New Bike, Old Bike

Here's Seb with one of the new bikes that his Grandma and Granddad bought the boys for their Xmas and Birthday presents. Seb's not too steady on it yet but he's having a go with each attempt usually ending up in a pile up - never mind, he'll get there.

Sid on the other hand is sitting here next to one of their own tricycles. Sid won't even tri (misspelling intentional) the new two wheeler but as soon as Seb gets to grips with it we've no doubt he'll catch up very quickly.

RIDE ALERT - New Year's Day Ride - 1st January 2008

Sam the Man says: -

"Hi Folks

Here is a chance to sober up on New Year’s Day with a circa 100k ride to the Dam in Hulu Langat.

Meet at Mega Mall exit at 0730, traffic lights just off the Cheras highway at 0810 or Batu 14 at 0830. Please let me know if you plan to join and at which point you intend to join the ride.

Happy New Year.

Sam"

Christmas Day

Family Cross on Christmas morning






















Shilpa chillin with Sid














Simon with Sebby Ballesteros


















Simon and Shilpa after the Champagne had been flowing a while












Santa with Reindeer Seb













Santa with Reindeer Sid













Manic Santa with two manic reindeer

Orca Tri Gear for Girls

Karoline Says: -

"Hi Simon,

just wondering if you have any triathlete girl friends who are looking for brand new size 12 Orca triathlon tights and top?

I have 2 tights, 2 sports bra and a tri top.

My sis who is back from Auckland had bought them for me. I currently have a set of Orca tri top and bottom in size 12 that fits me perfectly, however, the size 12 now is a larger than before and is too loose for me.Rather than going through the hassle of exchanging it back in NZ and posting to Malaysia, I would like to sell them off. I don't know any other lady triatheletes who is bigger than me!

Perhaps you might know some who are looking for Orca,like your 2 running mates? Hope you can pass the word around to your lady triathelte friends,I suspect they might be interested as Orca is not available here. Thanks!"

Simon Says: - "I know Orca is a fantastic brand and well worth looking at if anyone is interested - leave a comment by clicking on comments below and I'll pass on your details to Karoline"

RIDE ALERT - Saturday Ride 29th December 2007

Sam the Man says: -

"Hi Folks

With your bellies stuffed with turkey and Christmas pudding, its time to burn off all those carbs. Saturday’s ride will be to Kuala Klawang (circa 160k from PJ). This will be a tougher ride than usual and necessary for Langkawi preparation.

Given the poor street light conditions in Hulu Langat and erring on the side of safety, start times need to be later. So meet at Mega Mall exit at 0620, at traffic light next to the police station (soon after turn off from Cheras highway) at 0700 or at the car park in Batu 14 at 0710.

Please let me know if you plan to come along and at what point you will join the ride. Cheers.

Sam"

Simon says: - "In fact the meeting time at Batu 14 will be more like 7:15-7:20. I will be leaving Country Heights at 6:30 and reaching Hulu Langat traffic lights at 7:00"

Santa, Sid, Seb and Mummy

Happy Christmas to one and all. We've had a lovely day at home with the boys. Shilpa cooked an amazing Christmas lunch - English style with Turkey (Quorn mock meat), followed by Christmas Pudding and Brandy Butter - yum yum.

We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Day too and soon it will be 2008 which is going to be awesome I'm sure.

All our love,

Simon, Shilpa, Sid and Seb XXX

RIDE ALERT - Christmas Day Ride - 25th December 2007

Sam the Man says: -

"Hi folks

Here is another opportunity for the Langkawi Layabouts (previously the Busselton Buddies) to work up an appetite for your Christmas dinner. On Christmas Day, there will be a ride to PD starting at the usual times of 0600 from Mega Mall exit and 0700 from Shell station opposite Country Heights.

I know some of you want to bail-out early so that you can open your presents and/or put the ‘bird’ in the oven. No worries come and join us for part of the ride and head back when needs must.

