Monday, October 27, 2008

Transalpine Run

This is one race that makes any summer race looks easy and of course if you think the Singapore Version of The North Face 100 is tough enough, think again.

An eight stage race of a total of 142miles. The total estimate ascent is 14,000m (45,930ft) and 13,300km (43,630ft) for descent.

The race is held yearly in September and format is in a team of 2. And you can expect to see the mountain scenery of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. This is the absolute beautiful but with extreme alpine condition. Extreme heat in Morrocco and this is the extreme cold of Transalpine-Run.


Stage 1 2008 series


Stage 2 2008 series


Stage 3 2008 series


Stage 4 2008 Series


Stage 5 2008 Series


Stage 6 2008 Series


Stage 7 2008 Series


Final Stage (8) 2008 Series

Of Course, for those who are ready for this, check out this website:

www.transalpine-run.com

Sunday, October 26, 2008

The North Face 100

Told myself that I should do something about this part. Anyway, here is the thing. There is a new series of race brewing up this year called The North Face 100 and I must say its finally here! Why? Because previously if we race junkies wants to do an ultramarathon, we have to head out to places like Europe, Mongolia, and USA.

So its great to have this series available in Asia Pacific. Started in May at Blue Mountain Australia, The North Face 100 series, travels through The Philippines in July and Singapore in October and now heading to China for the grand finale in April. These are just some of the highlights from Australia and Singapore and I am sure the race will get more exciting and interesting next year.

Enjoy!



The North Face 100 Australia




The North Face 100 Singapore

Friday, October 17, 2008

Ironman (Remembrance of Hero) - Part 2

Love of the Father is the key word to this person who will do everything just to give his son the quality of life his son deserve. He is none other than Dick Hoyt and together with his son Rick, they are fondly known on the Queen K highway as Team Hoyt.

This video speaks louder than anything that I have mention. Be Inspired!



Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Ironman (Remembrance of Heroes) - Part 1

In the spirit of the Ironman, I decided to take us through some of the heroes who has raced the Ironman over the last few years that brought many of us to tears and inspire us to be strong the chase our dreams.



First stop is none other than Jon "Blazeman" Blais. The Warrior Poet that fought strongly with ALS. Though he was gone last year but his Will and his Spirit lives on and had spurred us on to keep fighting and to have action against ALS. The famous roll to the finish line still can be seen at all the Ironman race and Chrissie Wellington did just that during this years race.

Blazeman, we salute you!

This is just one of the famous poem written by Jon Blais and it can be found on his website:

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your hearts longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams or for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your sorrow. If you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and close from fear of further pain. I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it or fit it. I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with the wildness and let the "Meatheadedness" fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, or to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you're telling is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself, if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. I want to know if you can be faithful and trustworthy. I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not there everyday, and if you can source your life from its presence. I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still shout stand on the edges of a lake, river or mountain and shout to the silver of the full moon. Yes! I'm a Meathead...

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after a night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done for someone you love.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself, and truly like the company you keep in the empty moments of your life and still remember me...

Your friend, Blazeman - King of all "Meatheads" 2004.


Sunday, October 12, 2008

Ironman World Championship 08 Race Day Report

The results of the Ironman World Championship is out. Just like every Ironman race, one person misfortune is another person blessing. And yes, Ironman has a new World Champion. Craig "Crowie" Alexander is the new World Champion for the Men's Pro Field. Eneko Llanos second and my favourite and mos respected athlete Rutger Beke is third.

Not to mention Andy Potts attempting his first ironman after many years of short course and ITU triathlon came in an impressive 7th. Chris McCormack has to settle for a DNF due to a snap cable that the official says that it will take about 20mins to repair. So, he decided to call it a day. Timo Bracht was stripped off his 5th placing due to a bike course infraction.

On the women's side, Chrissie Wellington, the defending champion fenced off all comments about her last year win with a solid 15mins ahead of Yvonne Van Vlerken of The Netherlands. To top this off, she has a 10min deficit due to a tyre puncture that she has problem inflating a spare tyre. 3 catridges of CO2 cannisters and nothing works. Rebecca Keat threw a forth catridge to save the day.

This is truely the mark of a true champion. Triathlete Magazine press clipping is attached below for those who wants more insight.

