Highlights of the week!

Red Velvet from The Daily Grind, Bangsar Village I

"Fight Gone Bad" Charity Dinner

Kenyir Lake International Triathlon 2011

Randomness dictated my participation in this event. Interestingly enough since I've been down with multiple injuries.

Kenyir Lake International Triathlon 2011
April 10,2011 (Sunday)

The view of the Kenyir Lake. Raining.

Why?

• Just because I felt like it!
• It was the first triathlon in the year that I could go for.
• My bike felt lonely.
  

With no prior training of swimming, biking or running, I took on the hilly route which I had not trained for. This year's bike & run route was different from the past year's and it was challenging. Let me go into details... well, maybe a little elaboration.

THE SWIM (1.5km)

Time: 39:40

Out of 400 swimmers, I think I was preeeety slow! Breast-stroked all the way... did my best to avoid the splishy-splashy swimmers who could almost kick my head off my neck.. 

It was 2 loops in clear water, hence lesser buoyancy and more effort needed to swim my way through. Occasionally I was stuck behind "same-paced" swimmers that I had to speed up and overtake just to ensure I don't get kicked or paddled upon. The feeling of someone caressing the soles of your feet is just SO-NOT-PLEASANT!

Had kept time in check so that I didn't pass 45mins. I was SO glad to be out of the water after the swim! 

THE BIKE (40km)

Time: 1:55:22

Once I got to the transition area, I quickly put on my necessities, sucked on a gel and started to push off. Little did I know what was in store for me....

Started off with a hill...and a few more hills in the middle.... I'm referring to slow climbs of at least 1km long that never seem to end. - y'know, like one of those "Where is the peak???" sorta hills! So yeah slo-o-o-o-o-o-w climbs they were. With occasional flats till the U-turn point! Now, the flats were good to catch up with the pack... 

Why catch up? Because... I fell - TWICE. Both climbing uphill when I changed  I couldn't catch the cadence quick enough, and couldn't uncleat in time! SMASH! My chain derailed - THRICE. Spent at least half an hour trying to get the chain in position. By the time I fixed it back, at least 5 people from my category overtook me. (Or more people...  I tried my best to catch up with them...) Felt like a cat-and-mouse game that morning. 

Thanks to a few peeps who checked in on me when I was down. And sorry if I overtook you on the bike/run route! But the feeling of catching up was just...exhilarating...I had it in me! YEAH! That extra ooomph of energy and power felt good!

Damage: Body: Knee, elbow, palm : De-skinned, bruised and bloody. (Now it's itchy...recovering!) And a bruised somewhereelseyoudontneedtoknow.

                 Bike: Scratched brake horns & saddle.

The best part of the route, we ended with a hill. Start & end with a hill. Nice right? Could never be better than steamed bread + kaya.

At this point, I was SO RELIEVED. SO OMFG icantbelieveit RELIEVED. Relieved because I didn't need to worry about another derailment! 

Got into transition. SAFE.

THE RUN(10km)

Time: 56:02

Just before exiting the transition area, Dave said to me, "You're gonna LOVE this route!!!!" And it WAS the BEST route ever! I was like "What? Are you serious or kidding me?!"

Took off nice and comfortably at a good pace...to encounter a hill at the start! Then it was rather flat for a bit before the hill came back at the end.

This run was just AWESOME. We ran about 2km over the Kenyir Lake Dam area where it was forbidden for public access. And today, we ran over that stretch .... such a beautiful scenery that I wished I had my camera with me so I could share the breathtaking view with my readers. You know that on top of the world feeling that you're untouchable, jumping sky high like you're a million gold bars? I felt just like that THERE! It was such a nice, fuzzy feeling....tralallaa..... Sigh....Niceness  :)

Then after that was a small slow climb to head back to the Finish Line...say about 3km plus? Started to speed up till the end... 

Approaching the finish line, I sped up and hit the tape! YEAH!

FINISH.

I felt overwhelmed. I finished the race. I didn't train. I wasn't prepared. But yet, I did it. I bloody completed the race! YEAHHHH!!! ECSTATIC!!! WHOooooooooooo! :D 

Total time: 3:31:04 (Position: 14th)

Acknowledgement goes out to Meng, Dave, Denis, CC, LW, Deb, Bee, Lesley and a few new friends who were there that trip to advise and support. I wish you guys the best in your future events! 

For now, I'm just gonna be random... so if you do see me at any races, do say HELLO! :D

Oh btw, did you know it was raining during the WHOLE race? Yes, we swam, biked & ran in the rain! Hence, our shivering expression super small eyes in the 2nd photo below...

My finisher's medal! 

The girls!

L-R: Me, LW, MC, J, Lesley
(Thanks CC for the pic!)

Random Chalet toilet pic - wanna WOD anyone?

~~~~~~

“God makes three requests of his children: Do the best you can, where you are, with what you have, now”

~African-American Proverb