Re-conditioning Weeks

Yeay! By the time I'm writing this, I've managed to complete a couple of runs without feeling anymore niggles on my left foot except for of course, it still feel like I need oxygen supports whenever I push the pace a little bit during mid-run. But syukur Alhamdulillah, up till yesterday's evening, I'm now quite comfortably back working within the 5:40 to 5:50 pace though I do need a few more tempo runs before I could run consistently and 'easily' in these pace especially for 5k to 10k runs. But all in all, I'm quite happy to be back on the road and pushing myself again with all of that hard-work and efforts.

To be in this week means that I only got 2 weeks left before the Malakoff run (12k). So, the plan is to continue with the running plans within these last 2 weeks before flying back to KL for the run and most importantly, to meet my two 'girlfriends' in Besut, Terengganu (Lambatnya lagii!!..haih!)..Really can't wait especially after my lil girl did this:

Aisyah, Aisyah..boleh pulak tersengih dalam tido..haha..so comel!

So, before I sambung my shift for the night (oopss..kantoi updating the blog during working hours..hehe), as usual, the summary of my work-out for the previous weeks:

Previous weeks (27/11 - 3/12) Summary

27/11 - Larian kembali ke jalanan di Bintulu..completed the run with 3.71k of running, 10mins walk and ended with a slow jog for about 10min or so
28/11 - Larian kedua within 13hours after the first run on the 27/11 to assess the fitness. Hit the wall at around 40mins or so..continued walking for 4mins and then continue pushing for another 8mins. Completed 7.9km
30/11 - A short run before off to work. Completed 4.63km
1/12 -  The furthest after 1 week of running (post injury). Slowly getting back the fitness. Completed 10km
3/12 - It was a 'kukus, grill, panggang and kukus terus' kinda run...stopped twice at 7k and 10k for hydration..then couldn't muster anymore energy at 11k split..from there on, I walked all the way to home - jalan2 makan angin. Total mileage done - 14.58km
4/12 - Tristupe tempo run.7min w/up (~6:30), 10mins (~6:00), 10mins (~5.40), 7mins cooling down (~7ish). Total mileage done - 5.24km. The best work-out so far.

More to come in these coming weeks..

Alrite, now back to work peeps..hehe

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Resting Anxiously

Akhirnya, dah sampai ke minggu terakhir before Putrajaya Night Marathon (PNM). Nothing much yang happen for the last 2 weeks except for myself yang dah start terasa restless and also excited sebab tinggal few days jer lagi untuk meng'official'kan diri masuk geng2 half marathon (haha...sememangnya seorang yang noob). Race kits collection for the race dah pun start since 13th - 14th last weekend tapi ana chose untuk amik this coming 19th Oct from Putrajaya sebab lagi dekat dengan rumah parent kat Kajang nih.

Dengar2 from one of my colleague yang dah collect the kit earlier, this year Brooks is one of the major sponsor. Hmm.. ana OKkan jer sebab selama nih memang tak pernah pun pakai this brand punya apparels/shoes selain daripada just dengar and read thru the brand's ads dalam all running magazines. Boleh kata famous jugaklah this brand to the Europeans/Westerners together dengan New Balance, Skechers, Saucony and also the other not so familiar brands to our Malaysian ears except for those yang dah lama menceburi bidang larian/endurance nih (endurance master can correct me if I'm wrong on this..hehe).

Anyway, untuk last week running journal, ana dah nukilkan (chewah!) dalam summary kat bawah nih:

Previous week (8 - 14/10) Summary

8/10 - Morning long run of 17.47km in 2hr 2min. Couldn't push further sebab dah abis bateri and weather pun makin panas (almost 9am)
11/10 - Larian bergumbira : 3.67km in 21mins
13/10 - A quick 5k run dekat Stadium Kajang in the afternoon (32mins)
15/10 - Another run dekat Stadium Kajang tapi with a longer distance. 10k in 1hr 2mins

Hmm...so total mileage = 36k..(Harap2 cukuplah ketahanan fizikal ini nak meng'endure' sejauh 21km hari Sabtu nih...insyaAllah).

