(race recap) Ironman Langkawi 70.3 2019

After Bangsaen 70.3, I was a bit curious about completing half-distance triathlon race. If only questions popped up.  On March, I gave another shot! I would try my luck on October.

To swim better, I decided to go back to Akbar’s class, I was with him since 2015, I quit in 2016 when doctor told me not to swim yet.  The practice arleady move to Gelora Bung Karno which obviously closer to my office. It will be easier for me to commute.

Swimming in pool for speed session obviously different with open water swimming which is required in triathlon.  So  around March, I’m back with the squad again ,twice a week as opposed to my previous preparation for Bangsaen which was only once a week.

As I also write here, I have my running coach that gives me schedule on Sunday, Monday the latest, because obviously I lack of my running mileage. The reason why I can’t make it on Bangsaen.

But, building up my running really takes time that I only had max 2 a week for bike training. Pre-race MISTAKE.

Ok here’s the recap :

Saturday October 26^th, 2019.

• We had breakfast at the hotel. Me, not having my caffeine for a week finally in big relief. I sip a cup of coffee eat pasta and bread.
• In agreed time, we went to The Danna, a nice resort 20-min-drive from where we stay, where the swimming leg started. Unlike any other tri race I had participated, they had different transistion area  for T1 ( from swimming to bike) and T2 ( from bike to Run) even the finish line. Hence, they gave us 3 bags, Street Bag (for our needs after the race), Bike Bag (our needs from in T1) and Run Bag ( our needs in T2). For Bike leg, I prepared myself with a  bottle full of Infinite, a powder-form food and should be dilute with 600cc water. I think this cool, I wont left anything behind like I forgot my bike shoes when I was in Thailand.

• We had sholat subuh near by, since when we arrived, the transition area was not open yet when we arrived.
• Preparing stuff, wishing everybody good luck, we droped our Street Bag on Truck. When I just about dropped mine, a male Caucasian about my age yelled in panic. He forgot that swimming google and swimming cap were still in Street Bag and finding yours in stack of thousand street bags is just like finding a needle in the hasystack!  But fortunately, he can find his! He must be a good man then ! hahahah
• I took gel with me and bottle of water with me.
• There were 3 waves for Half Ironman distance, the red cap ( fastest), the blue cap (middle) and the white cap (slow or not sure)  I was in blue cap wave with expected swimming time 45 – 55 mins.  COT for swimming leg was 1 hour 10 mins, similar with Bagsaen. Seeing how calm the water was even after heavy rain the night before, I was pretty sure I’ll swim better, close to my Bintan’s timing.
• There, I swam, very relax. The water was somehow warm, the sun hasn’t rise yet. It is expected that I got kicked, can’t help it. I followed all the floating flags, there was time I swam a little bit too far but I did practice my sighting so I kept myself from track again.
• I forgot how the swimming track look like, thing I regret that I skipped technical meeting on the previous day. You know, in every triathlon race, there will be technical meeting from the committee to introduce you how the track looks like, the transition area, the do’s and the don’ts.
• But on the last turn, I saw some white caps were overpassing me. But if take a look, I’m still around the blue caps. Means, I swam with others who are in 2.30 – 2.45/100 m pace.
• There, I got it! 51 mins! I saw Jelly and Lily cheered me! Wow! They didn’t race yet willingly travel to The Danna for this! Wow!

• I took my Bike Bag, then I confused where to go. See, behind Bike Bag Storage Area there was a changing room, there is  where we should prepare our stuffs! I lost my 15 seconds! Ha! Took white balero, put skirt on, hijab and glasses. Owh, this was the first time I used different top for my tri race.
• My favorite leg! Bike leg ! Langkawi Ironman race is famous for its hilly, undulated, steep hills! Rear Derrailleurs  killers! If you don’t know how to handle your bike.
• When I rode , I was wondering why I was so tired! Many participants passed me. I wonder why I ride sooooo slow especially in hilly area. Was it my legs?
• We took u turn after one steep hills. Of, unfortunately, bike course wasn’t steril. So I had to compete with any other vehicles.

