only yesterday was an easy day...
my parents drove all the way to Kuala Kedah jetty then took ferry to Langkawi to support me=)
this is Colonel Alan Lai, father of May Senn.. he is like a wise grandpa who always give us advice. almost all event i'll see him=)
squeeze of gel before the swim...
my parents and i...
fueled by Power Bar...
Captain Ibrahim and Mek..
Ironmans we are...
started the swim at 7.45am.. when the commentator said 2 minutes to flag off, then i adjust my goggle, then after 5 seconds, i heard the gun shot. sigh... i was struggling in the water as the swimmers crawl on top of me and i had a hard time adjusting my goggle. i don't know why, but this time IM my goggle flooded so badly... i drafted a dutch man coz i know most dutch are good swimmers. i hide in his slipstream all the way for 3.8km. so i swam effortlessly. when coming back i was very desperate to breakway and look for faster swimmer, but as i stroke, i got pushed by the current. the current is really strong... the dutch's navigation is superb!=) every 3 to 5 strokes he'll navigate..
1.31 swim for 3.8km
aero position... cruising at 63km/h going downhill...slowly, my average starts to drop. from 33.7 dropped till 27.. i got very very disappointed on loop 3, cried so hard on the bike as i know my dream is gone. this year i have better gears, the best i ever had, but i can't do my best. final few kilometers, farhan overtook me.
at the aid station, when i have another loop to go, they're already running out of bars and water. how can this happen? they have only ice, so i have to melt the ice as my drinking water.
serious sungguh...
ice bath to cool me down..i thought of doing a 4 hours marathon to cover up my bike and swim, but ended up everything failed! i walked with brisk steps, yet my legs haven't recovered yet. i'm runner base, started everything from long distance running, when i couldn't run, i felt so sad as if i got no legs...
the disappointment in me made me burst into tears on the first loop. i couldn't accept the fact that i'm in poor form.. i ate everything i could, gels, bars, oranges, coke, and gatorate.. everything goes in will make me puke. but i forced myself to swallow. i'm in desperate condition, if i don't fuel myself up, i'll collapse. i took lots of gels coz i know Power Gels are rich in sodium and will help me to get my legs back.
OP Aj, OP Bandit, Kak Juli have been very supportive during the run. i cried while walking up the bridge, OP AJ came and hug me telling me to just finish it and i'm still young. i told him, "i;m not gonna make it to 12 hours... Kak Juli said "i'm always with u..." their support really made me feel better.
last year i did 12 hours 6 minutes. the marathon was strong and i felt very good. how can i accept that now i'm struggling the marathon?
struggling on the run... i still can't run this time. the legs seem to rebel my orders asking them to run=p after quite some time i rag them, they have to surrender and keep striding till the finish line. i saw a 2XU visor the one i like very very much on the running route, but i didn't have that extra energy to pick it up=.= come the 2nd loop, i keep praying... please "release" my running legs... after a while, my legs started to run=)
farhan first time IM. he did quite well on the swim and bike.. he even overtook me first loop of the run.
my final sip before going to the finish line... at last the torture ends... Mek keep giving me words of encouragement.
my supporters... Col ananthan waited at the finish line for hours! Asher waited there too... Haziq brought me to the medical tent then to the massage room. my race kits are all well taken care by Haziq.
my father who never say no to my training throughout the year...
my father and my mum waited by the road side during the marathon till i finish the 42.2km.
my parents always support me no matter how often i need to go out for training. i really hope i can clock my personal best since they're around, but my goal just failed to achieve.
throughout the race, many people quit and DNF. ambulance coming in and out the running course to send people who collapsed during the race. every loop i run, i see ambulance coming in and out. all medical tent's stretchers full of runners suffering cramps.
chit chat with Kak Julie at the hotel... i'm tired.Lesson learned. wear watch when u race, know your pace and push yourself SMARTLY.
use your brain and listen to your body. eat smart while racing, replenish yourself with electrolyte and sodium. force yourself to eat although u puke everything out.
This painful lesson will make me a stronger IRONMAN, i'll come back.
IRONMAN,
the first time 2008 u beat me, made me struggle for 13 hours...
2009 i beat u flat, u can only challenge me for 12 hours..
2010 your revenge... u really tortured me throughout the 13 hours.
2011 is my turn to teach u a lesson.
9 comments:
Chan, I am glad ur taking yesterday's events and melodramas into something positive. that makes me prouder to know you + the good example you're setting to all the youngsters (and even the oldsters) out there.
p.s. i got a lil emotional reading the part where you were describing how you felt better after AJ and myself gave you some words of advice. *sniffs*. i actually had a few tears from my eyes !
anyways, congrats Chan. you are a winner because you decided to be positive about this. take care + recover well physically + mentally. nice meeting your parents again too. :)
Chan, nicely done. At least you have use all you full force to end up the race. 2010 bullied you with 13, next year will be totally different. I know you will do much more better next year. Keep it up Chan. Im proud to be one of your friends. Congratulation for the title "3 times Ironman Finisher". Excellent job Chan!
chan!! ko memang hebat ah! hehe~
congratulations!
at least you complete the game compared to those yg naik ambulance or in the medical tent. =p
there is always a room for improvement.
better luck next year!
feel like going up to the hotel during the run. if i go up, i doubt i'll come back down.
Kak juli, actually my technical team told me u cried=p
Aiman, aku kecewa ngan performance aku. dah la Dato' datang support..
Nadea, this is not my best.. seriously, i wish to have 2nd chance and rub off this mistake..
Bro, as with everything in life, there is always ups and down. Dugaan they call it. Did you do your best? From how you wrote your race report, it looked like you given your 120%. That is everything you got plus more.
Did you regret not giving that 5% more?
I saw you on my WALK and i knew you did suffer like everyone else.
If the race was any easier, would you still want to do it?
You are young bro, very young. The world is your oyster and only time will allows you to shape the pearls inside the shell.
In sports such as this, the champs peak in their 30's; and i hope to see you race ecery race smartly until you are as old as Uncle Yee (73 years old) with a body that is still strong and live to tell stories to your grandchildrens.
Gears does not make champion, doing what you know you should do consistently does. Knowing WHAT to do is not enough.
Recover well, you did really well and i wish that when i grow old, i will only grow as strong as you.
Cmdr Chan and your mum are mightily proud of you when i spoke to them at the Hotel Bahagia lobby, else, they would not bother to drive up and support you at all.
P.s - i gathered enough energy to bend down to pick up that 2XU cap. Instead passing you one that is old and dirty, pls claim a new one from me when you see me next ok?
congratulations OP Chan. It was nice to see you. Sofian
Well done Chan. We win some, we lose some. Most importantly, is we enjoy what we're doing. Congrats on another great IM finish.
Well done Chan! Nothing wrong with 13 or 14 or even 15 hours. I know you can do better but luck not always on our side. Try again next year.
OP Stupe, the 2xu visor weigh more than 1kg during that day=p can hardly pick it up. haha=p
"Gears does not make champion, doing what you know you should do consistently does. Knowing WHAT to do is not enough." i agree with this. the Zipp did a great job, but the rider was too weak.
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