Tempo Ride

Last night, I, Ipin and Kepet have been riding in quite intensive tempo..it should be a good training as preparing for Kuantan Century Ride..60km ride using Putrjaya outer ring road is a perfect route for this kind of training..we managed to sustain 30kph in average..somehow it was going to improve our cadence and muscle strength..Btw, Kicuk and Panglima were having their time climbing Genting Highlands in conjunction of Le Tour de Langkawi stage 6 - mountain finish at Awana Resort, Genting Highlands. Poor me could not join them since it is held on Wednesday and i wasn't apply a leave in advanced..quite envy when they post the footage and the supporting situation along the climb section..hope i can be there next year's LTdL edition..as predicted, Jose Serpa from team Androni Giocattoli won the stage and seized the yellow jersey in GC..well done and wishing all riders the best en route to Kuala Terengganu..

Epic Route

I have heard once that Genting Peres is among the most popular climbing route for cyclists and runners..and i have ever thought of testing the route to understand and validate the claim..last Sunday, i followed a group of Bandar Tun Hussein Onn (BTHO) cyclists to do BTHO - Kuala Klawang - BTHO 150km trip..this trip is suggested to me by Kepet since he has been knowing the group and would join the trip as well..i barely knew few of them coz we've ever met during running events and in a few training sessions..one of the objectives they came out with this idea was to earn mileage for coming 160km Kuantan Century Ride as i and Kepet participated too.. we started pedaling at 7.30am from exit junction off Cheras-Kajang Highway..the weather was nice and breezy..we cycled smoothly and turned into Bt 18 road..we stopped by at Bt 14 town as another 2 cyclists were waiting to join the group..if im not mistaken, there were 11 of us dare to challenge the Genting Peres hill..we got to know each other while heading to Genting Peres junction..we reached at the junction and waited for a few cyclists who were left behind due to some technical problems..

bigger challenge is waiting

happy feet (before the climb)

We climbed the hill in a very easy pace and everybody could still talk each other..the route was considered moderate because have a few flat sections that we could recover after a hard pedaling..the peak was just 6 km away from the junction so we did not waste much energy upon reaching the summit..from 11, only 9 proceeded to Kuala Klawang..this time evreybody quite happy descending the hill and enjoying panoramic view atop of Genting Peres..we continued riding after finishing the hilly section and began the training..everybody was given 2 minutes to pull the team according to moderate speed..in average, i can say we travelled around 30km per hour till reaching Kuala Klawang town at 10.15am which 22km in distance..we stopped at a restaurant and having our meals..most of us ate 'maggi sup' and were advised to drink a lot of plain water since the day turned to be very hot..

at Titi after downhill

after a half and hour rest, we cycled back using the same route..i could see some of us were already tired  but had no choice to return home except for cycle..the day was hot and the heat did not give us a chance..we were demotivated by the weather and had to keep hydrated to avoid cramp and tiredness..the return trip seemed like farther than expected..we had to climb back the hill and here is the biggest challenge came..since everybody was already exhausted and demotivated with the current weather, the pace turned slower..everyone took their own time climbing and reached the summit once again but in a very hard way..i also suffered from the climb but the intention of searching for a shelter at the summit  was greater than the pain..so i managed to reached the summit earlier than others..we continued descending the hill and headed to Bt 14 as fast as we could since it was 3pm already..after a few stops refueling the water and energy we reached BTHO at 3.45pm..the heavy traffic along the way delayed us from reaching our destination early..

It was the hardest climb and trip i've ever done before..but joining this big pack lessen my suffer and i did enjoyed the ride more..actually, this route is doable and good for mental and physical strength training because it consists of many types of terrains..but we suggested to start the ride from Bt 14 instead of BTHO..never give up and push yourself harder till the limit..then u'll become stronger..MIND OVER BODY..chill!!

epic route is epic

Selamat Hari Wilayah Persekutuan 2012

Wishing you Selamat Hari Wilayah Persekutuan for those live and work (especially) in Federal Territory (Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan). Just another relaxing day for me..no training session..just rewarding myself with Caramel Frap and jazz music..awesome! 

"Rakyat Bersatu, Wilayah Persekutuan Maju"

Are We Safe Enough?

On Sunday 29th January 2012, we were shocked by a tragedy happened to our national cyclists during their training session at Putrajaya..few of the cyclists were broken down by a car at a junction near the Ministry of Sports and Youth building..the victims were among the top cyclists who will be competed in Asian Cycling Championship (ACC) this February. One of them is the national woman time-trialist, Mariana Mohamad who suffered a broken arm and fractured ribs..another three suffered broken fingers and another minor injuries and bruises..

one of the victim receiving treatment

Mariana, the potential prospect to shine at ACC

This is the latest crash involving cyclists in recent years..the question is, how on earth the driver could easily hit the cyclists while they are in a big group and escorted by policemen?for me, all safety measurement had been taken by the training organizers but somehow lack of awareness by other motorists just gave an unpleasant feelings to cyclists like us..i'm wondering whether the driver aware of her surrounding or not..from the video footage taken during the crash, it seemed like the driver was not even hit the brake and banged them intentionally..i feel terribly sorry to the victims and hope they will recover as soon as possible..however, Mariana had to forget about her dream to compete in ACC this year..

Me, as a regular cyclist who commuted by bicycle to work daily is definitely aware of this issue..whether the roads are wide or narrow,  a long or short journey, there is a possibility to involve in a crash..in avoiding the disaster or being a potential victim in crash, we have to aware of the traffic condition..we have to know when to slow down and which section we can pedal fast..big injuries are expected even if we involve in a minor crash because of minimal protection on our body..slowing down and checking for the vehicles at junctions and intersections are extremely advised.. 

To motorists, please respect cyclists and other road users since we are sharing the same road and paying big amount of taxes too..while to fellow cyclists, please take extra care when hitting the road especially to those who loved night riding..make sure front and rear blinkers are installed and obey the road regulation..also always wear your helmets..small deed leads to big effect..together we live in healthy and respectful society..

RESPECT CYCLISTS, THE ROAD IS THERE TO SHARE