First off HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010 to all readers of Weird Weird Denial. Yes, remember I did say that I would get myself fit for the NEW YEAR RUN which is about 12km and boy, I think I didn’t do that. Nevertheless, I still went to the run and thought that it is just 12km, how hard can it get? Until… I ran the track. I didn’t expect stairs.

3 months after registering for this race, I only had one training which is a non-stop 5km. Then I slept like 2:30am the night before the race. Imagine having 3 hours of sleep and off to the run. It might be dangerous for me too, who knows I might collapse while running “touch wood“. Facing the fact that I am not getting any younger, I think I should actually start doing some training.

The people joining there were magnificent. My goal on the race was fairly simple, TO FINISH THE RACE and from then onwards to motivate myself to start running actively again. I haven’t been joining any race these past few months. Then the results came out.

Saucony Race Results M17-29

Good first lap and second lap, until the 3rd and final lap, I was practically like, What the heck, I am so slow. *cries in agony* It looks like the result tells me something, never to sleep so late and make sure do your training before any run. Though of course, I did get the COOL finisher medal which was what I was aiming for before the start of the run. A timing of 1:35:28 is way off my personal best of 1:20:56 of my 12km run. CRAPS

To catch more of the action of this run, do visit more on runwitme.blogspot.com and PM1.blogspot.com for more pictures and videos about this run. I will end with a video. Don’t know whether anyone could spot me though.

*hint* : I am the one in the RED shorts.

ps : Anyone wants to do the next run? Night run at Putrajaya!!!!

NEW YEAR RESOLUTION : Run below 20minutes consistently in one lap

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Just back from the Adidas 2009 King of The Road 22.7km run. To be enthusiastic, I think I am clueless as to why did I take up the 22.7km instead of the 10km one. I see so many hills on the first few kilometers that I was thinking this is just the beginning, get yourself pumped up so that I can better my time.

To think of it, even Kenny Sia ran faster than me towards the finish line. Warghhhhh~~~~~ but overall the run was good. Adidas gave me a great running vest, which is a bit orangy and yellow. I ate my first power gel and there are still lots of drinks at the water station. The problem is though, because of the first few “hilly tracks” I had a hard time following my friends who were there. I thought of going under 2′ 30′ 00′ only to get a timing of  2′ 40′ 02′. That’s like 10 minutes more than the desired timing that I was aiming for.

But I must thank for a certain time, it took me awhile to get used to the heavy breathing and suddenly started jogging momentumly and didn’t bothered about being faster than anyone. It seems that if I were to jog at a consistent pace, sooner or later those trying to outrun others either looses steam and then they proceed to walking and then suddenly I am ahead of them.

Here’s the scenario.

1. Ah Tan (illustration purposes only) was running ahead of me, then suddenly started walking for a breather.
2. Daniel consistently jogging and suddenly found himself cutting Ah Tan.
3. Ah Tan after awhile suddenly run again and he was in front of me, for awhile until suddenly he started walking again in search for a breather.
4. Daniel consistently jogging and then ahead of him again (tendency to rest was there)
5. Ah Tan finally started running again and ahead of me (don’t know why he uses me as a benchmark, must be my bright yellow shoes)  and stop short a few steps ahead of me
6. Daniel just jog and jog and jog and then finally after awhile Ah Tan was nowhere in sight.

The scenario above happened somewhere around the 12km mark. What caught me going was to keep running and when I felt that there was pain near the foot, it blanks off my mind about my tiredness on my calf since I can only feel the pain on the top of my foot. This was what kept me going. I think I must be crazy finding delight in this pain that it got me jogging non-stop for at least 7 to 8 kilometers.

Overall, I guessed I am still satisfied with the 2′ 40′ 02 time I got though I tend to compare with the 21km KL Marathon which was 2′ 37′ 00 but after accessing it again, it’s because of the extra 1.7km that got me this timing.

After this run, I think I will be taking a break from running for awhile unless it’s a major event. (They give good running vest)

So What Did I Get Out From This Race?

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Finally after almost a week absence from the world of blogging, I am back again. Well, where was I? I was busy training (hmm.. maybe once) and preparing for the just concluded Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2009 at Merdeka Square (Dataran Merdeka). To me it was something big for me, well, it’s my first major running event. Why so many running events suddenly and why am I taking part? That, I will leave it to next time to explain further. I mean, this is the KL run, and I’ve always dreamt of running.

I took part in the 21km Half Marathon, and I am amazed at the amount of people there. Heard there was like 2800 people for the Half Marathon. That’s a crazy amount of people though. All these while been running the 10km races and now I felt that I have the necessary capabilities to run the 21km. Here was my training regime the past 1 month before this run. 1 day of running 3km and 1 circuit run of 22km at night (a month ago). So how did I do with this inadequate training, maybe I was overconfident, but I ain’t sure I am going to beat my former record of 2 hours 56 minutes during the Circuit Run 3 at Bukit Jalil Park.

