FTAAA Cross Country 2011 - The Otais' War

Running makes me humble. With the constant pounding on the very dirt I came from, it sure does reminds me how puny I am. The humbler I am, perhaps the more minimalist I could be. Unlike cycling, it can drift me away into the world of materials. Seated on a 500 bucks saddle can easily turn oneself into an overbearing pride and plain ignorance. Top up the equation with a fifteen grand speed machine, you'll be on top of the world looking down on everybody. Thus, there goes the saying "The moment we tell the world of our greatness, that's where we lost it."

What was that all about? OK, perhaps a bit of off-topic intro. Lol.

First official run race for 2011. And also my first race in the Fantastic Four-ty Category. Junior Veteran already! Woot! And soon I will know how high is the sky for me. Start small - 6km to be precised. Slowly I'll add up together with the so-called unplanned fun-fun LSD soon. Besides, no specific training for this kind of race. I'm taking a risk here but wisdom should pull me through...I hope. Decided to ditch Bagan Lalang ride and have a go with a quick race & hit home before neighbours wake up. Besides, cranking high milage weeks after weeks kinda draining, especially when a good calm Sunday evening at home is more preferred.

With FTAAA organising, old fashion race with lots of otais behind the mic and counters was expected. No timing chip, no timing mat. No cables connected to laptops. Just the cupon we brought for checking in and get our bibs checked. They tossed the mic around, almost like arcapella la pulak. Too many people wanna talk. Race route briefing was the best. No map what so ever, this guy simply give directions verbally. His memory so strong one. Di sebelah kanan mesjid, di depannya mini market! Lol.

Oh! And they even announced the top 30 will be enlisted for SEA Games selection! Are they serious?! That's when we laugh so loud.

They changed the venue to Padang Merbuk since Lake Garden is under renovation, so they informed. Quite a lovely morning, with small and joyous crowd. I came with Rozaimi, separately on our bikes, zooming through Jalan Loke Yew and into KL in the dark of the morning. Met Ray and Che moments later into my warm up run which quickly turned into a laughing stock once we gathered for the briefing. Yes, short runs require long warm ups. I just jogged around the venue a few rounds cause I know there won't be any chance for a slow start. A little bit of muscle stiffness from yesterday's run in the calves and quads.



See! All otais one!

The Men's Open were flagged off first and the rest of the categories (6km) moments later. No one I knew as I scanned the starting parade. Nah! I will just run and make new friends and foes as the battle begins. Yes, they still have the gun! Pah! (does it sound like that aaa?) Suddenly I saw all these otais dashing away from the rest of the categories. Wallawey! All show their race faces, you know la with all those mustaches, white, grey hairs, calves like pistons inside some more! Nope. No compression wears. None. Vest and 3 inch shorts. Pure breed running shoes, some socksless. Perhaps I kinda missed a lot of this short races while I was busy with marathons kan? And so these are the geeks that really race hard & seriously.

Adding to the pschye, it was all the way inclining from the start. Aiyo! And I had issues trying to be in the group. I know that not everybody could sustain the long stress, so I saw one by one slowed down as we further climb Istana Selangor. Slowly engaging the gears, I crept among them and made my way to the top hoping I left the whole bunch and take a breather. Nah! I was wrong! They caught with me on the descending part la pulak. Aiyo! Again I had to catch up. Luckily la the trail stretch was just around the corner. Welcome to Kiasu off-road running! Steep sections and slippery, still these lunatics want to overtake like bulls rampaging stupidly. Aaaw! Common! I can't stand the selfishness, and so I joined them. No, not the idiotic type of overtaking. Excuse me, runner on your right! Haaa...macam tu la. Not Bangla style "Elo! Elo! Air panas! Air panas!"

It was not quite enjoyable. So crowded and too technical. Thorns all over the place. The safety ribbons they laid was not helping either. Once people pull it off, it serves as hazards and tend to knot your legs. Killer! I thought the end was near when I saw Jalan Mahameru as the sky was visible. Nah! There were muds on the pavement. What? DBKL baru siram ayaq ka pagi tadi? Mau tambah challenge. A few guys walking cautiously not to dirty their shoes. I just whacked on and I know the challenge is not over. Just not yet.

