I Amsterdamned

Amsterdam is a great city, relax and full of weeds.
Go there and visit Red Light District and coffeeshops.
Orang Amsterdam ni friendly and indonesian restaurant is everywhere so i can get my nasi fix everyday!!
we'll miss you Amsterdam!



The Dam


Lara loves Ajax too..


Amsterdam ArenA (Ajax's homeground)


Canal Cruise


Amsterdam Centraal station



amsterdam schipol airport

Hoki, 1/2/2008

Sape2 yg nak main hoki, jom pi pi pi pi pi pi..


malam esok,
cuti hari wilayah,
Padang 2,
stadium hoki bukit jalil...
8-10pm....

c u there...

He the Man

Macam angkasawan kat dunia ais...

*ice melting & barren hill top. Even antartica is affected by global warming.*

HE MAN.

(tak sangka aku, si eddie nih bleh sampai ke Kutub Selatan). you rawk...!!!

*imagine the wind speed and wind chill temp.*

Never try to understand it

If you wanna see more, go to youtube and type Ironman. There'll be a host of official videos. Inspiring videos...

When cold is cooooool

Our National Geographic explorer..

*steady larrr...*

Cam filem Cliffhanger

*backdrop marvellous..*

Trying to be cute in cold...

Kabin ais.... perghhh.... brape larr agaknyer temperature kat situ...

Gaya scientist2 hardcore

*kenyang lar ko makan ais*

National Geographic

PlainWater clan very own discoveries....

Animal Kingdom... untouched..

Wonders of world

Global warming threat.. Glaciers melting away

Penguins gathering

Thaipusam

It's been almost a week since the last time i blogged due to work commitment and lack of internet access.

After the last posting, i was asked to go to Miri yet again on a very short notice (Damn, brape kali nak kena gie Miri nih!?) The company wanted me to be in Miri on Tuesday (last tues, that is) but i refused after knowing that our Prime Minister had declared Thaipusam was a public holiday for KL&Putrajaya ONLY. Hmmm... i wondered why KL&Putrajaya only as i believed that there are more rakyat Malaysia in other state who are celebrating Thaipusam too... maybe, that's another cink in Pak Lah's leadership amour? I'l take any extra publich holiday anytime of the day.

Anway, i decided to go cycling around Putrajaya with a few friends. Woke up at 530am, prepped up my bicyle, downed a glass of protein drink, a bowl of All Bran cereal, a banana, answered a routine nature's call, did my early morning prayer, off to buy Gatorade and reached Putrajya around 7am. I have never ride around Putrajaya and this will be the first time i'm doing it, thus, explained why i was the first one to arrive. Excited sgt kot. haha...

Later, one by one arrived. I knew no one except for Shazly and Ariff. I was told there will be 8 us cycling and little that i knew that there will be 4 Ironman trainees, 1 triathlete, 2 triathlon retirees and a bummer (that's me..!!). shaitt...!! I knew I'm looking for trouble here. We gathered near the Putrajaya majestic mosque and rolled out around 730am. These fellas brought road bikes worthy of international competitions and i'm on a cheap humble Indonesian-made MTB only.

Our first marker was to make one loop around PICC and then, another loop at Putrajaya toll exit to KLIA and finish-off with the Powerman route. I have never done more than 30km and if i complete this, it will be my new PB.

I kept pace with those guys until PICC only and as soon as we hit the first uphill - i knew i will be alone from thereon. It was a hot day. Really hot. I struggled but i pushed myself. At one time, my heart rate touched 90% and i could feel that my thigh muscles were tightening up. The road going towards the Putrajaya toll exit was quite flat with 3 bums (bums=naik bukit, turun bukit). For me, it's a mind over matter thingy. I was praying that my tyre will not go bust or else no one will be within reach to rescue me. Half-way through, i could see that my friends (including the retirees) were coming back fast from the opposite direction. I'm easily 3-4 kms behind them. Once in awhile, i questioned myself why did i agree to their offer and suffered like this.

Fearing the worst, i cycled and maintained my cadence while drilling my head with my first failed cycling experience as a motivation to keep going.

I skipped the Powerman route and i reached the finish point around the mosque parking area clocking almost 2 hours. Burned 2527kcal. 34km.

