Takde keje

For the first time in months..MONTHS, I'm not busy today.
I gape around my table, trying to find things to do ( other than my appointments) but I can't find any.
My to do list items are all scratched. And I'm writing this from the office. Gasp!

My LSD last Sunday went okay. ( tu dia, cerita basi lagi). Went running with hub as I can't fathom running alone at 4 in the morning. Yep, we ran at 4 am to beat the heat. It's so freaking humid nowadays that running at 8 am would be unheard of ( to me la). And it's funny when I found out it rained everywhere else in Malaysia that morning except Taiping. Imagine that! Boleh masuk X-Files ni.

And after our LSD, I was craving for a waffle at some fast food joint. So we ordered one with a root beer float. So the cashier person punched the order immediately without asking much.


Hub: Make that a one scoop ice cream float.
Cashier person: But I already punched the two scoop one.
Hub: We didn't say we wanted the two scoop order.
Cashier person: Well, I already punched it in. I can't undo it.
Hub: Why?
Cashier person: Because it's been punched in. I can't unpunch it out ( talks as if that's the most ridiculous suggestion in the world)

Huh?
I guess a normal sucker would shrug and be okay with that, you know to avoid confrontation. But we called for the manager instead.
And he changed the order in 2 seconds.
Ha, boleh pun.

Argh. Weird kan? Benda senang nak disusahkan.

Ok. Abis cerita. Let's enjoy the takde keje mode for today. Because this won't last forever ie tommorow busy mode is more likely to be back on.
Tata.

Rave Run

I've posted about my old running route, last year I think. We still run there, when we balik kampung some weekends. But now we prefer our new route near our residence.
Yes, of course we have to run in loops to complete the mileage but we like the familiarity of it. Besides, people there are getting used to two crazies running round and round the neighborhood And we noticed that there are more and more people (as in two or three)around the taman are taking up running occasionally. Ke kami yang perasan? Hehe,
Oh well. Some running is better than no running at all.

Last Saturday morning, I went for my LSD and got a few pictures. Please be reminded that I suck at photography.

It's 6.45 am and it's not even dark. I love the hills.

This, I call the Orang Kaya Road because most houses here are huge. See? Hardly any cars on a Saturday.

This road gives me 1.5 miles. It got inclines, downhills and a mini bridge. But it's kinda creepy sometimes because there's a couple of abandoned houses and there's this tree with bras hanging from one of its branches and that really freaked me out but now the bras are gone ( I guess the Majlis Bandaran people took care of it)

I love this road. It goes downhill and I always feel like I'm flying here for a couple of seconds. It leads to a mosque and the abandoned airport - my turning point. Okay, I deliberately took pics without passing cars because people tend to honk naughtily and pose if I aim my camera to their cars. Bengong.

On the 1.5 mile road again. It's now 8.30 am but scorching hot like it's noon. And naturally, for the 11,000th time, I forgot to wear my sunscreen. Sigh. 

Hub took this pic. He surprised me waiting by the side of the road with the kids handing me a cold 100 plus on my last 4 miles. 100 plus never tasted better. Here's the mosque/turning point.

I experimented running on this abandoned air field. It's really huge.A few years ago, some mat salleh made a crash landing here and died with his legs torn apart ( gory!). But the ATM and Fire Dept people uses this air field 2-3 times a year to practice parachuting. It's really cool to see raining men. And at that time of the year, it's like a freaking air show here.

The trail route on the abandoned air field. On most days, people use this field to play kite, exercise, play remote control planes or just go walk and lay down in the middle of the field for nothing. See, somebody is sending me a smoke signal beyond the hills.

That's it. My LSD done before our carbo loading session at a family gathering for the rest of the weekend afterwards. Precious.

So there you have it, part of my running route. Not exactly scenic scenic but not an eyesore either. To me it's an A. But doesn't receive an A plus because people here don't refrain themselves from open burning and it sucks inhaling black smoke while you run

On another note, I read in the latest issue of RW that Deena Castor's definition of hitting the wall is 7 minute/ mile. That's the wall for you??
All I can say is : Otak hang aih. Aku kena kejaq anjing pun belum tentu dapat 7 minute/mile. Puiii..

terms and conditions apply

I have come to terms that at times like these , when we have to take turns taking care of the kids, I have to run alone. Even if it's 12 miles or 14 miles or 16 miles.

