward Norton. Another of my favorite actor after his awesome Fight Club act. The Incredible Hulk had a pleasant storyline, nothing much derailed from it's original comic book sequences. The ending was so unpredictable, when out of nowhere Mr Tony Stark appeared, approaching General Fury. He was mentioning that a team is being setting up. Well, guess no more... The Avengers are coming! Btw, who's gonna be Captain America eh?!

Putrajaya to Sepang

After last week's roadhaul session by mtb up Fraser's, today I decided to join up the mtb on tarmac gala with some new friends. Aku tumpang kayuh je. 16 of us gathered at the Putra Mosque at 7am, ready for our epic journey on mtbs towards Lukut or 50km, which ever comes first. To add to the special occassion, all 16 cyclists rode with 16 Giant bikes. Anthems, Boulders, Rincon & one and only trusted XTC.

It was an awesome work out, without casualties except for a bit of drizzles at Salak Tinggi on our back. New friends were awesome, easy going lads with high spirits.

Facts:

• Route : Putra Mosque to Sepang town & back
• Distance : 98km
• Average spd : 23.5kph

Aiya...minyak naik...naik minyak

OK la, eventually I had to post it here though the issue is not a nice one to share but it is a historical day for all Malaysians. Just so that one day all of us especially BTHO would know it in the future.

Last Wednesday, June 4th Malaysian Government declared the new petrol and diesel price. Petrol price increased from RM1.92/litre to a devastating RM2.70/litre!!! A 41% increment! Simpler calculation for my Proton Wira tank capacity, normally I would fuel up RM70 full tank, now it can reach RM100. Terasa macam guna kereta 2000 c.c. pulak.

The event shocked & upset the nation worldwide. It's going to be a domino effect. The price of all consumer goods will increase. Not just the low income people but the middle & high income ones will definitely had to review their expenses just to earn a living.

Sooner or later in a week time or so, BTHO will feel the effect. Van Azizah will soon increase the school bus fair. Umar's milk price & drypers will increase. That would goes the same with the rest of the household items such as vegetables, cooking oil, fish, rice, cooking gas etc...as long as it involves petrol or diesel to transport it.

This unfair decision to the majority of us had to be looked into. The decision makers definitely does not felt the implication. They run on government's vehicles & the PEOPLE paid for the fuel. They receive allowances for doing their job on top of their salaries.

The cost of living for Malaysians have to be balanced up. The increase of fuel price & other stuff will only choked ones earning. Country's development will not balance. If the Government's reason for the omission of fuel subsidy is to generate country's development in a long run, PEOPLEs' development will be compromised, in a short term. School kids will have a hard time getting expensive healthy foods. Some may even opt to cycle to school instead of paying higher school van fee. With the blindness from the Government & local authorities, road safety for the kids to school will be compromised. Pray to God those bad things won't take place. Amin.

Fraser revisit...mtb

A week ride plan for a revisit up Fraser Hill...selit with Mac's group. Only this time a few of us attempted with mountainbikes while the rest with roadies. There were 15 of us, 4 with mtbs...Alwin, Saiful, Bacin & me. The climb was getting boring & mentally disturbed upon reaching the 2 hours mark. We were supposed to reach Gap before 11.00am for the climb to Fraser since the new route was closed from landslides.

The 8km climb to Fraser was another leg aching attempt & the 11.45am time alarmed the starving guts. We reached the food stall for a big lunch of nasi campur & started rushing back down since the window for descending closed at 12.40pm.

The heart stomping descent was marvelous for us fellow with mountainbikes while we shouted away in joy taking the corners.

It was a 80km up & down. Legs not enough milage but weather was great except for headwind while we cycled at the dam.

