Dad, how far more?

First and foremost, as usual we have to praise to our beloved Allah swt for all the barakah from the month of Ramadhan until Syawal and until we are back to our usual routine.

Alhamdullillah our Ramadhan was pretty much accomplished, better than the previous. Alhamdullillah our Aidil Fitri was superb with more meaningful approach, more food and stronger silaturrahim with fellow family members, relatives and friends. Not forgetting my late father whom have left us for two years now and may Allah bless his soul and place him among the ambia’.

Approaching the weekend after a week of festive mood, I had to dodge those tempting laziness and put in some strength in setting my mind for a ride. With a bit of courage and a feather duster, I dragged my bike away from its month long resting place under the staircase into the middle of the living room. Gosh! It still had mud from the last ride! And when was that? With guilt, I ran through a damp cloth wiping it away exposing what was supposed to be a shining metal. The usual routine took place but with a bit more effort gathering the bike stuff from all over the house after a month of disregard.

However, the plan for the Saturday morning ride into Langat was shelved when rain came over for a nice cool shower outside the bedroom window prompted me to text Det and friends of the cancelation and carried on hiding myself under the hood. It was peaceful.

Hence, the remaining daylight was spent with more feasting which I lost count of the amount and type of food intake.

With words flying around that Langat will be packed with post raya cyclist, we were excited to hop on to the bandwagon. To add to the camaraderie, Amir decided to get his first long ride experience. We drove all the way to Batu 18 where the meeting place was set by the LeTuang gang. Now Amir has the empty kampong road to himself from Batu 18 to Simpang Peres and I don’t have to worry about traffic. It was also actually a reception ride for CK with his new Dogma and we have all eyes and drools all over the road that morning.

Amir rode gracefully. Toggling around with the gearing and cadence seemed second to nature for him. I guess the bike skills from his neighborhood adventure came in handy. Approaching KM7 the first anticipated question came out from him, “Berapa jauh lagi ayah?” To kill his boredom and mini suffer fest, I had to goreng him a bit about the route and its famous folklores tales. About the majestic climbs. As well as the sharing of cooling and peaceful climate that we cyclists endure on each ride. Well, that kept us occupied for at least a mile before he popped up a second gesture, “Sakit bontot la ayah”. Hehe. For an iron butt like me would have felt the same after an absence from cycling, and for Amir, that would be no exemption. Furthermore, he was not equipped with a pair of cycling short. Argh! I presumed that cute butt will have a long day ahead.

Approaching the final 500 meters, the climb up to Simpang Peres may well seemed to be Amir’s toughest point. Any forgiving day would have felt the same for any of us. But, the key point was not to stop and pushed on and that was what I did. Motivating him and with extra support and cheers from other fellow cyclists, Amir concurred the climb full strength. Alhamdullillah.

Masjlis berkampung at the junction was a ritual for a day of light and easy ride like today. Amir decided to stretch his legs and butt during the break before we descended back to Batu 18. Most of us went up Genting Peres which is a must for a comeback ride after a long break. As for the rest of us, we definitely don’t want to miss the breakfast window at the all time favorite Roti Canai Anje.

The 10km back to Batu 18 was done casually by Amir, except when he started to ask for the miles countdown to the finish. And he started to complain whenever the milestone on the roadside differed from the remaining distance I told him from the cyclometer. I presumed it’s a symptom of tiredness. But he remained cool. 20KM for his first long ride experience is an achievement indeed.

The everlasting distance, for him at least, ended with a plate of roti telur and favorite drink iced milo at Anje’s Joint. With Amir around, I have plenty of chance to loosen up the cycling legs before the start of a new training season. Nothing fancy, only a small event at the end of the month at a place full of memories. Like the wise said, we’ll see how it goes.

Jemput makan cikgu. Jemput makan kawan-kawan!

Dzikir Abu Nawas

Tiada yang lebih indah selain dzikir Abu Nawas yang sentiasa menyentuh jiwa tatkala kita bakal meninggalkan Madrasah Ramadhan.

The Ultimate Journey

Assalamualaikum wbt

Sempat gebang sikit hujung minggu ni since cuti Nuzul al-Quran ni ada kelapangan sikit. Gebang pun tak boleh panjang-panjang macam kuliah Subuh sebab banyak urusan lain jugak yang kita kena kawtim kan.

Petikan beberapa perkongsian berikut ni dari Ustadz Hanif Ghazali yang mai kat surau kami tanggal 27-Julai 2012 yang lalu. That would be circa 6-Ramadhan 1433 Hijrah. Ustadz ni punya memori memang tersangat aku kagum. Perhaps dia guna Core2 duo kot.

Dia merakamkan segala tarikh-tarikh kemenangan Islam sejak dari 1 Hijrah lagi sampai ke zaman ini. Paling koman pun yang aku boleh recall, ada dekat 20 lebih tarikh dan peristiwa yang beliau kongsikan. Hampir 10 minit jugak lah dia kasi perabih sejarah tu dengan tarikh dan sedikit ringkasan sejarah tersebut.

Jadi dapat dikupaskan bahawa Islam memang hebat zaman terdahulu especially zaman kepimpinan Rasullullah saw serta zaman khalifah-khalifah yang terkemudiannya. Hebat tak hebatnya mereka tu, hampir kesemua peperangan besar mereka peroleh kemenangan di bulan Ramadhan. Dalam menjalani ibadah berpuasa pun, mereka bukan sahaja mampu mengangkat pedang untuk berjuang, malah siap menang lagi. Ni bukan pi Olimpik siap boleh keluar statement qadha puasa sebab nak mengharumkan nama Negara beb. Mana ada hukum macam tu kecuali untuk mereka yang benar-benar sakit atau musafir untuk ke jalan Allah swt.

Sampaikan satu peperangan yang menarik perhatian aku, ustadz bercerita, kaum Yahudi siap tak nak berperang dengan tentera Islam di bulan Ramadhan sebab takut kalah. Sama ada mereka akan cuba habiskan perang tu sebelum sampai Ramadhan atau siap boleh pospon lepas Ramadhan. Sampai begitu sekali kehebatan umat Islam dulu. Allahuakbar.

Aku dapat simpulkan sendiri, keyakinan mereka dengan Allah swt yang tak berbelah bagi itulah kunci untuk kemenangan para sahabat tatkala itu. Subhanallah.

