Time to get down and dirty!
Keep those Orbeas, Cervelos and Colnagos and time to get those mounties and your trail running shoes out!
Check it out, Xterra confirmed for Malaysia!
Link
Friday, March 13, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
IM Langkawi Report #6: "Heroes are just people blessed with more guardian angels than most"
Senn's Race Report from Beyond Cutoff:
5 days and 20 hours after crossing the finishing line at Langkawi, I am finally home and able to write about my epic adventure.
4 days after crossing the finishing line at Langkawi, I was told that I was a hero and an inspiration to my friends in this small multi-sport circle. I was so touched I wept.
3 days after crossing the finishing line at Langkawi, I found myself on a cold hospital bed, right leg elevated above my head, sharing a ward with four others in the maternity wing wondering how the hell I landed up in this mess.
Well, I know exactly how I landed in this mess. And I also know that I would be in a bigger mess without my guardian angels:
Exactly one week ago, I was in Langkawi with Arif, Mac, Adeline and many other IM hopefuls and our fantastic supporters.
The Friday had not gone smooth at all.
My parents arrived in the morning to find out that the hotel does not have their reservation. I had to fight with the reception lady as I have made reservations last year and checked just the week before whether they had my reservations. Suddenly, my reservation record was ‘missing’.
After sorting my parents’ accommodation, we headed for bike check in.
At bike check in, I asked the bike boutique mechanic to check my gearing. The mechanic could not fix the jumping gear (the chain would drop whenever I back peddled on my big ring). He finally just said I had no choice but to ride the bike with “chain drops”. He said it was normal and there was nothing he could do about it (!). I only had 7 working gears.
I was so stressed out and dumbstruck I just sat in the jetty mall by myself wondering how I was going to race the next day. I am grateful for my first guardian angel, arif, who came to my rescue and took over the situation. He managed to pull Daniel away from the bike check-in line to take a look at my bike.
I was told that I had a missing washer from my cog and a couple of my back spokes were frayed and dangerous to ride with. After fiddling with the cog for about an hour, we decided it was much safer to switch my wheels with Mac’s. Thank god my guardian angel #2 had decided to come in full support mode.. he helped me get to the starting line.
Switching the wheels didn’t work as the gear still wouldn’t stick. That’s when Daniel said my bike’s geometry is such that it pushes my crank outwards. So, he removed my crank and started filing it to make it more aligned.
We left at 7pm after spending 3 hours at the bike transition area, just getting my bike to work. Not a good psyche to have the eve of raceday.
I also lost my pretty little pink camera that Friday. Not sure where it went but it really added onto the unnecessary stress I was already feeling with my bike.
The morning of raceday I was still feeling the stress from the day before. Heavy doubts of not making it that day weighed my spirits down.
So dark were my feelings that I excused myself, walked towards the dark parking lots and for the first time, I smoked before a race! I felt alone and was certain my day was a failure.
That’s when I cried.
Out of desperation, I prayed.
I prayed to god to keep me safe.
I prayed to the spirits of Langkawi to be kind. I told them I have been humbled by the challenges they have given me the day before and I was sorry if I have offended them with my loud behaviour, days leading to Saturday.
I prayed to mah-mah, my parental grandma who passed away exactly 1 year that Saturday. I told her I missed her and asked her to take care of me through the entire race.
I then laughed and said “while you’re at it, I’ll appreciate it if you’ll make me a little faster too!”
Feeling better, I rejoined my friends and met my mom at the transition entrance. She said “everything is going to be ok”
That didn’t last long.
Less than 15 mins into the swim (prolly about 500m at my speed) I was pushed by the mass swimmers towards a buoy. I did a breaststroke kick to reposition myself and kicked something sharp underneath.
I felt a warm sensation on my right foot and did a turtle flip to check what was going on. I remember saying “crap, my bad day isn’t over. The prayers were done too early in the morning for anyone to hear it!”
I had a deep gash, about an inch wide. My skin flapped open like a fish gill. Blood was oozing like a red ribbon in the water.
The salt water made the wound numb and I decided to swim a little quicker to get medic help on land.
Medic help on land might as well be medic help on Mars!
The medics were so dumbstruck by the urgency of my voice they just looked at me and my wound repeatedly. My wound was not washed. They only managed to slap gauze on it and taped it in place.
My race would be over had it not been for the other guardian angels I met along the way:
Faaisal for my 1st painkiller on the bike. It lasted me the whole 180k.
The le tuangers for the endless cheers up and down the bike loop. Knowing they were taking pictures distracted me from pain for awhile and I looked forward to bumping into them or passing the “GO! Le Tuang” message at bkt malut.
Getting off the bike and putting real pressure on my foot for the first time felt like a white electric strike up my foot. But the run leg was where angels just kept popping out left and right!!
“Comfort angel” Arif for walking with me for almost a loop.
