Last Kopek Long Distance Ride : Broga Classic

Firstly, Kudos to Arif and Senn for being crazy enough to ride HOA-Frasers-HOA and Broga back to back within 24 hours of each ride. With 300 odd KMs under their belt, langkawi should be more enjoyable.

Secondly, well done to IM Hopeful Barath for completing Broga Classic on his first attempt on a very very respectable timing of 5:45 (his meter showed 6hours, wonder what he did for 15 mins).

Here is the ride report.

We started off from Batu 18 at 6.45am on Saturday. Barath definately feeling jittery as he is totally unsure what he will be facing for the rest of the day.

I set a rather high standard for him to complete Broga in 6 hours. I recalled my first attempt for Broga took me in excess of 6:30 actually.

My PB for Broga classix is 5:15 and last i heard, Julie did a 5:05. Crazy!

The morning went on not too well for the both of us (yes, only me and Barath).

First punture at 5km mark near Sg. Gabai (still dark) and second punture right after the first downhill at Semenyih Dam (damn it, 20km done in 1:30???)

We spent almost an hour to fix the puntures, mostly focusing to ensure that the tires has no more sand/stone that would risk anohter. Only had 3 tubes and one more puncture the ride will be called off.

Barath has been putting in good mileage on the bike (900 odd almost 1000Km in less than 2 months) and the tires are wearing out. There were a slight cut on the front tires, which explained how the road debris got into the slit and caused the punture.

We got onto the Notingham U highway and headed to Broga. It was then the phrase of the day came up.

Barath : Dude, why my sunglasses fogged up?

Stupe: You are not cycling fast enough.

That shut him up for a while.

He sort of reminded me about myself (and others i shall not name) attempting my/our first IM. Egoistical. Over confident. Loud.

Those energy are best saved to complete the training ride and the IM race itself.

The ride yesterday was my 7th time on Broga. Completing a bulk of it in 2007 in preparation for IM08 and yesterday was my second this year.

Somehow, with some experience, i'm a little bit more composed and know what to expect.

The Bukit Tangga after Lenggeng that would make me saliva like a dog running up a hill was tackled with so much ease i even wondered why i struggled through it the last 3 times.

The Jeram Toi highway hill, which was in itself a long climb, was almost a stroll in the park.

Barath, on the other hand, learnt the lesson the hard way.

Bukit Tangga hit him really hard. But i had enough chance to tell him to STAY on his seat while climbing. And i guessed it helped him a bit when going up Jeram Toi.

We reached Kuala Klawang after 5 hours of riding (moving time : 4 hours), which was really average and slow (23km/h).

A quick refuelling at the station, we were off and upon 100km near Petaling, Barath started to feel a cramp coming up in his left inner thigh.

And that did shut him up a bit.

The last climb will not be kind to cramping thighs and calves.

I know for a fact as i never forget how this back of Peras broke my spirit 2 months before IM08.

"bro, the climb infront will be so slow, you will have time to see all the trees and name them", it was my words to him.

"look, it is a flat infront of us...NOT! Every bend here is a climb!", i added.

That really pissed him off and drove him onwards to complete the last huge long climb.

And what a long climb it was for him.

At 1330, Barath emerged victorious at the peak of Peras.

"overrated la this Broga", he acclaimed.

Perhaps he should have the homemade gel i gave him to thank for (we had nothing but the gel made from Rice Malt syrup with Hersheys choc syrup)


Victorious

The rest of the ride back to Batu 18 is a breeze. We finished the ride at 1415. Total covered was 137km with average of 23.5km/h.

Barath's max speed was 72km/h and i did a 66km/h (getting old, balls also smaller, which explained why i don't get chaffing there as often anymore).

Along the way, Barath took a pic of me, which i thought reminded me of how fat i looked.


Can't see the fatness?


HERE - love handle galore


And HERE - love handle upfront

I know, the pics are disturbing. People will be laughing at all these IronMan and IronMan hopeful that we are making a mockery out of the race and the brand name.

Whatever happened to men with 6 packs?

Or you IronMan or RotiMan?

It's not the physical attribute that makes an IronMan mind you.

It's the heart. It's something inside, not outside.

With less than 26 days to go to IM09, conquering Broga route is definately a morale booster.

Barath - just cycle faster next time to avoid your sunnies from fogging up. ;)

Here are 2 pics taken by Shazly when we were on our way down from Peras.

I must say it hid all our love handles really well!


imbarath.blogspot.com


I am IM and IM Hopeful

For any of you that still has not engaged a photog for your IM, it's still not too late to book one. Just contact Shazly. He will do the rest.

To the rest of you reading this and gonna do the IM, remember to train smart and rest smart for the rest of the weeks.