Lantas ustadz memanggil kita untuk merebut peluang di bulan yang teramat mulia ini untuk bermuhasobah. Mengenang kemungkaran yang telah kita lakukan selama 30 or 40 tahun kita hidup di dunia Allah swt ini. Tatkala inilah peluang yang terbuka luas Allah swt beri peluang atau buka pintu taubat untuk kita. Rugi sangatlah kalau kita tak grab the chance. Dah 30 hingga 40 tahun kita ni lara/lagha sangat dengan keduniaan. Dan pernahkah kita terfikir Allah swt yang maha pengasih & penyayang itu sentiasa memberi kita peluang untuk mengejar ketaqwaan dah 30-40 tahun jugak? Kalau 30-40 tahun kita masih lagi menganggap Ramadhan itu hanya berpuasa sebagai adat, maka sebaiknya lah kita timbal semula ideology tersebut. Jangan kita teruskan amalan sekadar ikutan semata-mata. Ambil lah peluang kolej Ramadhan ini sebagai  training ground untuk kita mengejar the ultimate marathon.

Seperti yang aku janjikan sebelum ini, ustadz menyentuh tentang malam seribu bulan iaitu malam Lailatul Qadr. Malam pengampunan yang ultimate dan di mana Allah swt akan limpahkan rezeki kepada umatNya yang beriman. Ustadz bagi tips macam mana kita nak kecapi peluang tersebut. Formulanya agak mudah tapi memang memerlukan komitmen & keikhlasan yang ultimate.

Solat berjemaah waktu Maghrib

Solat berjemaah waktu Isya’

Solat berjemaah waktu Subuh

Kalau dapat kawtim yang tiga ni, InsyaAllah aku rasa kita juga tiada masalah untuk menunaikan solat-solat sunat tengah malam yang lain seperti tahajjud, taubat, hajat & solat sunat tasbih. Yang sunat inilah sebagai pelengkap di mana Allah swt senantiasa akan kagum dengan umatNya yang sanggup meninggalkan keenakan tilam & bantal yang empuk hanya untuk memperhambakan diri untukNya.

Ini bukan gebang kosong beb. Ini janji Allah swt yang telah tertulis di dalam Qalamullah. Janji Allah swt yang tidak akan dimungkiriNya.

Tapi jangan juga kita menyesali kerana tidak merebut peluang ini sebab terdapat beberapa golongan yang Allah swt tidak akan ampunkan dosa mereka walaupun para Malaikat cuba untuk mengaminkan doa mereka. Antara golongan tersebut ialah:

Mereka yang mensyirikkan Allah

Mereka yang menabur fitnah

Mereka yang melakukan dosa besar di bulan Ramadhan seperti minum arak

Mereka yang melakukan dosa secara terang-terangan di bulan Ramadhan seperti membuka aurat

Mereka yang memutuskan silaturrahim. Kalau ada yang masih bermasam muka dengan sahabat tu, elok lah sangat pi mohon ampun & maaf. Apatah lagi kalau punca bermasam muka tu semata-mata sebab dunia.

Mereka yang menderhakai ibu bapa mereka. Jangan tunggu raya baru nak mohon ampun & maaf. Sekarang ni elok pi buat teruih.

Na’uzubillah. Moga dijauhkan kita dari tergolong dalam golongan-golongan ini. Kalau kita masih atau pernah terjebak atau melakukan kemungkaran ini, rebutlah peluang bulan yang penuh kebesaran ini untuk bertaubat. Nak tau cara bertaubat, boleh mula dari sekarang untuk mencari ilmu taubat itu sendiri. Cara paling mudah untuk kita berjinak-jinak dengan pendekatan taubat, pi attend majlis Qiamullail yang dianjurkan di mana-mana surau dan masjid berdekatan. Sure ada punya, especially bila dah dekat-dekat nak habis Ramadhan ni.

Kalau kita boleh menyalurkan tenaga & komitmen untuk habiskan marathon, ultra marathon, powerman, ironman, swim marathon, jalan kaki 12 jam, kayuh beribu-ribu kilometer, raja bukit ka, aku rasa paling koman sejam setengah kita menurunkan martabat kita untuk sujud kepada Allah swt di Qiamullail pasti boleh. Pencapaian keduniaan dengan medal dan PB yang kita banggakan sangat tu, takde gunanya kalau kita masih tak kembali kepada jalan Allah swt, iaitu jalan yang menuju kepada kejayaan hakiki iaitu syurga Allah swt. Ini pesanan untuk diri aku, untuk keluargaku dan juga untuk sahabat-sahabatku.

“Sesungguhnya Kami menurunkan al-Qur’an pada malam al-Qadar, tahukah engkau apakah malam al-Qadar itu? Malam al-Qadar itu lebih baik dari seribu bulan. Pada malam itu turunlah malaikat-malaikat dan Jibril dengan izin Rabb mereka (untuk mengatur) segala urusan. Malam itu penuh kesejahteraan sehingga terbit fajar.”

(al-Qadar, 97: 1-5)

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Alhamdullillah segala puji-pujian, Tuhan  yang memelihara & mentadbir sekelian alam. Syukur ke hadrat Illahi kita telah melepasi fasa pertama bulan berkat Ramadhan. Semoga kita mendapat rahmat Allah yang diutuskan melalui malaikat-malaikat yang senantiasa berdoa untuk orang-orang yang beriman.

Aku mohon ampun & maaf di atas segala kekhilafan dalam meninggalkan blog untuk berkongsi bersama ilmu-ilmu Allah swt yang saban hari kami di surau tidak putus-putus terima dari ustadz-ustadz. Sehingga malam ini aku terpanggil untuk berbicara tentang tanggungjawab kita menyampaikan ilmu-ilmu (peringatan) ini untuk panduan kita mengejar ketaqwaan. Terutama di bulan yang penuh barakah ini.