“Unexpected angel” Bernard for my 2nd painkiller.
“Super guardian angel” Mac for meeting me at the run turnaround to pass me more painkillers. And “IM08 returning angel” Patrick for ensuring Mac got my message of wanting painkillers. (not sure when, but I took another 3 in total to survive the run.)
“Unsung but definitely important angel” Adeline kept me going on the run. Trying to keep up with her was a real challenge! Her comfort and company throughout the trip made me wish I had a sister.
Even “sluggish angel” Ishsal’s determination made me think twice for slowing down!
And the endless stream of ‘supportive, spirit uplifting angels” of le tuang and imcyclist.com for cheering me on and telling me I’m doing fine although I’m sure I got them pretty worried. Shazly, Kharis, Luvis, Azly, Mervyn, Jim, Jason, Din, Willie, Tip, Azura, Aileen, Aini, Zabrina, Lin, Alisa, and many more.. I owe you my medal.
Now it’s been 6 days since crossing the auspicious line. While many of my angels have retired after a good day’s work, one angel is still on duty.
To me he has since been promoted from “comfort angel” to “grand supreme angel”. For his patience, his endless care and support. From helping me stay focus through adversities the night before race, to taking me to hospital, to ‘hero-ising’ my IM attempt, to taking me home, to my coming two weeks of daily hospital visits for wound dressing. I am glad he volunteered to be the resident angel in my life.
Thank you Arif, I am only a hero because of you.
5 days and 20 hours after crossing the finishing line at Langkawi, I am finally home and able to write about my epic adventure.
4 days after crossing the finishing line at Langkawi, I was told that I was a hero and an inspiration to my friends in this small multi-sport circle. I was so touched I wept.
3 days after crossing the finishing line at Langkawi, I found myself on a cold hospital bed, right leg elevated above my head, sharing a ward with four others in the maternity wing wondering how the hell I landed up in this mess.
Well, I know exactly how I landed in this mess. And I also know that I would be in a bigger mess without my guardian angels:
Exactly one week ago, I was in Langkawi with Arif, Mac, Adeline and many other IM hopefuls and our fantastic supporters.
The Friday had not gone smooth at all.
My parents arrived in the morning to find out that the hotel does not have their reservation. I had to fight with the reception lady as I have made reservations last year and checked just the week before whether they had my reservations. Suddenly, my reservation record was ‘missing’.
After sorting my parents’ accommodation, we headed for bike check in.
At bike check in, I asked the bike boutique mechanic to check my gearing. The mechanic could not fix the jumping gear (the chain would drop whenever I back peddled on my big ring). He finally just said I had no choice but to ride the bike with “chain drops”. He said it was normal and there was nothing he could do about it (!). I only had 7 working gears.
I was so stressed out and dumbstruck I just sat in the jetty mall by myself wondering how I was going to race the next day. I am grateful for my first guardian angel, arif, who came to my rescue and took over the situation. He managed to pull Daniel away from the bike check-in line to take a look at my bike.
I was told that I had a missing washer from my cog and a couple of my back spokes were frayed and dangerous to ride with. After fiddling with the cog for about an hour, we decided it was much safer to switch my wheels with Mac’s. Thank god my guardian angel #2 had decided to come in full support mode.. he helped me get to the starting line.
Switching the wheels didn’t work as the gear still wouldn’t stick. That’s when Daniel said my bike’s geometry is such that it pushes my crank outwards. So, he removed my crank and started filing it to make it more aligned.
We left at 7pm after spending 3 hours at the bike transition area, just getting my bike to work. Not a good psyche to have the eve of raceday.
I also lost my pretty little pink camera that Friday. Not sure where it went but it really added onto the unnecessary stress I was already feeling with my bike.
The morning of raceday I was still feeling the stress from the day before. Heavy doubts of not making it that day weighed my spirits down.
So dark were my feelings that I excused myself, walked towards the dark parking lots and for the first time, I smoked before a race! I felt alone and was certain my day was a failure.
That’s when I cried.
Out of desperation, I prayed.
I prayed to god to keep me safe.
I prayed to the spirits of Langkawi to be kind. I told them I have been humbled by the challenges they have given me the day before and I was sorry if I have offended them with my loud behaviour, days leading to Saturday.
I prayed to mah-mah, my parental grandma who passed away exactly 1 year that Saturday. I told her I missed her and asked her to take care of me through the entire race.
I then laughed and said “while you’re at it, I’ll appreciate it if you’ll make me a little faster too!”
Feeling better, I rejoined my friends and met my mom at the transition entrance. She said “everything is going to be ok”
That didn’t last long.
Less than 15 mins into the swim (prolly about 500m at my speed) I was pushed by the mass swimmers towards a buoy. I did a breaststroke kick to reposition myself and kicked something sharp underneath.