We ran along an incline. I mean along, not up straight up. Was a bit tricky though. Saper lutut takde alignment memang confirm balik pi kedai tayar. I thrushed on, still trying to leave some of the familiar faces earlier. Yep. I remember there were quite a handful of these otais clinging with the same pace as me and we kept on overtaking each other. Then there were steps, garden steps. Once reaching the top, besides Tugu Negara, I was relieved the some of them bowed to the climb. First WS. Just a gulp. No time! Must run!

Down from Tugu Negara towards Jalan Parlimen. Ooops! A few otais managed to catch up and zoom down ahead of me. Nope, I must maintain pace and recover. Along Jalan Parlimen towards Carcosa junction, I desperately maintaining gait and posture for not losing to late fatigue. Steps down into Lake Garden, and still only one infront and no one behind. Suddenly, out of nowhere, three of these otais overtook me. Those wearing C and D bibs some more! Aaaw! Common guys! Don't you guys ever get tired?! One otai even gave me a pad on the shoulder and smile. What was that? I took it that the war wasn't over yet eh?

Trying to keep them visible, though the gap is growing as we circle the lake. They sure are fast on flats. No way I can beat them. The steepest section awaits. One mother climb. Short but very steep. It's a wall actually. I ran three quarter of it before parading to the top with the rest of the otai class. The Memorial was at the top, and down we go along Taman Rusa. Now no more otais around me. Just one, and he overtook me on the descending which I embrace the fact, I can't catch up with you nod.

More twisting and turnings and mini steep climbs in Lake Garden, maintaining visibility of this guy. It was so relieving once I saw Jalan Parlimen again. Yeay! I saw Arif & Frank on the other side, finishing their LSD perhaps. Was so happy, I called out their names and waved. They showed blur faces, perhaps exhausted. Never mind. And I don't know why I was so happy also. Lol. Perhaps the sufferings almost over I guess. I just ran towards Padang Merbuk. I saw small crowds at the venue. Seems like less than 70 people and chances I reward myself with medal are high. Medals are given to top 70 only for our category - 10 winning medals + 60 finisher medals. Unlike Men's Open, they have up to 100 medals. Now I know why la these otais so competitive one.

I just made sure no C or D runner behind to add to the pressure, so I embraced the Finish line with fullest satisfaction. Phew! And remember this otai who pad and smile whilst overtaking me? He just collected his medal and waved at me acknowledging me as comrades. Way to go! I got 21st placing. 10 before me, strong ones I'm certained. I need to work my way up that rank and I mean hardwork for next year. And again, where do these otais come from?

Chap Ayam Runners. Been awhile

Running Bloggers United

Larian Integrasi 2011

For the second time now. Very the early they held this year. Nope. I think about the same time as last year, first/second month, same day as PNM2010. I was still in denial whether to participate or not but I was definitely shaking the beds for my kids to rise & shine for their runs.

OK, I just brought my shoes and left it in the car, just in case the legs starts to shiver. Wore the most decent apparel I can get from the wardrobe. Pretty much difficult to get a clean cotton tee beneath those tonnes of drifits. NO running vest! Definitely NO to compression wears OK! No 5" Adidas short! Luckily found a Billabong cotton tee and a three quarter Muller short. Phew. Overdressing for a school run is too much.

After my kids left with the school van, wifey & me went for roti canai first. Still in denial, and at the same time pray the roti won't come out at the first kilometer if I decided to run. Upon reaching the school compound I was surprised to see lots of parents, especially fathers, in their most exclusive sports attire. Wallawey! Jitters started creeping in. 50-50 now becomes 70-30.

Tidur kejap

Kids got assembled for their lengthy briefings and stretching. Almost fell back to sleep waiting. Then they paraded onto to the football field for their start by age. Pergh! Now I'm excited already. The frequent announcement from the Dee Jay booth had me, "Kepada ibu bapa yang ingin mengambil bahagian, sila mendaftar di pondok urusetia. Bayaran hanya RM3." No further thoughts, I signed up. Second surprise, they have veteran category! 40 above somemore! Sign!

