SOQ-SAA Time Trial Cycling 2018

Minggu lepas, 25 Februari kami SOQ anjur acara lumba basikal untuk tahun ketiga di kawasan kejiranan. Format time trial diteruskan tapi ada kategori baharu, time trial off-road dengan mountain bike untuk kategori remaja dan dewasa. Tahun ni juga kami dapat berkolaborasi dengan surau kesayangan kami, Surau Al-Ansar di bawah Biro Pemuda. Bagus la kira, depa nak program surau dan kami pun nak bantu surau. Cantik sangat dah tu.

Disebabkan ramai anak-anak yang semakin meningkat usia, dirasakan berlumba dengan BMX atas laluan konkrit sudah kurang mencabar, maka intro format baharu ni difikirkan paling sesuai.

Sambutan penyertaan agak di luar jangkaan terutama kategori remaja dan dewasa, maka acara mountain bike menjadi highlight of the day. 30 orang kanak-kanak dan 30 orang lagi remaja dan dewasa semuanya.

Yuran cuma RM10. Peserta dapat sehelai t-shirt event dan berpeluang memenangi hadiah perlumbaan serta cabutan bertuah, termasuklah hadiah grand lucky draw iaitu dua buah basikal fixie. Hadiah basikal ni pun kami SOQ collect sorang sikit untuk bagi ummph!

Kerja-kerja design and build race track dirancang terlebih dahulu dan dikemaskini dengan lebih detail semasa di site. SOQ macam biasa meringankan tulang dalam kempen ukhuwah kami sama-sama prepare race track ala-ala standard UCI. 

Hitogami

Sambung lagi cerita LARI sementara ada idea & rajin menulis. Mungkin betul, bila kita ada struktur dalam hidup dan ada short and long goals, kita akan lebih occupied selanjutnya akan banyak idea untuk kita jot down pengalaman cerita.

OK back to where I flagged off. Masa aku start lari semula, aku takde pilihan kecuali sepasang Adizero yang dalam kiraan aku sudah berusia hampir 6 tahun! Itu pun beli di JPO masa pengakhiran era lari dulu. Ended up jarang pakai, tapak pun hampir lekang selain outsole yang dah mula peel off. Selain kosmetik, kasut tu dah tak function sebaiknya. Bagi mengelak injury, aku opted ke trail shoes pulak. Adidas Aqua dan Response Trail Boost. Tetapi kurang sesuai disebabkan pattern bunga tapak trail shoes ni dah memang grippy, maka surface larian di Lake Valley dengan simen broom finish menambahkan lagi grip. Lutut aku mula terasa hasil grip both surfaces.

Tiada pilihan lain, aku terpaksa mula shoes hunting. Memang aku suka tapi spending too much bukan pilihan. Bajet aku bawah RM200. Logik ke? Of course boleh kalau cari betul-betul. Back to the old days, aku memang suka retail therapy ni cuma nowadays jarang buat sebab kena jimat cermat. 

Right before CNY, aku redah sampai ke Mitsui dengan harapan bertemu jodoh. Mitsui dah ada beberapa outlets jenama kasut yang convincing, bermakna aku sampai ke tempat yang betul. 

Nike's offer memang terbaik cuma aku tak pernah consumed brand swoosh ni. Ada beberapa model yang aku interested especially Nike Free or Flex yang sangat flexible. Harga offer pun not bad. Aku simpan dalam kotak wish list sementara aku ke Adidas, Puma dan Brooks. 

Adidas boost memang aku idamkan tapi harga offer masih menjelekkan. Brooks ada offer RM150 tapi rejected pairs. Patut ke aku gamble dengan kualiti untuk harga?

Opposite Brooks ada outlet World of Sports. Sebelum ni takde. WOS memang ada di JPO tapi maybe baharu di Mitsui. WOS bawa brand Columbia dan Mizuno. Perhaps stop aku yang terakhir sebelum aku buat keputusan kasut mana nak beli.

