National Day and Oman

The UAE is all but 37 years old this year…yes, barely older than myself.  Pretty crazy, I know.  Jen and I were all geared up to watch the celebrations of National Day in the UAE.  The girls at my work were telling me stories, all of which I couldn’t wait to see for myself!  Including spray painted cars in UAE colors, Sheikh tint on windows, back firing Land Cruisers and the occasionally car fire from said backfiring…  

According to the papers, the Abu Dhabi National Day fireworks display would be a Guinness World Record show.  While not nearly as cool of a venue as the Palm Jumeriah/Atlantis grand opening fireworks display a week earlier, it did have two simultaneous shows.  The record must have been for shear tons of fireworks used because the show wasn’t all that great, but it was two shows, at once, lasting 45 minutes!  

Knowing that the Corniche Road (the fireworks were on barges on the Corniche) would be a parking lot all night, Jen and I got there early…a little too early.  But that was our plan, we made a picnic of it.  We got a nice piece of grass right on the Corniche.   We had food, no alcohol, but it was nice. 

The spray painted cars were cool, if you are into it that.  Imagine the Rednecks painting their 4x4s in red, white and blue…that’s what it was like, but it was LandCruisers, MBs, BMWs, Land Rovers, etc…  not a ‘74 Chevy ½ ton on 33” Super Swampers…  Meanwhile, everyone is reving theirs cars so the rev-limiter kicks in and then backfires.  This isn’t just a few cars, it’s every other cars, even the Toyota Camrys and motorcycles.  Rumors have it that the Toyota dealerships are backed up for months with cars after National Day because of this.  I didn’t see any cars blow-up from over revving the engines, I wish, that would have made my day.  I was looking forward to seeing that.

The Sheikh tint was actually pretty cool.  Of course, they went over board and put a Sheikh on every window, sometimes the front one, but still was the most tasteful and respectful celebratory action the Emirati took. 

The more disturbing and scary demonstrations were two fold.  One: they would cover their faces with bandanas/scarfs/gutras and hang out the windows of their cars.  After being here for 6 months, I feel bad saying this, but they looked like terrorists doing that.  I know that wasn’t their intention, but still, it was a little unnerving, especially for Jen.  Secondly: less scary, but more annoying was that parents, whiling driving around would allow their small children hang out the sunroofs, even sit on the roof of their cars as the drive down the street!  I’ve read too many articles about children deaths in this country to let that slip by as common practice.  It’s something Rednecks do…all too many similarities between Emirati and Rednecks…I hate to say it.

I took December 2^nd through the 10^th off, but 5 of those days were Holidays.  December 2/3 were National Day holidays and the 7^th to 10^th were holidays for Eid Mubarak.  I spent the first 6 days as a big training week.  Lots of biking, some running and less swimming.  It didn’t turn out as well as planned.  I did a really solid three day block of cycling – 90min team time trial, 3 hour ride next day and the third day was a 6 hour ride with two climbs up Jebel Hafeet.  The day before the TTT was a 90min run with a 20min interval at 10k pace – felt good!  I was the weakest link in the TTT, as we had a domestic pro in our squad and another ex-pro from Canada.  We lost 2^nd place by 30 seconds, which was a least the cumulative time they had to wait for me after I fell of the back.  It was a great experience, I worked the hardest I have ever in a race.  Climbing up Jebel Hafeet after 3.5 hours of riding wasn’t easy either, but was fun.  I love descending that mountain.  There’s nothing like passing cars on straight-aways and through turns.  I’m pretty close to getting that mountain dialed, can’t wait.  Only breaking a few times is just around the corner, hitting corners at over 60kph…freakin’ rad! 

I spent the next three days in Oman before I went back to work.  Jen, Kara and I drove up north through Sharjah, Umm Sequim, and Ras Al Kamaih into Mussandam Peninsula to the town of Khasab, Oman.  Our goal, two nights of camping and a dhow cruise. 

I have no idea why crossing borders to neighboring Muslim countries is so hard.  We get charged fees to leave the UAE as well as enter Oman.  GCC nationals don’t, but honestly, they make up so little of the tourism to these parts, they should charge them, not us (meaning people on resident visas and true tourists).  It’s not like they need the money…  An hour later we got through and I was truly a grumpy bastard (kinda was that why the whole trip as I woke up in Dubai the morning we were leaving without my passport and had to drive 300kms to Abu Dhabi and 

back before we left on the 180km drive to Khasab) but we made it the public beach.   Found a spot and set up camp.  Wasn’t super quiet, but it was ok.  We positioned our cars to block the cruising cars headlights as they went through camp.  We had one visitor, and Omani running a dhow cruise business.  He was very friendly and had a cool camouflage gutra.  We decided to take a dhow cruise “after tomorrow,” full day.  He was giving a 25% discount off his normal 200 dirham fee, which still isn’t much.    

