My #3 - Putrajaya Night Marathon, a memorable race

Putrajaya Night Marathon (PNM) marked my 3rd full marathon, the first 2 being PBIM 2011 and SCKLM 2012. This was a last minute inclusion since I am supposed to do my PBIM in a month’s time. Nonetheless, the lure of a night run, a run at Putrajaya and another marathon were too tempting to miss !  Signed up, and booked a hotel @ PJ (Shah’s Village) after paying the price of 2 nights for a night’s stay (blame it on London Olympics and agoda.com !! That is another story). I took the morning Firefly flight down on Saturday (Oct 20), picked up by Chun Ying, a FB fren and fellow runner. What followed were real non-stop eating.. First, breakfast @ Taipan (lor mee, followed by wantan mee, then Starbucks).. An hr + later, 兰姐非洲鱼 @Subang with choo char before Chun Ying dropped me at the hotel. Took a couple of hour’s nap (which was like an hr in actual), I went food hunting for final carbo loading. Not much choices at Amcorp Mall, so I ended with a Secret Recipe Aglio Olio (big serving) and tapau a Subway Tuna sandwich for the real final carbo load.. So I guess I hv perfected my carbo load this time (the Sundown 21km hungry horror still haunts me).

Before the race -4hrs (a 6” Subway), -6hrs (Pasta), -8hrs (normal rice and choo char).

I got another ride to Putrajaya via Chun Ying’s friends. This is the first time I get to run at a race with free rides all the way.. Thank you Chun Ying & co. Met new friends Jimmy The and Kok Ming.  Fellow avid runners too.. The weather forecast for Putrajaya was heavy rain throughout the night. I was all prepared to get wet, partly I was informed Putrajaya is hot and dry. So some rain will be a welcome respite, also can prevent cramps.. So I WISHED !!  On the way to Putrajaya, it was raining heavily with bolts of lightning. Took us just 40mins or so to reach the venue. Soon, dark clouds gathered threateningly. After snapping a couple of photos, I quickly kept my bag at the luggage deposit area. The race was supposed to start at 8pm, so we had an hr+ of lepaking around. Managed to meet some fellow runners, FB frens and some Penang kakis. The Penang runners came down in the same bus. Maybe I shud tag along with them, cheaper and hv company too. Not many i-Runners though.  I bumped into SL Chen (of all places, she is from Penang and we have to meet at Putrajaya !!!), Sin Tuck, Sean Wong the photographer (who warned me about the route which turned out to be 100% true – he did that last year and suffered, so changed to HM this year), Alwin Tan, the affable Uncle Alex, Cikgu Syeco, Gus Ghani who accompanied the girlfriend for her HM, Qamarrul @ starting lineup, Yimster the ultraman.. and many familiar faces.. It was a nice gesture for the emcee to mention and paid tribute to Cheah Meei Meei who passed away a day earlier due to blood infection. Meei Meei, for the record, is an accomplished and elite runner who has won many events she has taken part and also Malaysia’s first ever jockey !

Closer to 8pm, we went into the kandang. There was supposed to be 800 FM runners but I guess there was around 600 who turned up. The weather was hot and dry, no rain !! What a bummer. Without any warning, the gun went off (at least lah give some excitement by counting down…).. The route was ok for the first 10km through some winding roads with nice building to enjoy, the best being running thru the bridge (dunno what’s the name) at the 40^th minute. I was quietly hoping to do a 4:15-4:30 since I do not know the elevation of the route.  A sub-4, leave it to flat route like SCKLM or maybe PBIM later.

First 10km – I realized I was running too fast, @5:30 pace. So I tried to slow down and tried to keep to the 5:40 range. There were some winding slopes, but not too bad.. I was trying to control my pacing and keep a close watch on my heartbeat (avoid heart-burn !) I completed my first 10km in 57:40 @ 5:46 pace. On track, I told myself – and so I thought !

