Tag: adv

Last weekend, we packed up the kids and headed off for a family adventure! The Great Eastern Bubble Dash Run 2016. I didn’t think that it was impossible to have fun at a race because I’ve had fun at lots of races. I just didn’t think it was possible to run a race with the sole purpose of having fun without worrying about time and pace…..and so I challenged myself and I decided to run (Hmmm….walk) the Great Eastern Bubble Dash 5 KM Run…..for fun!

In order to prepare for the fun, I registered my three children to run with me! If I am really determined to have fun, trust me, that’s the way to do it! Run with your kids (oooohhhh…and it’s healthy fun too, bonus!)

The Great Eastern Bubble Dash Run had all sorts of deals on Facebook and it was one of those races that was the right price and looked like fun! We arrived about 45 minutes early and found ourselves a spot in line, at the front. As soon as we got near the stage, we could hear the music and feel the excitement. We instantly joined the crowd. The race started in waves and it took awhile for all the 11K participants to be flagged off.

If you are a serious runner, this probably isn’t the race for you. If you are up for fun and just want to take your time, this one is for you. We took our time, we walked, we ran, we jumped, we skipped, we danced almost all of it, it was to congested and crowded to run. I just let the kids enjoy every moment! We stopped at all the bubble stops to make sure that we got blasted with as much bubbles as possible! There were only 4 bubble stops in total. ( The emcee mentioned 7 bubble stops- many were out of order) the starting line, pink, green, blue & yellow. The amount of bubbles you encountered was up to you: walk on the outside and you’d get less of the bubbles or stay towards the middle and you could walk right under the bubble machines. However, for a crowd of 11K participants- the bubble stops were to small.

When we arrived at the finish line, we were dissapointed! The last bubble machine was not functioning- out of order! What a bummer! The children and I were hoping for a grand finale blast of bubbles…..only to be let down..(Burst our bubbles….)

After crossing the finish line..there were no volunteers to guide our directions – to get our goodies, Food and beverages and medals?? We ended up walking endlessly until we noticed a long, long, long, long queue. We were the first 2000K batch that arrived, therefore we were early. After standing in the queue for quite a while, we were given a banana, energy drink and our medals. (For the price that we paid-totally not worth it) The volunteers used scissors to cut our bibs (safety should be considered for the children)

OVERALL:-

1. RPC venue was not a very good location/ not a strategic location. Traffic jam and no parking facilities.
2. Medals- So flimsy/ medal with plain lanyard (Quality of medal) A medal means a lot to a participant, a runner, as an accomplishment and satisfaction to be a finisher)
3. No finisher T- Shirt for 21 KM runners, it was hard to even differentiate the 12 KM and 21 KM runners.
4. Medal collection – It was a horrendous experience for lots of participants. The 5 KM Bubble Dash Run participants were pushing, shoving, arguing etc- congestion at the medal collection tent.

It is all about mistakes and learning from them. I happen to believe that there is no such thing as a bad run or race, as long as we learn from it. Yes, we all will experience runs and races we’d define as terrible. Chin up, they happen! But if you learn something- be it the management, the organising, logistics, pacing, mental focus, what to wear, eat, whatever- those lessons prepare you for better runs and races in the future!

I think, we accomplished our goal for the day…….FUN RUN!

Make your probabilities become possibilities!

Are you ready to lace up and put on your running shoes and run for a good cause?

I run because I can…and for as long as I can, I will…..Why? Well, I know it sounds a little crazy, but here’s my story and here’s my reason:-

Finding out my mum had breast cancer is a conversation I will never forget. I’m the sort of person who likes problem solving, but the feeling of helplessness I had knowing there was nothing I could do to fix this situation was very difficult. Mum was so strong during the whole process. There was not a day that went by that she wasn’t smiling. She is a complete inspiration and so incredibly brave.

Everyone knows that running is a great way to get in top shape..Running is incredibly effective at making you healtier in a number of ways. For women, running can actually help lower your risk of breast cancer. It also helps reduce the risk of having a stroke.