I felt a warm sensation on my right foot and did a turtle flip to check what was going on. I remember saying “crap, my bad day isn’t over. The prayers were done too early in the morning for anyone to hear it!”
I had a deep gash, about an inch wide. My skin flapped open like a fish gill. Blood was oozing like a red ribbon in the water.
The salt water made the wound numb and I decided to swim a little quicker to get medic help on land.
Medic help on land might as well be medic help on Mars!
The medics were so dumbstruck by the urgency of my voice they just looked at me and my wound repeatedly. My wound was not washed. They only managed to slap gauze on it and taped it in place.
My race would be over had it not been for the other guardian angels I met along the way:
Faaisal for my 1st painkiller on the bike. It lasted me the whole 180k.
The le tuangers for the endless cheers up and down the bike loop. Knowing they were taking pictures distracted me from pain for awhile and I looked forward to bumping into them or passing the “GO! Le Tuang” message at bkt malut.
Getting off the bike and putting real pressure on my foot for the first time felt like a white electric strike up my foot. But the run leg was where angels just kept popping out left and right!!
“Comfort angel” Arif for walking with me for almost a loop.
“Unexpected angel” Bernard for my 2nd painkiller.
“Super guardian angel” Mac for meeting me at the run turnaround to pass me more painkillers. And “IM08 returning angel” Patrick for ensuring Mac got my message of wanting painkillers. (not sure when, but I took another 3 in total to survive the run.)
“Unsung but definitely important angel” Adeline kept me going on the run. Trying to keep up with her was a real challenge! Her comfort and company throughout the trip made me wish I had a sister.
Even “sluggish angel” Ishsal’s determination made me think twice for slowing down!
And the endless stream of ‘supportive, spirit uplifting angels” of le tuang and imcyclist.com for cheering me on and telling me I’m doing fine although I’m sure I got them pretty worried. Shazly, Kharis, Luvis, Azly, Mervyn, Jim, Jason, Din, Willie, Tip, Azura, Aileen, Aini, Zabrina, Lin, Alisa, and many more.. I owe you my medal.
Now it’s been 6 days since crossing the auspicious line. While many of my angels have retired after a good day’s work, one angel is still on duty.
To me he has since been promoted from “comfort angel” to “grand supreme angel”. For his patience, his endless care and support. From helping me stay focus through adversities the night before race, to taking me to hospital, to ‘hero-ising’ my IM attempt, to taking me home, to my coming two weeks of daily hospital visits for wound dressing. I am glad he volunteered to be the resident angel in my life.
Thank you Arif, I am only a hero because of you.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
IM Report #5 : Stupe's Report
Crossed posted from my blog : opstupe.blogspot.com
I completed my second IM and here is my report.
Swim
The part where I trained the least and only for a month at most. The gun went off at 7.45am and I took my time to enter the water and started swimming.
As usual, IM swim is like contact sports. It could get ugly with all the hands and legs flying around. I tried to find my beacon, but everyone around me was just swimming in an almost zigzag motion. I spotted AJ and a few of them. I saw Senn, I saw Julie. I stayed closed to them to get a bearing of where I am going.
The water was unusually calm and the usual jelly fishes and water lice did not show up on race day. I must say I enjoyed the swim thoroughly and it was evident in me posting an almost identical time for the 3.8km swim in 1:35:57, but it was essentially 15 seconds slower than last year. I initially thought I did better, but I guessed I did not as I am writing this now.
One thing did go wrong. I kicked, twice, on the stone that was used to weigh down the buoy. I am not sure which events were more severe as I had 2 cuts at the ball of my left feet.
as of yesterday afternonn
I waste no time and ran into transition and I guess I totally ignored some of the cheers along the way and I knew the pain from the cut would be bothering me the rest of the day.
Ran into T1 and realized that the cut looked nasty and it was still bleeding. I reckon it was about an inch gash, with the deeper portion along ¾ of the gash. It was deep enough to see the red flesh and I could feel the pulsating effect when I open up the gash to see if I require any medical attention.
But I guess I was man enough to handle this gash/cut. I carried on.
T1 was a fast 6:57 and I was out to the bike.
Bike
Out To Bike
The bike route this year was different. But not very much different that it would create more problems for most of us. Well, that was what I thought until at 60KM mark, I realized that I will need to climb this Bukit Hantu 4 times!
This hill is maybe a couple of times harder than the hill in Lenggeng. It’s steep and sharp and it makes granny gear looked hard.
A lot of people dismount and pushed the bike up, but I refused to do so and just continue to crank my way up.
I covered the first 60km in good timing, averaging at about 28.9km/h. But that was the fastest ever average I got for the day as I slowly see my average dropping to 25km/h by the end of the day.
