Denial. Revisited.

So as it was raining and hub wanted to do his 4 miler anyway, I decided to run on the dreadmill instead. To tell you the truth, the poor thing has been neglected these past few weeks, sitting there in the corner, quietly collecting dust and cobwebs(!). I found segala mak nenek on the tread in bits and peices, dried rice ( the dining table is next to it), color pencil stubs ( little boy likes to do his coloring there despite my repeated warnings not to) dan lain lain lagi.

I decided today, I'm bored of doing the usual 5km at such such speed. I'm bored of such monotony, bored of waiting when the run will end. I noticed there were 6 preset programs and I don't remember the last time I tried one of those. So, I chose on of the incline programs for 40 minutes and just followed the routine while little boy busied himself doing homework and little girl sat there nibbling on her snack.. And whaddya know, it was quite allright. I huffed and puffed on the incline especially the maximum 10 but it wasn't as hard as I dreaded it to be.And although it was less than my usual mileage, according to the digital screen, I burned twice more calories. Tapikan, to tell you the truth the thing hasn't been calibrated since we bought it 5 years ago so leh caye ke? heh heh.
But anyway, 40 minutes felt more like 20 so it wasn't that bad. It kinda reminded me that running on the dreadmill is not such torture once you get it over with. So could possibly dreadmill turn to a thrillmill?

Err..I still seriously doubt that. But I shouldn't kutuk2 sangat my dreadmill kan? It was my savior when once I thought running alone outside was imposible. Dulu boleh je buat kan?

Ngengada betul.

On another note, some junior collegues have shown interest in running . One even wanted to run her first marathon in PBIM. Thing is they're all talk and haven't done squat. I've given tips and stories. I've even suggested joining the FMVs. I've even handed one of them a form for a run nearby for 6K.
But when I ask for their progress they give me truckloads of excuses : we couldn't find the right gym, I'm asthmatic, it's raining, too tired from work.
And it's beggining to feel like I'm the only one enthusiastic about it all. Cam poyo je.
So I've stopped asking. Ive stopped hoping.
.
.

Lantak ko le labu

Our town ( Taiping Heritage Run)

It is now 9.30 pm and I'm trying to get this done before my kids' bedtime and before the week starts as I'll be  busy at the office. Hins hins.

Go!

Prerace

1. During race kit collection on Friday, the volunteers took 30 minutes to get my bib as my name wasn't in the list. So at last they came up with a bib with hand written numbers for me. Sedihnya because I registered early and hub had no problem with his. But they were apologetic enough so whatever. 

keshian kat shaye

                                     

•   Hub just got back from his week in the hutan so he was lacking of rest and sleep but insisted on going for this run, barefoot. Told him the least he could do is take it at a slower pace (mine) and be my pacer. 
•  This is my last race before Ramadhan!   
• Did I tell you I loved the goodie bag. By far, this race has got the most goodies in a bag. My brother pointed out that I paid RM30 fees, so I'm supposed to get those things. Thing is, some RM45-RM60 races don't give out anything more than a banana post race.

banyak oo..and we got 2 shirts in the bag. Notice the rubix cube.

  The Race.

• We were supposed to be flagged off at 7.00 am but they made us wait at the Majlis Perbandaran Taiping building. There were so many participants for a small town race and everyone was talking and ignoring the poor uncle on the megaphone. At 7.20 am, when the iron gate opened, naturally everyone started running only to be stopped a few seconds later. Rupanya there was another starting point. Cis, buang karan.
•  So after some VIP stopped blabering to himself, we were gunned off slightly over 7.30 am! The route started at Taman Tasik Taiping. We knew this route like the back of our hands ( eceh) so it was quite okay. I planned to go at 6 minutes/km and anything below 1:30 would be good.
• Tapikan, after two flat races ( SCKLM and Ipoh Run), I couldn't get the hang of this quite hilly route. I was quite struggling on the hills but forced myself to keep up with hubs. Hills suck.
• To get my mind off the fatigue-ness and my palpitating heart ( now what's up with that?), I tried to concentrate on getting past the girl, any girl in front of me. Ini bukan kiasu, ini adalah motivasi. heh heh.
• The motorist here are nice enough, just quietly waiting for us runners to pass without honking or cursing or anything, unlike in Ipoh. The RELA and Police did a superb job.
• What can I say about the route? It's our town, we're familiar with the route, we know what to expect and when. What can I say more? It 's Taiping, it's beautiful. Oh yes, except it's quite hilly.
• When I reached the 10K marker, my watch showed 58 minutes. Woo hoo.
• Hub acted as motivater/pacer/traffic watcher. It was nice running with him again. Except I did wish his elbows didn't bump onto mine that often and he'd stop singing sometimes. 
•  I let him run ahead at his pace on mile 8. At this time , the 15K route merged with the 7K route. Banyak nya budak sekolah lengang kangkung and I had to weave in and out through town.
•  Finally sampai. Got no 27 in my category.

