Dec 08

It's been awhile i had such a long vacation from work.

Since i'm on leave today and nowadays, whenever i'm not working, i can no longer wake-up late. My eyes were already wide open at 530am.

I looked out the window. Nice weather ahead.

I prepped up, did my dawn solat and left the house.

The intention was to do a 12km, 2-loops around my neighbourhood. However, driven by excess adrenalin rush lately, i ended up doing 20km. It been awhile since the last time i ran that far but the difference now, i am walking much much less than before. The pain was almost the same but the difference now, the pain tasted much sweeter.

Did i enjoy my run? NO. I have never like running and i am still struggling to enjoy it.

However, running mileage has crept up quite a bit in the past fortnight. Infact, overall training intensity had gone a notched up a bit. I have been training non-stop in the last 9 days without a rest. The craving for training is back. I am not sure why. Must be the many holidays and opportunity to do a bit more than usual.

This month, running mileage, 93km. Cycling mileage approx 420km. Swimming, 2.8km. Weight loss, minimal. Weird.

Eager

Babah and Mama are nervously waiting for your arrival.

We have got everything possible ready to welcome you to the world including minyak telon (i love pronouncing the word telon.. telon. telon.. haha). Mama had been shopping and god knows how many pink dresses she had bought for you.

Every day and every night, we were talking about you and we hope you are listening. Your Lala (means elder brother in Urdhu), is accepting well that he'l will no longer be the only jewel in our family.

This is where you will sleep. Very soon.

Everything is set. Hope you'll like it!! Even your bouncing net is in pink.

Lala helping Babah preparing your essentials. Though Lala Faiq can be a bit naughty at times but Babah know for sure that he will take good care care of you. I am sure, Lala will screen test all your hopeful suitors before letting them see Mama and Babah.

We'll see you next week, ya..!! In the meantime, be a good girl and stop kicking your Mama. If possible, try swimming around and save your Mama from a belly cut.

Happy. Happy. Happy.

Broga, it's a classic

Menu : Broga Pondan
Actual : Broga Jantan

Heard nothing but only nasty things about it.

136.7km. 4IM, 1IM trainee, 2 fatso, scorching heat, 3 lung-bursting-muscle-wrenching climbs, slippery wet going up reverse Peres, superb camaraderie and one objective.

I rolled out telling myself, "I need to tame and rest my fear".

I came back in one piece and did just that.

Top of Peres. We did it.

With IM Shazly, the mastermind. He provides the route overall strategic outlook and the essentials needed to survive the ride.

Kam, our 'guardian' throughout the ordeal.

He provides a sense of safe and security to our mind.

Gulpppp...

Tomoro is my virgin ride to the evil but famous Broga...

Whoever wanna join, RV at BT18 645am, roll-out 7am.. sharp!

Gulppp....

Ask no more, please...

A : U? Cycling?

Upiq : Yeah. sometimes.

A : How far?

Upiq : Depending on the group i ride with. Sometimes more than 100km.

A: Whoaa?! are you serious?

Upiq : Yeah. can be quite intense, sometimes. Cramping and all.

A : U ride MTB?

Upiq : No.

A : U ride with the racing bike? with the skinny tyre? the one you need to crouch you know?

Upiq : Yeah. that's the only bike i have unless you wanna see me riding on my 3-year old son taiwan-made bike.

A : are you sure you can ride the racing bike?

Upiq : Yeah. i told you oredi. (upiq dah start bosan)

A : the racing bike, you know? are you serious? tak pancit ker tayar tuh? (i knew he will ask this question)

Upiq : Yeah. tayar pancit? It happens.

A : What do you wear? T-shirt and shorts?

Upiq : Yeah. Cycling jersey they call it.

A : U mean, those tight fitting clothes with sponsors all over it.

Upiq : Yeah. (upiq dah bosan nak jawab soklan2 camni.)

A : Ko bleh muat ker jersey tuh? (again, i knew it. Some people just can resist it, huh?)

Upiq : Habis tuh?! (Upiq dah makin bosan)

A : I dont believe it, larr. U and this cycling thingy.

Upiq : Mampus ko larrrr. Pedulik aper aku. Nak tanyer sgt, biler dah bagitau, tak nak caya plak. (Upiq dah tak tahan ngan mamat nih and terus blah)

to that special person, nahhhhhhh... tengok sendiri.. naik bukit lagi!! and this photo was taken only yesterday.... i know i'm fat tapi kalau berani jom arr naik Peres.... kalau tak berani, get out of my life!

Dahhhh... Upiq dah malas nak jawab soklan2 camnih... buang masa aku jerr...

However, to those who genuinely wants to know more, i dont mind answering those questions. Infact, please ask more. I'l share with you.

tapi kalau setakat nak tanya, pastuh nak tunjuk tere... tak payah larr.... nih contoh orang dalam Category D.

Im sorry if the posting sounds a lil disturbing but i need to let it out from my system.

