SAFRA AVventura 2010 over
Scorching hot day, 50km route and a supposed 9hr cut-off time... sounds familiar?
But this time, it is an adventure race! I guessed we ran about approximately 10km, biked for around 30 odd km and kayaked for another 5km? Not so sure about that cause we only found out our route on the spot! I think that was the beauty and bane of adventure races... you somewhat do not know when the finish line would come. Worse?! There is no distance markers to tell you how close you are to the end and will there be other mystery challenges coming your way..
The best mystery challenge i thought was the 'Potato Challenge'! One of us... (ME...cos FB cramped out! Hahaha...) has to tie a raffia string with a potato at the end, dangle it and swing it to hit another potato on the ground, rolling it about 20m across to the finish line. Choon said that husbands and fathers should't have a problem with it... Hahaha.. which proves why i took some time to get used to it.
The adventure race brought us to our 'home ground' basically as both FB and I were trained extensively at those areas. So much so that we knew which route we would prefer to take due to inclined slopes and so on. The cycling route was scenic and exciting with a few long steep slopes to raise your adrenaline.. Brings back some childhood memories of riding bicycles and not wanting to ever hit the brakes downhill!
There was also the Kayak part which i think we should not be having problems with due to our background. The headwinds were strong as the area was very exposed and had natural shelters whatsoever. But that was the time to overtake as many people as we can as well as chalk up on lost timing at the Team Biathlon station.
There was also the deflating and inflating of tires station which we nearly got pomchet literally! I was so confident we could do it until FB took out the newly requisited pump and both of us stared at it...hard! The head was totally different from the valve! Hahahaha...it took some time to figure an improvisation (or maybe figure out the design) before we could start pumping. And boy... if our arms were not in play before, it was really working hard at that station. We realise that there is low and there is high pressure pumps. Revelation!
There were other revelations too...
1. I hated powergels. Raisin bread was great.. I think banana-walnut would be great. Nothing beats fresh food!
2. "Always apply deep-heat before the onset of cramps." You can feel it coming. The light spasm thingy. - Wilfred
3. Salt tablets are best for cramps. Pure salt tablets... some are also loaded with potassium and other stuffs. The body takes them in fast! - Kenneth and Choon
4. Always have gummies in your pack! - Fatboy
5. Dun bother riding uphill if pushing it is faster. - Faizola
6. Always learn to use your tools and stuffs first before a race, lest you really have to use them in an emergency. - Team FatBOYs
7. Where ever you can, use quick release for bicycle tyres!
All the different tips coming in from friends after the race and things you realise during one. It's quite amazing!
Anyway, we finished top 10 in the novice category... 10th exactly! Hahaha... timing of 8hr 10mins approximately. I don't think anyone else made it past the finishing line after us.. While we were walking off the last km, we turned around and as far as our eyes can see, we saw... NO ONE!!
We were adamant in finishing the race though... fully completing our passports and not skipping any stations. We were advised at the 11th station to go on to the finishing line as the timing was about to pass but team FatBoys wouldn't have met our objectives then...
We walked hard during the last parts as FB's cramps wouldn't subside. Met one of my pax who volunteered as a marshaller. Made a few friends over gummies... and got the 1st Finishers' Medal for the year! Next up...Singapore Biathlons!
(It sounds freakily similar to Pokemon... "I got the Gym Badge! And next...to the other city to fight the gym leader!")
May Allah guide us all..bless us with happiness and health n protect us from the dangers of this world, physically or mentally. Help us become successful people in the world and after...
The best mystery challenge i thought was the 'Potato Challenge'! One of us... (ME...cos FB cramped out! Hahaha...) has to tie a raffia string with a potato at the end, dangle it and swing it to hit another potato on the ground, rolling it about 20m across to the finish line. Choon said that husbands and fathers should't have a problem with it... Hahaha.. which proves why i took some time to get used to it.
There was also the Kayak part which i think we should not be having problems with due to our background. The headwinds were strong as the area was very exposed and had natural shelters whatsoever. But that was the time to overtake as many people as we can as well as chalk up on lost timing at the Team Biathlon station.
There was also the deflating and inflating of tires station which we nearly got pomchet literally! I was so confident we could do it until FB took out the newly requisited pump and both of us stared at it...hard! The head was totally different from the valve! Hahahaha...it took some time to figure an improvisation (or maybe figure out the design) before we could start pumping. And boy... if our arms were not in play before, it was really working hard at that station. We realise that there is low and there is high pressure pumps. Revelation!
There were other revelations too...
1. I hated powergels. Raisin bread was great.. I think banana-walnut would be great. Nothing beats fresh food!
2. "Always apply deep-heat before the onset of cramps." You can feel it coming. The light spasm thingy. - Wilfred
4. Always have gummies in your pack! - Fatboy
5. Dun bother riding uphill if pushing it is faster. - Faizola
6. Always learn to use your tools and stuffs first before a race, lest you really have to use them in an emergency. - Team FatBOYs
7. Where ever you can, use quick release for bicycle tyres!
All the different tips coming in from friends after the race and things you realise during one. It's quite amazing!
Anyway, we finished top 10 in the novice category... 10th exactly! Hahaha... timing of 8hr 10mins approximately. I don't think anyone else made it past the finishing line after us.. While we were walking off the last km, we turned around and as far as our eyes can see, we saw... NO ONE!!
We were adamant in finishing the race though... fully completing our passports and not skipping any stations. We were advised at the 11th station to go on to the finishing line as the timing was about to pass but team FatBoys wouldn't have met our objectives then...
We walked hard during the last parts as FB's cramps wouldn't subside. Met one of my pax who volunteered as a marshaller. Made a few friends over gummies... and got the 1st Finishers' Medal for the year! Next up...Singapore Biathlons!
(It sounds freakily similar to Pokemon... "I got the Gym Badge! And next...to the other city to fight the gym leader!")
May Allah guide us all..bless us with happiness and health n protect us from the dangers of this world, physically or mentally. Help us become successful people in the world and after...