Jodoh memang tak ke mana dan rezki tu dah tertulis. Aku terjumpa semula Mizuno Wave Hitogami 3 yang beberapa bulan dulu aku belek di WOS Subang Parade. Masa tu belum ada plan nak berlari dan harga offer tak serendah sekarang. Minimalis shoes with minimal price. RM145 aje!

Pastinya aku tak akan menyesal dengan Hitogami. Warna pun sinonim dengan CNY. Belasah. Sekurang-kurangnya dapat mengekalkan semangat berlari yang baru membara semula.

Kembali berlari

Awal tahun hari tu, aku seperti biasa akan termakan umpan kawan-kawan SOQ untuk sign-up SCKLM. Huh! Sesuatu yang sangat lama aku tinggalkan...berlari. Tahun lepas aku gagal untuk kembali berlari secara ritual. Pengakhirannya agak mengecewakan. Aku suffer big time di Hulu Langat Trail Run. Distance 17km dan aku cuma mampu berlari 10km. Selebihnya aku kawad kaki. Memang menyesal. Tapi konon alasannya ialah sebab berjalan ibarat training untuk Projek Rinjani selepas tu.

Masa di Rinjani aku survive tetapi aku terseksa pada hari terakhir descending. Big time suffer tapi aku cover dengan muka kelat. Lutut aku ketat sampaikan beberapa hari duduk antara dua sujud tak boleh lipat kaki sehabisnya. Kesimpulannya, last year stamina aku memang hancus. Disiplin takde. Semuanya tunggu last minute. Kononnya bijak dalam mengatur planning supaya tak injured dan buang masa. Ternyata silap polisi tu.

Maka tahun ni bermula dengan projek lari. Aku belek semula website Hal Highdon untuk refer training program Half Marathon for Novice 1. Cukup la tu. Yang penting aku mampu komit. Aku tak nak terlalu ambitious. Dah syiok nanti kita fikir kendian.

Bila aku atur jadual yang aku copy paste, rupanya aku dah terlajak. Training dah sepatutnya bermula 2 minggu lepas. Now aku terpaksa terjun ke minggu ketiga. Parah!

Tapi takpe. Pengalaman mengajar kita. Aku start super slow. Amik feel di kaki. Kalau orang kata jogging tu memang slow, ini aku SLOW JOGGED. Bermakna siput kat Lake Valley pun boleh overtake aku anytime. Yang penting fokus pada running gait untuk elak injury.

Alhamdulillah sekarang dah masuk minggu ke-6 kalau ikut jadual tapi actually baru empat minggu aku berlari. OK lah tu. Sebulan. Cardio nampak ada improvement. Kaki terasa kuat sikit. Mental pun ok. Dah tak rasa nak mengelat walau baru habis satu loop Lake Valley.

Lake Valley jadi medan projek aku. Tempat paling selamat dari hazard traffic dan senang untuk aku calculate distance. In fact kalau nak buat interval pun senang. 

Aku pun kembali guna apps Strava. Dulu dah download & buka akaun tapi tak aktif. Takde matlamat. Sekarang Strava among apps yang aku kerap bukak selain Insta dan FB.

The big day will be 8 April 2018. Setakat ni aku takde target yang tinggi tapi aku cuba nak habiskan HM ni dengan masa yang memuaskan hati. Perhaps ard 2 jam setengah should be OK. Insyaa Allah.

Det

Sudah seminggu berlalu dengan pantas. Memori dan kerinduan juga semakin diambil alih oleh kesibukan harian kembali. Namun, tatkalal saat dan detik atau "moment" tertentu, sudah tentu hati akan sayu dan hiba ibarat ditarik semula oleh memori indah bersama. Aku masih dalam mode memulihkan hati dari kesedihan. Fokus agak keterlaluan lekangnya. Tapi aku layankan sahaja selagi tidak mudarat. Pastinya aku masih normal, dan bukan robot yang tiada jiwa.

Tanggal hari yang sangat baik seminggu yang lalu, pada 10 Muharram 1438 Hijrah atau Ahad, 1 Oktober 2017, kami kehilangan seorang yang sangat signifikan. Manusia, sehingga kita kehilangan sesuatu baru kita hargai atas ketiadaannya. Lumrahnya begitu. 

