Out of the blue

Ive been sick for the past 5 days.

tonsilitis. fever. diarrhea. all at once.

At its peak, i was shivering and sweating whole nite long. Eating pattern had gone haywire too. Most of the time, no appetite plus it's quite painful to swallow any solid food. Warm water can be a pain too.

Good thing is.. ive got enough rest. though it can be a painfu and uneasy rest but at least my body has time to recover from all the previous beatings and lost some valuable weights (muscles it is!!) along the way. I must start eating good food again and rebuild what ive lost.

just nice before the weekend starts.

Long long time ago

I had trouble finding shorts. Mainly because shorts are not made to fit people of my size. Sports shorts to be precise.

Hence, most of my beachwears became my sports shorts.

Last week, all my beachwear koyak kat celah kangkang and i had to find one. An enormous challenge, for sure.

The last time i had any branded shorts was like 18 years ago. Long long time ago....


Last weeked, i went to RSH and tried the above. Size XL and god is gracious, i fit them..!!!!! Wait no more, i grabbed it instantly.

It's been a long and winding road with lotsa painful challenges. It maybe not a big deal to some and nothing to shout about but it's definitely one of the more significant moments of my life.

Cheras-Putrajaya ride

On friday nite, i played golf until mid-nite and got home around 1am. Went to bed around 130 am.

i knew i am going to be knackered if i join the Saturday without enough rest but stubborn as i am, i woke at 515am, prepped up and just when i was about the leave my house - the rain started pouring. Darnnnn.... I should have tucked myself in the bed rather than dwelling whether i should brave the rain.

In such situation, i summoned the 'I CAN' mantra. You actually have to summon the courage dep inside you and push yourself out of the house. No one can help you here. It's DIY. DO-IT-YOURSELF. The next thing i knew, i was on the road around 6am. The plan was to catch-up with the Rawalpindi express at the exit near Bukit Jalil before 620am. I managed to get there around 615am and waited for the train.

10mins, 15mins, 20mins - not sign of any train stopping by. I smsed and called the pilot - no answer. after 30mins of waiting, i continued to the Putrajaya toll as i am not sure who's waiting for who. the train might had passed already.

It was a dark, cool and lonely ride to the toll. I was hoping nothing bad will happen to me coz until today, i have no idea how to handle any mechanical breakdown. Yeah, lame excuse. i know.

Anyway, as i reached the toll, still no sight of the Rawalpindi express. I checked with the toll collector whether she'd seen any train passing by, she said no. Hmmmm.... i refueled larrr.

Putrajaya toll. The one and only stop and no refuelling station nearby.

Resting. heart rate dropped to relax level. Still no sight of the train.

After 45 mins of waiting, i saw Azmar and Laif. a moment later, Julie and Kam. Got to know the pilot's turbular wheels punctured causing the train delay.

Anyway, we proceed to KLIA toll at Putrajaya exit and on the way to the toll we were pushin at times hitting 38km/h with an average speed of 30km/h. It was fun.

On the return leg, i was quite tired already and the effect of lack in resting started to kick-in. I slowed down and let the rest continue to the finish line.

All in all there were 13 climbs. A good route with a combination of flats and climbs. My thighs were put to test to its limit.

I exited at the Bukit Jalil and reached home around 1000am.

Total distance : approx 80km.

Ride time : 2 hrs 42 mins.

Calorie burned : 3756kcal

VIP nite

Last week, i had a dream come true experience.

Imagine being ushered personally from the main gate until the dining hall. The buffet spread was prepared by Mandarin Oriental, megalicious. Dignitaries from the upper class society eating on the next table, smiling at you. After eating, the usherer ushered us to our box seat. I felt like im walking on cloud nine. Maybe this is how the rich and famous being treated out there.

All these happened at the National Putra Stadium. Yes. a stadium, renovated to fit a tennis court so that champions of 2 eras mesmerised the 6000-odd fans. I love the sport. To an avid fan like me, it was an opportunity of a lifetime..!!

We were sitting so close to the players that even if the players chose to pluck their nostrils hair, you can witness it in person.

Subsequent photos were taken using phone camera without zooming capabilities.

The tonggek man. Dekat giler, kan?

The evergreen.

Side line seating. How do you top this? Felt like David Beckham watching US Open finals.

The person who made it happened was non-other than the great TSB/Kharis/Chomel. thanks bro..!! terima kasih daun keladi, kalau ader jgn lupa bagi lagi.

Step it up

21 floors...
462 steps...

5mins 40sec... new PB...

Recovery to 112bpm... 2mins 30 sec...

I'm getting there....

Powerman 2008 - result

Event Category : Men's Sprint (run-bike-run)
Distance : 5.5km - 32km - 5km
Race No : 693

Time split
Run 1 00:39:42
T1 00:01:53
Bike 01:06:37
T2 00:01:56
Run 2 00:42:14

Total Time 02:32:24
Position 81/125

My HRM showed sub-2:30 but the official result showed additional 2 mins. Takpe larrr..

Ive been the maintstay of bottom-10 for every event i've participated but not this time around. Yeay..!!!

major motivation boost.....

Poser

Gulppp... for once i thot it's a real poster. A friend made this poster to commemorate PM2008.

Excellent for the effort and creativity, missjewelz.

Cool stuff. Wa syiokk sendiri. hahaha....

PowerMan 2008

Initially, i wasn't sure whether i should participate in this event. It's a run-bike-run event. Not easy especially for someone with my size and my weight. It's tough and hard on the legs, knees and ankles. I was skeptical. Very skeptical.

