Staying inspired and motivated- KL Standard Charted Marathon

The past few sundays it has been hot and humid. And those sundays, I have dedicate myself to train at FRIM under such hot and humid condition. Spending 3 to 4 hours under the heat running, jogging and hiking. When it was time to run the KL Standard Charted, it drizzle! I was full of joy and I knew that it will be a good run. Even if it were to be hot and humid, I don’t really care as my body is immune to the humidity of KL. As a runner, the weather should never be an excuse for a bad run. In fact runners must always be ready to run in whatever weather condition.

At the start to the 3rd Km mark, the roads were pack with runners. It was jammed! I made the mistake to position myself in the middle of crowd. I couldn’t speed up as I was force to follow the pace of those runners infront of me. I estimate about 2000 runners participating in the full marathon event itself. It was such a big crowd and it was my first time to see such a big group of runners coming all over the world to participate in the first Standard Charted KL Marathon.

From the start till the 36km, I was comfortable running my slowest pace of 6:50min per km. But there are times when I speed up a little. I didn’t dare to speed as I was afraid to develop injuries at the later stage of the event. It was after the 36k-40k where I speed up and hoping to complete the event below 4 hours. But because I was taking my time too much in the first 30k, to speed up doesn’t really make any different.

The last 2 km towards the finishing line, that was my marathon! I can say that was the most tiring and challenging part. Perhaps is pyschology! The mind is tired and thus effect the body. I completed the event 4 hours 19mins. Not bad compare to my last Full Marathon event in Borneo 4 hours 55mins. But still can’t beat 4 hours 12mins last August 3. 2008 at the Milo Elimination.

1 Lesson of improvement – Run longer on sundays! Running 3 hrs 30- 40mins or even up to 4 hours on sunday does make an impact to your performance. Try it out!

Few days before June 28. I did some staircase run at the Tasik Permaisuri park.

 

                                                                 

When I arrived at the starting line, the ground was dry. But minutes after that, it drizzle. And I was thanking God for the rain. I was alone at this event. It was a solo start and a solo ending. Guess I have to create a new ibanrunner team here in KL as most of my members are back in the Philippines.

 

 

There was a kind lady volunteer to help take my picture. Normally, my friends would wait at the finishing line to take my pictures, but as what I said earlier, solo from the start, solo at the end! The entrance to the finishing line was pack with supporters and family members. There was one time where the whole crowd was cheering as they watch a middle age husband and wife holding hands towards the finishing line. It was an inspiring moment. They completed the full Marathon event!

 

My red Mizuno shoe has serve me long enough. I intend to use it for the last time. This is the pride of a runner. Every runner would feel proud of earning a medal after working so hard to achieve it.

 

I’ll be back for more action… Goodbye!..got to go and have my dinner now.,…

1 sunday before KL Standard Charted

For the last four sundays in a roll, I have been travelling to FRIM which is about 21km from my resident to have my long runs. The facilities in FRIM makes it the best place to do long runs especially preparing for a marathon. Combination of road, steep hills and trails gives me to experience to run on different surface. As early as 6:30am, many joggers, runners and bikers will come here to do their weekend training. The Pacesetters ( Popular running group in Malaysia) who lives around this area will take the advatage of FRIM to have their long runs inside.

Today I was able to carry along my handy camera as this would be my last run before KL Standard Charted this coming weekend.

from entrance to end and back to the entrace is about 5k for the simen road. But if I were to take the trail, 1 round is about 10k. 3 big rounds can cover a distance of 30k.

One end to the other end about 4km. bikers and joggers enjoys this trail.

running at the soccer field. its a grass track actually, but you can’t see the lines.

I have 4 more running days to go. Im planning to try the nearest oval. Get the test to run on an oval again after many years.

Breakthrough

I have not been consistently upgrade myself with wordpress. Been busy throughout the entire week trying to settle down at work and also cleaning up the condo where my parent use to stay. Nevertherless, I never skip my running time. consistantly running 3-4 times a week to maintain fitness. The last past sundays I have been trying to breakthrough 3 hours of running and out of those 3 weeks, I was able to run beyond 3 hours last sunday. The feeling was good but I wasn’t satisfied as I was struggling and forcing myself to breakthough the 3 hours.

This morning?… I tried to make another breakthrough but Failed, as approaching 2 hours, I was exhausted. I didn’t want to just stop and go home, so I decided to go for a 5k hike a steep hill. The only place where I could do a combination of road, hill and trail runs is at FRIM ( Forest Reserved Institute of Malaysia) which covers aproximately 10k for a big loop (road and trail) and 5k (road alone) for the smaller loop. One of these sundays I’ll take some photos of FRIM. as I do not have a handy camera yet.

I have 2 weeks and 1 more sunday (for my long run) to go before the Standard Charted. I can’t tell how will it go, but Im glad that my body is well adjusted to the humidity in Kuala Lumpur. The routes of the event are familiar as one section of it passess through my condo.

For the remaining weeks. I plan to do my speed run at a stadium near my work place. Will test my speed for 800meters. I haven’t done 800meters for many years. In College, I won the 800meter onces and twice for 400meter. I’ll try if I still can keep a fast pace as during my college days. This will be a test speed run for me.