Brooks Half Marathon 2013
So yeah, after a series of injuries..that somehow all happened post Raya two years in a row on the same side of the foot (right side) I am back running.
Taking a break every year, for 4 months each, have proven to be a bane for my run time, which was not that great to start with. Had to forego 3 earlier runs, The Adidas King of The Road in September which Fairy ran for (she wrote about this here and here) the Nike Run in November and the MPIB Run in January. Darn! That' s a lot of money!
I wouldn't say that I have fully recovered but I feel less sore with each weekly run that I did. So there was the Brooks Half Marathon 2 weeks ago. A come back run of sorts, which has proven to be a slow, heavy one. To start with, the running vest was ORANGE!!? What gives? This colour is after me!
The starting line was very narrow, what with almost 12,000 runners, I was told. So at gun off, we had to let the faster runners start, followed by the rest of us mere mortals. Some runners ended up, stepping on the shrubs near the starting line...poor shrubies..
The first 2 km of the race, we were running under the elevated highway which means, ventilation was bad, the air was dry, well..there were no breeze whatsoever and it was HOT..not in a good way. I welcomed the left turning into the main road but later dreaded the dark alleys of the housing areas. Truthfully, I didn't know which part of Bukit Jalil I was running at. Kept telling myself, chanting "keep going..keep going..keep going".
The right foot was a tad uncomfortable but bearable. At one point, I cursed myself..."why oh why..did you sign up for a halfie??" Itchy! I thought about throwing the towel at 10k, dreading the next 11..but I guess pride got over it. Water stations were a plenty, which helped but getting isotonics instead of flat water would be great. I brought along a GU Espresso Energy Gel which helped with that surge of much needed energy after KM8.
At KM 12, I was taking a walking break when a chinese guy said hi and showed the thumb up sign. He said "let's run together". I was ready to walk the remaining 9clicks but I never say no to a chance to pace and be paced...so we ran along side for about 3km. He said he's from Ipoh and this was his first official race. I say that took courage! I only attempted my first 21 after about a year plus into running. After that we got separated, well actually I wanted to walk hehe..so yeah off he went, while I continued on the descent of Bukit Jalil, slowly but surely. I noticed a lot of runners have started to walk. This route, was as challenging as I remember it, nevertheless one of my faves.
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I ran the last 6km real easy. I signed up for the race,as a come-back race, just to be sure that it's doable and my foot is alright. Timing has never been my concern right from day one of starting running. The finishing line actually appeared before I expected it. I guess because last year we ended the race in the stadium which was grand!
So then I met the rest of my running buddies, picked up the miniature cup medal, which I feel was a bit tacky and head to a well deserved breakfast of Auntie Gemuk Char Kway Teow near FAM, Kelana Jaya...ahhh... this is the life...
.JPG)
.JPG)
Taking a break every year, for 4 months each, have proven to be a bane for my run time, which was not that great to start with. Had to forego 3 earlier runs, The Adidas King of The Road in September which Fairy ran for (she wrote about this here and here) the Nike Run in November and the MPIB Run in January. Darn! That' s a lot of money!
I wouldn't say that I have fully recovered but I feel less sore with each weekly run that I did. So there was the Brooks Half Marathon 2 weeks ago. A come back run of sorts, which has proven to be a slow, heavy one. To start with, the running vest was ORANGE!!? What gives? This colour is after me!
The starting line was very narrow, what with almost 12,000 runners, I was told. So at gun off, we had to let the faster runners start, followed by the rest of us mere mortals. Some runners ended up, stepping on the shrubs near the starting line...poor shrubies..
The first 2 km of the race, we were running under the elevated highway which means, ventilation was bad, the air was dry, well..there were no breeze whatsoever and it was HOT..not in a good way. I welcomed the left turning into the main road but later dreaded the dark alleys of the housing areas. Truthfully, I didn't know which part of Bukit Jalil I was running at. Kept telling myself, chanting "keep going..keep going..keep going".
The right foot was a tad uncomfortable but bearable. At one point, I cursed myself..."why oh why..did you sign up for a halfie??" Itchy! I thought about throwing the towel at 10k, dreading the next 11..but I guess pride got over it. Water stations were a plenty, which helped but getting isotonics instead of flat water would be great. I brought along a GU Espresso Energy Gel which helped with that surge of much needed energy after KM8.
At KM 12, I was taking a walking break when a chinese guy said hi and showed the thumb up sign. He said "let's run together". I was ready to walk the remaining 9clicks but I never say no to a chance to pace and be paced...so we ran along side for about 3km. He said he's from Ipoh and this was his first official race. I say that took courage! I only attempted my first 21 after about a year plus into running. After that we got separated, well actually I wanted to walk hehe..so yeah off he went, while I continued on the descent of Bukit Jalil, slowly but surely. I noticed a lot of runners have started to walk. This route, was as challenging as I remember it, nevertheless one of my faves.
.JPG)
I ran the last 6km real easy. I signed up for the race,as a come-back race, just to be sure that it's doable and my foot is alright. Timing has never been my concern right from day one of starting running. The finishing line actually appeared before I expected it. I guess because last year we ended the race in the stadium which was grand!
So then I met the rest of my running buddies, picked up the miniature cup medal, which I feel was a bit tacky and head to a well deserved breakfast of Auntie Gemuk Char Kway Teow near FAM, Kelana Jaya...ahhh... this is the life...
.JPG)
.JPG)
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