Last year 2011, about 1 year ago, when i'm first heard about cycling event KOM Ipoh - King of Mountains racing up to Cameron Highland from Balai Bomba Simpang Pulai, i never thought myself are ready for the race when im first heard it. Time fly........
Before the race, I'm keep asking around What's strategy to use to tackle KOM Ipoh... riding up Cameron Highland is no joke! Mental is prepared, but i need some tricks! Then, when i'm sent my bike for service @ Bike Tech Subang where i purchase my bike, Sayuti told me stay in front of the peloton and fuel urself with energy gels! I was like awake from sleep, ya wo! Energy gels are all i need to boost my motivation riding up Cameron highland!
On 14 Oct 2012, I completed KOM Ipoh ! Yay! Never expect im performing quite well, at least for my own feel. This year KOM, there's extra of 23KM flat for us to warming up our legs... 15 minutes before flag off, i have 1 Hammer Gel...
As you can see the route above, it's the big loop for warming up. I'm starting at quite behind, lucky i have my P2K gang in front of me, Ah Foo (nickname Penang's number 2) and E-min, tagging behind them. When we were off, our speed went up to 40km/hr, overtake those enjoying slow start...
No doubt it's quite dangerous when riding fast in big group, some how, riding at most right, we manage to catch up to front, at least quite front. haha... Riding with big peloton enjoying the drafting... somehow it's quite taxing... lucky im still manage to follow the peloton...
Okay, shall blog with photos! I was car pool with Jeffrey and we arrive around 6.50am, consider quite ok, but still late compare with others. Setup bike and prepare everything and there's already a lot of cyclists waiting at the starting point... we need to enter and Q at the back.
The organizer keep asking us to enter yet there's no clear way for us to enter! I'm really wanted to shout it out! At least put la some cones in the middle to create a path for us to enter until the back... at least that's what im think of when organizer keep asking us to enter....
Managed to squeeze my way to back, some where at side waiting to take off! First time joining... excited.. and try to tell myself to calm down ! I need to clam down to think clearly on what's ahead and when to sprint who to follow... yet think too much not good also. Just ride it! Just cycle!
When we flagged off, i'm consider quite behind as there's bottleneck for us to go out! Grr.... keep clam, then i saw Ah Foo flying overtake me together with E-Min, without second thought, i'm flying following behind them... woo hoo... speed trains! it's too excited to speed between cyclists...totally forget about speed... when we were at straight road, i took a look at my meter, it's around 40km/hr plus minus !
Flat route for about 23km ! I had my second Hammer gel @ 22km.
Trying hard to keep myself to be front, but i'm falling apart, slowing down, was speeding too fast before that yet i thinks i'm still quite in front of total riders. First time riding around, seeing the huge rocks that each time driving past beside the highway! Now i can enjoy the view closer and slower!
Random shot on my back !
Somehow, my muscles are not warm enough, im falling behind slowly. Trying my best to keep up the pace. Relax a while took out my camera and shoot around... haha... At least some excuses for me to rest and recover before the climb start! Actually i dont know when's the climb is approaching...
Another photo! About total of 700 cyclists joining KOM Ipoh 2012 !
Another random photos behind me! I'm feel quite relief when saw there's a lot of cyclists behind me. At least my kiasu inside me feel relief. haha... Continue to ride!
The climb start here! From flat and sudden long climb! speed dropped, changed to lighter gears, higher cadences, i'm find it's very hard to tackle the first climb! within minutes, i'm immediately changed to lightest gear, 28 and keep pedal... pedal, ride, incorporate some pull and push... trying to get steady pace...
Argh... why the climb not yet ending !!! took out camera again, Cam-whoring while suffering! :)
Another random shot on my back of other riders suffering on the climb. After playing with camera, put back to pocket, time to endure the pains and climb up the hills... One hills after another one. it's not that hilly after the first hill. I keep myself fuel another Hammer Expresso Gel, the third gel at 32km, after 10km consumed the second gel. Somehow i feel recharged after gel-ing! Swift down 1 or 2 gears to feel it, and pedal all the way!
Fourth gel opened at 42km mark, fifth gel ate at 52km mark. The energy still plenty inside my body, my legs. I'm feeling better and better, keep pedal overtook cyclist 1 by 1... thought i can draft behind someone, but none. I can cycle faster...
After some distance, after my fifth gel, feel abit bored as there's not many cyclists around.. i'm keep chasing the front... targeting 1 by 1 to overtake!
Argh...i'm overtook by a lady! Anyway, it's was my relax and playing time ! trying to keep up with lady cyclist who also first time joining KOM Ipoh ! Same as me too! haha...
She likes the ride very much! Very beautiful views along the climbs !
I know i'm no where near to first group, but i know i'm still quite in front most of riders ! hehe...
The sun is getting hotter, but weather is cooler !
