A Holiday we will go.....

Its been sometime that I have been to a holiday, so packing up my stuff is a bit of a chaotic event but nevertheless, a holiday we will go to LUMUT. The PCC boys and girls (Don, Andrea, Soh, Wai Lam, Ivan, Annie, Glenn, William and xxx) decided to join us by cycling to Lumut to see Powerman.

They left at 4 am in the morning. Thinking and estimating that they might reach manjung at about 1 pm, i pushed off at 8 am and had planned to catch up with them at Sabak Bernam. Alas, with all the road blocks and also at the speed they were going, Joe, PK and me caught up with them near Telok Intan junction. Joe decided to give them drafting services into Lumut and Manjung.

Here is the video captions as we are going into Manjung.


We arrived in Manjung at 12:30 and managed to check into Lead View Hotel soon afterwards. The Lunch near Lumut Port was heavenly and we then recce the road bike course soon afterwards.

Managing and Planning for Nutritions on Long Rides

A lot of riders thinks cycling is about strength and speed. It might be true in short distance ride of 50km or less, but on rides of 80km or more, nutrition management is very important and preparation for this kind of ride is very important. In the recent ride, I watched quite a few gung ho riders (who may have thought they are strong) cycle with very little care for drinks and eating. You can see the fatigue and tiredness sets in on the 100km mark especially when some joker decides to "test" some of the cyclist in the peloton with 50km/hr dash into Ijok. Strong headwind sometimes does not help as well, when u are pacing at 32-34km/hr.

On long rides, it is good to have two bottles of drinks, one bottle with energy/recovery drink while the other with plain water. This has to be consumed at a rate of one or two sip every 10-15 minutes. It will also be good to have carbo loading either in the form of the 50 sen bun every hour or so or at stopping station. Always remember that as rides gets into the late morning towards afternoon, your body tends to loose a lot more water and the water bottle need to be filled up more often.

If you eat or drink when your are tired, you are already drinking/eating too late and this will affect your performance. In some cases, this can bring onset of cramps and this will be most difficult to recover from. Do bring a sachet of powergel/or powerbar in case of emergency.

Cycling is about keeping constant pace, having to slowdown and speed up waste energy, so try to minimise changes of speed. Manage and plan your nutrition on long rides please.

Someone fail Maths

Puasa has just finished and I am back looking for rides that i can do to get back into training. Naturally, look into the PCC newsletter, I came across the Tar and Grime section where there was a ride anouncement that this weekend, PCC is conducting a 100km ride and its starting at 7 am. Now that starting time causes me to be a bit weee suspicious.

Fireup my GPS Mapsource programme and started searching for the route. If my memory serve me correctly, the ride to Ijok Petronas is already about 40km since it is a common popular mid point. Using the Mapsource, and asking it to calculate the route point and lo and behold, the journey to Kampung Kuantan loop is going to be about 38km. Now how does 40+38+40 make up to be 100km.

Dang, some riders are gonna be in a surprise mode this weekend. Be warned of bonus mileage.

Preview of PCC Presidential Ride this year - MTB Event

Presidential ride is just round the corner and I haven't had time to even review, whether I have enough guts or little skill I have to go down all those downhill and narrow switchbacks. Last year , with adrenalin pumping and the innocence of adventure, I went in and attempted almost all the downhill portion. (maybe also becoz malu in front of so many girls la). This was last years report. My MTB is still under surgery with the fork rosak. Need to put in some mileage before this traumatic 60km ride. 60km in trails is equivalent to 180km on road.

Ling the Merciless has documented this well during last years Presidential Ride. Look at that downhill stretch before the end of video. That's towards the end of Loop3 which I had to literally and physically crawl out. I have never seen so many people cramp out before.

Angela Gray also covered it well from a Singaporean perspective here. This year, its going to be tougher with earlier cut off times and the expected time for average rider to come in is at 3 pm. At 3pm, i was still stuck in Loop3 last year due to an over inflated ego and not taking enough water. This year the organizer is capping registration at 600 and within 1 week of registration opening, there are already 200 applications. I think the registration may close sooner then the date due which is end of October.

Going through my checklist for the Presidential ride, lemme see:-
Bike - Not ready
Rider - Not ready
Skill - Where is it?
Registration - Done
Spares and Tools - Rat bitten

Summary - YAHOO - All set for Presidential Ride then - FOR ME TO DOOM-

Cycling Around Batu Arang

Those interested to cycle around Batu Arang town will perhaps want to have some preview of the route and nice terrain of cycling in that part of Selangor. This is one of PCC most enjoyable route. Many cyclist also like this route due to the rolling hills and low traffic volume and not to mention some breath taking view and smell ;-).