Det adalah seorang sahabat aku sejak 2009. Walau mungkin tidak selama mana tapi keakraban sangat bernilai. Aku terkesan hasil kehilangan ini. Aku yakin masyarakat sekeliling juga begitu. Tapi aku masih yakin Det adalah antara kawan aku yang paling memahami aku.

Aku akan kehilangan bersembang pagi hari di kedai mamak hujung deretan pejabatnya. Di situ juga kali terakhir kami bersarapan bersama apabila Det membaham nasi kerabu yang dibeli bungkus entah dari mana. Di situlah setiap kali aku akan melabuhkan coretan pengalaman aku apabila pulang dari suatu sesi temuduga. Det tetap akan mendengar dan setiap kalinya akan dituruti dengan gelak ketawa.

Dia juga antara yang suka menyokong setiap sesuatu yang kawan-kawan buat. Dia tak pernah membantah kecuali dengan komen yang disuruhnya kita berfikir semula. Dia sentiasa sokong apa juga projek aku. Sebab itu kami selalu gunakan platform mengeteh sebagai pelancar untuk berbagai program aktiviti bersama geng lain expecially dengan Suakasih Outdoor Quest. Orang yang tak tau, mereka hanya ingat kami sembang kosong atau mengata orang. Mohon maaf, mengumpat bukan dalam agenda kami walaupun sesama sahabat SOQ lain. 

Tekanan Sistem Pendidikan...

Ramadhan dan Syawal dah berlalu. La ni masuk Zulkaedah. Tak lama lagi masuk pulak Zulhijjah. Mood Raya Haji pulak untuk mereka yang sambut or take part dalam majlis korban di surau-surau dan masjid. 

Tapi buat masa ni tengah season mood exam especially untuk student UPSR. The big day will be on 5th September which is lagi 2-3 minggu. Parents dah mula menggelabah tapi students masih nampak cool, at least on the surface nampak muka tenang. 

Lately memang trend parents gelabah bila anak dah nak sit exam memang agak obvious. Expectation parents agak tinggi. Gelabah is one thing, the worse part is panic mode attack mula lah semua orang kena tempias. Kelas tambahan sekolah kena pressure, cikgu tuisyen dan pusat tuisyen pun kena sekali. Fenomena dah macam solat Tarawih cuma penuh di hujung-hujung dah nak dekat exam instead of penuh dari mula.

Though people duk bicara that UPSR is not the end of the world, and so does PT3 nanti tapi mood dan climate exam dia memang lain macam. Punyalah caring parents ni. Adakah sebab susah sangat silibus UPSR ni? Adakah sebab susah sangat soalan-soalan UPSR ni especially yang melibatkan KBAT tu?

Kalau hang tanya aku, memang SUSAH! Aku pun tak tau apa yang kementerian duk letak level tinggi sangat scale pendidikan budak sekolah rendah ni sampaikan Matematik Darjah 4 dah kena pandai kira diskaun 10% beli baju di kedai. Dan ada juga soalan yang sampaikan melibatkan production line kilang kek yang mensasarkan target pengeluaran sebulan!

Aku tau memang ada ramai budak cerdik pandai di Malaysia ni. Tapi pernahkah yang membuat polisi ni kaji tentang jumlah pelajar yang dalam tahap average? Ni lah level yang paling ramai. Nampak gaya proses segrigasi dah bermula sejak di bangku sekolah lagi. Apakah matlamat mereka?

Mereka akan melahirkan golongan bijak pandai tapi hanyalah golongan bijak pandai yang cuma mampu menjawap soalan exam. Akhlak, adab, disiplin all gone. Zero. Bijak pandai dalam berbicara tapi adab berbicara takde. Bijak dalam bina karangan atau soalan matematik yang kompleks tapi keluar aje sekolah selamba buang sampah tanpa rasa bersalah tentang penjagaan akhlak yang bagus. Boleh jawap soalan UPSR dengan cemerlang tapi displin masa bila berjanji langsung takde.

