Solomon X-trail

My first so-called trail run, other than it being part of an adventure race or something to that effect. Signed up for it when it opened and was excited.  Close to my house so save travelling time J And then discovered it clashed with PJ Half Marathon. But I didn’t think too much about it as I wanted to try something different. Though I’ve heard it wasn’t too difficult a trail, but being the clumsy me, even walking on asphalt can be tricky. Yes…imagine that.

Was totally surprised that the ‘rack pack’ only consisted of a t-shirt and the race number. What?? What happened to at least a small piece of paper with at least the venue or time or date? Come on! I’m no first timer to races, but first time to this event. But what about first timer to races? I’m not asking for a booklet, but at least just one, ONE sheet of paper.

Found out my ex-colleague was also running and so we met before the start. Men were flagged off at 7am and women at 715am. We ran together until just before we hit the trail. Sorry, Yom, I had to leave you behind. A water pit greeted us at the start of the trail and there were people even taking off their socks n shoes before entering it. WHAT??? It’s a trail run…what did you expect? Clean and shinny shoes at the end of the run?

It was fun because I didn’t trip and fall although it was a slippery trail…after a bout of heavy rain. And I somewhat managed quite well downhill -  no mishaps, and even could take advantage of it to speed!! That’s really rare. I attribute it to the shoes, perhaps J And the uphill, on the ‘2^nd round’ was a bit of a killer. Maybe because I pushed myself quite hard (cos I felt really good that morning) and almost the top, I actually felt light headed. Luckily it was all good when I reached the top.

‘Land mines’ were plenty on certain stretches and it was quite hard to spot at one point because of the glare from the sun.

It was all good as for a 11.4km trail, I managed approximately 1hr 25min (or so) cos I forgot to actually set my watch until somewhere in the trails :P but I did check my watch after the finish, so gauged from there. Now, I am looking forward to more exciting runs like this soon!!

KL Rat Race 2012

That was on 25 Sept 2012.

First time doing the Rat Race after hearing so much about it. Now I know why my previous company never thought of even sponsoring a team!! It's really expensive, although its for charity, I doubt they would want to do it.

It was all fun, albeit we didn't have our 'team of supporters' like the other teams. Most were financial institutions or the likes of it. Few large construction companies and I guess we were one of the only non-financial consultant...:)

We started as a team and finished as a team...though somewhere in between we had 3 people and 2 people running together, trying to encourage each other along. It was all good fun! Maybe another one next year?

River Jungle Marathon 2012

The mummies (After 'morning walk' up the hill)



With the most dedicated runner cum photographer

 

 

It was all planned, knowing that RJM was about 3 weeks after Raya, I had to train hard. But what did I do?

 

I joined the gym just before the fasting month, to provide me with the milleage I required. My weekend runs of roughly 25-35km on Sat and Sun were not enough. I was not getting any weekday runs. So with hope that the gym would provide me with some desired milleage. And so it did. Morning or lunch time 30-40 mins and sometimes strength classes did help. Helped improve my core strength and I believe it did help overall.

 

And so when the BIG day arrived, I was nervous as though it was my first race ever. Yeah, 42km 6 years after my 1st 42km, which was my personal best and which I trained really hard for it.

 

Knowing it was 9 miles away from my house, I felt abit better, but knowing that there was going to be a 3km climb, I was worried. I'm not a hill person. Although I did hill work on and off, nothing has prepared me enough for this. PLan was to try to slow jog, but of course, it was just us, but everyone else seemed to be walking!! (except those fast runners)

 

So, taking it easy....we walked almost the whole climb up (between 17-20km) and slow jog down cos we're old and injured :P tyring to take care of our weak joints :P after the slope down, we started running again....errrr did I say run? ok, jog...:)

 

Somehow Fong asked me to go off first, just before the 25km mark, so likely it was about 24km. REluctant as I was, I left her, asking her not to stop...we didn't have enough training, but for her, she was only 6months post-partum..so it was definitely harder.

 

And so I didn't stop....except to get water, until the 28 (or 29th)km where we were served fresh COCONUT water from the fruit itself!! CAn you believe it?? and after gulping it down so fast, I had to walk about 50m before I could run! And so it started again....I ran until the road through Kg. Sg. Lui, where the marshall says '10km more', but road markers says '16km to batu18 town'..I tried to tell myself, maybe it's 12km, but because I've cycled that way before, I actually knew it wasn't :P

 

But I tredded on...and on...and on...until KM32 (I think) water station, which felt like forever. Ok, I was determined not to stop ....but it was getting hot and feeling of cramps were setting in. thank God for that small water bottle I had. At some point, Nizar cycled by and had like a 20s chat with him. It kept me sane....till KM36, which the road marker evidently still didn't lie, and said 8km to go.

 

At some point between there and the next water stop, I had to walk. It just felt never ending. The main road was not in sight. IT was taking forever. But I felt good because I was getting ahead of people who were previously ahead of me :) that kept me going. Now, 5hrs 30 mins, felt like possible.... so i tredded on.

 

AT KM40, the ladies were so cheerful, saying 2km more, but road markers didn't lie. Yes, 4km more! :P hahahaha so I just tried to keep my spirits up and just kept going. And then perhaps 5:30 wasn't too do-able. now, let's target 6hrs...

