Prezzy...superb suffer

This particular event is held every 2 years. Organiser need loads of time and planning in creating these super trails ensuring super torture and mega suffer for the participants. Whether us mountain bikers are becoming super suffer freaks or we are just plain boredom of the only weekend stuff to juggle around.

Like all other super hyped events in Malaysia, mountain bike events have become popular and signing up will require urgent assignment. However, the fee are still minimal unlike the hiking fee of all other sport events.

PCC Presidential Ride take turn between Kayuh Lasak. Just nice. Or else we'll be burning more calories and more muscles on year end.

This year's Prezy was held at a new venue, a fish farm at Jalan Sungai Lalang, Semenyih. Nice ambient.

With some teasers and trailers from Facebook about the trails, the sceneries, the holy cow climbs and inclines and super sweet downhills and single tracks, I already anticipate the gutsy feeling of sufferings like previous Prezies. After my crash, I had only a week to saddle up at which I was hoping that I could survive the challenge, suffer and regrets thrown in as well. Hence, no suspense required approaching the weekend.

That particular morning, we were at our usual pace to the venue...slow & late. Parking was ample and the ride to the starting line was casual. My only strategy was to push a bit harder at the first leg to avoid bottleneck congestion upon reaching the trail head. And of course to complete all the 4 stages. We have more than a thousand participants to squeeze into a single track. Talking about Sunday morning traffic.

As such, I picked up the laid trails from Baikbike as follows, together with my nonsense talk (senang nak citer):

It was all over Semenyih and it was green & scenic. I was so busted to take photos

Stage 1 – Black Mamba

A pure cross-country route with hardly any technical sections winding its way like a cobra up and down and left and right across mostly rubber and palm plantations.  Starts with 4km of tar and dirt roads to spread out the crowd but expect the usual jam when we hit the narrow trailhead. There will be the unavoidable hills so pace yourself and take it as a ‘warm up’ to prepare for the big one in the next stage. Approximately 11km. 70% canopied and all rideable. Expect to wet your shoes at the end of the loop but before that, enjoy an exhilarating downhill.

Legs were still fresh and spirit was up. I can't recall the actual trail condition since I was too busy enjoying the sweetness.

Stage 2 – The Bitch

This is where you’ll put your ‘warmed up’ muscles to good use. Highlight here is that climb that we call the Bitch but you will be rewarded with a fantastic downhill leading all the way down to a V dip with a stream at the bottom. Depending on weather conditions, the Bitch can very quickly burn you out on a hot sunny day as you will be riding to the highest peak of the entire ride. Caution on the long descent though, the initial part of which is peppered with deep water gullies that can trap and send you over the bars.  It narrows into a singletrack with a deep descent down to the stream. An unavoidable hike-a-bike here and riders are advised to exercise extreme caution here and after crossing the stream. You will be riding along a narrow ledge with a DEEP ravine on one side!  Approximately 12km and 40% canopied.

...this part of the trail also was in my state of blur but it was obvious that that so called the Bitch climb was not so bitchy due to the promising weather and awesome durian orchard trail. Still fun & enjoyable. Legs still holding on.

Roller coaster ride busting quads & calves. Sakit pinggang...!

Stage 3 – Enchanted Forest

Longest stage of the ride where you will find a bit of everything. Lots of fun singletracks and rolling hills cutting across rubber and palm plantations, orchards and secondary forest but highlight here would be the Enchanted Forest that closes this stage! You have to be there to appreciate the beauty of this part of Semenyih. And it’s here too where you will have a fantastic time blasting down and out of the Enchanted Forest. Approximately 17km and 60% canopied.

...the taxing have started creeping in with built-up miles and lactic acid & time accumulation in the legs and body. It was basically a chicken & egg situation. Should I have saved some legs for this later stages, I would have caught myself in the massive traffic jam earlier on. Or if I pushed myself, the risk of cramps and fatigue will sooner or later get me. I risk the later option. Ended up with a painful right quad at one of those steep climb. I can't barely stand and threw myself aside on the vegetation and let the pain subsides.

Hydration went out two-third into this stage. All 1.5 litres in the bladder. An hour without water. My mistake to skip rehydration at CP2. Again, I was thankful that the weather was great that made thirst at bay.

Stage 4 – Braveheart

The finale loop designed to test the toughest. It’s called Braveheart for a reason. This is where riders will have to deal with the ‘Kill Hill’, after 40km of slogging up and down the hills of Semenyih. We take our hats off to all who complete this last challenge. But you will be rewarded with one quick ‘best-in-the-world’ descent to the finish line. This is the stage where the boys/girls will be separated from the men/women! And remember to top up your water before entering the loop. Approximately 11km of enjoyable suffering!

...arrived at CP3 barely 15 minutes before the cut-off time. It was 12.15 p.m. and the weather was still great. Had the luxury of pushing High 5 Sambal Ikan Bilis down the throat and an explicit cold canned 100 plus treat from a friend. Thankful! 20 minutes later I was off to venture into Stage 4 unknowingly it would test my manhood.

The so called Kill Hill caught us by surprise when we thought that the first climb into Stage 4 was it. It was nothing suicidal back then, where the downhill section almost like bringing us back to the finish line. Just as we thought it was conquest & concurred, that view of bare slope with tiny people parading their bikes almost blew it off. The morals, spirit, legs, strength...all gone down to zero.

I can't afford another cramp attack in an attempt to cycle up these hill. Besides, it was obviously impossible to my standard plus all those weak muscles thrown in. These guys are assassins!

Turn after turn, the climb never end. I started hearing curses and bad jokes in the air. My gestimate that the distance was circa 1.5 km only but the vertical distance felt the same. Most of us can't accept the super steep gradient. It was hike bike & break for an hour. The so called 'best-in-the-world' descent to the finish line was nothing other than lame extras waiting for the remaining time for the body to shut down.

My creampie

It's been a while since I had this pain. It was all over. Almost similar to finishing a 26 miler. Almost like a Powerman. But the pure dirt treatment was unearthed and it was still awesome.