Without any rest, we packed up our bikes, replenished body fluid with Gatorade and off we went again, running. By now, the sun was getting unbearable and unforgiving. The guys went on for about 6km but i did only 3km on my jelly-like legs. Burned another 653kcal.

It's my first so-called duathlon.

That's another milestone, folks.

I'm getting there.

Phone Hilang

Guys,

I'd lost my handphone during the weekend lar.

I dunno whether is it possible to compile the clan members phone number again unless they read this blog. It took me many many years to gather the numbers especially those who i've lost contact with since i left USM like Dol, Izat, Ida etc. Now, i've lost them all.

I'm in the midst of getting my new sim card and hopefully i can still retain the old number.

I would appreciate if we can collectively compile the numbers and save it in a database somewhere. If anyone knows how to make a simple phone directory and deposit it in this blog, please assist in creating one. Thus, everyone can update it easily online. I've suggested it in one of my earliest post but no one has taken the initiative to execute it. If you know how, please do it.

Please please please please do this......

Post your numbers here or email it to me at khanra261@yahoo.com

Sweating it out

Training summary :

Sat - 5km + tennis (2 hrs)

Sun - Cycling + tennis

Mon - 25 mins run(treadmill)+weights(upper body)+10 mins cycling(stationary bike)

Tues - 25 mins run((treadmill) + weights (lower body)+10 mins cycling(stationary bike)

Wed - 30mins run(treadmill)+15 mins cycling(stationary bike)+seafood dinner

Thurs - Rest

I felt a slight knee and muscle pain, maybe the body didnt have enough time to recover after 5 consecutive days of training. Thus, listening to the screaming body, i decided to have a full day of solid rest and it did a whole world of good. I went to bed early to get extra resting time and the body was awake at 430am, Friday morning.

It's been five days now that i'm in miri and i haven't hit the tarmac yet. I prefer training outdoors as it keeps me going with the surroundings and i normally end up doing more than i what i'd planned. Anyway, tossing and turning in bed, my mind was toying with the idea of going for a quick morning run and catch the sunrise from the top of a hill nearby the hotel which i'm staying. I sat at the edge of the bed and took my resting bp (after sleep) and to my surprise it read, 57bpm on three counts. Just the kind of motivation which i needed to kick me out of the bed.

After completing my solat subuh, i lazed on the bed and updated the blog but i still couldn't get the endorphin rush settled down. The next minute i knew, i socked up, put on my gear, downed a glass of protein drink and i'm out of the hotel.

The bell boy greeted "Good morning" coupled with a weird smirk on the his face. Haha... he must be thinking what the hell am i doing.

Started running before around 545am and heading towards the top of the hill. It was still dark and felt lonely as i look up to see my intended destination. There were not many cars on the road except a few school buses zooming around. As i passed a few kids waiting for their buses, as usual, they gave me this funny look, a look which i have got accustomed to since i took up this regime. I didnt bother anymore. I might looked like a humongous looney running in the dark but at least im doing something for my own good. I dont expect anyone to understand and i too, more than anyone else, had the difficulty in understanding what am i doing when i first started it.

I reached the top of the hill before 6am and the sun was just about to surface. As my heart beat was slowing down, i decided to proceed with my run and bid a quiet good morning to the whole of Miri.

My quick morning run soon became longer and longer. 1km, 2km, 3km, 4km, 5 km and soon enough, i reached Miri town. The town was already buzzing with activities and yes, Miri people start their day early as the sunrise is 1 hour earlier than Peninsular. More funny stares i got from people at the bus stop, in the school buses, in the cars at a red traffic light, motorbike honking at me etc etc.

At 5km mark, i noticed that my knee was holding up, the body was still strong and the heart rate was hovering around 80% throughout the run, thus, immediately the thought of having breakfast in town soon disappeared. I continued running back to the hotel at a slower pace, avoiding pushing it harder and risk hurting my knee again. Saw a few runners going the opposite way which made me to think that im not that looney anyway.

Towards the end of the run, i wanted to know whether i still have that lil extra calories to burn and increased the pace touching 90% heart rate for a few minutes. I can feel the adrenalin rush imagining a finish line tape in front with people cheering me on. Haha... perasan. Rocky's music was gettting louder in my mind as i got nearer to the end. I reached the finish point with my hands up in the air signalling pure satisfaction.

I took my bp reading and recovered to below 120bpm in less than 3 minutes. Not bad at all.

