New Year Reads!

So how was everyone's new year ?
Mine was spent stitching up a poor man's face who got split open when his mouth snagged on a nail ( or some other metal object - he wasn't sure himself) while falling down two flights of stairs. This was done with the sounds of new year fireworks booming in the distance sebagai muzik iringan..
Another mini episode of kari ngeri.
No worries, he's okay now despite probably being stuck with The Joker's trademark all his life.

Wahh, kemain lagi korang ek, baru sehari dua tahun baru dah ada race report bagai.
I have nothing for now. No plans. Nak boh tentative kat left hand side of the blog untuk 2012 pun takbleh lagi.
Though I am thinking of a race in early March to celebrate my birthday but we'll see how it goes.
Training is just on for now. Training for what, beats me.

I am told by WW that he gave Penonton's address to a friend of ours ( a newbie) to check out for local races. If he's into blog hopping, I'm sure one of these days he'll find himself landing here.
In advance, I'd like to day, " Hi, Nan!" " Hi Jemer jugak!"( wave). Welcome to the club.
Kalu hang tak baca ni sampai bila-bila, hang memang koman.

Anyway, what I'd like to do today is to review a few books.
Two to be exact.
Kenapa?
Ntah.
Saje.

Book No 1: Inspiring, Motivational and A Damn Good Read.
Title: Becoming an Ironman.

Ok, triathlons aren't my forte ( as if running is) but I really LOVE this book. Although, I can't fathom being on the bike for hours on end without getting pressure sores on your manly/womanly areas. I myself can't stand being on a bike for more than 60 measly minutes without feeling nauseous and jiggly. I can't also imagine swimming for 2.4 miles because, well.. easy, because I don't know how to swim. I saw Titanic on TV a few days ago and thought, " Boy, if I were on a sinking ship, I'd be the first poor loser to go straight to the bottom."

Anyway, this is THE book that first triggered the idea for me to race. WW got it on discount in some book sale someplace a few years ago and I read it out of curiosity 3 years ago.
Ok, honestly the last time I read this WAS 3 years ago but seriously, I'm now back on the 1st page to relive the moments.
This book is basically a collection of personal stories about the experience of completing one's first ironman-distance triathlon ( I took this from the book jacket)
But really, in one book you'll get more than 20 stories from different people, some whose names are familiar and some are just ordinary people like you and me ( or only me to be more accurate).
Macam baca race report pun ada. Ada yang terer, ada yang tak. Cerita dari first timer fast finishers,first timer slow finishers, cerita dari wargatua, cerita dari OKU. Heck there are even stories from those who DNF.
Their anecdotes are funny, tear jerking, amusing, motivating dan macam-macam lagi. Baca buku ni cam tengok movie. Serius. Ada satu part tu aku teringat aku ada nangis sket.

And, by the time you reach the end of this book and you're still not motivated to at least go for a run ( at least la), well,  hati keras macam batu ke apa?
Pi la cari. Really worth the read an money.
Pi. Cari.
And I guarantee you it'll be far better than that Murukami book or Once a Runner.

Book no 2 : No Brainer
Title: Girl on The Run

Okay, I'm not much of a chic lit fan. You'll almost never see me in a book store browsing and flipping through novels with cartoon figures of thin girls with titles like, " I Need A Hunky Man Right Now!" or " Shopping Psycho But Still Cute ( And At The Same Time Still Need A Man)"
But the word 'Run' on this book caught my eye somehow ( I'm still a geek) and after reading the synopsis, without thinking much, I tossed it in my shopping cart.
Okay,sure it got all those chic lit cliches like hopelessly successful girl unaware of her attractiveness despite being called 'beautiful' constantly by others or girl in dire need of a handsome man and finally realizes that she's in love with her best mate who is hey, by coincidence is also a handsome man . Ala cam cerita novel Melayu yang tak boleh lari dari watak-watak gelaran Dato/Datin/ Tan Sri. You get the picture.

Tapi on the running side, it's okay. Behind the chic lit facade, the book relates on newbies in running, and first timers in racing.The heroine starts off as a bum, forces herself to train for a race to raise money for a Multiple Sclerosis fund ( this is inspired by her staff who has MS) and succeeded in actually completing a half marathon.
Ada la the author threw in some running technical terms here and there. Which may let you think that she might actually be a runner herself ataupun she had a good kajian. But overall, it's strictly for light reading.
The kind of read that you don't need blood flowing in your brains.

Tapi at some parts, it can trigger off a sensational feeling to run and join a race, girly -girl style.
And for guys, you can read it but try not to snort too much on the chic- lit-ness of this novel. Kalau korang malu nak beli, hadiahla kan kat gfs ke wife ke, pastu buat-buat la pinjam baca.


Ok, itu saje review kali ni kawan-kawan.
Babai.