Please let me know if you plan to come along and where you plan to join. Cheers.

Sam"

Simon says: - "I'll be there at Mega Mall but will bail at the turnoff towards Salak Tinggi near Bukit Unggul Golf Club".

PS I think Langkawi Livewires is more like it but them Sam did sleep on and miss the run this morning.

Happy Christmas - Have you been Elfed Yet?

Click Here for our Christmas Jig.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all.

A-ha That Surprised You!

In relation to the Ride Alert yesterday - I would just like to say to you Doubting Thomas's A-ha! I thought you knew by now not to write me off - hang over or otherwise!

It was a great ride, I thoroughly enjoyed it and even surprised myself at the pace.

Wish I could say the same for the Sunday morning run. I made it but due to a niggling injury I jumped in a taxi after just 11k - better safe than sorry - finished up with my feet in a bucket of ice water.

Sam the Man on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen and shirked off with the excuse of a headache. Luckily Carmen didn't have a "headache" so she was there to show us the way at least.

RIDE ALERT - Saturday Ride 22nd October 2007

Sam the Man Says: -

"Folks

It's time to think about Langkawi (9 weeks) and time to start our long rides again. So and as a gentle re-introduction after Busselton, lets do an easy ride to Banting tomorrow starting at the usual times of 0600 at the Mega Mall exit, 0640 at the Cheras 2nd toll and 0700 at Shell station (opposite Country Heights). If you plan to join, please let me know and at which meeting point you intend to join. Cheers.

Sam"

Simon Says: - It's my Company Christmas Lunch and party today so I may or may not be there - don't wait for me and enjoy.

Twin's Christmas Party

Sid and Seb hosted their first Christmas party this morning. The invitiation was strictly Twins Only although the rules were relaxed a little to allow their drivers (mums) to come too.

Fun was had by all with chocolate Christmas Cake (a new one to me, but hey what do I know - seems like all the twins thought it was a great idea).

There will be more photos to come as they trickle throuigh the Internet so come back later.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Angela Says: -

"Hi everybody,
did my first cross country race last week. 4 x 2km of very steep, VERY, VERY muddy, wet and cold course. Amazingly I really enjoyed it (at least once my left foot started to get some feeling back into it after the second circuit!!) I sank into mud up over my ankles and had great trouble keeping my running shoes on and staying on my feet - in fact the odd shoe was to be seen without its owner during the course of the race. I was covered in mud from head to foot and my white running socks will never be quite the same again.

It brought back happy memories of the bed race at Merrist Wood College all those years ago, though it was definitely colder and muddier yesterday (-2°).

Oh, I forgot to mention I came second in my age group (there were only seven women in total in the race compared to 63 men) and I didn't come last which amazed me more than anything and I am grateful to all those who finished after me for entering the race too.

Love Angie"

She later also added: -

Hi again,
here are one or two pics. I forgot to mention that Nico and Sven also ran the 750m race and improved their times by about half a minute compared to last time. (That's a lot over such a distance and considering the conditions).

The pictures show the finishing slope which is a lot steeper than it looks (especially after doing it four times) and a lot muddier too - though it was the only part of the course which wasn't actually covered with icy water"













"Simon says - Well done Angela, Nico and Sven, we are all very impressed and feel quite cold just looking at the photos - Weill as cold as you can be in 30 degrees of Malaysian heat!

Le Tunnel

4 people in the carriage of a train - an Englishman, a pretty young blonde girl, an ugly old woman and a Frenchman.

It all goes dark when the train goes through a tunnel. In the dark there's the sound of an almighty slap, and when the train emerges from the tunnel the Frenchman is rubbing his face, and there's a huge red mark on his cheek.