Damn, a lot went on in this trip.  The next day we were meeting Rebecca, Asha, Tracy and Dave to show them to camp in the afternoon.  We planned on staying at the only fjord you can drive to in the area, but after getting there in the morning and getting swarmed by flies, ants and the occasional Oriental Hornet (see Hatta Pool post) we decided to find somewhere else.  There was an Acacia forest a few clicks away so we ventured off to check that out.  It was okay, but not great…even more goats there.  Screw it, we were off to venture up the tallest point in the region, driving! 

I was driving, and loving it.  The roads were all packed gravel and dusty, but as we got higher in the mountains, it got rocky and steep.  Awesome!  We followed the “Off-Road Oman” book directions up the mountain.  It’s always easier on the way up…it’s the way down that you realize that it’s super steep and a bit dodgy.  We got to the point around 1600m that the book said we had to park and walk.  You could actually continue driving, so I did.  It got steeper and rockier.  

Awesome!  Then as we approach the summit, massive boulders block the trail.  Time to walk.  You could see forever.  We were above the clouds.   Off in the near distance are some cabins, part of RAKs mountain resort community.  I think a trip there is in order.  After a 30-point turn of the Prado, we headed down, in Low-Low at some points.  It was a lengthy decent and I didn’t need the brakes heating up too bad.  There is more trails than we took, so a return trip and further exploring will be necessary soon.  

Oakley Sprint & Super Sprint Triathlon Race Report

I won!  Well, not really.  I was 5th overall with a 1:03:02 (800m-20km-5km).  First place overall was in my division, but removed from it as the OA winner.  And the three other guys were all Masters (over 40).  

I felt decent for the swim, I got out with the lead pack, I think there was 5-6 of us.   Getting into my shoes was harder than it should have been since I didn't rubberband them to my frame (to hold them in place).  As a two 10km loop bike, it was okay.  My watts were down, prolly 20-30 or so as my legs were a bit tired, either from Jebel Hafeet or my 90min run earlier in the week.  Because of that I wasn't able to catch the blokes in front of me, nor was I passed except while getting in my shoes (he won).  

Off the bike in 4th and Kevin, whom I tried in vain to catch last week, stomped by me before the first kilometer was up.  Not good.  Again, wasn't feeling great, legs heavy and barely able to hold 3:45 for the first k.  After that it was over 4min/km.  No one else passed me, but they were getting closer.  I was running a 10km pace in a 5km, not happy, but whatever.  

Meanwhile, Jen was running around the area doing a 30km run!  Her training is coming along nicely for the Dubai Marathon.  The weather still needs to cool down some, and then I think she will be happy as to where she it at.  We plan to run 17m and 24m while at home in PDX...who's coming?  Not sure about the 24m run, but I'll be there in some way or another.  

Prizes.  After winning a night's hotel stay last weekend for 2nd, this weekend I recieved an Oakley baclpack, hat and Oakely Radar-Path sunglasses.  They're pretty sweet if you like Oakleys.  Regardless, good winnings!  

Almost There...

Or so says the GPS waypoint Jen saved in the Garmin while at Fossil Rock dunes.  I made it further than last time when my cousin was here.  We started from the beginning this time, but still got lost and almost stuck....twice.

From a dry wadi bed, I decided to go up the side in order to see where we were going...there was no way down the other side and we were on an incline...spinning the wheels.  I stopped before I buried it to the chassis.  After inspection the situation, I had Jen, Becki and Matt push from the front while I stuck it in LowLow and reversed down the embankment.  It worked.  Kinda freaky going backwards down a steep pitch.  

After some flatter, smoother duning, we made it to where I remember being with my cousin.  I knew the route now, at least to where I almost got stuck last time!  There were lots more tracks in the sand this time, so we pick one with several tracks.  This was fine, but the dunes and bowls just got bigger and more unnerving.  Mind you this is the 2nd time offroading, ever, unless you count when I got my Jetta stuck in the sand and waves at Pacific City at night trying to go around a rocky outcropping.  So, my track record isn't so good.  We cam up on a big bowl and was heading to the top when I chickened out and started to turn out of it...not the best idea.  I knew better than 

to turn at that point and risk it rolling over on it's side as the downhill side wheels dug in combined with the angle of the dune.  BUT, I kept the revs high and powered out barely making it back down.  I went back down and just gunned it up and over a different section. No worrries.  I stopped once more at a ridge, cause I didn'y exactly have the balls to just shoot over some of these.  After looking it was ok and I went and powered up the next one to the gravel track under the powerlines.  I was done.  No more for me.  Too much stress driving out there.  The dunes and bowls get bigger and big as you get further, as you can sort of see in the photo to the right.  

