Week 2 Dua

There goes Week No. 2 for my compressed 4 weeks training "cacar merba" for Powerman. Masa ni la nak squeeze in cardio/endurance & masa ni jugak la nak sumbat strength macam popia basah jadiknya.

After the Deepavali kinda-long brick workout, I was 90% hesitance to continue with Saturday brick. Felt a bit drained and perhaps still drooped. I need some kind of boost but none came. Did a last minute preparation to settle the bike and other stuff into the car that night. One thing good from the few previous bricks done, all the necessary essentials were arranged and set in a brisk. The hassle with multi discipline sports is that there's a lot of stuff in the checklist and working out the preparation is also part of the training.

The plan was to make it an easy workout, no plans stressing things up hence punctuality was kept at moderate level. Since the previous brick was covered more on saddle time, I planned to twitch the running legs more this time. A 10K for the first run, followed with a 30K bike and whatever distance that we can cover for the second run.

The 10K was covered with joyous mood, bringing me back to old time LSD. Surprisingly legs and heart rate were cooperating in a sync melody. Though we witnessed the great power of AKIM at certain times when he put up his show, we managed to stay together for most of the run. 

Julie Jewelz joined us for the bike part onwards. We have Izuan today. He's new with the bike. And he's determine to have signed up for the Individual Category. Salute! But he's gonna need a lot of patience with the gear and cadence part. I mean A LOT cause with 2 weeks to go, he will just need the confidence. God speed bro!

Syah took the effort pacing with Izuan while the rest of us...as usual paving our way and groupchecked at a few  junctions. Until somewhere at KM20+ Syah text me. "Izuan tak berapa stim. Wa teman dia balik picc". Noted. Azmar, Julie, Ziff and me continued completing the IM70.3 bike route back to PICC with one or two intervals thrown in (mana yang sempat).

It's hotter compared to Deepavali day when we started the second run. Pace and legs were OK. Though I was a bit ambitious to attempt another 10K but wisdom taught me not to. It was just a HOT 5K run by the lake without any wind to assist the draining spirit. I had to succumb to the rule of thumb : short mile, run fast. Ignored the screaming HR, pushing the LT but the biting sun was becoming more violence.

We basked and stretched ourselves at the carpark enjoying the luscious wind and icy Coke...thanks AKIM!  before wrapping up Week 2. Need more run!

Trespassers. Harus kena tembak ni

Only Lanuns allowed to run across the dam

Saper budak baru sila angkat tangan

A few anxious faces ready to speed

Cam biasa, group photo

The Four Series

People talk about mid-life crisis. Yeah. 40 is middle age for a normal human nowadays, if we die at 80 la. But looking at the scenario, mid-life crisis perhaps could start way earlier, say 36. My late father died at 72. And I don't remember anything about him having crisis at 36, or was I plain ignorance. But, 36 is still too young right? We haven't done that. We haven't done this. Too many things to do. Too many projects down the pipeline. Too little time.

Well, perhaps those are the things that I felt a little. It's ticklish. Not much of it but the thoughts came and go and sometimes stayed tingling floating in mid-air for awhile. What should I do in the next 10 years? I can plan, say for the next 2 or 3 years, or perhaps max 5 years but not 10 years. That's 50, man! Yeah. I can still run, bike, swim or hurdle over the logs on the trails but do I have the strength at 50? What should I plan now for the coming years? What should be my diet? Should I run Bukit Aman to Hartamas every week to stay healthy? Will my knees survive? Do I have the time and commitments to do? 

I don't see myself working "makan gaji" at 50. OK perhaps that sounded a bit poyo but paid salary I can live with, but not facing meetings and senseless clients and local authorities. I worry that these play god people will face the dark side of Anakin Skywalker. I dunno. It's just a thought. People told me that what I do now was written and my destiny. But, who knows, with the slightest, tiniest thought of doing something else might sprout something happier :]

I don't want to make a fuss out of it but it's good actually to sometimes see life at our own perspective and better still jot it down. 40 years is a very long time dude. Some are short lived not to see 40. New generations perhaps have the knowledge and plushness of having to be ready by the time they reach mid life. Financial freedom. Assets. Successful carrier. Me, plain old bloke scratching here and there just to make ends meet while at the same time trying to be a champion (in my own way la). Maybe more like spark plug jenama Champion la kot. Hehe. Kasi bakar lebih.