Owh, before nak menghabiskan entry ni, semalam ana ada sambar satu Nike running specific tights dekat Alamanda. Quite surprise jugak sebab terjumpa this running specific fir sebab selama ni pusing2/visit mana2 Nike store mesti jumpa yang Nike Combat tuh jer. Anyway, boleh tengok kat pics below. Price dia boleh kata slightly cheaper than the common compression tights macam 2Xu or CWX lah. ;-)

 Nike Running Specific Fit

Siap ada zipper di kaki..hehe

Wokeh...insyaAllah akan bersambung lagi selepas PNM weekend nih..wish me luck!!

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The Racing Debuts (Special Beginners RW) - Part 1

Kindred spirits

Paul Home, 42, Comedy Store Manager, Manchester
First Race - The Swinton Royal Children's Half, Salford, September 2008

" The biggest surprise was that despite arriving alone, running alone and leaving alone, I was suddenly with hundred of strangers, which was surreal. Up to that point, my running had been so isolated - you forget that there are hundreds of other runners turning up on grey Sunday mornings with their own reasons for being there. I barely spoke two words to any of them, but for those 13.1miles we were kindred spirits. Catching someone's eye on the start line, a nod of the head spoke a thousand words. It was incredibly moving - I'd never experienced anything like that before. I came 164th but I felt like a winner and was totally overwhelmed by all the friendliness and camaraderie. I realize now it isn't just about the race, the distance and the time -  it is also about the race day: the community spirit, the brief friendships made, the nervous anticipation on the start line and the elation at the end. There is no social ranking on a start line, you are simply runner. I haven't looked back since."

The rush

Claire Zakiewicz, 33, artist and DJ, London
First Race - Water of Life Half Marathon, Marlow, March 2011

" The endorphin rush of finishing was just amazing. I honestly can't think of anything else in my life so far I can compare it to. Each race since then has been more satisfying the the last. I'm hooked! "

Finishing is just the beginning

Candice Brown Brathwaite, 23, writer, London.
First race - Bupa 10k, London, May 2011

"  My father died suddenly in November 2009. Two weeks later a family member was diagnosed with HIV. By the spring of 2010 I'd lost a baby. I was emotionally at my wits' end. Running become my support system. My greatest fear was not finishing. On the morning of the race I felt sick with nerves, but as soon as I approached London Bridge and saw the mass people, my fears melted away. Crossing the start line was the best feeling ever. By 5k my shins were on fire and I wanted to give up, but then I looked down at my trainers and saw my dad's initials, which pushed me through. When I saw the finish line approaching a burst of energy came from nowhere. I went for it. Tears were streaming down my face. Since then I've completed seven races, including a half marathon. This year I'm doing three marathons and I've set myself the challenge of running a half marathon on every continent to raise money for HIV/Aids. Running has also given positive feelings about my body. I used to hate my thunder thighs, now I love them..they get me up hills!"

These are some of the stories I read from the Runners World Olympic special edition which inspire me to continue doing what I am now, week in week out without any regrets and continue to commit to it, with passion and pride..

Ladies and gents, call me crazy but since that first race on the 16/9, I'm loving it now and forever may it will be..

to be continued..

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September Telah Tiba!

Alhamdulillah syukur nikmat. Habis sudah satu minggu di bulan September nih dan semakin hampir jugaklah larian pertama ana dan adik ana untuk tahun ini: Oren Sport Klang Run on the 16th September bersamaan dengan Hari Malaysia sedunia.

Minggu lepas2, ada banyak jugak plan training yang dah dicompletekan. Ada antaranya di Bintulu dan ada juga yang terlaksana di KL sebab kebetulan attend workshop kat KL Convec.

So untuk entri kali ni, ana akan just summarisekan the whole activities yang dah dicompletekan dalam minggu lepas bermula sejak 31 Ogos yang lalu.

