desaru long distance triathlon

ok. i've been bugged to update more. so now since i'm in the mood and have 30mins to spare, share post about my previous race: Desaru International Long Distance 2008.

2 km swim, 90km bike, 21km run

overall feeling quite satisfied, considering the circumstances, even though it is definitely not my PB* (personal best).

* 2006 race - 11th position, swim: 00:50 bike: 3.10 run:1.25. Total time of 5:25

anyway, so this is the result for this year's race.

57th position, swim: 0:49:09, bike: 3:44:51, run: 2:33:34. Total time of 7:07:34

haa..seems pretty shameless for me to post my super lousy timing up but heck, i'm pretty happy with it cause my swim seems to have improved. although the timing is the same, but i was really boxed in pretty badly this year. couldn't get myself free at all...and the current was really strong. and best of all, i came out strong. i wasn't tired after the 2km swim.

just 1 in a hundreds

next section was the bike leg..considering i was using Ruth, my trusty fiery hot mountain bike with normal mtb tires, i am superbly happy. i didn't come in last for the bike leg (which means i won many road bikers..bleah). i think it may have helped that i adjusted my seat post to be higher than usual, thus giving me better transfer of power to the pedaling. i loved the feeling of going upslope and overtaking the roadies, but sigh, when downhill or on the flats, there was no way i could keep up. it was a matter of machine, and not man. oh well. it was great training anyway. love that feeling. anyway, as far as i remember, i was panting slightly and had slight cramps coming up when i finished, but overall i was still feeling good for the run.

my first wife, Ruth

shoot and bike

the most sucky part of the race. i mentioned earlier how the adjusting of the seat post helped in the bike, but it totally killed me in the run. i think because i wasn't used to it, my itb was strained real bad. just 3km into the run, the itb just gave way. it was way too freaking pain. i seriously had a good mind to quit. after all, i wanted to keep my reputation. but part of me was telling myself that i'm no quitter and thank God, because i saw this really huge guy walking past me. he is seriously over weight, and he can't really run, so he just finishes the race by brisk walking. and i told myself...if he is not quitting despite his difficulties, why should i? so i painfully caught up with him, and told him that he was my inspiration! so we half jogged, half hobbled and half walked the rest of the 21km route. but towards the last 7km, i grew really really disheartened. i was taking way tooooo long for a 21km run. normally i could finish it in 1hr 30min (maybe)..but this walk was just draggy. so i sucked up all my pain, applied as much deep heat to my itb and just jogged/stride to the finishing point. see the pain inscribed in my face in the pic below. i tell you it was really no joke. anyway, imagine my delight and surprise when the german/big size guy came to me at the end of the race and told me that i was his inspiration coz he saw how much pain i was in and pushed myself..so he also jogged the rest of the way back..

that's what i love about sports, athletes inspiring each other to perform their very best. beautiful. just beautiful.

running injuries sucks

a big thanks to cat who helped massaged my itb despite it being super sweaty, dirty and hairy, without whom i would not have recovered as fast as i would have liked. that's what i was able to relax the next day...haa.

a well-deserved break

and not forgetting laine...

the love of my life
a.k.a p.a, photographer, cheerleader, support crew etc..

now that i've completed 2 long distance triathlons, aka half-ironman, i am thinking of going for a full one next feb. the one in langkawi. hmm..roadie or mtb. that's the question. hmm...