Result PowerDol

Citer lapok sikit. Result Powerman dah kuar, lambat sikit macam tahun lepas. Result PBIM pun lagi cepat. Saja untuk tatapan syiok-syiok sendiri, takde niat untuk menjadi ancaman kepada sesaper or nak poyo. Ni semata-mata untuk kemajuan sukan kampung aku. Harap maklum. Sila lihat perbandingannya:

Haaa...ilmu cut, copy & paste ni aku belajor dari abang Fairul. Aku selalu nampak orang buh race results kat blog tapi aku tak tau camner. Kali ni abang Fairul dengan murah hati berkongsi ilmu. Terima kasih abang Fairul di atas tunjuk ajar.

Tu lah result aku yang agak pongeh. Untuk menimbalbalas & justify kan dengan berkilo buah semangka yang aku bedal lepas finish line tu, aku rasa point form adalah antara approach paling sempoi untuk difahami & semoga ia melekat kat otak karat ini :]

Timing : Banding dengan Mr. James, Mr. Tang & Mr. Damian secara overall time memang sejam aku kat belakang. Encik-encik tu semua tengah sedap belasah pasta lunch dalam dewan, aku tengah terkial-kial kira batu tepi jalan.

Run 1 : 10-15 minit kat belakang. Nampak macam tak lama kan? Tapi jauh tu beb. Kira macam tertinggal satu lap equivalent to 5km distance. Nasib baik aku tak kena overlap. Dan aku bersyukur jugak dapat cangkuk Azmar & Syah dengan pace sub-6 min/km. Pace Mr. James 3:38! Pace Mr. Damian  4:04! Lemah kepala lutut aku tengok pace depa.

T1 : Rata-rata, ternyata aku masih lagi bersetinggan kat transition. Muahaha! Mr. James transit 1 minit aje! Macam mana ler gayanya dia tukar kasut & pakai helmet sepantas kilat?! Kena layan youtube tengok macam mana pro buat.

Cycle : Mr. Jamses punya average speed 39km/h. Aku punya 29km/h. Obviously dengan bantuan beberapa gajet basikal yang lebih canggih & yang paling nyata jenis bike TT adalah lebih aero untuk mencanak-canak di atas saddle. But of course kaki pengayuh sendiri pun mesti lah level Dura Ace Di2 bukan  aje bike canggih sekadar melaram & me-lawa aje. Hehehe. So untuk next year, perhaps aku kena consider sewa mana-mana wind tunnel untuk kaji lebih mendalam level aero aku. Muahahaha!

T2 : Champion punya T2 time still maintain cool sedangkan aku dah tak kuasa nak bergegas bagai. Memang ada halangan sikit masa tolak basikal masuk T2 sebab ada yang terhegeh-hegeh takmo bagi ruang. Takpe lah, aku pun bukan kiasu sangat nak suruh orang ke tepi ye tak? 

Run 2 : Pergh! Ni lah masa berkampung paling lama dalam sejarah kampung. Punah ranah harapan bangsa. Berapa pace aku? Jap kira. 7:47!!! Tak sanggup aku nak citer. Dah tahap jalan-jalan taman bunga :D

Haaa....kalau tengok cuaca 2010, secara purata semua orang cemerlang. Tapi ni hanya berlaku once in a blue moon dan ternyata blue moon susah nak singgah Seri Manjung, apatah lagi awan mendung kelabu. Prestasi aku yang paling obvious sekali dengan bangganya dapat maintain pace 6:18 untuk Run 2. Bukan senang oooo.

Secara ringkasnya, untuk berdaya maju di tahun-tahun akan datang, malah untuk tidak NANGES tepi jalan, perkara-perkara berikut perlu penekanan:

1. Training period. Sebulan lepas Syawal memang dapat 4 kali je brick. Bike & run specific training tarak. 2010 aku banyak emphasis kat run, so looks like it helped.
2. Kena omit segala unsur-unsur negatif yang ada. Hari tu boleh pulak terpasang lagu Out of Touch - Hall & Oates dan Highway to Hell - ACDC masa Run 2. Memang cari nahas ler.
3. Mental memang kena betul punya kuat especially untuk Run 2. Betul beb. Run 2 adalah pemusnah harapan kalau mental kurang kuat.