Adakah ini semua yang dikejar? Bila tekanan untuk memenuhi keperluan sistem akademik semakin dirasai oleh parents, maka segala didikan dan bimbingan akhlak, adab, disiplin dan hormat yang sepatutnya dipikul oleh parents sendiri terpaksa diabaikan. Sebab parents sibuk sangat nak anak tu dapat straight A.

Was that a LSD?

When there were no upcoming event, I became lazy to run on weekday mornings as I did before. There was simply no motivation. I just wait for weekends. The recent weekend was not as interesting as the last two, hence I had to push myself at least for something to sweat about.

My other half had plans to spend the morning in Putrajaya with her siblings, which includes breakfast and breeze walking by the lake. I on the other hand must arrange for another plan at the same venue. I brought along my running shoes and the rest of the attire.

For motivation, I fixed a mission, to test a new running application I downloaded on my phone. Yes, I know I am kind of not-up-to-date despite the existence of the apps many moons ago. I'm trying to inspire myself here.

It was the Runkeeper apps. I still remember having to use Endomondo and Daily Miles. Perhaps this one had some twicks for improvement. 

I started from Monumen Alaf Baru, the torpedo shape structure and cruise my slow pace along the lake taking me behind the Tuanku Mizan Mosque, the Putrajaya Flora Fest venue towards the bridge before PICC.

The yellow concrete pavement was hard on my feet, hence I had to carefully pounce them in order to avoid any reasons to ditch the run. There were many recreation cyclists both families and small groups that I came across. Only a handful of runners. Once in a while I came across the 100 Plus Outrunner directional signage, which will take place that evening. I thought that the lanes could be a bit narrow to cater for the run.

I crossed under the bridge and ran to other side only to find a more secluded place though it seemed like more nice place to run and cycle due to the absence of traffic. But, I decided to turn back and continue my way back while the sun started stinging my back.

It was a great run and the humidity simply threw in buckets of sweat after the run.

Runkeeper seemed OK for the first time using it. Though I found some glitches like inconsistencies recording the current running pace, but I don't mind. I might try it during the next run.

See how slow I am now? Yes, I still enjoy running

Hulu Langat Trail Run & MPAJ Ampang Hill Trail Challenge

Yes. You read it right. I was on the trail...and running, and participating some more. I guess the smell of forest floor lead me back into the trail when weekend comes.

The Hulu Langat Trail Run was never in my list. As usual, with Salomon and the like of branding sponsorship, event like this sells like 'pisang goreng panas' in minutes, despite the steep entry fee. I've been missing the scenario of running event and expensive entry fee. It never did gone. It is blooming profitably with more health conscious minded people participating. So are the sports shops. Expanding and opening more with more sports brands coming in. 

I didn't register for it. The opportunity just flew in when a friend decided to skip and pass his slot to me. It was a great idea to run it, but I realised I wanted more.

I seldom heard of Hulu Langat holding a trail run besides the ultra marathon thing which is basically a road run. Adding to the rareness. the venue itself, IKBN together with the support by the local council was kind of hard to digest. Anyway, the place provided a great playground.

The early morning traffic was bad heading towards IKBN, especially on Sunday. I heard that they closed the registration for both 10km and 16km with a total of up to 3000 runners. No wonder that Hulu Langat road was packed. I rode my motorbike, hence no traffic difficulty.

I found myself simply weird around the crowd. The atmosphere that I left for quite a long time. Warm ups, stretch and chats while the deejay tuning in the atmosphere. And not a single familiar face except for my usual running friends that came together.

Moments later I was between runners being flagged off. The 16K crowd was released first followed by the 10K, both were massive.

We had tarmac, followed by with trails through small plots of orchards, forest and plantations. Interconnected by small 'kampung' roads in between houses, we reached into more trails before ending back at IKBN.

I had a mixture of running and hiking, especially through inclines. However, the 10K may seemed some what endless when the legs felt weak. Luckily they had three river crossings, so we had to splash splosh our way back.

I think I clocked somewhere slightly above an hour. No, I didn't quite monitor my time because I don't have a running or a heart rate monitor anymore. I ditched them ions ago. I had fun instead and enjoyed the breakfast meal after the run while waiting friends finishing.