Also today is 26/12/2008, Boxing Day, Friday and there's only 4 people out of approx 40 in the ofis..!! urrgghh...

Do you think you CAN?

Most people when you ask this question, highly likely they wont be able to give a straight answer.

If this is the first time you are asking yourself the question, i bet 99% of us will not have a concrete answer. Even if one has an answer, he will either have a tiny doubt over or he hasn't got a clue of what he is answering.

There are 4 category of people :
A. Those who know what they kow
B. Those who know what they dont know
C. Those who dont know what they know
D. Those who dont know what they dont know

Those in category A, will give a simple and direct 'Yes' or 'No' to the question. They normally know what they want, what drives them to keep moving forward, what it takes to achieve their target and humbly yet brave enough to commit a 'No' if they are not ready for the challenge. However, some of them will even say 'Yes' even if they are not ready because they know they can achieve something by having certain strategies to nail the objective. Not many people are in this category.

Those in category B, these are the risk averse people. Most of them will not proceed or take up a challenge if they havent covered all angles needed for them to achieve the target. They will practise, train, simulate, have contingency plan, analyse time and time again, just to be sure that they will know whatever they dont know before. People in this category will take some time before giving a 'Yes' or 'No' answer.

Those in category C, normally they tend to under rate or over rate themselves. Those with self-confidence complexity tend to under rate themselves even though people around him have seen their potential and the success within their reach. They need people around him - friends, loved ones, coached etc to keep telling them of their true ability and how far they can go. Normally, they will take a long time to think of the answer or not answerning at all. However, there are also people in this category whom had over rated themselves and due to their perceived self-confidence, they tend to take up the challenge without knowing that they will fall hard on the ground. It not a question whether 'you never know if you never try' rather it is a case of trying insensibly just a like me being a matador without knowing what it means. These people will give a 'Yes' answer faster than those i Category A.

Last but not least, those is category D, is the most dangerous position you want to be. Clueless. Blur. Oblivious. Sometimes brainless. Can be cocky and arrogant at times. et cetera. These people will never know the answer to the question.

Back to the question, regardless of which category you are in - the one element that will make you achieve what you want is passion. Passion will drive you towards your goal. Being passionate of what you are doing will eventually change you to be in Category A.

Hence, to answer the question - tell yourself that you CAN. Repeat it again and again.

Eventually, whether you believe it or not - you will CAN.

Smell like teen spirit

21 floors...

500++ flights...

Ran up the last 4 floors...

Slashed it down by 13 seconds..

5 mins 32 seconds....

New PB...

I feel like a teen again...

TGIF.... Have a good weekend, y'all..!!

BT14-Tekala-BT14

I am reduced to minimal training in the past few weeks. Hence, i am confined to BT18 route for the time being.

Anyway, after the Double Hill the day before - i went cycling with a group of tourers namely Azmar, Wendy, Boh, Harun, Saifuddin and 3 others.

I started from BT14 at about 7am and met the rest at BT18 car park.

One after another trickled to the carpark and we left just before 8am.

We were going very slowly and at the Simpang Tiga, Saifuddin and his friend decided to scale Peres. The rest left for Tekala.

On the way to Tekala, Azmar and me played with the big crank. I was pulling him between 30-33kmh all the way before Tekala downhill. It was really a good workout and knowing that I am training personally with an Ironman, it provides additional motivation to push to the limit. Azmar didnt let me rest, pushing and hounding my back. Each time i slowed down, he pushed me again. Azmar is a great guy and i knew he was doing it only for the best of our interest.

We got to Tekala in about 20mins. My PB, to say the least.

In Tekala, we rested for awhile and waited for the others for regrouping.

We ride back at around 9am.

I was struggling on the short but steep climb near the dam (maybe due to the earlier sprinting workout) but i felt good to be able to maintain cadence on the same gear (not the lowest gear masa tu).

Along the way back, i was playing catch-up with the others. The tourers, even though most of them are 10-20 years older than me but do not underestimate their strength. They can put anybody to shame without much problem.

Anyway, after going down Simpang Tiga, i caught up with Wendy and Boh. We did a peloton. Wendy and Boh jumped and stayed behind me. I was pulling at 33-35kmh and the short train was blazing the tarmac. After a while, it was only Boh behind me. Wendy backed down.

I tell you, this Boh is a very strong veteran. He kept pushing and pushing me from behind. At times we were blazing around 35-38kmh. I stayed motivated knowing that Boh is willing to assist me in the workout. There was not a single moment where we held back the speed. We went all the way to BT18 town. We got there in less than 20mins.Another great workout.

After the BT18 bridge, i went straight to BT 14 and warmed down 2km before the traffic light.

I clocked 60km only but a worthy 20km of speed training.

I drove back to BT18 and met the other for breakfast.

The best was, my legs felt nothing. Holding up well and burned a good 3587kcal along the way.

