Settling down- for now

With the maiden XTERRA done last weekend (6/6 – 7/6)I can finally settle down doing my own things (as for now!). No more traveling for event promos and races and no more hassling the suppliers and printers. It a blast of an experience for being able to be part of the XTERRA Crew. I initially signed up in the age group cat only to be alerted by Shazly that he needs another person to help out. So there I was with the team, working together. As the work expectation builds up, I find less time for myself. Time as in time for training. How do I juggle this. Pretty different when juggling between academics and training. Nevertheless, I learnt a lot, and gained a lot. Getting to know my triathlete friends from the professional working side. To Zafrul, Shazly, Nadia, Geoff, Azmar, Stupe, Bandit, Nazri, Kharis, Senn, Aileen, Ariff and everyone in the team , thank you and congratulations to all of you !

I manage to do 3 races throughout my involvement in the XTERRA Malaysia.

1. NB15K (1:31) supa sloww,but love the hills la !

2. SAS Eco Challenge- Bera(8th place…body torchering mind blowing experience) and

3. JB City Eco Challenge (my team came in 6th).

Thanks to the organizers for allowing us to promote XTERRA at your event !

To all sponsors, athletes, volunteers and whoever is directly or indirectly involved in making this event a success, I on behalf of the XTERRA Malaysia would like to express our endless appreciation and thanks.

Personal note to my Kuantan friends who put in their effort to help out; Azrul, Aman, Fid, Bern, Abe Din and Alang. Thanks guys !!

To fellow athlete friends who took part in the race, I on behalf of the crew would like to apologize for all the hiccups throughout the event process. Your sincere and positive comments are highly appreciated and you can always email us at info@xterramalaysia.net or contact me at julie@xterramalaysia.net

Whatever happens after this will be improvement and improvement, insyaAllah.

missJeweLz XTERRA of an Xperience

1. Signed up
2. Some MTB training with lotsa crashes, monkey scare (i seriously thought I was going to die.. nearly got attacked by monkeys at Kiara trail. )
3. Tending to my left knee..some maltraking prob and plicae inflammation

4.Minimimal running

5. Busy making sure XTERRA Technical portfolio is covered..datelines, quotations, invoices, art design.. i never did these kinda things before ! At Trikidz I was only the treasurer and registrar !

6. Less time for training… i mean , lesser and lesser time for training …

7. fast forward to Wednesday last week, 4 days before D-day.. off to Kuantan..work throughout till Saturday…

8.Friday – still alive and kickin..blocked nose @ night. cant breath !

9. Saturday afternoon-feverish…blocked nose.. twist and turn to clear the nasal cavity !!!! Sat eve -  bike check in. Saturday night; fever getting worse. Had to make that ultimate decision ; not to race tomorrow morning. Even if I had the energy to finish the distance I don’t  think I would have enjoyed it. Right?!

10. Sunday. missed the race, but was rushing to Indera Mahkota and back to TC and back to Vistana and back to TC again… work lah weii ! some sprint workouts there. LOL !

11. my uncle was there to watch the race. surprised to see me there..and surprised to know I do triathlons !!! hahaha…

12. late noon, settled volunteers’  fee. returned podium @ Indera Mahkota; i drove the big van. had problem with the pressing the clutch. sakit lutut !! (knee pain). but still alive and kickin despite the fever

13. evening ; chill at the beach with Scott. night ; already zonked, bonked.. damn.. this is nothing like Ironman. I didnt feel tired after crossing the finish line in Langkawi !

14. Next day; drove back to KL. gave up at r&r Temerloh. dozed off for an hour in the car- engine and Aircond. on
yeah, driving alone is quite challenging..

15. next day; missed class.

I’ve recovered already now. Thank God ! And now, I’m so ready to get some balls rolling ! Yes, Im excited as you are ! (are you?).. seems like the Triathlon and Duathlon season is only kickin’ off for me ! ahaha..