See my Tyre?

• The nightmare came, I got flat tyre. A local  participant warn me I had flat tyre! OH EM GEEEEE!!!! This explained why I was soooo slow. I changed my tyre and pump my rear tyre with CO2.  Lucky I had learned how it worked. I continued. In down hill I still feel something wrong with my bike. I didn’t do it properly! I forgot to secure the tyre tube. I took my second CO 2 ( tabung kecil Co 2) I was panic, the gas pop up hopelessly. I cried! No way I’d finish this race and it has been one hour on in Km 19. But I tried my luck.

what Co2 look like

• Lucky, supporting car came and helped me but he didn’t have bike pump with him. “Kakak calm sajalah, it will be ok. My friend will come in 5 minutes” he calmed me. Which seem take FOOOORRRREVERRRRR!!!!! That was  my worst nightmare among all the races I joined. CLUELESS AND HOPELESS! The other bike mechanic finally came WITH A BIKE PUMP! I begged him to be quick, it was 1 hour 15 mins already. NOw I wonder, how does he know I understand Malay? hahahahah.
• Bike then oke, I continued my journey. For Langkawi Ironman, the 70.3 and Full Distance take place at the same time! So, there were many full IRONMAN Participants around me. Whoooo, they must swim very fast.
• The rest of the track I was considered ok. We bike through village, by the lake, with local kids asking free bottle (on water station they gave us cold water in a bottle). I didn’t take the bottle with me. Tapi ya, ada teman saya, orang Algeria kerja di Jakarta, Doel kami memanggilnya, Dia “buang” bidon ini ke anak kampung, di penalty panitia. Suruh berhenti 5 menit! Hahahahah Kasihan Amat. Jadi peraturannya kalau ketahuan buang sampah, di penalty. 
• Remember I said considered ok? Because when we took right turn after we cruised the city, that is where other night mare continues. Bike Track in Langkawi is famous for its THREE SISTERS and ONE MOTHER IN LAW! They are HORRRRRIIIIIBBBBLLLLEEEEE!  This is where you would see, many people CHEERIINGGG YOU UP, because it was THATTT HORRIBLE!!!! These are the places where participant hop off their bike and WALK with the bike!
• I forgot on which those scary hills, a participant in front me made sudden stop. I didn’t prepare for this and I was too close with her as well. I fell down, my bike chain was misplaced. Rantai lepas! OH WHAT A RACEEEEEE! 
• Short story, in one of those horrible hills, I DID WALK WITH MY BIKE a.k.a NUNTUN SEPEDA! I felt slighty cramp on my right inner thight! I rode my bike while messaging my thight! I really wanted to stop!

• and in last 15K, we had to under go MOTHER IN LAW Hills, LONG endless hills under one hot scorching sun!
• FINALLY! OWHHH FINALLY! I arrived at Mahsuri International Exhibition Center, where the transition 2 was.  I dismounted and fell down again!  I asked the committee whether I was still eligible to run? They said yes, and there I ran!
• Running track was a 2-lap-course, and on (my) Km 4 I saw Cieko (Km 14). He motivated me as I was soooooo damn tired and we even held hand so I could keep his pace. Another participant said “owh you guys soo sweet” We both laughed. Baek baek Cik, ada fotograper snapped kita, susah jelasin ke istri loe ntar…I joked. Yet, Since I was tired, Cieko somewhat faster in completing the rest of his 7K.
• The MICE is close to airport. As you know, it expected Airport Area should be clear. No high trees, no shades. NOTHING! DIRECT Sunlight. Hahahhaha

• Anyway…long story short, I completed the whole track, they give all the finisher, medal and towel but if you check the timing track, it stated DID NOT FINISH!

Sedih? PASTI!  I didn’t feel this sad when I was in  Bangsaen, and now I’m pretty sad that I didn’t finish my second Half Ironman race either.

But during endurance sport like this, I learn that you never lose, it is either you win or you learn! I learn that, Ironman race probably is not for me, sudahlah…patah arang! Ikutan color run 5k aja paling bener! Ahhahahahah

PS : read better recap here from Evan.

