Tag Archives: Heat

An Epic Ride – Though I Would Have Preferred it Wasn’t

Strava displays a “Suffer Score” along with other summary information about each ride that you upload.  The Suffer Score is a value calculated using your heart rate during a ride relative to your maximum heart rate, and the distance ridden.  The higher your Suffer Score, the harder you worked during that ride.

A descriptor is assigned to Suffer Scores.  100 to 150 is a Tough score.  151 to 250 is an Extreme score.  Anything greater than 250 is an Epic score.

I have only twice had a Suffer Score in the Epic category.  The first was during the Kuantan Century Ride last year.  My average speed was 28 kph.  My average heart rate during that ride was 144 bpm, over a distance of 161 km.  I felt trashed for the last 20 kms of that ride.

My second Epic effort was yesterday.  I rode with four other Flipsiders from Bandar Sunway to Morib and back.  This ride was  133km.  My average speed was 26.6 kph.  Despite the shorter distance and lower average speed, my heart rate averaged 140 bpm.  Not much less than it was during the Kuantan ride.  And again I felt trashed for the last 20 kms of the ride.

I have had rides that had a lot more climbing, and were therefore more difficult  – although this wasn’t easy either, given that the sun was beating down and that the temperature felt like 36 °Celsius.

I suffered, despite the flatness of the Morib ride, due to an alarming lack of fitness.  I knew that being inactive for more than three months would have a negative effect, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad.

The route took us west along the KESAS Highway.  It was my first time riding west of Sunway Lagoon, though my companions have done this ride before.

We exited the KESAS Highway at the Bandar Botanik interchange, where we turned left onto Jalan Langat.  I have been on that section of road before, during the ride to Port Dickson, and during the Klang Premiere Century ride.

Morib

We weren’t on Jalan Langat very long before we had to make a stop at a PETRONAS petrol station.  Justin had a flat tire.  I took the opportunity to take an opportunistic photograph.

Photograph courtesy of Mark Lim

Photograph courtesy of Mark Lim

We had stopped at the PETRONAS Johan Setia.

Two hours into the ride my left arm and shoulder had started aching.  I spent a lot of time sitting up on my saddle to give my arm and shoulder a rest.  Marco is smiling in his selfie, but you can see that Mark and I are wilting in the heat.  At this point we had another fifteen kilometers to go before we got to Morib.  Those were some of the longest kilometers I have ever ridden.

Photograph courtesy of Marco Lai

Photograph courtesy of Marco Lai

It was a relief to finally arrive at Taman Seri Bayou Morib.  Marked on the beach side by this pretty art installation.

Morib Sculpture

We had ridden 75 kilometers.  There were serious doubts in my mind that I would make it all the way back to Sunway.

I didn’t look it at the time, but I did feel somewhat rejuvenated after these.

Morib Dutch Lady

Four cartons of cold chocolate milk.

The others looked cheery while waiting for their nasi lemak.  I had some too.  It was very good.

Morib Makan

It was about 11.00am when we started the return leg.  This wasn’t the last sit-down I needed before we got back to Bandar Sunway.

Morib Sign

The return leg was 17 kms shorter than the outbound leg.  We had done a loop to the east of Bandar Sunway at the start.  Despite the shorter homeward distance, my average speed dropped from 27.6 kph to 25.5 kph.  Even with the slower pace, my average heart rate went up from 137 bpm to 145 bpm.  That must be when my Suffer Score ventured into Epic territory.

I really was struggling over the last 20 kms.  I kept looking at my Garmin, convinced that I had covered three or four kilometers since the last time I checked it.  Only to find that I was only fifteen hundred meters further forward.  Right about the time I was going to pack it in and collapse on the edge of the road, a rest area hove into view.  There was only about 6 kms to go, but I wouldn’t have made it without that final fifteen minute rest in the air-conditioned PETRONAS shop – and without an ice-cream.

I would have preferred an easier ride.  Especially after such a long time off the bike.  It does however make me believe that I will finish the Malacca Century Ride next Sunday.

Hopefully it won’t be another Epic!

Then and Now

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Kuantan Century Ride 2014 Logo

I arrived at the finish of the Kuantan Century Ride 2014 in much better shape that I was at the finish of the 2013 edition.  One reason was the difference in the routes.  The last 40 km / 25 mi of the 2013 route included a 25 km / 15.5 mi out-and-back section along the Gebeng Bypass.  That section seemed interminable, and especially hot.  It was as much a psychological battle as a physical one to complete that part of the ride.  Everyone who rode in this event in 2013 was glad that the Gebeng Bypass was not part of the 2014 route.

