Peace Run 2012 - a nice Sunday workout...

This post comes a bit late. I participated in a local event last Sunday, called Peace Run. It’s organized by SCI, some sort of community organization. So I was supposed to be in the Saturday night’s Shape Night Run but alas, Jenny is in Taiwan for business trip, so I had to be grounded and thank God there’s a small race in Peace Run J Anyway, I gave away the Bib to Chun Ying and he did pretty well – 12.4km in 1:12.. Very good for a runner in his 4^th race. I think I would hv done 1:20 or more back then J

OK, back to Peace Run. Since I was short of mileage for the week and I did not expect to be in the top 10, I decided to do a long run in the morning before the actual race started at 7.30am.  Part #1 was a run around Botanical Garden. Did a 8.14km run in 45mins. Was trying to tag along a runner who was pretty fast but I faded at last since I need to conserve some energy for the run later. Went to Youth Park at around 7am. I was told, during the registration, that we have around 2000 runners participating. Not bad for a local event though they also have schools participation. Met Edmund Goh who was running too. Then the usual suspects, Chris, Jin Ji, Sunny etc. Those are the ones who did not take part in either the Shape’s Night Run, or the BHP Run on Sunday morning. I forgot to bring along my water and had to rely on tap water for hydrate after my Botanical Run.. Bad planning.

As for the Peace Run – it started off sharp at 7.30am. As usual, got caught up by the slow running and some even walking right from the start. I wish they can always keep to the left to allow others to maneuver through. Chris was fast and zoomed he went. He did a 4:40 in a 10km event the week before in SGP. Well, my target was to keep it at a sub-5:10 and hopefully try out a sub-5 pace. It’s a 6k run. The first 3k was OK. Running from Youth Park, then make a loop back at the traffic lights at Gurney Drive.  I could see the leading runners like Ow Yang and some Indian runners (don’t know them). Jin Ji was in the thick of it, so was Chris and Ramlan ! I was keeping it at 4:30-4:40 pace average then. On the way back, it was a some uphill run along the Gottlieb Road towards the Waterfall Hotel.  After that, it went downhill for me, literally.. Slowed to a pace of 5:00 and then worse. I was really hoping they make a turn right into Youth Park and end my “agony” but alas, it went straight to Jesselton Heights. Well, I plodded on and managed to pick up some speed. Somehow, my fuel was already half empty by then.. No thanks to the morning run, but no regrets. I was just wanting to have a fun run ! Running into Jesselton Heights, then went into the housing area. I was already out of breath to keep up to the 5:00-5:05 pace.. Picking up some final kicks (whatever left of), finished the race @ 31:40 for a 5:06 pace. No complaints indeed. Had a great workout though I missed my own stretch goal of sub-5 pace. Anyway, as always, there’s a next race to look fwd to !!  I will need to try out the longer stride run and see...

Starting Point @ Youth Park

 

Me checking the watch before thr run - photo courtesy of Edmund Goh

Group photo, courtesy of Jin Ji

Jan 15 - Botanical-Youth Park route again..

Woke up late today (7.10am instead of 6am).. iPhone alarm did not go off, again !!! :( Decided to run anyway, went to Botanical 1 hr later than planned.. Well, I noticed my discipline has improved a lot (in the past, I would hv gotten back to sleep right away !), except for my craving for oily food & fast food - still IR :(

Saw Thaipusam preparation in full swing, with all the tents and attitudes being put in place along the Jalan Utama, just 4 days to go..
Just a so-so run today.. D 5.82km, P 9.7km/hr, 36mins run.. Need to consistently hit 10km run at least once a week. Going there tomorrow and Monday morning again since it's a holiday :). May be I will venture into running towards Gurney Drive and back...

Noticed this rusty main door to Botanical Garden.. Hope the Tourism Ministry can do something about it as it's the main door to a tourist attraction and it's an eye-sore.. Spend money here is better than doing the plain-looking lilly pond !

1st January 2011 weekend - great start !

Had a GREAT weekend !!

Saturday (8 Jan) - Ran 3+ KM at USM Stadium at slightly after 6am but decided to give up after a couple laps.. No one else was running and it has that eerie feeling !! Haa.. So did 2 half-loops at my Halaman and that's it ! Pace @ 9.7pm/hr but that was only a short distance..

Sunday (9 Jan) - since it's a Sunday, I made it to Botanical Garden since I have never been there in the early morning. Took only 15 mins to reach Youth Park car park and started running.. Did a big loop, then lost the GPS connection due to bad signals, subsequently, did the usual smaller loops.. Forgot how many rounds in total, should be 4-5, then ran back to Youth Park. Achieved my personal best ! 8+KM, 9.3km/hr.. Felt good.. A lot of people walking and running there, hence many pacers for me to choose and didn't felt alone..:)

Snapped some pictures at the Lilly pond, the newly built ones right at the new entrance of Botanical Garden - also right at where the 2 controversial leaning arches of Penang used to stand ! But the drainage was bad and pond water overflowed, causing the whole grassland to be soaked in water.. They gotta fix this.. Also, maybe still too early, but there are only a handful of lilies.. Looks very bare..

The lily pond.. water soaked grassland



Entrance to the hike up Penang Hill (pic taken around 7.30am after the run)



Entrance to Botanical Garden

Looks like my Saturday and Sunday morning will be there... Once I get Jadyn's 8am art class sorted out..