Surah al-A’la

[8]Dan Kami tetap memberi kemudahan kepadamu untuk (melaksanakan segala perkara) Ugama yang mudah diterima oleh akal yang sihat. [9]Oleh itu berilah peringatan (kepada umat manusia dengan ajaran Al-Quran), kalau-kalau peringatan itu berguna (dan sudah tentu berguna); [10]Kerana orang yang takut (melanggar perintah Allah) akan menerima peringatan itu; [11]Dan (sebaliknya) orang yang sangat celaka akan menjauhinya, [12]Dia lah orang yang akan menderita bakaran neraka yang amat besar (azab seksanya),

Kuliah subuh weekend yang lalu kami didatangkan dengan Ustadz Badrul Hisham, yang sememangnya terkenal dengan kehebatannya bertutur mengenai ilmu Allah swt. Beliau cuba membawa kami dalam mengupas isi kandungan dan matlamat setiap amalan kita di bulan Ramadhan. Ini adalah semata-mata sebagai peringatan buat kita bahawa sesungguhnya ibadah berpuasa itu adalah rukun dan bukan adat.

Ustadz cuba mengupas rahsia ilmu Allah swt tentang puasa & sekaligus cuba mengkaitkan dengan segala ibadah lain dalam rukun Iman kita. Bahkan ustadz menggalakkan kita mengenali ilmu ibadah ini & difardhukan kita untuk senantiasa berilmu dalam mengerjakan ibadah. Ilmu akan membawa kita kepada kefahaman tentang apa yang kita buat & bukan semata-mata ikutan kerana dengan sekadar ikut-ikutan, kita belum tentu mendapat keredhaan Allah swt. Sesungguhnya dengan ilmu itu, ibadah kita akan lebih bermakna mudah-mudahan akan membawa kita kepada keimanan yang ultimate.

Ustadz menyentuh tentang ibadah solat. Sesungguhnya ibadah ini difardhukan untuk kita sebagai bekalan dunia. Kita saban hari mendengar solat itu tiang agama. Benar. Tanpa tiang-tiang ini, kita akan mudah alpa dengan arus dunia yang semakin hebat melalaikan kita. Fardhu bermakna wajib. Itulah hisab pertama yang akan dipersoalkan di hari perhitungan kelak. Bahawasanya dengan kekuatan yang Allah swt kurniakan untuk kita, Istiqomah yang kita kejar kerana resam kita di dunia ini sentiasa gagal dengan isitiqomah. Maka semoga kita lebih berilmu dalam mengerja rukun pertama ini. Hadiri lah majlis-majlis ilmu, banyakkan bertanya dan tatapi lah buku-buku panduan agama.

Peringkat kedua dari solat ini, ustadz memanggil kita untuk mengenal pengertian berpuasa itu sendiri. Tentang rahmat Allah swt. Apa itu rahmat? Contoh yang paling nyata di fasa pertama ialah tak lain tak bukan dengan fenomena kehadiran yang besar dari umat Islam ke masjid-masjid dan surau. Allah swt telah menurunkan rahmat ke dunia dengan menyentuh hati setiap di antara kita di setiap pelusuk dunia untuk sama-sama ke masjid mengerjakan ibadah solat berjemaah. Itu lah di antara fenomena rahmat Allah yang sangat aku kagum. Pernahkah kita terfikir? Berjuta umat mengejar rahmat ini kerana peluang ini hanya didatangkan kepada kita hanya di bulan Ramadhan. Sesungguhnya Allah swt telah berjanji bahawa setiap amalan di bulan besar ini akan dibalas dengan ganjaran yang berlipat kali ganda. Itu janji Allah. Janji yang telah dinyatakan di dalam kalammullah, al-Quranulkarim.

Fasa kedua Ramadhan juga dikenali dengan fasa pengampunan atau maghfirah. Namun pengertian pengampunan tidak akan hadir tanpa rasa penyesalan di atas segala kemungkaran yang selama ini kita lakukan. Berbalik kepada rahmat yang kita kecapi di fasa pertama, beserta dengan kesedaran iman & istiqomah, maka kesedaran di atas dosa-dosa yang lalu akan kita rasai. Di saat dan ketika inilah kita akan bermunajad memohon pengampunanNya dengan rasa penuh penyesalan. Alat atau tools yang paling popular untuk kita terus memperhambakan diri ini adalah melalui Zikrullah. Zikir membantu kita sentiasa mengingati Allah. Setiap lafaz dibibir perlu penghayatan yang mendalam sehingga hati kita tersentuh dengan zikir tersebut. Lebih banyak kita berzikir, lebih sentiasa kita mengingati Allah, sekaligus kita akan terus memohon keampunan & meninggalkan segala kemungkaran.

Fasa ketiga. Fasa yang sering kali kita dengar sebagai fasa pembebasan dari api neraka. Di mana inilah sefaham aku sebagai matlamat kita hidup di bumi Allah. Bumi yang Allah pinjamkan untuk kita sebagai khalifah bagi mentadbir kehidupan kita sendiri, keluarga malah persekitaran kita. Segalanya adalah untuk dunia yang ultimate iaitu kehidupan di hari akhirat. Syurga. Itu yang kita mahukan. Sesungguhnya terdapat 4 jenis umat yang akan sentiasa dirindui syurga (1) Orang yang sentiasa membaca al-Quran. (2) Orang yang sentiasa menjaga pertuturannya. (3) Orang yang memberi makan kepada orang yang lapar. (4) Orang yang berpuasa di bulan Ramadhan.

Kita boleh kupas sendiri pengertian 4 jenis orang ini sesungguhnya ia nampak mudah untuk kita kecapi tapi tanpa ilmu, tanpa keimanan, tanpa istiqomah dan kesedaran sangat mudah juga untuk kita leka & melepaskan peluang yang Allah janjikan ini. Bahkan kita tambah lagi dengan kemungkaran.

Dalam kita mengejar keberkatan Ramadhan, jangan sekali-kali kita lupa dengan tanggungjawab lain kita sebagai umat Islam. Perkara-perkara yang paling asas seperti menjaga aurat. Ramai di kalangan kita yang semakin mengambil mudah dengan tanggungjawab ini. Bahkan sudah menjadi lumrah mencampur aduk kan ibadah dengan keingkaran menutup aurat. Kita berpuasa, kita bersolat tapi kita juga masih tidak menjaga aurat kita. Perkara paling asas ini perlu diperingatkan dari peringkat awal iaitu di peringkat organisasi keluarga sendiri. Ayah & suami selaku ketua keluarga adalah dipertanggungjawabkan untuk membimbing ahli keluarga tentang ini. Bahkan ingat mengingati juga perlu ada istiqomah dalam kita sama-sama menuju genggaman ketaqwaan.