2^nd 10km – We started to run towards the main highways and they get more elevations – long and straight ones, my Achilles heel. I started to struggle. I still tried to keep to the tried-and-tested pit stops of run, then 30steps brisk walk before running again. I saw Karen Loh passed me, tried to use her as pacer, I dropped off after a couple hundred meters. She was just too fast ! I was doing fine until 16^th km… The dreaded twitching at both my calves indicated an impending cramp !  At only 16^th km !!! I was so mad at myself… If it had happened at 30^th km, I can understand but 16^th km ?!!  Looks like the past BKMs of ORS did not help at all. I started to realize that the lack of training must have an impact on this. At the same time, the route are more hilly, hence more impact to the muscles. I tried to slow down and do some stretching at roadside. Others started to pass me, including Alwin who ran beside me and gave me tips about the route in front and what pace to follow. I was so grateful he told me that so that mentally, I was prepared. At 18^th km, the cramp hit me, both calves.. More stops, more brisk walks. The route has also become significantly unpredictable. Even with downhill run, I calves hurt as much, so I can’t really run at faster pace than a 6:30 ! It was past 2 hr mark when I reached 20km. Dang. My 4:15 is at risk. Lap 2 – 68mins, 6:48 pace. You can see the 1min per km drop in pacing.

3^rd 10km – I frantically look for the muscle spray since my long compression pants will not allow any cream to be applied effectively (the first aider actually asked me to roll up my compression pants for them to apply the cream.. Sigh..). I stopped at all stations and the last around 18^th km, Alas, they only have ice packs and at one station before 20^th km, I declined the cream, thinking that I could get a spray at later station – I was so dead wrong.. and paid the price ultimately.. I was really suffering between 21-30^th km. No matter how much I thought I “ran”, I was at jogging pace ! The total average pace just stayed at 8:00-8:05’/km range.  I felt the stiffness on my 2 calves, especially the left ones. If there’s one who keep stopping at the roadside and stretch the 2 feet, that could very well be me !  26^th km – I was so happy to see watermelon being served ! Watermelon never tasted so wonderful.. I took my time to sit at the side railing and enjoyed the watermelon. Took some rest and chit0chat with a fellow lady runner, who also complained she cannot run anymore. After spending 3mins there, I continue my run. At 27^th km, I could see runners already making a loop back. A guy was giving away power gel at 33^rd km. My quick calculation tells me I need to run until 30^th km to make a U-turn ! One by one, I saw the runners easily 30+mins ahead of me – Yim, Cikgu, Jeff Ooi, Karen Loh and many more seasoned runners.. Time taken : 100mins, 8:01 pace.

4^th 10km – At the turn, surprisingly, I saw Alwin just 100m in front of me. He later complained of fast heartbeat, thus the slowing down. I continue to plod on. I was running more but could not sustain it. So I decided to do brisk walking @ 8:-8:30 pace. Pretty amazing that I found myself doing that fast pace despite the cramps. By then, I know 4:30 is no longer attainable and even a sub-5 is at risk. Hitting the 32km, I still have 1:20 to go. Cool. If I keep to 7:00 pace, I can still make it a sub-5.. But to my dismay, 35^th km onwards, it became apparent that the next 5km is a long hilly route, much like the earlier ones, except you are running pretty lonely along the long, dark road ! No wonder Alwin reminded me not to fall back too far behind.. But I must salute the volunteers. They were still there cheering us on, giving us water and even have 4 on-stilt artists entertaining us. Time taken : 101mins, 8:09pace

Towards the last 2km, the route was a flat one. Both my calves hurt so bad that they have become so stiff every step became very uncomfortable. I lost the urge to do my customary dash in the last 2km. Looking at the clock, it’s close to 5:00.. So I reckon I will end up with a 5:10 or so.. I just do little jog, then walk, and then jog again.. The last 1km was a long stretch towards the finishing point. Loud music awaiting the finishers. Last 100m, managed to snap a pic by Victor then I did the very slow jog towards the finishing line.  Glad that the race is over but worried how bad my calves will hold up in the next few weeks with PBIM coming up in <1 months time. Received my medals and goodie bags from 2 ladies. Felt great, well treated J  And then the grand finale ! 3 photograpers – Sean, a lady and Ramlan snapping away the finisher pose. I was tired and too ‘defeated’ to pose anything.. LOL !

My + and -:

+ Very well organized race. Many volunteers, spacious with wide roads @ Putrajaya. Strategically positioned cheering teams right at the top of a hilly run to encourage runners to run to the top.

+ Challenge route. A real good test for a runner

+ Sufficient water stations, love the watermelon !!

+ Car parks were not a rpblem

+ Portable loo aplenty, no need to wait for long queue

+ Easy & convenient luggage check-in

- As expected, no spray for the full marathoners. Surprisingly, sprays were seen for half marathoners.. Sigh.. Key learning : Never leave home without my trusted Yoko Yoko next time !! Reminder for PBIM !