Anyway, talking about champion, I got a gift from a fellow comrade today. Bestest gift for me to sit down with a cup of coffee by the window on slower mode days. Inspirational. Thanks Nik! Banyaknya buku aku nak baca. Nanti jadi macam Syah pulak :]

VS

OK. Time will tell. And let the Big Guy decide what's best for me. Amin.

Birthday always come with wishes. Apparently my birthday come close this year to the month where Muslims perform haj. Millions of of us from around the world gather at Mecca as part of our religious obligation. Malaysia alone sends off about 30,000 pilgrims from all walks of life. Young and strong, old and weak, single, married, grandparents, engineers, teachers, pensioners, etc.

Not missing the sensation, my neighbours were also granted their wish to join the fulfillment. I started noticing invitations through our surau to attend tahlil and doa selamat for the soon to be pilgrims. I started attending every now and then, and until last night how I realise that performing haj should be my next project. InsyaAllah.

Another gift from a friend who shared this. It was a prayer from Nabi Sulaiman a.s.:

And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents, good treatment. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. [He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty years, he says,

 "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims.

al-Ahqaf 15

Week 1 1/2 Dua - Maruku Brick

Sesi mengelat

When was the last time I felt so beat up? I can't remember. Minus the races, training aftermath was felt quite a while ago. The high concentration of lactic acid down the legs made walking up stairs so full of agony. The aching back, shoulder, neck. Just wish that I could lie down and let time heal. However, pain is temporary. Pain is a good sign. Just wish that it will disappear soon, for the weekend chapter.

Deepavali holiday was spent with a heavy one on the brick. The usual suspects around with Ziff and Det decided to make it merrier. We started off with 5km run from the pool to the 2.5km u-turn mark just after Taman Empangan. It was at a controlled pace. The plan was to put in extra milage on the bike pulak. KA Ibrahim suggested to head towards Cyberjaya, which should cover 45km in total. However, he was too fast and ended up we cycled on our own route which exceeded the what was proposed by him. The best thing about cycling in Putrajaya, distance can be tailored. We can always add up or deduct from the plan. We have inclines, cruising downhills and flat route which made the 57km covered worth every effort spent on intervals. HRM was screaming at LT and VO2 max intensities.

I felt comfortable on the bike. Perhaps from the minor twitching of the saddle height and position. Can almost felt the core building up. And the quads and the calves. All working in rhythm & synchronised. It felt so comfortable laying my arms on the aerobar, I was confident that enjoying a nasik lemak sambal sotong was almost possible! Hehe. I just hope that come race day, I could better my bike timing with Reynolds now in position.

Second run was a bit disastrous. Not quite a mistake but was more like clumsy old me saja cari penyakit. I can't resist those working pistons in front of me....AKIM's! Though he seemed effortlessly dragging his long legs against the pavement, I was short of breath trying to catch up. We were neck to neck for a mere seconds before out of nowhere Azmar passed by and gave us smoke! Moments later, I was then smoked by AKIM. Betul punya bermain dengan api kan?

By the time we reached the u-turn point, I was strolling, enjoying those groups of shutterbugs laying their monstrous lenses on their subjects...a female model :]

Our return trip was more like 70-30. Walking took precedence whenever a fellow comrade needed support. Azmar & Det were playing cat & mouse before the cat was smoked 500 meters behind. Syah, Ziff and me decided to catch up on lost stories, well mostly about running (as usual) and about running community (read gossips).

Too bad pool was closed for the morning session when we finished. Else it would be an awesome attempt cooling the overheated engines. Nevermind. It's a public holiday, we have to be somewhere else with our significant others right?

Men and Machines

Senyum seindah suria, yang membawa cahya
Senyum lah dari hati, dunia mu berseri....

Week 1 Dua

And the hauling goes on. And I just realised that a program was not scheduled yet! After the first two sessions, Azmar persuaded me to ride LEKAS Highway on a weekday at an oddly hour after work. I was in doubt but enthusiast ism pushed people to their boundaries.

Thursday

No more bouncing & spinning to the rhythm of playlists on the trainer. It was the real thing...well almost. Love is a Highway. 6.08 p.m. LEKAS Semenyih Exit. Morning or night ride is common for me, but evening ride...& on weekday some more, this is something. Traffic was heavy with people coming back from work.

