My younger brother , Kevin , got me an Admiral running shoe for my birthday on 6/3/05 . ( Actually he thought it was a cross training shoe and he wanted to use it for gym but just used it once only ) I tried the shoe the other day , its light but I didn't feel so much asorbency . Cannot complain too much , since its a gift and I have an extra pair of shoe to train on now . 

At last , I got a Timex for myself on my birthday ( Notice the date on the watch 6/3/05) . Now I can time my running even more accurately ;) 

(12/3/05)-Long run with Howard without stretching

Howard yesterday suddenly sms me to run at 5.30 am on Saturday .I happily agreed since i have been looking to run a long run with someone .

Arrived at 5.30 am and immediately started on a slow run without stretching . I was surprised that Howard said no need to stretch , I just ran on anyway . He said stretching is for pros and we don't need to stretch coz we are not pros , after running 10 mins our muscles would have be warm enough thus it will be the same as stretching and i suppose i believed .

Anyone have other opinions ??

Anyway , I didn't get injured at all and it was a good run .The timings :

(Per lap = 3.3 km approx . )

Lap 1 : Slow lap :

18 min 50 sec ( 5 min 42 sec per km pace)


Lap 2 : Found out we are from the same church !! :

16 min 57 sec ( 5 min 8 sec per km pace)



Lap 3 : 16 min 19 sec (4 min 56 sec per km pace)
Lap 4 : 15 min 23 sec (4 min39 sec per km pace)


Lap 5 : Water drinking hydration time , temporal stop after running an hour +.

18 min 20 sec : ( timer didn't stop ) (5min 33 sec per km pace)


Lap 6 : 14 min 59 sec (4 min 32 sec per km pace)

Howard when 7 laps whereas myself just 6 laps coz my legs were feeling achy akready.Reminded him I'm not a marathon runner , just a 10 km runner whereas he is a marathon runner so he can last longer .



Duration of workout : 1 hour 41 min

Location : Tmn Bukit Jalil

Mileage : Approx. 19.8 km

(10/3/05)-Fight at track , still run on

Today , during track training , some footballers who were challenging one another suddenly fight with each other . Their match was then cancelled . There was a lot of commotion around .

We ran on and didn't let this distract us .

The menu was :

400 m - Warm up
400 m - Fast and slow 50 m

2.4 km @ 3 1/4 pace = 11 min 27 sec = 4 min 46 sec per km pace

1.5 km = 5 min 55 sec = 3 min 56 sec per km pace

400 m x 7 = Average 1 min 34 sec per lap but last lap 1 min 27 sec


800 m - Warm down


I down feel fast in the 400ms today , not sure why , breathing also struggling a bit , compared to 2 to 3 months ago , I remember I could do below 1 min 30 sec regularly .

May be like coach use to say , every one has their off days and on form days .


Duration of workout : 1 hour

Location : Kampung Pandan Sports Complex

Mileage : Approx. 8.3 km

(9/3/050-Night slow run

I started the run at 11:35 pm and ended at 1:05 am . It was a slow run going at 6 min 25 sec per km pace .

There were two experiments done :

1. Usually hold a stick with left hand (i'm a left hander) when running at night , so for 2nd round , held on right hand . It felt a bit funny and not used to it yet , but this exercise actually helps the running form and hand movements practise .

2. For the first time , used the Admiral shoe which my brother gave me , it felt light but didn't have enough asorbency .Wanted to season the shoe anyway since its new .

Ended the run , with tired legs and woke up the next morning later than usual .





Duration of workout : 1 1/2 hour

Location : Taman Desa

Mileage : Approx. 14 km

(8/3/05)-Run at track

There was no more soreness or aches in my leg . I'm happy by the quick healing and I give glory to God .

The menu is a simple easy menu today .

Warm up : 400 m

5.2 km ( 24 min 32 sec ) = 4 min 43 sec per km pace

Stretching , THEN I FELT a BIT OF ASTHMA ATTACK , quickly used my inhaler ,and immediately back to normal before the next menu .

