Re-visiting PD

Once upon a time about a year ago, after we’ve finished the usual Wednesday night ride, I was chatting with those triathlete friends in JB and told them that I wanted to try do the sprint distance triathlon at PD.

”Nik, can you swim?”, one of them asked me.

”Yeah. Swim ‘bodo-bodo’ I can lah”, was my replied to him.

”In that case, just do the Olympic distance lah!”, he then told me with an intonation of which I was not sure whether it was an order from him or was it an encouragement for me to challenge myself one step further.

That was how it started – my official venture into triathlon event.

So for my maiden triathlon event last year, I prepped up pretty well I guess since there was sufficient time for it. I tried my best to learn and rectify my front crawl (some say freestyle) swim as prior to that I could only do breast stroke. I also started joining few long rides (riding for about 70 ~ 90km) with them, and also not to forget the running training of which what I could do at that time was only a little bit faster than walking pace, nothing lasted more than 45 minutes for every run.

And I completed it last year with a shameful time of 3 hours 20 minutes. Not too bad, but not good enough.

So for this year, I am going to revisit the Olympic distance triathlon event taking place at Admiral Marina & Leisure Club Port Dickson, starting from 8am this Sunday.

My preparation for this time?

Between 0% to 100%, I would say, ermm, I think I only managed to prepare less than 50%. Definitely not fully satisfied, but it's OK.

With a not fully satisfied preparation, and in addition to about 430 people of which I will be swimming with together on that Sunday morning, the best I would do is just to survive yet another triathlon event.

That is going to be a 1,500m of open water swim, followed by a 40,000m bike, and to finish it with a 10,000m run.

The swim leg still triggers some shiver bugs inside me though.

And my target remains the same as last year's – "To finish it, injury free".

Getting a better timing than last year's will be an added bonus, seriously.

For I know I am still a newbie in this game. Still lots of things I can learn and improve. And to not pressure myself more, I am considering this one as a training for Desaru long distance triathlon, which is going to happen three weeks from now (I forgot to register for it yet, duh!).

So, I’d like to take the opportunity here to wish those who are taking part in PD triathlon this weekend a big GOOD LUCK. To those who can spare the time, come and cheer us. Details of the event can be found here.

I’ll see you there!