PS again : and if you wonder, the Street Bag will be available on the finish line, while the BIke Bag  were transfred to T2. So participant will pick their bike, together with bike and run bags.

What the three sister hills look like. Sorry i have no idea who owned the pictures.

Race Recap : Titan Run 2019

Saya lupa, sejak kapan Titan Run ini hadir. Kehadirannya setiap Agustus memang ditunggu banyak runner. Karena, race rasa kondangan! Makan makan setelah race heboh macam kenduri, plus….Durian!

Saya baru tahun ini berpartisipasi, itupun gratisan kantor. Saya jadi tidak tahu berapa fee-nya, konon lumayan mahal.

Balik sebentar, sejak akhir April lalu, saya punya coach lari, pelatihan online. Dia kasih menu, saya kerjakan. Awalnya seminggu 5x, pas puasa seminggu 3x, sekarang 4x

Hasilnya, speed saya membaik. Kan saya sering tulis di sini ya, i lost my strength. Sejak 2016 speed saya melorot ke 9-10 mins per menit, bahkan saya DNF pas Jogja Marathon dan kena COT pas Ironman Bangsaen.

Nah, selama pelatihan, speed saya membaik. Masih lelet sih, tapi membaik.

Contohnya awal April 1 jam cuma sanggup 6.5 K terus bisa 7K, 7.2 K bahkan pernah 8K.

Makanya ada lomba ini saya pengen buktikan hasil latihan saya.

Titan run ini selain makan-makannya yang membedakan dengan race lain, dia diselenggarakan selalu hari Sabtu dan punya signature distance, 17.8K.

Dulu sih kalo ngga salah 17 dan 8K

Yep, karena hari merdeka, tahun ini punya kategori 45K duo (jadi masing-masing pelari 22.5K)

Saya sampai nginap di the Branz, apartemen sebrang Aeon Mall-BSD, tempat start-nya.

Akhir akhir ini sulit bangun pagi.

Paginya saya makan kurma, roti gandum dan minum kopi susu.parahnya ngga bisa BAB paginya.

Here’s the recap :

• flag off, 5.15 am! Pagi butaaaa dan peserta 17.8K ini ada 1000 orang konon.

Terakhir saya lari di BSD khusus lomba lari saja kayaknya tahun 2015 ya pas 2XU, habis itu kapok. Panas banget karena BSD lagi dikembangkan. Banyak konstruksi dan minim pohon.Tapi rutenya sih pasti mirip mirip. Tahun 2017 lari di BSD karena powerman.

• Dan yaaa benar saja, rutenya aih familiar. Keluar Aeon belok kiri, putar balik terus sampe komplek Qbiq. Belok kiri. Dulu waktu powerman lewatin rute ini. Selain itu saya baru sepedahan di situ dua minggu lalu sama Bayu. Enak banget saat itu dingin. Tapi saya tidak bisa memenuhi target pribadi saya bisa sub 8’ atau at least pace 8. Melorot ke 8:06/km bertahan sampai sekitar 8K

• oh race ini ada hiburan juga, Dj, tari daerah,dll. Lanjutin lari I know familiar figure, ketemu mbak lala. Beliau baru pulang ikutan Gold Coast Half Marathon. Lagi hobi-hobinya lari. Welcoming her 50’s !

• terus belok kanan, ada hiburan tarian Kalimantan. I stopped to take pic with them. Rute ini ada 3x U-Turn sehingga bisa lihat Ika di sisi lain. Duh, kalau paginya ngga dibangunkan Ika via whatsapp, bisa bablas lagi ketiduran.

• Nah saya lupa diputar kemana lagi, pokoknya ngga sampai Sumarecon dan akhirnya balik lagi ke area Qbig.

• Ini putaran terpanjang dan ketemu Marion on the other side.

• Di putaran ini Km 13, pace saya makin melorot ke 8:15 min/K. Tapi saya happy sih, ngga masalah sama lutut apalagi kram. Ngga bloating juga. Di Km 14 saya makan kurma 3 biji untuk energi. Tiap water station (per 2.5K) pasti minum.