Like I said, anything below 1:30 is good. Backround go green oo

 Bolehlaaaa...

Postrace:
Gambar je la ek? Layann...

Post run meal.  Okla kan? Banana pun dapat.

Post run feet ( hubs punya la) Still clean!

Post Run makan. Walaupun kureng, tapi bedal je laa..

Post run sengeh ( berkelah on the lawn ala omputeh aa)

Post run Mat Kol Mat Kol Kawan Kol

Post Run medal ( presentation ala Vana White)

What on earth?

Okay, can somebody please decode this?

So I was reading a novel, when my  son comes up to me and showed me this.

me: Where did you copy this from?
son: I wrote it by myself.
me: Clever boy. But, seriously, where'd you copy it?
son: I made it up. It's mine.
me: Are you trying to tell me something I don't know?
son: heee heee heee

Okay, I understand the Selena Gomez bit, but this baffles me. I've been trying to make sense of it since Monday.
It's creeping me out

Made it through Ipoh Run! ( despite being hanged)

Okay folks, I have to get this done tonight because this week I'll be swarmed with work. Start now? Point form format?
 Go!

Pre-race

1. Wanted to bertolak from home at 4.30 am but the kids were whimpering in their sleep so I had to make them go to sleep to avoid early morning drama. So bertolak at 5.00 ish instead.
2. Oh, forgot to tell you, hubs couldn't join me in this race due to last minute duty calls, so I had to run solo ( gasp!)
3. Because I was so busy belting out Pixie Lott's Cry Me Out, I missed the Ipoh exit and went into the Simpang Pulai/Kuala Lumpur lane. Crap! So I did what I've seen other naughty motorist did before, I crossed the devider ( and hope to God I don't get stuck in the longkang in the middle). Saved me a good half hour oo.( sila jangan tiru aksi ini)
4. Arrived at Stadium Indera Mulia at 6.08 am , parking still available. Yay!

Race

1. The officials tied our wrist with those plastic pengikat you get on your plastic bags if you shop at Mydin. Tied up betullah ni. Rasa cam PATI pun ada.
2. There was like a sea of school kids and it was impposible to get a familiar face. Sep baik met up with Yim, Pui San and their friends. Takdela rasa sunyi sangat.
3. I started the race without much mood to race actually. Dunno why I felt so crappy. And then the Emcee annouced that the HM runners will start at the same time with 10K. Great. We were supposed to be flagged off at 6.45 am but it was 7.00 am instead. Well, okayla tu. Better that 7.30am which was last year's starting time.
4. As usual, my left leg went stiff as a board the first few miles. Berat betoi! So I started slow but it got better.
5. It's so nice to run on a familiar route. I started my first posting in Ipoh so it was nice to see all the familiar landmarks.
6. Eh, some guys just can't take it if some tudung lady potong them, okay. Must la show kiasu-ness walaupun panting cam orang lelah. Suketi ko la.
7. The route markers and the distance markers are well placed. They even painted it on the road. When I came to 10K mark, I was surprised to realize I PBed. Sub 1 hour some more! ( 59 minutes). Wah! Betulkah? 
8. Oh yes, last time in SCKLM I stopped at all water stations only to realize at the end of the race, I forgot to drink from my water bottle in my pocket all this time. Apoda. This time, I vowed to rely on my water bottle only. Okay what, cut off some minutes. And I didn't even realize they only had 3 water stations! Patutla kat sponging station cam takde air je.
9. When I ran past Jusco Ipoh, I thought " Ohh, dekat je lagi" tapi tak jugak. Then when we went in Kg Simee, I thought , " Ohh..stadium dah dekat ni" tapi tak jugak. When I saw the stadium, I thought, " Ehh..dah sampai" tapi tak jugak. It all seems so near when you're riding in a car before.
10. I'm doing better on hills. Ok, there were no hills but slopes.I'm doing better on slopes. My theory is that now that I'm living in a two story house, all that stair climbing is making my legs stronger. Boleh tergunapakai ke theory tu?
11. I felt okay thought the race, and the weather was awesome. I am blessed with awesome weather through out my races this year ( except Bidor HM)
12.  Finished with a PB! And got nombo 29. Alhamdulillah..