I have come to terms that, although I know there are some people cheering for me, more people are making fun of what I do, plodding almost everyday in the scorching sun.

I have come to terms that, some mothers are looking down upon me, saying that I don't spend enough time with my kids, even if my weekday runs seldom exceed 1 hour. I think it is better that I do this, rather than let my brood off out in the neighborhood, being mini mat rempits and only come home when " they feel hungry' while I'm watching La Usurpadora or whatever crap soap opera that's the in thing right now.

I have come to terms that the sun, the heat and the rain aren't barriers but rather the natural elements of my runs. If people tease, " How the heck are you going to run in a weather like this?", I'll reply, " Just put one foot in front of the other. Rinse and repeat."

I have come to terms that, teenagers will laugh as I run by but then, teenagers will laugh at anything. They will probably laugh at a blade of grass. For nothing.

I have come to terms that sometimes, due to unforeseen circumstances, I have to tweak my running routine. Like today, the office meeting ended late and my parents announced that they are coming over so automatically I have to cancel tomorrow as my rest day, fasting or not.

I have come to terms that, there will always be somebody faster than me, even though they seem like they're slacking off. I'm okay with that. I'm running for me.

I have come to terms that, in races, people will always want to take over me because apparently , it's too embarrassing to lose to a tudung lady. It's okay, I'll take that as a compliment somehow.

I have come to terms that, even though my heart wants to race so bad, and postings of races here and there are tempting, I have to back off to concentrate on my mileage buildup. Ye, saya memang nerd.

I have come to terms that, on most days, I'll be so busy with work, family and my runs that I'll take 2-3 days to get this thing written and finally post it.

So there you have it. Amidst all the race reports, here's my breather entry. heh heh.

One Long Entry

The finishing line was just 100 metres ahead. I could see Hubs waiting for me at our car parked by the roadside. I thought I caught a glimpse of his brother Din, sitting on a metal bar behind the car, wearing his gray post run shirt grinning. Hubs  joined me in my last attempt of a sprint, encouraging me to push a little more.
I crossed the line happy.
Then I said, " Where's Din?"

Where was Din?
I told Hubs that I thought I saw him towards the end. Nope, Hubs was doubtful. How could he change in his post run attire when the car keys was with me all along.
So we waited.
Maybe he was so fast, he got a bad case of runner's high and forgot that he was supposed to meet us at the car.
But he's a sensible guy, he won't do that.
And we waited.
maybe he got cramps and decided to walk the whole way.
And we waited.
But even after the oldest uncles, veteran of veterans came shuffling by, even after they took down the Start/ Finish banner, even after they stopped giving away medals, we couldn't find Din.

We went to the officials.
Excuse me, I can't seem to find my brother.
I suddenly realized my voice was one octave too high.
My mind suddenly flashed to that poor boy missing during last year's run in Shah Alam.
Our brother is missing.

Oh, yes. Him. He was sent to the hospital.
What? Why? When?
He was running. They sent him on an ambulance. He's not warded or anything. Just an outpatient, I think. He's there at the hospital.
And then they talked to each other about something else.

We ran to the hospital. It was that close. Not even a kilometer away. The race was over but there we were still running. We went to the A&E.
Is our brother here?
Yup. He ran a marathon, and then there was an accident. He was jogging.
What? Who ran over him ? Is he hurt?
Ah, wait ah. I'll go check.He's in the Yellow Zone.
We looked around the ER. Every room was yellow.

Dr Geetha attended us. After I identified myself as a Dr. She produced all the medical jargon mumbo jumbo about syncope, ST levels, ECG, arrhythmias,dopamine,MIs while I was trying to remember all this from my 3rd year Medical class in Dental School.
Anyway, his BP level was really low but now it's getting better. I'm doing some tests to rule out MI since he's a young, fit fellow. I suggest a full cardiac assessment after he's a bit better. 
We took up everything in exclamation marks.