I seriously do not know where I went wrong on the bike. I felt strong. I keep pedaling. I did not have any cramps. I ate. I drank. But I must say that after 105km, the pain on from the cut sort of went off; maybe my foot was just numb. I don’t know.
The photographers such as Kharis, SK, Tey, Din, Tini, Jim and supporter such as Bandit, Luvis, Mervin and of course Wifey, sort of made my day and gave me more strength and power to continue what I was doing. I won’t deny the fact that I was hoping to see them at every turn.
But I guess what really went wrong was that I stopped at every 10km to SHOWER with ice cold water – in my effort to stay cool under the hot 40 degree heat.
That, together with the pain on the ball of the feet that came back after 140km on the bike, threw my race out of the window as I realized I was really slow on my 3rd loop.
I was so slow I was wondering what the !@#$^ I was doing wasting my time racing!
I carried on pushing and dreaded the last climb up Bukit Hantu. By then, I already see more people pushing. On the top of the hill, the supporters were there cheering. I had to stop for a leak.
Now, why do I have to stop? I know for a fact that if I don’t have any urge to pee by then, that would mean I am severely dehydrated and I can kiss the race goodbye.
Guess Who?
I found myself talking to my family jewel why he did not want to take a leak. I did after 10 seconds of coaxing and by then, Yusran and Kam had caught up.
And that was when I knew I am really slow on the bike.
Indeed, it was, I clocked in at 6:59:38, a good 11 minutes slower than last year.
Into T2, I saw Yusran and was later joined by Kam and Hoh (which incidentally, reads my incoherent blog and remember both my kids name – thank you sir, it’s an honor to be racing with you).
I took the shoe off and the gash closed off at both end, leaving the gash to be about ¾ inch wide. It stopped bleeding and it did stain the inner part of my cycling shoe. I guess the pressure I put on the wound during the bike course has sort of help to stop the bleeding.
Show must go on. T2 was a quick 15:31 (as compared to the almost record breaking 29 minutes last year).
Run
What a chore. Not only we have to run 5 loops, it gets as confusing as hell. I ran the first 1km and then I had to stop. The gash was pulsating and I felt the shoe to be extremely tight. Every step I take is like walking on nails. I then found out that Senn has the same injury, but hers was deeper. I saw her on the run course and I must say she hid the pain really well. Unlike me, which were showing all over my face.
Needless to say, it was my personal worse marathon. I completed the run in 7:15:41. Which isn’t even a run but a walk.
I am truly disappointed with myself for not being able to ignore the pain. For not able to push myself more than I actually could.
Wifey and the supporters were there to cheer me on; I had to try to hide the pain as much as possible as not to make wifey worry. I then took a painkiller that wifey offered me and trust me, it did nothing to the pain (I took acoxia, which is amongst the best NSAID pain killer around) and I just had to continue onwards.
I saw my finishing time went from 13:30 if I was able to run, to 14:30 because I managed to run my second loop to 16:30 as I was walking the remaining last 3 loops.
Along the way, I cheered people I know on. I am very very happy to see Barath pushing himself and determined to finish the race. I was very pleased to see Bandit running along with Barath – something money can’t buy and only friendship could offer.
I saw AJ’s determined face. I saw Julie pushing on. Sofian was walking but confident. Edwin was strolling compared to last year. Kam managed to take a dump and still finish in good timing. Halim was soldiering on. Arif was happily running, Ishsal was chasing cut off, Bean was as usual, calm, Steve was with a bag of Jambu Air as food/snack for run, Faisaal running like it’s a 10km run, Adzim despite bad cramps focused to complete the run and the ultimate would be Senn, numbing her pain with her smile and crosses the line a good 15 minutes ahead.
The highlight of my race on Saturday was the 2km walk that wifey took with me to the finish line.
That itself was priceless. It was her sacrifice that I managed to do some training. It was with her support, that I managed to do this sport.
I crossed the line in 16:13:43. A good 1:13:40 than last year.
To be frank, I don’t really have the urge to write the race report this time around.
I know I should be happy to be able to complete the IM this time around, but I guess my frustration was because I know I could have done it better.
After all is said and done, and with the minimal training I had, I should just be happy I am now twice IronMan finisher.
There is always next year to improve on my timing; and the year after…and after…and after. It will get better; I promise all of you, and to myself most of all.
Thank you to all the supporters and well wishers, there are too many to be named, you know who you are.
Well done to all the IronMan that managed to complete their first ever IM or even first ever triathlon and well done to all that has improved their timing.
Most of all, well done to all of you, for beating one person. YOURSELF.
As usual, IM swim is like contact sports. It could get ugly with all the hands and legs flying around. I tried to find my beacon, but everyone around me was just swimming in an almost zigzag motion. I spotted AJ and a few of them. I saw Senn, I saw Julie. I stayed closed to them to get a bearing of where I am going.