- Add more cheering teams for the full marathon especially towards the 30km and above. When the runners hit the wall, cheering team’s presence will provide extra boost

- Mist / shower station ?

Summary:

Overall distance : 42.70km

Time taken : 5:11

Overall pace : 7:17 pace

Calories burned : 2963 cal burned

Breakdown:

Lap 1 (10km) – 57:40mins, 5:46 pace

Lap 2 (20km) – 1:08 6:48

21^st km @ 2:14

Lap 3 (30km) – 1:20, 8:01

Lap 4 (40km) – 1:21, 8:09

Lap 5 (last 2 km) – 23:41, 8:46

Will I be back for another shot to redeem myself next year ? YES ! I will be back as and when my schedule permits ! This time, I will be more prepared – physically and mentally !

The fish shop. 兰姐非洲鱼

1 person 1 fish.. So full..

 

The threatening skies, only to end with a whimper - no rain !

Starting point @ Palace of Justice

Jimmy, Kok Meng, one of the frens, Sean Wong



with Chun Ying

with Alwin Tan, photo courtesy of Sean Wong

with Uncle Alex and SL Chen - the Penang team :)

me after finisng line.. all drained.. 

But still managed to smile for the final pose, photo courtesy of Sean Wong and Ramlan Rasdi

Photo courtesy of Victor

A hard-earned medal !!

Nice Finisher tee

Hello blog.. I am back !! :)

Wow.. I have not been updating the blog for >1 month.. Many distractions the last 5 weeks that also badly impacted my training plans.. There were these work related stuff (Mad Party, the annual functions, the Street party), I was kong-ed out for 2 wks due to bad cough, then came Jadyn’s hospitalization..

So what have happened since the Larian Merdeka in early Sept ?

1.       Starwalk @ Sept 17^th.  That was my first competitive walk and I managed to bring along Jenny for the workout. Boy, brisk walking is not joke ! Not easy but I enjoyed it. The atmosphere in front of Penang Times Square was pretty carnival like. Went there too early (kiasu of not enough parking space), met many familiar faces. Walked with Jenny for most part of the walk, at least until 7km before I decided to ‘ditch’ her (LOL !) and walked faster. Completed the race in 1:32, Jenny did very well @ 1:36.. Luckily I did not finish behind her.. Phewss.. A couple of frens won medals, ie Alwin and Kelvin.. Congrats !!

2.       Guang Ming Hikathon @ Oct 14^th. I am not a hiker but decided to test out my stamina. Met with Evelyn and James Boo, whom both flew aeroplane on me later by going for the fun hike route instead of competitive !  The route did a 2+km run loop around the Bukit Jamul before going straight up the hilly hike. Holy cow, I was totally KO’ed after 15mins hike, too steep.. Had to stop many times along the way to catch my breath, and at the same time, cursing myself for my stupidity !  But I made some new frens along the way, and entertained by a chatter-box lady.. Wah, that lady really can talk and I was already out-of-breath. Someone further behind commented on her Chinese language and she was not happy.. Drama betul !  She eventually finished so far ahead of me that I lost track of her.. I ended the hike with a slightly twisted ankle, painful calves, a more importantly, a bruised ego for not getting a medal at the end.. The medals were meant for the top 100 finishers (all males and females).. Think I finished in the 150-ish region. But then, it’s all worth the sweat and ant/mosquitoes bites. I made it past Bukit Kukus with a peak of 416m vs the Bukit Jambul’s peak of 200m !!  Now that’s an additional item to my resume.

3.       I signed up for the Tanjung Run 10km, a week before the PBIM. It will be held on Saturday.

4.       I missed KRI Ipoh 21km. Jadyn was hospitalized due to viral infection. Too last minute to give away the bib although I know there are people looking for one..

5.       The 3 States 10km parit Buntar International Triangle Run on Nov 10^th has been canceled/pushed out to next year.. I am still waiting for my refund despite multiple SMSed !!! Crap..

I will go for the dramatic story of Putrajaya Night Marathon.. but before that, a quick count on the # races completed, year to date..

42km – 2/3 done.. SCKLM was easy, PNM was hell.. LOL

21km – 3/3 done.. 2 PBs, very satisfied, sub 1:50 next target..

