Circle of Life

It is nice to be back at work and start a refresh approach.

I am glad to be back in the gym and restart the routine.

60mins on the stationary bike to kick start (after a long weekend break).

It has come a few cycles, should i do this, nope i shouldn't kind of internal fighting going on within myself.

2 years back(Jan 2009), i ran my last marathon and went into "retirement". I have not done another marathon since.

It was a long wait(struggle), before i decide to give it another try and ran MR ultra(Dec 2009). It was part of a bigger plan(IM) in March 2010.

Follow by GE30km in KL(2010) that put me on schedule for showdown for IMA2010. It took alot out of myself during that race. Together with shingles, hamper with PF and lack of fitness, i did the long march for Sundown2010(May10). It is silly of me, but i did it anyway. I don't want to give myself another opportunity to come back again.

Continue to rest and slowly pushing forward, i successfully completed TNF2010. The body finally break down and i couldn't make it for SCSM10 and MR Ultra(2010).

Now the legs feel much better, but fitness is having its up/down for the past few weeks.

Learning from past experience, i will be going to take another long break(2011).

Apart from a couple of unfinished business, i should have no major event waiting for me in 2011.

A circle of life.

Running Friendship

To run, is for health when it started off.

I have heard many stories that you will make good friends in the Army. We get tekan and learn about teamwork. Over the many months friendship are binded and may last forever.

I have make many friends through running. Some of us become close friends.

With similar interest, going through the tough training(does TNF qualify?), sharing the injure/ache/agony and makan sessions. Does make us grew stronger in a group.

Completion in a event, isn't just a solo effort. Even some of us are not completing, by doing the supporting role, it is equally important that leads to completion.

I am glad that i am bless with a group of running friends that run and support with the same enthusiasm. It will be definitely much more tougher without everyone involvement in one way or another.

Tigger is blessed.

Sundown 29 May 2010

The build up to the event isn't as smooth as expected. Nevertheless it will do.

This will be the longest running distance i ever taken part. Somehow i am not too excited about it.

I had event that is longer and tougher than doing 84km on a flat route. Apart from being long in distance, it is technically an "easy" course. Plus i intend to take it easy and prepare to walk a long distance. This is not something i am concerned about.

What bother me is the HR and the injuries that i carried. No matter what happens, i have to make do with what i have and hopefully complete the distance.

Along the way, our own supporters group will cheers us which will be great to push us through when the going get tough.

It will be an interesting journey. I am going there to soak in the atmosphere.

It's Show Time.

Boxing Day

Every time when it come to my BD, i always feel a sense of "happiness" that i am able to open(if anyone give) me present.

This year, the feeling is THIS is one of the "bad" year. It is not that i wasn't getting any present. It is more on how i felt currently.

I can sense i am walking(can't run away) towards a dark alley. I wish i can stop on my stride and find another path to go. I am getting suck into a quick sand and that i am getting harder and harder to pull myself out.

Should i fight it or just let myself submerge into the quick sand. Both has its good/bad points.

是富是祸躲也躲不过

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Head to the weights session this morning. I was "frustrated" about myself. So today session is abit "tough". No choice, i need to release some steam. Phew, it feel much better after that.

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Today workload is super light! Everyone like "snake" around. Haha...what a day! If everyday like that, i can work from home leow!

RESPONSIBLE

answerable or accountable

involving accountability or responsibility

having a capacity for moral decisions and therefore accountable

Angel Say:

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

To handle yourself, use your head.

To handle others, use

First Pill

After the bike session, HR refuse to go down. Under normal circumstance, after workout, HR will calm down shortly. This time round, it i didn't. I don't know why.

5 hours later, though it reduce a bit, but it is still high.

I took the pill. First time i did.

SH always say, you always don't listen until when you did, it is already super serious. She is right.

After the pill, it slow down abit more, but still high in my opinion. 1 hour later still the same. Is the pill working? Should it be this way?

Abit tired, took a nap and when i awoke 2 hours later, HR had went back to normal.

Sian, Sigh. Not a good omen. Maybe that is signal to me, the end of the road soon.

