I'm in..

Ready or not... time to step up the training to the next level.

Hardest run yet - 28km

Woke up at 4.30am to prepare for this run. Reached Bukit Aman Carpark, the meeting place slightly earlier at 5.15am. So I decided to take a nap in the car while waiting for the rest.

4 persons including myself turned up for today's run. Ravin, KW and CP. CP brought his new Suunto GPS pod.

We started the run by making a loop around bird park and Jalan Lembah before heading out to Jalan Parlimen and proceed to Bukit Tunku.

First part of the route is similar to GE30k. We cut through Bukit Tunku to Jalan Duta, then to Matrade building and followed Jalan Khidmat Usaha to Sri Hartamas. 3 of us, CP, KW and myself made an extra big loop around Petronas station before making a water stop. I bought a Gatorade from the Petronas shop to refill since the drink I brought along finished at this point.

So far so good at the distance of 19km. I started to struggle on the way back at roughly around 25km. The good thing is it was a long downhill stretch at Jalan Tun Ismail. I managed to keep the run going until we reach Jalan Sultan Salahuddin. At that point my calf muscles just felt too painful to continue. I was afraid they may start to cramp if I push further. So I suggested to KW to stop and wait for CP and take a rest at the same time.

CP walked down about 10 mins later. He is suffering from heel pain as well. So all 3 of us decided we'll walk back from this point. The distance run is around 27km at that point. 1km cool down walk isn't that bad as an option anyway.

This is the longest running distance I have done so far. Feeling and pain is more or less similar to when I did my first 20km.

Next week's plan is to do a 30km..

To run a good race..

This is my new motto...

Corinthians 9:24-27—"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

By the way I'm not a Christian. Good philosophy existing in all religions. We just need to keep an open mind... I may not believe in God by I believe in Good..

21k training

Yesterday was the 2nd time I did a 21k distance. The first time was 2 weeks ago with Lam KW around Bukit Jalil area. This time either because the leg muscles have adapted to it or because we didn't go that fast, I felt great after the run. It was a very different experience from the 1st time. My guess is the terrain also play a part in this.

The route from Lake Garden to Sri Hartamas is a lot more hilly than the route around Taman Bukit Jalil. The benefit of a hilly route is the group of muscles used is different going up and down the hills. Whereas in a relatively flat route, one has to keep using the same muscle group through out.

5 of us took the challenge yesterday. CP and his brother CK, Kok Leong, Will and myself. The first 6km gone smoothly with everyone able to keep up relatively well. CK decided to stop at this distance and wait for our return at a bus stop.

4 of us proceed to cross the busy Jalan Duta over to Income Tax building and continue the run towards the Sri Hartamas Petronas Station.

It was a bit more eventful during the return run. Both Will and KL slowed down and got lost at Hockey Stadium but luckily they were saved by Garmin. CP and CK took off earlier from the bus stop leaving me behind to wait for Will and KL. I decided to continue the run on my own after waited for more than 10 minutes without any sign that both of them will show up soon. I was thinking maybe both of them have given up and decided to take a taxi:) Only later, I found out they were lost for more than 10 minutes.

Running alone for the last 6km is quite challenging. It was difficult to decide what pace to run. I was surprised to find out CP and CK has not returned to the starting point when I reached. So I walked around the car park to cool down and later I saw CP ran back without his brother. CK was having a cramp at the killer hill and he came back to bring his car to fetch him. I extend my cool down to jog towards Jalan Parlimen and met up with Will and KL there..

Surprise surprise

It was a complete surprise to me when this flowers is delivered to me yesterday.

Thank you TY, FW, WQ and Kiang.

Nice birthday cake

Nice home made birthday cake from Mohana. She said she had to bake one because I'm like a little child keep asking for it.. Haha..

I must say the taste is better than those we get from cake shop or even secret recipe.

A little incident happened after that. One of my blur sotong colleague threw away Mohana's plastic plate after she ate the cake...

My birthday present

This is the latest Asics Gel Kayano 15. My birthday present from good friends CT, Mohana, Will and CP. It has been a tradition among 4 of us (CT, Mohana and Will) that we will buy present for each other's birthday. CP has joined the club since last year.

It's quite a tough job to decide what to buy after a while. Some time silly decisions were made and ... I guess we'll all have good memories and laugh about what happened many years later.

I'm very thankful for this thoughtful present and I have promised them that this will be the shoes I wear when I across the finishing line of my first marathon.

Thank you my friends:)