1.6 km (6 min 51 sec) = 4 min 16 sec per km pace

1.6 km (6 min 39 sec) = 4 min 9 sec per km pace


I'm happy because I manage to sprint the last 100 m with Azwar all out ( or > 90 %) without getting any injury from my weak hamstring . Its has been a long time since I sprint at 90% rate. Nevertheless , I don't intend to sprint at 100 % rate , I'm not a sprinter and don't see the need for this in a trainning or even a race , unless needed .

Warm down : 800 m



Duration of workout : 1 hour

Location : Kg Pandan Sports Complex

Mileage : 9.6 km

(7/3/05)-Short recovery run

Only ran 5.4 km coz legs especially the thighs were feeling sore after yesterday's race . It seems there were some other runners who didn't feel any soreness .

It seems I have soreness coz i ran faster than I trained . Thus it meant I have not been training with enough speed .

But then , I always push myslef in a race , who doesn't . I always feel ache after a race .

Conclusion , need to train more at race pace so that when run race , it will just be just like one of those training runs .




Duration of workout : 33 min 34 sec

Location : Tmn Bukit Jalil

Mileage : 5.4 km

52 nd placing out of 1200 placing in KLIM 10 KM run :)

I had a satisfactory race .Its still not as good as 10 years ago where I would be getting top 30 , but looking back at injuries which hampered my training , I would say this is satisfactory .

Anyway , happy at least get medal ( Medal only given for top 100 in 10 km race ) . Wanted to join KLIM race few years ago , submitted form but because of something happen , couldn't take part . This time can take part .

I'm still looking forward to my top form and getting even better timing next time .
I just went at a constant speed today of 4 min 27 sec per km pace .

CONCLUSION : WHAT GETTING 52ND PLACE MEANT :

1. There are 51 other people better than me .
2. Need to train speed more and add in more mileage .
3. I noticed in another category for the 10 km , there was an old man who looked 60 years old and he was so much faster than me after middle of the race, so I still have a lot of work to do even though he is not in my categary . .
4. This is a race where I believe I can gauge where I stand as a lot of runners and elites was taking part in this race .





Duration of workout : 44 min 34 sec

Location : KL City and Dataran Merdeka

Mileage : 10 km

(3/3/05)-Last pia kau lat before KLIM 10 km race

Met Azwar , Ronnie and Adam for my first evening run at Lake Gardens . Have never run there in the evening before , just morning . It was very cool . It was suppose to be a leisure run . Found ourselves going faster and faster every lap .

Each lap 2.3 km

1st lap : 12 min 41 sec ( 5 min 30 sec per km pace )
2nd lap : 12 min 01 sec ( 5 min 13 sec per km pace )
3rd lap : 11 min 48 sec ( 5 min 07 sec per km pace ) Feeling a bit of pin in thigh .
4th lap : 11 min 28 sec ( 4 min 59 sec per km pace )

Still feeling a bit of pain in my thigh

5th lap : 9 min 41 sec ( 4 min 12 sec per km pace )

I felt like going fast for the last round , Azwar followed me . This guy really brings out the best in me today and I salute him .We ended with a mad sprint , breathless but satisfied with the pia kau lat work out before this Sunday .

Friday , Saturday , I will be resting .



Duration of workout : 57 min 39 sec

Location : Lake Gardens

Mileage : 11.5 km

(3/3/05)-Got A Timex at last !!

Thanks to Ajeep who mentioned in http://pm1.blogspot.com shoutbox that Cash Converter was selling NEW Timex watches at a very good price . It seems Cash Converter bought the watches from a watch shop that was closing down thus the low prices . I got mine at RM79 ( Usual price RM 200 +) , with 30 lap memory .

