TRI-Factor Triathlon 2014

Finally did my last race for the TRI-Factor Series, which consisted of 4 races.

TRI-Factor Swim 1.5 km
TRI-Factor Bike 40 km
TRI-Factor Run 10.5 km
TRI-Factor Triathlon Swim 750 m, Bike 18 km, Run 5 km

Besides cycling for 40 km, there were many "first time" for me.

First time swimming 1.5 km in the open sea. And I did breaststroke... *faintz*
First time running 10.5 km. Good thing I had prior training to prepare for the run.
First time doing Sprint Distance in Triathlon.
First time swimming 750 m freestyle in open sea. Thanks to the open sea training from "Master G".

Part of the fun about triathlon was the setting up of your transition area. Even though there is a recommended way to place your gear, it always boil down to personal preference. Everything needs to be in proper order so that every transition runs like clock-work. I've seen cyclist wearing his helmet the wrong way during transition. This morning, I saw a runner, running with his cycling helmet in his hand. I think he must have forgotten to remove his helmet during the transition :)

I first met Abdul Alim in UBS Cycle the F1 Circuit last year. Met him again this morning at the Tri event. Such an inspiration! There's no reason not to "Tri" - (try)

A friend, who came to support to her husband, caught me at the finishing line. What a surprise to receive this picture after the race :)

Did my first triathlon in September last year. So much has changed in a year. I am glad I embarked on this journey to livestrong.livehealthy :) No regrets!

The race will not be complete without a posed pic in front of the finishing line :)

So TA-DA! The puzzle is now complete! Was told that the first 500 registrants for the series will receive a personalized round medal top fit into the middle. And the cyclists who have completed the Series will receive a cycling jersey from Quickspeed. Looking forward to receive them (if I qualify).

Gonna rest now... 2 more races to complete before the year end.

Ride for Rainbows in October (100 km charity bike ride)
Great Eastern Women's Run 2014 in November (21km half marathon)

Shopping - The Fun Part of Working Out

Ever since I started working out on a more serious note, the number of sports wear in my wardrobe had been accumulating. These are my favourites...

For SWIMMING:
TYR Swim wear
- I bought them during the twice-a-year Warehouse Clearance Sale. Usually the one-piece swim suit would go for $25-35 each; almost 50% off. I have 2. I leave one in the office for my occasional lunch time swim. Look out for the sale announcement on newspaper...

TYR Goggles
- I have a few pair of goggles. I bought them at the sale too... Usually they would go for $15 each. I am still contemplating if I should get one from Aqua Sphere.

Swimming Caps
- As for now, I am using free swimming caps that were given in races. Need to start looking for something bigger that can cover my ears for open sea swim.

Zoggs Pull Buoy
- I use this for my freestyle training.

 

For CYCLING:
Cycling Jerseys & Padded tights
- When I am out for my usual rides, I will wear cycling jerseys and padded tights. I bought my first cycling jersey from a Rodalink sale. The rest are events jerseys given during races like OCBC Cycle.

- I have a few padded tights. 1 is free and the other 3 are from Riposte, which I bought from TYR Sale :)

Cycling Shoes
- I am wearing Bontrager RXL Tri shoes. Bought them from Treknology3.

Tri Suit
- For trainings, I like to wear Tri Suit. I can easily jump from the bike to the sea without having to change my attire. I have 2; one from Pearl Izumi and another from 2XU. Love them both :)

For RUNNING:
Sports Bra
- Everyone needs some motivation to move their feet. For me, I like to have matching sports bra and running tees.
- My favourite are Nike Pro Sports Bra. They come in so many colours! My first pair in black was a birthday present. Now I owned a few :) And after knowing my size, I can easily get them online from international websites like Amazon or local online store like Zalora that sells sportswear for women.

 

Running Tee
- I like those racerback Dri Fit tees from Nike or Adidas. Again, the colours must be well-coordinated :) And I like them in looser fit for comfort.

Running Shoes
- I have a pair of Nike Vomero+ for my usual runs. Whenever I travel, I will bring my New Balance W730, which is much lighter.

So much to buy.... cycling helmet, shades, running cap, shoe laces, arm bands, water bottles, and the list goes on... :)

TRI-Factor Run 2014

Last Sunday, I ran the longest race I've ran thus far - 10.5km at TRI-Factor Run 2014. To prepare myself for the run, I ran from home to work twice; which was about 10km. Running through Orchard was like an early window shopping trip. I just counted from malls to malls :)

It was a beautiful Sunday. Punggol Waterway was such a nice place for a morning run. Weather was perfect! I arrived about 30mins earlier with a tummy-ache. Queued for toilet and there was NO toilet paper....*faints* Had to re-queue for another cubicle. Had a buddy that came and ran the last 5km with me. Overall, I was happy with my 1h19mins official timing.

TRI-Factor Run marked the 3rd instalment of the series. One more medal to complete the puzzle. I am looking forward to September 7, 2014, TRI-Factor Triathlon - my first attempt at Sprint Distance :) Gonna be exciting!

My Prize: Ultegra Di2 Groupset

I have never owned a bike when I was a kid. My first bicycle was a Raleigh mv8 from a group of friends. It was an excellent gift! As it came with quick wheel release, the bike could fit nicely into my car boot.

Months later, I signed up for my first Triathlon - Cold Storage Triathlon held in September 2013. I was intending to race on my mv8. As my birthday falls in the month of August, another group of friend came together and gave me a sum of money to buy a bicycle. After weighing the need for a 2nd bicycle, I decided to visit Rodalink, which is near to my place.

Rodalink carried mainly 2 brands; Polygon and Colnago. While I was shopping, I noticed that Shimano, the Japanese cycling component manufacturer was holding a contest. Take a pic with the demo bicycle and upload it to their facebook for a chance to win a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset. I did not know what a Di2 groupset was, but decided to participate anyhow. This was the picture I posted.

I went on to buy a Polygon C4.0 that day. Polygon C4.0 came with Shimano 105 groupset. I did not think much about the contest, until one afternoon, I received an email from Shimano!!! 

A draw was conducted and I was picked from among the many, many entries! This guy from Shimano picked my name!!! Within 2 weeks, they delivered the groupset to my office.

At this point, I did not realize how blessed I was... Later, I found out that the entire groupset cost close to $2,000! TWICE the price of my new road bike :) I did some research on my prize.

Di2 is built on the electronic shifting technology. Since everything is electronic, changing gears become easier, effortless and faster by simply touching the shift buttons. Additional benefits include an automatic trimming front derailleur great accuracy plus easy adjustment and installation. Some people advised me to sell the prize to buy a new bike. However, I decided to keep the prize for sentimental reason :)

Well, the rest is history! Polygon C4.0 is a cheap and low-entry road bike, but mine is fitted with a high-end groupset. Quite a mis-match actually ;) The bike has served me well and I love the "zinc... zinc... zinc.." sound whenever I shift my gears. Till today, some people looked very puzzled when I tell them that I ride a Polygon C4.0 with Ultegra Di2. I will always follow up that I won it from a contest :)

Thank you Shimano for the prize :) Next post, I will share how I won a Sony Action Cam in another contest :)