After the kids left the field, I terhegeh-hegeh went back to the car for the shoes. Hurriedly ran back to the field and kinda missed the so called briefing by the teacher. I only get the idea that all adults will be flagged off together. Horn blown away, and me without any warm up, just plodded along with the rest of the parents. We also have a few teenagers trying their luck in the Men's Open Cat. Definitely can't beat them.

No strategy, I just ran. Keeping a constant pace, eyeing the front runners. Not many of us actually. Barely 30 I think, so we were scattered just after 500 meters into the run. I just ran, only thinking that I want to survive the 6km at a decent pace. With the sudden start and barely last minute decision, I had to miss the hydration part. Suddenly felt so thirsty meh?! Mouth drying rapidly. Aiyo! OK no need to panic lah. Only 6km can just finish it up and drink later.

Det couldn't join. Only Rozaimi around, so I followed him 200 meters away. Overtook a few guys before the U-turn and saw one indian boy running with a smile on the face confirming his victory in the Men's Open though still another halfway to go. I smiled back and pushed on maintaining whatever left inside these legs. Rozaimi held back after the u-turn and left me for the final leg. Chances are high that I could win the veteran category, I slowed my pace not wanting to push further incurring any injury.

Saw the finish line and a teacher held out a small card but held back in confuse upon seeing the gold ribbon I hold in my hand (veteran had to bring the ribbon to separate from the Open Cat).

"Alamak! Encik kategori veteran ke? Placing dah habis!" he said.

"Huh?!" I replied.

"Ni mesti encik ikut salah jalan. Terikut jalan lelaki terbuka." he kinda confirmed with the statement.

"Ye ke?! Alamak! Takde orang kat simpang bagitau saya pun?" frustration in my voice and hopes crumbling.

I presumed that I missed the earlier briefing about the route and admitted in silence of my mistake. But, still pray that the sweat and thirst could be paid off with the least token. With face like Puss In Boots from Shrek, the teacher handed me small card No. 4 from the Men's Open Cat. Alhamdullillah. Rules are made to be broken? No idea for this case. Hehe. More like flexibility I guess. And so I claimed my first running medal for 2011 but still with a tiny frustration of being careless. Wifey left me a note before bed "It's normal a veteran to forgot that he's old already." Lol.

Yasmin placed 40th while Amir 32nd. They don't even bother about it though I placed high hopes they could secure medals. No worries. At least they enjoyed trips to the ice cream seller.

Le Tua 96k

Sementara line tengah clear and badan ada lebih kurang sikit-sikit sengal tapi bukan tahap bonk. Aku coretkan sikit kisah perjalanan kayuhan LeTua 100 yang berlangsung Ahad lalu. Event yang hampir sebulan lebih semua cyclist di serata ceruk tanahair nantikan. Event yang membawa pelbagai tujuan individu selain mengutip dana untuk pasukan LeTua kita yang bakal berentap di le Tour de Langkawi tanggal 23 Januari 2011 nanti. Saper lagi kita nak support kalau bukan local team kita ye tak? Tambahan lagi team Le Tua ni was created by a few individuals dan self funded for awhile. Alhamdullillah sekarang ada la penaja-penaja yang sudi memberi support. Support kerajaan? Setakat air liur je ler. Lagi depa mau kondem & mau kasi benam le Tua ada ler.

Malangnya kayuhan terakhir aku cuma 2 minggu sebelum, akibat berantakan dengan sesi buka sekolah dan sebagainya. Aku redha dengan apa jua yang akan terkelendat pada event day. Trainer? Jangan la tanya. Ada bawah katil tu. Silap-silap dah jadi momok. Tunggu masa je nak transorm jadi hantu Kak Limah.