I was amazed when I ran 13km non stop and finally I went out of steam after the running to Jaya Jusco Taman Maluri. I guessed there are loads of improvement I can do in the coming races. But all in all, I am glad I finished my race beyond the 3 hour mark.

Name:	DANIEL CHEW (MAS) – like I am representing Malaysia
Net Start:	06:13:01	Category:	Half Marathon 21km
Net Time:	02:37:33	Position:	1084
Finish Timing:	02:37:33.45

Hmm.. okay, position 1084 doesn’t seem a nice number.Well, at times just have to live with it. Though a timing of 2’37’33 is really something I shocked myself too. Looks like now I can set myself a new target, below 2’30’00 and hopefully by next year (if I do take part again), I can achieved way below 2 hours.

Sidenote : If you would like to know your result and if you’ve participated in this race, do visit the KL Marathon Site stated here.

Of course the most important thing for this race is to finish it, thus finish it I did. I must thank firewire for helping me take photos after the race.

Else I wouldn’t be able to pose like this.

Or even like this…

I’ve noticed though my legs are getting BIGGER. Don’t you think so? A sudden improvement of my old photos.

But after all this, I believe maybe it’s because I have something in common with Bruce Lee. Ya, I really mean it. Bruce Lee, don’t you believe it? Let me show you the photo.

See the shoes, we both wear them YELLOW. Ho ho ho… Ahhhh… in case you’re wondering who’s the girl behind there, that’s Hannah of FlairCandy. Those from Malaysia who wants to know her, too bad, she’s from the Philippines.

So what other races next? Here are my schedule.

Siemen Run – 15km 26/7/2009
Adidas King of The Road – 21km 2/8/2009
Penang Bridge Run – 21km 22/11/2009

So see you people there, if you’re taking part.

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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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In memory of the Wild Wild Run 2009, where I actually completed the whole race and decided it’s the point of my life to start running because I wanted to. Who wouldn’t be glad that this event was even mentioned on papers. Of course you won’t get to see me on it.

So here’s quoting from The Star.

KENYAN Nicholas Merica continued to set an unbeatable pace in the Wild Wild Run hosted by the Pacemakers at the National Zoo in Ampang recently.

The 24-year-old newcomer to the local running scene completed five laps around the 1.85km circuit and clocked 31:48 to emerge as champion in the men’s 29 years and below section.

Strolling around the zoo: Merica setting the pace at the run.

Merica finished with more than a minute advantage ahead of Ghanian Richard Habeya (33:15) while local Jasni Khairil came in third (34:24)

Pacemakers captain Ronnie See said Merica was in good form and other competitors found it hard to keep up with him.

Merica began his debut season on a good note when he bagged the men’s open (16 years and above) 30km category at the fourth Great Eastern Pacesetters 30km Run before settling for the second spot in the men’s open section at the KL Tower International Forest Towerthon Challenge at Menara Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, the fairer sex only completed four laps on the circuit with Ameba Chan Chui Miew stamping her mark as the best performer. She registered 36:36 to clinch the top spot in the women’s 34 years and below category.

The meet drew 130 runners in five categories — men’s 29 years and below, men’s 30 to 39 years, men’s 40 years and above, women’s 34 years and below and women’s 35 years and above.

When they began registration in February, it took them only four days to reach the maximum capacity of participants.

“It was an unique event because they had fun savouring a different experience. Running around the cool and lush surrounding in the presence of animals was certainly the highlight of the day,” said See, who set up the http://pm1.blogspot.com to cater to recreational runners in the Klang Valley.

Besides the 30 volunteers from the group, zoo employees also helped the organisers to direct the runners around the undulating terrain.

At the end of the event, five winners also went home with a hamper each from the lucky draws.

Saucony was the main sponsor of the run. Two other partners were Ccube Sports Hub and Milo.

This year, the group began their season and ushered the New Year with the third edition of the Pacemakers Network Run at the Lake Gardens in Kuala Lumpur.

And See also hinted they are considering to organise their third event of the season with a night run schedule at Putrajaya in August.

RESULTS

> MEN’S

- 29 years and below: 1. Nicholas Merica (Kenya) 31:48, 2. Richard Habeya 33:15, 3. Jasni Khairil 34:24

- 30 to 39 years: 1. Casey Lim Khon Seng 33:16, 2. Murali Nathan 33:31, 3. Rozmi Yunus 36:01

- 40 years and above: 1. Ridzuan Sulaiman 36:58, 2. Mohd Sowoto Indi 38:22, 3. Alam Shah Ismail Ahmad 38:51

> WOMEN’S

- 34 years and below: 1. Ameba Chan Chui Miew 36:36, 2. Haslinda Dollah 38:08, 3. Chan Yen Nee 40:40

- 35 years and above: 1. Carol Low Peng Keat 42:06, 2. Veronica Schokman 43:01, 3. Wong Mee Yoong 43:26

Excerpt from The Star written by NG WEI LOON

Now who knows I could be front page.

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