Just Keep TRI-ing

 With your 3:38 marathon background, this is very realistic: Swim: ~1:24 Bike: ~6:08 Run: ~4:08 T1: ~4:00 T2: ~3:00 ➡️ Total ≈ ~11:50–11:55 ✅ This hits the 2025 Top-10 Malaysian cut (~11:52:53)

 Now the real jump: from ~12:14 down to 11:52:53 or faster (the 2025 Top‑10 cut line in your sheet).  This is ~20–25 minutes beyond Stage 1. [Re: [URGEN...Specialist | Outlook] Stage 2 time budget (what actually moves the needle) Looking at the 2025 cut line athlete Samuel C (11:52:53), their splits show the biggest separation vs you is typically run + bike + swim, plus modest transitions.  So Stage 2 is a fitness + execution upgrade, not just “tidying up.” [Re: [URGEN...Specialist | Outlook] 1) Run: your biggest lever (aim ~4:05–4:10) Stage 2 run target: ~4:05–4:10 That’s where most of the sub‑11:53 happens for someone currently at 4:24. Training structure (high impact): Long run weekly (or every 10 days if recovery limited), but keep it controlled. 1 quality run weekly: tempo intervals or progression run (not VO2 every week). Brick specificity: every 7–10 days in the final build block: bike at race effort + 45–60 min run building to target marathon rhythm. 2) Bike: aim ...

Goal: beat Heidilee 12:14:02 and sit safely around 12:10–12:15.  That’s ~14 minutes improvement — very achievable without needing a radical fitness transformation.  Stage 1 time budget (where the minutes should come from) 1) Transitions: save 3–4 minutes (highest ROI, lowest risk) You currently have ~10:30 total transitions (implied from your splits vs total). Stage 1 target: 6:30–7:30 combined T1+T2. How (practical drills): Do short “transition rehearsals” twice a month (set up exactly like race day, time it, remove all non-essentials). Lock in a fixed order: helmet/glasses first in T1; shoes strategy decided; run kit pre-staged. 2) Run durability: save 6–8 minutes (heat-proof the marathon) Stage 1 run target: ~4:15–4:18 (from your 4:24). How (training focus): Weekly long run becomes “finish-strong” (last 20–30 min steady, not surging). 1 key brick every 10–14 days: steady bike + 30–45 min run at controlled effort (not a smashfest). Heat management practice (see below). 3) Bi...

 Triathlon is an expensive sport. That's a fact. Proper planning is essential. You don't have to buy everything all at once.  Essentials Swimskin:                              Quintanaroo Hydro Speed                 MYR 967.00      Trisuit:                                    Q36.5 Tri Ryf                                           MRY 1,947.00 Running Earphones:          Shokz Mini                                                MYR 600.00 Tribike: ...

  My Target for IMMY 2026 Current CTL Taking a break mid ride I just started my triathlon training last month after a few years of not cycling or swimming. My goal is to finish the Ironman Malaysia 2026 in under 12 hours. I believe this target is realistic with more than a year of training ahead. My current CTL (Chronic Training Load) as of August 22, 2025, is exactly where I want it to be for this project. Target CTL

Oh, Langkawi. I thought 2018 was hard. 2019 was brutal. Again I was lucky I did not sign up for the full distance. SWIM Another horrible swim. Well, that was expected with just one month of swim training. Somehow I lost my swim balancing. My legs were sinking like as soon as I dived into the murky water at Pantai Kok. This surely the end result of one month swim with pool buoy only. I dragged my legs until 1000m like a  'bot pukat tunda'  and only found my rhythm after the second buoy.  (Swim: 47:58  🙄 ). (Always my favorite part of the swim leg, the swim exit. Photo by Fiz Said) BIKE I always bike conservatively and pace my effort at around 145bpm. This time tested strategy always allowed me to use my run strength later. But this time i was prepared to throw the dice and gamble. My average hr was around 165 bpm. I felt good up until 70km before I bonked spectacularly. There were many spikes on my effort especially when I had to over...

I did not plan to do 70.3 Langkawi, but I glad I did, because I would not survive the Ironman distance with my current fitness and the tougher conditions in Langkawi this year. I registered for Ironman Malaysia as soon as the registration opened early this year. I was so motivated and excited to go back to the ‘Big Island’ and challenge for a top 10 Malaysian finisher (top 11 if you include our fastest female, Mei See). However, it was not meant to be. I moved back to Kuala Lumpur from Qatar mid-June. I under estimated the challenges of repatriating back to home country and starting a new life in Malaysia after 10 years of comfortable life in Qatar. It was hard to settle down with a new job, new environment and many other challenges. I struggled to keep up with my training and I was no near ready for a 140.6 race. Luckily the organizer  accepted my request to downgrade to the 70.3 race. A side show or an opening act for the main event, the glamorous , the best Long-Distance ...