Majulah sukan untuk kampung ku :]

Seri Manjung 2011 - Laporan Kaji Cuaca

Laporan kaji cuaca tahun ni, serupa macam tahun 2009...hanget tak hengat. Hampir menghasilkan siri kedua Bercakap Dengan Pokok. Tapi syukur Alhamdullillah semua settle & selamat. Begini al-ceritera al-kertu nya:

Rombongan kami tahun ni ada perubahan muka sikit. Ada muka yang tak pergi al-asbab orang kahwin, anak konsert, dapat anak, layan anak tekak dan pelbagai citer anak yang lain. Namun, muka-muka yang baru ini memang betul punya baru dalam dunia sukan duathlon. Memang ternyata menampakkan muka cuak mereka pada pagi itu.

Perancangan asal untuk rendevous dengan Ziff, Syah, Izuan and Azu terpaksa tertangguh pada pagi Sabtu tu sebab Alwin, Akmal dan aku pi menjalankan tanggungjawab kami mengiringi jenazah Allahyarham sahabat rapat kami yang telah kembali ke Rahmatullah di Saujana Utama, Sungai Buloh. By 11.30 a.m. kami bertemu jua dengan kumpulan Ziff di Shell Batu 3, Shah Alam.


Laporan cuaca : Hujan lebat di awal pagi di kebanyakan tempat di Lembah Klang

Decided to take the Kuala Selangor road via Guthrie Corridor and the new LATAR (KL-Kuala Selangor Expressway). Don't ask me mana mai shortform tu. Cuaca tersangatlah mesra alam dengan laluan jalan yang menyajikan pemandangan kampung dan sawah padi yang indah dan permai. Tenang aje. Sekali sekala getaway macam ni memang sangat refreshing. Tapi aku hanya berbekalkan camera 3.2 pixel phone aje.

One of the many padi fields at Lekir, Sitiawan

Macam biasa, lunch kat Teluk Intan kat medan selera sebelah Sungai Perak yang besau tu. Maka bersembang dan berlambung lah kami sejenak sambil menikmati masakan nasik campur.

Laporan cuaca : Kelihatan awan mendung di sepanjang perjalanan. Syiok kan? Siap.

Just nice timing, kami sampai hotel di Lumut at 4.00 p.m., masa yang secukupnya untuk punggah barang dan ke  Seri Manjung untuk mendengar taklimat especially untuk yang first timer macam Syah, Izuan & Akmal, walaupun kami hanya mampu dengar Melody ucap "sekian terima kasih" aje setibanya kami di pintu dewan. Keh keh keh.

Yang bestnya pi event termasyhur macam Powerman setahun sekali ni is meeting up and catching up with loads of friends. Kawan lari and kawan basikal akan bertembung at satu event. Syiok kan? Ramai beb. Tak berenti berjabat tangan. Bunyi macam terkenal sangat ler aku ni. Keh keh keh.

Hampir sejam dok merapu & berborak, kami mengorak langkah mengikut nafsu menjejak menu ikan Gerut masak halia sebagai menu tradisi setiap kali kami ke sini. Destinasi santapan, macam tahun-tahun yang lalu, M.I.B. (Medan Ikan Bakar) di pantai bawah Outward Bounders School.

Laporan cuaca : Langit tepi pantai mula terbuka luas mempamerkan bintang-bintang. Suspen

Ikan Gerut dua ekoq masak halia, sekoq masak sweet sour, sotong goreng tepung dua hidang, sayur goreng campuq, sup sayur & telur dadar 3 set. Untuk 9 orang untuk 18 perut. Semua perut kembar dua. Tapi bila makanan dah terhidang, makan macam sekali telan. Ngeri beb tengok. Itu pun aku rasa kalau buh 3 ekoq lagi pun sanggup kami kerabat sampai licin. Huhu. Geng Chap Ayam yang sampai kat situ pun macam ngeri je tengok kami.

