Showing posts with label Inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inspiration. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Thursday, March 24, 2011
One Year On...
It is exactly one year and today marks the one year anniversary of the departure of a close friend who had taught me everything I need to know about cycling in my earlier years of being a cycling virgo.
For one year, I have been just going about to get myself busy and rarely, put in a lot of time on the pedals. Building bike, doing cycling related events and doing personal stuffs...that is pretty much. I have not been thinking about the fact that I have lost my closest buddy on March 24, 2010 to an accident that took his life.
This morning, is a weird one as the biological and emotional clock rang once again that reminded me that today is the one year anniversary. I thought that I had forgotten all about it but the gut feeling and the subconscious memory knocks and tugs on my heart.
Today is the day, that I would celebrate the life of my dearest friend, my mentor and my closest brother...Ben, you will always be remembered as a close buddy, a dearest mentor and a big brother!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Marathon
Well, it is really interesting to be a bystander and an onlooker at the Marathon. What is most interesting is to wake up like a typical marathon ride your mountain bike down to race site and zip around the race route just to support your love ones.
Well, I did and to be honest its really an experience. I am loving it but of course what would be most fulfilling is to start and finish the race together with your love one. Well, that will be my next years goal.
For now, I would just like to say this. Chris, I am so proud of you. We will run the race together next year.
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!
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:
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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
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 raceStory 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.
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).
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.
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.
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
Monday, September 8, 2008
Trail Running, Anyone?
Get Inspired! This is a video from The North Face. Nicely made with no pretentious motive but just to inspire people to get to the trail and run. Really love this video as it is so candid and so simple. Just gets me motivated to head out to the trail and run which I must confess that I have not done that in ages. Well, I will hit the trail this week in Sabah. Bukit Padang, here I come!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Heart of a Champion
"Achievement is largely the product of steadily raising one's level of aspiration and expectation". This is the inspiring statement made Ms. Sam Wariner. Anyway, this video never fails to inspire me. Its about Bevan Doherty appearing being passed and drop by another racer and how from a far distance looks set to lose the race. But by not giving up and pushing and picking up the sprint pace, a champion emerged. Never quits even though it may seems that the race is over and taking second is the only chance....go for it until the victor is crowned.
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