Shocking moment

After getting steamed up with mtb rides, eventually I hyped myself by replacing my trustworthy RS Pilot with a used RS Reba SL. The thought of upgrading the suspension came across since the JSKL race. The feeling of having to thump the endless roots with the Pilot was not a nice one. The sight of watching other participants Fox forks floating pass the roots was amazing & made me drooled. That was when the hunt for a budgeted upgrade homework started...actually, most of my bike stuff are the budgeted type.

Eventually the moment of truth cast upon when a guy was selling a used RS Reba SL. From a few opinions, I guessed & believed that it is a worth attempt. Through trust (among fellow cyclists), the transaction took place between KL & Penang. 3 days later it was courriered to my home. The same day I got it fixed to the bike. Now, unstoppingly, I am admiring every single view of the bike's new look.

Itu Kamu

Masa aku dok karang post kali ni, adrenalin tengah dalam paksi menegak. The best word to describe the feeling is WORLD 800 kali! Apa taknya, the second best holy grail baru aje jumpa pagi tadi. We can described it as the mini Kiara.

Yep, Mutalib, my neighbour, been spreading the news of this new trail in Bandar Mahkota Cheras (BMC). The first time he described it to me about the existence of singletracks under the canopy of rubber trees, already I was shivering with enthusiasm. Today, we paid a visit with the courtesy of fellow trail makers Din, Man & their fellow mtbers.

After a quick breakfast at a mamak, mtb style with mtb enviro, we hit the trail head. Upon reaching the canopied singletrack, I knew that this ride was going to be an awesome one. One loop section after another, that was the style...just like Kiara. It has trees swerving trail, short burst climbs, tricky drops and downhills, river crossing, long lung busting climbs, abandoned construction tracks & loads of blood thirsty mosquitos...rubber trees maaa...what do u expect? Even there are more potential new trails were found. Din was so excited sharing their experience and future trailbuilding projects. I couldn't agree more but to share the excitement.

Even Bachin who started off the ride with low seat post due to lack of off confident, now he was all steamed up with the body swerving loops. World ye Bachin.

Our short epic ended at the same mamak with maggi goreng & maggi sup. Two punctures were the casualties today, Alwin & me...both terpaksa hutang tubes dengan kawan2...hehehe. Thanks to Mutalib, Alwin, Bachin, Din, Man, Bahron, Rahim, Fariz, Azhar and other bmc riders.

The best thing was...hey! I got an awesome singletrack mtb trails JUST like Kiara behind my house la bro...hehehe... take the following song to describe the beauty of the precious trail & of course my bike.

Segala yang ku pasti akan aku capai tuk mengambil hati mu
Melepasi angkasa cinta ku
Sesudah aku melafazkan kesemua yang diperlu
Ia seperti suluhan yang terang

Segala yang kau ragui akan ku padam habis dari hati mu
Mengingkari dalaman akal mu
Takkan puasku, mengiringi semua tawa dan tangisanmu,
Anggun wajahmu, pelita yg terang

Hatiku mahumu
Rupamu
Masih masih masih masih…

Kau terindah
Masih ada
Yang tercantik
Itu Kamu

Tiada mengapa taupun sampai bila kerna cinta enggan kenal mengalah
Memanah masuk hatiku yang reti
Setelah kau nampak tetap ku masih menunjukkan erti hidupku
Yang mahu bersama kau buat selamanya…

~Estranged

In the groove but too groovy...

As scheduled the Saturday roadride was supposed to be an added milage since we started cycling around Langat last week. All the preps and mindset were in place, ready to KILL KILL KILL!
6 cyclists turned up at Batu 14 parking, 4 of them Ironman. Bachin, Dicky, Azwar & Suffian. This is going to be an interesting ride...as I whispered softly to Saiful hiding behind the car...kui kui kui.

So far so good. The pace was consistently maintained at 27-30kph till the Peres junction. Beautiful indeed. The 9km staircase was persistent despite a minor glitch for Azwar's bike when his front tyre POP due to aging factor. He decided to meet us at Tekala instead.