And many other 10kms, and 12kms…

4 Surprising Ways to Run Your Fastest Marathon

4 Surprising Ways to Run Your Fastest Marathon

by Jason Fitzgerald

Long runs! Tempo workouts! Mileage! We know these things are instrumental in running a fast marathon – but what else is important?

A marathon attempt is daunting: at 26.2 miles, it challenges your body in ways that shorter races can’t even touch.
Fueling becomes critical to – you can’t store enough in your body to carry you the entire distance.
Muscle damage is inflicted from over 40,000 high-impact steps on paved roads.
Pacing is vital. You can’t recover from going out way too fast (the marathon will humble you!).
Any runner who’s completed a marathon will agree that the physicality of the race is its biggest challenge – and probably its most addictive feature that keeps people coming back for more. But running your fastest marathon and squeezing out every second of improvement is about a lot more than just good training.
If you have a big marathon goal – like maybe qualifying for Boston – every aspect of your race should be carefully planned. Today, I want to show you five ways that you can run a faster marathon that have nothing to do with training.

Choose a Cool Race

Anybody who ran the 2012 Boston Marathon (like Terry) will agree that racing in the heat is miserable – and slow. Because I have no shame, I’m going to quote myself from earlier this summer:

The brutal weather that’s rocked the East Coast of the US during the last several weeks has reminded many runners that summer running isn’t all lollipops and negative splits.

Lollipops and negative splits… I crack myself up.
But it’s true: the vast majority of runners won’t be able to race at their potential in the marathon with temperatures over 70 or 75 degrees. While beliefs about how the weather impacts your race performance might become self-fulfilling, I’m a realist and understand that heat and humidity don’t present ideal racing conditions.
Do yourself a favor and choose a fall race that consistently has cooler temperatures. Your new PR or BQ time will thank you.

Size Matters (of the race!)

What did you think I was talking about? 
The difference between a “same old” time and a new PR might come down to competition and crowd support. If you’re running alone, the race is essentially a solo time trial and you won’t benefit from competition. Being pushed to perform – and exceeding your expectations of what you’re capable of – by other runners is a well-documented reality.
If there are other runners going a little bit faster than you, they’ll pull you along.
Don’t neglect the crowds watching the race either. I remember running the final half of the 2011 Philadelphia Marathon – an out and back stretch up Kelly Drive that was nearly deserted for 90% of the way. It was lonely and uninspiring.
Then look at the electrifying, screaming crowds of New York City and it’s a night and day comparison. When you’re struggling through the final 10k of a marathon, you need all the help you can get. Choose races that have the competition and supportive crowds that will pull you closer to your marathon goals.

The Marathon Course Matters

If you register for the Blue Ridge Marathon and expect a fast time or new PR (with over 7,000 feet in elevation change), I’m not going to have any sympathy for you when the monster hills trash your legs early in the race. Runners looking for a BQ or PR should seek out a flat, fast course where the terrain and elevation will work with them, not against them.
Fast marathon routes like Houston, Chicago, or the London Marathon will give you the best chance of running your best. In fact, according to Daniels Running Formula, an 8:15 mile effort on the treadmill at a 6% grade would need to be run at 10:00 minute pace!
Hills will slow you down significantly so avoid them if your goal is to run fast. They’ll not only increase the effort you need to run a particular pace but the downhill running will surely lead to additional muscle damage. To finish strong, you’ll want to pick a flat race that won’t put unneeded stress on your legs and aerobic system.
And of course, you always want to run the tangents!

Go Local if Possible

It might sound romantic to travel to Berlin and race their flat and fast marathon in an historic city. But did you think about the travel hassles, likely interruption of your taper training, and the nightmare of a 6+ hour time change? Not to mention the financial costs of long travel to the race!
Local races have the advantages of shorter travel distances, little to no time zone changes, and similar weather that you’ve been training in for months. Racing local is less stressful – and it’s always a good thing to be stress-free on race day.
There’s a reason why some elite runners travel to the Olympics 2-3 weeks before their race – it takes a tremendous amount of time to get there, acclimate to the weather and time change, and adapt to the local environment. Us mere mortals don’t have the luxury of 3+ week running vacations so the next best solution is to stay relatively local with your peak marathon.