Thus, when i knew the full distance event registration was closed due to overwhelming responses, i figured out maybe this was not the year. Infact, felt a bit relief. However, I eventually registered for the sprint event just in case i changed my mind in the last minute. Heavy workload at the office was affecting my usual evening runs and the more i missed the runs the more i have to work to compensate the loss. So, i started my training early in the morning, at times - running alone at 530am to prepare for the race.

On the eve of the race, bad news struck the family. Wifey's auntie passed away. When everyone was preparing for the race, i was sweating in soil, working hard burying my dearest auntie. Not a good sign at all.

However, before i went to bed - wifey whispered, "It's okay. You can go for the race. Don't worry about it". I went to bed feeling a lil' queasy, not sure whether i should go to Lumut when others were in grief.

Cut the story short, next day i woke up early, packed up all my gears and sooner rather than later I was in Lumut already.



The gang having lunch at the native restaurant, Silaturrahim. superb makan place. Packed like sardines. BTW, AJ paid for all. THANKS, AJ..!!!

Race day. The battleground. Beautiful sight.

Me, at the transition area. The best part of the race. I love it - A chance for friends and familiar faces meet each other, good luck wishes in abundant, smiling faces, tense faces etc before the real torture begins. As per the triathlon events, easily i was the biggest person (size wise) around. As usual, hundreds pair of eyes were staring at me. Now, i couldnt care less anymore. Say whatever you wanna say. Think whatever you wanna think. I may be crazy but i'm just trying to do something good to my health. I came to this event fully prepared and be sure that i am ready to tackle the bull by its horns.

However, sad to say, on the same morning, my roomate Kam was down with diarrhea and out of competition. Rashid almost.

The full distance race were flagged off around 730am, followed by relay at 740am and sprinters at 750am. I was at the back of the pack and my strategy was to keep running for as long as possible and possibly catch-up with the other turtles as the race progresses. The running route was too flat, too boring. The two long straights had their ends but it seemed so far when you're running towards it. After 2km, i got into a steady stride and slowly overtake the other slow coaches. I knew i had the endurance but i knew i am not fast oso. Plus, i am very careful preserving with vital organs. So, maintaining my pace was much more important than trying to overtake others.

I reached the T1 approx 40mins. Yeah, i know it's slow..... but please dont compare the timing with people who are 40kgs lighter than me. BTW, i'm competing with myself. Myself. And myself.

I spent quite some time at the T1, looking around absorbing the energy of the competition. It's fun and i can feel the adrenalin gushing through my veins.

The cycling leg was great too. Mostly flat with 2 minor bumps and 1 major bump. I was cruising at race pace i.e. 25-28kmh when suddenly a train passed by and i hopped onto it straight-away. The marshall kept harassing us to split the train. So, i slowed down but when the marshall disappears, i hop onto it again. Haha.... The train was cruising at about 35kmh all the way until the last climb, when i dropped away.

At the u-turn, another train passed by and i hop onto it again..!! haha... This time the train was faster cruising at 35-37kmh and i stayed with them for awhile until one of the minor bumps. Best siollll.... I guess the two trains helped in my cycling timing. If my HRM was right, I completed the cycling leg in less than one hour. Woohoooo....

The 2nd run leg was all about finishing the course. Time to summon my mental mantra and using my sub-concious mind to push the already battered body. I was expecting harrowing moments in the last leg.

I started the leg by replenishing body fluid at the first water station at the exit of T2 with PowerBar race sponsored drinks. Slowly, i exited the stadium trying to adjust my stride, hobbling before the right muscles engaged.

After 2km, i felt fine. 3km, still fine. No signs of cramping or hurting. Surprisingly, all system were in good condition. I felt good and gung ho. Kept tellin myself that i need to get the job done and do it well.

500m to finishing line, i saw the the banner. The endorphin and adrenalin were working at one gear up now. Seeing the many people and whispering as i reached the finishing line was common to me now but the feeling of touching the line, no matter how many times i've done it was uncommon. pure satisfaction. The last leg took me slighly more than 40mins.

PowerMan.

In total, i did around 2hrs 20mins and i surpassed my expectations. Defeating myself, i did. Albeit it's just a sprint event but i underestimated the intensity and the challenge. Retrospectively, i am glad i didnt register for the full distance. Maybe that's for next year.

In terms of preparation, race condition, physical endurance and performance - this is my best event so far. I am humbly grateful and definitely this will spur me to do even better in other events.

Lunch after the race. Spaghetti tak sedap.

Last but not least, i dedicated this race to my auntie and you were in my thoughts during the race.

Rest in Peace. Amin.

To Tey - Thank you very much for the great photos....!!!

Masuk paper

SPG in the newspaper..!!! Wooohooo......

Here

Next year, kita buat lagiiiiii....

SPG

Sarong Party Gang..!!!

Yeah.... might seemed a bit daring for some but we were enjoying our morning stroll at the Terry Fox Run 2008 at the Lake Garden, KL. A journalist even came to interview us about the sarong craze.

Before the run... blom panas lagi and ada rasa malu2 sket sbb ramai yg duk tengok aper kena ngan orang2 mutant nih.
not too bad actually.

Ngae, the President of the Sarong Club

After the run, we got numerous request for a photo shoot and let out our sexiest pose. Check out may senn... hilarious...

Bogged down

It's been a really busy fortnight at the office.

Been slacking in everything including blogging.

Powerman this weekend. aiyooo....

ahhh, just finish it.