Ground Zero...

All I needed was to take a month long holiday (with no ride) and my fitness went back all the way down to ground zero! But not for long.
Took my dusty bike out, got my riding apparel ready, and headed out to my 2nd best-place-to-gauge-my-fitness place for a ride. Kiara.
Man was I unfit! How unfit? let me tell you.
Starting out from the bottom of the kiara tarmac road is an immediate 1.5km climb. In my mind I knew I had to start slow or kill myself even before reaching the top. With my HRM on, and about half way through the hill, my pulse was already hitting 170bpm! A horrendous reading since it would normally be in the 150s and at a much faster pace too!
Anyway, consoled myself cos at least I didnt need to stop for a breather.
A quick loop around the tarmac area of kiara was ok and I caught my breath while doing that. Then I decided that I would need to pick up my pace and work at getting fit again! So I headed to "apollo". A climb which normally I would do as part of 10% of my usual full ride.
Needless to say... I died; having to dismount several times and push, through what would normally be 'just a normal steep climb'. (I remember coming here soon after the Sepang ride and breezed through this climb).
That was it... I was done.
After I was out of 'apollo', I got a rest at '2k' shed and headed downhill back to the car.
In my mind I know that while this is disappointing, it's only a minor set back. And as usual, MTBRogue will always get back up there. Sooner than later.