• RunID kalau bikin race selalu menyenangkan ya. Marshal ok, water station juga ok. Tapi di tiap water station tidak ada makanan sama sekali (khususnya untuk long distance) seperti pisang atau semangka. Jadi refuelling ya mandiri.

• Setelah 16K, melewati the Branz dan memutar ke area finish. Itu nanjak boooo!

• Akhir kata saya finish 2 jam 28 menit untuk 17.8K (average pace 8:15). Jauh dari target pribadi 8:00 tapi better lah dibanding Bintaro Jaya Half Maratbon

• Masuk race village lagi, biasalah reuni runner. Dan Langsung ….makan! Antri soto betawi Haji Mamat, Chat Time dan Durian!
• Oh ya, pengaturan ambil makanan juga bagus sih. Dipisahkan buat yang 5/10K dan 17.8/45K duo. Bahkan yang antri durian depan saya tidak dapat durian lagi hahaha kasihan. Tapi fair sih, kan short distance selesai duluan.

Air BnB The Branz

At Km 4-5

Traditional Dance

Akhirnya bisa nyusull Ika juga di Km 10

Usually, the happiest girl after 3rd bowl

Durian

Last Finisher 45K duo

Mbak Lala, Marion and I

Finish Happy

Race recap : Run for River 10K trail

there I was again, signed up Run For River UI 2017. My virgin half marathon was in this race as well. this time, I opted for 10K trail.

Trail?

Yes, UI has its man-made forest and I’ve run there!

in short, I made Acha to sign up for this category. this anak mall garis keras agreed.

So, there I was, september 10th 2017, going back in start line again! ich bin zurück!! And owh, besides 10K trail, there were Half Marathon, 10K road and 5K.

10K trail with brown bib, HM with red, 10K road with yellow. none of Trojan Runners participate in 5K.

Here’s the recap:

• 10K trail suppose to start at 6.00am, yet, not until 6.15 that the race start. i found it is a bit weird as, Half Marathon Race start later. It is very common longer distance start earlier
• first 2Km was road, had no clue where it was. It was a U-turn Approaching Km 2, a runner in front of me made a short cut! Ada aja yang nge-cut rute, curang. he didn’t know that first check point was at the U-turn! shame on him!
• entering Km 2 was the forest area. well, ja, I’ve run here before, yet the route a bit different. We run besides a lake this time! I also run with Maktin and Aby, the later is a runner I met during Tour de Ambarukmo! We paused a LOT to take pictures. Even we asked marshals to do so! hahahahahah!!
• Lucky, I brought my water blade. i was very thirsty after Km 3 , and still couldn’t find water station. not until Km 5 or six. Where the lake is! Whoaaa! i love the sun ray shinning thru the leaves. it was beautiful!

• I filled up my water blader. Then continued to run. My right foot still hurt. damn plantar!

• on the way to Km 7, near the famous Universitas Indonesia marka, there was a water station. i was tired…took a break! And doing silly things!

• total trail is only 7.5 Km I guess, so 1 KM before finish line, we went back to campus area. Running in road again. owh, I use road shoes this time as I left my trail shoes in Ambarawa!

• I’m a sloooowwww runner, it didn’t surprise me, I met many half marathon runners on the way to finish line! Hahahahahahaahhah. they went 21K and I did 10!
• so there! die dritte medal der Jahre!

I haven’t check the result. it took almost 2 hours for me to complete the course. but I was very happy with this race! So much fun! Will be back again next year!

powerman Indonesia 2017 race recap

seperti yang sudah  saya tulis di post sebelumnya,  hampir saja Powerman 2017 ini menjadi another DNS race – DID NOT START- considering batuk saya yang parah banget Week-1. I only practiced twice, one on the road during Pilkada holiday and the other on spinning class and no brick training at all. oh ya, ini pertama kalinya event POWERMAN Duathlon digelar di Indonesia. kalau di Malaysia sih sudah sering. i knew because many of my friends in Gaited Community post this event annualy on their FB.

then, I found out that it has a friendly Cut Off Time for a slow athlete like me, I decided to go and consume high dose medicine the night   before to ease my heavy cough. Besides, most of my Bintaro Trojan Runners were going anyway. it has been a while kita ngga race rame-rame lagi.

