T - 118 - Cycle - Saturday 1st November

After my difficulties getting to the Genting start I started earlier and drove faster. Unfortunately I couldn't see midvalley at 0600, the GPS took 20 minutes to log on and when it did I was on a road that didn't exist, and I don't know where Mid-Valley is. 

So at 0630 I rang Sam and asked what to do. Meet at the Putrajay toll was the answer. Fortunately I'd got lost onto it and headed along. A few minutes later - and this is important - I spotted a couple of cyclists by the side of the road. Coming to a rapid halt I reverse 300m back down the highway to them and asked what was wrong. I had an Alum key: they needed one. I headed off to the toll and got my bike fixed up. I chatted with Shazli and a few others - all thought I was madd to be riding with Sam - too fast! Hmmm

Simon came along a few minutes later - I didn't recognise him - possibly due to the lack of hair. Then KK. I joined up with them and we headed out to somewhere. The first few mijnutes were hard and I stuck to the back finding my pace. Wow it was fast. Whether it was the drafting, an unnoticed downhill or steroids in the beert last night I kept up with everyone - though it seemed we flew along for ages at close to 40km/h.

I was quite pleased with my performance. I generally lost ground on the flats but made it up on the hills. The last couple of months has been a focus on hill training so I was pleased with that. Now I'm working on speed work on Tuesdays I should start to see an improvement there as well. For the homebound section of the ride I worked hard to keep up with Sam and it was that difficult point - to do so I'd be pushing too far outside my HR envelope - but again I am a notoroius slacker unless I have a target.

Pleased with my performance anyway until we started heading back to Mid-Valley. I decided to tag along and then ride back tot he car so I'd no where the start was for next time. I lost concentration and did a dozen cat-eyes before my back tire went flat. Terry gave me  a hand gathering my gear and the group headed home as I started on my tire. 

Then help came. It wasn't the two guys from the morning. It was a dude called Rashid - Thank mate. But would he have stopped if I hadn't helped the guys this morning. Karma works in mysterious ways. Anyway he helped me with my tire - I couldn't get the tire over the tube and he showed my how to part inflate it in order to get the fit ride. Great man - you can have my CO2 cyclinder next week at Powerman :)

On into the city with a turn round and a log very hot slog (42C) back to the car. At the car I stupidly tried to assemble the bike carrier with the help of a policeman - thanks Mr Hamidi - before giving up and getting lost on the way home. I'm sure that Shah Alam is a direct route :)