With a Timex , now I can :
a) Time each of my lap
b) Be more accurate in analysing my speed from the lap times that I run .
c) No more remembering the time for each lap when using the old stop watch
d) No more estimating and averaging my lap times .

Hurrah !!

(2/3/05)-Smelly night run

Came back late from work and by the time start running , already 11:25 pm . So just ran anyway , at certain parts of the route today very dark and certain route very smelly, I think there was some open burning near some construction area .

Went at 5 min 30 sec per km pace but felt thigh pain at the last 1 km .Wanted to go for extra round but thought better not as the 10km KLIM race is this Sunday . Will add in more mileage after the race to prepare for the next run , The Kedah 12 Hour run !!



Duration of workout : 44 min

Location : Taman Desa

Mileage : 8 km

(1/3/05)-Run with Justin

We both came with high expectations and wanting to do high mileage in the menu , in the end it was shorten coz not feeling well . The menu was :

1.2 km warm up
2 km timing ( 8 min 50 sec )
2 km timing ( 8 min 50 sec)
1.2 km warm down



I really feel my speed gone already , was quite tired at fast pace . I think i can blame it on my injuries and not being able to train at fast pace becoz of it .

Question : Will I get medal at KLIM 10 .7 km run this Sunday ??


Duration of workout : Approx 1 hour

Location : MPSJ Stadium

Mileage : 6.4 km

(27/2/05)-F1 Race report : Shoe lace untied...

6:30 am : Raining heavily , very cold , one of the first to arrive to submit my name . couldn't find Howard anywhere ( later found out he wasn't feeling well due to the haze)


7:30 am :Still raining and looks like race won't start yet .

8:15 am : Speeches began , rain began to stop , different categories starts racing .

FROM 3 LAP RUN BECAME 2 LAP.

8 : 45 am : Our category with ladies open begans.The official says just run 2 laps instead of 3 . I suppose coz we started late too

Note ; 1 lap = 5.543 km
2 lap = 11.086 km


Great feeling to run the track and saw that there were actually some hills too .

SHOE LACE UNTIED... !!

At the 1st quarter of the race , i noticed my RIGHT shoe laced was untied and stopped to tie it , by that time the leading pack which i was near with went further and further away .

CROSS-COUNTRY :


Was horrified that everyone took short cuts to cut across the field thus shortening the distance , we (including myself ran across the field and it felt like a cross country run.

Only at the second round did the officials situated marshalls so that nobody took the short cuts .

DETOUR .....

In fact i was among the unfortunate one who couldn't take the short cut whereas the leading pack took it . As I was heading towards the end of a short cut , an official suddenly came and stopped me .I had to take a DETOUR and that also took up some time .


FAST 2ND ROUND , TURBO ...

At the 2nd round , the leading pack was too far away for me to catch up but I almost wanted to stop but ran on at an even faster speed (TURBO) as I could sort of time myself .

Ended the race after OVERTAKING a number of people but still not good enough for a position

I don't really know whats my position , i guess somewhere in the 1st quarter out of 170+ people .


Notes :i) A number of school kids took opportunity to sit on the track .

ii)I should have followed closer to the leading group but my lack of speed in the 1st round) prevented me from doing so .

iii) Beside the lack of speed , the stoppage to tie my shoe lace resulted in many seconds wasted too .

iv) Only slept 4 hours the day before as electricy power failure at my area at night .


Beside the excuses above : I see some benefits from this race:
i) Helped me to gauge my current stamina .
II) Found that I have not done enough speedwork to sustain my effort .

CONCLUSION :

NO MEDAL , ONLY GIVEN TO TOP 10 PLACING



Duration of workout : 49 min 37 sec

Location : Sepang International Circuit

Mileage : 11.08 km

(26/2/05)-Easy 13.5 km run before tmw's F1 15 km RACE !!

Decided to do an easy run today where the first 10.8 km is at 6 min 15 sec per km pace and the last 2.7km was at 5 min 30 sec per km pace . Didn't want to push too hard to rest leg for tmw's race . Legs feeling great but was a bit slow on the uphills .



