Sun 12 Oct
Race Day Powerman Malaysia, Putrajaya
Reached the race site. Put the wheels on Joyce's bike and then mine, then found the speedo reader a bit loose but I pushed the bike anyway. THEN it drops out, the screw loose. I couldn't find the nut to put it back on. In the end carried it with me till reach transition area, hang the bike (a bit of difficulty here) then finally taped the whole thing up. Surprised it actually held on quite well, and I had less problems than with the screw and nut. I spin the wheel and surprisingly the meter reads. Put in the two bottles into the cages - one is filled with 90% Ultra Fuel, the other is 90% 100 Plus - and then brings the bike for a test run in the rain with Joyce. My tires are pumped up to 125psi, 700x20c thinner road tires and they are slicks though supposedly have very good wet road traction. On the cobblestones though, they slide left and right just moving straight forward at less than 20kmh (later noticed the cobblestones are slightly elevated and decline at intervals - that explains the sliding but still the tires shouldn't be SLIDING). Made a turn at about 5kmh and started sliding pretty badly, so I unclipped and made it through the turn. Pretty scary. Wonder how we will go past the roundabout starting area, which is about 500m of cobblestones, before hitting the tarmac again. In any case it was getting late 7.15am and barely had time to go toilet. Made our way to the starting line with Joyce... 7.28am and we were off!
My shoulder blades held on for the first km and I was following Joyce's pace. Then suddenly... CRAARK! And that was it. I kept up for a while more before giving in and slowing down, watching her and the rest of the field disappearing. I plod along slowly. Some idiotic fat assed guy made some snide remarks about my speed, and he's not even wearing a race tag. On the next hill, I drop him as I can basically race up hills since the body is angled nicely that I feel less pain and not jolted badly. In fact I go down at less than walking speed. It's very tiring, my body spends 80% of it's energy just keeping still, in balance, trying to hold up the hurting parts, sucking up to the pain and worst of all, breathing. I can breath in only so much before it hurts. That's why I have problems sleeping too, because every breath hurts. At times I hold my breath, take two three steps, let go and breath again. Other times I just breath shallowly. In the end I just walked and hoped to make the most of the bike leg but the legs are cramping out just holding the body steady. My heart rate is at racing speed, but my speed is not. I just couldn't wait to get on the bike, every step an agony but having come so far, it's just nonsensical to stop. Even the relay runners, starting half an hour later, were overtaking me.
I make it back to transition in about an hour. That's fast, considering my condition. My transition is pretty fast - except for the part when I lifted my bike the first time and couldn't get it up; ended sliding most of it off the hanger as I could barely lift it. I was halfway moving out when I realize my helmet wasn't on. I put the bike as gingerly as I could on the railings and put the helmet on, then continued to run and push out past the white line where I could actually get ON the bike. At that very moment, John Kelai was just coming into transition on his SECOND lap already. He zooms past as I got on the bike unsteadily and move much slower out of the transition. But once on tarmac, I put the hammer on... and found the strength lacking. Still, it felt a lot better to have my arms on the aerobars, or hoods, than running. Coming onto the main road, I started accelerating and passing the other people who had passed me earlier on the run. I'm finally at home, the slight drizzle a nice feeling.
It's a three lap ride of 20km each. First lap was to be taken easy. But I started cramping. Having had a bad run, I decided to just take it easy. Wasn't going to go through a whole race cramping again - although I think I was getting used to it, and there doesn't seem to be any permanent damage in doing that. Instead I just took it easy, enjoy the wind, passing people and passed by the pros. Took the corners easy as it was still drizzling, but on the second and third lap I did go faster. Coming into the start/finish area, I slowed down a lot, not taking any risks at all. I passed Joyce on the second lap. Apparently there were this group of followers who were behind her and I was wondering who was the leader. Her bright Speedo outfit was probably the headlight for her faithful followers. I slowed, had a short chat with her, then went along at a more comfortable speed. It's hard to stay below comfortable speed in a race because even if I had nothing much to race for, at the back of one's mind one is always wanting to see how much one can go. I was just taking it easy enough not to suffer my usual Malakoff terrible cramp but definitely not slow enough to give up the race and just "to finish", especially not on the bike. I wanted to go, without killing myself in the process.
Go I did. I came into the third lap at one hour forty three mins. Not finding the entrance back into the transition area didn't help. Losing time dropping my bottle once on the course (uphill some more) and going back to retrieve it didn't help. But I made it back here, and I wanted to get out as quickly as possible. Learnt the last time that spending too much time before getting out actually eats into my cycling time. I didn't pack in spares nor pump nor Powergel earlier, so I didn't have to unpack them. I took a calculated risk and it paid off. Official timing http://www.powerman.com.my/Individual_Pman03.pdf put me only 3 mins in transition area while I have been known to spend up to 6 mins at Desaru race. I simply take too much time at transitions. If I weren't just interested in my cycling times, I might make an effort at the transitions but as things stand, I don't. Today, I took out my drink with me (but I still took a detour to dump the bottle into a wastebin - Singaporean upbringing).
Walk walk walk. I see one by one, the people pass me. Even Joyce pass me. I took it easy, had chats with other people who were walking. I had two whole hours to walk 10km. There was no hurry. I did speed up the last few kms though, between a brisk pace and walking. Another guy who was walking was nursing an injury he sustained coming into the transition area - just bad luck to fall on the third lap but at least it was the third lap. I feel terrible as the vets people start passing me as I was nearing the end. At last... up the stairs and into the Finishing line, and handed the Finisher medal, plus a icy cold wet towel and 100 Plus.
Saw Jeanette at the bike area. Got her to help me press the towel against the shoulder blades. It felt really good. She used her fingers to press against it. She said she couldn't feel anything out of the ordinary, but ooooh, that felt so good, relieving the pressure and stiffness. I went to look for Joyce.
Cycle time is 1hr 43mins 23secs over 58.8km with a max speed of 61.2kmh and averaging 34.1kmh. Heartrate was 181max and 169avg for the bike section. I haven't downloaded it into computer for analysis yet.
Rain rain GO AWAAAAAY!!!
I'm now travelling up to KL with Joyce this weekend. Yes, for racing. Meanwhile we're rushing to get me a runner, and registration, and hotel, etc etc...
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