2nd Sprint Triathlon

My second triathlon is also a Sprint distance event, organized by HP, called the HP Tri-Factor. It was held on 3rd Oct 2010. This is about 5 months after my 1st attempt.

Some things had changed. I got a brand new racer fitted to my tall body, a one-of-a-kind, hard-to-find, incredibly large size helmet for my very un-aerodynamic head and also 5 extra months of training (not full time of course). Not forgetting all the experience that i have gained from my 1st attempt, i would say i am better prepared for this one.

What I've learned from my last experience include (in no order of importance):

1) After the horn sound, there is no need to rush out because YOUR timing starts when YOU run pass the sensor mat, not when the horn sounds. You can start rushing after you pass the sensor mat.

2) Sight often during the swim to avoid "taking the path less traveled" (aka swim off course)

3) It's OK to swim breast-stroke. Nobody has the time or energy to laugh at you...and there is no aerial photograph

4) Running to T1 can be a dangerous affair, beware of where i'm stepping

5) Tuck in the shoe laces to prevent it from getting caught in the chains

6) Be careful when handling gels or bottles while on the bike. If I drop it, its not just littering

7) Running will be tough.

Like a truly seasoned, sun-baked, sand-washed, sea-salted and chlorine-bleached triathlete i feel confident and prepared for this one. Ready to do a sub 1:30min.

On the day itself, there was a morning rain. The entire race was pushed back by 30mins. The ground was all muddy and wet. As i walk around to survey the transition area, my feet sank 2 inches into the mud. The bike having skinny tyres, sank even deeper. I decided to carried it to my berth.

As I try to visualize how the swim in and bike out would be, i decided that i will have to carry the bike out to prevent the wheels from being covered in mud. As for the shoes, i can still wear them first, as i see that along the 2 sides of the bike out path, there is not much mud, i can walk on that. This is a mistake because i failed to consider how things can change, and usually when they do, its for the worse.

The swim out to the first buoy has taken double effort due to the big waves coming it. I took my time, changing to breast stroke until the first turn. I completed the swim feeling pretty OK, not out of breath and not in debt... but as i check the time, 20mins!!! The moderated effort plus the wave condition took an extra 5mins from my targeted time. Damn....

I ran to T1, luckily with no incident this time (previously i got 3 cut on the foot). Took off the goggles and swim cap, wipe down my face and feet. I put on the socks and shoes, congratulating myself for remembering to tuck in the shoe laces this time. Then it's helmet on, race belt on, gel check and....damn got to carry the bike out...

As i half run/ half walk to bike out area, i realized my mistake to wear the shoe to soon. The little side path is by now as muddy as ...muddy mud. Having to carry the bike make my feet sink even deeper with each step. I slowed to a walk, careful not to fall, it took me almost 1 minutes to get out of this sticky situation.

The cycling was generally uneventful, except for numerous humps along the route. I remembered to aim for a cadence of 85rpm, chanting 1-2-3, 1-2-3 periodically to keep pace.

The gel was consumed with no incident. Being extra careful this time not to drop is. The intense sweetness of the substance made my throat a bit sore after swallowing.

T2 went reasonably smooth. I can't remember i carried the bike or roll it back. But judging by the state of the wheels after the race, i guess i carried it.

Thanks to the morning rain, the sky is still somewhat overcast. It's almost noon but its not hot, there's even a small breeze going. At the U-turn point (2.5km mark) my knees start to hurt. It's a aching pain that got better when i stop to stretch. But due to this, i have to make frequent pauses to manage the pain.

Finish the race in a moderate pace. Not worn out at all after the race, not out of breath and not in debt. Not feeling the urge to lie down, and not feeling the urge to throw up. This is good, but the timing could have been better.

I did a 1:37, which is about 4 mins faster than my first attempt.

Noted that the sea was choppy, the ground was muddy, the shoe was weighty for the run and i have to nurse a aching knee...these are unfavorable factors.

But i've got a better bike, and more training and experience and the better physical state upon finishing, i would say that, all things considered, this race is somewhat a good one for me.

Again, it showed me that triathlon racing is a very dynamic event. With 3 different disciplines all rolled into one, throw in the transition stage, a lot of things can go wrong. As such, i think any plans or strategies made needs to be able to address these uncontrollable variables. Maybe with contingency plans, or even to be more prudence in the planning will help. That's half the fun!

Looking ahead, maybe one more Sprint, and i should be aiming to do a OD. But judging by my time schedules ahead, this may not be a given. Nobody would want to rush in a race unprepared, and preparation takes time and effort and discipline. I'm not certain that i can manage all these.

my first triathlon

There are woman who call themselves models after participating in just one fashion show and there are man who call themselves a triathlete after doing just one triathlon. Well, I am that shameless bitch. I completed my first triathlon on May 1, 2010 and I am a triathlete!

The race is a sprint distance triathlon. It consists of a 750m sea swim followed by a 20km bike and top up with a 5 km run. This is no mean feat by any measure. Double this distance and you get a Olympic distance race and double that again you get your half iron man. Double that one more time and that's your iron man distance.