Duration of workout : 1 1/2 hour

Location : Taman Bukit Jalil

Mileage : 13.5 km

(24/2/05)-Late for track training

6 pm : Just only coming out from Subang ( Track starts at 6 pm)

6.30 pm : Still on the road at Kesas ( Track starts at 6 pm)


6.45 pm : Forgot shoes are at home , detour to home to collect shoes at Old Klang Road ( Track starts at 6 pm)

7 pm: Arrive at track , saw Toh running and asked him if track started , surprisingly he said its just warm up and i saw coach still talking .

Coach said : KLIM coming and don't be dissapointed if don't do well , find out and learn from mistake , its not the end of the world , we will not win gold or a million dollars .

Good advise . I wonder why we train so hard sometimes ??

After a quick warm up and stretching in between :

Menu starts .

400 m (3/4 speed x 2)

400 m ( 3/4 speed and alternate to slow jog x 5 = 2km)

3km time trial: Total time 12'30".
I feel i'm not fast enough yet , like the speed is gone kind of thing today , or may be my friends including Azwar too fast already ?

400m x 4 @ 80% pace - Average 1 min 25 sec per lap and last lap 1 min 17 sec


Warm down : 400 m

Hmmm , need to work on speed but thank God , my muscles no problem :)

P.S :When I arrived at Track , was looking for my friend Ronnie (http://pm1.blogspot.com) but not sure where he was , found out today from his website that he is not feeling well and ankle pain and leg pain , pray that he gets well soon . Well wishes to him yah :)

Location : Kg. Pandan Sports Complex

Mileage : 7.8 km

(23/2/05)-Back to Tmn Tun steep hill again

After a month not going to the Tmn Tun Steep hill , found some time today to run that steep hill again which I reckon is 1500 m .

Surprisingly , the timing is still as good .

Warm up: 2.1 km

1st lap 8 min 46 sec
2nd lap 8 min 45 sec

Warm down : 1 km

Looking forward to 3 laps next time , which until now still haven't done it .


Duration of workout : 1 hour

Location : Tmn Tun

Mileage : 9 km

(22/3/05)-(Evening)-Boring run on threadmill

Hit the threadmill again and watched AMERICA'S TOP MODEL on TV . Felt very bored with the run , I targetted a 30 min run and couldn't wait for the 30 min to come up .Not sure why . The show on TV must have been boring too .

Ran at a slower pace this time compared to the other night probably coz I felt my ankles were not functioning well and there was a bit of pain on the ankle.


Duration of workout : Only 30 min

Location : Home

Mileage : Not sure ,"but a lot of sweat came out"

(22/2/05)-(Morning)-Overslept

I was supposed to wake up 6 : 15 am to run with my housemate at Bukit Jalil but I overslept . By the time I woked up , was already 7:20 am .

So , just ran at my housing area . Could smell polution at certain area , this was very different from the night run at the same route where the air was very much fresher .

Average speed : 5 min 22 sec per km pace

No pain in legs at all . Haleluya !!



Duration of workout : 43 min

Location : Taman Desa

Mileage : 8 km

(21/2/05)-Running on threadmill and watching TV

After a long day at work , had no choice but to hit the threadmill at 10 :45 pm . AMERICA'S TOP MODEL was on TV , and I ran , I could watch TV and girls .

Threadmill running was very easy on breathing , but it was almost full speed and leg movement was fast and I had to make sure i was going at a constant speed , not too fast or to slow or else , CRASH , BANG , Accident !! .

Duration of workout : 45 min

Location : Home

Mileage : Not sure ,"but a lot of sweat came out"

I was going at 4 min 45 sec pace for first few laps . Could have gone faster , but the only motivation was a barefoot runner ( he was doing the marathon) in front of me , no one else . Overtooked him at the 8th lap .