We stopped and took some photos...Jen was dancing or something in the photo above!  My early Christmas present to Jen was a bust.  The air compressor to pump up the tyres was really week...oh well, guess I need to get another one.  This time I will wrap it and give it to her.  Instead of her seeing it next to my fridge...    

Jebel Hafeet Duathlon

Two days ago was the Mercure Challenge.  Jason Metters, an expro triathlete, from Australia puts this race on for the last several years.  In May, I mentioned that Faris Al Sultan holds the record for this race.  Rumors have him coming here in a few weeks.  At Hawaii, Faris was listed as being from Al Ain, UAE.  Al Ain is the city Jebel Hafeet is in, which is in Abu Dhabi, the Emirate.  Got that?

Anyway, as I sit here listening to the mid morning tunes on KNRK 94.7...I'm following IMAZ where Aleck, Christian and another friend from college Patrick are racing.  It's exciting following friends online during races.  Patrick had a stellar swim at 56:31.  

Back to my race.  Jen, Rebecca and I all raced.  The course is 10km uphill at an average of 8% followed by a 4km run averaging 4%.  I only recorded 9km bike segment climbing 2200' and 3.8km on the run climbing 380'.  Regardless, shorter didn't exactly mean easier.

Again, I have no idea who the players are in these events, except for Kevin, whom I figured to win.  He did.  I stayed with the lead group for all about 5mins and then settled into my on pace, per my usual.  There were about 5 people ahead of me at that point.  In the next couple of turns I passed most of them.  Again, I got the jump on the flat where they were recovering, I kept the watts up and blew by them.  Good times.  I had a couple people on my wheel at that point.  Next thing  I knew, I was by myself and looking to overtake a rider for third place on the climb.  I saw Kevin ahead and another rider in front of him.  They were too far and I still needed to run.  Again, didn’t know what kind of runners were behind me.  I rolled into transition, in third, about 1:45 back of Kevin.  I saw the 4^th place guy roll in as I ran out.  Leaving transition was a 400m climb at about 10%, brutal.  Think running up Lynch Hill at Wildflower, but only 400m.  Once to the top is was a false flat and two smaller climbs to the turn around, then all downhill quad busters.  Just as I hit the turn around, I passed second place.  By this time Kevin had passed the first guy, apparently he did so in transition.  I gained on 15 seconds on Kevin, but I came in a solid 2^nd place, winning the Senior division.  Kevin is over 40, winning the Veteran division. 

Jen got passed by a 17yearold on the hill, never to regain her lead.  To her credit, this girl trains for tris and is very strong while Jen is training for a marathon, only riding 2 hours a week (one of those rides is Jebel Hafeet though). 

Both Jen and I brought home 2^nd overall placings, a trophy for her and hotel voucher (one night stay) for me.  It was a good day.  Very proud of Jen.  She won’t lose come April when she is actually training for tri again.  We will be doing Hafeet so often, she will kill most guys that day!  

Coast to Coast

Last weekend there was a bike race/event put on by Spinneys (UK grocery store).  It was a 180km race from Dubai to Fujairah (another Emirate).   I hooked up with fellow Abu Dhabi riders for the race, we should have proper kits in a few weeks finally.  There were only a hand full of riders from a few of the local clubs.  They did send their best though.  The profile of the course is basically 1-2% grade for 40km followed by some steep pitches upwards of 11% followed by two sweet descents at 80kph+ to the last 70km of flat to the finish.  Personally, I had no idea what was in store, just like the random bike races back home, I had no idea how I would stake up against the local pros as well as the "racers" from Dubai.  I can soundly say, I am better, smarter and faster than those guys.  Anyway, the race started and we had neutral lead out for 10k.  Not much after that, the usual attempts and chase of breakaways, but somewhere before the climbs started, a teammate, Daniel got in a 10 man break and then the peloton went dead for awhile.   We were still shedding people left and right as I managed to stay ahead of the splits.  I got nervous at one point when the climbs were starting, cause I stopped and pissed.  I did so at the top of a longer descent, knowing I could use gravity to catch back.  It was taking longer and I was working harder than I wanted, but there were a few support and random vehicles I could draft behind for a few seconds here and there.  I caught back on.  Prior to that there was a long straight section with massive headwind that really was a bitch.   Everyone was spreadout single file fighting to catch a draft, it was wicked and not fun.  It mellowed out once we hit the mountains.  The major climb before the fun descents was coming to I took a big pull at the front and managed to gap the group.  That was good since there were far better climbers than I in there and I wanted as much room as possible to limit my losses on the climb.  It jacked up to 11% in the beginning settleing at 9% for a kilometer.  I've rode it once before, which was helpful.  Like most rides with the Dubai "racers" they passed me in the beginning, yet I repassed them towards the end and the false flats, I crushed.  It feels great to keep my watts the same on the climb as the flase flat sections towards to the top because while everyone went into the red zone, I stayed sane and then flew by them at the top to the descent.  NO ONE could stay with me on the downhill, it was brillant. 

