Peres

Normally, i would always do a run on Sunday but somehow i don't feel like running at all.

Sometimes when the lazy blood is running through your vein, you just don't want to do anything at all. It has happened many times before during the course of this journey and it happened again last weekend. I think knowing that almost all training buddies were not around gave me a sense of emptiness. Distorted plan made it worse.

However, i recognised that they were not around not because they were not training but racing. So, do i have any reason to be in bed while they were grinding their butt at a gruelling race? I know, some of you guys will say "Why not?" and maybe it's the right decision to stay in bed... but i decided to go against the 'voice'.

Thus, in the spirit of the race, i kicked my butt out of the bed and went cycling. I had agreed to two parties Chomel and Dicky who were going to Tekala but somehow on that Sunday morning, for some reasonss, all plans went haywire again.

I ended up cycling alone. That practically summed up the week full of non-stop changing of plans. Nothing went right the whole week last week.

Anyway, i started from BT 18 around 730am and God presented me with the most beautiful atmosphere. Misty cool morning with absolute no sunshine. The sound of the water streaming the river and the quaint Tekala route provided golden opportunity for me to appreciate the gift of nature. To illustrate the misty morning, I could barely see the Simpang Tiga from the starting point of the short but steep climb.

From the Simpang Tiga, i decided to go up Peres and dumped the Tekala route. Tukar plan lagi.

1km up towards Peres, the sun started to warm the ground. Glorious day, i thot.

The reward from nature made the Peres climb much easier than ever. I have been here thrice and had never completed the climb without a stop but on that very day, i had only one target - to ride all the way to the top.

And i did it.

Pure satisfaction. I dunno how to describe the feeling but it's the same feeling which i get each time i break a mental barrier. The feeling is addictive. The endorphin gushing through your blodstream is indeed a drug. You want it. You want to feel the sensation again and again, no matter how pain it is to squeeze it out. If you havent experience it, it's very hard for you to appreciate but to those who knows the feeling, you know what i'm talking about.

The first time i rode her, Peres was evil but the evil has turned into one of my favourite training route. She's not kind and still a tough nut to crack but she provides a very good workout for my wobbly legs.

After a long stop at the top (hoping and waiting that Dicky will turn up), I refuelled and ride down.

On the way down, bumped into Dicky and Bacin going up. Then at the Simpang Tiga, I met Chomel and his friend. Well, at least i manage to salvage some of the ruined plans.

Onwards to Bt 18, i did some speed work training, mashing the pedal consistently between 30-35kmh, sometimes up to 38kmh on the biggest ring and the smallest crank. Another good workout.

As always, mentally it's difficult to be training alone but sometimes you need it to see whether your hunger is still there.

Total distance : 44.6km
Total time : 1hr56mins
Total ride time : 1hr38mins
Calorie burned : 3218kcal