Manjung people said, it was raining season there for the last 2-3 weeks. But it’s turned to be scorching hot on the event day!!! No rain even in the early morning before the event. The heat was as same as 2 years ago where i did my first Powerman.

the usual suspects from Chap Ayam Runners. some are Powerman 1st timers - photo by Abd Azri

With Chap Ayam frens at our homestay, moments before we left for the event - photo by Zila

Before the race, with Hadafi - photo by Zulhassan

With Hanafy & Det after setting up the transition - photo by Zila

Me posing before the starts, showed no sign of nervousness at all - photo by Zila

The race started with an 11km of run - photo by Jason Thai

The 1st loop - photo by Tan Kien Boon

yeayyy!!!! the usual jumping pose - photo by Izuan

After the 2nd lap of 11km - photo by Azri

Bike out - photo by Jason Thai

Speeding on the bike start - photo by Elaine

Approaching 2nd loop - photo by Elaine

My unofficial timing was 4:33… and it’s a PB ALhamdulillah.. that’s a bonus for me.. a big achievement for my hard work. Next year, of course will try a new PB again

The rewards, a nice medal and a Brooks finisher's t-shirt

For me, the medal & finisher’s T is secondary. The most important thing to me is the enjoyment of the gathering with my sports friends & doing what like together.

This year’s Powerman, i came with a target in mind. It’s to qualify within the 5hrs given time(getting the finisher’s T-Shirt off course), thus a PB for me.

Depart from KL a bit late, around 2:30pm, waiting for my friend Bedul(Shahrudisah) for his company training. The journey was accompanied with hot weather, but went smoothly. Arrived at Sri Manjung around 6:30pm, we went straight checking out the cycling route since this is Bedul’s 1st Powerman.

Reached Lumut Valley(our accommodation) around 7:30pm. It’s an apartment with 3 rooms and 2 bathrooms. Quite spacey and comfortable, worth the money since we r sharing it with 5 persons.

Went for dinner at KFC Lumut, surprised with a long queue there. Well, its a Saturday nite I like Lumut very much. It’s a small town, with a small jetty for tourist going to P. Pangkor. Unique, clean, friendly folks, not crowded, peace and i love to be there. Still remember last year’s Powerman, went for evening teh tarik at a stall by the jetty, on the evening after doing the Powerman, so relaxing…

Went back to apt, did my final prep for tomorrow’s race. Race bibs, bicycle, tri-suit, running & bike shoes, endurance drink, etc… Slept at 11.00pm.

Race Day

Woke up at 5.00am. It’s drizzling and cold that morning, a good sign for us Set up my transition, did a light warm-up run around the track and headed to the starting line. Meet some friends whose 1st timer in Powerman. Great to have them join in, hope to see more new faces next year ahead

1st Run

During the 1st 11km run. Photo by Snap Attack (snap-attack.com)

The race started sharp 7:30am. My strategy for this 1st leg run is to take it easy, not to push as i have more kilometers to go. Over took Nik Raiha, look like she’s taking it easy too. Not far ahead is Anchik (Rusfarizal). I just maintain the pace throughout the 1st run. Managed to clock 1:02 for it.

Bike

I’m a bit slow at transition area. Slowly catching up with the heavy breath after the run. Saw Shakhir and Dett came in after me. Aikkk? They were strong competitors, look like they were taking it easy too but i bet, they r strong in their bike leg. Have to queue when going out of the transition area. Ate a banana & drank a cup of Powerbar endurance drink at the water station at the bike exit. Took a pee stop at the toilet behind the grandstand and off with the bike.

Like the last Desaru Triathlon, i’m using the fast cadence method to get my legs warm-up in the early stage of the bike. As the distance built up, i shifted up to a heavy gear, 1 at a time, with no heavy force on my legs. Then i maintain that pace & gear throughout the bike course.

The most challenging part of the bike course was the long climb (abt 500m of climb i think) of the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Bridge. Unlike last year, this time the climb seemed to be easier my bike training really works well used the lowest gear while maintaining the cadence, i even managed to overtake some crawling cyclist. Yeahhhh!!! Feel great!

The bridge emblem

Raja Permaisuri Bainun bridge

Long climb

The bike course went smoothly, except the feel like wanna cramp at earlier stage. I quickly eat the ORS, and drink the water immediately to dissolve the ORS. That’s what i normally do when i’m facing the cramping feeling, it will came into effect in no more than 5mins

One more problem i faced was during unclipping my bike shoes upon reaching the transition. Tried to unclip it before reaching the no-bike zone, but it’s too tight. My bike had slowed down, so slow but trying to balance it while i’m unclipping the shoes. Cant do it myself. While balancing my bike, i asked for help from a supporter there to hold & support my body while i’m doing the unclipping. Successfully unclipped then. Phewww.. THat’s my 1st time experiencing that. I think because of the mud that stick under my bike shoes, got dried & made it stuck.

I didnt quite sure my timing for the bike, it’s around 2:20ish.

2nd Run

Starting the 2nd run, i stopped for pee again. Uhhhh.. i think i got bloated already. My legs feel easy, no pain, no cramp this time. This is a good sign. I managed to maintain the pace, slowly. I think i’m slow enough, but still managed to overtake quite number of runners too, hehehe Keep on running and running. Walked at the water stations only.