Pertandingan sukaneka saper cepat dia kenyang

Udah udah ler. Rezab sikit untuk mee goreng mamak & teh tarik tengah malam karang beb. Kami kembali ke sarang Lumut Country Resort untuk freshen up & bersiap apa yang patut. Perkara paling rumit untuk aku menyiapkan bila part multisport ni. Banyak bebenor barang. Nombor pun banyak! Kat bike, kat helmet, kat pinggang. Fuelling pun sama. Gels and hydration. Sekali aku bentang, ada 8 gel yang aku plan kena telan. 4 atas bike, macam biasa siap tampal atas top tube & 4 lagi untuk dilahap masa berlari. Nasib baik ada offer untuk yang akan expire hujung November, so dapat potongan separuh harga. Kalau tidak, dah sure aku layan ayam percik je atas bike.

Kul 11.00 p.m. perut keroncong balik. Musykil gak aku, cepat bebenor lapor. Alwin kata bagus la tu, metabolisme tengah baguih. Aku pulak dok teringat meatballs IKEA. Hampeh. Ada port baru, dekat simpang Naval Base Lumut. Mamak & 7E close to each other. Dah lama tak mengeteh, memang banyak cerita di lambung-lambung across table. Have to cut short by 12.00 a.m. since kami takmo esok pagi bangun breakfast kul 10.00 a.m. & terus balik KL.

Lena pulak aku tidur. Alhamdullillah. Unlike normally beralih tempat tido agak payah nak lelap (macam budak2). Nak bangun pun liat sikit tapi belasah menggigil mandi. Water heater pun pelik, siang cuaca panas dia panas. Masa pepagi buta dia tak panas. Hehe. Maybe ikut room temperature. Plan to grab breakfast at McDonald. Quick one. Suddenly Ziff hilang! Dia balik hotel, ada barang tertinggal. Cemas part 1. Kami tunggu dia & gerak terus ke venue since macam dah lewat sikit.

Muka cemas Izuan dah tak boleh sorok beb :]

Alhamdullillah dapat parking spot macam last year, depan dewan. Masa tak banyak, so masing-masing tak sempat nak rasa suspen lebih-lebih. Transition tutup at 7.00 a.m., kami sampai 6.50 a.m. Memang agak kelam kabut. Last year aku sempat warm up lari atas track stadium, tahun ni tak sempat.

Laporan : Kompom ler jap lagi hidangan ikan kering masak tom yam kong


Lari 1 : Larian bermula sharp at 7.30 a.m. rasanya. Ramai pulak rasa tahun ni sebab kami kena berjalan sampai ke timing mat walaupun flag-off siren dah mengaum. Slowly kami tried to stay together selagi boleh sementara badan belum panas. Dan slowly juga kelihatan Azmar & Syah mula mengurat pace & mengorak langkah. Aku cuba cangkuk. Almost habis first loop, Azmar update pace kami at 5:40. Tadaaa! Itu lah kehebatan mencangkuk pelari-pelari tegar. Tak terasa beb. Tapi aku kena bijak, lantas aku menjarakkan distance kami jangan sampai aku terjerat dalam pukat harimau. Second loop aku slowdown sikit tapi kaki & badan masih sedap.

Photo courtesy of Zila Latiff from Facebook

Transition 1 : Last year boleh dikategorikan sebagai berkelah. Cecah 2 minit lebih. Entah apa yang aku kalut kat dalam tu pun aku tak tau. Rugi oooo. Tapi this year, cekap. Sarung helmet & Oakley, sarung kasut, seluk beg & gaul apa yang sempat dicapai. Sekali tengok aku saing dengan Azmar, Alwin & Syah daa...hehe. Bagus ni.