The water was unusually calm and the usual jelly fishes and water lice did not show up on race day. I must say I enjoyed the swim thoroughly and it was evident in me posting an almost identical time for the 3.8km swim in 1:35:57, but it was essentially 15 seconds slower than last year. I initially thought I did better, but I guessed I did not as I am writing this now.
One thing did go wrong. I kicked, twice, on the stone that was used to weigh down the buoy. I am not sure which events were more severe as I had 2 cuts at the ball of my left feet.
as of yesterday afternonn
I waste no time and ran into transition and I guess I totally ignored some of the cheers along the way and I knew the pain from the cut would be bothering me the rest of the day.
Ran into T1 and realized that the cut looked nasty and it was still bleeding. I reckon it was about an inch gash, with the deeper portion along ¾ of the gash. It was deep enough to see the red flesh and I could feel the pulsating effect when I open up the gash to see if I require any medical attention.
But I guess I was man enough to handle this gash/cut. I carried on.
T1 was a fast 6:57 and I was out to the bike.
Bike
Out To Bike
The bike route this year was different. But not very much different that it would create more problems for most of us. Well, that was what I thought until at 60KM mark, I realized that I will need to climb this Bukit Hantu 4 times!
This hill is maybe a couple of times harder than the hill in Lenggeng. It’s steep and sharp and it makes granny gear looked hard.
A lot of people dismount and pushed the bike up, but I refused to do so and just continue to crank my way up.
I covered the first 60km in good timing, averaging at about 28.9km/h. But that was the fastest ever average I got for the day as I slowly see my average dropping to 25km/h by the end of the day.
I seriously do not know where I went wrong on the bike. I felt strong. I keep pedaling. I did not have any cramps. I ate. I drank. But I must say that after 105km, the pain on from the cut sort of went off; maybe my foot was just numb. I don’t know.
The photographers such as Kharis, SK, Tey, Din, Tini, Jim and supporter such as Bandit, Luvis, Mervin and of course Wifey, sort of made my day and gave me more strength and power to continue what I was doing. I won’t deny the fact that I was hoping to see them at every turn.
But I guess what really went wrong was that I stopped at every 10km to SHOWER with ice cold water – in my effort to stay cool under the hot 40 degree heat.
That, together with the pain on the ball of the feet that came back after 140km on the bike, threw my race out of the window as I realized I was really slow on my 3rd loop.
I was so slow I was wondering what the !@#$^ I was doing wasting my time racing!
I carried on pushing and dreaded the last climb up Bukit Hantu. By then, I already see more people pushing. On the top of the hill, the supporters were there cheering. I had to stop for a leak.
Now, why do I have to stop? I know for a fact that if I don’t have any urge to pee by then, that would mean I am severely dehydrated and I can kiss the race goodbye.
Guess Who?
I found myself talking to my family jewel why he did not want to take a leak. I did after 10 seconds of coaxing and by then, Yusran and Kam had caught up.
And that was when I knew I am really slow on the bike.
Indeed, it was, I clocked in at 6:59:38, a good 11 minutes slower than last year.
Into T2, I saw Yusran and was later joined by Kam and Hoh (which incidentally, reads my incoherent blog and remember both my kids name – thank you sir, it’s an honor to be racing with you).
I took the shoe off and the gash closed off at both end, leaving the gash to be about ¾ inch wide. It stopped bleeding and it did stain the inner part of my cycling shoe. I guess the pressure I put on the wound during the bike course has sort of help to stop the bleeding.
Show must go on. T2 was a quick 15:31 (as compared to the almost record breaking 29 minutes last year).
Run
What a chore. Not only we have to run 5 loops, it gets as confusing as hell. I ran the first 1km and then I had to stop. The gash was pulsating and I felt the shoe to be extremely tight. Every step I take is like walking on nails. I then found out that Senn has the same injury, but hers was deeper. I saw her on the run course and I must say she hid the pain really well. Unlike me, which were showing all over my face.
Needless to say, it was my personal worse marathon. I completed the run in 7:15:41. Which isn’t even a run but a walk.
I am truly disappointed with myself for not being able to ignore the pain. For not able to push myself more than I actually could.
Wifey and the supporters were there to cheer me on; I had to try to hide the pain as much as possible as not to make wifey worry. I then took a painkiller that wifey offered me and trust me, it did nothing to the pain (I took acoxia, which is amongst the best NSAID pain killer around) and I just had to continue onwards.
I saw my finishing time went from 13:30 if I was able to run, to 14:30 because I managed to run my second loop to 16:30 as I was walking the remaining last 3 loops.
Along the way, I cheered people I know on. I am very very happy to see Barath pushing himself and determined to finish the race. I was very pleased to see Bandit running along with Barath – something money can’t buy and only friendship could offer.