KCR 13 and 14

2013 Route                           2014 Route

Another difference was that the 2013 route had more climbing, and most of its elevation was in the last half of the ride, when legs were tiring.

KCR 2013 Elevation Profile

2013 Route Elevation

The 2014 route had less climbing, and those climbs came in the early kilometers.

2014 Route Elevation

2014 Route Elevation

I think the crucial difference for me in 2014 was that I stayed much better hydrated.  A week or so before the event I read an article that said that if your perspiration stings your eyes, that is a sign that your body excretes unusually high amounts of electrolytes in your sweat.  My eyes sting like crazy when sweat gets in them.  So for this ride I put two Nuun tablets instead of the recommended one tablet in each 21 oz / .62 liter bidon.

I went through five bidons during the 160 km ride.  Plus two cans of 100 Plus, two cans of Red Bull energy drink, five servings of iced cendol and one bottle of plain water.  I estimate that I drank at least six liters during the ride.  I drank often, and I drank a lot.

A trick that I learned a few months ago is to loosely tie a bandana around your neck, with the knot to the front.  Then regularly soak the bandana with water.  That keeps your neck cool.  The water dripping from the knot keeps the front of your jersey damp, so evaporative cooling happens.  I confirm that this worked.  Augmented by emptying a bottle of water over my head at each stop.

I also made a conscious effort not to go into the red during the ride.  As it turned out, my 2014 average speed of 27.9 kph was not much slower than my 2013 average speed of 28.4 kph.  But there was a big difference in effort, as measured by heart rate.  In 2013 I spent more than half of the ride in the Tempo Zone:  133 to 149 beats per minute.  More exhaustingly, I did almost a quarter of the ride in the Threshold Zone:  149 to 165 beats per minute zone.  In other words, in the red.

2013 Heart Rate

2013 Heart Rate

By comparison I spent no time riding in the Threshold Zone in 2014.  More than half the ride was spent in the Moderate Zone:  100 to 133 beats per minute.

2014 Heart Rate

2014 Heart Rate

There was little difference in my moving time.  5 hours 40 minutes cycling in 2013.  5 hours 49 minutes cycling in 2014.  But I spent 30 more minutes at rest stops in 2014.

The lesson for me is clear.  I can’t do anything about the terrain, or the weather.  But I can manage my fluid and electrolyte intake, and manage my exertion levels.  Drinking six liters sounds like a lot, but I lost that much fluid through sweating.  I certainly didn’t pee much.

I’ll continue the two Nuun tablets per bottle routine.  The extra electrolytes seemed to make a difference.  I had some cramps in my thighs after the third and fourth rest stops, but the cramping didn’t last long, and my riding wasn’t compromised.

I finished behind most of my Flipside companions, but finished strong.   Very much preferred over chasing hard, finishing fast but feeling shattered afterwards.

Photograph courtesy of Cycling Evolution

Photograph courtesy of Cycling Evolution

Team Flipside at the Kuantan Century Ride 2014

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Kuantan Century Ride 2014 Banner

The first century ride of the year for Team Flipside was in Kuantan.  This was my second KCR, having ridden the event last year with Team 165.

Fifteen Flipsiders made the three-hour trip to Kuantan from KL.  A number of us got there late on Saturday.  We were thankful to Mark for collecting goodie bags on our behalf.  The Power Bar and granola bar came in handy during the ride.

Photograph courtesy of Marco Lai

Photograph courtesy of Marco Lai

I stayed with my cousin and her husband.  By coincidence they had decided to take me to dinner at the same restaurant where the other Flipsiders had made a reservation.  It was a good thing that a reservation was made.  Alor Akar Seafood Restaurant was packed with diners.  Good food at a reasonable price.  A recipe for success anywhere.

We met at the start at about 7am.  Some drove from their hotels.  I rode from Izan’s and Paul’s home.

Photograph courtesy of Marco Lai

Photograph courtesy of Marco Lai

Once everyone had gathered we posed for the obligatory group photograph.  We need to get Griffin a Flipsider jersey.

Photograph courtesy of Cycling Evolution

Photograph courtesy of Cycling Evolution

The Flipsiders have made a habit of starting rides at the very back of the pack.  In the case of the KCR 2014 we were so far back that we were behind the police escort vehicles.  It wasn’t long before we were told to move up.