Tapi yang pastinya, apa yang aku teruja sangat & bersemangat untuk kayuhan ni ialah sebab kawan-kawan. Almost semua dapat join. I mean the regulars yang dok hentak Bukit Hantu siang malam & of course our fellow RBU members. Best kan? Tambah best lagi, jumpa pulak geng Chap Ayam sayap kayuh kat starting line. Tambah lagi best, aku terjumpa member lama (junior) masa zaman universiti dulu. Hafiz Johari a.k.a. Blorong. Kami stay same college & same rugby team. Tanpa dia sebagai 1st row, dah tentu lama dah aku kena kelepet dengan flanker opponent. Silap-silap kena sumbat masuk dalam scrum. Rupanya bro ni pun dah layan kayuh jugak. Tak padan dengan lutut buruk zaman study dulu. Badan masih kekal sebagai 1st row. Mantap. In fact ramai sebenornya kawan-kawan lama aku yang terjebak dengan dunia kayuhan ni. Lagi sorang yang maybe kerap kita jumpa is Bro Chot (penunggu booth powerbar at any events). Dulu dia fly-half rasanya. Tu pun member kolej gak. Sekarang baru nak berjinak dengan lari & road cycling. Asalnya layan mountainbiking...macam aku jugak. Hehe.

Back to starting line, Mr Emcee Syukor selaku manager le Tua sibuk la merapu entah apa-apa tapi yang pastinya dia dok sokmo remind semua rider that this is not a race! Tak kisah la race ke tidak, aku dok belakang-belakang je udah ler. Hon berbunyi tanda bermulanya kayuhan almost at 8.30am. Nasib baik belum panas. Cantek aje kami buat 1 loop pusing area Bukit Jelutong dengan marshall with superbikes manning the streets and junctions. We were in a very huge peloton. Based on the sign-in board, hampir 800 cyclists! Even pro-tour pun tak seramai ni.

Pic from Zilla Latif

As usual the rolling start akan penuh dengan rolling chats & rolling gossips. Aku hanya stay or dalam version pongeh, try to catch up with the group of friends. We are talking about race pace ni. Ini bukan speed weekend ride. Suddenly semua laju la pulak. Cadence aku dah tentu ler dari awal berputar bagaikan enjin rotary. Asal jangan overheat sudah. Bila jalan lebar, laju sangat. Bila jalan sempit or ada climb, boleh traffic jam sekejap. Bahaya. We never know some cyclists yang dok sibuk sembang tak perasan depan dah halt. So we kept on shouting and show the standard hand signals riding etiquette to slowdown, avoid potholes, manholes, slippery sections and even slower riders.

From Jalan Sungai Buloh, we entered Bukit Rahman Putra. My cousin lives here tapi setakat tu je. Beyond this township, I have yet to dicsover apa ada kat ceruk ni. Route & scenery drastically changed from newtownship with marvelous big houses kepada nothing. Yep. It was kind of bare at this point onwards. Kami lalu Tasik Biru, famous dulu-dulu for anglers and jet skiing so I heard. Area ni namanya Kundang. Memang kita dok akan layan kawasan Hulu Selangor ni. Det suddenly stop sebab saddle bag jatuh. Dale pulak botol air melompat keluar dari bottle cage. Ni semua angkara jalan yang sungguh kurang enak. Sense of humor masih tengah tinggi, so aku bantai gelak kat depa.

Next small town was Batu Arang. So I've mentioned in my previous post. But this time it was a fast swerve around the roundabout and into the first KOM point. Kayuh naik tak hengat. Corner after corner and we came high among the palm tree tops. Magnificent view of the lush greenery plus bau cow dung yang dok bersepah atas jalan. Kalau melekat kat tayar, confirm berat basikal tambah sekilo.

Giler bahasa aku dah dok bercampoq macam pasembuq Gurney Drive. Lapar la pulak...

Most of the gang were spreaded out. Berterabur. Geng laju macam Bacin, Azmar, Azwar dah hilang kat depan. Dah tentu ler depa hentak sampai pecah jalan kot. Aku stayed dengan Laif, Jamil & Jaja at most of the time. Akan tetapi once we hit the open flat road of Jalan Kuala Selangor semula, aku gagal. Mula-mula dok buat kerja jugak, sekali alih-alih kaki macam dah macam tinggal serdak kuih tat dalam balang. Terpaksa signal to Jaja & the rest to take over the pulling & aku redha untuk berjuang melawan headwind.