I saw AJ’s determined face. I saw Julie pushing on. Sofian was walking but confident. Edwin was strolling compared to last year. Kam managed to take a dump and still finish in good timing. Halim was soldiering on. Arif was happily running, Ishsal was chasing cut off, Bean was as usual, calm, Steve was with a bag of Jambu Air as food/snack for run, Faisaal running like it’s a 10km run, Adzim despite bad cramps focused to complete the run and the ultimate would be Senn, numbing her pain with her smile and crosses the line a good 15 minutes ahead.
The highlight of my race on Saturday was the 2km walk that wifey took with me to the finish line.
That itself was priceless. It was her sacrifice that I managed to do some training. It was with her support, that I managed to do this sport.
I crossed the line in 16:13:43. A good 1:13:40 than last year.
To be frank, I don’t really have the urge to write the race report this time around.
I know I should be happy to be able to complete the IM this time around, but I guess my frustration was because I know I could have done it better.
After all is said and done, and with the minimal training I had, I should just be happy I am now twice IronMan finisher.
There is always next year to improve on my timing; and the year after…and after…and after. It will get better; I promise all of you, and to myself most of all.
Thank you to all the supporters and well wishers, there are too many to be named, you know who you are.
Well done to all the IronMan that managed to complete their first ever IM or even first ever triathlon and well done to all that has improved their timing.
Most of all, well done to all of you, for beating one person. YOURSELF.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Why I Love Ironman Langkawi - Arif's Race Report
For three years now, I've been making a trip, a pilgrimage so to speak, to the mystical island of Langkawi at the end of February for what is billed as the toughest show on Earth.
The Ironman Langkawi.
The reason I make this trip every year is not for the race. Yes, the race is an integral part of the trip but it's not the most important.
The most important part of the trip is the trip itself.
Going to Langkawi, to me, is akin to going on a company trip. Except the company is called triathlon.
From the moment you arrive in Langkawi, you meet up with like-minded people. When you land, when you check-in to your hotel, when you register and pick up your race kit, when you attend the briefing, when you check your bike in, when you check-in for the swim, you are reacquainted with your mates from the local triathlon scene.
It's like a big party. A party that goes on for a week.
And it's not just participants. It's also the supporters. The first time I went, we had a handful of friends who were there to support us. The numbers grew the second year and this year, with the formation of the LeTuang group, the numbers grew even more.
The atmosphere is always festive. Local eateries, who have gotten to know us over the years, are always looking forward to our arrival. They know we can really eat. Yusran has taken the extra effort to do some major PR with the owners of these establishments to ensure the we enjoy only the best culinary delights in Langkawi. One restaurant even makes us autograph the Ironman poster every year which he will then display proudly in his restaurant!
Of course there's the small matter of the race. But like I told Stupe, we're going for a holiday but, since we're there, we might as well swim 3.8km, bike 180km and run 42km!
Speaking of the race, mine was not as heroic and inspirational as Senn's or Stupe's. Nor was it as dramatic as Ishsal's or Barath's or Bean's.
The day started slow. The swim was slow, not because I was struggling, in fact I thought I had a good swim, but I was just slow.
My bike leg was painful. For the first 50km, I couldn't hold any liquids down. I basically redecorated the Langkawi landscape with my puke! I had puke on my arms, my legs and down my chest. At 35k, I stopped by where Mac was parked to puke my guts out.
At 50k, I had to stop to pee. After that, I started feeling a bit better but still didn't have the legs. I was secretly wishing for a flat, or a broken chain, or a snapped cable so I could pull out.
But I had to beat Bukit Hantu, my nemesis from two years ago. I was not going to quit until I had conquered it all three times. Then something happened after the third time I climbed it, my legs suddenly realised they were in a race! After that, I was flying.
After going all out in the last 40k, I thought I'd be walking the marathon. And the first 1k was difficult. 3k in I caught up with Senn who'd been racing with a one-inch gash in her right foot, and did a run/walk with her. At 8k, she told me to go ahead. She would continue to set her personal best by 48 minutes! That is an Ironman!
Because of the run/walk at the start of the marathon, I was able to save my legs for the end. And that saved me a good 13 minutes from last year's marathon.
In the end, I crossed the line 8 minutes faster than last year. It was a tough race, and one I thought I didn't deserve to finish, what more set a personal best, but I'll take it anyway.
In truth, all that didn't really matter. What really mattered was the spirit of camaraderie and friendship that prevailed throughout the race week. It was this spirit that kept me going, even though my race was not as inspiring as the others. And it is for this reason, that I'll be back in Langkawi next year. And while I'm there, I may as well swim 3.8km, bike 180km and run 42km.
The Ironman Langkawi.
The reason I make this trip every year is not for the race. Yes, the race is an integral part of the trip but it's not the most important.
The most important part of the trip is the trip itself.
Going to Langkawi, to me, is akin to going on a company trip. Except the company is called triathlon.
