30th Panaga triathlon - reports & results

The full results of the day. 500M pool swim – 22km bike ride (2 laps) and 5km run (2 laps). Out of 36 participants only 2 females and none of them are locals.

Today’s weather was extremely very good. The rain stop just before 6am and the sun did not come out until we all finish the event. So it was not hot. It was slightly cold. It only rain again in the afternoon when everybody was already at home – resting

Bike transition point. You can choose anywhere you want to park your bike. You can also bring your own bike stand.

Getting ready for the swim – 6:43am. We were the second group. The guy next to me sharing the same lane no 24 – Edwin Punselie. The swim is 500m – 16 laps. At first I was leading in front and I thought this guy was slow. I was wrong. He wasn’t slow, he was drafting behind me. He was doing freestyle and breastroke. At one time, when he was overtaking me, he was doing his breastroke and he accidentally kick me. Luckily it wasn’t my private part, it was just my thigh. So to avoid any mishap, I just let him pass by. He finished his swim just a few seconds ahead of me. Never mind, I’ll catch you in the bike leg. 6:55am. My swim time was around 11mins

 

6:44am. Zaeidi and Hamsul getting ready at the far end of the lane. Sofian is waiting for his turn to swim.

 

That is Ahmad in front and I was behind him. Edwin(no 24) was still busy doing his transition. 6:56am

   

- 6:59am - As you all can see from the 1st picture above, Hamsul is leading after the 1st transition. According to Zaeidi, Hamsul’s swimming has improved a lot and managed to beat Zaeidi in the swim. His strokes count is less compared to Zaeidi. That means Hamsul swim techniques are much better and economical – Streamlined. Glide like a fish – swim like a fish. That’s the advantage of having a good coach with no coach or lousy coach.

 

7:16am – Keeran. 7:17am Ahmad Fathi. I was somewhere behind them trying to catch them.

7:17am – a few seconds behind of Ahmad. 7:19 – Zaeidi – still 2 minutes behind me and his catching up. The guy in front of me is Edwin (no 24). He managed to catch me and for 2 laps, we take turns drafting. Every time I’m in front, my speed was around 35km/h and he said I was too fast for him and when he is in front his speed was around 32km/h. It was slow but it was good for me, so I have time for recovery. My bike time was around 42 minutes.

 

7:22am – Sharif doing his final laps. Sofian Thani at 7:15am just coming out of Panaga.

7:28am – Suhimi Siba and 7:34am Sofian Thani – I guess they are in their first lap

 

7:44am and one minute later Zaeidi. His catching up. Actually he is already winning the race since I started the race 2 minutes before him

7:48am – Suhimi Siba and Hamsul Sulaiman – 7:50am

Ahmad Fathi doing his final laps and just few meters to the finishing line.

- 7:58am - Zaeidi managed to catch me up and I was way behind him. I guess it was around 10 to 20 meters. Luckily at around 3.5km checkpoint, he had to slow down because of stomach pain. Lucky for me. So I just follow him side by side

  

At the final beach run, Zaeidi increase his pace and I decided to follow him side by side but I could not keep up, so I just draft behind him.

I know I was already losing the race to him but I’m not going to give up on the run. So with the energy that I still have even though it is not much, I sprinted the last 500m and I expect him to follow me and fight it to the finishing line but he didn’t. So it was a one man show.So I slowed down where I just walk to the finishing line. My final 5km run time was a disappointing 30 minutes.

After six time competing in Panaga Triathlon, Zaeidi finally managed to beat me and this year alone he has managed to beat me in all events that we compete.

 

BIKE PICTURES