Like the statement SH made. When the day come, it must be really bad that i had to pull out the plug.

I have been running and have make many friends along the way. There are some senior(in term of age) friends have retired due to injury. Some just couldn't afford the commitments required. Seldom know medical reason is the culprit.

For me?

Delayed FR - Sundown

Long awaited FR is here.

I don’t want to blog it down. An event which I rather I didn’t sign up and completed.

There are two races so far which I feel there is a high degree of risk involved. I might not make it back alive! This is one of them.

What past cannot be changed, except learn from it and move on. Hopefully I will be smarter to do the right things.

Here i come.

In a short while, i will be travel to KK. It is the place whereby i failed to make the cut, on a sporting event.

What is the feeling of facing my first nightmare?

I don't know. I just wanna go there and enjoy the climb in a more relax pace.

Let hope it is a good experience.

Major events

Few things happen over the last few hours.

First, I woke up to watch Euro 2008! Even though i have subscribe to the soccer channel I have not woke up to watch any of the games. I did watch the replay/highlights on the box on a few occasions though.

My predict of the eventual winner finally come true. And I make a small wager on it yesterday at the POOLS! Just nice to cover my subscription cost!

After years of choking, SPAIN finally won a Major championship. They have the best squad from head to tail IMO and the best team won. :)

End of June is decision time. I have made my commitment this morning. I have signed up for another major event next year. Currently I feel much better than the last couple of months. I think I can slowly pickup myself up again. No point looking back, I know I can do it. What’s don’t kill, will make me stronger.

Another headache is whether to take part in SCSM 08. I hate to take part in this event again. But to save cost for Disney, I have to make do and do not spent $ for another oversea trip(Macau/Bangkok). Sigh…Having a Marathon in Dec is good to gauge my recovery. Hopefully I can find a stroke that kills 2 bills.

This week I need to make a few bookings for the coming trips. Going to be another hectic week ahead.

Despite the ache in the calves, I have proceeded to the gym for another session of bike in the morning. Feel pretty good, anyway the muscle aren’t suppose to be using the same.

Effort - Not Good Enough

When we do our piece of work, should we do it to our best ability?

Most of us will say we should. Don't we agree?

Should we give our best, no matter what is it in life? Eg should we do our best in study or work?

Most of us will say we should. Don't we agree?

When we come to running, should we do our best?

Some of us will say we should. The majority will say slack?

Why is this so?

If we choose to say slack, i believe that speak about our attitude towards life(effort).

No matter what we think we are, our actions speak truth about ourself. No point kidding ourself that we have put in 100% effort in your study/work. The fact, our attitude will not "allow" us to do this.

Some folks i know are super on in their work, likewise when it come to play or doing any workout, i can see that they have put in similar effort. Do you notice it someone around you having similar traits? There must be a link.

Although i put in alot of hours in workout, but that is most probably indicates i am a guy that work hard. But the effort is not there.

Recently there are two incidents that seeded this thoughts. Upon reflection, i have no doubt i am a slacker. No wonder, whatever i do i can't excel. The attitude is wrong, don't blame fate. We are simply not GOOD enough.

satisfaction of Marathon finisher

What is the most satisfying feeling after finishing a marathon or ultra marathon or any endurance race that most people will relish?

Is it the high that you have finish an event that is deem "crazy" by norm?
Is it a PB that show improvement of your training?
Is it the finisher tee that say you are a "finisher"?
Is it the preparation and building up to the event that is most satisfying?

After more than a dozen of those "crazy" events, no matter how well or bad that come along with it, the one area that don't failed to cheer me up is......

The Sweet Pain that come after it.

The ouch, ache, pain, sore or whatever phrase there are, the sweet pain that knowing i have push through my comfort zone is unbelievable....satisfying....Wahaha....

Sundown Marathoners

It is great to see so many finishers at Sundown. It was a good experience, everyone learnt something from it.

Well done to those marathon & ultramarathoner finishers. It has been a long road and you make it.

It is not easy to say NO. It take more courage to say NO more and call it a day then struggle on. You might complete, but at what expenses. Is it worth it?