18 February

dropped of my bike.  You were only allowed to drop the bike. no helmet or tool allowed.Even I had to take off the pocket bag which was attached on my bike. Saw some “old friends”, even Pak Eddi Abott who currently resides in Kuala Lumpur. senang banget deh bisa silaturahmi lagi dengan teman sesama atlet (jadi-jadian). saya kenal pak Eddy waktu SCMS 2014, dia moto moto orang Indonesia yang ikutan race. 

Good luck kiss

19 Februari 

Ternyata sudah lama saya tidak bangun pagi-pagi buta, nyetir ke tempat race, en des bre. ha!

 arrived at Qbig a new mall in BSD. i was very sleepy I decided to go back to sleep. failed! transition area would closed at 5.00 am. ohhh Nooooo….so I’d better be hurry.

Us…again!

Strike a pose

perform sholat shubuh, then we were hanging around in lobby area. i was sooo sleepy, tried to sleep (again)  but failed(yes, again). it was raining hard, so I wouldn’t be surprise iF the EO postpone the start time…which what they actually did. however, it was more to safety reason. 
Seperti yang saya tulis di postingan sebeumnya, marka di track lomba dihancurkan alay-alay yang kebanyakan waktu tapi ngga kreatif, track lintasan dihancurkan, cone pemisah track di tendang2xin. Konon mereka kesal karena lintasan track liar mereka dipakai. Muss ich sagen,  These  marginal society  alay were suck! ones who always come out of nowhere in Indomaret / Alfamart for the sake of seriburupiah dengan modal periwitan! Stop giving money to them please.Ok, enough rambling.I took short distance category. it was a combination of 5K run  – 30 K bike -5K run the classic category was 10-60-10.

Anyway, I didn’t remember when was exactly the flag off time. what I remember….

• Soon as flag off, I walked.  Out from the mall, turn right  there was a water station already. It suppose to be  for 10K athletes on the second loop.
• I haven’t seen 1K mark yet, but already thinking in which km I should gave up. belum satu kilo saya  sudah mikir mau declare DNF di mana. Damn, I was so (have I said it?) sleepy.
• of course, friends who joined 10K passed me, I said – hi – am tired – sleepy- go head- see you in finish line. Yeah, sort of.
• Rain poured, not too intense. oh well, I will give up now, I said to myself.
• later I remembered, I ALWAYS look good on my bike. Ha! Let me finished this run leg first. hopefully, there’d be pics of me on my bike. If I got flat tyre again like in Bintan, then I’d quit the race. I didn’t plan to change the tyre. kalau sampe pecah ban, ya sudah, DNF aja.
• finish 1st run leg almost in one hour, owh I hated it!
• Then went to transition area, on which- no surprise- empty already. I think my bike was the only one left hanging on the bike rack. I took off my visor, wore helmet, eat Soy-joy, drank a bit. To hydarete myself.
• 

  In transition area

Just start bike leg

• So….many sharp U-turn. first,  i was afraid, then I enjoyed it very very much. it was raining again. fortunately, I didn’t cough at all. i passed many many bikers! Feel like the coolest road biker ever!
• DI BSD banyak speed trap. Supaya tidak ganggu, speed trap ini ditutupin papan, yang mana sebagian besar dirusak oleh terong2xan kampret. Tetapi masih ada yang bisa dibetulkan panitia. banyak peserta tidak mau lewat lintasan kayu ini, karena licin, milih lewat speed trap.  Saya mah, naik lintasan.sok iye pisan.
• Meanwhile many struggling to handle the bike, drinking and stop, saya jagoan lah untuk ilmu tidak penting ini. bisa bolak balik pakai kaca mata, minum dari botol tanpa berhenti, Balik arah pakai acara nikuk tajam pdahal track licin karena hujan, saya terabassas semua. Bahahahhahahha. Hamdallah ngga jatuh.
• finish with one loop, I had to do another 15K, which is okey, because I’d figured the track. I speeded it up! Even I passed my sister! Ha! 
• I slowed my bike down in last 2km,  so it wouldn’t be that hard for me to run. I remember someone gave me this tip. I regret I didn’t bring extra pair of socks. and owh, it was (for me) a looooooongggg walk from turun dari sepeda sampai ke area transisi. and note to myself, bawa kaos kaki extra kalau multisport gini just in case.
• but, of course , thank God, no flat tyre! Das war gut! 
• 