I have become Comfortably Numb

That's the feeling that I get after going with the PCC boys and girls in our Biking Holiday from Ipoh, Taiping, Kulim, Bukit Mertajam, Penang Bridge, Balik Pulau and Telok Bahang. The Pink Floyd song kept ringing in my ear as I struggle to finish the last leg while looking for the hotel.

But what can I say about the Interstate2007, its sheer fabulous.

Day 1 Route - Route was excellent, 150km the first day, with just a minor climb at Bukit Berapit. But pace was fast - averaging 30km/hr. Forgot about the small hill climb before Kuala Kangsar though. Had to do three refuel stop, one at kilometer 60, 80 and another at kilometer 110 (ie before the climb). Company was good, notably May Senn and Joanne kept company until Air Kuning and subsequently into Taiping Golf Resort. Arrived at Taiping just about 1 pm.

Day 2 Route - Lead the group out of Taiping Golf Resort, panicked a little for about 20km or so as there was almost 100 eager cyclist dong an average 40km/hr and blocking the whole one and half lane of the road causing jam. Everyone was anticipating the hill climb at 39 km mark, many underestimated the climb and had to push. Went up and down and was breezing with the KOTRT guys at 40km/hr speed upto the 52km mark. Speed went down to average 30km/hr from Selama to the Mahang junction. Nearly bonked due to the heat that day and body overheating. Had it not been due to May Senns' ingenuity of drenching me with a bottle of cold mineral water, I might have to sleep it of somewhere near there. In true friendship and support, she kept company and help me get back to BM (the last 30km). Still managed to reach the Summit Hotel at about 1 pm.

Day 3 Route - The inaugural ride crossing the Penang Bridge was exciting to say the least. Was assisting with the Marshaling of riders upto Queensbay Mall. (Note to self - Don't ever wear pink jersey anymore). The weather was we cross the bridge was not as bright, showered a little as we came to Queensbay Mall. Had a good refreshment at QBM and later pushed up to Balik Pulau at breakneck speed. It rained heavily and visibility was not that good, but still manage to be one of the few to reached there early. Food was not ready and had to linger around for about 1 hour.

Finished daging bakar and air asam and quickly rushed out to start the journey back to the hotel. Not familiar with the route, reserved some energy during the 200m climb. Upon coming down, the descent was exciting and managed to rota tingly drafted and provided drafting between Ariff, Jasmine and me. We reached the hotel at about 1 pm and had boisterous time taking photos. Appeared in Star newspaper the following day though.

Some Clips from Interstate2007

Day 1 - Getting out of Ipoh


This is from Ipoh to Bukit Berapit near Taiping

Day 2 - From Taiping Golf resort to Bukit Mertajam



Day 3 - Crossing the Penang Bridge to Queensbay Mall



Enjoy, while I figure out what to write!!!

Uneventful Weekend

What a bore...........

Saturday ride was a washout. Woke up at 5 am, and was greeted with a call from MaySenn, "Are we on for the ride...its drizzling here in Putra Jaya". I said" Wait ahhh..let me peek out my windows, (no rain), yeah we are ON, no rain here". Trying to double check, sent a text to Bacin, "is the ride on?". He replied in capitals, "YES, ITS IS ON, NO RAIN"

So, I drove off to Ulu Langat Batu 14 while also meeting up with Andrea at Cheras Toll, it was fine and dandy until we turn of at Pekan Batu 9. Heaven broke and rain fell, like there was no tomorrow. Reached the dewan and saw Wong was there, so Wong, Andrea and me had tea and nasi lemak while waiting for MaySenn. Few minutes later, Adzim, Zabil and Bacin also arrived and since it was still raining, they joined us for Nasi Lemak. Faie also dropped by and we waited for the rain to stop which was almost 10, but most of us called the ride off except this two ironman Adzim and Capt.Zabil.

Went to BikePro (the clubhouse) to take a sneak peak at Bernard's new bike. Hung around the clubhouse but felt the possible onset of Diarrhea coming, hence had to rush home to be by my trusted porcelain throne. Had to cancel the evening run that I had promised with MaySenn.

Felt better in the evening and went back to BikePro hoping to see Bernards fully assembled bike. Unfortunately, missed him by a few minutes as he had gone home.

Sunday
Rode with PCC to Puncak Alam. Being sweeper, had to accompany 2 new riders at the back. Thinking that I had dropped them far near Kampung Subang, i rode back to the back of the peloton to search for them. Lost 10 minutes in that process. Trying to catch up with the main peloton back at the regrouping point at the entrance of Puncak Alam was hell of a non enjoyable experience. Riding alone at 35km/hr average is tough.