Ok, enough babble. Gambar time. Post Race.

                                                     Jeng jeng jeng..dapat jugak PW Yim . Incik Yim tolong jgn snicker

   With Yim, Pui San and a friend I forgot to get his name. Okay, My Oral Sugeon once commented that I've become tan. I replied , " Ye ke?". This picture comfirms  I'm in denial.
p/s Guys out there, Pui San is real cute in person. 

                                 Yim demonstrates how to finish a race happy. Macam inilah, itu pun tatau ka?

                                                                                        ohh..cenggitu rupanya.

                                                                                      This one is for Nadia

                                                     Post run ice cream! Or as Adik puts it " Mat Kol, Mat Kol, kawan kol"

         Okay, seriously I thought this was a saman from my early morning stunt at the highway. Sep baik it was just some ad for pinjaman apantah.


Ok, abis dah kot. Oh, oh and the medal rocks.

Anticipated Drama

I can safely say, in a new place, my running regime/schedule? has changed greatly.
When I first started running seriously, my weekday runs would involve some serious pounding on the dreadmill. I would run 3-4 times a week on lunch hours,  and believe it or not once I ran 80 minutes non stop on the dreadmill. I guess when you don't have a choice, you just make do with what you have. My outdoor runs are usually weekend LSDs in the kampung.

Now, in a new place, where running outdoors in so easily accessible , I try to run 3-4 times a week around the taman. And my perception on my weekday runs has changed totally. Before, weekday runs are a must as part of my training. Eventhough it's crappy on the dreadmill and boring as hell, I'd still haul myself to pound mile after mile.

Now running in fresh air ( almost fresh),it's like I'm not only running, but I get to go sight seeing and people watch too! And it's so liberating. I can venture this lane and that road and look at all the pretty  houses and make faces at kitties at the side of the road who stare back at me like I'm some crazy lady. I can run freely and smile  at the passing motorists who pretend not to notice me but then steal glances at their side mirrors when they pass by ( they always tend to look away when I do this), I can share jokes with makciks sweeping their front yard, I can exchange greetings with fellow walkers/runners/exercisers along the way, it's all good.
And now, I find myself looking forward to those runs. Seriously.

And it'll be such a bummer on some days when the sun is scorching hot and it's almost impossible to run and not get my skin charred. I'd whine that I would have to pound on the dreadmill that day and hub would say , " Sebelum ni bolehh je"
The only glitch is, my kids aren't used to me running outside. I'd be home after work, sharing some snacks with the kids, and all is well until I put on my running gear. Suddenly, my son gives me a panic stricken look,    " Where are you going?"
I sigh and explain to him that I'll be running outside. " Noooooooo, run insideeeee, on the treadmillllll" he wails and clings to my body. His little sister who was fine before, decides to go into hysterics as well . Hub takes the kids and shoo me away, " Go, run! " he would say. And I'll guiltily walk out the gate, trying not to look back and I could hear my kids screaming " Mamaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" till the end of the lane. The neighbors would smile politely and say something like, " Diorang nak ikut jogging sama la tu"( jogging?!!) but I know in their minds they're tsk tsk tsking away.

 On some good days, I can talk them into accepting my new running routine and thankfully they'll be all quiet, resentful but quiet. But on bad days they put on so much drama, I'll instantaneously feel like I'm a bad mother and that I'm depriving them of attention.
" It's just a 35 minute run, for goodness sake!" hub would exasperatedly claim to me and the kids. " You'll spend the rest of your time with the kids so stop being so melodramatic."

Some non-runners would judge me and think I'm being selfish but cut me some slack please, this is my therapeutic run. Coming home from work, muscles sore and joints stiff, the last thing anyone would think of is running , but that's what I do. I feel more refreshed after the evening run, with all that post work stress drained out from my systems with the sweat. And it's the only time I'm alone for the whole day. Enough time for me to rethink what I've done and ponder on what I'm going to do. It's my time to process the going ons of the day and solve what I have to solve. Once home, I'll be up and about to start with dinner , kemas rumah and other things a mommy is supposed to do.

But the kids are getting better. At least I like to think they're better. If I forewarn them of a run before they go to school, they'll be okay with it afterward. Sometimes.
Except now, they've processed that when I run sometimes I'll feel guilty, so they'll say, " You can go run, mama. But after that we'll be going for ice cream right?"