Kuantan Century Ride 2014 Escorts

Over 2,000 riders signed up for the event.  So it took a while before we back markers got across the start line.

Photograph courtesy of Faizal Shaupi

Photograph courtesy of Faizal Shaupi

The route took us north-west before curling south.

Kuantan Century Ride 2014 Route

I didn’t remember Kuantan being hilly.  I know better now.  Fortunately the climbing was limited to the first part of the course, when it was relatively cool.

Photograph courtesy of Mohamad Shazreen Arif

Photograph courtesy of Mohamad Shazreen Arif

It wouldn’t be the KCR without a portion of the ride along the beach.  It was a particularly scenic part of the ride.  Unfortunately by the time we got to the beach it was getting hot.

Photograph courtesy of Zue Rahman

Photograph courtesy of Zue Rahman

34° C / 93° F that felt like 42° C / 107° F hot.  I was so glad to see Pam, Maggie, Cindy and Van at the second rest stop.  With a van full of ice cold 100 Plus and water.  And bananas and energy bars.

Photograph courtesy of Iskandar Ahmat

Photograph courtesy of Iskandar Ahmat

They were out in support of Team Knog.  Seven friends from Van’s Urban Bicycle who completed the TCR on folding bikes.  Chapeau to those guys.

Photograph courtesy of Wan Amril

Photograph courtesy of Wan Amril

The third stop was on the grounds of the University Malaya Pahang campus.  Where ice-cold cendol was being served.  I had five servings.  Did I say it was a very hot day?

Kuantan Century Ride 2014 Cendol

The heat took its toll and quite a few starters did not make it to the finish line back in Kuantan.  All the Flipsiders completed the ride.   Marco and I finished together.  Hot and tired, but happy to get a finisher’s medal.

Photograph courtesy of Marco Lai

Photograph courtesy of Marco Lai

I’m not sure which was worse.  Riding in that heat, or being one of the girls who handed out the medals, waiting in the heat for the last of the finishers.

Photograph courtesy of Cyclomotion

Photograph courtesy of Cyclomotion

Speaking of medals, these were pretty impressive.

Kuantan Century Ride 2014 Medal

Everyone I spoke to who had done the ride last year agreed that this year’s route was an improvement.  The omission of the Gebeng Bypass was greatly appreciated.

We all had nothing but good things to say about the organization and planning that went into the Kuantan Century Ride 2014.  The ride strted on time.  The marshaling of the route was excellent.  All the rest stops were well-stocked with cold drinks and fruit.  Thumbs up to the organizers and volunteers for a great event.

Kuantan Century Ride 2014 JM Cycling Evolution

Photograph courtesy of Cycling Evolution

Now if only they could do something about the heat.

Team 165 at the Kuantan Century Ride 2013

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Keat, Hans and I were in the state of Pahang over the weekend for the Kuantan Century Ride.  I named us Team 165, which is the sum of our ages.  For the mathematically inclined amongst you, I am a year older than Hans and a year younger than Keat.

Kuantan Century 2013 Promo

The sun in the promotional banner turned out to be a hint of things to come.

I took my traveling bike with me.  The Ritchey Break-Away.  The bike case and two other bags fit nicely in the trunk of my biker chick’s car.

Kuantan Century 2013 Ritchey

We spent the weekend at the Swiss Garden Resort.  Keat’s wife convinced the management to let us have breakfast at 5.30am on the day of the ride.  The coffee house normally opens at 6.30am.  We were expecting a few slices of bread and some butter and jam.  We were pleasantly surprised by the spread that the staff had laid out.

Kuantan Century 2013 Breakfast

Our hotel was about 18km / 11mi from the start at the International Islamic University Malaysia.  We discussed riding to the start but decided against it.  We would have been riding in the dark along a busy road.  Even less appealing was the thought of having to cycle back to the hotel after a long event.  So we loaded our bikes into Keat’s pickup truck and drove to the start.

Some 2,000 people had registered for the event.  It looked like most of them turned up on the day.

Kuantan Century 2013 Start Queue

As is always the case at cycling events in Malaysia, all types of bicycles were represented.  These guys were braver than I to attempt 160km on knobby-tired mountain bikes.

Kuantan Century 2013 MTBs

Here we are at the start in our “before” photograph.

Photo courtesy of Kuantan Century Ride

Photo courtesy of Kuantan Century Ride

The organizers impressed everyone by managing to start the event bang on time at 7.30am.  We even had a two minute warning.  We were led out by a string of police motorbikes.  The police and marshals did a good job of controlling traffic at intersections to allow us to cycle through without having to stop.