Precious Ladies N Men Run 2016 will be held on the 12 December (Monday- Public holiday) @ Padang Merbok Car Park, Jalan Parlimen. This run is a special run to me and it is very close to my heart. Why? It is organised by CentriSoh Sales & Marketing and technical support by Pacemakers Malaysia. A charity Run for hope, inspiration and motivation to women. The objective of this run is to increase and raise public awareness about the importance of cancer through healthy lifesytle. Parts of the proceeds from this event will be channeled to the National Cancer Society Malaysia.

When I was given the opportunity to write,run and be part of this event “Precious Ladies N Men Run 2016”, I was truly honored. Together with my mum and many other cancer survivors out there…..You are not alone! Let’s share this fight together….

Sign up now for Precious Ladies N Men Run 2016 at http://www.checkpointspot.asia

We’ve all had that dream, right?? The one where you’ve overslept before the race, forgotten your running shoes, or showed up at the start line in your pyjamas…LOL

Well, I may not be able to eliminate all the pre-race nerves- or even want to. After all, a bit of nervous energy can provide a competitive boost when the gun goes off. But in the interest of keeping my nerves in check- and sleeping well tonight- Here are a few important steps I can and I will take to calm the butterflies and feel race-ready!

1. TRUST THE TAPER :- At this point, the best thing I can do is trust the taper. This is the period of time that allows my muscles to recover and get ready for my race day effort. I’ve put in the hard work; the race is my reward- and a proper taper will help get me to the start line healthy. I will think of that antsy feeling as stored energy!
2. GET INSPIRED :- Talk to my other half; or blah blah blah on blogs like this… Talking about my jitters can help ease them-and remind me that I am not alone!
3. LAY OUT MY CLOTHES :- There’s nothing worse than running around on race morning searching for my bib or trying to find that left shoe,safety pin or hair tie. I am gonna set out everything I need, from attire to fuel to gear check bag tonight. I will feel prepared and I will get out the door more quickly too.
   
4. SET TWO ALARMS :- I am worried about that early wake-up call! Hmmm…..I am gonna set two alarms to help me sleep easier tonight- and may just prevent a race-morning scramble. It will also give me time to digest that pre-race meal, and ensuring I am ready to go at the start line.
5. ARRIVE EARLY :- Always………Always…. I planned to arrive early on race day tomorrow! and the closer to the time I can arrive, the better. I will feel calmer knowing I have plenty of time before the 6am start.

Remember my dear fellow runners, race day is your reward!

Just follow me…..take a few simple steps to ease those nerves and I am surely gonna make this journey- embarking my first ever half marathon at HSN21KM @ Dataran Merdeka as enjoyable and memorable as possible!

I will see you at the start!!!

Brace yourself, this one might be painful! This wasn’t the worst race I’ve ever run, the most painful or disappointing …… BUT it wasn’t all bad, but not much was good either!

My alarm woke me up at 4.30a.m and everything was best it could be. Got up and took a shower, put on my new shoes which my sister, Joanne bought for me….(preparations for my first attempt of HSN21KM in October) Thanks sis….Love the new soles…..

At the starting line, I felt like a lion waiting to be let out of my cage. I was set and roaring and ready to go! Ready to race? Indeed! I was ready to rumble…..

As usual I arrived at the starting line with a belly full or nerves. Despite it being a small race- my own home town, the 29th Seremban Half Marathon. I chose this race for two reasons :- It’s my hometown-Seremban and the other reason, It fit into my training schedule (HSN21KM). I told myself, today I will do the best that my body will allow.

The flag off for 21 KM was on time at 6.30am followed by the 10 KM at 6.45am. My hubby ran the 21 KM where he had to weaved in and out, but didn’t push too hard. Eventually he got into a steady pace and managed to keep that going, right along the road, near my old school KGV- yes I was a former ex-Georgian….woot woot…., runners had to risked their lives running side by side with some “illegal”- The fast and the furious- car racers. The roads were not fully barricaded, just a few cones were placed in between. Never mind there hadn’t been any major incidences with traffic before this but I wish the organisers would still place safety of runners as their priority. Just because no one got run over (YET) doesn’t mean it’ll stay that way. By 7am the sun was already out…I really started to struggle with my breathing- so hot la! Hope in the near future, the organisers will re-consider an earlier flag off time at 5.00a.m or 5.30a.m for the 21 KM Half Marathon- it will also help ease the traffic congestions and road closures too.