What Next – Put This Into Practice

Passionate marathoners who want to improve their personal bests and reach a new level of performance – like qualifying for Boston or breaking a big time barrier like four or three hours – can use this advice to optimize their best marathon.
Even if you’re a new runner or haven’t yet run your first marathon, there’s a lot to think about when attempting 26.2 miles. These are four “non-training” factors that go into choosing your peak race.
Soon we will be re-opening Run Your BQ - a coaching service and community of marathoners who are running faster and healthier than ever.
But there’s a twist: RYBQ has had a complete overhaul and is redesigned to better help our members. With a new user interface, more features and functionality to help our runners connect, and improved training it’s now one of the biggest and most comprehensive marathon training sites available.
If you have an upcoming marathon, want to qualify for Boston, or simply run easier and with fewer injuries, we invite you to join us when we open next week.

From : http://strengthrunning.com/2012/09/run-your-fastest-marathon/

Larian Merdeka - small event & a hot morning run

Larian Merdeka – This was a last minute replacement since I missed out the CFAL registration. Grounded for the 2 weeks due to Jadyn’s exam, means I miss out the River Jungle Marathon (RJM) and the Adidas King of the Road (KOTR) as well ! Larian Merdeka was organized by the Malay Chamber of Commerce to commemorate the 55^th Merdeka celebration. Though many runners absent participating in the other events, it was still has a nice turn-out of 300-400 runners.. With CFAL flagging off at 7am, Larian Merdeka was pushed to start at 7.30am. It was a sunny day, and way too hot for a run even for a 10km !

As usual, I was off the block way too fast, running a sub-5 mins pace before fading off and recovered in the last km. Struggled in the last few kms especially at the Gurney Drive area – with bright shining sun and the energy-zapping heat. Hui Sang was there as well, so was Edmund, Mann, Zimah and a few NT CRC runners. Hui Sang got a 2^nd placing for her category while Zimah, as expected, dominated for 1^st placing.

I did a 5:02 pacing, 9.72km @ 49mins 01s. Not bad as this is the best run I ever did in a 10km. Not the most enjoyable race but happy with the time nonethelsss.

Distance : 9.72km

Time : 49:01

Pace : 5:02’/km

Taking break from races before continuing with Putrajaya Night Marathon (PNM) on 10/20 !!



Starting & Finishing point in fron of Immigration Office @ Beach Street

With Edmund after the run



With Abul Rahman and Edmund before the run

The cert & medal

1km split from Runkeeper. Have to use this since I still do not have my replacement Garmin yet. Ignore the 1km, wated 11mins before flag off

2nd half 1km split.Faded badly but found the rhythm in the last 1km (KIASU mode ON :-)

Have my favorite latte after the run @ LightHouse Coffee



Fat Burning Lunch Hour Workout Session

Intermediates' Fat-Burning Lunch Hour Session

“This is aimed at intermediate to advanced runners who already have experience of resistance training,” explains Conci-Mitchell.
“Dynamic asymmetric movements, such as scissor lunges, will add power and stability in your hip and pelvis. This will convert your steady-state distance running engine into a Formula 1 machine, and help reduce injuries.”
You’ll need to find a steep incline of around 20m, and you’ll repeat the circuit three times, with two-minute recovery jogs between circuits. Perform this twice weekly.
Picture credit: DreamPictures/VStock

1. Run

Start at 50 per cent effort and build speed over five minutes to finish at 80 per cent. Then perform sprints at 90 per cent effort for five minutes. 

2. Jumping scissor lunges

Runners' Bonus: This daddy of exercises will power up your glutes, quads and core
a) Standing with feet hip-width apart and hands clasped behind your head, lunge forward with your left foot and lower yourself until your right knee almost touches the floor.
b) Explosively push up and scissor-kick your legs in mid air, landing with your right leg forward. When you land, drop down, leap up and scissor-kick again.
Reps: 20

3. Plyometric push-up

Runners' Bonus: Increased upper body power for driving up hills
a) Place your hands on the ground, just wider than shoulder-width apart, level with your chest, your body forming a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles.
b) Push up hard enough for your hands to come off the floor, then land, segueing into the next rep.
Reps: 10

4. Run

1 x Hill sprint

5. Walking lunges with knee-ups

Runners' Bonus: Balance and stability around your ankles, core and glutes
a) Standing with your feet under your hips, step forward with your right foot and lower your body until both legs form 90-degree angles.
b) Straighten your right leg, shift your weight on to your right foot and raise your bent left knee toward your chest. Repeat, stepping forward with your left foot.
Alternate for 30m

