Bareno Run 2011

The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."
-John Bingham, running speaker and writer

And, yes that's how exactly what I tell myself before each race that I crazily registered for. It's not about coming out tops. At my age, where each surge of physical activities will cause at least a week constant soreness, coming out tops is the least of my concern.

I registered for the Bareno Run as far back as last year .having regular emails sent reminding you of upcoming runs helped. So I registered for the 10km right after I completed the 12km Malakoff  in November. I thought better to register when I'm still hot on the heels from Malakoff and when I have not had the chance to ask around about the route. So register I did, not just for Bareno but also for The Energizer Night Race in April. Crazy old woman!

And on top of my own registration I also registered for hubs. Y'know, I started running on and off for more than a year and all that time I was mostly running on my own or with friends. I have never actually tried convincing hubs to start running, coz he said he always preferred the gym anyway..and with these sort of things and with men especially, I've lived long enough to know that   forcing things on people just don't work. 

But i guess the new year is a good excuse for him to start trying to run..So he started off with the C25K program which I recommended and which I started with. But he's so canggih cos he can download the apps on the iphone. I remember having to sort of memorize the program when I did it. So a few months of running actually would prepare him for his first 5K. That's about 2 months of training for him.  I would strongly urge people who wants to start running to try the program. 
Hubs completed his 5km faster than his normal timing. Thanks to the adrenaline rush , I think!

Last Sunday, I was glad that I wasn't waking up alone at 5am, to get to Bukit Jalil. By 6.20am, we were there amongst the thousands of runners in green and reds. And at 6.30am, the 10km runners were "gunned off". Hubs and a few of my friends who are also running the 5clicks started a lil bit later.


So there I was following a guy that was running at more or less the same pace as I was, albeit more steadily..I always find it easier to run with an unofficial pacer that way..I was kind of glad I didn't check out the routes before the race coz if I had known about the hills before the run,  I would feel dejected about running. But the hills were sure tough! 

Post-run pix is a must!

But the feeling I get after finishing the race was something that I wouldn't trade for anything...even if it's dark chocolates! And I love those!