Double Hill

I had never knew the Double Hill route. Simply because whenever i wanted to follow the others to run the route, 1 km into the run - they are already gone!! i ended up finding my own route and came back alone.

However, last week they invited me to run the again. I accepted knowing what's the outcome already.

Dicky, Bacin, Azmar, Bacin's friends, SK and yours truly gathered at Bukit Aman car park. After a toilet break hiccup (sakit perut arrr), we left around 645am.

After 1km, except for SK, the rest disappeared oredi. SK promised to go slow and accompany me after i told him i've never done double hill. I doubted it.

However, he stayed to his words.

We were going so slow and SK demonstrated the speed i was going was a fast as he was brisk walking. But it's okay he said. The idea was not about going fast cathing the others but rather to stay on hopping and slow running for the whole distance without walking. Endurance.

Went we got the the first hill, i was in awe looking at the steep terrain. Cursing oredi. However, we stayed at the same speed or maybe slighly slower due to the uphill climb and got to the top. The same thing with the 2nd hill. The difference was - i wasnt cursing.

It's painful but a very important training.

We spoke, we gossip, we bitched about others. One hour and 20 minutes later, we got back to the car park.

I did not manage to run the whole distance without walking eventhough SK kept pushing me to the limit. However, it was my longest running without walking session ever.

Now, I know what i can do.

Thanks, SK.

Aidiladha ride & swim

On the eve of Eid Adha, my bro and i went doe a ride. Lil' bro bought his own cycling shorts..!!! So, to further add fire to his enthusiasm, i decided to call off all other training arrangements and decided to accompany him. His work horse is the 'borrowed' MTB from a dear Dr friend of mine which until now (it's been almost a year), i havent returned to him. Poor him and bad me.

The menu was: Bt14-BT18-Tekala-BT18-BT14 (7+11+10+10+11+7= 56km)

My lil' bro's PB was 36km. Thus, it would be a new PB if he can complete the ride.

Actual : BT14-BT18-Half-way Tekala- Bt18 - BT14 (7+11+5+5+11+7 = 46km + 4km = 50km)

Lil' bro didnt complete the course, though. we had to discount the ride coz :
1. He slept late the night before, thus, didnt have enough rest resulting in a ride discount. half-way to tekala and turned back.
2. On the way back, 4 km to BT18 - his MTB tyre decided to retire. Punctured. I had to rescue, backtracking about 2km to locate him and ride back to BT14 alone. Additional 4km there.

Lil' bro resting at Simpang Tiga. Look at the mist at the back. we were that early bursting our bottom early Sunday morning. he set his target, but short of 1km of his PB. Nevermind, next time we make sure we break the wall.


After the rescue mission was accomplished, we lepak for nasik lemak at the normally humble BT18 nasik lemak roadside stall. But not today, folks from nearby villages came out in throngs to do last minute raya essentials shopping.

Pekan BT18 was buzzing with traders and buyers meeting at one point. Here, I bought ayam 'pencen' too, RM10 per bird (mahal siotttttt...!) for raya rendang. My small contribution to the local economy.

And of course, one activity not to be missed at BT18. Our usual 'natural' spa. very refreshing.

His first taste of the nature's wonderful gift.

This BT14 parking lot. Full of traders and buyers too.

I saw this.

..... and bought 2kgs of ribs. Another contribution to the local economy. Mind you, it's not lembu but korbau. I had soup tulang for dinner... Haha

My bro, wanting to compensate the lack of mileage, we decided to go for a swim the same evening. I taught him my lil' knowledge about swimming and he started to swim freestyle better than ever. Spoke to him about Ironman and 'bakar' his curiosity further... haha..

A good end to an otherwise lack of training week. We cycle and we swim. Biathlon our own way.

Sick again

The past three weeks had not been kind to me.

was hit down by a bout of tonsilitis, diarheaa and flu.

Needed a few more extra resting days to come to full recovery.

when i recovered, managed to crank in a few good swimming and cycling sessions with extended hours on tennis. But then, the joy did not last long as i succumbed to another bout.

this time around - bad cough complete with slimey greenish phlegm, flu with irrirating blocked nose and fever again.

Worse still, the monsoon is here. Raining almost every evening and sometimes in the morning too. Wet, wet and very wet.

Training routines were affected. Motivation is low.

Foe some reason, kicking my arse out of the bed early in the morning seemed so difficult. I'm hooked on House, Heroes, Amazing Race, Asia Food Channel, late nite footie and slowly i'm becoming a couch potato. Eating appetite is huge - Kudu, weekly fish head curry with extra servings of spicy fried chicken, laksa, maggi mee, nasi dagang etc - you name it, i cant hold it back this time around.

Nothing went right larrr, friends. Off-tangent from my normal schedule.

I guessed when the body system goes haywire, your routines also become a rojak.

I dunno what you call the situation i am in now. I've been searching on the net to decipher it but i couldnt find anything convincing.

If i cant find anything convincing, i can only blame myself for not being discipline to stick to my routines.

Sighhh.....