Sesungguhnya apa yang buruk datangnya dari aku dan yang baik hanya dari Allah swt. Cukup setakat ini yang sempat aku kongsi bersama ilmu Allah swt dengan bantuan ustadz melalui tazkirah-tazkirah yang mampu aku catatkan.

Di 10 malam terakhir Ramadhan akan berlakunya malam Lailatu Qadr. Mudah-mudahan kita bersedia untuknya kerana belum tentu kita akan bertemu Ramadhan yang akan datang. Rebutlah peluang. Semoga dengan kekuatan yang Allah kurniakan, aku akan cuba kongsi bersama kehebatan malam tersebut. Allahuakbar. Amin.

Window

With this tiny window left of Syaaban, I hope it is not too late to wish Ed-Mubarak to all Muslims. May we get the best of Barakah & Rahmat from Allah swt in this great month. And may we pray from this tiny window, it will open up to a wider perspective of beautiful Islam for all of us.

Allah swt may have given us another chance to meet Ramadhan again this year. Praise to Allah for the health and opportunity.

I was on a roller coaster ride for the past few weeks. The central nerve system crashed at the very last moment prior to Ipoh Century Ride. Though, mentally I was in a lower anticipation of the ride, a small residue of spirit rode away with friends completing the distance. Truth be told, I was not so disappointed from the absence. Only Allah swt knows what is best for me.

Recovery took ages for this old module. I was mentally weak with only enough memory to run the task of an employee. Not even a gigabyte. Being so tight with work schedule, I have only a handful of mind left for the remaining task and chores for the family. Not a single glimpse of thought was managed for my love of cycling. The evening was only spent following what remains from the stages of Tour de France. If I fell asleep with only 10 km to finish, the morning shall be spent watching the race highlights. However, the spirit of it was not as high as before. Adding to the calamity, I found more favorite riders abandoning the tour, be it due to injuries from crashes or from failing doping tests.

Allah almighty. He gave me strength to recover just in time for Ramadhan. From the burnt out spirit of cycling and the flu, I was re-fresh for Ramadhan. As a human, the building blocks of Rejab & Syaaban went pass me in a brief. I pray that I have the strength for the powerful Ramadhan challenge.

Allow me to shed some light from tonight’s message of tazkirah.

In this early chapter of the holy month, we were reminded to be prepared for it. We are being given this chance, this year. We should cherish the moment in full swing and take advantage of  the capital given by Allah swt for the investment.

1.    Aqidah. It is a strong word. We should embrace the definition. We should look back and recuperate our beliefs and faith. Make it stronger. Put it deep into our hearts that Allah swt is the only God & Muhammad s.a.w. is his messenger. Faith in the science of al-Quran. Faith in Malaikat. Faith in the afterlife. And even in Qada’ & Qadar. How far have we embrace the Rukun of Iman?

2.    Knowledge. Grab this chance to go deeper into the knowledge of Islam. Start from the simplest things of wudhu’ and solat. Or even our perspective of aurat. An even the meaning of salawat is a very strong insight. Or even we may need to define ourselves to the task of Tarawih. Knowledge brings us closer to being Taqwa, as we do not want our sacrifices goes down the drain without knowing the right knowledge.

3.  Physical. Stay healthy and strong. No it’s not for the races and challenges after Ramadhan that we so looked forward to. Not the KOM. Not Powerman. Not even for that 10K race a week after Aidilfitri. We need the stamina to embrace the 30 days with plans and workout schedule for Ramadhan. Tarawih, Tadarus, Tahajjud, Hajat, Dhuha, Tafsir, Tazkirah. This is one great building block.

4.    Focus. Ramadhan comes only once in a year. Chasing the glories of PBs and podiums or even logging dailymiles for the rest of the 11 months had to make way. This is the true and reality of the eternal life. We might want to consider cutting down time spent on day works and workouts. Go moderate. Forget about those hill repeats for a moment. Cut down on those training talks. The amount of amal is so small compared to the life that we chase on this surface of earth. How do we justify that? Are we prepared to answer for the judgment day? Allahu akbar. The almighty and nothing comes close to Him. Not even the 20k carbon frames, or the 15k Lightweight wheels.

It is still not too late. We are provided with the chance. Again. For this year. Some souls were not. They have returned to the Creator. Last year’s Ramadhan was their last. We? We don’t have the slightest idea of what awaits around the corner. We might not be able to see Aidilfitri after all. Or even that race we have signed for. Hence, this window is our chance.

These may sound so harsh for some but I’m just shedding some lights of the importance of the true fight that we should be thinking of. May Allah swt have mercy on us and give us strength to fight our place for the ‘podium’. Amin.  :]

The Two Sisters

Hold on. This post is going to be epic. It’s an epic since I covered almost the hold Sunday on it since the ride was on Saturday. And it took the whole day because most of it was running the duty of a principal monitoring younglings’ revision and eating. Hence, it would be advisable to spend time reading it while having a packet of kuaci or if you skip lunch or puasa sunat Senin-Khamis :]

Epic nya haiii…

This is the ride of 2012 (at the moment of entry). It was the one that I bit off more than I can chew. It is the one that I rarely can commit due to other priority commitments. And the one that I don’t easily commit for the risk that I barely can take.

With Ipoh Century Ride weeks away, a few of us are nearing the end of our training program. Which means, it’s taper time! Balik kampong. Makan. Rest the mind. Rest the body. It’s time for it to rebuild the system for the finale. I was so looking forward to it. No, not the finale but the taper instead. Hahaha. Al-maklum, full time weekend warrior & yes, I meant full time sebab no weekdays training agendas. Give me hill repeats, speed drills, night rides, saddling up on trainers. No thanks. I have to take a rain cheque.

When the miles are high for the ultimate week in the training regime, I don’t have many route options around. Unlike running, we can always run alone hitting the gritting plateau (secret training la kira). But, we can’t afford to cycle alone for 5 to 6 hours. Especially when love ones waiting for us at home. Especially when hitting cyclists with cars are like virtual games in Playstation (maybe this is one of the theory?!).

