Look what I found...

I was browsing through the web tonite.. I took a day off almost everything today, my training, eating.. watching TV.. I wanted to look for photos of some of the races I entered this year. U see, during every race, there would be many ppl lining up the road sides, taking photos. Sometimes I could find those photos, usually posted in some online album like Picasa or Flicker. But lately I found that it's getting increasingly difficult to find those photos. Well, here are some of the photos I found...






Tongue slip

What does the phrase "tongue slip" means ? Is it a situation when U accidentally said something that might heard somebody U were talking to ? Or is it something U said that should've been left unsaid ? In Malay I believe it means "tersasul". Well, I guess my tongue slipped when I was talking with one of my close friends this afternoon. The thing was that I didn't really know whether what I said was deemed offensive by her or not.. Well, I tried to apologize later by texting her, but she seemed ok with it. So I guess all is well. I hope it doesn't happen again.

The thing was that, we were talking about bikes. I told her that I think bikes .. superbikes I mean, nowadays it's considered a luxury item, much like a luxury car or a million dollar house. Superbikes nowadays are so expensive, U could buy a house or start a small business with the money U use to buy it. That is why I feel that somebody who buys a superbike just for show, is exactly that.. a showoff. But for those who really love bikes, of course it's like a dream come true. Even I dream of owning a superbike one day. An ST12, that's all I want. Nowadays it would cost me like RM60k to get my hands on one. Or I can go the easy way & buy a Singapore-registered used ST11 or ST12 for under RM20k. But buying is the easy part.

I used to be one of those who got crazy just by seeing a superbike... way back when I was in primary school. My uncle Cik Lan was a biker. His first bike was Yamaha FZR600. I got to ride on that bike a couple of times, but I was too small to ride it myself. I only get to ride his 2nd bike, a Kawasaki ZZR600 or ZX6. & then about 5-6 years ago, when he bought his final bike, a Vulcan 500, I was allowed to take the bike out for a date !! Too bad I was always sick as a kid. I'd get a fever right after riding with him. But of course I got to know some of his friends, bikers of course. Cik Lan would go on bike trips with his friends, the biggest one being TMBA2 or Trans Malaysia Biking Adventure, at that time the biggest biker convoy in the country with more than 2000 bikes, organized by Roda-roda. I'd reckon if they have one of those again, I'd be the 1st to join.

I've seen superbikes ridden at snail pace becoz the rider didn't really have the guts to push the bike. That usually means he bought that bike becoz his friend or uncle has one & just to go with the flow as the saying goes. I pity this kind of ppl. But it's their money to spend, not mine. So, who am I to say they dun deserve to buy that bike ? So leave it be...

Decathlon

Decathlon is an athletics discipline that consists of 10 events, contested over 2 days. A decathlete is often called a Man of Steel, for their toughness. Believe me, competing in 10 events which are so different from each other is no easy feat. Even Wall Street Journal, in an article about the best athlete in the world just before the Beijing Olympics in 2008, selected decathlon world record holder Roman Sebrle as the best athlete in the world, ahead of LeBron James, Roger Federer & others. Decathletes compete in 100m, 400m, 110m hurdle, 1500m, long jump, high jump, pole vault, shot put, discus, javelin. Ask a high jumper to run the 100m, no go. High jumpers are usually very lanky. Ask a pole vaulter to throw the discus... again, no go. Ask shot putters to run 110m hurdles... U must be joking right ? Not for a decathlete.. these ironmen can do it all... well, almost all.

My fascination about decathlon & decathlete is not just on their abilities.. but also their shoes !!! Just imagine.. almost every event require a different spike. U can't use a 100m spike to contest the 1,500m. & U can't use the shot put shoes for pole vault. They must've with them like at least 8 pairs of spikes for the entire 2 days of competition. After the pole vaulters, decathlete must be the ones travelling with the biggest luggage to competitions. That's why they have sponsors...

U can use a spike for 100m & 400m.. one for 1500m, which can also be used for 110m hurdles. Thts 2 pairs. Javelin requires a special spike. Three. Shot put & discus U can use one spike.. four. High jump.. special spike. Five. Pole vault, special one. Six. Oh.. & U can use the same spikes in the 100 & 400m for the long jump as well. Tht's it, Six pairs of different spikes. If U carry spares with U ? At least one extra pair ? 12 pairs of spikes !!! Man, U need a separate baggage handler just for the spikes.. Hahah..

Livestrong.