Right.

***UPDATE : Anyone out there interested in a free Ipoh International Run 21K bib? Category men's open. I'll give you the whole race pack minus the shirt and the kacang. Oh what the hey, I'll throw in the kacang as well.

Chasing dragons with plastic swords.

When people ask why I transferred from my old workplace to my current one, I always say it's because I was promoted.

Okay, that's true. But the real reason is : I was tired of being the leader.I was tired of making the decisions.I was done with making the calls. For 5 years I did that and I needed a break.

I wanted to be a follower. Lead the way and I'll be two steps behind. Tell me what to do, I'm tired of doing the thinking.

In my new office, I got that. I didn't have to think of running the place. I didn't have to manage people so much. I can concentrate on my clinical work. I got that. I had that. For a month.

Now things have taken a new turn. Suddenly I find myself on the spot. Suddenly I'm back at the position I ran away from. The difference is, the organization is bigger. Keluar mulut harimau, masuk mulut buaya.
Padan muka aku.

But that's work for you. Sometimes you just don't have a choice. Not now anyway.
But hey, you can either moan about it or move on.
I've decided to move on.
Go me!

Lagipun I have to stay positive. This weekend I will run in a race where I'll be tied down with a rubber band and then hanged. Adoi!

Pemalas.

So last Saturday ( tu dia, crita dah basi), hub was away for work and I was bored stuck at home so I decided to go out to Perda , Penang with my sister for some possibility of shoe shopping.

I love my Gazelle but you see, my Gazelles are seasoned. All worn  and winded out. Plus, I'm getting a tad bit tired of the colour. I've given up all hope of matching them with my running gear. I'd be running on the streets, and some random guy would point out, " Birunya kasuit!"

I found out most stores don't sell Gazelles anymore. Seems that they're outdated. Whatever. So I surveyed and concluded that the model that's almost similar to Gazelle's perks is the Adidas Adizero. Thing is, I always find myself in bad luck when it comes to finding my perfect pair. I go to one shop, they say they're all out of stock. I go to the other, they say got 30% discount but only men's shoes are available.

So anyway, when I stepped in an Adidas Outlet in Penang, I went straight to the smiling salesboy :

Me: Adidas Adizero ade?
Boy: Adijelo aa? Got got. Got 20% discount some more.
Me: Wah! Good ..good. 
I scanned the stock card and noticed size 6 1/2 are all out.
Me: Alah, my size already finished aa?
Boy : Eh your feet look like size 6 lo. size 6 got what.
Me: Cannot. I already tried. Size 6 muat2 elok je. If I run long distance, my feet will expand, then my toes will go all black one.
By this time, the boy was laughing like it was the most ridiculous thing he has ever heard.
Boy : Can lah, kak. Every shoes cutting different what. You try first la. ( While trying to shove those shoes on my feet). Where got feet can expand? Funny la you.

Suka hati ko la dik oii..

Anyway, I haven't been running much a week after SCKLM. Konon rest week la. But then Monday I didn't run too. Konon demam la ( actually a little bit). Then Tuesday I ran 3 miles. And today initially I planned to do some speedwork, but because I went to work with some sniffles and it was freaking cold at the office that I almost anticipated snow, I had a headache and waved off my run. Tapi boleh pulak pegi pasar malam lepas tu...

Excuses, excuses, excuses.
Excuses, excuses,
Dan excuses lagi.

Quek Mambo.

You know what got to me this week? That kinda struck a nerve?
The fact that I suddenly realize I have a terrible form while running.
I used to imagine myself running heroically, like those elite marathon runners you see on ESPN. Head upright, spine straight, arms moving swiftly from side to side, legs pumping steed like, ab muscles rippling to every sleek movement ( okay, maybe not that one).
When I saw 3 videos, one on Youtube and two from the marathon-photos website, I was mortified. I run like a duck. Yes, people. I waddle. With my arms swinging in a flap like motion. And my legs are humongous. And the grey pants are baggy sebijik cam MC Hammer.
And don't get me started on my finishing photos.

Here are some of my favourite finishing photos of the RBUs. They're all so heroic, stoic and stallionlike ( sorry aa you guys , I hope you don't mind)
I ciloked most from Ijam's blog since he's such a superb photographer-puji sket.

And the one that I like the most




okay, she's not an RBU but I like her pecs.
And here I am:

Pitiful.Just plain pitiful. Macam kanak-kanak Ribena pun ada.
Sigh.