I had only 2 options. Saturday ride with BJCC doing the fabled Genting Sempah – Gap – Genting Sempah, covering 170km with 2 major climbs that can make you lose your minds and legs at the same time. Or, I can join another group to Morib and back. Getting another tan line after last week’s Kuala Selangor ride is just like killing the spirit. The sun ain’t getting any cooler nowadays. And dehydrating big time at this age isn’t wise. Hence, the grannies were signed.

Gorgeous terrain

I haven’t been around this part of cycling routes for this year. Travelling from Cheras takes 30km while burning fossil fuel just for a ride isn’t a good practice if I want to safe earth and at the same time stay healthy. But, today it’s optional. We met up with the rest of the close buddies at Petronas Taman Melati (nostalgic la pulak bila teringat Genting Trailblazer 2010). Eventually rendezvoused with BJCC at R&R Genting Sempah. The cool breeze from Genting Highland was just awesome. But, we haven’t much time to enjoy it.

A short brief by ride leader, Capt. Roy and headcount found 16 gave a shot at the crazy thing while 5-6 others will bail off at Bentong only. We rolled off from GS onto the old Gombak  Road all strung out tapping brakes now and then less any room for chit chats due to poor road condition (I thought election road supposed to be here as well?). All the way down to Bentong covering 30km in an hour which with my rusty mathematical mind, the attempt back up will double the time. Argh!

First regroup at Shell Bentong had almost everybody rushing for the loo. Chilling and shaky ride I guess. After farewell and exchanging lucks with the shorter route buddies, we headed on through the busy Bentong town in a pack until Jalan Teras, the juncture into the rurals. It was the start of engaging into climbing legs and where the road took a rolling and scenic way.

Out of town and into the wild

I guess the damped air and the foul odor of processed rubber from local plantations took the best out of us. As we attempted the demanding route, the demand for O2 increases, hence I find it unpleasant to be breathing the odor. But, we had no choice. We tried to stay together most of the time but the rolling hills kept on splitting us. As charted, the peak should be at Sang Lee (sounds more to me like Sara Lee the cake….yummy at one time, ages ago).  With fresh legs, reaching the first summit was almost unnoticed. We were rewarded with 40kph into TT mode to Tranum. Syiok oooo…

We didn’t stop long to regroup, since everyone was excited to go for the ‘kill’. And which also reminds me that this kill is only half of the ultimate one. The scenic fresh route was always a therapy for scenic lovers like me. Plus, the gradual 2-3% and at times 4% climb slowly combine into a massive 20km long strength/endurance chillax (depends on how you define your attack).

Of course all of us were lost into our own fantasies. The front group was probably fantasizing on Col du Tourmalet of Mont Ventoux famous climb. The second group (a mix of BJCC & us) was definitely fantasizing the meal up at the Gap for lunch! The last group, I’ve no idea but looking from the spinning ratio, dying was probably best defined.

We have done 64km in our legs and the 20km upwards was slowly feasting on the remaining juice. Halfway through, the body started to resist comfort. Legs getting heavier and even my shoulders getting stiffer and pain were definitely defining the whole situation. It seemed endless and a few others started counting the remaining miles (it may sound like the female voice from the mobile GPS at times). It was the greatest relief upon seeing the famous Fraser Hill (ala Hollywood) sign atop the hill. We really can’t take another bit of the climb if they decided to move the rest area 100 meters further.

Snaking into the highland

No more delicious chicken rice like last time, perhaps due to the lack of travelers stopping by since the one way up to Fraser’s Hill & the other way down have re-commissioned. Hence, we only had nasi lemak or burger. I had both!. The chill moments made me starve, and the remaining 84km back to GS with an empty stomach would call disaster. We chill for half an hour until the whole group arrived.

Like climbing Everest (chewah! Macam gempak aje bunyi), the ride back was the ultimate challenge. The monstrosity of the 30km climb back from Bentong to GS was too vague to imagine. It can come in many ways. It can be a ‘downhill’ ride, literally, or a crawl of life.

I took the safer way descending down to Tranum by coasting as much as possible. Safe the legs la konon. Hehe. Descending can be horrific for some, but as long as we pick the safest line, it should be the best way to enjoy the refreshing breeze smacking your face.

Alhamdullillah we regrouped safely down at Tranum and resume in a pack all the way towards Jalan Teras (the main road Bentong-Raub) once again. It was another wise attempt to stay together nailing the rolling Sang Lee stretch when the climate started to adds to the punishing miles. We took turn doing the pulling, and that 20km went by with a brief. Phew! That went well for a start, I meant back.

Profile

The ride into Bentong divided us into three groups due to traffic and road junctions. I was caught doing the pulling for almost 7km into town and opening up for a rest was not an option when vehicles buzzing by like bullets. Argh! The bee line strung out with almost about 10 riders behind. I knew I had to keep it going to avoid distracting the traffic and going slower will open up risks. I guess that attempt zapped up 20% of my remaining juice which was supposed to be utilized for the remaining climb.

Upon checking in at Shell Bentong, I can hardly stand. The mart’s floor was the most comfortable place to enjoy a can of Coke, plus the airconditioned room. The front group decided to cool down with the famous Kow Po ice kacang. The last group was nowhere to be seen. The five of us was what’s left to attempt the final push. Iqbal from BJCC was a new buddy in the group.

Exiting Bentong and back into old Gombak Road was mostly lead by Azmar. I was silently latching on to Jaja’s wheel at the back of five of us. The solidarity feeling was starting to go void, where it kept playing in my mind to just let go. This iron-butt can no longer stand another hour. Climbing all the way back provides no room for coasting, it’s either I stand climb or took a break by the road side.

My short goal was to get myself up to the Hot Spring. 10km mark. The longest I felt, ever. I soaked my head and dehydrate as much as possible. I knew the end will come soon, but in cycling, it’s all about hanging out a little bit longer.

The first group caught up with us. Then the third group, which seemed like a good chance to latch on and form a bigger climbing bunch. We managed to stay in a group of ten, but still I was playing roulette struggling to keep up.

The bitterest sight in a ride group was the sight of the last butt fading away into a corner. That happened at KM15 into the climb. I can’t hold on much longer and slowly resorted to obey my screaming heart rate. Azmar decided to let lose as well, from the trust in us, he volunteered to accompany me. I latched on to his wheel for another 5km until we arrived to a few of us whom decided to take a break at a school lay-by. It was a big relief.

