Reflecting on 2009 !

2009 has been a memorable year for my running as I moved from 10K and started working on longer distances. It has definitely been a learning experience at each race as well during my training. I have definitely grown much strong over this year, feels like a fresh breath of life sipped in ! :) It's been great fun as well meeting and expanding a new circle of friends(i.e. Kim, June, Chiat, Apple, etc) from all parts of the world whom are passionate about running !

3 lessons learned in 2009

1) Persistance & Resilience

A core aspect in almost everything that you approach in life. In running it's a key factor to progress for there will be days where things go the opposite direction(i.e. your body, the weather, the "body over mind syndrome", etc) And this is where you need to summon that inner reservoir of will to push forward. Injuries, disappointments will always be part and parcel of any sports, its moving beyond that point that matters.

2) Training Plan and Logging

Having a training plan is one but making sure that you log data into in and keep monitoring mileage as well as progress is equally important. It really serves as crucial information to get back to really find out what works and what does not. Keeping refining it over time.

3) Keep the "Cup" always "Empty"

As I was recently reminded while watching AVATAR, "I cannot teach you if your cup is full - Moat", learning is a continuous process and its always advisable to keep your "Cup" empty so as to facilitate the learning and improvement.

Next the cool races that I have participated this year

2009 Hall of Fame Achievements

1) Teluk Kumbar 6K ( APRIL) - Done (00:32:00)
2) Earth Day Run 10K (APRIL) - Done (00:59:00)
3) Bidor Half Marathon (APRIL) - Done (2:38:00)
4) Labor Day Run (MAY) - Done (00:28:00)
5) Malakoff 26K (JUNE) - Done (03:30:00)
6) KL International Marathon (JUNE) - Done (02:43:41.91)
7) Penang Bridge International Marathon - Half (22nd NOV) - Done (2:58:48)

Running Statistics for 2009

It's been an amazing year for my running, a big thank you to all my friends whom have been supportive throughout 2009, I look forward to your continued support in 2010 ! Here's looking at 2010, another year of outstanding achievements ! Happy New Year 2010 wishes to all runners ! :)

The Adventure Continues ! :))

Season's Greetings !

Dear Running Buddies ! Season's Greeting to everyone :) It's been an amazing year for my running adventures, filled with lots memorable moments. I am grateful for all the support I've got from mentors(i.e. Sifu, Kim), family and friends. It's been a journey of getting stronger and learning's each passing day. Not forgetting meeting new friends both the marathon and triathlon world. Looking for another outstanding 2010 running year and here's wishes all runners best wishes for 2010 in your running endeavors, may there be more memories, more events, PRs not forgetting more fun too, have a blast running into 2010 !

PBIM 2009 : Here We Go !

My most anticipated race of the year and one that I actually diligently prepared the most for. I was in such a frenzy on Saturday in anticipation of the race that I got enough rest. I left in the wee hours of the morning to pick another few runners(i.e. Chiat & Apple) whom were running the race as well. These are seasoned two triathletes whom were participating in the race.

We reached about 1:00am and wandered around and deposited our bags. I was munching on my power bar and sipping on my GU dehydration mix. Somehow or rather I was feeling more dehydrated that I should eventhough I was sufficiently drink throughout Friday and Saturday. So it was weird to say the least.

Our Chief Minister Mr. Lim Guan Eng was gracious enough to be present to let the runners off for all categories, that was indeed a pleasant surprise. So after around 3:00 am, we were all lined up at the starting line. The Half Marathon category seemed to have quite the participation from all ages, it was large group to say the least.

At 3:30 am sharp, we were off, yippee !!! I was running with Chiat and another of his friends. Apple and her running partner were scheduled to start 15 minutes later. We started turning into the bridge when I started feeling a sharp pain on my Achilles on my left leg, this persisted all the way. At the 19mile, the pain was too overwhelming and I had to resort to walking/running for the last 3 miles :(.

My fueling strategy did not quite work up to my expectations as I did not stop at any water station and relied solely at my water bottles. Something not right somewhere, need to revisit this. When I reached the finish line, its was nice to see Chiat and Apple cheering me on to finish strong. I crossed the mat and heard the beep beep but at the same time my heart sank.

I was really disappointed with the outcome as I put a lot of time into my training. One part of part of me was sad but another part was searching to look at what went wrong and see how the next time could be a different experience altogether. Nevertheless it was a fun experience being able to run along side other friends and enjoying the true spirit of the marathon !

My Results : 2:58:48 (Champion Chip Net Time)

Half Marathon Video by http://runwitme.blogspot.com

Well its back to the drawing board to carve the next the big plan for 2010 , till then the adventure continues ! :)

Nike+ Enhancements, Love it !

The new Nike+ Enhancement looks great ! :) , caught me by surprised when I uploaded my training data to Nike+, smooth interface, more granular look into your runs. Still some quirks though (i.e. Twitter integration issues) but it time is should be fixed. A much welcomed change and improvement to the Nike+ site. Looking forward to more enhancements

USM-Bukit 5 Miler Route

Rest Days by Bart Yasso

Run Fast, Run Strong by Bart Yasso