Stats,

Route : Parkcity Hotel - Tanjung - Miri main road - Miri Town - RTM station - Parkcity Hotel

Distance : 7.2km (went round the route with company's car later)

Timing : 57:32mins

Calories burned : 2257kcal

After a short breakfast (eggs and horlick 'O'), went back to hotel and reached there around 7am. Went straight to gym and did a 20mins of weights for upper body. Later, took shower, prepped up and off to work. I was in the office at 830am, feeling good. Damn good.

TGIF... i wanna go home... yes, tomoro....

Dawn

My eyes was opened since 430am... Been trying to close it back but failed miserably.

It's 530am now (look at the posting time). Ive done my solat subuh already.

What do i do now? Run around Miri town?

We'll see later....

Year 2008

Guys,

What are we gonna have for 2008 activities?

Takkan TTS jer kot....

I think we have to do a few activities together larrr.... makan, minum, makan, minum jer setakat nih...

Let's do something more meaningful like PW family day ker, country side outing ker, paintball fun ker, bowling meet-up, tennis matches ker, picnic kat air terjun ker, sponsor bukak puasa anak yatim ker, tahlil ker, spend a day at a HIV center ker etc etc.... anything, anything will do...

If the event require a bit of cost like RM50-100 per family, then let's plan way ahead of time and we start collecting the fee lil by lil in the months prior to the event.

Amcam?

Suggestions please......

Trapping, Pushing & Slapping

My former schoolmates gathered at the Bukit Jalil Hockey Stadium and played a good 2 hours of hockey. We had like 25 of us and we played on the big field.

It's been a while since the last time we played and to sweat it out just like the way we had last nite was great.

Physically, i was in better shape than the last time we played, thus, i enjoyed the game more this time around. No more heavy huffing and muffing like before. I used to play like 20mins and then retired as an umpire but last nite, i played and umpired at the same time. Felt so good.

I ran up and down the field better while monitoring my heart rate. I tried to maintain my heart rate at a confortable level without pushing to hard, thus, allowing me play longer.

Knee felt okay and today i came to office with much much less body aching. Recovery rate has improved tremendously.

Later, went for TTS and lepak until close to midnite. Went back home, wifey and son slept already. (still have energy for a midnite wrestling though... haha!!)

Any of PW clan keen to play hockey? If yes, buzz me and i'l give you advance notice whenever we play again.

Ciao...

Selamat Awal Muharam

To the non-muslim, Awal Muharam is a New Year in the Islamic calender. It's equivalent to New Year, Chinese New Year etc etc....

Thus, semoga semua PW clan dapat berhijrah ke tahap yang baru yang membawa keberkatan, kebahagiaan, kejayaan, ketulusan, keinsafan dan ke ke ke ke yang lain.

"Hijrahhhh itu pengorbanan, PENGORBANAN....!"


Selamat Tahun Baru.

Mama miah... Pon

Congrats, Pon..!!!

http://www.tell.com.my/


Byk jasa BDS6876 kat engkau....

Eating clean

Yesterday's breakfast :
- Apple
- Oatmeal
- Plenty of water

Yesterday's lunch :
- 2 bananas
- Green soy beans
- Plenty of water

Yesterdays's dinner :
- Steam fish
- Stir fried tofu
- Carrots and broccoli
- Plenty of water

Today's breakfast :
- 2 half-boiled eggs
- Green soy beans
- Plenty of water

Today's lunch :
- 2 pieces of tofu
- 1 banana
- 1 mug of green tea
- Plenty of water

Today's dinner :
- Oatmeal with raisins??
- Protein drink

I'm hitting a plateau, thus, i'm trying this new eating regime to boost fat burning, encourage detox and feed muscle building cells while maintaining adequate energy level. I dunno how long i can last on these but worth trying. Just do it.

Down n out

My tonsil made another unwanted visit. I don't appreciate the visit either.

Shivering and suffering in bed last nite.

Down with fever and itchy like hell on the throat. Swallowing liquid can be a montrous task.

Hate it.

I'm out.

New Toy

Bought this new toy and got hooked up immediately. It's a HRM. Yeah... Heart Rate Monitor. I use it each time i go for training/exercise now.