My upcoming events

1.PD Tri
2. MUDS Series
3.Putrajaya/Desaru ?! I so havent decided lah !
4. oohh, i forgot… KL marathon in 3 weeks time. it’ll be my first full marathon outside Ironman. Before this I’ve only done 1/2 marathons (21K) and 30K events
5. Might consider Perhentian Island Challenge

Okay peeps, i think datz it for now. I had a great week in Kuantan. No doubt about it. I love my life, and will keep on ensuring this life will be lovable right to the end. Life is short, so make the best out of it.

Mmmuahhh !!!!!!

-missJeweLz-

Team Starkst - JB CITY ECO CHALLENGE. 6th place

bored jewelz

baptized @ Lembah Kiara ! Ouch ! Technical downhill gone absolutely wrong. Injury @ my hips, left knee, and arm. Other pics will not be uploaded. Sorry. LOL !

To the following names, nice to have met you in Kuantan. An honour to have all of you in my mom’s hometown. You guys kicked a** alrite !!!! Congrats !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1. Fauzan Hj Ismail – a big Congratulations to you dude !
2.Raymond Tan- nice to meet you !
3. Heero Yui
4. Zulhassan
5. Karyan
6. Adli
7. Team TAMAGO 5. you guys rock !
8. Yip
9. All my Kuantan Pacesetters friends
10. brothers from Brunei – you know who you are !
11.Jack from Miri
12. Upiq ! hope you had fun !
13. Zabil Ihram Zainol, congrats dude !
14. Shahrom , Ah Thiam Razani, Major and rest of the Team Elite members
15. Lydia Tan – congrats girl ! u sorang je in ur age group! lucky you !
16.Kash
17. Rais and kids !

You guys rock ! Dirty Duathlon coming your way. Keep tab.Ok, back to my reality, off line. Roger and out. Gtg to Powerbar, Totalfield and a few other places. Ciao !

Yazid, Mimi, Nadia, Osman, Saiful, Azrul - THANK YOU ! It wouldnt have been possible without you guys ! Rock on Kuantan !!!!!!!!! -kak Julie-

Mike Vine, Renata Bucher Win the Inaugural XTERRA Malaysia Championship

Press and Media Center

Mike Vine, Renata Bucher Win the Inaugural XTERRA Malaysia Championship

// Monday, June 08, 2009

Kuantan, Malaysia – Reigning XTERRA USA Champ Mike Vine from Canada edged Scott Thorne from New Zealand and Sam Gardner from England by less than a minute to win the first-ever XTERRA championship race in Southeast Asia on Sunday

“Conditions were near ideal – overcast and a few showers along the way to cool us down to just bearable levels,” said Vine.  “I led out of the swim and was riding well until a dandy spill launched me over the bars and I slammed hard on my side. No serious damage luckily (we’ll see tomorrow when it all seizes up though!) and I carried on.  Sam and Scott rode well together making up 2+ minutes and caught me with 12k to go.  A bunch of vicious attacks ensued over pavement, beach, and rooty slick jungle, and that carried over to the run which had 2 loops of a big jungle uphill with a beach section and a tour through the zoo. Top notch! This event was a huge success with big backing and major media too. Sold out early with 500 racers.  They really nailed it and for a first time event, just totally amazing. We even had The Royal Prince of Panang there who spectated the whole event.”

In the womens race Swiss great Renata Bucher finished 10 minutes ahead of runner-up Mieko Carey from Saipan (via Japan).  The victory was Bucher’s 15th career XTERRA Championship win in her 9th different country.

Photos courtesy XTERRA Malaysia.  Top pro finishers and official race report below.