Once down and up through the next little climb and tunnel, I had some work cut out for me.  Another teammate, Duncan, had got into a second break through the climbs and was a few kms ahead.  I could see them, which was good.  I went into TT mode to catch.  The wind turned to a tail wind, but we doubled back on ourselves which was really hard.  Duncan was sitting up at times slowing them down so I could catch.  I finally caught on after about 10km.  Time checks put us over 13 mins back, but prior to the climbs we were 4-5mins back, so who knows.  There were 6-7 of us at the start, no one else was able to bridge to us outside of me.  We slowly shed people here and there so towards the end there was me, Duncan, Albert, and Aussie and an Al Ahli rider.  We ditched Albert's teammate and a Al Nasr rider.  At on point Albert (Wolfi's Bike Shop rider from the Phillipines) puked on himself, it was super funny, but he attacked right after that.  The kid was strong.  As soon as I told Duncan, Duncan attack, Albert covered.  Albert would take monster pulls, over 45kph, then fall back and attack.  He did this several times, so its no wonder he puked.  About 10-15 to go, I was done, I was happy to be in the top 15 of 180 over 180km race.  I didn't have much left and let Albert, Duncan, the local and the Aussie go...  I almost caught the local by the end.  Duncan wasn't able to out sprint Albert for 12th...i rolled across in 15th.  Daniel, in the first break out sprinted a local, even after getting put into the curb, to win.  

Here's the course profile.  It was over 5500' of climbing.  It took me 5 hours 13 minutes with an average (nomalized) watts of 250.  I think this will be my target watts for IM RSA in April.  

After the race, Jen and I spent the weekend at the Rotana.  She loves that place because of the breakfast.  We sat by the pool allday on Saturday, much needed.  We stopped by a wadi on the way home, but it wasn't all that we thought.  The road was super rocky and massively graffitied (sp) once we reached the waterfall.  Jen was going to bring her class there to take population estimation of plants and animals... not anymore, a minibus will not make the 5km rocky road.    

Over a Month...and a New President!

It’s been over a month since I’ve posted, yes, I’ve been lazy.  So, what has been happening you ask?  I’ll tell you.

 

My cousin came for about 10 days, we showed around Dubai and Abu Dhabi.  He took the Big Red Bus tour of Dubai (just like in London), skied @ Ski Dubai and went to all the malls!  We also took Jen’s Prado out on the dunes, that was super fun.  Went to Hatta Pools again, same gross water and trash everywhere…some things don’t change here.  Tried to visit the Auto Museum, but it is closed again for some reason.  On the way, I drove really fast and hopefully didn’t scare Brad too much.  He did comment on my driving…that the lane markers mean nothing to me anymore, nor does posted speed limits…  He also thinks we, but esp. Jen, are really lazy since we have maids, office boys, car washers, grocery delivery people, etc, etc…  Wouldn’t you like to have your morning tea brought to you at your desk when you arrive?  Need a copy, ask the office boy.  Need your car washed, give the parking garage guy 10 dirham ($2.75) and it’s done!  Need a 5 gallon jug of water delivered, 

call the corner store, they bring it.  Anyway, enough. 

 I’ve signed up for the Coast to Coast bike race next weekend.  180k from Dubai to Fujarah on the other side.  We’ll see what happens, I’ve hooked up with some cyclists in Abu Dhabi and we’ll all work together.  1^st place is 20,000 dirham!  I rode most of the climbs on the course the other weekend.  Nothing like Jebel Hafeet, but there are a lot and at race pace will be a different story.    The local clubs have a few riders that can compete, so I will be a good race, just don’t know how it will shake out.  Most of us think the riders will die after 100k or so…  Several of us have deep well to dig into for the race, including a domestic pro that will be racing with us. 

November is shaping up to a busy month.  With the bike race next weekend, Jebel Hafeet du the following and a sprint tri the next.  As my coach and are discovering, my motivation sucks and having races on the horizon helps.  I like to train to race, just training is hard work.  I’m looking forward to those races. 

I’m also very happy to say that with Obama being president elect, America is safe for me to come back to now.  If McCain made it, I would not being coming home in the next 4 years, so it’s nice to have that option open again.  Everyone in the office were congratulating the Americans, people all over are very happy.  I think that the economic woes of the world are going to get better, no matter what happens with 

Obama’s financial policies, based solely on he brings the much needed change to America.  The Arabic version of a local paper said, in Arabic, something along the lines of, “A Black man to change white America” or something.  As an expat, I can say that I look forward to not defending my country for the next four years as people talk shit about it.  Good things will happen and America will become great again.  

Here are some of my favourite photos from that last month…blogspot blows for photos now...if you are on facebook (can't believe I am saying that) there are bunch more photos of the dunes, Atlantis, Nayhan Mosque and others...