14-15 July 2018 The homecoming race Port Dickson International Triathlon is THE race to go to in Malaysia's triathlon calendar. It is the biggest and one of the oldest triathlons in the country. There is something for everyone. The sprint and kids races were held on Saturday, while the main event, the Olympic Distance was held on Sunday in this multi-sport festival. It was a perfect family beach race-cation for us where my kids and I got the cheer Hani who did the sprint and the role for babysitting reverse when I raced the Olympic distance the following day. We were not all that keen to race since both of us did almost 0 training since we moved back to Malaysia in June. Since this was our first race in Malaysia since we came back, we took the opportunity to meet our local triathlon friends. We were also joined by our close friends, Najib and Shambeng with their families from Doha.   The Swim The water was choppy but it didn't look all that bad from the beach, but once...

Bike Check in Race Day I didn’t get to sleep at all the night before the race. I don’t know if it was anxiety or the noise from the live bands on the lively streets around my hotel. I went to the transition early with Fariz and finished everything I needed to do in a few minutes. I still have 45 minutes to kill while waiting for the swim start. I then had a sudden urge for the call of nature, the number 2. I ran to Shangri-La Hotel opposite the transition area and I poop FOUR times! S wim I made it to the starting corral with 15 minutes to spare and lined up among some of the Doha contingents. Everyone was cheerful and excited to get the race going. The swim course was a one lap anti-clockwise along Galle Face Green. The water was not as rough as the conditions in Hikkaduwa where I had a great family vacation last year or South Africa, but you can feel the current along the way. It was especially harder on the way back as we swam closer to the beach where the surf breaks. Ty...

Ironman 70.3 South Africa in East London has been in my bucket list since I started doing triathlon. I registered for the 2015 edition and cancelled it when Challenge Bahrain 2014 was announced. This race is regarded as one of the toughest 70.3 races on the circuit especially with its 45 km of uphill bike course. The universe works in mysterious way. I did not even plan to enter this race as I was in the middle of the peak training block for Ironman 70.3 Colombo to be held later in February where we also planned for our second family vacation in Sri Lanka. Qatar Airways then had a fantastic sale just as I was about to buy the plane tickets for Colombo and two weeks later we found ourselves on a plane bound for Cape Town. I did not have any expectations going into this race. Well a meagre 1.5 months of training was not exactly how you prepare for any 70.3 but I did not expect I would be torn apart and burnt alive (literally...

5 Jan 2018 Since I don't have a road bike, an ITT is the only opportunity I have to race in the Royal air Maroc Cycling League. The 24km individual time trial was held at my familiar cycling route, so I could easily fit it in my three hours long ride. Almost everyone in my cycling group joining it so why not? I started the race 30 seconds of my fellow MAD Triathlon buddy, my nemesis on the bike Aaron. I was scared he will overtake me since he is a little stronger on the bike. I gave my all and relieved I made it first to the finish line. I would have liked to start behind him so I could pace my self and chase. The wind on the way back was relentless but everyone has to deal with it, and there's no where to hide in an ITT. I was pleased with my effort. I finished the race in 43:08 averaging 166 watt for a 6th place in my category. My wife, Hani did great too came in 7th in her category. Everyone in #TeamFarhana ...

Race Report by Mohd Syafei Ahmad 6 December 2014 This race will always have a special place in my heart. Not only it fell on my 38th birthday, it was my also my 1st long distance triathlon after two years of swim bike and run. My reason to tri started as cross trainings to supplement my marathon training, but soon I fell in love with triathlon. The 4 disciplines are like my four children. Each with different characters, challenges and level of attention needed but I love them all equally. Cinta (Swim): The most difficult to pleased, always a rebellious, but once you get the rhythm, it will be the most satisfying. Elias (Bike): The most adorable. The one you like to spend most of your time with but not without its own challenges. Zachary (Run): The hardest and always angry but the most reliable and loyal, Kaseh (Nutrition): The most fun to be with, the most important aspect of a triathlon but always being taken for granted. I though...

Ironman Malaysia 2017 Race Report By Mohd Syafei Bin Ahmad   My 3rd full distance medal, and the it is most beautiful one Intro It took me almost two weeks to finally sit and write this race report. I still feel the highs from the race and can’t move on from all the excitement I had in Langkawi two weeks ago. Ironman Malaysia is like an unofficial national championship for Malaysian triathletes. Almost everyone I know from the local Triathlon community descended on the island to battle it out for the bragging rights of finishing an Ironman or being among the top Malaysian finishers on home soil. I would say everyone must be proud to earn their Ironman title in Langkawi. It is among the toughest Iron distance courses in the world , for crying out loud. I took this race very seriously. My goals were to PB, complete the race in under 12 hours, and finish among the top 20 Malaysians. Going into this race, I secretly marked a few Malaysian triathletes I know,...