The ride to Tekala was a different perspective this time around when Saiful and me were wondering and cursing our ourselves away due to the "additional" climbs. Aik?! Ada lagi bukit ke? Ingat dah sampai...hmmm. Those were the words & a minimal laughter did not even appear on our bored faces.

We reached Tekala and joined the rest for breakfast. The session was noisy with jokes followed by laughters. About 10.30am we hit the road back through the staircase to Savana. We decided to end today's ride with the short abrupt 3km wall up Bukit Hantu. That was where I learned the sky is the limit...more like my limit for today. None of my previous attempts up this hill were glitched with curses but today, it was worse. I had to stop 4 times!!! That bad maaa...aiyo! My kaki was melting not just due to the killing sun behind my back, but also maybe from the distance covered earlier this morning...plus the terrain.

Saiful couldn't agree more. He suffered the same degree of pain. It was a good move to schedule our prep rides like this or else there won't be another yardstick to gauge our capability after our long haul.

Tekong Mambang

The much awaited event day finally came for the takraw enthusiasts in Zone 3 Suakasih. A month long of planning & training came through. Majlis perasmian gelanggang takraw Zon 3 Suakasih took place yesterday at the court itself. Our sports bureau managed to invite Zone 2 teams for friendly matches of 5 teams.

Despite the preparation with canopies, drinks, breakfast & launching by our fellow chairman, the matches itself were the ones focused upon. Our crazy laughters & jokes from our routine daily evening takraw sessions faded & melted away when the first match nearing. Pale faces seen on the court, be it the homeys or the visitors.

Skills gone. Unnecessary mistakes made. Muka semua pucat beb. Air liur pun takde nak telan. Most of us were mentally disturbed due to the tremendous pressure on the nerve system. Trust me...it was not a nice sight once oneselves are on the court. The feeling & view was horryfying. We laughed our guts away due to our defeat from 4 teams. However, it was an awesome event. It will be a month or perhaps years of long talks when we gather some day.

Congrats to the winning team & better luck for the defeated. Millions thanks to my fellow neighbours for the lively neighbourhood environment. Many thanks to the takraw aficionados for introducing the sport to Zone 3 & managed to have our own beloved court. I strongly believed that there aren't any simpler & fun way to get people together besides other than sports itself.

The aficionados:

1. Mat
2. Yusairy
3. Shah
4. Rosdi
5. Nasa
6. Naza
7. Agus
8. Yusry
9. Nizam
10. Azman
11. Arif
12. Amir
13. Hidayat
14. Wan
15. Fahri
16. Haslizan
17. Mutalib
18. Me

Back in the groove

After overcoming my mind & demotivation from the lack of cycling chutzpah, eventually I've managed to get myself back in the groove. It was planned as a joy ride from Batu 14 to Genting Peres with minimal effort on Saturday. There were Saiful, Bachin & me rolling off at 7.45am.

Weather was great but sun flickered early as we drag our lazy legs up the 9km climb. The ride back to Batu 18 proved that I had lost milage after the "long haul" (refer previous post). Even maintaining 25kph was impossible. I had to made it a scenic 21kph ride with starving gut.

Roti banjir was the chosen menu at Batu 18 which seemed not enough. Made new friends with some fellow beginners admiring our ride machines while we ate. Exchanging phone numbers with Lan.

The 7km ride back to Batu 14 was great after refuelling but the pain & stinging muscles definitely explained that I need a perfect preparation for the upcoming Kuala Kangsar event.

Long haul

The sickness took me about 3 weeks to recover...physically & mentally. Nothing about cycling aroused me during those 3 horrible weeks. I ended it by paying a visit back to my hometown, taking the chance during the labour day holiday for a nice relaxing lazily 4 days till weekend.

It started to crossed my mind about working out again on Monday morning. The closest target will be the Kayuhan Jati Diri on 29-June in Kuala Kangsar. It should be one hell of a road trip...I hope. I won't be underestimating the 40km route considering my 3 weeks long haul. The plan should start this weekend. Hope it will, since the weather is getting warmer by the day ever since the start of May.