The thought of cheating the ride tingling inside, especially when in not so familiar territory. Further to the south, dark sky awaits and it's probably gonna be messy, especially when one have only the helmet & lycra as protection. However, when you're training with an ex-Ironman, there's no room for bargain. We rode into the grey skyline, me, halfheartedly.

Squeezing into the cockpit, gripping the aerobars, we sliced the wind. If people reported there's an alien activitiy nearby, we would be the prime suspect. It was weird, even me felt awkward myself. We were not at the right place at the right time. Nobody rides LEKAS after 6.00 p.m., more over when thunderstorms coming. Crazy? Obviously enough, I was numbed into VO2 max mode all the way. Chasing Azmar was near impossible. He easily left the scene with just a few strokes of his Planet-X bike, at cruising speed effortless. 

The initial plan to ride up to Pajam Exit 15km down south was shelved, since we had to do some running after. It was a BIG relief for me. We turned around at 10km mark, lifted our bikes in the middle of the highway & started pedalling back.

By the time we reached our car, it was 6.35 p.m. and darkness crept in fast. Cars started beaming their headlights & we had just started our run. Again, we were the alien in lycras! It was sick, but we had to do it. 2km to and fro and we packed up just in time Azan broke out. I rushed back home with smirking smile across the face.

Friday

No workout. Just retail therapy at a new local bike shop, Pedal Spot at Seri Petaling. Caressing those gorgeous silky soft bike jerseys, those elegant BMCs and hunky black grupos. No worries, cause no money spent :]

Saturday

A group brick workout. All 6-7 of us. We took it easy on the ride, stayed in the group all the time spinning. Covered most of the cycling route in Putrajaya followed by a 5km run by the lake. Another awesome training with awesome buddies. Azmar, Syah, Doc Taufik, Rozaimi, KA Ibrahim and me. When the brick was over, Syah, Azmar & me tip toed into the pool and laid ourselves to the gentle stroke of cold chlorine for another hour. Now, that's what I called a complete brick-away :]

Time is short. We have barely about 4 weeks training for Powerman, and I don't plan to skip any of those weekend long simulations. I know that my building blocks ain't complete & would rattle at the slightest bump of hazard, be it health or whatever. And I won't get the complete strength and peak as of those yesteryears. As long as buddies around, things would look promising...at least, because Powerman wont have the slightest mercy for each one of us.

Starting Block

Rare blogpost about trainings nowadays. The usage of easy or mobile loggings are the reason, perhaps. We have endomondo, dailymile and lots other more that makes logging miles and miles straight from the moment sweat still dripping from the tip of the nose.

I on the other hand, rarely have a proper structured training. Only once this year, for PCC Interstate. That was in April. It was fruitful. After that, it was sporadic, which was disaster at some events and painful. The PCC Interstate took me almost  4 weeks of intense cranking all over the place accumulating miles & ability to store glycogen like tupperware. It was superb. Super awesome. I dare any challenge thrown at me. Cakap aje nak kayuh mana, I follow!

Last year I successfully engaged in 2 structured training programs. One for the KL Marathon and the other was  Powerman. The aftermath from both were great. I can still remember when I peaked the training during Genting Trailblazer, just about 2 weeks before Powerman. Hampir jadi Tarzan Malaya dok berlari dalam hutan tu.

Well, it seems that an amateur athlete like yours truly, that handles stressful full-time job, raising three kids, hurried meals, and 6 hours of sleep at night barely survive two biggies a year.

This week, I had my starting block rearranged. Ramadhan was a force leave, off-season mode. Syawal was honeymoon mode. Shame on me! With just about 4 weeks until Powerman, I had to raise the curtain, for another training program. Adaptation to training frequency, intensity and duration will be wisely picked, tailored to my fitness level. Looks like the concept of "watch and learn" will be adopted, hence the race target will be developed as the fitness adds up.

