BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Week 1 - 23/11/09 to 29/11/09

Monday, 23/11 - (a.m.) Swim 1,400m Drills @ Celebrity Fitness Mid Valley (Cel Fit)
(p.m.) Run Treadmill 10km @ Cel Fit

Tuesday, 24/11 - (a.m.) Swim 1,500 Drills @ Cel Fit
(p.m.) Run Treadmill 6km Intervals @ Cel Fit

Wed, 25/11 - (p.m.) Bike Spin Class @ Cel Fit (pushed hard & sweat a tonne)

Thu, 26/11 - Rest

Fri, 27/11 - (a.m.) Bike 142km Puchong (Home)-Cyberjaya-Putrajaya-Jln Imbi-Putrajaya (via MEX)-Putrajaya-Cyberjaya-Puchong (5 & 1/2 hours solo under scorching sun, Kuota bike felt great)

Sat, 28/11 - (a.m.) Run 25km Puchong (Home)-Cyberjaya-Puchong (ran in the rain 2:33:00 with a pooh break at u-turn in Cyberjaya)

Sun, 29/11 - (a.m.) Bike 70km Hill Workout UIA (Gombak) - Genting Sempah - Awana Genting - Pagoda - Awana Genting - Genting Sempah - UIA

Rode from UIA - Sempah with a sweet 20-year girl who kept smiling at me, then b4 we parted she called me "Uncle".... :(


Original target was just Gohtong Jaya but ended up at Pagoda. Cadex bike still felt great after all these years. Had great weather-cool & misty as I approached the Chin Swee Temple. Enjoyed the cool air on descent-great way to end a long training weekend.


2 hrs 32 mins to get from UIA to Pagoda non-stop

I Love This Spot

Good start. Missed training like this so much. Will build up to race distance by end January 2010. Still long way to go but I will be there.

THE JOURNEY HAS BEGUN

Next stop, Langkawi - Ironman Malaysia 2010.



Training for 2010 commenced considerably late as compared to previous endeavours, which would typically have started in October prior to race day.

Did my first long ride of 124km on 22/11/09, had my first double session on 23/11/09 (swim in the morning b4 work & run in the evening after work) & have plans for some heavy stuff over the coming long weekend of 27 - 29/11/09.

The thot of going back to Langkawi simply excites me - I AM ALIVE AGAIN!!!!!

POWERMAN MALAYSIA 2009

PHOTOS BY PM TEY

8 November 2009 - Manjung Perak

Run 11km - Bike 64km - Run 10km = FUN

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Another tough race in my book.
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Was looking forward to dip below 4 hours - a good target since I did 4:01:14 with much lesser training last year (http://cheekaimun.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html). But strong cough medicine taken on the Friday prior to race day Sunday had affected my body so much that I felt weak when I started warming up for the starting gun.
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Took 1st 11km run EZ with a 5 minute pace. Things turned bad 20km into the 64km bike ride - I had body ache. Not due to fatigue but the feverish type of body ache. Contemplated on quiting at end of 1st 32km loop but stubborn me - I just made the u-turn @ end of 1st lap and headed out for more suffering.

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Things got worse in the 2nd loop. I was overtaken so many times, I thot I was gonna finish almost last. Thot of quiting lingered in my mind. Such big difference from last year's race - when I felt strong on the bike.

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Told myself to quit the race, if I have cramps at end of the bike. Strangely my leg muscles held up nicely, altho the body still feel weak. It was quite late in the morning & the sun was scorching hot.

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Stubborn me (again), I slipped on my running shoes, put on my running cap, walloped some Power Gels & set out to complete the damn race with another 10km run. By then, many who overtook me on the bike were already walking. I wasn't running fast but it was good enough to regain some positions lost on the bike.

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The pain was there, but I found myself repeating the chorus of the song "Pain Is So Close To Pleasure" (Queen). Regaining the positions lost kept me going.

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I ended the race in 4 hours 11 minutes & was good enough to rank 13th in my age group (out of 60) & 137th overall (out of 600 or so).

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Very satisfied with my result - altho slower than last year but timing was secondary. Overcoming the pain & the loud silent voice from within that kept repeating "Quit, Quit, Quit!!" is an experience I can always fall back on, in tough times outside triathlon.

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Despite the pain, I guess I am gonna keep doing Powerman for as long as I can. Somehow, its the pain that kept me coming back - something only my fellow die hard triathetes would understand.

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