Running is a sport, it is not something I would like to force anyone to take up, but unlike excessively playing video games and sleeping and wasting time on the couch too much, running should be one of the easiest sport to pick up. All one need is a jogging shoe and one can start running.

Well, so says me. Of course anyone can beg to differ but when was the last time you thought of running and when was the last time you thought you were fit? Years back during school days? Is one too old to pick this sport up? Giving excuses because you think you are busy doing other things?

Okay, back to my report. This is finally my third time in the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2011 and running the half marathon on the 26th June 2011. It was worth it but with a bad timing compared to my previous records. Here are the timing and updates.

Judging from the above time, it is definitely worse than my previous timing of 2:48:43. What seems to be the problem?

Of course if it is based upon the Cardiotrainer application, I ran about 2:54:10 but let us see the current one that is recorded on the KL Marathon website. It is 2:50:31, roughly about 2 minutes slower than my run a year back.

What more can I say? This is due to lack of practice and sleep. Sleep plays an important part.

Here is how the medal looks like.

Of course, after that, I took my next course of action, which is to practice a little for the BHP Orange Run 2011 held on the 24th July 2011.

BHP Orange Run 2011

It was different this year with more food for the people. Of course, here is my report on what happened to me during that day. I woke up at 7:30am and left straight to the starting point at The Curve. To our bewilderment (yes.. it’s me, Mouse and Oon once again) the race has already begun like 10 minutes ago. We were there 10 minutes late which was 7:10am. So off we go to chase the pack (or rather part of the slow ones). Since we were running to chase up, I have pretty much used up a lot of energy in this run.

Why? Previous day, I had a team building event for the department in the company I am working with.

Of course, not wanting to skipped the whole running and to use this as an excuse, I went ahead with it. Lo and behold, maybe I have too much confidence in myself which has caused my downfall in the Orange Run this year.

I ran like nearly 20 minutes slower than usual. A run which typically I could aim to get around 1 hour has become a run which ended at about 1 hour 20 minutes give and take.

Nevertheless, the Weird One had fun, and it was mistakingly a good one. Along the run, I had like lots of rest by walking compared to the previous runs and cheering other runners and competing with some kid going ahead and he going ahead of me. Of course seeing my friends running ahead of me has somehow slowly demotivated me as it looked like they have beaten me in a run where I used to excel.

Off the record, after the run, it was time for some memories of the run.

It was worth it. So what were my split times based on the application?

My Split Time 6:12 | 6:27 | 6:05 | 6:58 | 7:13 | 8:24 | 7:26 | 7:37 | 8:00 | 7:30

What can be deduced? I grew complacent towards the end. It looks like my stamina has dropped and it is good to keep track of your split times to know which area to improve. More training for me for my next upcoming run which is Shape and Men’s Health Run 2011.

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This is what I do these days. Aside from traveling, and taking photographs. I run. Yes, not that I run away from reality or something like that but I do running as a sport. Well, set that aside, I guessed it will be awhile before I get back all my running spirit in me again. It’s a start with at least 3 runs in July 2010 this time around. BHP Orange Run 2010 which has like a distance of 11km is a bit relaxing compared to the 21km that I’ve taken part though.

Here’s my report for this run held at the starting point at Curve, Mutiara Damansara area.

Anyway, I’ve been trying to do a consistent run and trying to break my old habit of running fast then taking a break. Previous year, I had this run-walk-run kind of method and yes, it did get me to have faster timing but with the inconsistency it gave me, sometimes too tired and irregular heartbeat for the run, it feels so out of place.

So then I decided, it’s time to start running like you’re actually exercising instead of the run-walk-run method. So this is what I did for the BHP Orange Run 2010.

Time to start was 7:20am if not mistaken, I was late. I had to pin my bib to my vest and ran the run 5 minutes later. So I don’t get to run with some of the faster ones. Well, at least this is a fun run. Here’s how I did in the run though.

Based on CardioTrainer GPS
July 25, 2010 7:25:54am

Time: 1.11.27
Distance: 11.36 KM
Pace: 6.17 min/KM
Total Climb: 500m

My Split time: 6:08 | 6.08 | 5.37 | 6.37 | 6.00 | 6.27 | 6.03 | 6.17 | 6.58 | 5.40 | 7.10

Next target would be to hit below 6 minutes per km. Thank you for my HTC Hero for keeping tracks of my run.

Met up with Kyuzo in the run.

Also met up with an old school and classmate, Ah Yap. Well, come to think of it, running let us meet up with old friends and also new friends.

This is Mouse and me, The Weird One after the run and promoting BHP. Come to think of it, the BHP bottle they gave looks a bit like an enlarged dildo out of shape. Well, I am trying to form a running group in the coming days and months. A group to run and share and spend time together. To keep oneself healthy.

Well, here’s to the next run which is the Shape & Men’s Health Night Run in Putrajaya. Though there’s a dilemma now, I’ve also got passes for MTV World Stage 2010 in Sunway. Can I do both instead?

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And so it seems it was Easter today. Well, the day when I was running the BHP Orange Run coincidentally that falls on this day. Yes, BHP Run which covers about 11km and at least I find that I did it better than the time when I was running in the Zoo Negara which was only 9.4km.

Orange Run 2009
The Curve, Mutiara Damansara
April 12, 2009; 7:30am
Organised by BH Petrol
11km

To say the least, the run was fun with lots and lots of participants. For the first time, I don’t feel as tired when the time I ran at Zoo Negara as I paced myself for the first 3 km only to lose my footing at some curb which made me walk later on for awhile. Still managed to go 1 hour unlike those winners which do 40 minutes. Nevertheless it was fun running again. At least better than sitting in front of the PC whole day whole night. Now this is what I call a sport, unlike badminton and others which are just treated as a game.

I was there, and met up with Kyuzo, an ex-colleague and friend who went running together. Well, this time I got to say he wins me in terms of stamina. I have a lot to catch up I think. We maintained pace until the final 3 – 4 km, he went on his own. Thus my journey started there and then. This track to my experience has a lot of uphill and downhill slope which I find I do better on the uphill run. Well, maybe due to my light body, I could actually run uphill faster. Also haha.. if you read my friend’s entry, I was a butt chaser too. LoL

The key this time was to wear light. I chose my basketball jersey and a very short shorts to run and right I was feeling lighter as the sweat doesn’t wet my suit and drag me down like it used to during the Zoo run. For those that wants to know the experience of running in this kind of run, you may view the video below courtesy of runwitme.

So what is my next race? What else? The KL Marathon Race would be next.

I am so into this once again. I should improve on my endurance and stamina. Getting a stopwatch would be a good idea.

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