In the past, I have been exercising without knowing my lower or upper limit, thus, each time turun training, main hentam jer.. even during my days as the tennis player for USM. In those days, if i felt tired and knackered at the end of a training session, i considered that i've had a good workout. However, to achieve optimum benefit, we must structure our training programme according to our heart rate capability that matches the type of workout we are doing. Every workout has its own purpose and every workout has it's own target heart zone. Hitting the right target heart zone will ensure that you gain maximum benefits from a particular workout. The HRM will also help you to maintain your heart rate at different intensities throughout a workout.

The chest belt. Wrap it around your chest and it will detect your heart beat. The heart beat will be transmitted to the watch to get real time heart beat rate per minute (bpm).

The watch. You can vary your workout intensities by monitoring your bpm. Maintaining your bpm at the intended target heart rate zone will ensure you're training within your capability, thus, avoiding overstressing your body.

The watch also provide max, min and average bpm achieved for a particular workout. You can also measure total calories burned, thus, allowing you to monitor your nutrition intake during and after a workout.

I use it a lot nowadays. I even use it while sleeping so that i can take my resting heart rate when i wake up in the morning and i will know how much calories ive burned throughout the nite. I'm freaky, isnt it?

Without going too much into details, it is a useful tool if you wish to gauge the how much you've got out from an exercise.

I got this one quite cheap, RM125. Ciclo Sport, made in germany. Used by Boris Becker... dulu2.

TTS Pelita, Bangsar - 1/1/2008

The New Year gathering went off like a blast. Judging from previous gatherings, i wasnt optimistic that you guys will turn up in droves but little that i knew that a round of smses can make wonders in connecting old friends and long-time pals.

We'd agreed to meet at 8pm in Pelita, Bangsar and i left the house at about 745pm with Jeli as my bohsia jalanan pick-up. Then, we went to fetch the celebrated guest Dr Eddie (shhhh... shhh... he passed his viva, thesis and whateva s***that'll make him qualified to be a PhD holder.. he will be officially conferred the Dr status sometime this year). Anyway, three of us reached Bangsar around 830pm.

No one was there.

As usual. Tak pernah punctual bebudak nih. haihhh.... make-up terlebih kot.

Minutes later, Tabira arrived. Then, Chin Peng. Then, Toyol and wifey. A very good start and i can sense that it'll be a fruitful nite.

Lots of new faces this time.

The event was to celebrate Aiie's return to Msia for a holiday and a farewell to Eddie who is going to Antartica next week. He going South Pole, man. Yeah, South Pole it is. He will be doing a research on penguins (penguins?) with other researchers from around the world and he's representing Malaysia's scientist community. Giler beb. It might occur to you not to believe that Eddie the baby-face grunge poser is going to one of the last frontier in the world but i can tall ya that he's one of faces among the new generation of academicians that will ensure that our kids future tertiary education are in good hands plus the nation is counting on them to lift the local education standard perceived to be lagging behind and was under intensed scrutiny lately.

Anyway, baru jer kitorang duk kejap... hujannn dah turunnnnnn. So, kitorang pindah masuk dalam.

Rusty, Toyol and Stone.

Jeli (jari lembut dan suci)

& Fassek (never failed to turn up for a PW event.. caya lu.. tgh cursing Chelsea tuh)

Rockerz (dah berzaman kitorang tak jumpa ko)

Me and Tabira. Fitness freaks. Tabira demonstrating aero-bar handling position. haha..

The celebrated duo sandwiching Lara. Lara bosan ker tuh?

Chin Peng and Vincet (far right)

Stone and lovely wife. Cant remember her name but our first time meeting with her. Hope that she will join us more next time.

There were 14 of us in total. By far, our best turn out. What i liked most about the gathering was the varieties and crowd mix which cut across batchmates, origins, professions, personal interets etc. A good blend of backgrounds with similar thinking and talking on a similar wave. It would have been better if Keat, Pelepek, Araya, Ed, Muharam were there too. Unfortunately, they couldnt come due to other commitments and earlier engagements.

Anyway, see you guys next time...!!

Selamat Tahun Baru and Selamat Jalan to Eddie.

Langsuir

A langsuir was spotted in Bangsar on New Year's Day.

Aku, Adi & Dewa19

Pix 2 :

**** The pic was taken off from the blog by a personal request. Aiie, we would appreciate if you can post a similar photo - guys only ****

Pic of me and Adi (plainwater's lead guitarist) together with MatLae Hetfield. We went for Dewa's show in Penang recently...Dil dewa memang best!!