Bike : Sebaik bertenggek atas saddle, semua dah lesap especially Azmar & Alwin. Cis! Tak sempat curi angin. Aku layan kaki ikut sedap. Tapi yang aku pelik tengkuk aku pulak tak berapa sedap bila aku mula posisi memegang aerobar. Lenguh pulak jadinya, tak macam hari-hari training yang sangat selesa. Pelik kan? Belasah selagi boleh, trying to maintain speed sesedap rasa antara 30-32 kph.

Laporan cuaca : Awan di satu dua tempat. Cuaca masih sesedap rasa tanpa sebarang gigitan sinaran mentari

First loop agak cantek tanpa sebarang keadaan cemas. Masih aku maintain telan gel setiap setengah jam sejak dari berlari sampai la kat atas bike. Aku perasan tahun ni macam berlonggok-longgok cyclists buat peloton. Penguatkuasaan larangan drafting tak berapa ketat agaknya.

Sekali macam poco-poco daaa...Thanks Jason Thai for the shot! :]

Second loop dah mula rasa malas sikit. Pongeh tu tak ler sangat tapi macam malas. Teruk kan? Hehe. Aku cuba cari pemangkin. Sambil-sambil usya cyclists yang seberang jalan sana & ku laungkan nama kawan-kawan yang aku nampak. Ada gak la yang terkejut, maklum ler tengah melayan diri. 

Transition 2 : Pun aku cuba sepantas kilat untuk tidak mendirikan setinggan kat sini. Not sure timing berapa sebab aku tertekan split time terawal sebelum sampai timing mat (simptom akal dah tak berapa nak cerdik).

Lari 2 :  Aku layan aje larian mula-mula ni. Slow je aku mengorak langkah kecil-kecilan. Langkah kecik lama-lama jadi lenggang kangkong la pulak. Cis! It was simply lazy...again. I just knew it. Plain lazy. First loop mostly aku tak kenal sesaper. Masih maintain telan gel & stop seteguk at every water station tapi larian bersulam jalan kaki. Dah mula teringat sebak 2009 tatkala melangkah jalan straight tepi kilang. Kenapa lah pokok-pokok ni tak membesar sejak 2 tahun lepas ye?

Cubaan mencangkuk Frank. Thansk Jason Thai for the pic...again :]

Laporan cuaca : Ikan kering dah mula hanget masa ni. 

Second loop baru lah ada terserempak dengan handai taulan. Alwin dah settle bike relay dia. Siap escort aku tepi pagar. Cis! Akmal & Azu standby tepi gate stadium dengan Coleman & Coke! Pergh! Nikmat beb. Akmal pun dah dressing hensem. Cis! Tau ler buat Sprint je. Thanks guys! Coke tu memang sodap.

Aku catch up Ziff on his first loop. Kami sama-sama berlenggang at certain times & later disertai oleh Nizam. Dah macam bujang lapok daaa jalan melenggang. Kami cuba target lari sikit & jalan sikit. Sampai stretch yang mental tepi kilang tu semula, aku tak boleh tahan dah. Timing memang dah tak hirau sebab PB tak achieve. Aku sumbat mp3 setting lagu gila sikit & bantai all the way sampai habis. Kalau ikut kan masa yang aku rekod kat jam sendiri, it was 04:27:10. Alhamdullillah.

Macam biasa, statement piawaian selepas habis event-event ngeri lagi cemas : Serik dah aku nak masuk lagi. Kompom ni last la. Tapi cuma bertahan setakat setengah jam aje. Hampeh. Nanti kita citer post race kendian, kalau aku rajin.

