Third time doing this event. Skipped last year.
Did the last few ride on PCN as 4 colleagues (Eddie, Qingtao, Joycelin, Yan Fen) joined the 27km community ride this year.
Since the start time are different, no way to meet up with them before the race.
Did the usual preparation the night before.
Stickers on helmet and bike. Timing tag on bike. Bike stored in car.
Flagoff time for The Challenge (40km) is 0615 hrs.
Went to bed at around 2300 hrs. Set alarm clock to ring at 0400 hrs.
Prepare myself and left house at 0430 hrs.
Reached Raffles City carpark before 0500 hrs. Parked there as usual (charges came up to $7.20) and fixed up the bike and rode up the carpark.
Pedaled to the starting area, the F1 Pit. Was in sector F, all the way behind. Reached there at 0515 hrs. Whole 1 hour to wait. Watching all type of people and bike goes by.
Wave start as usual, only managed to cross the start line at 0630 hrs, not to bad, just 15 minutes delay.
Whole route was closed to traffic, went up sheares bridge, saw 2 bikes lay on the ground at the downslope. Most probably collided together. Whole journey was quite uneventful except for two closed shave. One was when a bike cross me very closed on my left, the other was at the u turn point when a uncle suddenly decide to start riding and force me to stop in order not to bang into him.
There was an extra lap for The Challenge event, skipped both the water point also. The toughest part is back up Sheares Bridge again while heading to finishing point. I'm just glad that i managed to ride up without using my middle chain ring. Even saw a puddle of puke at the top of the Sheares Bridge. After that, rode all the way back.
Total distance seems longer as my garmin show more than 42km. Cross the finished point, collected 3 cans of 100+ and the finisher medal. Went to the helmet which was company meeting point and lo and behold, there was somebody taking attendance and pictures. Meet Edgar there also.
Stayed for a while before walking and riding the bike back to Raffles City. Reached home at around 0945 hrs.