Dah keluar dapur arang, depa bagi kita masuk mulut naga pulak. Here comes the Dragon's Lair. Aku masih layan sorang sebaik aje corner masuk ke Jalan Puncak Alam. Tu dia aih! Jalan teruih saujana mata memandang. Rata nun berkilo-kilo. Memang sebak dada kalau tenung lama-lama. Kena pulak tak duduk dalam peloton. Geng splinter (bukan sprinter) Bukit Hantu overtake masa aku dok mamai tu. Depan ajak cangkuk tapi apa kan daya, mata kail tumpul. Lalu depan Petronas, dok dengaq ada orang panggei nama tapi mata ku berpinar dok cari sapa. Which later aku dapat tau Azahari & Lias yang dok teriak.

Dah puas jalan teruih, rata & berangin...haaa Dragonback dah mai. Serupa sebijik macam Ziff pernah post gambaq dulu dalam blog dia. Tu dia aih! Memang serupa tulang belakang naga Gong Xi Fa Chai. Aku rasa ada dekat 4 ke 5 climb tapi yang menarik sebab jalan dia lurus. Teruja aku tengok tapi idak ler ngeri. Semangat dah mai semula. Perhaps sebab aku suka bukit. Konon ingat nak bedal Powergel, sekali terlanggar lekuk di jalan, gel jatuh la pulak. Adoiii! Ni semua balasan sebab gelak kan orang ler tadi. Cash & carry je aku dapat.

After the naga (pic from Zab)

The Dragon - First climb was the hardest. Macam tembok dia punya tegak. Berapa degree eh? Ada lebih 10% yang pasti. Yang lemah semangat, yang lemah kepala lutut, yang takut pecah buah pinggang, semua terus je turun basikal & tolak. Aik?! Betul-betul redha depa ni. Langsung takmo cuba? Aku layan. While gripping the brake hoods and straining my calves all sweat broke. Memang tegang urat satu badan. Luckily it was not too long. Aku rasa the first climb was a few hundred meters. Ada 2-3 kali ups and downs in between before the last wall. Same as the first cuma pendek sikit tapi kaki yang dah letih boleh memadamkan semangat.  Yang kurang patience, halfway up depa dah cuba aksi Lance Armstrong - kayuh berdiri. It was pretty much a bad idea. I know that you would need momentum tapi once hit the dead spot & kaki tarak power, memang boleh terkelendat tengah-tengah jalan tu. Most of them yang nak jadi Armstrong gagal. Ada yang terus cari port masuk gate sekolah yang rata sikit sebelum sampai puncak. Aku diri kejap & terus paku atas saddle all the way up. Jerit sikit at Zabrina wife Ishal untuk posing gambar champion. Lol.

Lepas dari tu, it was back to the busy traffic route. Jalan dah besar. Lalu UiTM rasanya. Setakat jeling-jeling aje sebab aku tau dah tak jauh. Perut yang tadi lapor dah jadik makin sejuk. Bahaya ni. Sebutir makanan pun tarak. Aku layan. Seelok aje aku nampak Guthrie Corridor, aku dah mula senyum sikit & suddenly je ada one group of riders muncul out of nowhere. Tadi puas jugak aku dok toleh belakang takde pulak. We formed our happy peloton all the way back to Sime Darby Pavillion. Hebat tu idak ler tapi aku masih mampu berpuas hati dengan kayuhan yang mula-mula bertenaga & bertukar jadik naga.

Boleh kata tengah syok gak layan kayuh ni tapi aku kena slow-slow masukkan larian in between. Sebab? Sebab abang Hal Highdon dah panggil untuk mulakan 18 weeks marathon training soon. Adios!

ler Bukit Hantu Cycling Team

Kembali ke LSD Bukit Aman Dengan Pangkah di Peha

Berlari?! Fuiyo! Lama sangat aku tinggal. Konon ikut kan petua-petua mengatakan 42km Marathon tu kena recover selama 42 hari. Sebab banyak sangat bahagian nak kena repair & recover. Untuk itu, dan demi mengelakkan dari kena turun enjin akibat overhaul, aku menyepikan diri dari dunia larian & sibuk berkayuh.