Refreshing from the pain was the only accord that I can afford. Just like stopping at water stations in a marathon. It gave me a boost for the next round. I had to leave the group since it was now an individual/solo struggle. A few of them seemed so exhausted, which reminds me not to stay long to wait. Azmar was caught on a phone, but I just had to leave and trust that he will definitely catch up. It was me and me alone for the next endless 5km to Janda Baik junction. The bad road condition just adds up banging this tired mortal.

Azmar was complaining of starving. We opted for another quick stop to share my dates. I squeezed my last drop of water from the bottle and knew that the last push will be inenvitable. I just had to keep on spinning and avoiding the red zone. It was not because that I don’t want to go bonk in the middle of the remaining 6km climb, but the post ride condition was my priority. Injury and excessive fatigue was not in the menu. Slowly does it, Azmar was screaming as we approached the rest area, and I was holding my relieveness…big time! Alhamdullillah.

It was an epic journey, an epic distance. 168km in 6 hours plus of riding time. That should cover the two weeks rest/taper-balik kampong- bedal.com part. Cheers to all ride buddies. You guys were awesome suffer freaks.

One for the classroom photo

West side ride story

When the weather isn’t merciful, we cyclist had to chose the better of both worlds i.e. come prepared with an inch of sun block or stay indoors on the grueling trainer. The hazy weather lately adds in to the challenge. Again we had to repeat last year’s camaraderie of updating API reading now and then as we approach the weekend. Hence, the ride venue will be decided then and then only.

From last week’s Broga fruitful cozy attempt, we just had to forget about climbing anymore, be it a small ant hill. We had to have pancakes. API from Kuala Selangor sounds convincing enough, plus the pancake route just adds up to the sweetness of the syrup. It should give us circa 115km or so, just enough to taste the bitterness in the legs.

With thousands of people running in the city for SCKLM 2012 that same morning, I assumed we had less traffic over the other side of Klang Valley. The same route that was ridden before with BJCC, and I just had to make a comeback for it, this time with more attention to energy and hydration management. I have to put this in mind since the flat route can be the greatest mischief of all. You’ll be long gone whacking the crank as it easily gets the meter tops 40kph and by the time you play dead by the roadside at half the distance, the legs have already gone empty as well as body fluid. That is so un-cool especially when considering the flat roads here reaches as far as the eye can see.

The route, as laid out by fellow localities Ziff and Alwin, we exited Bukit Jelutong into GCE and moments later exited to Jalan Batu Arang. The rolling hills were such a pleasure for sudden surge to the heart rate and the cold wet tar opened up to refreshing kampong scenes along Jalan Paip towards Meru town. Oooo…ini lah dia pekan Meru rupanya. Ngeh ngeh ngeh.

The flat and straight road continued on from Meru to Kapar. Traffic started building up as we stopped and go at each traffic light. The coastal air started to fill our lungs as we wisely control our pace line chugging the peloton in rotation. With three new ride buddies joining the ride, we had no problem blending in as everybody knows the ride ethics. We were one strong train bonding against any feat thrown at. It was a good drill as we have the road aplenty and miles and miles of flats. Less the scattered utility manholes than can cause severe manhood damage, we had to save the sightseeing for hand signals waving all over the places and shouting out for…Holes!

Eventually we reached Kuala Selangor. Alhamdullillah. Just a bit further towards the kopitiam shop area where the 7-Eleven opposite served us Gatorades and some quick bites. Yes, it was planned as a no-frills-ride (means no makan besar ride). 15 minutes tops, we were on the road once again, taking the first left turn into Jalan Rawang from Kuala Selangor town. The best about small town like this, the hectic traffic dispersed right away as one left just a kilometer away. And there was not a single honking can be heard, replaced with yet another stretch of beautiful long flat road cutting across plantations after plantations of padi fields and palm oil. We were too focus on our pace line I presumed, and the strong headwinds of course, we just had to let go of the breathtaking sceneries. OK la, perhaps next time we come with touring bikes, we go slower and stop at every coconut stall.

We routed into Batang Berjuntai town (pardon them for the ‘obscure’ name…hehehe) and took the first right major turn cranking yet another stretch of straight course towards Ijok. And the wind started bringing in the heat. We started to notice some tired legs as the pace line started to yo-yo once in a while. The judgment from each of us maintaining the peloton form was a thumbs-up. Thanks to Syaful & Azman, the two young strong buddies, we pulled it off checking in at Petronas Ijok for the second pit stop. The welcoming air conditioned outlet simply irresistible. Chilled Coke was my remedy for calories and sugar replenishing. And a bit of chatting to chase the weakened legs away.

The roads ahead were anticipated to be tough as the heat gets stronger by the hour. Enrouted into Jalan Kuala Selangor we were in search of Guthrie Corridor Expressway for our final route back to Bukit Jelutong. Still maintaining pace line, we withstood at any obstacles thrown at us be it the rolling roads.

Eventually we found the entrance to GCE and the motorcycle lane provided the room for solitary riding. As we were less prone to traffic hazard on the dedicated motorcycle lane, we were strung out miles apart obeying to every mental games available. I just had to let go of the front group and played the role of supporting the weakening one. The heat and wind didn’t ease down, not a single second. It just played the music of damage on and on, but the soldiering carried on. A few regrouping were held for mental & psychological boost. We clocked in 115km in 4 hours grinning for the rest of the day. Thanks to Awe, Syaful and Syed Azman for chipping in. All 10 of us definitely did well. I ranked this ride as one the most smartest & most ‘tatasusila’ ride. Thumbs-up guys. 

Such a wonderful world

The mind will let you know when it’s time to slow down and take detour for a different kind of pleasure. And I am thankful (all praise to Allah) that he knows what and when things are better served for us.

Honestly, I was kind of in a rundown/burnt out from too much tar and grime up my legs.  Plus the boredom that crept in. And so was the melting passion. And also the surrounding world of cycling as well (berat dah kes ni). With running took a backseat, and attempting PD triathlon was not a priority, I was gamed for reliving what was left so many years ago.