I needed boosters to kick-off something big. Remember Drop Zone 1994 starring Wesley Snipe? One of my favorite, just like Point Break (Keanu Reeves & Patrick Swayze). These movies have nice soundtracks. Hence, the mp3 hunt begins and playlists evolved. Check on this chart for all time favorite :]

Tuesday (humid)
Bike 20 mins at 80% HRM
Run 10 mins at 85% HRM and it was pushing the thin red line further...aiyak!
The Strangest Party - INXS
Falling Down - Toad & The Wet Sprocket
Barely Breathing - Duncan Sheik
One Headlight - Wallflowers

Wendesday (wet evening & cold)
Bike 30 mins with 2 strengths thrown in...sick!
Run 10 mins. Tight chest at first. Safe mode, run slow. Phew.
Dancing With Myself - Billy Idol
Praise You - Fatboy Slim
Fortunate Sun - Creedence Clearwater Revival....ooouuw!

Faster

The recent weekend was pretty much blasted with lots of events all over the place. As usual, our enthusiastic crowd was part of it. Be it the TNF in Singapore or the PNM and OCBC in KL. FB walls were fed with continuous supplies of status and pictures. At least we know that thousands of us are living a healthy life.

Me, on the other side of the line, was glad witnessing the joyous triumph on every faces & a handful of congrats and salutes is thrown to every single one of you. Syabas!

I had to change to Plan B...instead.

The earlier plan to jump onto the brick training bandwagon at Putrajaya with some friends was hiked when boss decided to celebrate "Damn It...It's Friday (DIIF)" instead of TGIF. Dateline is coming on 18th October 2011, hence we had to hover a bit more just to make sure boss keeps his smiley face over the weekend...and of course ours as well :]

Upon, reaching home, I was drained to the ankle. Barely made it to the washroom but honestly, I was not  despair missing the brick. Ooo yeah, I need a rest. Saturday was "daddy day care" day when wifey had to work. No worries, all in good hands. After sending Kaklong to school for kelas tambahan, I brought both Amir & Umar to Lake Valley for their supplementary Vitamin D dose. Me, running? Nope. Read newspaper only while watching healthy Malaysians work their wonders on the jogging track. Macam-macam jenis! Keh keh keh. Have you guys ever done speedwork clad in a full suit windbreaker top to toe? Dah macam sauna bergerak! 

The rest of the afternoon was revision time for the kids...exam week coming guys! Plan A was to crash PNM dreaming to survive a 10K pursuit. Plan B, had to let the dream pass by honoring wifey's surprise birthday party at the in-laws. We had a great time catching up with the whole lot. Kids had a blast of time with fellow cousins while parents catching up with the latest hypes and gossips. Again, I was glad that wifey had a great time :]

Sunday, still zero milage. Priority exam week. By the way, I didn't leave any precious moments getting myself up for some training hype. I dressed up my gorgeous machine. Dropped off the C24s and put up the sensuous lips of DV46s. God! I missed those looks. I missed the luptuous look! Now my heart beats faster la deiii...!

 

KOM 2011 - Edisi Kelendan

Apakah yang patut dilakukan oleh seorang lelaki berumur 40 tahun, sudah berkahwin & bercahaya mata-mata & tidak mempunyai bibik, full time pengusaha dobi, tidak cukup training dan cuba nak masuk event macam dia masih berumur 5 tahun lebih muda?

Aku rasa aku telah buat sesuatu yang agak waras atau bijak. Yep, untuk KOM semalam aku amik diskaun ala2 Mydin warehouse. Instead of kayuh all the way up, and ride all the way down, aku telah menawarkan diri untuk menjadi pemandu bertauliah. Keh keh keh.

Part time kelendan :]

Kisahnya bermula begini (konon...karangan alasan ler ni). Al-maklum sesi letihan kayuh yang tak berapa nak menggalakkan kestabilan stamina, maka pelbagai akal telah nak mengelat direka untuk menawarkan perkhidmatan menerusi skill jurujual aku yang dah sememangnya tak berapa bagus.

Dua kereta akan berkonvoi (ikut plan asal) tapi group kami terlewat sikit sebab trafik Sabtu di Lembah Klang tidak mengizinkan. Maka, Bahri, Sepol & Zakuan sampai lebih awal ke homestay di Seri Margosa. Kami berempat pulak (Azmar, Akmal, Jamil & aku) sampai hampir time Maghrib diiringi hujan lebat start dari Tanjung Malim. Banyak ler kelihatan kemalangan untuk mereka yang malang di sepanjang perjalanan.