Alexander and Wellington run away with Ironman World Championship

Mechanical mishap takes Macca out of the race; Wellington rebounds from a 10-minute flat-tire stop to dominate the women's race

Story and Photos by Brad Culp & Courtney Johnson


Oct. 11, 2008
-- In only his second attempt at the Hawaii Ironman World Championship, Australia's Craig Alexander used a blistering run to win by three minutes over Spaniard Eneko Llanos. In a field full of strong cyclists, "Crowie", as Alexander is known, remained patient on the bike and took over the race on the run. Alexander was 13th out of the water, 11th off the bike and first at the finish after a 2:45:00 marathon.

In the women's race, undefeated Iron-woman Chrissie Wellington of Great Britain battled back from a 10-minute stop to fix a flat tire to go on to win by 14:57 over Yvonne Van Vlerken of the Netherlands. Wellington's run-split of 2:57:44 was a new course record. Sandra Wallenhorst of Germany also ran under three hours (2:58:35) to finish third.

How the men's race unfolded

Few were surprised to see American Andy Potts, Frenchman Benjamin Sanson and Aussie Pete Jacobs smoke the rest of the field on the swim. Potts was first to exit the water, with Sanson three seconds back and Jacobs another three seconds behind. The group had three minutes on the next pack, which included Kiwi Bryan Rhodes and Spaniard Eneko Llanos.

Twenty miles into the bike Sanson still led and Potts was on the side of the road serving a drafting penalty. Super-bikers Chris Lieto (USA) and Torbjorn Sindballe (DEN) were less than half a mile behind Sanson and making up ground—fast. Also playing catch-up were defending champion Chris McCormack (AUS) and two-time champ Normann Stadler (GER), who were both about two minutes behind.

Flash-forward to the bike turnaround at Hawi and the leaderboard had changed entirely. Lieto Sindballe set the pace, with 2005 champ Faris Al-Sultan (GER) one minute back and Llanos two minutes behind. Shortly after the top athletes made their turn for home, McCormack snapped his front derailieur cable and was in serious trouble. Macca was told by tech support that it would take up to 20 minutes to repair and he decided to drop out of the race.
Crowie_Kona_08
As the leaders stormed back toward Kailua-Kona, Sindballe dropped the hammer and began to pull away from everyone. Shortly after mile 70, we clocked Torbjorn at 28 mph, pedaling at 70 rpm. Needless to say, he was really grinding.

Sindballe hit T2 with a lead of almost five minutes (after a 4:27 bike-split) over Lieto and six minutes over Stadler. Next off the bike were Eneko Llanos and Al-Sultan, two of the strongest runners in the field.

Sindballe looked strong as he charged out of transition and onto Alii Drive, but Llanos and Stadler looked even better. The Great Dane’s lead quickly diminished and the pair of Llanos and Stadler made quick work of the two leaders (Lieto and Sindballe). At the 10-mile mark, Stadler was in the lead with Llanos only a few seconds behind. Lieto and Sindballe dropped well off the pace and Aussie Craig Alexander surged into third position, 2:30 behind the leaders.

Alexander took over the lead around the 17-mile mark, after running 6:20 per mile to that point. He opened up a small gap on Llanos and easily grew his lead with each passing stride. Shortly after Crowie moved into first, Brown passed Stadler to assume third position.

At the 22-mile mark the race was all but over. Alexander’s lead was at three minutes and growing fast, as Llanos battled to hang onto second over a surging Rutger Beke (BEL).
Crowie_KonaFinish
Alexander crossed the line in 8:17:45 after running a 2:45:00 marathon. Three minutes later, Llanos finished second, barely hold off Beke, who was only 33 seconds back of the runner-up. Two of the biggest surprises of the day came from the fourth and fifth place finishers. Ronnie Schildknecht (SUI), who won Ironman Switzerland earlier this year, finished in fourth today, only 23 seconds behind Beke. Fifth place was German Timo Bracht, who may be disqualified pending review of a bike-course infraction. The second, third and fourth place finishers (Llanos, Beke and Schildknecht) were separated by only 56 seconds.

In his first-ever Ironman Potts finished as the top American, in eighth place, after an 8:33:50 effort. Michael Lovato was the next American to finish – 57 seconds behind Potts – in tenth.