At 8.50am, about 250 grown man wearing orange swim caps gathered behind the starting line, all poised with right leg forward, and right hand on left wrist, ready to push on that start button on their timex. The horn sounded and we all charged toward the sea ahead, risking cuts on the foot and possible jelly fish stings.

The first 200m of the swim was chaotic. Coach KK did warned us of the washing machine effect, he however failed to mention that this is the 1000rpm spin cycle.

I made my first left turn at the first buoy, trying desperately to maintain my position in the center of the pack. Things got slightly better as the initial group spreads out, separating the strong swimmers from the weaker ones.

The sea is both salty as it is murky. Visibility under water is less than a foot. After the next turn, everyone was heading for shore. About 20m from shore the water becomes too shallow to swim. I tried running with high knee. Then I felt something cut my right foot. My first battle scare! Now, why did I signed myself for this.

Existing the waters, I ran toward the transition point. As I try to dry my foot I saw 3 small cut on my right foot. No time to waste, I pull up the sock, put on the shoes and helmet and headed for the 20km bike leg on my humble rented racer.

There will be 2 laps to cover and 3 u- turns to make. I planned to drink after each turn and consume my energy gel after the last u-turn. That should replenish my body with enough energy for the run that follows.

The cycling was exhausting. I am constantly being passed by other man on fancy bikes... Even fat man on fancy bikes. I told myself: mind over body and man over machine... And I pass a few woman riders and young children. What did they say about triathlon building your self esteem??? Anyway...

I made the final u-turn and continues on for the final 5km. I pull out the energy gel from my race belt, tear open the pack with one hand and my mouth like a seasoned triathlete. As I was about to take a sip of pure energy, I fumbled and the pack fell to the fast moving ground below.

Should I stop? I would have no energy left to run the 5km!?! The question raced through my head. Before I can decide, it was decided. I am already too far away now. This is a perfect chance to test out that "mind over body" theory! Why did i sign myself up for this?

As I dismount from the bike, I immediately realize what Coach KK meant when he nonchalantly said "It feels weird to run after biking for over 30mins" although I think a much much better word will be "torture" or "pure agony". Why did I signed up with this?!?

The run segment appears to be the worse part of the entire race. I started slow, and try to pick up momentum as I move along. Then I saw the drink station ahead. I slowed to a walk and grab 2 cups from the incredibly cheerful young girls. I finished the drinks and continues to run.

Then I saw the u-turn sign up ahead, only to realize 2 seconds later that it was for the kids race. As much as i want to, i told myself, there are other kids watching.

Finally, my u turn point came into sight. 4 cheerful girls are there shouting "you can do it" repeatedly. I shouted back at them "you really have to try this yourself before you say that!"

Why did I sign myself up for this!!!

1 more lap to go. Everyone around me were running at a snail's pace. Motivated by the though of finishing, I pick up the pace and over took 3 or 4 snails. And then 2 more and yet 2 more...

Why did I signed up for this? Well the answer only came to me 1hr 40min later when i finally crossed the finishing line. I signed up to finish and that's exactly what i did.

My chinese poem

急水遇石绕道流

密竹迎风顺势弯

左右择路亦见海

风停叶落竹仍在

零石阻道有他法

不曲不弯必损折

we can always find suitable references to justify situations where we need to be determined and firmed, and when we need to compromise and be flexible.

In this poem, i use 2 phenomenons in nature to illustrate the value of being flexible and being able to make compromises.

Note that in the first example, the water takes a alternative route (maybe a longer way), in order to circumvent the obstacles (pebbles), but in the end, it still reaches its destination or goal.

In the second example, the bamboo is being flexible by yielding to great power (wind). But when the wind subsides, the bamboo is still left standing...straight. This is self preservation.

These 2 examples in nature demonstrates how that alternative solutions is always available, and there is seldom a need to hold strong to ones views of methods. Being flexible and yielding is some times necessary for self preservation, for what does not bend breaks.

Being Creative

Creativity is a right brain activity, and most educational system focus on the left brain.

Some of the obstacles to creativity (according to my web research) are:

1) Logic
We live in a physical word where everything obeys the physical laws. We learn to reason, make assumptions, deductions and logical choices based on the available information and the laws of nature which we are so familiar with. But some of these logic are unsound in certain situations, and many situations are counter intuitive.

2) Obedience
We are taught to be obedient since young. We obey the laws, rules, regulations, social norms and even old traditions and customs. In Mr Sim's book, "Chaotic thoughts from the old millennium", he cited the "no U-turn syndrome", to highlight that we are also bounded by non-existent rules.

3) Fear
To be creative means to come up with something original. Sir Ken Robinson said, "If you are not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original." Fear of ridicule, fear of failure, fear of being wrong stops us from being creative. Better to be safe than wrong (or creative)

4) Confidence
Maybe it is our up-bringing, we believe that we cannot be creative. Our past experiences tell us that every time we try to be a little creative, something bad happens. WE ARE NOT CREATIVE. Other people are. Better to follow than to innovate.