31 Ogos 2012

Speed work sejauh 4.85km + indoor core strength workout (Plank, bodyweight squat + dumbells and single leg squat - Yang nih memang terbaik! Dapat completekan satu set jer sebab bila masuk 2nd attempt, dua-dua kaki dah start trembling. Habis jer the whole session, badan dah abis lencun tapi the whole body felt really refreshed.

Timing: 28mins (run) + (+/-) 30mins (core workout)

3 September 2012

Full run di KLCC Park pada waktu petang dan ditemani oleh beberapa orang runner yang sudah tersedia berlari-lari anak atas track larian. Alhamdulillah, hasil konsenstrasi yang jitu (poyo!) dan endurance yang hampir2 malap, ana succesfully managed untuk completekan the whole run dalam masa 1hr 40mins 35s. And guess what, the magic number untuk the distance yang dah tercomplete,,it was 15.42km! So, sangat2lah bersyukur...

5 September 2012

Haha...this run adalah antara yang paling best setakat nih sebab track kat KLCC park tuh crowded dengan manusia. Dah macam cukup sifatlah untuk running event senang citer i.e. ader group of elite runners (this one confirm lah ana tak masuk), a bunch of group berlari happy2, pakcik makcik breeze walking, pacing group and macam-macam lagi lah. Oh terlupa...siap ada one fitness challenge group yang sangat gigih at one side of the park. But for me, the day taught me of how fun it was to run with the others..tak kisahlah, buddy2 kiter ke or even orang yang kita tak kenal because the motivation is different if compared to me running alone (especially running at Bintulu!)...takder geng ma!!...tapi apa-apa pun, ana berjaya completekan larian ana sejauh 10.4k dalam masa 1hr 7mins..siap ada race and pacing dengan satu mamat indian for about 2 laps...terbaiklah!

7 September 2012

Larian yang sangat relaks tapi menguji ketahanan endurance (at least for me lah). Tapi since masa tak mengizinkan sangat sebab dah dekat masuk maghrib, so ana shortenkan the distance tapi increasekan pace larian dia sikit. Alhamdulillah..dapatlah completekan larian sejauh 2.2miles atau 3.54km dalam masa 21min 28s. Biasa timing dalam 23 - 24mins.

8 September 2012

Hajat di hati nak push distance sampai 18k..sekali dh sampai split 10k, body dah start rasa letih and kurang bermaya. Dalam hati kata..ni mesti sebab half an hour before lari tadi just minum air kosong 2 gelas and buah kurma 3 biji. Ingatkan ke boleh last long...sekali ana dapat push untuk sampai ke 12k jer..tapi apa-apa pun, Alhamdulillah sebab by the time dah complete tuh, body rasa ringan sangat. Rasa macam baru lepas wat sesi 'mendetoxkan' diri..haha..

Timing: 1hr 14mins 10s

So, this week punya highlight ada tertera di bawah hasil rekod running buddy ana - Nike+ Sportwatch GPS.

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Respect lah Bro!

Last Saturday night was a fun occasion for me and my brother since this is the first time we ran together after many years (haha...so sweet~)...Since I'm the one who to be blamed for persuading him to join the 5.5k category in the next Klang Oren Sports run, we ended up running side by side (albeit at a very relax pace) that night after the prayer in Masjid Besi, Putrajaya.

My bro - Achik -

Initially, I only wanted to push him to run 5k distance with a faster pace but after halfway running, he gave me those 'police traffic hand sign' to push further until more than 6k in distance. So, in the end, we ran a 6.4k with a slight 'kick', just 300m before the finishing line . Not bad at all big brother..haha!

TBH, I was quite impressed with his progress since he only started running 'seriously' only for the last two weeks and already reached that 7k barrier..Respect la weh!....My hope is only for him to continue running until he reaches the 10k distance or more and along the way, loses his weight as well..:P..

 Of course lah the - Hero - 

In Summary

Distance: 6.4km
Route: Dataran Putrajaya - PICC Junction - Masjid Putra Roundabout
Timing: 49mins
Weather: Cooling night
Pace:12.04

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