The Showroom: March 2012

Once upon a guy, a fat ass was one out of 3 unfit students who have been chosen for the sport school entry qualifying. The first test is a 800m sprint time trial, which the fat ass who never ran in his life did miserably. He had to walk the last 400m to the finishing line, other participants seems to be elite athlete which has completed the 800m long ago grew to become impatient.

After that the fat ass has been labelled as a person who cannot run. Well after 13 years, the fat ass appeared to have taken wrong medication and started running again. Obvious I am referring the fat ass as myself.

Penang Bridge International Marathon 2011 - my 2nd 10k run

As of last year I have did this.

Putrajaya Night Race 10k
Penang Internation Marathon 10k
Nike We Run KL 10K
adiNation Trail Run 7.68K

As of this year I have bigger ambition that I wanna do more and try more new things. Eventually as of today, I have done

Multipurpose Insurance Run 12K
UTAR Torch Run
1 Vision Run 10K
Brooks Half Marathon 21K

The Brooks would be my first turning point as a attempted longer distance, and still able to do a similar pace as I did my MPIB run.

As of this year I have plan ahead to achieve many suffer-thlon which includes

Yam Tuan Antah Challenge Trail - Done as of February 2012
Kenyir Triathlon in coming weekend
Kapas Marang Swimathon in April 2012
Tioman Eco Challenge in May 2012
KL Tower Towerthlon in May 2012
KL-Marathon in June 2012

This is what that get me started on Triathlon - PD Tri Clinic

Friends have been questioning why am I doing so much in so little time, I guess no one can answer that even me myself. Something must be wrong but I am happy the way I am now.

Running Kakis which have gave me so many tips on how to run - LYN runners - Run Inspired

Running? What the fuck is this? I never liked running from young, in fact hated it and have been avoiding it all the time at all cost. Troubled by asthma from young, my running have always been teased. Worse when the side effect of asthma medication would make you goes extremely lean or big. Falling on the later category makes running even harder.

How did I start running then? Long long time ago, which is not really long like 3 years back where I passed by New Balance retailer and grabbed a running shoe, MR1043, a top end model shoe during that time. Dedicated to shred of more body weight I thought running would be the perfect sport as it's one of the most intensive cardio activities easily available. As expected, the first run turn out to be miserable, I barely manage to run for the first 200m in my house's 800m loop, have to walk the 600m back. Over the month I slowly improve that I am able to walk-run for the entire 800m loops up to 3 or 4 loops. After that no more sign of improvement.

It started again in 2011 May or June where bunch of my colleagues ask me to sign up for Putrajaya Night Marathon. Seeing how everyone is anticipating it, I dive into it too but on the same day where i have made my race registration confirmation, I have regretted it. I rushed back from work to home that day and try to run a 5k and see what I can do. It took me around 40 minutes for the first 4.8k (800m loops x 6) and I would miss out the 80 minutes cut off for sure. Things doesn't improve from here as my MR1043 is actually slightly too big for my feet causing many chaffing on my feet base. I did 82 minutes for my first 10k race in my life, missing the cut off by 2 minutes but the organiser are generous enough that they actually gave medals and finishing certificate to every single runners who completed the event.

PNM 2011 is where I really started running, the same night I completed my first 10k, I bought a new running shoe - Brooks Glycerin 9. I race again in Penang Bridge International Marathon 2011 for 10k and the new shoe strangely have prompt me to do heel strike for the entire run. I improved by 12 minutes margin compared to PNM 2011 10k race and have been very happy with it. When I got back to hotel, I realised that my knee and Achilles tendon is ruined. During Nike We run KL 10k which falls on the following week of PBIM, I couldn't really run well and only managed to clock a 71 minutes course time which is one minute behind my PBIM 10k race.

After that I have join a few more races such as the Multipurpose Insurance Run 2012, UTAR Torch Run (it's walking not run..), Yam Tuan Climbathon 2012 (if that counts), and 1 Vision Run 2012.

The big day came where I have to pop my cherries on Half Marathon distance. Did once 20k LSD in February definitely boosted my confidence to complete the race. But things can go really wrong even you are fully prepared, also hearing stories that how bad is the inclination of the entire race course, also organising committees saying that this will be a over distance event because of detour from Traffic Police advice. I have made the worst possible assumption that I might have to complete my first Half Marathon in 4 hours - A really generous cut off time the organiser have gave us.

Reality turns out the hills is not as bad as double hill, just that mentally sucks when you know that you are suppose to end here for Half Marathon Distance of 21.1km but instead you have to run extra 600m into the stadium. I completed my Half Marathon as my planned pace, almost 7 mins KM pace which I am quite glad about. Thank god again no cramp no incidents, injuries would be the runners worst possible nightmares

So why am I doing things like this lately? I am actually doing things which people said I could not do. People used to say you cant sing, you can run, you cant this and that. Stand up and prove it to them that you can, give it a big slap on their face and I believe will power alone can drive so many dreams into realities.