Pl  Name  Country  Time
1  Mike Vine  Canada  2:13:42
2  Scott Thorne  New Zealand  2:14:28
3  Sam Gardner  United Kingdom  2:14:42
4  Takahiro Ogasawara  Japan  2:28:36
5  Yu Yumoto  Japan  2:36:39
6  Shahrom Bin Abdullah  Malaysia  2:39:24
7  Taro Shirato  Japan  2:47:56

Pl  Name  Country  Time
1  Renata Bucher  Switzerland  2:45:26
2  Mieko Carey  Saipan  2:55:08
3  Daniela Erni  Switzerland  3:18:1
XTERRA Malaysia technical director Shazly Khan brings us this report…

It was a day of spills and thrills as XTERRA USA 2008 Champion Mike Vine emerged winner of the inaugural South East Asia XTERRA off-road triathlon today at Teluk Chempedak in a closely competed race. Vine clocked in at 2 hours 13 minutes 41 seconds to edge out New Zealander Scott Thorne for the title of the first XTERRA Malaysia champion. Thorne crossed the finish line 15 seconds ahead of third place winner, Sam Gardner from England who took 2 hours 14 minutes 42 seconds to complete the course which covered 1.5 km swim in the open sea, 30 km mountain bike ride and a 10 km trail run.

In the Women’s category, 5-time XTERRA Saipan champion and XTERRA Europe 2009 winner, Renata Bucher led from start to finish in a time of 2 hours 45 minutes 26 seconds. XTERRA Japan’s participant, 31-year old Mieko Carey was second with a time of 2 hours 55 minutes and 08 seconds, followed by 35-year old Daniella Erni of Switzerland who rounded it up in 3 hours 18 minutes 14 seconds.

For the relay category, which was being held for the first time ever in any XTERRA race, the winner was team Rock Bottom 1. Team Pacesetters Kuantan 2 and Tomago Team 1 were second and third respectively.

The local challenge provided by Malaysian top ironman finishers and triathletes, Shahrom Abdullah and Mohd Hafiz Wong Abdullah were no less interesting. They put up strong competition, giving the professionals a run for their money with Shahrom finishing a very respectable sixth overall. Shahrom’s time was 2 hours 39 minutes 24 seconds. Hafiz’s time of 2 hours 51 minutes 44 seconds was enough to get him 18th overall placing and champion of the age category of 35-39 years old.

The anticipated hot Malaysian weather became a non-issue as the famous Malaysian tropical rain poured. The rain however, transformed the cycling track into a technical one as it became slippery and quite a number of participants tumbled over their bikes.

The gloomy, overhung skies did not deter the gathering of onlookers at the Teluk Chempedak beach for the first XTERRA Malaysia to cheer the 500 participants on. Spectators flocked to the area as early as 6 in the morning just to check out the activities and settings of the beach. The participants and spectators were not just locals; some 40 percent of the competitors were from overseas and they brought their families and friends along, adding to the carnival-like atmosphere at Teluk Chempedak.

The anticipation and adrenaline was so thick in the air that you could have cut it with a knife. The moment the air horn was blown by Tengku Mahkota Pahang Tengku Abdullah Ibni Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah to signal the start, the first wave of participants in the individual category rushed into the waters which had a surprise visit of jelly fishes due to the temperature change. The relay participants joined them 5 minutes later.

Vine who is from Canada led the pack in the swimming leg as he made it to the first buoy in less than 5 minutes. It was an easy task for the “Vineman” who is ranked second in XTERRA championship. Next out of the water was Taro Shirato who is also the President of XTERRA Japan. The third person out of the water was Scott Thorne of New Zealand who is among the youngest of the international professionals participating at XTERRA Malaysia.

Each participant then rushed to the mountain bike racks with a quick burst of adrenaline to change and also put on their biking gear as fast as possible. They could have taken their time but the biking leg gives the chance to the faster participants to distance themselves from the slower participants. And if done without a glitch, this would easily ensure them a higher ranking on the leader board.

However, Vine lost time in the mountain biking track as he hit a pothole and took a tumble. Thorne and Gardner caught up quickly and the race was neck to neck from there till the finish line.

With Thorne and Gardner nipping at his heels, Vine gave it all he had during the run and it was not till the final home stretch, sprinting down from the hill that Vine thought he had a shot at Malaysian glory.