A hour later, we were called in again. Din hollered out to us, grinning as always.
What happened?
I blacked out. Then, I'm on the ambulance, then I'm in the ER. It's like in TV. The whole fuss is real. I got wires all around me. And they won't let me take pictures.
I ran hard, they didn't have markers. I thought every bend was the last bend. Then I saw a minah salleh with a stroller running past me. Then a few minutes after that, all I saw was black.

But he was okay after that. We even got him discharged. It was a case of dehydration and overexertion. He ran a 10K PR of 45 minutes back in UK a few months back and planned to repeat the feat here. Without proper training. Especially in this weather.

The things that baffled us were :

1. The organizers didn't provide medical assistance along the way. No St John or PBSM. Thank God, Din fainted near a hospital. In the middle of a race. In front of policemen. What if he was unlucky like the boy in Shah Alam. Who was dehydrated post race , and in his disorientated state, wandered to a secluded spot and fainted and nobody found him and he died.
2. They didn't accompany him to the hospital. They left him with the hospital staff. They didn't make any announcement. 
3. No water station along the way. Yes, it was an RM10 race but not all runners are capable of going the whole 10K without water. 

And the take home note from this would probably be :

1. Organizers need more organizing. Please, please be more careful in future races.
2. You can't cheat  running. You need proper training. Don't ever jump head first. Even if we feel we can. Latihan is letihan but the letihan makes it work.

Din, I know you're reading this. Like I said, it's not the end. Do more cardio. Do more on road training runs. Get that cardiac assessment done once you're back home. Just in case.

You'll do fine.
One day, we'll race again. And you'll be so fast, you'll get your runner's high and forget about meeting us by the car. But just for a moment.
Because after that I'll see you, waiting for us, grinning as always.

Tanjung 10K - The Huh? race.

After 2 months of not racing, this was our first race post ramadhan and raya and our last before PBIM. Just a simple 10K.
Or so I thought.

• Race kit collection was such a breeze. I love small races.
• It was also our first race with my brother in law, Din. And his first race in Malaysia. Previously he used to participate in races in UK.
• Din innocently asked whether they'd have water stations and I replied ," It's a 10K race, they'd probably have two." Boy, was I wrong. They had none.
• And no St John's either, because I could see none, and because none attended to Din when he collapsed ( But that's another entry, I promise),He collapsed just in front of Penang's General Hospital, Thank God.
• I ran, noticing the same people in races in the Nothern States. There was ' Uncle tak pakai baju', 'BM Leopard Runner who had cramps in Taiping Run', our friend Bakri, and a few dozen familiar faces we've seen more than once.
• Hubs zoomed ahead for a PB. I thought I zoomed too, but I guess I didn't zoom enough.
• Overall course was in Penang City itself, us weaving in and out from this road to that,inhaling carbon monoxide along the way from passing cars who don't give a f about us runners. But we had a long incline of almost 1 mile, which slowed most of us down.
• Slowed most of us down except this one lady mat salleh runner running with a baby stroller who whizzed past the rest of us up the hill and made us feel like burying our heads in the dirt.
• Ontahlah, rasa cam winded sket in this race. Probably due to lack of training outside ( just started two weeks ago) and lack of racing? Or maybe because I wasn't wearing my gray pants? Nununununu ( lagu twilight zone)
• So I achieved PB in an official 10K race. 61 minutes. It was actually 10.2 K

• But I've recorded better 10K time in a 15K race and a half marathon. But who cares. A PB is a PB is a PB. Bukannya menang pon. Kuang kuang.
• Hubs got his PB : 49 minutes. Here's a proof running slowly everyday helps.
• Din got his first experience in the ER but like I said, I'll save that for later and let him rest.
• When I got home, my daughter played with my medal and somehow 'lost' the darn thing. I'm still searching for it in the TV room.
•  Haish, ni mula la doubt berbunga-bunga untuk timing marathon PBIM nih.
• Pastu, kenapa bullet ni lari ke tengah pulak dah.

Isk.

 Exhibit A : Di depan Kolej Pergigian Penang. My legs look freakishly kurus like alien one and pose like Ultraman taro. Spelled p.o.y.o.

Exhibit B : Err..none sebab camera kaput lepas tu. 

Sekianlah.

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