Full report : Powerman 2005

6.30am - Reached Putrajaya and parked on the left hand side of Palace of Justice. No need to push/ride bike far far from Dataran Putrajaya. Checked in and noticed i was the only handful that reached at that time of the day. Saw Penguin 6 sipping on his powerbar bottle and having one powergel for breakfast.

He came over to weigh my bike in and reckon that it was not as heavy as i claimed it to be. Boost of confidence already.

Slowly people started trickling in. By 7.15 everyone in the gang was in except Karoline, which i found out later had slept in and totally forgoten about the race.

7.25am - legs feeling funny and it is as if the inner thigh muscle refuse to work as it should. Calf acting funnily and heartrate was erratic. Too late to turn back now, might as well enjoy the 80km ordeal.

7.30am - Right smack on time the race started.

Within the first 1.5km, i find myself trying to find my own pace. Steve, Zabil and Bacin running alongside me (or rahter infront) then we found ourselves running with uncle Bernard. Right calf felt like it will cramp, slowed down only to find that i upsetted my own pace again.

By the time we reached PCC, Zabil was seen swerving to the left as he suspected Steve had unleashed some Gas of Fury. I almost chocked too but Steve maintained he was innocent as he didn't have any Durians for the past 2 months.

Had my right calf pulling this time, almost had a cramp as i ran up the PCC hill, by then Steve, Zabil and Bacin was already a good 200m ahead of me. Felt like giving up and jsut walk back to the line. But because it cost me RM100 for the race, decided to endure the pain and get it done and over with. Perhaps crawling if i have to to get the Shirt and Medal...

The sun came out and i whipped my ultra cheap sunnnies to sheild my eyes against the harmful sun ray (but i didn't put on sun block..hahahah)

Biking
A good one hour passed as i entered the transition (to be verified later with official results). Wifey asked me if i'm ok as i was visibly in pain (since when i'm not?) controling my *handsome-ness*, i just shrugged it off and said it was my calves.

Strap on my Camelbak with isotonic drinks in them (ice cold, mind you) and grabbing 2 cloud 9 in default of powergel, and as i exited the transition, i grabbed 3 bananas and shove it down my (hahahah) shirt pockets. I begin cycling and as i approach the first turn off, there was this ang moh that was pushing his bike against the traffic, he had his chain snapped. Unlike me that went prepared during Lumut with chain cutter, obviously his race ended prematurely.

the first 30km passed by pretty fast, me, being able to out pedal a few person on more expensive bikes (isn't that always a morale booster?) and then being over taken by 2 babes (i swear i was trying to catch up, not drop behind and view the *view*).

On to my second lap, the last year's champ already finished his 60km biking. OK, that's me, being lapped ONCE. These are elite anyway...so, who i am to complain?

My second lap was more enjoyable in the sense that i realised that i won't be able to win anything, so, might as well enjoy it. Managed to make a few friends as i cycle up to them (got 6 seconds to chat before getting a drafting penalty what...)

As i entered the transition area, i unclipped my camelbak and the pack just slid off my shoulder, almost costing me an embarassing moment...managed to stay composed and noticed that the legs were still ok for the final 10km run.

One note though, i managed to get 2 hours on the bike, surprising as i was expecting to get it done in 2h30mins.

Final 10k Run.
Rushed into transition and first thing i did was apply those muscle cramps cream, which supposed to work as they should. Guessed what, it does, for the first 1.5km.

I ran our to the transition, grabbed 4 bananas in a comb and drank like 4 cups of 100 plus. The heat is scorching and i could literally feel the heat through my running shoes (maybe cheap shoe, that is why).

I saw Bacin on the opposite side of the road as i ran the first 500m. I'm 1.5km away from him. not too bad, i told myself. Then i saw Azmar...Chucks overtook me on biking after the first lap, after admiring my backside (which is rahter un-J-Lo like anyway) for 30 seconds and overtaking me on the bike for a good 15minutes.

I saw my friend Jason on the run too, caught up with him and offered a banana. Then i noticed a fellow racer in the older category sitting on one of those stainless steel barrier. Offered to massage his quads to ease the cramp and he gladly obliged. I only left after noticing the St. John guys came to give him furhter assistant.

And guessed what...the uncle overtook me after the first drinking session, he managed to say thanks to me, which was more than enough. I was actually almost walking by then.

The final 5km was hell. I saw Ashley on the other side, doing her final 1km run to the finish. She went on to win the Women 20-29 age group. Well DONE (eventhough she represent P2K group and not Light and Easy).

I caught Penguin 6 at the PCC drink station. Jokingly asked the macha manning the station for beer. He seems more blur than us racer, maybe because his gf was calling him. I poured 4 cups of water, warm on my head and P-6 asked if i had done the same to the other *head*, which i gladly obliged and poured some...hahahaha....

I walked most of the way after that, Power Walking to be more accurate, the heat dries up my sweat and water i poured like as if it was nothing.

I crossed the finish line in 4H 22min...got my medal...Powerbar towel (which i intend to give to Dr. Amir), one Ala Fonte mineral water and one can of 100Plus Power.

Wifey was there to take pictures and Steve was there to cheer me on. The rest was glad to see me, again, finishing anohter race.

The race was tough, no doubt, more because of the heat that anything else.

Post race
We went to Zabil's place for BBQ. MANY THANKS TO HIM AND WIFEY for the fabulous spread of meat(not what you thought it was la!) and Karoline, which showed up after race for the brownies (fabulous!), Dilah for all the pastries and Chucks for the utensils!!!

next race? AXN!!! 1st october 2005!

ps- suddenly i get many calls and sms about seeing me with my big fat face on the TV with my thumbs up...hahahaha...