Tahniah untuk geng semua yang khatam Powerman tahun ni. Korang memang spesis tahan sakit, especially yang first timers. Jangan serik tapi jangan pulak tak bijak untuk training extra sikit lenkali (pesanan untuk aku sekali).  :]  And definitely thanks for the whole roadtrip. It was total awesome la. You guys as usual, the sempoi people & kaki lambung :]

Antara rakaman lensa aku untuk konang-konangan :]

Posing taman bunga

Powerman road trip 2011
Posing Team Bola Bawah 12 Tahun  (Baju belang cikgu Quarter Master)

Powerman road trip 2010
Posing Ahli Anggota MAT Sedang Usya Raksaksa

Powerman road trip 2009
Posing Kumpulan Sweet Charity

My 10K Labrun

I ran a 10K yesterday. It was a planned 10K. They say running a 10K is the best way to gauge one's stamina. Yep, despite all the brick workouts (bunyi macam banyak je) and a 10K run in between at geli-geli pace, yesterday's run was more like a lab run. I've been wanting to do it after considerable amount of time spent throughout the raya weekend assessing my pass timing at Seri Manjung.

10K is just about a nice distance to run because it's an average of an hour pushing. Most people can run a 10K. And a 10K is a gauge distance to check on threshold level or HRM. I started off my running in the competitive level (larian berbayar) way back in 2007 with a 10K at AmBank KL Marathon. Here's amongst my earlier shoes:

Tamat perkhidmatan selepas terpijak taik lembu masa Qurban :]

After that, the sky was the limit. 10K races were sporadic for me. Aiming more at the 26.2 miler. Macam bagus je kan, but that was recent. Aku dah insaf sekarang :]

I trained hard for last year's powerman. I trained more for the run. The result was outstanding, Alhamdullillah. But this year, I only started running after raya and squeezing in strength or hard running risk injuries. However, this old goat still got some punch to gauge what's still left inside, though the actual event is just 3 days to go!

With a few twitch of the adhoc plan, the whole family went to KLCC. Venue was picked due to it's measurable miles. And kids, you have the whole one hour to play monkey at the monstrous playground, and mommy have all the time to sink into her books :]

Target : Anything below 1 hour. Shoes checked. Vest checked. Pants checked. MP3 checked. Started off with Higher - Taio but whilst halfway into Ziplock - Lit, my spider-sense told me a King approaching from behind. It was Nik! I shoud’ve known. KLCC throne is ruled by the Two Kings and All Hail to the Kings! I bowed to his presence and we ploded along catching up with lost stories, well mostly his actually. Hehe.

I shared my plan and Nik agreed to tag along. Looking at his constant running log on Dailymile, I know that it’s gonna be hard pacing with him. God speed, this will be one hell of a 10K.

We were guess-timating our pace at times. Humbly Nik gestured a 6.05 but I was confident that it’s a sub-6 pace, from my labour breathing of course. At times we were blaming each other for the increasing pace. I don’t know whether he was playing drama but I was totally freaking honest (arguing through my nostrils actually, labour breathing…remember?).

I tried to keep my gait and posture especially upon enduring pain at the last 2km. And Nik still suggested that a last lap sprint is viable. Are you for real?! My legs started to wobble and my arm swing was desperate. The slightest thought of quitting was inevitable. But, it was not just yet.

Dragging myself catching up with his pace was tormenting, but I know it’s for the good of the assessment. The last lap, Nik engaged his Audi gearbox right after the inlcine but I was non-responsive (sebab aku pakai gear auto je).  He was flying and yours truly was drag-racing. Lapan tiang dia tinggalkan aku! Pergh! Pedih ulu hati mengejor Yeop! Passing through Poco-poco regime was plain deaf because my heart was pounding louder than the music. Argh! Finally the 1KM mark was visible and I was reaching high and low trying to reach it at a descend timing. Sriaaap! 00:56:20. Poyo je kan? Macam ler bagus sangat timing tu. Orang lain tutup mata je buat sub-50.

From the assessment, I can conclude that should I pushed with that killing pace, I will definitely fall asleep on the bike, or maybe cari port bawah Jambatan Tuanku Bainun bentang tikar terus. And my second run will be a “walk in the park” pace sambil nanges! From that also, it seems that attempting anything below 4 hours is impossible. Thus, time improvement can only be done marginally at a reasonable effort. InsyaAllah. Amin.