Port popiah ni memang kena masuk dalam menu Ipoh

Jamuan makan malam sememangnya salah satu intenari yang wajib. Aku panggil jamuan sebab makan tak hengat, mengalahkan orang nak buat Ironman Kona! Begitulah sebenornya matlamat roadtrip group kami kalau outing sekali sekala. Besorkan perut makan dari berlumba. Dengan bimbingan orang tempatan, Shaik Jamil, introduce  Medan Selera Taman Permainan Kanak-kanak kat Ipoh. Terbaek. 

First serving was popia S.S. Ali. Terbaek. Siap aku jangkau garpu ke pinggan hidang group sebelah bila pinggan group aku dah kosong. Keh keh keh. Pastu order sempoi je, nasi goreng paprik & telur dadar. Tapi sekali satu pinggan satay sampai dulu daaa....! Saper pulak yang order ni weiii?! Rezki jangan dibiarkan tak berusik, maka bermula lah perlumbaan. Eventually main course pun sampai & kami mengkhatamkan sesi malam tu. Tapi ada jugak yang jeles tengok air jagung meja customer sebelah, so kena lah tunggu kaum kita ni menikmati air jagung dulu, sat nanti kempunan pulak.

Hujan masih lagi drizzling tapi itu tak memadamkan semangat kami untuk jalan-jalan di bazar larut malam berdekatan. Dituruti on the way back ke homestay, shopping macam biasa di kedai serbaneka 7E yang memang menjadi teman di setiap kali event di mana jua. Aku rasa 7E kena jadi rakan penaja event la lepas ni. Pernah sekali dulu, 7E kat Kuala Kangsar habis stok air mineral & segala jenis roti sebab cyclist borong tak hengat untuk Kayuhan Jati Diri Kuala Kangsar.

Malam tidur dah serupa kepompong, bergulung dalam sleeping bag. Cuaca sejuk basah kat luar ditambah lagi dengan aircon. Seawal 5.00 pagi almost semua dah bangun amik nombor giliran untuk perkhidmatan pelaburan Amanah Saham Wawasan. Berbagai-bagai taktik digunakan, bagi memastikan pelaburan tertunda tidak berlaku. Masa melahap malam semalam tak hengat pulak ye? Ada yang repeat 2 kali! Ada yang bancuh nescafe dulu baru dapat panggilan. Ada pulak yang kena keluar rumah dulu hirup udara nyaman pagi. Haish! 

Kami sampai di venue serupa macam peserta-peserta lain tapi lagak cool kami membuatkan beberapa AJK penganjur tak senang hati. Emcee siap jerit banyak kali suruh kami cepat sikit & check-in tapi kami masih berlengah. Sehinggalah uncle emcee tu sedar yang kami hanyalah sekadar Ghost Rider (kerabat diraja lanun).

Splinters Geng Lanun Blue Valley (pic from Shirat Azree)

Biorkan semua berangkat dulu, kami pun slow-slow follow belakang, jauh jer. Hehehe. Bahri decided to drive kereta dia & plan nak bergilir dengan Sepol later on. Kereta Azmar takde saper nak drive sebab 3 orang sahabat aku ni memang bukan kaki mengelat macam aku. Akmal & Jamil first time buat KOM, so memang kami galakkan dia complete. Azmar dah tentu lah nak revenge setelah malang "berbau" yang menimpanya pada KOM tahun lepas. So, aku terpaksa lah turut serta kayuh. Kalau kena kayuh sampai habis & turun semula pun aku redha. Janji aku tak terjebak dengan situasi menekan pedal & menaikkan heart rate.

Macam biasa, bila ada event dapat lah kami berjumpa dengan handai taulan especially yang kejauhan. Penang, Kedah, Perak mostly, ye lah sebab event pun belah utara. Posing bergambor sakan bila ada camera di tala kan ke arah kami. Macam biasa kami kayuh segerombolan, ikut plan asal. Setakat mana yang mampu. Takde saper nak breakaway buat lagak poyo. Pernafasan yours truly ni pun agak berat je untuk setengah jam yang pertama. Beberapa bukit pecah peluh yang pertama tu aku kerabat sesedap rasa.