• So, second leg of 5K run. ones who I passed during bike leg, certainly passed me again. ye ye yeeeeee….and it took 1 hour for me to finish this leg! I was completely wet, my shoes and sock were all wet.  basah-basah-basah, seluruh tubuhku….#mendadakdangdut
• I saw the word “FINISH”. Ahay! ich liebe die Ziel! then saw kak uchi and sinta who were voluntering in this event. 

Die erste Medaille der Jahre!

My time? Owh please, you dont want to know….over 3 hours I think -_____-

And voila! After I’m done with this race, my (sporty) mood went back. I attended yoga class again the  next day for cross training, spinning class, etc etc. I regulaly ride again on Saturday and thinking I have to register a FUll marathon event and/or triathlon race. yeah, of course no Bintan Tri and/or Bali Marathon because I have done it before, and I am not going back to Bali again this year. so Bali tri is a no-no either.  jadi loe maunya dimana, kyyyy…..? *niagarafalls*

 I even I asked my sister let’s do another relay in Ironman event, I’d do  the first two legs ( those are 1.9km swim and 90km bike if you are wondering) as I am a very slow runner. I also was thinking of doing Powerman in Putrajaya just for the sake of it (well, to reunite with my GC friends as well ), unfortunately, not only the registration has already closed, but also I haven’t do any searching where to stay, etc.

As for myself, I enjoyed this race so much. the registration was easy, the track, water station  , marshals were good. really hope there will be another Powerman event  next year! Ein tolles Renen!  bis Nächtes Jahr! di Brazil, mungkin. 😀 

Btw, when I said I tried to sleep before the race while it was raining, I meant it! i envy Imelda for this!

si Imel bisa tidur lelap, saya mgga bisa! Ish iri! :)) 

Ada yang suka nonton AFI jaman dulu? tebak dia siapa? :))

She’ll kill me for that caption.

With Thomas Bruins – Championship winner

foto sama mas Thomas di post lagi, hampit nyeker doi.

Guten Rutsch!

first post this year! 

Unlike for the past 4 years (since 2013) I didn’t have my morning run on the first day of the year. Too lazy! Nope, I didn’t go out either the night before. I forgot when was the last time I spent the NYE wide awake.

Anyway, my friends and I had a luncheon on the first day of the year. I for sure ate a lot that desperately need to cut the fat off again. 

Path said it was 39 degrees celcius in where I live, oh em gee…

Taken on my front porch

with 60% of humidity!

I planned to have my evening run at 4 pm, I postponed until…one hour and 15 minutes later. Gee, it was hot!

Planned to have like 6-8 km run and ended up in Saudagar Kopi for evening capucinno, but I stopped at Km 4 because I saw …

tropical fruits, FTW!

I just remember there is no fruits at home. Not that I want to have fruit detox or what so ever 😉 Yet, fiber is a must! 

The seller was just about to bring  back his fruits back to his pick-up car. So, he gave me quite a good bargain for 1 kg Dragon Fruits and mangosteen each.

It was like 2.5 km from my house, so I ran with those fruits. -____- Thus, I decided to walk. too heavy! 

Later, I saw mbok jamu and thought that having a glass of Kunyit Asem (a mix of Tumeric and Tamarind)  would be nice. I like this drink so much! 

In my gym, they sell this herbal drink for IDR 30,000 in a-300ml-bottles, while only IDR 5,000 from the friendly mobile Jamu Seller.

Kunyit asemku beda lho…aku buat sendiri

How is your new year holiday?