A week after, I totally forgot that I have registered for the Ampang Hill Trail Challenge. Whilst planning for weekend stuff, a friend reminded me of the event which we have registered under the free slots weeks ago. Great.

It was held at Bukit Indah, Ampang. This time the crowd was way much smaller. Only limited to 300 participants. I started observing and noticed that familiar faces from old running times started emerging into the scene. And I can say that these individuals were legends during their time. It felt like a small running get together. However, I didn't expect that the subsequent challenges awaits with curses.

Bukit Indah are known for it's mountain bike trail. A man made and maintained. Nice with soft rolls and switchbacks. We ran here for the first section. Then we left for the tarmac which I felt bored of until we reached Kelab Darul Ehsan. The hill there was simply terrible, though it was not as ugly as other road running hills but it was simply boring.

We entered another trail but too bad we can't run it due to the super steep staircase. Two hills together. There was a lake or they say used to be a reservoir at the top. Nice place.

The rest of the trail was running downhill but still, it was too steep to gain speed. We came back to a tarmac before finishing at the mountain bike trail head again.

The run clocked almost 9K and I was never bothered how did I performed, but I survived and had fun. 

Gunung Semangko - Mission Abort

This project kicked-off almost 2 months after Kinabalu. Should be well rested now, though the craving for high altitude air keeps on coming. Until a friend agreed to guide us, but cramping the normal 3 days 2 nights hike into 2 days 2 nights (first night at a mosque). Until halfway into the trail, we thought this could be slightly an ambitious project.

I can see that it is going to be a tough hike. The distance and the undulating terrain. Almost similar the distance between Pine Tree trail head to Twin Peak, but with more abandoned trails. Still, it follows the Selangor-Pahang border where one can always fine the boundary stones throughout the ridge.

I had a glimpse of the trail head from Twin Peak from my previous hike. The descending was super steep and slippery from loose pebbles at the beginning and endless of slippery dry leaves trail testing your shoes'  grip. The climbing back was never easy either.

19 of us which included 4 kids (two are mine) and 3 teenagers. We left home at 11.00 p.m. and headed straight to Fraser Hill. The Friday night traffic was pretty bad though it was already late. We reached Fraser Hill somewhere at 1.00 a.m. and as usual, chilling. The mosque was our official stay for the night, and so were a few more groups which we presumed hikers as well.

My kids and I chose a tiny spot at the veranda which we thought it was better to occupy just the outside of the main praying hall. Everyone snugged into their sleeping bags and dozed off into the chilling night.

We were awoken by the generous melodies of mobile phones' alarm all over the mosque. Then followed by the azan.

A quick breakfast, white rice and black pepper chicken, together with a few more pot lucks, we were fueled up for the task. We left the trail head somewhere around 7.30 a.m. And there were at least two groups started off around the same time, but perhaps only up to Twin Peak.

We managed to reach Twin Peak at 11.30 a.m. for a quick lunch. A final check and assessment by our guide for every one's condition before proceeding. The first challenge was descending quite a steep terrain. Slippery as well due to loose gravels. Then it goes further down with no roots to place our steps but only slippery dry leaves. With heavy rucksacks, I don't dare take any risk of running down this.

We hit a dry creak at the bottom. Very bottom. Then we climbed steep up again. And this routine continued on for a few more until we reached a junction. There's a simple laminated sign showing the direction to Gunung Semangko, turning left. This juncture may be a bit tricky when coming back since the sign only welcome hikers coming in. Be careful.

The trail that continued provided plentiful of more ups and downs through shrubs, fallen trees and the idea of getting to Kem Sungai Merah, which is supposed to be a low lying area with a river was never seemed possible. Maybe! The river flows against the gravity and up towards the peak of a mountain. Our minds started became clouded by fatigue and boredom.

Due to the lack of drive, energy and perhaps boredom, we only managed to reach Kem Sungai Merah at almost 4.30 p.m., which was a mere 4 hours from Twin Peak. We overshot the so called 'ambitious' target.