As I reached the regrouping point, the peoloton wanted to move off already having reached there for 15 minutes. We moved off and I had to continue with the ride to Puncak Alam with no rest. Managed to stay with the pack until the restaurant at Kampung Subang. We cycled back to Center point and managed the whole journey before 11 am. Well, this is the last recovery ride before Interstate2007. Gosh, IS2007 is so near, looking forward to it. (Sorry, no pictures this time round)

Now, back home to prepare my briefing notes for Interstate2007. Seems that i have to do briefing for the riders this Tuesday.

Cycling - Up down Tumble

Saturday, (the Calm before the Storm)

The triathlete gang was mostly in Desaru, hence no rides this Saturday. Gotta get some mileage, hmmmm...dowant to kill myself and follow Adzim to Bukit Tinggi. He is IronMan, i am only PlasticMan. So, went round with Vong and PK and family round Kota Damansara to do some spins. Clock 40km that morning. Back we went to the club House in Taman Megah in afternoon. Anyway we were pre-emptied that PCC Sunday 120km ride could turn out to be 160km if we missed a junction. So, better reserve some energy.

Sunday

CenterPoint was packed with lotsa new riders. Must be the Interstate effect. Few bling-bling bike was unveiled. I could see Adzim salivating watching the new Pinnarello Prince. Though, it was dark, i had infra red vision eyes.

We left at about 7:10 and for the first 10km of the ride, we paced at a very leisurely 25km/hr with me and Adzim in front. As we turn off too Sungai Buloh , the packed started picking up pace and we were doing between 32-34km/hr on the road to Kuala Selangor. In anticipating the potentially longer then printed distance and the usual bonus "mileage", Vong and me held back and we went at a more leisurely 32km/hr.

At about kilometer 30, as we were going down a gentle incline, all hell broke loose and what I could see in front of me was Mrs PK doing and EN DO and tumbling over Per Li. One rider went over Per Li and another jumped over her and manage to disengage and let his bike off. The bike unfortunately still went over her body. By this time, I think there were about 7 to 8 riders on the roadside with the two lady riders lying flat on the road. Blood was profusely running down on Mrs PK's head while Per Li's jaw was streaming with Blood. I had considered myself extremely lucky. Having swered right had there been a car behind me, I would have been visiting the Pearly Gates or smelling brimstone in hell with my early demise.

While other rider suffered minor scratches, Mrs PK and Per Li was rushed to the nearest hospital near Ijok by their partners using a taxi. While some of us stayed on with the bikes as they were casualties with some of the bike and some riders visibly shaken and were not willing to ride on, others rode on to the hospital and first congregation point near Petronas Ijok.

Boon Foo upon hearing the news, came down with his trusty van to collect the bikes and two of the riders back to Center Point. Some of us waited for the train to come back from Ijok and we came back with the train via Guthrie Corridor highway, shaken and not wanting to take the smaller but busy route back. By the time we reached Center Point, PK and his Mrs were already back, with May (Mrs PK) having 8 stitches done up her forehead.

Per Li was brought to Subang Jaya Medical for additional checks (XRay and CT scan) to ensure that she had not suffered any non visible injury. Having bike run over you is no joke. We later heard at about 3 pm that everything was fine and the Doctor has cleared her of any internal injuries. Phew...

On another sad news, my fren Bernard also had to face another trauma. Seeing his trusty and favourite T-Mobile bike broken in 4 pieces as he had a run in with one guy who decided to stop abruptly to puke at the Desaru Half Ironman. What a weekend, some fren suffering physical injuries, some suffering emotional injuries. All this prior to the Interstate2007.

Indecisions - This is getting finicky

I hate this. There is so much things to do this weekend and the next. Okay, tomoro is clear, its Mountain Biking in FRIM, but come Sunday, there is the 120km ride from Bangi to PD or the Fakawi Time Trial in Langat or the recovery run. This is a tough decision.

Okay I have already registered for the Kajang HASH for next month but I totally forgot about the month ending HASH in Tasik Puteri which is supposedly to be nice in view. PCC is arranging for a joint Mountain Bike and Road Bike ride up to Frasers. The HASH trail is new but I may have to contribute RM50, but the PCC ride is free but the route is quite familiar. Most prolly I will go with Frasers before tackling the Subang Jaya 10k.

Climbing Jalan Tun Saadon

At the request of Aini, I thot I might as well publish the video of the race climb up Jalan Tun Saadon. This is one of the toughest hill climb in Penang Road Race. It has an incline of 14% average. I can't remember who the guys in red but maybe its the team from Singapore.



Enjoy Aini

Penang Bike Race

was rummaging through my archives (sounds sophisticated, but actually cleaning up the files in my phone) and came about this movie file of the Penang Round Island race during Pesta Pulau Pinang. I was driving the support car for feeding. Anyhow for nostalgic purposes and also to try out YouTube, u can enjoy this uphill climb by one of the LeTua boys.