The route that the half-marathoners shared with the 10 KM runners did not have marshals (Maybe one or two-hmmmm,on their motorcycles, shouting at the runners, “Tepi, Tepi, lari tepi…..lari tepi….” parts of the roads were coned off, but runners had to share the roads with fast moving vehicles and cars- ah yo yo…”Kena langgar, tanggung sendiri”- The 29th Seremban Half Marathon’s tagline! Although yes, there were marshalls at certain junctions but some big junctions were not manned.

Water stations for 21 KM were placed at roughly KM 5, KM 9, KM 11, KM 14 and KM 17 BUT for the 10 KM runners, we only had ONE water station at roughly KM 5! Ah yo yo yo yo……well at least we had bottle mineral waters this year sponsored by Matrix and also Forest Heights- NO Pipe water this year…phewwww……

The route we did was EXACTLY the same as last year but blamed it on the age factor, to me…it had gradual climb littered along the route…Nothing steep but a loooong climb…Hmmmm, to me, it was like stairway to hell..LOL

Speaking of cones and course markers, directions were extremely non-existance or maybe, the organisers used recycled signages/directions- Dear organisers, Please, please get new ones next year!

Overall, to my surprised I managed to bag a limited pewter medal ( I was told by the organisers-only 50 limited finishers) phewwwwww…Thank you, Matrix for sponsoring this year’s medal-its really a cool medal compared to last year’s medal!

Bad runs are wonderful! They rock! They are superstar training moments and in every way ensure that you are becoming a better runner! Are you blur and confused yet? Why on earth would I be proclaiming the wonders of a BAD RUN?

No doubt, a bad run stinks and no one wants to have them…but as it turns out a bad run can truly make your run better by giving you some great new mental training tools. It took me some time of training to realize that after whining a bit over a bad run,there was a lot of good to come from it and I hope it helps you get to the finish line in better shape!

Will I run this again next year? Well, I might consider it if I needed a race or run in and I need the mileage!

Like most runners, when I started I swore I’d never run a marathon. 1 KM was a struggle, what crazy person would submit themselves to 42 KM????

So, when I saw the promotion for HSN21KM, which will be held on 8 October 2016 at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur……..Hmmmm…..I decided it was time to cross a marathon or maybe for beginners, a half marathon 21 KM off my bucket list.

Therefore….here’s a short post for a little chuckle for all readers and runners and an honest look for those considering the journey…just like me…ehem…Some of it may not all hold true for you, but likely will……

1. You will the following week declare this is the worst idea you have ever had! (What!!!!???? A half marathon?? HSN21KM Half Marathon!!!!)
2. You will have to shuffle all kinds of plans to get up early everyday- after dropping kids to school for hours of running and training.
3. Your other half will be very, very, very, VERY, tired of hearing about your training (it’s why blogs like this exist!)
4. You will develop an inner knowing that you can do hard things!
5. You will over come every mental barrier you have set up ( get a coach if you are still struggling)
6. Checking the weather will become your second job and regardless of what it says, you will still run
7. Questions about the ability to complete HSN21KM will be only in your mind
8. Running does not have to be so serious, it is supposed to be FUN….Not easy…BUT FUN!
9. Runners come in all shapes and sizes. A 70 year-old will pass you, a mom with a jogging stroller will pass you and you will realize how amazing it is that they are out on the roads with you.
10. There are so many more hilarious thoughts and moments that happen during training- and moments of pure joy and moments of pure defeat! It is what keeps me coming back each day!

I am on my journey, embarking my first 21 half marathon for HSN21KM which will be held on 8 October 2016 at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur…being their official blogger and writer, the team so far, has been very,very encouraging and very motivating! So, dear runners……Come join me on this journey as I embark my first attempt of a half marathon – HSN21KM. For more information- http://www.hsn21km.com

The trip to Kuching, Sarawak had been quick but it was jam packed full of amazing experiences and fun that will last a lifetime.

As with every adventure there is so much I want to share the race details needed to up while still fresh in my mind! I don’t know where to start this recap, So I guess I’ll start on the plane. We flew AirAsia, and almost 70% were runners in the same flight, the crew was amazing! When we landed at Kuching International Airport, a banner welcome all runners to the Kuching Marathon 2016.

