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.

Muka penuh emosi (Courtesy of Mr Tey)

Bersama geng2 Slowmovers

Hari ni hari yg baik utk berlari. Mood quite ok. Training pon ok. Almost ready.
Pagi tu sampai di Tmn Rimba Kiara pukul 6am. Jalan2 sekeliling tu cari member opis aku, Jamil & Syarif yg masuk kategori 6km. Mana ler diorang ni, tak dtg ker hapa.

Hampa dgn pencarian, aku terus pegi warming-up. Stretching & lari 2-3 pusingan kat taman tu. Dah berpeluh & puas ati, terus pegi ke tempat larian bermula. Ramai juga yg masuk kali ni.

Sementara menunggu larian bermula, terjumpa Chan & Jaya. Tak lama lepas tu muncul kakak & abg ipar aku.

Dlm kul 7:20am. larian pon bermula.

Dari mula cuba maintain pace. Tp bila masuk jer area golf tu, naik bukit, aku slowkan pace…. nak conserve energy. Lepas tu turun bukit sejauh 1km++.. best gak.. gliding jer.

Terkejut aku tgk satu group Kenya patah balik. Aik… apsal diorang ni, salah jalan ker, disqualified ker? Kenapa tak terus ke tunnel?

Pastu mula laaa aku nampak pelari2 lain patah balik. Hmm.. baru ler aku paham. Maybe tunnel tak bleh lalu. So maybe kene lari 2 loop kat sini utk lengkapkan 12km. Papehal, aku kene ready for the next loop.

Masa patah balik ke rimba kiara, aku berselisih ngan Jamil. “Good bro! Keep your pace!” Dia berteriak kat aku.

1st loop takde masalah. Sedikit sebanyak, training swimming aku membantu jugak aku improvekan teknik pernafasan aku.

2nd loop pace makin slow. Tp aku cuba push jugak.

Depan aku ada 2 org brader. Peramah betul diorang ni. Hampir semua org diorang kenal diorang tegur. Tersengih jer aku kat belakang. Unofficially, diorang jadi pacesetter aku. Bagus jugak aku follow diorang ni. Mmg pace diorang aku bleh ikut. Tp push sket aaa… Jgn pengsan sudah.

Aku berjaya habis dlm masa 1:08. Kira bagus lah timing tu. Improve a lot!

Sampai2, beratur amik medal & goodies, serah championchip, cari air minum.

Aku jumpa ngan Mej Kalam & family. 1st time borak ngan dia. Nice & humble person. Aku cerita hasrat aku nak start triathlon tawun depan. Dia ajak aku join cycling kat Putrajaya every Friday nite. Insyaallah.

Borak2 ngan geng2 Slowmovers & balik.

Sekian report.