'Breakfast is the most important meal of the day' Mum's quote No. 10989

Went on one of my solo biking trips today. My trail trip with Aud was postponed to tmw instead, Isyraf had soccer, Muhd had duty.

But occasional solo trips are actually quite stimulating. I find that my 'breakthroughs' are achieved either through solo accidental attempts at an obstacle or under the watchful eyes of Isyraf.

But then, today was another dramatic event...

I dislike breakfasts. I have no appetite for them, so I usually skip them, save for a banana or two before a morning exam, which is said to improve your concentration by >20%, I can't recall what Siu Sing said 2 yrs back.

But I digress.

I woke up late again today, as there was no incentive to wake up early. It was noon, and yet it wasn't that bright, it was a little cloudy. Ah, perfect conditions to hit the trail.

Got my things and left for Tamp.

Aside from not touching my bike for 2 weeks since the bike rally, and not hitting the trail hard in 3 weeks, I felt good and confident that today I can work to my new personal goal: To do 100km in the Tamp trail by December, and by Feburary next year, I want to join the Bike Asia 100km or equivalent non-competetive event at the trail.

So I reached the main area, put on my helmet, and went on my way to the start point. Earlier on, I decided that I should cheong my first round, to set the standard for further rounds, as I gain more stamina from future training sessions. Or so Confidentman thought.

So I was heaving and panting like a mad dog. Being rather familiar with the trail, I LOVED the corners and the ruts. Hoho. Finally my suspension's showing its skills. Its a stock suspension some more, one of the few things on my bike I didn't change.

Covered 1.5km. I missed doing the small drop at the beginning of the Cannondale section. Made me feel so pro. Hoho. "Biking is like a million times more 'shiok' if you go fast, tethering on the point of losing control, yet maintaining it..." I thought to myself.

I reached the more uphill section of the trail. 'Doing well, so cheong again,' Confidentman thought to himself. So I was panting and panting up the slope, down and up again...

'Wah leow, the sun is so hot.. Dint do trail hard enough fo so long, spent 2 weeks at home eating and playing GTA 4, cannot tahan..," Not-so-Confidentman thought to himself. Finally, I reached a very gravelly uphill.

Riding uphill on gravel is like riding in gooey, wheel engulfing mud, but when you're tired, gravel behaves like damn glue. Finally as I couldn't take breathing like a hamster on adrenaline, I stopped. Pant, pant, pant. Wah leow eh, I felt like I was running my first 5 click run at BRTC again.

Ok, drama time..

I felt light-headed, couldn't focus and I had a sudden migraine.

'Shit la. Heatstroke ah? No one knows I'm here.'

I felt my pulse, it was slow. My breathing was fast and shallow.

'*%$@!!!! Didn't 2 people just die suddenly in the army, a few days back?'

I slumped myself on the handlebar, hoping that my light-headedness would subside. I was feeling like I was going to pass out.. So I got off my bike, threw my bike down and looked for a place to sit on the singletrack. But there was no place to sit. In the end, I couldn't take it anymore..

I keeled over, and puked. And puked some more.

Wtf? Then, I just sat in the sun, on the singletrack, drinking my water, for like 15 mins.

After puking, I felt so much better, but what was rather embarassing is: I keeled over 1.8km into the Cannondale section. Lol.

After that, a little dazed, I finished the remaining portion of the section at my normal speed, which was much much more comfortable.

But being a little dazed, I didn't see that the recent rain had caved in a small section of the concrete-reinforced section, making a rather deep, long hole. My front wheel went into that hole at full speed, as it was at the last turn, downhill towards the end of the section.

Have you seen cows fly? Lol. As the suspension rebounded, the bike bounced and went forwards, missing the turn. I think I may have caught air, I'm not sure. But I didn't fall. Managed to hop over the length of the singletack. Wah, I feel so pro.

Can go to Gangsa already ah, Isyraf?

Anyways, I left the trail after that section, and went to the Esso. Bought 1 Pocari Sweat, 2 bottles of Coke Lime. Ah, sugar, in all its glory, here to rescue me.

After about half an hour of deciding whether to go home, eat lunch or go to the trail again, I decided to hit the trail again. So after glugging down all my drinks, eating a few Sultana crackers, and resting for another half hour, I hit the trail again.

The sun wasn't as hot already, and I was feeling so fresh from the influx of sugar. I went faster than my normal speed, just a notch out of my confort zone, not near the cardiac-arrest zone like the previous time.

Finished the Cannondale section, the Big Hill section, the Log section, and the Jungle section.

I felt quite happy with myself, finshed all that, 7.5km worth of trail in 40 mins. I think Isyraf would have 'loved' the conditions in the Jungle. The mud was so soft it engulfed my entire rim+wheel height. I think its about 4 cm deep of mud. Shiok ah!

And today I was on a roll in the jungle. Stuck in the mud, I did a trackstand, and pedalled forward. For subsequent puddles, when the front got stuck, I 'Power-Pedalled' (coined by Isyraf), that is the front wheel is lifted out of the puddle . Whoo.

Plus, I did a trackstand while on the balance logs! Wah leow eh. Aren't you proud of me?

Also did the 2 uphill switchbacks I couldn't seem to do previously, along with one of the super steep berms. All that's left that I can't do is the super steep berm before the start of the Cannondale section.

And if all this wasn't enough, I did another round, trackstand and all. Woohoo.

But reader beware, don't be stupid, and do eat your breakfast.