So this year joining it again, I think there is really a need to do one long ride to improve myself and keep the currency.
However, this year was more of a little rush and different route as I did it with a brand new team. Mostly from the swimming group, Me, Richard, Larry and Jane. As originally I though Jane was not going to join us, I put the start point to be Yishun just like the year I cycled with Oswald and gang. Actually it is quite nice to go to a cycling event start line as most of the time I am at a run start line. On the way to the Yishun Sports Centre, I met Jane and we both cycled up there. There were also many cyclist on their way to report.
Tag
YIS before dawn break
Start Line
The team of four
Turns out that Richard also did not sign up for the race, so its only me, so I thought maybe we need not check into every checkpoint just to scan the QR code. Was given a towel and the usual number bib, sticker for the helmet and bike. We set off earlier than the flag off at 7am.
Going the anti clockwise, we went towards mandai to the Sungei Buloh, Lim chu kang and finally had our first pit stop at Jurong area near the Sheng Siong supermarket just after NTU. The route seemed to have gone into the university, but we didn’t. We had our breakfast at a Kopi tiam, quite a nice one as we had not swam together for sometime. So it was really good to be back for breakfast together. I did not have a good tummy and thus I did not eat much. Richard passed me a banana and I had a Kopi C and that was it.
Breakfast at Jurong
After that was all the way from Jalan Buroh turn towards the south into Keppel , then it was the West coast highway to town, it began to rain as we hit the South. It got really heavy on the West Coast high way bridge. Just when I thought that it was going to be a big sunny day, I wore all long this wear and prepared the mask, brought along the sun screen to prevent all the chances of being burnt. But turns out it was all for nothing as it rained and the rest of the day proved to be rather cloudy. It got really very heavy when we reached Robinson Road in CBD area. Jane and Larry had went quite far ahead , while Richard was companying me for a while. We all decided to take a break at the Stadium check point before continuing to the East side.
The Stadium Checkpoint
Stadium check point
The stadium check point was much emptier compared to last time. I guess somehow the draw of RIBA is not as big as last time, the heat had somewhat died down. We saw some of the cyclist from Yishun and also a few from Pasir ris which means they will be ending soon. We took a short break there refilled the bottles. The next leg was really quite fast as Richard had to go back home before 1:30 Pm and we were already 11am in the morning when we left Stadium. We rushed all the way in ECP and TMCR, but the good thing is there were not much of traffic during that time. The good thing was there were not much scorching hot sun, as it was a rainy and cloudy day.
We had another quick break at the Changi Village had some buns and drinks. By this time, Jane had already peeled off and returned home from the stadium. The next stop at Pasir Ris, I managed to top up the last round of water before we finish the whole trip back in Yio Chu Kang. One by one peeled off and I am the final one to reach back to the West.
Final food check before going back, recommended bao by Richard
In total , I did 150Km while the rest might have did a decent 120Km. It was quite a ride but there were still much room to improve. I guess maybe its the bike or the body itself, but definitely must improve before I attempt the real Ironman.