How the women's race unfolded

Team TBB athlete Hillary Biscay was out of the water first for the women in 54:35, followed closely by a pack of Gina Ferguson, Gina Kehr and Nina Kraft ten seconds back.

Onto the bike, Kraft made an early move in town and through the ten-mile mark had three seconds on Dede Grisebauer and Kehr, with Chrissie Wellington in fourth at only forty seconds back.
Wellington_Kona_08
Shortly after fifteen miles Wellington took the lead, pushing a big gear and within thirty miles already was 1:10 up on second-place Leanda Cave and almost two minutes up on a third-place Grisebauer.

Similar to the changing winds blowing the field all over the place, the women’s standings on the bike were all over as Granger moved into second at forty miles, 2:40 back of Wellington. Cave and Grisebauer were only a few seconds back of Granger.

At 55 miles, Wellington flatted and had trouble inflating her spare tube. After going through three cartridges, Rebekah Keat threw another to her and rode off. The Britt, who typically takes the first bike of the bike easy, found herself having to play catch up. Wellington had a lead of five minutes when she flatted and afterward was six minutes behind the new leaders of Cave, Grisebauer and Granger.

Taking no time, Wellington started working through the field of women who passed her while she was stuck on the side of the road. At 59 miles she was only 5:20 back of Granger and at 75 miles she was only 1:17 behind Granger and already ahead of Cave and Grisebauer. Soon after 85 miles, she passed Granger and quickly started gaining time on her.

Into T2, Wellington had over seven minutes on Granger and eight on Yvonne Van Vlerken, who quickly plowed through the field coming back from Hawi.

At a speed as blazing as the heat out on the course, Wellington continued to gain more time on the run, and had 9:34 on Van Vlerken at mile four. Granger was now sitting in third at 11:36 back.

On pace to beat the run record set by Lori Bowden in 1999, Wellington ran 6:30 per mile through the first 8 miles, faster then every male except Craig Alexander, who was happy to know she was running 10-20 seconds per mile slower than him.

The searing temperatures in the Energy Lab didn’t slow the thirty one year old’s pace as she ran a 6:37 mile into the turnaround. Back on the Queen K and through twenty miles, Van Vlerken was over 13 minutes behind and Wallenhorst holding onto third another three minutes.

Onto Alii Drive, Wellington's lead continued as Wallenhorst gained time on Van Vlerken, making a close race for second.

Racing in honor of her grandmother who died of breast cancer six weeks ago and coming across the line doing the “Blazeman Roll”, Wellington won her second Ironman World Championship in 9:06:23, setting a new run course record by almost two minutes. In second in 9:21:20 was Quelle Challenge Roth winner Van Vlerken and in third was Ironman Austria winner Sandra Wallenhorst at 9:22:52.
Wellington_Kona_08finish2
Ford Ironman World Championship
Kona, Hawaii
October 11, 2008
2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run

Men

1. Craig Alexander (AUS) 8:17:45
2. Eneko Llanos (ESP) 8:20:50
3. Rutger Beke (BEL) 8:21:23
4. Ronnie Schildknecht (SUI) 8:21:46
5. Timo Bracht (GER) 8:23:04*
*pending disqualification ruling
6. Cameron Brown (NZL) 8:26:17

Women
1. Chrissie Wellington (GBR) 9:06:23
2. Yvonne Van Vlerken (NED) 9:21:20
3. Sandra Wallenhorst (GER) 9:22:52
4. Erika Csomor (HUN) 9:24:49
5. Linsey Corbin (USA) 9:28:51

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Pro Athlete Interview for Kona 2008

This is the updates of some of the interview of the pro athletes for Kona.

Women's Pro

Interview with Chrissie Wellington


Interview with Yvonne Van Vlerken


Interview with Kate Major


Interview with Joanna Lawn


Interview with Natasha Badmann

Men's Pro

Interview with Chris McCormack


Interview with Faris Al-Sultan


Interview with Andy Potts


Interview with Luke Bell


Interview with Normann Stadler


Interview with Torbjorn Sinballe


Interview with Craig Alexander

Friday, October 10, 2008

Ironman World Championship


This is it. All the training and racing for the last one year and it will boil down to this weekend. Welcome to Ironman World Championship 2008. This is the 30th Anniversary for the M-Dot and as usual the race will start at the bay of Kailua Kona, Hawaii exactly at 7.00am on this coming saturday 11 Ocotber 2008.



