Small Fish Swimming Among Sharks...: 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