The weather was already hot. This time, the water stations served the iced water, good improvements from last year. Cool down my body at every water station.

1st loop was slow. Julie tapped my back & she overtook me… like zooommmm.. That was fast! She was in her 2nd loop and was about to finish the race. Saw Zulhassan in front, he was on his final loop also. 1st loop done. Looking at my HR watch, i got 45mins before the cut-off time, 5km to go. I can do this, just maintain the pace.

2nd loop was better than the 1st one. My pace was faster. Saw lotsa runners walking & stretching because of cramps. I just go on, dont wanna be affected of that scenes. Dush came beside me with his bike, offering a bottle of iced Coke. He asked me to just finish it. Thanks Dush. That was a instant supply of sugar inside my body, really need that. Didnt managed to finish it all, gave it to other runner. Then, Abu gave me another half bottle of Coke, again. Hhehehe.. thanks Abu. I just gulped a little, and made my way to the finishing line.

On my way to the finishing line. Photo by Aileen(Stupe's wife)

I finished in 4:49. A new PB for me. I qualified, finisher’s t-shirt & medal for me

Nik Raiha finished 6 mins after me. Congrats Nik for qualified on your maiden Powerman!

Post-race

Put my bike in the car, went for a shower at the toilet inside the badminton hall. Then off to the post-race lunch. Gather with my friends and congrats each other. Around 3:00pm, me & Bedul departed for KL.

My housemates during the event. Me, Julie, Fitri & Bedul.

Alang, Hakim & Halil

Basikal budak2 yg cute2

Biras & abg ipar aku yg cool

Group photo sebelum race

Event ni aku tak bawak anak aku masuk, tp aku pegi nak kasi support kat anak buah aku, Hakim yg amik bahagian, sambil2 jadi photographer.

Pagi2 kul 7am Halil(biras aku, bapanya Hakim) dah amik aku kat Melawati. Aku, Halil, Hakim & Alang gerak ke Cyberjaya.

Sampai kat sana, terus amik basikal, terus letak kat transition area. Ramai juga budak2 yg masuk. Kemudian, race briefing oleh race director En. Azwar yg amat berdedikasi.

Comel adik ni posing bila nampak aku point camera kat dia

Hakim sempat bergambar ngan kedua2 anakanda Raja Permaisuri Agong

Kasih seorang ibu...

Race ini dimeriahkan lagi dgn kehadiran Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah di mana dua anaknya mengambil bahagian dalam Trikidz ini. Konvoy baginda tiba setelah pelepasan Kategori A berlangsung.

Anak buah aku Hakim berada di dlm kategori B. Seronok jugak tengok budak2 ambil bahagian dlm acara duathlon ni. Comel jer. Semasa berlepas tu, semua lari mcm tak cukup tanah. Laju jer masing2. Dlm ramai2 tgh dash tu ada jugak yg terjatuh. Bila dah sampai separuh jalan, masing2 dah nampak penat, ada yg dah jln berlenggang-kangkong lagi, siap borak2 ngan member. Bila suruh lari, kata dah penat. Hahaha.. kelakar betul budak2 ni. Tadi bukan main laju lagi.

Ada pulak sorang peserta ni, basikal lebih besar dari badan, bawak pun mcm Suparman dah. Handle nyer oversized, dah mcm bawak motor chopper pon ada. Tapi jgn mahin2, laju tuuuu… perghhh dasat2 budak2 ni. Bleh jadi pelapis triathlete negara nanti ni.

Adik ni kayuh basikal dah mcm Superman

Water station

Anakanda kepada Raja Permaisuri Agong diiringi oleh 2 org escort

Hakim menamatkan perlumbaannya

Semasa nak sampai transition area tu, ada jugak yg eksiden berlaga basikal, berlaga ngan org pon ada. Ada jugak yg brek pakai kaki walaupon ada brek tangan. Aisehhh… hehehe.

Masa kat garisan penamat, ada sorang ni dah nak nangis sbb dah terlalu penat, tp terpaksa jugak lari kerana dihambat oleh parents mereka. hehehe.. kesian ada, kelakar pon ada. Memang seronok.

Ada juga acara untuk parents iaitu acara relay team, run-bike-run.

Ehh.. hakim jgn duduk situ, tu tpt permaisuri agong!

Azwar, race director yg amat berdedikasi

Keberangkatan pulang Raja Permaisuri Agong

Duathlon dah settle, lepas ni triathlon plak yer Hakim

Finisher's medal - belakang

Finisher's medal - depan

Piala2 utk para pemenang

Azwar menyampaikan hadiah

Acara habis dlm kul 1pm lebih. Apa pun syabas kepada pihak penganjur, terutama En. Azwar & rakan2 di bawahnya yg turut membantu. Semoga penganjuran ini akan dpt mengetengahkan lagi sukan triathlon & melahirkan pelapis2 triathlete negara.

SYABAS KALIAN!!!

p/s: Utk gambar2 yg selebihnya, sila klik di sini : http://foto.fairul.org/v/activities/triathlon/trikidz2009/