Sejak selesai Marathon Temasek, ada la sebulan aku jeling aje kasut kat rak. Baru-baru ni je aku mula pasang niat untuk kembali meghoyan kat Bukit Aman. Untuk menambah motivasi supaya kembali berlari, aku cuba-cuba apply konsep retail therapy. Maklum la, tahun baru, azam lama tapi motivasi kena baru. Dengan hanya berusaha menekan butang tetikus, aku zas! kan sehelai suar ketat panjang jenama Dua Kali Huruf-U.

Tak pernah aku ingin nak cuba pakai suar ketat panjang dengan ada simbol pangkah besor kat peha ni tapi maybe it's about time untuk anjakan paradigma. In fact, ramai dah kawan-kawan & pros yang nampak segak & berkeyakinan memakainya. Doube in fact, dah sampai waktunya aku tak payah nak tinggalkan kain solat kat memana masjid the next time kena lari di waktu Suboh. Triple in-fact, pelan-pelan cubaan untuk menutup aurat. Amin. Dan lagi, dengan teknologi compression yang claim boleh mengelak muscle fatigue, apa salahnya aku try mengenangkan muscle aku pun dah semakin tua. Nak ke gym mengangkat besi idak ler teman sempat buat masa ni, tapi sesi mengangkat iron (seterika) & berdiri satu jam sebelum Suboh setiap pagi dah pun bermula. Hehe.

Beli dah beli, cuma nak kena try pakai & berlari je. Sabtu aku tewas kepada urusan kekeluargaan. Attend wedding anak buah wifey di Ipoh, melahap nasik Vanggey, singgah kedai bundle untuk sesi cooling down & balik ke apartment layan kacang chap tangan sementara tunggu reception malam full long distance dinner. Dengan semangat yang berkobar-kobar, aku decide untuk balik ke KL terus. Sejak dari siang, aku dah mula text kawan-kawan untuk plan Ahad. Memandangkan arrival di KL dah lewat malam, aku bercadang untuk revisit Bukit Aman - nak kayuh macam-macam benda nak kena ready, mata dah mengantuk sangat.

Lega aku bila Det offer untuk carpool dengan dia. Badan masih penat from travelling, tambah lagi dengan kerja berlari yang dah lama aku tak buat, ini bakal koyak untuk sehari dua. Belasah. Thanks to Nik & Syah yang dah memang penunggu Bukit Aman syif weekend, ramai la kawan-kawan untuk kembali melambung. Azmar, A'eshah & Daniel pun ada jugak. Turun-turun kereta, aku dah kena lambung sebab suar ketat Dua Kali Huruf-U. Macam-macam spot check aku kena dengan Nik, mengalahkan kastam kat CIQ. Takpe, maybe tak lama lagi kita akan ada kumpulan suar ketat Bukit Aman.

Kail panjang sejengkal, lautan bukit aku duga. Memang teraso sampai ke urat. Pergi & balik pace aku huru hara. Ada tatkala tercangkuk Syah punya pace membuatkan aku teruja tapi ku tarik balik tanda malu. Ada masa lain, Azmar & Det pulak pecah peloton. Tak sanggup aku nak mengikut. Dah ler Polar wearlink tak pakai, memang heartbeat setakat main rasa-rasa je. Cardio OK tapi kompom, kaki aku menjerit-jerit sebab tak cukup milage. Segala apa sendi, urat & otot sudah tangkap cuma tak cramp je.

Sampai Sekolah Arab sebelum Bank Negara baru, aku buat benda yang tak pernah aku buat - shortcut atas rumput instead of ikut traffic light. Lol. Det & Azmar dok tunggu kat traffiic light. Depa kata depa nak potong terus ikut JKR ke Padang Merbuk & balik ke Bukit Aman. I follow. Pandang belakang takut Nik & A'eshah nampak, sekali depa pun ikut sekali daaa...

Maka berjalan-jalan lah kami macam student baru balik tuition & berduyun-duyun la kami ke gerai mee hun sup untuk timbal balas 19km kalori yang dah hilang. Syah & Daniel dah hilang, perhaps dah bersiap untuk pi keje Isnin. Bersembang ler kami until Dzul (seorang pelari VFF) yang nampak power join & sambung merapu.