First 20km climb matahari masih ada mercy

Hampir KM20, nampak Bahri dah dok tepi jalan, siap untuk berkayuh. Tanpa rasa guilty aku offer diri untuk take over drive kereta dia. Terbaek! Maka bermula lah pengalaman pertama aku drive support car sepanjang hayat aku tercebur dengan sukan basikal ni. Bukan main seronok lagi dok belakang stereng sambil menikmati angin sejuk yang memenuhi ruang kabin Nissan X-Trail Bahri ni. Masih kelihatan ramai cyclist yang kental semangatnya.

KM25 aku stop tepi jalan plan untuk tangkap gambor kawan-kawan. Smabil aku bersembang dengan sorang driver support car Team Haluan Kiri BJCC. Kaum berlalu & dah mula terpecah. Alwin, Zakuan & Akmal nampak lebih gagah. Bahri belakang sikit. Jamil follow. Suddenly Sepol decided to join naik kereta. Maka kami berdua lah yang meneruskan perjalanan sehingga ke atas dengan pacuan empat roda. Dah lagi 5km tu memang dah tak nampak lah senyuman-senyuman di muka rider-rider. Buat lawak pun silap-silap kena baling dengan botol.

Posing Kumpulan Ekamatra kena ada beb :]

Since dah hujan seharian & semalaman, hari ni memang langit cerah & matahari boleh tahan menusuk. Memang patut ler masing-masing muka liat bila dah nak habis. Tanpa berlengah, kami mulakan kayuhan turun kecuali Bahri, Zakuan & Sepol. Part turun memang antara yang paling tough untuk aku. Last year telah terbukti. Udara sejuk, angin lintang & speed yang laju. Pakej percutian tanah tinggi yang lengkap.

Hampir 55km downhill memang boleh memualkan. Tambah sikit lagi dengan rolling hills towards the end. Just nice untuk memedihkan quads & melenguhkan core yang dah memang tak kuat ni. Aku gagahkan jugak sampai ke habis...semata-mata untuk meraikan kayuhan ni dengan santapan di Nasi Vanggey Jalan Yang Kalsom.

Real Reward :]

Road to Manjung

Tatkala tengah off-season ni macam-macam nostalgia mai bergolek. Adakala aku imbas kenangan zaman gemilang ber-mountainbiking 6 tahun yang lalu. Lantas aku korek semula journal wordpress aku. Maka tersengeh lah aku sorang-sorang dok layan kerja-kerja giler bermain selut & tergolek bagai.

Dah selesai part terkonang & tersengeh, mai pulak part masa akan datang. 2012 konon dah ada beberapa benda yang bercadang nak buat dan...juga tak ketinggalan benda-benda yang aku masih buat sekarang ni. Adakah aku akan terus maintain? 

Gedebak gedebuk tersengeh, berkerut dahi berfikir, bakal menjelma depan mata juga aku kena prepare. Officially, minggu ni bermulalah aktiviti riadah aku. Alhamdullillah. Ye, insyaAllah akan bermula journey untuk ke Seri Manjung selepas ni. Kira macam Batman Begins la, or X-Men Origins: Wolverine or X-Men First Class. Nak buat Iron-man Origins kang macam overated pulak. keh keh keh.

Rabu petang cubaan secara runcit berlari pusing lap area rumah. 1.34km aje. Kata pun runcit kan? Adizero CS sombeng jugak aku suka pakai. Sarung terus tanpa stokin, semangat track bottom Adidas & vest CAR. Nak laju aje kerjanya. Bila tekan je mula lah teraso sendi lutut & kaki mula menjerit. Degil betul orang tua ni ye? Part incline first loop boleh ler dada tinggi control poyo. Part second loop dah ada kengkang sikit. Masa mencemburui ku, maka dapat complete third loop dengan adegan fart-lek buang angin. Berdosup sampai depan rumah...malam sampei, rakaat ke-3 Isya' kat surau aku dah sangap 10 kali. 

Khamis cobaan ke-2 untuk runcit menjadi minimarket. Plan nak tambah lap sikit lagi. Kali ni berbekalkan motivasi Polar RS300x beli second hand ehsan kawan-kawan. Dah setahun aku tak guna HRM, perhaps ni masa terbaik untuk menangani gelojoh orang tua ini. Terkial-kial gak aku menggodek Polar ni. Tak straight forward macam model S720i yang dah arwah dulu. Ada gak 2-3 kali aku kena stop tepi jalan main tekan butang-butang yang ada. Alhamdullillah hari ni dapat 4 lap dengan last lap tu macam biasa interval sikit kasi build LT level. Akibatnya, malam sampei...lactate menyebabkan aku tidur macam Keluang-man.