Sub-4 will be next time... :]

One of the inclines at Powerman cycling route

Simply gorgeous engineering :]

Aidil Adha at BTHO

Our Aidil Adha was awaited filled with anxiety, especially for the kids. We decided to stay back in BTHO and get a feel of the raya fest of our loving neighbourhood.

Not forgetting the training part for Powerman, we shifted the time to Friday night at PoJ considering a handful of us will be travelling back to kampung for the weekend. Raya traffic frenzy caught a few of us that evening, hence the rendevous was a bit delayed. We had to make do with whatever time we had left. 

It's been a while since we had our night run here. Last remembered was when we gave support to our fellow Sundowners somewhere back in...March/April? We had a weathercheck report prior to our meet up. Weather was perfect. Thanks to Syed. 

Initial menu for our final brick was 5k + 30k + 10k. We headed towards PICC junction and back for the first 5k run. Pace was magnificently constant. Crowd was just nice for chats and jokes and not forgetting lambung tak hengat. Syah, Ziff, Det, Azmar, Izuan and Azuria. Julie arrived when we have started our run.

Mat Rempit PoJ

Our bike leg was adjusted to suit the limited time. We managed to cover 25km with a few intervals thrown in with the help of a few tukang tarik. Alhamdullillah legs and core working well.

The second run was even shorter than planned since we were nearing curfew period. It was a 2k run on the Boulevard at a higher pace, thanks to fellow kaki lambung. Syah signed off there after and the rest of us took refuge at Precinct 9's mamak for a quick mee goreng and garlic nan. 

Raya at BTHO

Right after solat Isya', followed with a takbir, kami berkonvoi untuk bertakbir ke 7 buah rumah sekitar kawasan. Memang meriah. Macam kat kampung-kampung. Cuma tak tau masih ada lagi buat ke tak kat kampung. My hometown, the last time I remembered, the takbir group was mostly otais. Sekali satu badge kembali ke Rahmatullah. La ni no idea ada lagi ke tak. Kat BTHO, kalau ikutkan usia majority kami and if umuq panjang, lagi 10 ke 15 tahun kami masih boleh maintain aktiviti ni. Amin. InsyaAllah.

Setiap rumah memang tak boleh avoid jamuan baik yang ringan mahu pun yang berat. Kids yang selalu serbu dulu ke meja makan tapi rumah nombor 3, orang tua terkam dulu...sebab nasik arab kambing. Huhu. Rumah nombor 4 ke atas semua dah tangkap layu.

Takbir! Second house, masih bertenaga :]

Pagi raya kami jalan kaki anak beranak ke surau. Excited anak-anak aku dapat jumpa geng sepanjang jalan. Surau pun penuh. Alhamdullillah solat sunat hari raya & khutbah berjalan lancar. Disambung dengan small breakfast sebab ada yang bawak pot luck.

By 9.30 a.m. kami dah bersiap untuk jadi cowboy. Honestly, first time untuk aku terlibat. Before this setakat pemerhati aje. Total ada 12 ekor lembu. 3 dah siap hantar ke Baling untuk diuruskan qurban kat sana. 9 lagi settle dengan geng koboi BTHO. Aku join group lembu bib no. 4, leader Det. Nak tumbang lembu ni Alhandullilah senang tapi lembu bib no. 5 kena outsource kat kami sebab group tak cukup member. Yang ni memang terejal sikit. Protest kuat. Dah ikat kaki pun sempat di ketis aku kat peha. Nasib baik tak melambung. Ada sikit sengal sampai la ni. Allahuakbar.

Koboi BTHO in action

Sesi melapah diteruskan tanpa membuang masa. Sorang tukang pegang, sorang tukak buang kulit. Aku bawak pisau blade potong kertas je, senang. Tapi memang lenguh. Serupa macam buat weight training. Mencangkung, membongkok, tahan weight kaki lembu, menarik kulit kasi tegang supaya senang potong. Pergh!