 

IT was a very long 4km....and finally '500m - simpang ke KL'...WOW! FINALLY! But that 500m, felt like 1km to me. It took really really really long to reach....and after that final turn, the finishing line was also about 500m away, but spirits were lifted. I was just a tad disspointed that I couldn't do 5:30 (but hell, I didn't train, so how could I?), and tired and knowing I left Fong behind, I wasn't really 'celebrating' at the finishing. hahaha, expressionless finisher, I would say!

 

But glad I took the challenge, and my knee didn't even hurt post race. My heel, which was giving me slight issues was fine too. Now thank God for being able to complete it. Just slightly out of 6hrs....:) And I think its about 43-44km!! :P

 

Now, lets plan for the next 42km..:)

Full Marathon - after so long

Considering conditions of my knee (and also time limitations), I have not been very keen to pursue a full marathon. I know my knee's capabilities, and am very afraid that it may fail me, or cause me to suffer the post-race-effects for very long.

So after long contemplation, knowing my time constraints, I decided to just go ahead and do the very scenic River Jungle Marathon (RJM) which starts literally, at my 'back door'. Well, 9 miles away, that is :P

Managed to convince Fong, who was also dying for some 'target' to train for (but obviously both of us seem to be so 'tidak apa' (not very bothered)), and also wrong timing, cos its only 2.5weeks after the fasting month, so we didn't really have proper training. My so-called proper training was throughout the month before fasting, and the first two weeks of fasting, where i managed some decent 15km during the weekend. After that, it was almost downhill.

After Raya was worse. And field work this time didn't make time for me to even run. My last minute training, the week before the race - Mon&Tues (speed work for 30mins), Wed (strength), Thurs & Fri (7min pace for 40mins) and those were during my lunch break. The only time I could afford :(

And so come race day, all nervous but just went for it.

Stay tuned for the next post for the race write up :)

To cook or not to cook

This year, I've not cooked a proper meal during Ramadhan.

But it all changed yesterday. Well sort of. :) Leaving for a break in two days, I realised I still have some vege leftover from a 'previously planned meal'.  So I decided to make mixed vege. Halfway through I decided to make 'mui fun' (savory rice in thick sauce, sauce which is like that of the cantonese fried kueh teow), so I added a tiny portion of rice. Oh my!! the portion of vege was huge, and now with rice, it became bigger, although i only added very little. Then came the egg to thicken the sauce and it just 'went out of proportion'. I just didn't expect it to be so much!! Though it was just vege essentially. :)

But I was happy I cooked. At least i didn't throw away good vege and I ate what I liked most. Vege!

I still have some salad left. Maybe tonight will be salad with stir fried vege (again!)?

And I 'found' by chance the salad dressing which I once tasted in a Japanese restaurant and liked. I didn't know what it was so I didn't bother looking for it. But when I was looking for mustard 'spread' but in whole grains and Tesco didn't have, I decided to browse a little and saw this 'sesame dressing'. My oh my!! I was so happy when I tasted it and discovered it was the salad dressing which I actually loved!

So now it has become my staple, instead of that whole grain mustard. Into my vege sandwich!!

Planking

Planking has been around for very long - as a form of exercise for core strengthening. But not too long ago, it becamse a fad for a while.

So few months back, I wanted to build core strength. I started some plank exercises. But me being me, after short stints, I will give up. More so, if it is done at home, where suddenly i just feel like planking, the moment I break into sweat, I decide if its worth it to continue or not :P

So far, I've only managed 1min x 3 or 1.5min at one go. Nothing more. And if it is at home, sometimes, I get 'weights' on me!! Yes, kiddos will just plonk onto my back thinking its a 'horsey' ride :)

Moving forward approximately 2 + months, with no consistent planking exercise, just other core exercises, today I decided to test myself and I managed a 3 min plank with no problems at all!!
WOW! I was surprised!

Now, there is hope for a 5 min plank in the near future. Or maybe I need to get a good run before I plank?

Let's try it and see. I guess those core workouts with TRX did help afterall!

Fasting and Workouts

It’s the fasting month and I have managed to squeeze in workouts during the day, and enjoying it. What amazes me is that my normal weekend long run, which after each loop, under non-fasting circumstances, I will have to take a gulp of water. If I don’t by the end of the 2^nd loop, I’ll be feeling really really really ‘dry-in-the-mouth’; but last weekend, when I did that long run again, I managed 4 loops without any drink. Amazing!! Let’s see if this weekend is the same!

We’re allowed to finish work 1 hr earlier. So sometimes I head straight to the gym for an hour. Other times, I’ll use that ‘lunch hour’ at the gym, and go home ‘normal hours’. Hahahaha

And why the ‘dedication’? It feels good to be back to the gym! But it is sad that I don’t get to spend as much time there as I used to. Feels ‘not enough’ but what to do, commitments have changed. So 30-45mins per session is good enough. Keep the longer runs for weekends.

The main drive now is that I have signed up for a full marathon, with killing slopes. YES! 42km, but scenic run through the villages of Langat area. Not a race, so says the organizer, so I’ll take it easy. Just to see how I ‘suffer’ with much less training, compared to 6 years ago. I’m not hoping for another 4:40, but anything less than 6 hrs is an achievement, considering the elevation of the route. Let’s see what happens come September 9^th J