After the first attempt at drilling PCP last week, the weekend retreat in Kuantan food joints during school break was relieving. Zero milage & more calories. Though Kuantan is known for expensive eateries (depends what you choose, kalau setakat sata & kepok leko apa ada hal?), I took the taxing eating fee as just another vacation expenditure (short review la konon). Puiii…

My weekdays were cacar merba ever since January & I have not the slightest idea of what input to have. Saddling up on the trainer pun was not in the picture. But that was not until last week, when the opportunity and camaraderie evolved into passion (does these theories ever exist?). I mean, really. With the loan bike and a bunch of enthusiastic buddies, plus huge amount of racun tikus, I wallop PCP again, twice! Both on my way back from work outstation, hence PCP would be a great pit stop for some evening hero stuff.

The first day took my breath away, as excitement overruled capability. I was huffing badly like a boar, and within minutes I was sitting under the shelter feeling light headed. That was scary. The rest of the ride was kept at 41 year old mountain goat pace. Hahaha.

The following day, wallop lagi! This time, I came ready. An old friend decided to join & he’s more of a weekend warrior as compared to the speed demons weekend racer. Speed demons vanished into the trails mere seconds as we hit the foliage. Rahilmy & me, we took the nostalgic way appreciating and studying the trail in details. Such a wonderful world!

And concluding the enthusiasm level, a buddy signed me up for my first race. Ceh!

Dreaded weekend came, and the earlier plan to ride Broga brought shivers up my spine. Two weeks absent & though Broga reverse loop, it was never easy and only once did I complete it with smiles than gruel. And, this time, it was gruel.

A bold move, attempting it from home, and the earlier estimated miles was circa 130km. It was 143km eventually. With four major climbs. Aiyak! By the end of the ride, it was expressionless to face anymore climbs. Despite some haze in Langat in the beginning and Semenyih town later during the ride, the rest of it was generous weather and rain at Bukit Tangga. We had no sun throughout. That was a pleasure indeed. I was engaging endurance pace, hence I was always the slow marker la. Hehe. But it was a great attempt.

Reliving the mountain biking days

I can’t wait to post this. Nothing fancy but more like syiok sendiri. Sori beb :]

Finally my dream came true. Alhamdullillah & thanks to a friend, I was brought back to the path I used to hantam 9 years ago…The Holy Grail.

The Holy Grail tu apa? It’s a term us mountain bikers use to describe the perfect bike trail where a long rolling and switchback singletrack beats your heart out until you want to scream with 200% satisfaction.

It’s been years. But, lately a few buddies tabor racun terlalu kerap until the lalang also cannot grow anymore. Hence, the dream burns slow like a slow cooker. When racun came, the flame grew & then dimmed, until the next racun. But last night, an offer I can’t resist. Ayob offered me his bike. Like play laying-layang, I was a bit hesitant. Malu konon. Puiii…

When the offer was repeatedly asked, I took it with great honor. Terus plan for a ride with Azmar. Where? The Putrajaya Challenge Park. They say, it’s the best man-made trail, designed by the best trail builder import dari obersi lagi. I never had the chance to ride here since I sold my bike a year before the trail was completed and opened. If it’s truly as juicy as Kiara, I must come prepared.

I trusted the steed I’m loaning is ready for the trail. My skills? I doubt it. It’s been too many years since I launched down those switchbacks and short burst climbs. Don’t forget the long granny ones as well.

After a hectic day at the office & being in a mobile office honoring the client & local authorities, I finally rendezvoused with Azmar & Shaiful at PCP. Didn’t have the slightest idea of what’s waiting me behind those canopied hills. It was almost 5.30 p.m. when we started clicking in and rolled out.

Too bad the first climb was already a majlis pecah peluh semangkuk. A 100 m long granny & I was excited keeping steady not to give up on it. If I make it to the top, my heart will beat rhythmically like a drum for the rest of the ride.

I shouted in disbelief upon concurring it. Yeehaa! Give me some more! The following twist and turn really reminds me of the old Bukit Kiara Trail. And I am thankful to be reliving it. It was a 5km loop but enough for a good strength workout. Tagging along with these guys was really pushing my demeanor limits. They swerved at the tightest switchbacks. They attacked climbs and short bursts. They even assaulted the roller coaster ride like there’s no tomorrow! And I, obediently chucked in behind pressing my quads and calves and tapping the brakes as silky as I can. The bike swerved, screeched & banged like never before.

Now this trail is a thumbs up. Pretty much like Kiara but nothing close. I believed the old Kiara trails still the most technical trail I've ever ridden. Well, at least this trail is closer to my place :]

The trail was so juicy, with just a pinch of sugar over it, it really made my day. I smiled for the rest of the evening. But, my hands were still shaking while holding the bottle. Well what do you know?! I survived any face plant possible. I am still a mountain biker after all! Hahaha! :]

bedal.com - Putrajaya International Junior Triathlon

Nasib baik la cuti sekolah. Or else I’ll be dragging myself to the ironing room & dok gosok baju sekolah in zombie mode. And I thought supervising my kids for an event was a chill thing, but somehow it almost bonked me until today.

From Saturday’s ride into Langat, I was still exhausted. Lama dah tak masuk Langat, and I was excited to repeat the intervals up Genting Peres like before. Ended up me cranking my remaining legs back to BTHO like a piece of melting jelly. Sempat for a VERY short nap before dragging myself to the race briefing for Putrajaya International Junior Triathlon. Yes, eventually BTHO managed to send representatives after KakLong long break from tri event for the last 2 years. Amir & Umar willingly decided to give it a shot. Actually Umar was the bedal.com type while Amir who is a bit on the follower side did most of the thinking. Sign!

Race briefing. Uncle Chan doing the chicken dance

Despite their not so good swimming skills, aku hentam aje register & I knew Uncle Chan won’t be bothered swimming with floating devices…selagi diorang ni tak naik podium. Hahaha. Yang paling penting, diorang ni confident & nak masuk. So, the first week of school break was not actually a break for us. With Kaklong busy attending extra classes during the day & Amir attending summer camp, our evenings were spent mostly doing mini bricks, cycling & running around the neighborhood & swimming at night. As expected, cycling was second to nature for both these guys but running require a bit more umph! Tapi aku tak nak paksa, kalau nak jalan pun takpe. Don’t need to dampen their spirit.

A very last minute preparation with the equipments. I meant last minute, 12 hours before race! Hahaha. Apa punya manager la kan? Macam biasa, multi discipline sports require many equipments. Dah lama tak buat checklist, so ayah pakai ikut sempat aje.