Road and tyre.
It's sunshine! The day before, it's was raining whole day from KL until Ipoh ! Lucky it's was sunshine on Sunday! Loving it.
View on my handle bar... I'm going to overtake the 4 riders in front!
Continue to self cam-whore! I'm enjoying the KOM climb!
Yay! the 4 cyclists are nearer ! I'm going to overtake them! i know i can do it. just matter of time im catching up them!
Another beautiful view. Okay, view is secondary, my intention of this photo is: i'm overtaking the "Perak" jersey rider! haha...
Er... overtook successful ? haha...
Yay, another beautiful view ! This time, i'm really mean it.
Lonely rider riding up! Out of sudden there's no cyclist in front of me to be my target to overtake! Grrr... time to get serious, i know i'm almost reaching, around 20km plus left to finishing point ! Yet the disaster is waiting for me in front !
After not long i put back my camera, i'm facing a huge problem ! i was like "OH MI GOD" why this is happening to me when i'm in the best best mood to speed up ! plenty of power plenty of energy waiting to be pedal up!
I have a puncture. Tyre flat slowly. I have to stop. Stop to change tube. Stop to change tube! Argh... this is second time happening during race! Quickly i stop, it's was back wheel have a flat. quickly dismantle the wheel, spare tube took out from pocket, pulling out the tube... i know i cant just simply change tube, i need to be careful... 1 side of me telling me to change tube carefully and slowly, another side of me telling me that i'm losing!
While changing tube, a support car stop over, and the volunteer came to me and helps me to change tube! i was like meet with anger ! Anger come to rescue ! I'm initially thought thank god, support car is here, i can borrow stand pump to pump which can save me a lot of time instead of my own small pump which take some amount of time to pump my tyre! Thank you support crew who helps me change tube, he asked me stand beside and enjoy my recovery while he is changing tube for me!
Lap 1 is where i pressed when i have a flat. Clocked 59.60KM, about 20km to go till finishing line!
Lap 2 - it's where im stop changing tube, and where's the support crew abang helped me ! Really recovery time! total of 8 minutes loss. Within the 8 minutes, those riders who i overtook just now, were overtook me back! helpless, just stand at side road, feel like wanted to cry it out ! Immediate after the support crew abang completed changing tube, i thank him, get up to my bike and continue to ride! I pedal all out to convert my cry into speed for few seconds!
Journey to finishing line continue! it's just less than 20km! I have my 6th Hammer gel at 62KM mark, i knew i lost some good 8 minutes plus, time to revenge! I still can speed faster than other cyclists around me. Managed to overtook some of riders who overtook me during my changing tube stop. No camera time, i know i still can catch up some of riders!
it's hills again and again, which already numb to my legs. Playing around with gears and cadence, but not with the lightest gear 28, i'm able to use heavier gear while maintaining my cadence although i dont have cadence meter. There's quite some amount of riders in front, which is good for me to target and overtake!
Have my last 7th Hammer gel at 72km mark! i still have another 7km tough climb to go! somehow, most of the time, no more standing climb as im tired, trying to standing climb but there's cramp signal showing off. For the first time in cycling, i'm almost have cramp!
It's 5KM to go mark, some downhills part, really pushing hard. it's another 2KM to go! somehow, something stuck in my helmet ! I can hear the "zzzzzz" sound like some insert wing sound! i'm trying to ignore the sound initially, but my sense told me, better check out before late or something happens. I took off my helmet, checking around while riding, and i found there's a bee stuck behind my helmet ! oh my god! oh no! i'm shaking my helmet trying to let the bee off, but fail. Shaking up down left right right left down up up and down but still fail.
Not again! i thought ! I have to stop and try to let the bee flying off! yet it's still stuck behind my helmet strap ! Grrr.... Took out my lever and managed to get the bee off of my helmet ! Grrr.... there's few riders overtook me again! Quickly resume my ride, but i know i'm already at my limits, i cant do any standing climb nor sprint to finishing line in last 1KM !
Crossing the finishing line with official clock showing 3 hours 28 mins XX seconds. I'm relief. Finally i completed my first ever KOM Ipoh !
Reward after completion: KFC meal.
It's snack plate KFC meal ! Woo Hoo... ! I need it very much! I need replenish my energy as later i need to ride down to starting point some 55km downhills.
After finished my KFC meal, we riding down. of course, i got my finishing medal too! There's still quite a lot of riders not yet finish when we were leaving heading downhills !
A very good organized finishing area. Support crew are waiting rider to complete, and help to cut of the timing chip to get RM20 refund.
While i'm leaving, cyclists are entering finishing area! Congratulation !
Some riding result from my Polar RCX5.
Result ! Result ! Result !
Find P2K, and you find me!
i'm 190th with 3 hours 28 mins 34 seconds.
Not bad, Chin Ann!
End.
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