Brick session ( I think that's what it's called)

the syncronised swimming team

Norizan & Daniel

Bike check before the ride

I do like this shot..If I say so myself

Training for the Malaysian 2009 triathlon has begun! Also to complete my Tri-skills coaching course i need my 5 hours of practicle. This session should take care of 2 hours of my needed quota . Did a complete brick session but low intensity and short distance ( 800m/10km/4km) at the UPNM ( major Kalam's place) pool. Major and I used the sports complex for the Kids Triathlon races, but security issues were raised ( It is an army camp though) can't really blame them.

Talking about practical for the coaching..My friend Jimmy Superfly of http://dunguncyclingteam.blogspot.com/ went to a level 1 cycling course recently, even though he probably would be better of as the lecturer instead of the participant. I couldn't go and probably wouldn't learn much anyway..The both of us started as so-so cyclist ( he was better) , then became bike mechanics and now, the next time we meet..hope fully as coaches..Nice.

Happy New Year...

Norizan













Ezatty






Fatin


















Hannan Irina
























Zhairen and my partner in crime , Major Kalam









Nana




















Nuriman Sofea

























Presenting the very-very informal Anakair-YellowBicycle Triathlon team. Which consists of ...A mother of 2( Norizan) two ten year old girls, one eight year old who still needs her training wheels, one 15 year old girl, a 14 year old.. and 15 year old boywonder Zhairen Manan B. Zulkarnain brother of Nuriman Sofea (He's been in the papers twice! read it Here! : http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/1/2/central/2918859&sec=central

















And managed by me....( seen here at the Tri-skills coaching course in Singapore. around November 2008.


We plan to go to local tri's ( a'Formosa, Port Dickson ) and any with sprint distance events. There will be a serious target of the 2011 SEA games in Indonesia and The 2013 games in Singapore. ecpecially Fatin whose 14 and Ezatty whose 15. The both of them are incredible swimmers ( 1500m at under 20mins) , their running is fair to good. The only thing left in their cycling..And that's where Norizan and I come in..

However in the back of my mind is..How long can these girls last? The odds of them qutting is so great.Consider this: A team of Muslim girls about to become women, they have studies, boyfriends( maybe) and a whole host of things conspiring to make them stop. They have already been in aquatics for almost 7 years , with limited sucess and are still having trouble geting into the upper ranks of the swim results. They NEED good results soon before they get demoralised and quit.
I had a good heart to heart talk to one of the fathers and he was interested, and he believes his dauther is keen to. that's a good thing..Child atheletes really need their parents. I remember Norizan's parents we not too keen when she started cycling at 18. Her partner was this guy in a ponytail with torn jeans and 3 week stubble. She hated him but he was convinced she had the talent. He kept hounding her , telling her she did have the talent..He wasn't wrong. Now..the same dude has spotted 2 girls with talent and will try his utmost to send them to the SEA games..At least the SEA games..INSHALLAH ( God Willing)


( my next topic might be religion and sports) ( maybe)

Bali!!

Just returned from Bali (1oth anniversary) . Wonderful place, wonderful people, wonderful experience. The whole family went plus my parents. Got them to baby sit Hannan & Hamzah on the anniversary day itself, while Norizan & Me spent a day on the beach ( Sorry, can't show you the pics, To risque...) promised myself "No internet!" for the entire stay. When i returned , had almost 150 unread mail...

Hannan had a whale of a time, the highlight was a swim with dolphins program. It cost a bomb for me! 80US dollars or around 450 Ringgit Malaysia or 1.15 million Rupiah! She really wanted it,. she has shown a love or interest in animals, so if she has ideas about a career with animals or the enviroment, especially the sea, money well spent.

Norizan loved it as well. after years of spending money going to races, buying equipment. I finally managed to save enough money for a long holiday out of Malaysia. If they are happy,I'm happy...

Nippon style aquathon....Hait!

Nurina

Norizan

Hannan

The Japanese International School Aquathon in Saujana , KL was held on the 1st Nov. 2008. Norizan got a surprising 3rd. What was also surprising was Norizan was the youngest in the category..strange!! During her cycling days, she had to race against girls almost half her age.

the Japanese have a strange way of counting laps. Where I come from a lap would be from one end to another. The Japanese seem to regard a lap as " start from one end and return to the same end" That did cause some confusion . The lap counters did help by whacking the swimmers on the head with a kickboard to tell you that you had finished the swim.

Hannan did OK too. she finished in 22nd with two boys behind her. To her that's an accomplishment! I didn't help her in transition too. I'm positive she's the fastest in transition. Wish she could be as fast changing into her school uniform...

just got word there's the Chin Woo aquathon in 18th Dec...

Stay tuned....

The Swimsuit Issue

Aini finishing the Port Dickson Tri.

Kimberly Yap also at PD.

A comment by Aini( bola2api) on Norizan wearing a swimsuit at the A'Formosa Tri. gave me inspiration for this entry. A few months ago this topic cropped up in swimbikerunmalaysia and I was pro swimsuit...I guess being involved in international level sport, makes me/us a bit more preocupied with what to wear than an age-grouper whose in in for fun and whose not to bothered with how long they take to put on something with a bit more coverage. We have set specific targets in triathlon ,and doing well in them is one of the targets , so time and performance during race is critical. Ease of motion , heat dissapation , rate of sweat has always been important to an athlete.

I have taken the responsibility and probably the sins of asking Norizan to wear a swimsuit however I do know what she's like as a person and I confident that what she wears while in sport is not detrimental to her, to her race and religion. I do to respect those who hold firmly to Islam's law of modest dressing even during sports and don't use it as a reason not to participate in sports.

Ride on Sports Fans..

A training we will go...

Been cycling a bit recently..2 hours every saturday and Sunday with a total of 3km of swimming during the weekdays. Norizan( wife) to has been busy training. She has this small aquathon to go to on the 1st of November 2008. After the near disaster at A'Formosa lake..she's been swimming 3-4 times a week.

after almost 20 years of cycling I finally on my way to becoming a qualified coach...Did my level 0 ( as in ZERO!! can't they find a better name?!) Tri-skills coaching course in Singapore in October and I stand a chance to do a level 1 coaching course in early 2009. I'm thinking about concentrating with kids and women. Since I'm married to an elite cyclist who represented Malaysia, I seem more in tune with the female species...

That's her on the right...

Stay tuned, race fans..