What is past, should be learned and move on.

As for myself. I have learned. Quote a phrase from MF(Ong) - Fitness is never your friend, treasure it before you lost it.

SD minus 2 or 1

SD start on midnight Saturday or is it Sunday 00:00hrs? D minus 1 or 2 days?

I will be participating in this event, just like majority of the events, whereby i am not fully fit. Just that this time round, the injury will be slightly different.

Quite a few kind hearted kaki have offered to run with me. Thanks for the offer. Not running at your own pace or prefer way of running in marathon is tough. I also believe there is road that i have to do it alone. I am experience enough to know what is the "ideal" strategy to bring me safe and fastest way to the end point.

If everything goes according to plan, we shall have breakfast...not nasi lemak lah...gonna be packed like sardines there!

Head to the gym. Bike, 50 mins on normal pace. Feel okay. Not much appetite, cannot understand why...is it????

Getting too fat leow...Apart from colleagues that tell me i am putting weight...sweetheart also say so...at least 2kg! Sigh...

Workouts hours are dwindling. At this rate, i think will be Zero in 2 months time. :(

darkness

When the going get tough. Stay calm.

9 months

It has been around 9 months. 9 months from my first triathlon event.

After 1 x Desaru HIM, 1 x Aviva 70.3, 1 x Busselton IM, 1 x Haikou IM. Do i consder a triathlete? I used to say No. Do i consider the same now?

Triathlon is not difficult. I have been doing the relevant workouts for many months, not with training for triathlon in mind. Moving upwards is just a natural progression. My fitness gain over many marathons stand me in good stead for what prove a strong foundation to push for longer distance.

My fitness has experience a dip. I haven't feel so bad since i started my workout in 2004. Confidence are leaking as days goes by. I do not know if this is what it is called "aging", but i am
feeling the low currently.

At this moment, i do not know what is going to happen in the future. I don't think the current issue(that i am aware of) is the cause of fitness dip. The unknown is more frighten than enemies in great numbers.

Will i survive? *finger crossed*

23rd May 2008

It has been a face pace for the past 2 months. Things are not the same anymore.

I don't like to enjoy the day on 23rd May and i still do not do.

Instead of going for a run in the morning, i was at the clinic. That pretty sum up everything doesn't it. :)

I received alot of messages from different sources. Not to mention names, in case i miss out anyone, I appreciate it and thanks.

A good 23rd May is a day whereby i can be in peace, which i think today is very much so.

What doesn't kill me, will make me stronger....:)

Sundown Marathon

After weeks of preparing for the event, the time has arrived.

For those that are doing 84k or 42k for the first time. You have made the decision long time back, put in the training, this is the time where evertying accumulate just on this date.

The road ahead is long, at the end of it, the finishing feeling is priceless no matter what distance you have just completed.

For those 84k, you will realise that pain has a limit. It just can't get any worse when the body get accustom to the pain/ache along the way.

This is the first night marathon for most. Everyone will learn something from it. Strategy, nutrition, training that seems perfect could be better. Enjoy the experience.

Remember to say - I CAN, when the going get tough.

I can't find any suitable message on the web to say i can in long distance running, this link will come close to what i meant.

What don't kill you, will make you stronger.

I see you guys at the starting line.

Its show time!

D + 1

D-Day passed as quickly as everything does.

I know what is destined can't be avoided, just DO IT.

I wasn't that excited as expected, maybe because i realised that i have signed up for it, i just have to enjoy the experience. :p

The experience as a whole, wasn't that bad. But could definitely be better!

Now that i am back to SQUARE ONE(as though after POST RACE feeling)... It is time to rest and recuperate...

Not much time with Sundown just round the corner. Anyway, i just have to treat it as slow, recovery kind of run.hehe...42km is a recovery run! :p

Thanks everyone for their well wishes and encouragement during these period.

Sweetheart say i have my share of excitement leow...i tell her only 8 Marathons, 2 Ultramarathons, 2 Ironman NIA!

What is Extreme Sports?

是福是祸

What don't kill me, will make me stronger