CNY Running & Cycling

Running mileage (3 days) : 101 km
Cycling mileage (Gombak - Bentong) : 110km

It's been a while since I last run LSD at BA-Hartamas route, many fond memories were made here. My very first 20km LSD was done here few years back.

There's been changes around the area, new construction taking place for new multiple stories car park. It would be a different BA car park when it's completed this October.

Saturday LSD 31km, was done with Ms. K-Swiss as she's preparing for HK marathon in few weeks time. We started late, 6:50 am. Around Bukit Tunku area I met with a guy running with just bare sandals. I wish you could see how he ran, it was poetry in motion. Beautiful running form, just perfect how he landed front feet first - I could stand and watch how he ran all day long. Had a quick chat with him, he said he wanted to correct his running gait/form. So he bought this Tarahumara sandals from online - brilliant! I never thought of doing that when I started running. He's a friend of Izuan which I met last year in Seremban HM and I forgot his name - old age catching up with me.

We completed our LSD that day after 11am, it was a hot day!

Congrats Ms. K-Swiss, watch out for her pink shoes burning rubber on the streets of HK in few weeks time. Well, you have been warned - sub 4:30 for sure.

Sunday LSD - 35km BA-Hartamas route.

Ran alone - perfect to test my mental strength throughout the long hot day! Whenever I lack of motivation to do long run, BA route will bring out the best of my Ultra running self. I parked my car at BA and during the run, whenever I felt i wanna stop, I found myself in Hartamas. No choice, had to gutted out and ran back to my car.

At the end of the run, i found out that the BA food stall was closed that day. Dang! there's goes my ice cold ice tea. Replaced my long run reward with overdue visit to Kudu Nasi Kandar, da' bomb.

Nasi Kandar Kudu – post LSD treat.

Monday LSD - 35km Putrajaya route.
Loops after loops, and it was hotter than BA route. No tall trees unlike the ones in Bukit Tunku.

Tuesday (Cycling) 110km

Gombak - Genting Sempah - Janda Baik - Bentong - return back.

Supposed to do this cycling with Hailmi from Chap Ayam Cycling, but he woke up late.

Azmil and I had no choice but to follow the Cycling Otais, led by Diket Mencanak. To these guys cycling is like their bread and butter, they can cycle in their sleep and couldn't fall down. I was worried, but nevertheless go ahead to take up the challenge. Thanks Diket for letting us follow you season cyclist to Bentong.

I guess it's true, ignorant is a bliss! I've done 100km cycling before this, from Putrajaya - Bagan Lalang and back. That was easy! For Azmil this was his first 100km cycling distance, you could sense jittery in his face.

Back to ignorant part, I did not do research on the route. I heard it was a bit hilly, oh boy when I cycled that route it was a mountain - endless rolling hills from Gombak to Genting Sempah. I cried murder that day! I decided to cycle with Azmil at the back and let the professional with their speeding pace in front.

It was a huge relief when we arrive at Genting Sempah, no more back breaking hills just downhill towards Bentong. The road after that was horrible, thankfully we both survived the ride without any incident nor getting our tyre punctured.

We had a brief stop at Bentong town for early lunch, we needed that calories intake considering the uphill battle cycling back - physically uphill battle! No kidding!

It was hard and horrible ride back from Bentong to Genting Sempah, hills after hills after hills. Unashamedly we (Azmil & I) took one too many break during the cycling back, I don't know how we survived arriving at Genting Sempah, but we did it after back breaking effort and bad chaffing between the ass. Shower after the ride was expectably painful...lol.

It was a mountain of relief arriving at Genting Sempah coz we know after this it would be downhill all the way to Gombak.

110km later we arrived a shade darker around 2pm, it was hot ending. Thank goodness the weather was superbly cloudy and cooling during most of the ride. I'm beginning to prefer this route, I could train my legs for mountain attack, getting stronger legs will benefits my Ultra running. Cycling is my cross training, running is my prime mistress.

Congrats Azmil for completing your first 110km long ride. Be proud dude, you choose the tougher route for that maiden long cycling ride.

4 days of Running and Cycling amounted to 211km, bliss!

What did you do during the long holiday peeps? I hope you enjoyed the long holiday as much as I did.

(Photo: Awe)