Tu la dia. Walaupun cuma beberapa race larian yang aku plan untuk sign up tahun ni, aku tetap akan teruskan usaha berlari. Dah masuk hari kedua, aku masih lagi berjalan kejung. Tapi suar ketat memang best. Tak rasa panas or rimas. Malah tak rasa apa-apa. Lol. Tapi muscle cantek aje maintain. Best best. Kena beli lagi satu untuk pakai time recovery. Hehe.

2010 - World Without Strangers

As we flew across the time bridge, bidding farewell to 2010, almost everyone starts looking back at the wonderful 365 days we lived in. Running in races, cycling across the nation and swims across the sea were among the awesomeness of living as a weekend warrior. We scored in flying colours, I can say, despite some downturns but the human in us taught us to climb back up and fight.

Despite the medal tallies, burning rubbers from Bukit Aman to Sri Hartamas and cranking up majestic climbs of Fraser's Hill and tormenting Broga loop by loop, the collection of friends and buddies that I appreciate the most. Those are too precious for me.

Yep, friends do come and go as we pathed our ways seeeking the perfect life we dreamt of. But truth to be told, the friends that we share our passions with are the greatest gift. We have mountainbiking friends, road cycling friends, running friends, trail running friends, Trikidz friends (and maybe later swimming friends), blogging friends, FB friends and still we share the same passion - living the life to the fullest.

We live to the phrase of  "Just Do It"  and "Play it Hard" and that makes us wonderful people. People adore us, and some even envy us for being so adventurous, strong, getting tanned and still managed a happy life with our loved ones.

2011 shall be at least having the same quantum besides targetting for a better race timings or starting new passions. Juggling is the best I can do so far, and I wish that it will stay that way as long as I live. Friends, there are more miles ahead of us, so stay cute, stay cool and stay crazy. Ride on, run free and train smart!

Kayuhan Rentung Pelbagai - 2 Januari 2010

Khamis letih kerja sebab sehari suntuk inspection kat site. Balik kaput. Lepaih tu boss announce 31-Disember company tak cuti. Aiyak! Terus mood takde. Dok bertapa je dalam ofis sambil sekali sekala kacau Nik yang kena kerja jugak. Hehe.

New year eve tak buat apa, cuma dok chill at home depan TV dengan family. AXN dok tunjuk Mercury Rising (1998), layan citer lama. Dulu pernah tengok kat wayang dengan wifey zaman bercinta. Lepas tu sambung layan Bad Boys II pulak. Konon tekan butang info nak check apa lepas BB II, sekali depa pusing Mercury Rising semula daaa. Apa la punya kedekut Astro ni? 15 minit sebelum 12.00 malam, we all terus hit the sack tapi terbangun semula bila fireworks dah mula berdentum. Semua dok tercatok kat tingkap, cuma nampak sikit-sikit je.

New year itself 1.1.2011 takde plan apa-apa tapi aku terjaga awal. Sementara cuaca masih sejuk, aku ditch earlier plan konon untuk lari tapi layan gosok uniform sekolah instead. Ku sumbat telinga dengan earphone & layan MP3. Sriaaap! Pap! Lapan pasang settle, ngam-ngam perut mula main lagu Keroncong Untuk Ana. Roti telur & teh tarik, lama sangat tak bedal. And obviously dah lama sangat jugak aku tak breakfast dengan family on weekends.

Petang bawak ke malam, attended BBQ hosted by Kash. The usual RBU friends ada i.e. Yim, Nik, Syah, Atuk Z, Karen, Ian & KA. We missed the rest yang tak dapat join, if not lagi meriah especially bila citer pasal upcoming events, gossiping dan sebagainya. My kids are the ones yang paling enjoy making new friends and playing. Thanks Rais, Kash & family for the hospitality and RBUs, nice catching up with you guys. Sampai rumah dengan perut yang kenyang & mata yang dah separuh lelap, aku ikhtiarkan jugak untuk sumbat segala apa barang cycling ke dalam Toyogo & bike ke dalam kereta.