Kem Sungai Merah have a few campsites. The closest to the river is down right from the main trail. The other two lies just next to the trail, which are larger that can snugged up to 30 person per night. The one by the river is smaller and can cater up to 15 person, but we really had to squeeze between trees to piece together our fly sheets, hammocks and some single man tent.

We feasted like mad. Every bit of food in our bags were taken out and cooked and served. The idea of continuing onward to the peak Gunung Semangko almost disappeared together with the clouds of smoke from our stoves. We were more excited to be there instead of attempting the peak.

At 6.00 p.m. teenagers started to be a bit anxiety. They urged the guides to lead them to the peak. The peak trail will easily take 3 hours in day light. At pitch black night, that could be double. They left for the peak minutes after a quick light preparation.

The rest of the night was spent nice and cozy under our tents upon cups and cups of coffee. It was so nostalgic. I really missed the moment many years ago. We dozed off into our sleeping bags when there were no more gossips to share, I think it was still 10.00. It gets colder into the night. We were glad it didn't rain.

Later in the morning, we were told that the peak attempt was a no go. They found the trail to be difficult and the night was not helping either. They turned back after an hour and decided to ditch the idea.

We were glad that they decided that way, or else they will lost a lot of sleeping hours and the hike back to the trail head will become tougher.

The hike back took almost the same time though it felt a bit easier or perhaps familiar. We managed to enjoy the hike as compared to the day before. A quick lunch at Twin Peak and crawling our way back to the trail head. More weekend hikers hiking in to Twin Peak as we exited.

Mishaps did happen before where hikers lost their way through the maze of trails around Fraser Hill. A few cases did hit the news. There are lots of factors contributed to mishaps in hiking such as improper planning, fatigue, insufficient hydration and hiking essentials.

We came across a group on our way out. It was already 3.00 p.m. and they were no where half way to Twin Peak. They only had a bottle of 1.5 liter of hydration to share among 4 of them, no other food, no torch light which proudly stated they have their phones. Simply hipsters.

Final climb to Pine Tree Peak

One of the many interesting stops, the huge tree

Twin Peak

Masjid Fraser Hill check-in

Twin Peak. One of those peak behind is probably Semangko

The trail head

Bunga Semangko...?

Mountain range from Pine Tree peak

One of the state boundary stones

Smart Study Workshop for Kids

It is in the middle of a week school break, which most prefer to go for a long escape back to hometown or attending weddings. But some prefer to stay locally enjoying the deserted traffic and chilling indoors from the escalating heat all over the country.

A two day Study Smart Workshop was organised at our Surau Al-Ansar for level 2 primary kids. All 30 of them from almost the same school. We invited facilitators and motivators to address and share the workshop modules for the kids targeting them to at least gain some brain planning for their studies.

We had modules such as:

• Ta'aruf (know yourself and your friends)
• Time management
• Focus and focus
• i-Smart
• Mind mapping
• Self potential

It was fun and sometimes a bit stressful when audience became restless due to boring stuff. Hence, we had to continuously making every session an interesting one. Not easy I tell you. We ended each day exhausted. I wonder how daycare and nursery operators keep their stamina?

However, the fun and drive doesn't come together without passion. Me myself have not discovered this personal potential on handling sessions for kids until this event. My other half obviously had everything hands on due to everyday tasks and challenges in the field.

Kids seemed happy and hopefully they get what was taught and shared.

Anxiety

More anxiety

Mini Poster & Event Schedule

Girls on task

Jokers & actors

Playing the stock broker game

Dhuha with Jemaah

The bunch

Wefie...?

Qoilullah before Zohor

I want to a ...! And applause by friends

Gerhana Matahari (Sun Eclipse) 9.3.2016

Been hearing about this a few days ago and shared messages immensely kept pouring in yesterday. Just a quick glance on a few photos for information. Basically, lebai Google explains like this...

Malaysia had the partial eclipse unlike Indonesia

I was at the clinic for my second physio this morning when the phenomena happened. Whilst waiting, I came across this graphic about the sun eclipse sunnah prayer. Good 'connection' with Allah during this unique phenomena. 

Next eclipse will be on 26 December 2019.