The old lady thinks 'I bet that Frenchman fondled the blonde in the dark and she slapped him'

The pretty young blonde thinks 'I bet the Frenchman tried to fondle me in the dark, got the old lady by mistake, and she hit him'

The Frenchman thinks 'I bet that Englishman fondled the blonde in the dark, but the blonde thought it was me and hit me'

The Englishman thinks 'I hope there's another tunnel coming up soon so I can slap that Frenchie again'

[Courtesy of Chris Wayman]

THE U.S NAVY vs THE BRITS !

The following is the transcript recorded in October 1995 of an actual radio conversation between a U.S. Navy ship and the British authorities off the Scottish north coast. The transcript was released by the MoD on the 10/10/95:

BRITISH: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.
U.S. NAVY: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.
BRITISH: Negative. You will have to divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.
U.S. NAVY: This is the Captain of U.S. Navy Ship, I say again, divert YOUR course.
BRITISH: Negative, I say again, you will have to divert your course.
U.S. NAVY: THIS IS THE CAPTAIN OF THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES ATLANTIC FLEET, WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS, DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, THAT'S 15 DEGREES NORTH OR COUNTER MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.
BRITISH: WE ARE A LIGHTHOUSE.

[Courtesy of Ian Hay]

Carmen - Women's Champion

Carmen won the Chin Woo Biathlon on Sunday, not only winning her age-group but overall Women's Champion.

(Photo courtesy of Tey's Site)









Well done Carmen.

(Photo Courtesy of KC and the Sunshine Runners)

Arch to Arc

By Julian Crabtree

In August 2007 I became the third person to ever do the Enduroman Arch to Arc in a time of 87 hours and 36 minutes. .

The Enduroman Arch To Arc is one of the world’s ultimate endurance challenges - a 289 mile triathlon from Marble Arch, London to the Arc de Triomphe, Paris that has only ever been completed four times as a solo event.

The challenge consists of running 87 miles from the centre of London to the Dover coast, swimming the English Channel (22 miles) and then cycling 180 miles from Calais to the centre of Paris.

LIFE IS EITHER A DARING ADVENTURE OR NOTHING

Simon Says - So Chris, yes you Mr Wayman, you know who I'm talking to, when are we going to do this little venture?

Check out Julian Crabtree's site at www.arch2arc.org

RIDE ALERT - Saturday Ride 15 December 2007

The plan is to ride an easy 100k (still recovering from Ironman).

So Hulu Langat loop is the go. Starting at my place at 6:45a.m. or at traffic lights at Hulu Langat at 7:15 or at the Mosque at 7:35 whichever works best for people.

We will do the loop and either do the top of Perez Hill and back down before heading to the dam for a Milo Panas or we will go to Broga and back from Seminyih to add on the extra distance to make up 100k.

Let me know if you're coming and I'll keep an eye out for you at the various meeting spots.

Cheers

Simon

Official Finishing Picture with the Boys

Poll Result - Athletes caught doping - Current 2 year ban

Now these were interesting results; there were four options but the responders chose one of two camps - either to leave things as they are at 2 years or to give an immediate lifetime ban.

The result were: -

Is about right 5 (27%)
Should be less 0 (0%)
Should be 4 years 0 (0%)
Should be life-time ban 13 (72%)

I personally voted for a lifetime ban - it strikes me that if you cheat, whether for fame, fortune and everything that goes with it (to quote Freddie Mercury) then you are a crook and should not be trusted to be honest the next time around.

A politician that does something wrong is barred from taking office again, a lawyer is disbarred etc... and that is the end of it. Nothing is stopping them taking up another career but they are effectively banned from the one where they were found to have crossed a line of professional integrity and honesty.

If anything an athlete caught doping is a much clearer case of black and white - second chances, I don't think so - look at Ben Johnson, he served his two year ban and then came back and was caught doping a second time! Only then did they give him a life ban - need I say more?

Congratulations Kirsty - Drivers Beware!

My baby niece, Kirsty just turned 18 and passed her driving test. Cool Bananas Kirsty, you can pick us up from the airport next time we visit. WELL DONE.