Kuantan Century 2013 Police Bike

A fleet of road crew on motorbikes and in cars and trucks, and an army of volunteers at the start/finish line and rest stops, made this a very well organized and supported event.

The route took us through Kuantan town and south along the coast for the first 40km / 25mi.  After the first rest stop we headed inland for a bit before turning right onto Federal Route 3.  The next 80km / 50mi were north or north-east into the state of Terengganu before heading east toward the coast at Cherating.

Kuantan Century 2013 Route

That stretch included the second rest stop at the 83 km / 51.5mi mark.  By then the sun was out in full force.  It got to 34°C / 93°F.  With the humidity at 90% the heat index was about 40°C / 104°F.  I was emptying my two bidons in double-quick time.  The good news was we got to the second rest stop just in time to grab the last of the water.  The heat made the demand for water far greater than the organizers had anticipated.  The riders after us had to wait for stocks to be replenished.

Kuantan Century 2013 Rest Stop

The bad news was all the 750 meters / 2,460 feet of climbing came in the second half of the course.  Mercifully there was another rest stop just after the big hill of the day.  There was still plenty of water at that rest stop.

From that point the heat became more and more of a factor.  The descent after the third rest stop took us to the Gebeng Bypass.  We had an out-and-back along the highway.  The 28km / 17.5 mi along that stretch of rolling highway seemed interminable.  The sun was beating down and the headwind on the outward leg made it even more unpleasant.  The sight of the final rest stop on the other side of the highway with the turnaround point still 3km / 1.8mi away was the final straw for some riders.  They chose to skip the electronic checkpoint at the end of the bypass and cut across the highway to the rest stop.

I was hyperthermic and was sorely tempted to take a shortcut as well.  I persevered but it was a very close call at the time.  So I was not happy to finally get to the rest stop only to find that all the water was gone.  Fortunately they had lots of ice.  I tossed my last  Nuun tablet into one bidon and filled both with ice cubes.  More water was on the way but I was too hot to wait.

Hans, and that ice, saved my ride.  Han pulled me the last 28km / 17.4mi.  I was chewing on ice cubes all the way to the finish, desperate to stay cool enough and cramp-free to make it to the end.  This is Hans at the finish.

Photo courtesy of Jerantut Cycling Club

Photo courtesy of Jerantut Cycling Club

I was happy to be just behind Hans.

Photo courtesy of Jerantut Cycling Club

Photo courtesy of Jerantut Cycling Club

At the halfway point Keat had told us to push on without him.  The heat got to him even before it got to me.  So it was great to see Keat smiling at the finish.

Kuantan Century 2013 Keat Finish

Can you spot the difference between this “after” photograph and the one of us at the start?

Photo courtesy of Wai Leng Mann

Photo courtesy of Wai Leng Mann

Apart from having these in our literally hot hands.

Kuantan Century 2013 Medal

Team 165 is already talking about doing a 120km / 74.5mi ride in the southern state of Johor next month.  Hopefully by then I will have figured out how to keep my  core temperature in check.

Gerrie Knetemann Classic 2012

Travel has taken up a lot of time in the past month.  So I haven’t done much riding lately.  I have made plans to do a couple of “special event” rides in April and May.  At the least I will have something to write about then.

The cycling surprise of the past few weeks was the email I received on 8th February from MySports B.V. to tell me that my High Definition race videos from the 2012 Gerrie Knetemann Classic were ready to be downloaded.  Surprising because that ride was on 9th September last year.  Let me tell you about it.

The late Gerrie Knetemann won the 1978 UCI Road World Championship by outsprinting the defending world champion, the Italian Francesco Moser.  He also won the Amstel Gold Race twice, Paris-Nice and host of other races.  Knetemann was born in Amsterdam.  The 2012 event was the eighth running of the classic in his honour.

The ride started and ended in the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam, the site of the 1928 Olympiad.  Seven Not Possibles cyclists tackled the 120km route.  From the left:  Jonathan, David, Micke, Christine, Johan, Andrew and Graham.

Gerrie Knetemann Classic 2012 09

Gerrie Knetemann 2012 Route

The route took through the Groene Hart, a particularly scenic slice of Dutch countryside.  For some variety we also rode along a section of perimeter fence at Schiphol Airport.

Gerrie Knetemann Classic 2012 14

Photo courtesy of Jonathan K

It was a particularly hot day so the two rest stops were appreciated.