Dah siap potong, kami angkut ke surau untuk proses pembahagian. Siap timbang, siap bungkus. Tulang semua masuk periuk buat sup. Kaum muslimat kasi settle masak nasik & air untuk lunch. Alhamdullilah dengan berkatNya kami uruskan semua by 1.00 p.m., just nice masuk Zohor.

Distribution Center al-Ansar

Aku dok toya sampai petang sebab lepak menolong. Pi rumah in-law pun aku masih dalam mode 'stone'. Hehe. Memang terasa penat walaupun nampak simple. Yang penting kemeriahan & ukhwah kawasan perkampungan aku memang 'A'. Mudah-mudahan kami dilimpahkan rezeki untuk teruskan amalan ni next year. Amin :]

Interval & Ilmu

Keadaan cuaca yang unpredictable sejak dua menjak ni membuatkan sesi-sesi latihan terpaksa di-improvise. Tapi itu tidak menjejaskan segala routine dan planning seharian.

Planning untuk sesi interval dengan kaum pada hari Selasa terpaksa ditangguh akibat hujan & diganti dengan dua pinggan nasik putih berlaukkan paprik ayam berkuahkan tom yam campuq. Sekali sampai rumah petang tu dalam kedinginan hujan, sudah terhidang atas meja. Mana boleh tangguh ye tak? Niat nak bertenggek atas trainer lepas Isya' pun hanya sekadar angan-angan aje. Tarik selimut awal adalah lebih afdhal :]

Semalam kami lebih berkeyakinan untuk meneruskan usaha mengadakan strength training. Sampai parking belum hujan. Start aje lari, jemuran pun turuuuun. Namun ia tidak melunturkan semangat kami. Menu-nya: fartlek.

Disebabkan aku tak berapa arif dengan track KLCC & jaraknya, so kami terpaksa modified ikut profile. Part flat kami henjut, part bukit kami recovery...takmo injured. Alasan manja. Since hujan, tak ramai langsung! Or else kami terpaksa mengelak mana yang patut.

5 set lari pusing-pusing mengejor satu sama lain. Baju dah lencun. Betis, keting semua dah mula menarik. Muka pun dah terik. Cukup lah sekadar introductory untuk kaum yang baru nak berjinak dengan strength training. Lama aku tak buat & tobat rasanya nak buat lagi. Maybe untuk masa yang terdekat ni chill dulu.

Hujan dah mula reda menjelang Isya'. Malam ini aku telah secara official memulakan kelas mengaji dengan geng orang kampung. Last aku attend kelas rasanya masa umuq 13 tahun. Suspen macam nak buat public speaking pulak. If kat rumah dok ngaji sesorang boleh la poyo hantam kromo berlagu-lagu bagai. Sekali depan 8 orang yang lain, heart rate dah macam threshold level pulak :]

Aku ingat ustaz nak suruh aku start dari Iqra'. Kalau ye, kompom aku kena berebut dengan anak aku Umar sebab dia dah Iqra' 3. And Kak Long & Amir sure gelakkan ayah dia sebab depa dah masuk Quran. Hehe. Ustaz interview aku dulu, tanya beberapa soalan pengalaman mengaji. Aku ni takde lah tahap musabaqah tapi main larung je tajwid pun ikut sesedap rasa. So, untuk assessment tahap kecerdasan mengaji, aku kena baca al-Fatihah tanpa melihat Quran. Maka terkantoi lah aku dengan beberapa kesilapan bacaan. Tu dia eh!  Geng lain dok tersengih-sengih je perati aku kena regging dengan ustaz. Dah serupa macam citer Pendekar Bujang Lapok daaa...masuk sarkis & Pak Abu sebut huruf M! Hahaha. Siap ada pulak tambah lauk, student baru kena sapu taik cicak setiap kali sebelum mula kelas. Hampeh punya senior. Hahaha!

Oleh yang demikian, part ilmu al-Quran ni kita kena wajib belajor. Pernah ustaz bulan posa habaq, kalau kita tengah belajaq & salah bacaan takpe lagi. Tapi kalau salah baca tapi takmo belajaq, dosa tau.

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

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!

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 :]