We stood at the taxi counter to grab a cab to our hotel and there, we met Mia and her dad. They were a ray of sunshine. Just so awesome! We shared a cab to the hotel and instantly, our friendship bloomed. Mia will be running the 21km half marathon and her dad was with her to give her the extra push and moral support! Awwwwwww….

After we picked up our racekits from Plaza Merdeka, my hubby and I went for a quick dinner, made a quick stop to buy some bread and biscuits for breakie the next morning before the race. When we reached the hotel room, I started all my pre-race rituals. My clothes were laid out, my shoes and socks and everything was ready for the next morning. I crawled into bed and attempted sleep. It certainly wasn’t the best nights sleep, but it was far from the worst. I will take it. Just going into deep deep sleep and slumber land and into beautiful sweet dreams of running and reaching the finish line with my best PR…..suddenly I could hear sounds of horns and countdown…..10, 9, 8, 7……at 2am (Lesson learnt….Do not book a hotel just a stone’s throw’s away)

The Flagged off for 42km was at 2am and then followed by the flagged off for the 21km which was on time at 5.00am. Then, at 5.30am I lined up with the rest of the runners and propelled into motion at the race director’s command. It was a perfect day, light breeze. As the race participants made their way to the starting line, I began my routine surveying of the crowd. Most of the race goers for 10km included smiling families with young children, couples and a couple of silly ladies in tutus (hahahahah! Love these fun people!)

This year, I was told there were 8000 registered runners, which appears to be a huge increase over previous years. As usual things were well organised, but for some reason this year….what perhaps wasn’t so positive (but ultimately maybe out of the hands of the organisers) is the condition of the course. There are always potholes on the course-small, but still there-and this year the conditions of the road seemed worse and I did see people stumble into them particularly early on when jostling for position.

Off we set, and after a few KM I was surprised at how well I was feeling. The route was the same as last year. However, there were no crowd support. There’s a bit of an incline up at the bridge, but as that’s an out and back section you get the benefit of it going downhil on the other side.

After running down through the bridge, the majority of this race is on the highway, which isn’t the most beautiful, but at least it’s not hilly (just some slight up and down). Then, we double back the same way, so I had fun cheering for the really fast poeple once they started heading back past us. I was also totally impressed by the guy with a stroller ( and his toddler-aged kid sitting in it) who breezed past me, looking like he was out for a casual jog! Fuhhhhh Yoh!

Ok, then I started to focus all my thoughts to positive thinking and geared towards moving this machine of a body forward. Do you know that comes a point in a run where you’re no longer running, and you start to feel yourself gliding over the surface over the earth? Somehow everything seems to come together within your mind and body and everything operates fully in sync.Sure, you are pushing hard and you are talking to yourself with a focused, stern voice, “keep moving forward….Three more km, PUSH! PUSH! 2 more km! 2 KM! catch girl in pink shoes! Catch her…..Push! You can breathe at the finish…..PUSH!

A proud moment with Maggie Goh

Down the home stretch, I note a lack of signages and many runners complaint that aid stations such as the water stations for the 42KM Full Marathon ran out of water!! And as for the 10 km route, the organisers ran out of cups and we were given 1 litre bottles of water and Revive bottles to drink directly from it. It was crazy! Total madness!Sharing a bottle…eeewwww…As for the baggage/luggage counter, it is true?? Runners had to pay RM5 for luggage/baggage service?

NO WATER??

The super Hero for the day!

Hmmm…….We have all had those races:-

You go for a run/marathon and expect to do well. Hopefully everything goes your way. You plan everything, your training is excellent, your medals/food is exactly what you need and everything just seems awesome and perfect…..BUT……then the unforeseen things/circumstances happens. Much like life, there’s always something that you cannot plan for, nor expect. Everything happens for a reason! How you deal with that disappointment can help you succeed in the future and assist you overcome new challenges and obstacles. Whether I am running a 10 km and getting all geared up for my first 21 km half marathon, my goal has always been to enjoy the experience!

“But remember, for every journey there is a start point and an end destination!