PJ Half Marathon is BACK !!!!

Wow ! Just saw the confirmation that PJ Half Marathon 2011 is back after a 3 years hiatus !! I am not going to miss this iconic race (PJ HM is the first half marathon race in Malaysai)

Date: 30 Oct 2011
Time: 6am
Venue: Stadium Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya

Can't wait for the on line registration ! So looks like NB 30k is buried and dead since all dates have been taken up for that month !!

http://www.myraceonline.com/

W34 numbers - 35.2k + 1 Speedwork

Did a LSD this morning.. 13.2km @ 6.50 pace. So in total for W34, I did 35.2k + 1 Speed work. Great that I had the last Sunday's run as I had a stretch of 4 days without run from Monday to Thursday this week !! I need to start looking for hill training next week. Bukit Jambul should do it :-)

Fasting (Aug 17)

Well.. well.. well.. I did the fasting today, and I mean a real fast (puasa) from dawn to dust today !!

Wuhuuu.. Congratulations and a small pat on my back. I decided to do the fast to test my endurance and also allow me to understand the fasting rituals better of my Muslim friends.
Started with the "sahur" (which is the pre-dawn meals). Alas, I was late in waking up and I managed to swallow 2 small High-5 buns1 full bottle of water (I think 1.5 liters size) followed by a 400ml of Nutrimeal.. That's it.. right before 5.30am !! Then off to work !

It's actually not that bad. Of course when it's almost 11-ish, the stomach started to growl. I tried to keep myself busy by working and that helps !! After 3pm, it was plain sailing.

I had wanted to go for a 5k run @ USM but the cloudy weather put paid to that..

Originally bought 2 meatball for buka puasa but ended eating at home with some pasar Ramadhan curry chicken and fried cempedak !

No small feat, though just for a day (14 hrs fasting to be exact) :)

Now planning for my 2nd fasting on Aug 18..

Broken toe nails

Ever since I started running, I hv broken my toe nails more than the past 30 odd years added up !! Gosh ! Just clipped another one at a friend's house last night.. An already-injured one made worse.. Hope this does not stop me from running this week !!!

TRX Suspension Training

OK, I confess.. I fell into temptation and went with the hype to get myself this TRX Suspension Trainer (from Amazon.com) ! Paid $180 (RM545) for it which is a steal vs purchasing it locally which easily cost RM800+ ! :)

So what the heck is this TRX thingy ? From the web-site, it says : “ Born in the U.S. Navy SEALS and developed by Fitness Anywhere®, Suspension Training® is a revolutionary method of leveraged bodyweight exercise. Easily set up the portable TRX® Suspension Trainer™ and you’re in control. Safely perform hundreds of exercises that build power, strength, flexibility, balance, mobility, and prevent injuries, all at the intensity you choose. Weighing less than 2lbs. the TRX® delivers greater performance and functionality than large exercise machines costing thousands of dollars. The TRX® sets up in seconds so you can get and stay fit at home, the gym or on the road–wherever you want. Thousands of people of all fitness levels now train on the TRX®–from professional athletes who need peak performance to everyday people who just want to feel and look their best, the TRX® delivers”.

I have tried the TRX just once so far and I am not a gym buff but I hope this TRX will help me to provide more strength training opportunities even at home !

Will blog about it after I have used it for a month. For now, I hope it does play its role and not gather dust !!

Sunday (8/15) 22K combo run

I had one of the best run, and also the longest, on Sunday ! Thoroughly enjoyed it. This is also the day I don’t have any distraction and engagement for the day, so I didn’t hv to rush home immediately after the run. What started out as an LSD turned out to be a combination of various runs.. I usually run 15-16k using the Youth Park-Straits Quay-Tanjung Bungah Hotel-and back route for my LSD.

So as usual I arrived around 5.40am, did some stretching and I saw the big group started running. I decided to join them for a run and it turned out to be a 10k pace run for the first 5k (@5.50) and then I was left alone as the group made a U-turn back at Tesco Tanjung Pinang, ie the 5k mark. I decided to slow down a bit ran at 6:30 (a HM pace for me) for the next 5k. I guess I had enough gas in me that morning that I decided to run to the clock tower via the Gurney Drive way. The few young runners that morning was also an added motivation for me to run with them. I ended up looping the Esplanade clock tower and back via Gurney Drive. I can feel my speed work increases slightly, better leg power and cardio too ! So overall, a 5k@10k pace, 5k@HM pace, followed by a 12k LSD@~7.00.. Took me 2:32hrs to complete the 22k run in total.. Sore feet after the race but worth it, enjoy now, pay later !! :)

Speed Work is damn tough !!

Aug 8 (W33.1) - an auspicious day.. 8/8 :-)
Supposed to be a st day but since I did not do LSD yesterday and I came home earlier, decided to do some speedwork at the oval USM. Also, aince it's a Ramadhan, it will be less crodwed at the oval !
Did 5 laps of 420m each with a 2 minutes intervals of recovery (walking). So the 5 laps were tkmed at:

1:48, 1:38, 1:44, 1:56 and 1:39mins respectively.. Pretty satisfied with the speed work but it was tough.. Felt like passing out towar the last 100m.. LOL ! Will do the hill run next.. Hopefully at Bukit Jambul !

2 weeks into the 18-week First Marathon training plan

So here’s a quick check on my first 2 weeks into my 18-week training plan towards PBIM 42k, my FMV !! Verdict : not on-track !!

W31 was OK with an LSD (Youth Park, Tg Bungah Hotel, Gurney) on Sunday followed by Tempo Runs at USM oval tracks on the weekdays.. But it got downhill after that. I was down with some slight fever prior to my Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) trip, so I had to take it easy.. Rested on both Saturday (W31.6) and Sunday (W32.0) but managed to squeeze in a 5k on treadmill @ PSC when I accompanied the kids to the beach. Well, I must say running is the best cure for fever !!

W32 was pretty busy week with my business travel to HCMC. My audacious plan was to run at the treadmill for 4 days but ended with 2. Not a bad feat looking at my schedule especially I had to run an hr+ after heavy dinner !! So I did a 5k and 4.5k on Tuesday and Wednesday.. I arrived home on Friday but still missed Saturday’s morning run ! I guess I was in recovery mode.. Body felt lethargic due to late nights and the travel – I wonder what would happened if it’s a US trip recovery !! Sunday (W33.0) – was all looking fwd to a 20k LSD after missing the runs but alas ! It was raining… but then I was to lazy to do a check at 6am and I instead slept thru the next 4 hrs ! Guess I must listen to my body – I still need more sleep !! But the good thing is I still ended up with a 2.7k run @ PSC treadmill and a 15lap swim back to back.. Not a bad Sunday afterall..

So on to the next week.. Nothing to stop me from missing my runs – hopefully no more haze and runs.. Durian season is finally OVER for me.. But then, I hv not even started my Ramadhan juadah !! Guess back here, there is something to look fwd to eat every month !

W31 - 32.05km
W32 - 14.5km

and it's 16 more weeks to PBIM !!