GROUNDED FOR 2 WEEKS!!

It all started during the Fraser's Hill trip. During the downhill portion on the way back, the outside of my right knee started to hurt. The slight pain and discomfort lasted for 2 days, so I shrugged it off thinking it was just cos the muscle was tired.

1 week later, during the night ride on MEX & Kesas Highway, the pain came back. It was more painful now but still bearable and managed to complete the ride and somehow keep up a bit with the rest of the guys. After getting home, the pain was sharper and stronger. Couldn't walk properly for 2 days but after seeing the local GP and being prescribe Glucosamine, the pain went away. So once again I thought it was all good until....

Saturday - Yesterday... the Gombak-Ulu Yam-Batang Kali-Gotong Jaya-Gombak ride... after 2 big climbs at the start of Ulu Yam dam and the Batang Kali stretch, my knee gave way. The pain was super unbearable! Even after a short rest at the 'warong', I couldn't kick start without wincing in pain! *FUCK!!* So I loaded up the bike on to the support car and sat in it the rest of the journey.

After the whole ride had ended, I went to see the Sports Injury Clinic in Subang Jaya SS15. They were closing but I managed to get an appointment for this morning 9am.

9am - day of reckoning... went for my appointment at the clinic and after the doc examined the knee, did some X-ray and Ultrasound... it was my tendon!! It was inflamed and had a minor tear (Grade 1 Tear). I was to be off cycling or putting pressure on my knee for the next 2 weeks... Basically I was GROUNDED!! BUMMER!!

...and next week is the Hulu Langgat trip that I was looking forward for... SIGH!!!

Ulu Yam - Batang Kali - Gotong Jaya Ride

I am late!! As I stared at the clock. It was 4:30am. Thank God I stayed over at Taman Melawati. Rushed to eat my Meat Ball Pasta and was out of the house at 5:15am. Reached the meeting point - Petronas @ Batu Caves - at 5:30am. Adam, Yong, Apple, Kah Lyn, Aaron, Patrick and Fren were already there. The only one missing was Ari and Jo-Ann. If she wasn't coming, I wasn't riding as I was still a bit sick and needed the assurance of a support car. Allan had food poisoning and Helmi's daughter was sick so they couldn't make it.

At last, Ari & Jo-Ann reached and we parked our car at a nearby mamak stall and we were off! It was just 6am. It was totally pitch black dark as we made out way to Sungai Tua / Batu Dam. Just as we turned into the road to Batu Dam, what greeted us was a huge climb!! Super Steep!! And in the darkness we pushed and pushed all the way. It was damn tiring. Already on the lightest gear setting, I tried to free wheel a bit but just as I stopped pedaling, the wheel stopped too!! HOLY SHIT!! It was push all the way!!

For what seemed like forever, finally reached the peak and it was downhill for now. Adam stopped by the side of the road giving directions to go on ahead. Apple and Ari were still climbing. The rest had already sped far away so I was (as always) alone - in the darkness - again! The downhill was fun and scary at the same time cos there were no more cars and the only sounds that can be heard were of birds and animals and just then *WHOA!!* *SWERVE!!* there was this crazy homeless dude by the side of the road and I nearly banged into him.. BASTARD!!



We finally came to our 1st stop just as the sun light started peeking thru the clouds. It was a small rest area with a small waterfall. We took a breather, drank up, ate Powerbar and went to the loo. My knee started to hurt a little at this point and rubbed some deep heat onto it. Took a few pictures and we were off once again.

The climb was quite ok. We passed by some people parked by the side of the road collecting water from pipes that were coming out of the side of the hill... Then it was downhill again... The road was quite big and didn't have many cars... It was nice being able to go downhill without having to brake for dear life... but i still did once I hit 60kmh... the rest went up to 70++.

Ulu Yam town. Finally we were here and everyone went to the 7-11 to stock up. The town people having breakfast there looked at us funny. After stocking up, we headed to for "The Warong" which was the last stop before the major "CLIMB TO HELL"...