2 January 2011, konon plan for a ride anything no more than 80km sebab last weekend dah bantai almost the whole day. Aku join Bukit Hantu Cycling Team (yes we have established the name and already ordered the jersey) untuk recce route LeTua 100K. My first time riding here although the PCC and geng BJCC dah kira macam playground diorang.

Started off from Restoran Subaidah, Kota Damansara. Terus masuk jalan Subang - Sungai Buloh lalu Paya Jaras & ke Ijok. Trafik ada lega sikit tapi aku tau jalan ni memang tersangat huru hara menjelang tengahari ataupun pada hari-hari bekerja. Sangat-sangat tak sesuai untuk dikayuh.



Petronas Ijok for refill

Jalan nak sampai ke Ijok macam-macam gaya ada. Ada yang mirip-mirip route Bukit Pelanduk, NS and the rest was the typical Malaysia's trunk road, bertampal & very hazardous for our skinny tyres. Regroup at the iconic Petronas Ijok (the normal spot for cyclists) untuk refill and cam whoring.

Sambung kayuh masuk ke arah Batu Arang instead ke Kuala Selangor. Jalan memang brutal tak hengat. Sunyi sepi, bengkang bengkok and rolling. It was endless. The problem dengan jalan macam ni, memang senang nak terjerat dengan attack. Attack kalau sekali takpe, tapi bertub-tubi dari kiri kanan depan belakang. Memang adoiii! memanjang. Bila dah attack meng-attack berlaku, mula tanki cepat kering. Bahaya betul...tapi sedap.

Persimpangan Batu Arang

Masuk pekan Batu Arang untuk refuel. Siap makan nasik lagi bang! Lauk ikan talapia goreng. Tu Sepol makan, aku tengok je. Lahap lepat pisang aje buat alas perut. Pekan Batu Arang memang masih kekal tenang. Maybe serupa macam 10 or 20 tahun dulu. Kalau tak pasal kayuh, belum tentu aku sampai sini.

Teruskan kayuhan dengan nada dering discreet bila perut dah kenyang. Obviously route ke arah Pekan Kundang memang betul-betul mencabar. Jalan sungguh kurang enak disebabkan keadaan berlubang, bertampal, lori simen dari kilang LaFarge dan konvoi-konvoi orang kahwin. Adoiiii..aiii. Satu jam untuk cover almost 30km yang tersangat stress. Brahim tarik steady je all the way. Kuat betul dia. Lagi pun ni route ni semua kira macam backyard dia la. Serupa macam Bukit Hantu untuk we all. Hehe. Mentari pun dah mula menghulurkan keterikan.

Pit stop at Petronas Kundang. Dicky & Lan tercicir entah kat mana. Dapat sms suruh we all proceed, jangan tunggu. Jumpa di Kota Damasara terus. Lama jugak la lepak di Petronas sampaikan kami dapat kunjungan mesra dari salah satu konvoi orang kahwin & mula la menjawap soalan-soalan temuramah.

Peaceful Batu Arang

Sekali check Cateye, milage dah 80km daaa! Ni belum lagi sampai Kota Damansara. Cadence tinggi ku layan untuk perjalanan selanjutnya sebab perut dah mula lapar semula & kaki dah ada sikit-sikit rasa malas. Semua dah cangkuk melekat bagaikan Gam Gajah. Tak putus. Sekali sekala angin lintang & angin depan menghembus untuk mematahkan semangat tapi tetap jugak cangkuk. Punyalah fokus, sampai terlepas simpang ke Subang. Terpaksa ler lajak ke depan & u-turn kat Tol Sg Buloh. All in all, 95km kami cover hari ni akibat ter-over excited aksi attack & gelagat kaum kayuh yang dah lama tak gathering. Yang pastinya, hari ni aku sapu sunblock ala kadar je, sekali balik badan dah berbelak macam tapir. Adoiiii!

See the leg aaa...all burnt one

Harap masih belum terlambat untuk aku ucap selamat tahun baru 2011 untuk kawan-kawan yang aku tak dapat jumpa di BBQ or fi Facebook. Semoga hari-hari yang akan datang untuk kita akan lebih berjaya dari hari semalam. Amin :)