From the moment you arrive in Langkawi, you meet up with like-minded people. When you land, when you check-in to your hotel, when you register and pick up your race kit, when you attend the briefing, when you check your bike in, when you check-in for the swim, you are reacquainted with your mates from the local triathlon scene.
It's like a big party. A party that goes on for a week.
And it's not just participants. It's also the supporters. The first time I went, we had a handful of friends who were there to support us. The numbers grew the second year and this year, with the formation of the LeTuang group, the numbers grew even more.
The atmosphere is always festive. Local eateries, who have gotten to know us over the years, are always looking forward to our arrival. They know we can really eat. Yusran has taken the extra effort to do some major PR with the owners of these establishments to ensure the we enjoy only the best culinary delights in Langkawi. One restaurant even makes us autograph the Ironman poster every year which he will then display proudly in his restaurant!
Of course there's the small matter of the race. But like I told Stupe, we're going for a holiday but, since we're there, we might as well swim 3.8km, bike 180km and run 42km!
Speaking of the race, mine was not as heroic and inspirational as Senn's or Stupe's. Nor was it as dramatic as Ishsal's or Barath's or Bean's.
The day started slow. The swim was slow, not because I was struggling, in fact I thought I had a good swim, but I was just slow.
My bike leg was painful. For the first 50km, I couldn't hold any liquids down. I basically redecorated the Langkawi landscape with my puke! I had puke on my arms, my legs and down my chest. At 35k, I stopped by where Mac was parked to puke my guts out.
At 50k, I had to stop to pee. After that, I started feeling a bit better but still didn't have the legs. I was secretly wishing for a flat, or a broken chain, or a snapped cable so I could pull out.
But I had to beat Bukit Hantu, my nemesis from two years ago. I was not going to quit until I had conquered it all three times. Then something happened after the third time I climbed it, my legs suddenly realised they were in a race! After that, I was flying.
After going all out in the last 40k, I thought I'd be walking the marathon. And the first 1k was difficult. 3k in I caught up with Senn who'd been racing with a one-inch gash in her right foot, and did a run/walk with her. At 8k, she told me to go ahead. She would continue to set her personal best by 48 minutes! That is an Ironman!
Because of the run/walk at the start of the marathon, I was able to save my legs for the end. And that saved me a good 13 minutes from last year's marathon.
In the end, I crossed the line 8 minutes faster than last year. It was a tough race, and one I thought I didn't deserve to finish, what more set a personal best, but I'll take it anyway.
In truth, all that didn't really matter. What really mattered was the spirit of camaraderie and friendship that prevailed throughout the race week. It was this spirit that kept me going, even though my race was not as inspiring as the others. And it is for this reason, that I'll be back in Langkawi next year. And while I'm there, I may as well swim 3.8km, bike 180km and run 42km.
IM Langkawi report # 3: "Inspired"
you may think it's trivial, but to have a friend running beside you while you're cycling,snapping photos, cheering you on.. an IM would appreciate such gesture.. well done TSB!
here an input from Kharis @ TSB.. IM tru his eyes:
I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"
Listen as the crowd would sing
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"
Those are excerpts of lyrics from Coldplay's Viva La Vida (Live Life).
Kings who rule the world. My friends who made it to the finish line in IM Langkawi 2009. There are so many things I cannot begin to describe after that emotional, intense and blissful weekend. Witnessing Kings being made, each and every (painful) step of the way.
I was one of the designated team of photographers on task to capture the many moments of our friends throughout the race. Not being able to use my usual camera, I had to borrow another camera with a subdued lense more suitable for portraits. Never the less, a job needs to be carried out. Langkawi was hot and humid as usual. I used to spend a lot of time in this island during my years organizing the TdL. Arrived on Friday and joined a band of merrymen without our wives around. Needless to say, going all out crazy is probably an understatement.
Somehow, this trip was more than I could ever bargained for. It was unlike I have ever seen before. Unlike pro cycling races, a Triathlon event is not exclusive to pros and the elites. You can be part of it. And I think that makes a lot of difference. Amidst the thousand shutter clicks, I witnessed a great spectacle of the human spirit. I witnessed every one of my friends went out on a journey that perhaps define their own lives on that particular day. Emotions were high in the air. Excitement was everywhere. Anxiety was hard to contain. Enthusiasm was boosting.
Who said Ironman (triathlon) is an individual sport? For me, it is definitely a team sport. A camaraderie of true friendship that you can rely on at every step of the way. We (supporters) somehow found our way throughout the entire race course to give our undivided support for these 'Kings' to finish. As Mac wrote in his note, 22 hours out on the road. I found myself running up and down hills and the running course alongside my friends. And I hate running! Mind boggling, you might say. Yet, we are not even close to what the 'Kings' achieved within the 17 hours given to them. They have defied all odds and made it through to the finish line in one piece. It doesn't matter if you reached there in 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17 hours - no one can take away that honour from you. No one.