The climb towards the warong was HELL!! We stopped so many times after 200m riding. We were begining to think that the warong didn't exsit and that it was just a dangled carrot to keep our mind of the major climb... after what seemed like forever, my knee gave way and sadly had to load up my bike into the support car.. 100m away, was the warong.. LOL..

We had our fill and after a 15min rest, it was time to continue on. I unloaded my bike and Jo-Ann went on ahead 1st. Just as I kicked start, a sharp pain jolted my right knee and I nearly fell over... I knew this was it... I wasn't going to be able to continue.. FUCK!! Jo-Ann came back to get me and I road in the car the rest of the way.

The next 8km or so was really a CLIMB TO HELL... I have not seen Kah Lyn nor Aaron walk and push their bike so much... Ari and Apple practically stopped every 100m... Looking from inside the car, I felt relieved but at the same time dissappointed that I was not able to endure the HELL with my fellow comrades!! It was then, these tiny little riders, a few guys and a few girls in Selangor Jerseys, smoked each and everyone of them going up. They made it look easy and there were even some on MTB with offroad tires... HOLY SHIT!!










After what seemed like ages.. we finally reached the police checkpoint. Adam, Yong, Patrick and Fren had reached already. It was then that the quote of the day came "I DON'T NEED DOWNHILL... JUST GIVE ME A FLAT ROAD!!" ... Adam & Yong reached 45mins earlier and didn't even stop at all!! AMAZING!! After taking photos and resting abit, they continued on towards Gotong Jaya. We passed by the Genting Cable car and went to a nearby Mamak for lunch. The air was cool and nice and after lunch... it was downhill mayhem all the way to Gombak.

I tried to ride again but the pain was just too much to bear... so once again I hopped into the car and Apple hopped in later as well and we followed the rest of the guys downhill... they were super fast!! Adam as always was leading the way...

We finally reached back to the mamak at Gombak around 2 to 3pm... WOOHOOO!! They had survived and I will return to settle some unfinished business... but for now it was off to the Sports Clinic to have a look at the knee!!

FLU & FEVER!!

Since Tuesday night I had been having sore throat and slight flu... so I thought that sweating it out on the night ride would cure it... unfortunately it didn't... sigh

Wednesday the sickness starts... worked from home that day while on medication... kinda high most of the time but still managed to finish 1 program... by night time it started to feel a lot worst and couldn't cuddle my son to sleep... had to look at him from a distance only while wearing a face mask... sigh

Thursday (today) morning - felt like shit!! Fever and Flu came full blown... MC today... Slept the whole day till 3pm... felt so much better after overdosing myself on the meds.. cos later at 4am on Friday I have to be at Cyberjaya for the Visa/Mastercard April 2010 Compliance cut-over...

Coming Saturday is the big climb - ULU YAM and I wouldn't want to miss it for the world but unless I am a 100% fit, I will unfortunately have to skip it...

Anyway time to hit the sack again... gotta wake up at 3am later... overdosing myself once more... hope I manage to wake up... NIGHTZZZ

A Truly Downhill 7 days

I just noticed that the past 7 days from today has been 1 downhill ride... and I don't mean it in a cycling way...

Last Wednesday, MU lost to Bayern Munich 2-1 in the 1st leg of the Champions League Quaterfinals.

Saturday, MU lost to Chelsea in the English Premier League with just 6 games to go.

Tuesday, Team RFC confirmed that the ULU YAM ride this coming Sunday was to be postponed to the following week and there was no Kesas Night Ride

Wednesday, had an emergency program migration to do and ended being late to pick up my son.

Thursday, MU won against Bayern Munich 3-2. The aggregate was 4-4 but Bayern went thru on away goals rulling.

7 days of down down down down down..... hope this coming weekend will be better!!