30 years of Ironman

I am personally excited as I count down to the next 28 plus hours. Well, this years race you will see the showdown of the Elite Men Athlete like, the defending champion Chris McCormack (aka Macca), last year first runner-up Craig Alexander (aka Crowie) and Norminator - Norman Stadler and of course the Giant SUV, Torbjorn Sinaballe who say on yesterday's press conference that he is ready to stick on to the Norminator in the bike leg.



Macca talking to the press

On the Women's, Chrissie is set and poise to defend her title but with all humility and grace, she was telling the press that she is strong and trained well, but there are many girls out there that can still put a equally good race. Watch out for Rebecca Keat, Rebecca Preston, and Natasha Badmann and of course, Miss Consistency, Kate Major.



Chrissie, as always showing her sunshine laughter

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Sabah Adventure Challenge 2008 Part 2


Team Photo Taken at the Hotel

Well, This is the Second Installment of Sabah Adventure Challenge 2008. Of course you know what happen on Day 1. Now, this is the rest of the silly race story.

Getting ready for the start
Morning view of the Starting Line

PS With Mr. Adrian Mok (Polar Electro Singapore)

On day 2, we woke up really early in the morning to get ready to head out to the starting line. Got a few photo shots at the Hotel of the race. Then headed out to the starting line by the coach buses arranged by the organiser. Well, that's pretty much a incremental cost for them. According to them, that is not planned for in the initial race plan but due to the extreme rainy weather over the weeks, the start line been altered and changed and these plan have to put in place.
Tyrolean Traverse over the Inanam Waterfall


Endless Slops and Hills forces many to push their bikes

Including Myself & PS



I don't why but the nervousness sure got me jittery and went to the toilet a couple of time. Mr. Adrian Mok, our friend from Singapore and the General Manager of Polar Electro Singapore was there to flag off the race. Usually, he will be one of those competitors on the start line but today he is the Guest of Honor to flag off the race.


Team Shots

Of we went when the race honked sounded. We started the race with a 1plus kilometer road run, I was panting firstly due to the nervousness and of course I am more of a biker than a runner but still I cannot give that as an excuse. I am just typically out of shape! Sigh! "Okay, Gotta move, Gotta move, need to move my sorry arse along!" In the mean time, Rocketman and Chief Navigator KC was moving along well and getting into the groove on his run. PS was behind but as you know, she is a runner and I was expecting her to be pick it up as the race progresses.

Ok, we are CP1 and pick up our bike and then with the series of checks on the maps, we move off to the trail with a bunch of Frenchmen and locals on our mountain bike. I went ahead as usual. I am a mountain biker, so it is natural that I was faster and more comfortable on the bike. A couple of kilometers later and a couple of bunny hops later, we hit the road and then....SHIT!...we missed a turn! Ok, after some checks by KC, we managed to find our way back on course, phew!

Anyway, In total for Day 1 we kinda missed a few key location and got a little lost here and there but not as bad as Ling's and Rebecca's Team. We were making progress slow and easy.

Of course, one thing I hated the most is the endless slops on the bike course. But well, it gets you fitter so no complains.


At the CP where Doctor will be checking on PS injury


Doctor Getting ready to stitch up PS Cuts

As the race progress, dramas started to unfold. PS got a bad crash while we were on a not so technical downhill. She had a bad fall on landed kinda sideway or face plunge, of course she was not really sure about that. "Ouch!" That was all we heard. KC was saying, it can't be serious because she stood up. I was like, "I don't think so." True enough PS raises her hands and we quickly ran towards her to check it out. What we saw was a really deep cut under her chin and a puncture wound near to it.


Pre-stitch condition (Check out the bloodstain on the patch)

Anyway, we quickly takes out the first aid kit to patch her up and preparing to evacuate her as we she no point for her to carry on for day 1. After much fumbling and clean ups, we were on our way again and we manage to check in to the nect checkpoint and told the official that we need medical attention. So PS is stay put at the checkpoint and waiting for the race doctor to access and patch her chin up. We took the chance to eat and drink and pass some of the extra equipment to her since we will not be using them.

Not for those who have a problem with Blood





Well, more drama will unfold for the rest of day 1 as we continue....stay tuned folks!

Glamor shot with the marshals