6. Alternating pole pull-ups

Runners' Bonus: Better posture and more powerful lats for sprinting
a) Grab a tree branch with hands either side and let your full weight hang (bend your knees if the branch is low). With your head and chest held high, pull your shoulder to the branch, head to one side.
b) Lower yourself under control and repeat on the other side.
Reps: 10

7. Run

1 x hill sprint

8. Frog jumps

Runners' Bonus: Improve your lactate tolerance and increase power right through your legs
a) Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, slowly squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
b) Straighten your legs quickly to jump up. Land and repeat.
Reps: 10

9. Single-leg hip raises

Runners' Bonus: Improved pelvic stability to combat chronic hip and knees injuries
a) Lie on your back with your left knee bent, foot flat on the floor, and right leg straight, raised in line with your left thigh. Your arms should be out to your sides at 45 degrees. Engage your core and squeeze your glutes.
b) Raise your hips so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Pause for five seconds, then lower back to the start.
Reps: 10

10. Run

1 x 20m Hill sprint

11. Run

Jog for two minutes.  

12. Repeat circuit

13. Run

Jog for five minutes to finish the session.

 

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/weight-loss/intermediates-fat-burning-lunch-hour-session/8672.html

 

SP Half Marathon - a sub-2 hours but not a smooth race

Sungai Petani Half-Marathon. This is the 2^nd 21km that came 6 days right after my Larian Hijau 21km last Sunday. I have never run such long distance so close to one another, coupled with the 8km Eco Run in between.. That makes it 3 runs within 6 days.. SP HM is the inaugural event, organized by a national runner, Ganesan, as stated. It’s also the first time SP has a race of that nature, I was told. The starting point was Dataran Zero (Ground Zero), Jam Besar SP. I am not familiar at all with SP and it did not help when multiple request to the SP Half-Marathon facebook page did not yield any result. Many were asking about the nearby landmarks, and no response too. And seriously, that is bordering on being rude (issue #1).

I car-pooled with WeeLeong and KeeMeng to SP on Saturday morning. The original start-time for the HM was 6am, then changed to 6.45am a few days before the race, announced via facebook. I know this did not go down well with many runners who are not willing to run at such late in the morning and running in the morning sun. This is the first time I have seen the starting time changed so late into the game and not officially announced (issue #2).  Met many running friends in SP.. besides the usual suspects of i-Run and Forward group, I met fellow colleague JinXiang, Gus Ghani who’s in his 2^nd leg of race up north, Uncle Alex (the well-known volunteer photographer), Sean Wong, Kelvin, Rahim, Ramlan and many more.. Ah, yes, also the KL gang of Yim, Julie Wong, Max etc. Not forgetting Fadil and wife.. Saw them  when I was running back.

At 6.15am, we were told no need to lapor diri (though the small slip said need to “melapor diri” at 6.15am, and we were told to do so in facebook as well !). There were no mobile toilets, so the KFC toilet came in handy for peeing.. But pity the ladies/girls.. So long queue. And the single toilet for men’s ‘big business’ didn’t help either (issue #3).

Approaching 6.30am, we were then asked to get our wrist band, which turned out to be a ribbon (can be hung around the neck but I made into wrist band). Pity the poor lady who was swarmed with runners all eager to get hold of the ribbon. Very chaotic. Approaching 6.45am, it was apparent that the crowd (whether it’2 21km, 10km or others) were crowding at the starting point, and the speaker is so far away that’s it was only blaring towards the stage/VIP stand. I think the VIPs were late, and it turned out right as at about 6.50am, a group of so-called VIPs slowly walked towards the front of crowd and started taking photos. Duh !  The runners were already impatient with the delayed start and they had the cheek to be late and take photos some-more. All politicians are the same, no matter which divide they come from ! and without any warning, or even count-down, the gun went-off. Very chaotic indeed (issue #4) but what the heck. Start running !