FRASER'S HILL CLIMB part 2

..as Patrick and I rode past the guard house, we were greeted by a single lane road, with trees on all sides, the canopy was thick, weather was cold and the REAL CLIMB started!! All 9km of it!!

It was switch back after switch back, and with each one was an even steeper climb... The gel kicked in 5minutes and I left Patrick behind... trying to make the most out of the gel, I pushed on eagerly... I kept remembering what Adam and Danny said, "The 1st 3km is the killer.. after that it is easy!!" I looked at my cyclo-com and it was 4km already... and it was not getting any easier!! At the 5km mark, Jo-Ann sped drove alongside me asking "OK?" All I could reply was with a weak show of 'thumbs up'... 20metres further I dismounted and started to push for a bit and then Steven Loh drove up beside me "Ok mou? Want to pull you up?" I was so tempted but decided against it and showed another weak show of 'thumbs up' and gestured him to go on.

1 minute later, I regretted not taking up his offer... I soldiered on and was way past my limit cos I knew I had hit a wall already. Legs were heavy and no strength left. I met a lorry just 3km from the peak and asked "Boleh tolong hantar naik ka?" "Sorry boss, kena kerja sini"... head hung low I pedalled on... The last 2.5km was a real nerve wrecker for me... it was so close yet felt so far away... I reseted the com and all I could do was concentrate on my cyclo-com showing 0.1, 0.2, 0.3...1.0....1.2 *CRAMPED* shit!! My calf was on the verge of cramping!! 1.4...1.5.... come on Terence!! You can do it!! I told myself.. 2.0...2.1.....2.2..... and FINALLY I saw the gate!! (not the pearly white gates)...

A sense of relief washed over me as I cycled past the guard house

and looked for the gang... Finally saw them past the ClockTower!! WOOHOOOO!! I MADE IT UP!!

Adam passed me a 100plus to drink and then I cramped.. LOL!!

Everyone was taking a breather, relaxing, phototaking and stuff... Steven Loh was there with his family and he brought some drinks and food for us

as the "American Breakfast" stall had moved further in... Apple was the next to reach

followed by Ian (apparently the drop in speed earlier on was because his saddle height was too low from offroad previously),

Patrick and finally Ari!!

Allan had a puncture on the way up and was pushing his bike up!!

We took a group photo at the Clock Tower

and then decsended! This was my most scary part for me. Helmi lead the way and was soon out of my sight. Kah Lyn and Adam zoomed past me shouting "LET GO OFF THE BRAKES la!!" I turned a deaf ear and then the rest sped past me and soon I was the last one behind. I took my time down and then came accross Kah Lyn who was pulling branches out of his Bike. He had a puncture and crashed. Further in front was another crash.. it was Adam!! It was then that I slowed down 1 more notch!!

Within a matter of minutes, they road past me again... and then I came upon Khoo who had a puncture. Yong and Danny were helping him out and I stopped to borrow my leg pump.. and chatted with Danny.. and the quote of the day came as I told him..

"My Uphill Top Speed is Higher Than My Downhill Speed"

He stared at me with blank expression...

The rest of the way a slow and easy ride for me until I was nearly runned over at a hairpin left turn. A waja was coming at me head on and somehow I managed to avoid him... it was then that it dawned to me... it was past 10am... traffic was coming up... Apple, Ari and I pushed the last 1km down to the Gap where the others were waiting at the mamak for lunch.

Then we fully saw how bad Adam & Kah Lyn's injury were...

I thought to myself... I need better brake pads!! After lunch and waiting for Jo-Ann to drive down, we continued our deccent to KKB. The sun was up already and it was getting hotter and hotter.

Finally back at the KKB town at 2pm. I was the 2nd last one to reach as usual... and sat down and drank 2 bowls of Ais Kacang... while the rest had Asam Laksa too... We chit chatted for a while and then it was time to say good bye... to go home and rejuvenate and wait for the next climb!!

NEXT WEEK... ULU YAM CLIMB!!