Photo courtesy of Jonathan K

Photo courtesy of Jonathan K

As were the stops forced upon us by open bridges.

Gerrie Knetemann Classic 2012 Bridge 02

Like in the Witte Kruis Classic, the organisers included a time trial well into the route.  In this case at the 112km mark.  As you will see I did not attack the time trial.  Six kilometers later we rolled into the Olympic Stadium, with some of us doing our best Wiggo impersonations.

Gerrie Knetemann Classic 2012 Aktiefoto 01

Photo courtesy of Aktiefoto

Did I tell you that it was a hot day?  Not long after this photo was taken we scrambled to find some shade to escape the heat as we destroyed some frites and cold drinks.

Gerrie Knetemann Classic 2012 08

Photo courtesy of either Andrew B or Mike R

This post started with mention of race videos.  Here is a compilation:

Ice is Nice

After last weekend’s Broga broiler my biker chick gave me strict instructions.  I was to get a full medical examination before doing any more hot and humid rides.  Which in Kuala Lumpur meant before doing any more rides – period.  Turning 55 was additional incentive, not that I needed it given that my cycling was at risk, to get checked out.

So I spent a few hours being been scanned, prodded, pierced, x-rayed and wired to various machines.  I was declared fully fit so I was able to turn my attention to what rides to do over the coming weekend.  A group from the Racun Cycling Gang and some Cyclistis had signed up for this ride:  a charity ride in support of the Malaysian Aids Foundation.

By the time I got my act together registration for this ride had closed.  Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately given the weather forecast for the day of the ride, the organisers accepted my entry despite my tardiness.  The ride was 130 km.  There was one water stop, at the 80 km point.  The organisers recommended that riders have two, or better yet, three bottles to get them to the water stop.  I had three bottles on the Broga ride and that hadn’t been enough.  I would have to do some things differently to make it through this ride in better shape that I had been during the Broga ride.

The first thing to do differently this time would be to not let my heart rate shoot past 150 bpm.  The Karvonen formula, which is a more accurate way to calculate your maximum heart rate than the frequently quoted 220 minus your age method, puts my maximum heart rate at 165 bpm.  I suspect that part of my troubles during the Broga ride stemmed from riding at greater than 85% of my maximum heart rate for more than an hour, including hitting 165 bpm at a few points.  In other words I would have to curb my competitive instincts and not chase after faster riders.

The second thing to do differently this time would be to stay as cool as possible.  I should have done this very simple and, in hindsight, obvious thing from my first ride in Malaysia.  I put my three bottles in the freezer overnight.

Farid and I rolled through the start at about 8am.  It was already warm and it was obvious that we were in for a sunny morning.

Bike-X 04

Photo courtesy of Cycling Malaysia Magazine

You can see two frozen bottles in my cages.  The third bottle was in the rear centre pocket of my jersey.  Pouring ice cubes down someone’s back was a high school prank.  Who would have thought that I would volunteer for the equivalent now?  Regular sips of frosty sport drink combined with that lump of ice at the base of my spine kept me lukewarm rather than hot for most of the ride.

Despite taking turns at the front of a group that hit better than 40 kph at times I managed to keep my heart rate in check.  This was helped in large part by the very flat route.  We were riding on the coastal plain to the west of the city, where the only climbing was up highway overpasses.  Much like in both Houston and Den Haag.  We did approach one climb today but just as we got to the foot of the hill we turned to the right and away from it.  I was not disappointed!

Of course there is no avoiding the effects of the heat and humidity completely.  I was dripping in no time at all.  This time I remembered to bring my Sweat GUTR, which I had bought to keep the sweat out of my eyes in the 40° C and higher summer temperatures in Houston.  It still works a treat.

The water stop had been moved to the 59 km point.  I was glad to see it.  I refilled one bottle.  I probably should have topped up my other bottles but I didn’t want to dilute the Nuun sport drink.  I poured some water over my head and the back of my neck.  More to wash the sweat off my face then to cool down.  Once we got moving again it did help to have wet hair and a wet jersey.

The organizers had shortened the ride to 98 km.  I was not disappointed about that either!  By the end of the ride all three of my bottles were empty.  I rolled across the finish line hot and sweaty and in need of fluid.  As you can see there was more  to drink at the finish area.

Photo courtesy of Cycling Malaysia Magazine

It may not look it from the photo above but my strategies to not overheat worked.  The freezer is my new friend.