So why is being creative so important?

Some solutions to problems are counter intuitive and creative solutions are almost always more elegant and simple. They tend to run against common sense and logic.

Here are some examples:

1) Ask anyone to try to make a paper plane what can fly the furthest. He/she will most likely come up with a conventional origami creation that somewhat resembles the real life plane. Now, ask him to launch his creation and see how far it flies. Then, you can take another piece of paper, crumble it into a ball and throw it way further than where his plane lands.

So what's wrong? We are, subconsciously, limiting our solutions by assuming that the paper plane should look like the real plane. Why? Because we assume that it had to be aerodynamic, it needs to have wings and a fuselage. Logic (or unchecked logic), invalid assumptions puts a cage around our creative potential.

2) Years back, the IPPT system had gone completely computerized. Gone are the days where the PTI will blow the whistle for you to start your shuttle run. Now, it is totally un-manned.

You simple put your ID card to log in, and there are senors gates at starting point and U turn points. Once you pass the starting gate, the timing automatically starts. There is no more " time lag" between you starting running and the pressing of the start button on the stop watch. So how can you "cheat" half a second off with this new system?

the solution is simple but counter-intuitive.

Start your run further back the senor gate. In doing so, you have remove the acceleration time when you start running, you pass the starting gate senor already at full speed, and therefore shaving a good half a second off your time. Simple? But very counter intuitive.

Nothing is fair!

Or is it?

Fairness can be a rather vague concept. Which is why at times it can be used to your favor.

People like to say "nothing is fair" when confronted with questions asked about a particular situation or on a difficult decision made. Obviously, this is a deflecting shield to avoid further questioning on the true rational behind that difficult or unpopular decision.

Saying and acknowledging that "nothing is fair" seems to justify whatever the decision maybe and surrender to the fact that it is not possible to make anything fair.

I beg to differ.

It is not true that "nothing is fair". It is only true to say "not everything is fair". The difference here is subtle but significant.

Obviously, some things in life are fair. So, to rebut someone who says "nothing is fair..." say this..

"no, some things are fair, not all things are fair but some things are. So it is wrong to say nothing is fair. And i think part of your responsibility as a human being on this planet is to always try to tip the scale so that there are more fair things than unfair things. And by spreading the misinformation that "nothing is fair" is not fulfilling this responsibility very well."...and end it by giving him/her a slap..and then say "its only fair that you get this."

What is truly impossible?

I used to roll back my eyes when I hear parents telling their kids that they can achieve anything they want, and as long as they really work hard for it, nothing is impossible. Or impossible is nothing, as adidas puts it.

But this is clearly giving the child false hope. What if the child wants to be superman? Or he or she wants to be like Captain Jane and pilots a starship? Some may say that the statement means "anything...but within reason". But I beg to differ, it sounds pretty absolute to me, there is no disclaimer whatsoever...and you cannot expect a child to ask if there is a fine print some where for what you said.

Eventually, these kids grew up and they went to take part in America idol and got a taste of reality from Simon (at least some did, the rest still firmly BELIEVES).

But, critically speaking, is the statement: nothing is impossible, really crap?

These days, i think "nothing is impossible" may well hold water.

Often, we mistake what is highly improbable to be impossible. Possible for the Sun not to rise tomorrow? Unlikely, but NOT IMPOSSIBLE. There can be a hundred reasons for this to happen, all very unlikely, but none impossible.

Travel back in time...quantum mechanics says its highly improbable, which means....possible. Jump to the moon....all the mass in your body to be converted to energy, this is more than possible, it could get you to Mars maybe....so, possible too.

How about rolling a dice 1000 times and getting the same outcome every single time? Nature had beaten far unlikely odds...consider the assembly of molecules into amino acids, proteins and enzymes and DNA...how about life itself?

We draw the line between what is possible and impossible based on our current understanding of the workings of the physical world. This is very reasonable, what else should we base it upon?

But, as our understanding of the physical world continues to change and expand, so should this line be re-defined. Maybe we should always leave room for the currently impossible to have a fighting chance...by simply acknowledging its possibility, however crazy it can be.

So, back to becoming superman....the parent should say: " I have no idea now how that can be done, but hey, don't let me discourage you. But please don't start wearing your underwear on the outside just yet."

Re-inventing the wheel....or not?

One of the greatest human inventions is the wheel.

And this begs the question: if the wheel is so useful and great, why haven’t nature thought of it before (read evolution), it certainly has enough time to do all the thinking.

Well, the answer may surprise you. Nature had thought of it already.

Enter the bacteria’s flagella! It is a freely rotating piece of tail-like structure that projects from the cell body, use for locomotion. In simple terms, it’s a motor propeller.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flagella

Scientist are even studying this to develop and build nano-sized motors.

Anyhow, wheel structures are still not seen in macro organisms. The problem of entangled blood vessels, the need to suspend a freely rotating axial still buffers the greatest innovator. Some also argue that there is really no real edge as the wheel needs complimenting accessories like roads to be truelly effective.

Puts a new light to the phrase “reinventing the wheel”.