SCKLM 2010

This is my longest run since the last New Balance 15k.

I was suffering from the pain on the same left knee again but this time it's a bit better. The pain only started after 8km or so. I was able to endure it throughout the run with a few run/walk breaks.

I started the journey from home at about 3.45am this morning. The World Cup match between USA and Ghana is ongoing and quite a number my friends are watching (evidence from instant comment on my facebook status update:).

Reached Padang Merbuk slightly after 4.15am. Parked my car, picked up all the stuffs and walked to Dataran Merdeka.

When I reached there the Full Marathon runners already queuing up in front of the starting line. I managed to find CP easily. Had some chat with him and took some photos before the downpour started. It was getting heavier just before the starting time of the full marathon.

After the full marathon runners went away, I walk around Dataran to see what they have. Nothing much really so I decided to take a toilet break before the race start.

I bumped in Andre at the starting line after that. Chatted with him and both of us started the run together.

I was pacing myself and lose sight of Andre shortly after the start.

At about 5km point, I met Lam Sing Kong, chatted for a while then Yoke Kuan appeared beside. I chatted and paced with her until 10km before going ahead on my own when she needed a walk break.

The rest of the run is pretty straight forward and I finally reached Dataran Merderka again at around 2 hours 30 mins after the start.

Not an impressive pace but I'm still very happy to finish the run in one piece :)

My New Balance 15k Pace Chart

This is my New Balance 15k pace chart.

Not doing very well after hitting the hills and when the knee pain set in.

I've been doing minimum running lately to let the knee fully recovered from whatever injury it is having.

Meantime I just signed up for Standard Chartered Half Marathon run. 21k is still a huge challenge for me in my current condition. Will have to kick start the training next Monday to be fully fit for it.

Pacesetters 30k

A good start to the running season this year.

I just finished the Pacesetters New Balance 30k run this morning despite not much of training.

The consequence of course is the suffering at the last 5k.

My finishing time 3h29m. Total distance recorded by the GPS is 30.2km. Average pace of 6m56s per km.

I started with a comfortable pace. Reached 10k in 59m.

The route brought us to the famous (at least for runners) Sri Hartamas Petronas station then return through a loop around Matrade and Government building near Jalan Duta. Reached 15k in 1h31m.

At around 20k, we reached the infamous double hill route. It was a very tough challenge to run up the hill after 20k. Reached 20k in 2h06m.

The route from 20k onwards is very hilly. I decided to walk up the hills to conserve energy. My worry was I couldn't finish if I spent too much energy on those hills. Reached 25k in 2h46m.

The suffering started after the 25k. Both my calves were at the edge of getting cramped and my knees were getting painful. So I started to alternate run-walk until the last km.

Overall the race was well organised with plenty of water-stations.

I decided not to bring any water having faith in Pacesetters' ability to organise a good race:)

Also had the opportunity to meet a fellow runner from KK - must apologise I don't know how to spell his name. I'm sure will meet him again in many future races.

Until the next challenge.. Keep running..

Spies on the run

CP sent this MMS a moment ago.

Oops!! Must really train hard next week...

....
Sent: Jan 9, 2010 12:07 PM
Subject: Spies on the run

Agent 007 & 008 are going to run 30km next sunday...

Goodbye 2009 and Happy New Year 2010

This is my final entry for year 2009.

Just to recount what I have done in the running circuits this year:

1. Completed 1st and 2nd marathon runs but fell short of the sub-5 target. Ya need to try again..

2. Completed 2 half marathons - Bidor and Adidas King of the Road.
3. Completed a 20k race - Great Eastern run.

4. Completed a 15k race, a 12k race and 2 x 10k races.

5. Completed KL Towerthon.

A short list but it has been a tremendous year.

I look forward to 2010 and more friends joining races with me:)

Here it goes again...

Another one..

More on PBIM

I promised to write about the race report in the last entry but couldn't find time until now.

My PBIM trip started at about 12:30pm on Saturday when I head off from KL to Penang driving on my own. CP had travelled with his family a day earlier.

I couldn't join him because I still need to bring the kids to their Kumon class on Saturday morning.
I reached Sunway Hotel at about 4:30pm and went for a quick meal in a old restaurant at the famous New Lane just beside the hotel.

Then I sms to inform CP I'm here. He invited me to join his daughter's birthday party at his in-law's place in Island Glade. I joined them at around 7:30pm for a quick dinner. I must apologise to Ashley for not bringing her a present. I promise to get a bigger one next time:)

After the dinner, I head back to the hotel for a short nap, wake up at 12:00am and head to CP's place again at 12:40am to fetch him to the starting line.

Even though only 600 plus full marathon runners, the venue is surprisingly packed with a lot of people. Some even setup a camp there to save on hotel fee. There are a lot of quarter marathon and half marathon runners. Many of them are students.

The marathon started sharp on time at 2:30am, officiated by Penang Chief Minister YAB Lim Guan Eng. Drums rolling along the starting line to accompany all the runners. The atmosphere was magnificent.

Very different and well organised compared to the recent SCKLM.

I started the race fully charged and was setting quite a good pace, now proven to be too fast. Reached 5km mark at 27m40s.

After the u-turn near Seagate Plant, we headed to the bridge. I was still running at sub-6 mins pace. Reached 10km mark at 57m45s. I will suffer for this pace towards the end 3 hours later.

Running at the bridge was a nice experience. The sea breeze was cooling and I paced myself with someone who looked like a veteran runner from Melaka. We reached 15km mark at 1h31m10s.
I stopped at the banana station and grabbed 2 bananas. Proven to be another wrong decision. My stomach muscles started to get uncomfortable with the load in it.

The 20km mark is after turning back from the toll gate. I reached the mark at 2h05m03s. Just 5 mins above my PB for 20km. Still going strong.

We joined up with the half marathon runners just before the mid point of the bridge and the road is full of people after that until the 30km mark. The atmosphere was party-like with a lot of half marathon runners taking leisure walk at the bridge. I reached the 25km mark at 2h41m19s.

The 30km mark is after the turning to the Jelutong Expressway. I keep looking for the signboard indicating this distance but can't locate it during the run. Based on the GPS, I reached 30km at 3h20m17s. I need to beat this timing in the up coming Pacesetters 30k run.

I saw CP who is on his way back after the final u-turn somewhere between 30km to 35km. He looked tired. I called to give him a cheer.

After a long and suffering run at Jelutong Expressway I finally reached 35km mark at 4h01m41s and then 40km mark at 4h41m22s.

The distance measured by GPS and organiser's marker is completely out of synced after the 30km mark. The organiser placed the 35km marker at 33.9km according to the GPS but placed the 40km marker at about 41km based on the GPS.

Based on the GPS I reached 42.2km at 4h57m38s. In the final official result I did a 5h08m. GPS reading said the distance is 43.8km.

I think GPS is measuring actual travelled distance while the organiser is measuring the course distance.

CP was there as promised when I crossed the finishing line. He had to wait longer than expected because my sub-5 target didn't materialised this time. Nevermind I will try again, maybe sooner than expected:)

After the run I walked around to cool down and did some stretching to avoid any cramps. I went over to the medical tent to get some ice for the calves while CP waits for his wife who is doing the 10k fun run.

3 of us went over to Island Glade for breakfast before I said goodbye to them and head back to the hotel.

A friend who came back from UK called to meet up with him and a few others in G Plaza for a quick lunch before I depart home.

The journey back to home was quite tough since I didn't sleep the whole night and didn't have any rest after the run. I reached home after 6 hours of drive with many stops for rest. It's safer to take a public transport next time.

Signed off from PBIM 2009.