Jumaat rest day, sebenornya sebab aku jadi supir Kumon. keh keh keh.

Sabtu baik punya plan dengan Azmar. Lari berganti-ganti (berganti sumpah seranah & kerut dahi meranduk milage) di Putrajaya. Sebenornya motivasi aku nak lari pagi tu sebab nak swim lepas tu. Ziff sudi meluangkan masa meninggalkan episod kambing-kambing golek dan sama-sama berkeringat. Route cadangan Azmar memang gred 'A'. Tak kena tempias trafik, bertemankan pemandangan lake yang tenang & architecture jambatan yang unik. Sempat lagi trespassed kat jambatan empangan & menerima jeritan dari pak guard. Tapi kami buat derk je berlari terus sehinggalah tiupan wisel pak guard dah kejauhan. Azmar lambung 10K tapi bantahan secara sinis Ziff & aku hanya akur dengan 8.6km. Matlamat asal memang nak lari sejam je tak kira la jauh mana....KONON! Pooo rah! 

Part paling syiok is main air. Best! Warm up 200m. Heat up 300m followed by 500m tahap golek dugong. Setiap 100m permulaan memang cantek. Sekali pull teraso berdosup aku glide. Tapi yang lebih-lebih tu dah sah serupa macam tarik pelepah kelapa. Sampah je. Hehe. Takpe lah...dah lama tak berdugong. Slow-slow la nanti repeat ye tak? Akibat tarik pelepah, lengan aku dah sengal...tapi sedap :]

Ahad, walaupun tersangat liat aku nak berkayuh bagaikan tangkai petai, berjanji dengan Azmar, Bahri & segala kaum Bukit Hantu memotivasi kan aku. Hujan renjis-renjis masa solat Suboh menggoncang determination. Takpo, den larong gak. Motivasi item kayuhan ialah legging 2XU baru sambau semalam. Alasan...tutup aurat daaa. Kalau nak podium dunia jauh sekali, kita usaha lah lebih sikit untuk menang akhirat ye tak?

Ternyata kaki bagaikan batu. Berat yang amat! Spin cadence pun terasa macam pakai big crank. Pergh! Azab! Kena pulak ada Razif (nickname Panjang leTua). Rider kebangsaan tu beb. Dia memang berjanji dengan Azmar nak join. Aku amik kesempatan berkenalan dengan dia. Maka bersembang lah kami seiringan rider tua lagi pongeh dengan rider letua/Malaysia yang hanya berbasikal kan mountainbike berbanding geng lain yang pakai roadbike....itu pun dia steady je.

Skipped panjat Peres (mengelat) and terus ke Tekala. Aku cangkuk geng Wan Joo Ngan (pomen kedai Joo Ngan). Tertinggal keretapi peloton Geng Bukit Hantu sebab kami lambat sampai Batu 14. Memang halfway aku dah terasa kayuhan hari ni tak akan gilang gemilang. Nasik lemak sebungkus kat Tekala, geng Bukit Hantu pun sampai. Ternyata azab Bukit Hantu hari ni menyebabkan aku tukar nama jadi Bukit Nanges! Sebak dada square pedalling sampai ke atas.

Part balik from Batu 14 ke Batu 9, kaum-kaum hantu sudah floor throttle sampai 40kph. Mak aiiii! Dengan trafik yang dah mula bz, aku cangkuk bullet train ni sambil mengetap gigi cuba nak bertahan sejauh & selama yang mungkin. Sampai satu incline ciput je cukup dah untuk aku tewas dengan kaki yang dah mula masuk angin kus-kus. Aduh! Sakit tapi puas...

Maka bermula kayuhan dondang sayang aku, Azmar & Razif pulang ke BTHO. Tetamu kehormat rider Malaysia mai lepak rumah aku. Bangga. Hehe. Kami sembang sambil terkam apa je yang wife aku bawak keluar dari dapur. The beginning is always the most painful. Pain KOM akan teraso weekend 9-Oktober nanti. Takpe, road to Powerman have to begin somewhere kan? Sign!

Kami ni setakat Rider Semputan je, bukan jemputan :]