In no particular order, I would like to pay tribute to these Kings;
Julie - 13+ hours. You never fail to surprise me. An emotional race for you indeed. You'll be allright. Take your time at the transition and smile!
Adzim - I think you can finish top 10 in the Malay Mail Big Walk now. You did well, boy. Thanks for the Krispy Kremes.
Abu - Lu memang power lah.
Rashid - Despite of our rantings about your robocop regimes, I salute you for arriving at the finish line in decent time. And eat more nasi la!
AJ - You make me constantly wonder about how you harness such relentless energy.
Yusran - Bro. 14+ hours only ka? You are my sifu of MAKAN. Nuff said!
Adeline - The unsung hero. The fact that you bounced back from your nasty broga crash and arrived at the IM starting line was already an achievement.
Stupe - One hour behind last year's IM. You're still an IM this year bro. Despite all the long hours at work, I think you did a helluva job.
Barath - The Great. First time triathlete and you finished the Ironman, for God's sake! Miracles do happen and you're it.
Arif - You made it through Hajj and I had no doubts about you crossing the finish line. Don't lose the chick now ;)
Senn - You have a willpower of an Iron to overcome the pain barrier and make it to the IM finish line. Perhaps, it's time to seek for your own finish line ;)
Ish - You have come full circle at the end of this race. Every bit of emotion has fueled you to the finish line. I was merely (struggling) to walk you through it. To infinity and beyond!
Kam - nothing is more fulfilling and rewarding to be called an Ironman. Most of us know that you have been through a huge hurdle in your personal life and what a way to overcome it. You're a hero in your own right!The LeTuang Photography/Support Crew/Groupie - SK, Jason, Jim, Luvis, Din, Tini, Merv, Aileen, Mac, Aini, Lin:
I think we did a fairly good job, don't you think? Thank you for a wonderful and nutty time together. Thank you for putting up with my antics and snoring. Haha! We have a great synergy and I think that is essential.
And then we have TSB.
Am I inspired?
Hell, yes!
Will I do it?
It's a mystery ;)
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
IM Langkawi report # 2: IRONMAN MAY SENN
This was an email posting from Ironman Arif:
"Determined. Heroic. Insipiring.
These have been some of the words to describe Senn's Ironman performance. She finished with a personal best of 16:01:00 and completed almost the entire 226km with a one inch gash on her right foot.
But performances like these come with a price.
Upon our return from Langkawi, she was admitted to the Damansara Specialist Hospital. Her foot had swollen up and had gotten infected. Apparently, with a wound so deep, it should not have been stitched up. As it was, there was an accumulation of pus in the wound which caused the swelling and infection.
At the hospital just now, the doctor had open up the stitches to let the pus out. His advice was to be admitted so that her foot remains immobile and elevated. If she were to return home, she may be moving about which may cause it to take longer to heal. So it's all good, she just needs to rest her foot.
I've just returned from the hospital. She's in good spirits and has not lost any of her sense of humour. For now, though, she needs her rest.
For the pain she had to endure during the race and after, she truly is an Ironman."
pic of Senn recovering..
"Determined. Heroic. Insipiring.
These have been some of the words to describe Senn's Ironman performance. She finished with a personal best of 16:01:00 and completed almost the entire 226km with a one inch gash on her right foot.
But performances like these come with a price.
Upon our return from Langkawi, she was admitted to the Damansara Specialist Hospital. Her foot had swollen up and had gotten infected. Apparently, with a wound so deep, it should not have been stitched up. As it was, there was an accumulation of pus in the wound which caused the swelling and infection.
At the hospital just now, the doctor had open up the stitches to let the pus out. His advice was to be admitted so that her foot remains immobile and elevated. If she were to return home, she may be moving about which may cause it to take longer to heal. So it's all good, she just needs to rest her foot.
I've just returned from the hospital. She's in good spirits and has not lost any of her sense of humour. For now, though, she needs her rest.
For the pain she had to endure during the race and after, she truly is an Ironman."
pic of Senn recovering..Monday, March 2, 2009
IM Langkawi report # 1
Here's race report number # 1.. leTuang camera & support crew having dinner at WONDERLAND SEAFOOD!Reasonable price and awesome food! We had chillied prawns, steamed garoupa, battered squid, crispy fried beef, oyster sauce chicken, kankong belacan and oyster sauce lettuce!
In the pic: Shazly, Mervyn, Jason, Jim, Mac, TSB(covered by Bandit.. you can only see his mouth), Bandit and Luvis..
Boys and their toys.. Nikon/Cannon strapped leTuangers ready to snap away! Facial expression says it all... "Your pain shall be immortalized through our lenses!"In the pic: TSB, Luvis & Mac.
TQ Din for the Pics..
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