PD Triathlon 2010: Not Ready

Swim was slow...

Coming out for the bike leg.

Run...

Yes, if there's any description with this race, it's not ready to race. I've slacked on training. Reasons are many, partly work and less interest in doing Tris. But I did add some intensity training during runs, and also devised new ways for swimming, which mainly focus on technical efficiency rather than more power. As for going the distance, not that many workouts.

The swim initially had me gasping for air. Felt kind of weak and lacking of strength. As usual, traffic was blocked by breast stroke swimmers, and it's not easy to navigate. Once got kicked in the mouth, but realizing we are all in this big soup, it's nothing to get angry about. Time exit from the water was 28.5min.

Ran to the bike transition, and it's off. Now it's guessing time to see if I still got the legs. Yes, I am not even ready to bike TT mode cause I haven't been doing much training in TT mode. Roadie mode, I've got plenty from riding across KL, but that's different. But I was glad when I could still push 40 above going solo for the first few KM, when the fast riders were closing in.

The usual suspects were to be seen, Simon Cross one of them. He was so fast on the uphill, with a few other fellows, that I had no guts to chase him down.

Then another huge group with Leanord Lim came by, and we are much stuck until the end of the bike course. The peloton was fast and almost everyone did their job pulling.

As I turned into the road for the bike transition, the guy in front crashed into the bushes while trying to unclip. Just hope he's ok, if not bruised.

Went back to park the bike, and grabbed a gel to gulp down while running. I was merely holding in around 80%, while thinking if I should put it all out. Saw Simon on the way back from the turn around, and he was as usual fast as lightning.

At the turnaround it was 21 minutes, which was kind of odd, cause I don't think I could run this fast. But it gave some hope if I could double that for the run. So that was that, and I quickly put the pace up to finish in 2:19:46 in 17th place age grouper.

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There's still a lot of work to be done. But one thing that I didn't regret was intensity training. I could at least sustain speed & power while not going bonkers. The one thing that you need is to maintain power output based on your cardio intensity, and not allowing that to fluctuate too much. So if you've done your homework in intensity training, naturally you could hold it longer.

PD Prelude

Beautiful sunday on PD

Broga ride group pic..

Julie was pretty fast. First time I saw her on this bike.

I am riding a Cervelo...with sandals. Now who needs carbon soles?

PD tri is coming and I don't feel much prepared in terms of training. Broga ride on saturday was marred with both tubulars having slow leak. It actually happened just before the peres climb. Thanks for Ishal's pump, I thought the tyres could last this ride.

Then just before klawang, the front tubular went full blast puncture. Had to changed that one with a new one; lucky for bringing a spare.

Broga was hot. Had to keep on rehydrating. Once tekala, I decided to call it a day and hitch a ride from Adli to home. Managed to crank only 138km.

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There was a Tri clinic going on Sunday (got the news from julie). I didn't actually want to cycle...swim and run would be enough. However, the option of getting some cycling training done came, with a bike borrowed from Uncle chan...

For the swim, it was 600m out and back in a straight line. Kayaks and boat were there to guide us. And the water was pretty clear and not choppy.

Cycling is more like cruising, and sometimes pushing it. Can't really pushed anyway with sandals on.

Running? I think I did 2km....too lazy to run the full distance.

Being here without the usual Tri atmosphere was real pleasing. Quiet, calm and tranquile.

Sometimes you wonder why the need to push our bodies. Ralph Dixon was there as well, and here's what he said about Marathon Des Sables this year, "You suffer for 6 months training, then you suffer another 7 days", and when asked would he do it again, it's a positive no.

I drove home finding the answer, and I think it lies with our inner desire to go beyond what we can comprehend. There was one thing I didn't mentioned after 5 days ride of 1200km. The aftermath is a feeling of hollowness. You feel your body is there, but your soul feels like it can seep out anytime. It's as if time has sped forward, and you had aged to 100. Perpetual fatigue that only makes you want to lie down and sleep.

And that went on for 2 to 3 days, before your senses normalize.

It's not something that everyone would like, but then the ones who does this are not many as well.