Cold feet

It has been 2 weeks since KOM when I was down with a flu and continued with an unpleasant running nose. It affected the whole family. Badan rasa lemah & mental dah mula rasa malas. Even the planned broga reverse ride which was supposed to be today pun, aku rasa malas, even to think about it. I decided to bail out the night before the ride thinking that it would do me more worse than good if I decided to proceed.

The thoughts of even doing any work out was none to be found. Lucky ada jugak urge to join the evening neighbourhood takraw game for the sake of laughing our tired minds away. Come night, the laziness starts creeping for an early sleep.

I haven't the slightest idea when shall I resume my work out sessions or my weekend ride plans. Until the mind & soul recover from the disease, then only will I start to decide. For the moment, I will just chill & watch the kids grow.

JSKL Mtb Endurance & W2R KOM GS

Saturday - I ranked this simple mtb race as one of the most friendliest, happening & fun so far. Alwin, Jeng & me joined the JSKL Mtb Endurance Race with 20 other mtb enthusiasts. Race format : As many laps to be done on a 1.5km race route in 90 minutes. The route seems simple & straight forward to the eye but there lay some rooted, bone shaker school field. The interlocking pavements were smooth but slippery as we approached the u-turn. The three of us made third place in the overall.

Sunday - The much awaited way2ride KOM 2008. Expected to be one of those exclusive road races in Klang Valley. The early morning was showered that made every KOM riders nervous whether the race still on or not. Race started at 8.45am. Rolling at neutral stretch from carpark to bridge at Kg Sg Rumput was devastatingly fast capturing 40kph on my cyclo. Upon reaching the start line at the bridge, the front peloton was nowhere to be seen. I managed to pace myself & finally crossed the finish line at the peak with Alwin clocking 1hr03min plus rolling time.

Disaster...

A weekend after KLIM was back to the uncommitted activity, the leisurely type which I chosed to get dirty with my long lost Giant at FRIM with half a dozen others. We rode off sharp at 8.30 a.m. ignoring others whom notified to join but didn't turn up.

The several days of downpour in Klang Valley really torn up some trails in FRIM when Saiful appeared at the car park with a doughnut look tyres. The feeling of climbing up the tricky trail was fascinating, like the old days. It has been months since I rode my Giant.

Sunday was nothing more than a normal weekend with my family members at home. Not feeling like touching my roads ever since I completed Broga reverse 3 weeks ago. In fact, since KLIM was a success for me, the whole week was treated without discipline. No diet watch. No training schedule. No nothing. The evening shower also contributed with some days without sweat.

The worst thing happened was the afternoon I came back from FRIM. A single lightning strike in the middle of nowhere which crashed the modem & network card. The rest of the week was horror with no connection with the world wide web. Today, an idea from an old friend saved my life. I was back online. The wireless router brought back the cyberlife in me. Alhamdullillah.

Half KLIM

Ever since aku decided to sign up for the half marathon in KLIM, life was more conscious about health & diet. Though running was my passed acitivity during study life, 21km was never a mark that I have ran through. So, with about 80% of training thorughout 3 months and 20% uncontrolled factors i.e. flu & weather, today was the big day.

Alhamdullillah with the strength provided, I managed to clock 2 hours 28 minutes for my first half marathon. The first 10km was a maintained pace staying below 80% HR. The later 11km was pushing hard to complete with ignorance to some foot pains. Thanks to the mp3 as well.

Rewarded oneself with refuelling at nasi kandar at Ibrahim Syah.

Update : Well, official results are out from KLIM's website. Clocked official time 2:29:06 (Chip time 2:26:45) which ranked myself at 175th position out of 317 qualified half marathoners in Junior Veteran Category...cool.

Link : http://www.klmarathon.gov.my/result/cat_h.pdf