Your Country Very Hot

My biker chick ZAZ and I have moved a number of times from our tropical home to more temperate climes.  Each time we struggled initially with the cold but we did get used to it.  Almost without noticing our increasing tolerance for low temperatures.  Until we got home again.

We have a catchphrase that we use with each other a lot in the first few months back home.  “Your country very hot.”  I shouldn’t be surprised that we have to reacclimatize to the heat and humidity.   It does take a few months before I don’t feel the need to take four or five showers a day.

Yesterday’s ride confirmed that I am not yet used to being back in a hot and humid country.  I was invited to ride the Broga 116.  I had expected to be part of a group ride.  What I hadn’t expected was that I would be part of a highly organized group ride.  A group ride with two SAG support vehicles, three water stops, photographers along the route, lunch at the finish, a t-shirt, and in a first for me at any organized ride, a route ‘tulip‘ sticker for my top tube.

All put together by a cycling club, without commercial sponsorship, for anyone who was willing to pay RM 30 / USD 10 to participate.  At least fifty of us stumped up the cash and were ready to roll from the car park at the Sungai Tekala Recreation area at 7.30 am.
I had three 25 ounce bottles of Nuun-treated water, a layer of sunscreen on every bit of exposed skin, and a cap under my helmet to soak up sweat.  In other words I was unprepared for the heat and humidity.

On previous rides I had noticed that my average pulse rate was 10 to 15 bpm higher than it had been in the Netherlands.  I knew that was because of the higher ambient temperature in Kuala Lumpur.  It was about 28C / 82F with a relative humidity over 80% at the start.  It would get considerably warmer as the sun rose in the sky.  That fact should have been my first warning that I would have a tough day.

Graph courtesy of The National Weather Service at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/heat/index.shtml

The second warning came 35 km into the ride, in the form of the first climb of the day.  The Bukit Mandom 1 climb is only 1 km but it has grades of up to 10.2%.  By the time I had crested that climb sweat was dripping onto my top tube and I was already into my second bottle.  The descent at 60 kph plus cooled me off a little but that was scant respite.  After 1 km the road tipped upward again as Bukit Mandom 2 presented itself.  By the time I completed the 1.8 km to the crest of that hill I knew for certain that it would just get tougher as the ride progressed.

As indeed it did.  Bukit Tangga (literally Stairway Hill) was bigger and badder than the previous two hills.  I started cramping in both quadriceps on the lower slopes and had to stop 3 km into the climb to stretch.  If nothing else that gave me the opportunity to take this photo of my fellow cyclists grinding up the hill.

The spasms from heat cramps in my quadriceps were my constant and faithful companion for the rest of the ride.  Whenever the grade kicked up above 6% I had to slow down to below 10 kph.  I found that if I rode in my inner ring /  largest cog combination (why oh why didn’t I have my compact crank?) and maintained a very slow cadence I could continue to pedal without completely cramping up.  The observant among you, dear readers, will have noticed from the route tulip that the planners had saved the biggest climb of the day for the end.  13 km long and a total of 470 meters upwards.  I have never been so glad to to see the back side of a hill.

Nevertheless I took several positives from this ride.  The organisation was excellent.  Which was a very good thing.  The water stops saved me from becoming severely dehydrated.  I had 75 ounces / 2.2 liters of fluid in my bottles at the start of the ride, which turned out to be woefully insufficient.  I picked up at least another 2 liters of water at the stops, along with, pardon the pun, a bunch of bananas.

The views, when I wasn’t staring fixedly at my front wheel so that I wouldn’t have to look up at the never-ending slope ahead of me, were lush and verdant.

I learned that Aesop knew what he was talking about.  My slow and steady 6 to 8 kph up Genting Peres meant that I caught and passed a number of other riders who had started the climb at speed but then had to stop for a breather before the top.  And I finished the ride on my bike and not in a SAG support vehicle.  Not that I am competitive or anything!

Our sea freight had been delivered so I was able to do the ride in my Not Possibles jersey.

Best of all I made new friends, courtesy of Syihan Nik, who invited me to do the Broga 116.  By the way I still haven’t decided if I should thank him or thump him.  Here are Syihan and I early in the day, looking and feeling considerably better than we did at the end.  As you will soon see.

I finished the 114 km soaked in sweat but my cooling mechanism hadn’t coped very well with the conditions.
Despite cold showers and iced drinks my core temperature stayed elevated for the rest of the day.  So there is no doubt about it ZAZ.  Your country very hot.