This also marks the 3^rd time I run without my GPS watch and in that messy start-up, I forgot to switch on my Runkeeper in my iPhone. So I decided to do what I have done when I started running – enjoy run and not worried about pacing, run blind ! The route took us through the town and into the country side, going through the paddy field and vegetable farm, then into some of the housing areas. One thing I must commend is the route is really well-chosen, and the traffic control/management were handled very well by the police and staff. Alas, the main thing of a long-distance run, eg 21km, is the water station. That is one of the most important area, if not THE most important. We only have 3 water stations, at 7^th km, 12^th km and then 20^th km. Isn’t that crazy !? So, the main grudges did not stop here.. 1) Some were told that there will be 4 water stations when asked on Friday during bib collection. So what went wrong ?, 2) 2^nd station ran out of water, and for late comers, they were out of water from 7^th km to 20^th km !! This is insane and irresponsible of runner’s safety (issue #5)!  In this aspect, Larian Hijau was well planned out, with 4 stations placed at 5^th km, 10^th km, 14^th and 18^th km. Good thing I ran with my Gatorade (as I always train with it too), and by the time I hit the first station, I hv taken half of my Gatorade. Thank God !  As we turned into the paddy field area, we converged with the 3km and 5km runners, well.. they were all walking leisurely instead of running ! apa lah.. I actually encouraged them to run but they chose to walk slowly, some even playing smartphone as they walked along. Sigh..

This was not an enjoyable run for me, mainly because of:

1)      I was not well prepared.. Coming off the flu, I have zero training the last 1+ week. And doing 2 halves in a week is a first for me..

2)      Running in the morning is not my cup of tea. I always feel I wilted away when the sun comes out.. LOL ! I just cannot stand the heat and sunlight.. Period..

3)      I hit the wall early.. Hit the wall ! One must wonder.. It refers to mostly marathons. I had to stop at 5^th km to catch my breath. And throughout the run, I had to deploy the brisk walk-run fast strategy to keep me going. Obviously, it’s another mind over body challenge.

Overall, I am happy with the time but not the performance.. Not exactly a PB but doing a sub-2 in 2 both races within a week, I would not trade anything for that !

Distance : 20.8km

Time : 1:53:20

Pace : 5:26min/km

Placing : #21 in Men’s 40-49 category

Next race : Larian Merdeka on 9/9 @ Esplanade, and then Starwalk on 9/17..

Photo courtesy of Sean Wong

Near finishing line

Finishing Line, photo courtesy of Uncle Alex

With Choo Cheng Liang & Sam Khong

Starting Point @ Jam Besar Dataran Zero, Sungai Petani

With Kee Meng and Wee Leong

Eco Night Run - 1st night run in Penang...

Eco Night Run, organized by the Delta company, is probably the first ever night run we have in Penang in recent times. Although it’s only an 8km run, it did have some challenging route. Starting off from Youth Park, it goes through the road leading to Botanical Garden. Once entering the Botanical, it will run through the big loop 3 times. The big loop includes the short uphill, that’s what I called the ‘Heart-break Hill’.. Gus Ghani, a friend met through Facebook running community, was in town to join this event as well as the SP Half Marathon. I also met some familiar faces like Edmun, Lee Pin, and KL Chan.

The Eco Night Run came 4 days after the Larian Hijau and I was recovering from my flu/fever. Went to see the doc on Monday and asked for a strong dose of anti-biotics. I told the doc I have an important task on Thursday night.. LOL. Bad role-model. Anyway, I became better through the medication, but the 2 full-day training @ Eastin means I have zero training from Larian Hijau on Sunday through to Thursday.. The race started at 8pm with some mess at the starting line. As we positioned ourselves at the starting line, those who came late practically positioned themselves in front of the group and we were left towards the far end of the group. That is usually a problem as many runners tend to start slow/jog and this can be a safety issue with them clogging the lanes in front. Anyway, I still had to weave through the crowd and even jumped into the pedestrian lane and ran through there ! Since it was at night, the rout was not that well lighted but thanks to the volunteers and organizing committee, they managed to position them at strategic locations and show us the way using torch lights. As expected the hill was tough (Duh ! As though I am so naive.. That is my one of my hill-training spot).. I managed to run up the hil for the first loop but by the time I did 2^nd and 3^rd loop, all I could do was some jog & brisk walk ! Aduii..

The post-run event of lucky draw and prize giving were really nice though it took close to 3 hrs to complete. We had a short Merdeka sing-long to “Tanggal 31” song just before mid-nite. The event ended at around 12:20am.. Damn sleepy & tired but had a fun work-out and meeting fellow runners too..

Distance : 7.68km

Time : 42mins flat

Pace : 5:28min/km

Placing : #46 in Men’s Open category

Near the starting point

With Mr Choo, Jin Ji after the run

With Gus Ghani and Kelvin

With Jin Ji (who got 4th placing)

With Edmund after the run