1. Tayar belakang basikal KakLong yang dah lama pecah, baru nak replace. Reason, tak boleh replace awal sebab nanti cepat worn out kids lanyak tiap-tiap petang. Tyre price sama macam tayar Kancil!
2.  Amir’s swimsuit, about time to replace. Signing up for an event is a very good excuse pun. Hahaha. If not pakai sampai kecut.
3. Alamak helmet ada satu je! Dah tentu Umar dah booking sebab itu lah helmet dia pakai every evening. Gali punya gali, nasib baik helmet ayah yang lama ada. So, Amir got the privilege to wear a Giro Atmos. Fuiyo! 
4.  Apa barang pin number kat baju? Ni triathlon la. Gali punya gali…lagi sekali. Amir pakai race belt while Umar pakai Spi Belt, ibu tolong pin kasik kecikkan pinggang sikit. Kelas gitu.

Phew! Nasib baik equipment preparation tidak menelan belanja yang banyak And malam tu sebelum tido sempat simulation for transition atas carpet living room. Hehe.

Another thing I like about Uncle Chan’s organizing, on top of the top notch safety, he still casuals on timing. Since Amir & Umar’s Cat will only start at 10.45am, we don’t need to come early to grab the window for the bike parking. Hence, that morning we took our time having breakfast & drive to Putrajaya. Kelam kabut, especially with the whole family tagging along is normal & we don’t need extra pressure for the race.

Langsung takde gaya nervous

The venue was festive. We met friends all around & the kids made new friends as well. We cheered at all the kids on their races. Free flow Milo was a thumbs-up and some more, we don’t need to queue! Weather was perfect on top of the picturesque Pusat Akuatik Presint 6, Putrajaya. The kids were racing competitively especially the bigger ones (16-19 yo). I can only dream of having their stamina & strength. They completed the course in just 37 minutes!

Umar being guided to his No. 43 starting pontoon

The highlight of the event was the last category (9 yo & below). And that’s where Amir & Umar will be in, for their first tri experience. Swim for 150m + bike 2km + run 800m. Their first open water in the Putrajaya Lake was convincingly prepared & secured with kayakers, jet ski, swimmers and even standby divers. Thumbs up la Uncle Chan. And they were helpful as well especially with these young triathletes.

It was a water start. Hence Umar had to jump into the water & swim to his dedicated pontoon. Thanks to abang kayak’s help to haul & guide him to the starting pontoon no. 43. Amir at no. 9. It took almost 15 minutes for them to wait in the water while the rest of took place. Alhamdullillah Amir & Umar didn’t show any sign of panic. Siap boleh lambai ayah, ibu & kaklong lagi from afar. Steady lah bedal.com!

Amir with kickboard dah macam bot pukat tunda daaa...

The horn went off & on top of the hectic water, the lake shores was also chaotic with parents running and cheering. Hahaha. Memang huru hara lah & I was also one of them la. Thanks to Uncel Det & Naufal who was part of the cheering team. Amir finished the swim ahead of Umar, sebab…Umar dok sibuk sukarela teman kawan baru dia yang a bit slow. Aiyak! Ada pulak sifat belas kasihan masa race?! He was swimming along this other bigger boy who was struggling with his front crawl. Umar rilek je paddling with his float around the waist escorting him.

Done swimming! Huu Huu!

While I was running along Amir towards T1, I had to leave ibu to attend Umar. Amir was fast at T1. Alhamdullillah. Tak sempat nak amik gambar when he mounted the bike. Awhile later Umar came out of T1 and cranking away towards his first open road cycling. Itu lah sebenarnya matlamat dia join race ni. Sebab nak kayuh kat open road. Hahaha. Terkejut aku bila tengok dia stand pedaling right after he left T1, macam pro-cyclist launch for TT tu beb! Hahaha. Det told me moments later Umar was having dilemma throwing his cup of drink after the swim sebab tak jumpa tong sampah! Bagus anak aku ni. Environment conscious betul. Det took away the cup from his hand & get him to run towards T1.

They arrived minutes later still looking strong. Amir dismounted towards T2 like a pro. Mana dia belajar ni? I presumed he watched the bigger kids did it in the previous categories. Memang cekap & smooth aje. T2 was fast. Maybe sebab tak payah fikir pasal makan gel, pakai shades, pakai topi…macam ayah dia. Lol.

Junior TT launching

However Amir was almost drained when started running. He almost reverted to walk but I ran beside him for motivation. And of course the crowd along the way cheered him. It was fun! And then, I remembered Umar who was supposed to finish his bike leg anytime. Amir will do fine I hope. So I dashed over to T2. By this time, I had no idea where was ibu & KakLong. The waiting at T2 was filled with suspense, hence I walked along the towards the pool junction when I saw ibu running in, which means bedal.com arriving! Huhu. He was still strong noticing from his high cadence (looks like lepas ni kena ada bike with gears lah).

Just like Amir, his T2 was smooth as well. As he exited T2 towards the the water station, he can’t say no to the cup of drink handed to him. The same thing happened, he repeated running with the cup half drank in his hand. Aiyak! The official told him to just throw it, but he was confused. I had to give him a chase & get him to throw the cup. Umar ran steadily. Thanks to Naufal, who paced him all the way. Surprisingly, Umar ran all the way without walking. Halfway through, Amir came back and headed towards the finishing line. Alhamdullillah I was so proud of him, despite him being speechless & breathless upon finishing. Hugs & kisses buddy!

We waited for Umar. I can’t wait for the moment. Again I ran towards him & escorted him all the way to the finishing line with more crowds cheering & Mr. Emcee shouted out his name upon crossing the line. Ada pulak two photographers asked him to post biting his medal. Dahsyat! Entah majalah apa la tu? Hahaha.

Bonk defined

Amir was still exhausted from the race while Umar still looks cool. We chilled around for more Milo (later during the day we frequent the restroom as after effect. Lol) & lunched over free KFC by the lake. Moments later, while I was chit chatting, these boys were back to their normal energetic tempo. Kids!

We are the Champions

Alhamdullillah things went well for Amir & Umar & also with the event. It was a great experience for all the kids & parents. If only we have more tri events like this kan?