Reading For Running

Disclaimer : boring post alert!

Arrived through Pos Laju today, which I ordered a week ago and look what I got!
Two new books for me to read! Those are used books but really felt and look like new. With the price that's half what MPH and Borders are selling, they are good buy for me.

I seemed to be accumulating quite a number of running related book of late...
My first running book was this 2009 "Born To Run" by Christopher McDougall in which I learned about the Tarahuma Indians and lots of riveting accounts of ultra-runners. 

The book starts off with the author narrative about looking for Caballo Blanco or Micah True; simply put here - an ultra marathon runner and organised the Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon to help raise funds for the Tarahuma tribe.

Sadly though, Micah True went out for a run one Tuesday morning in late March this year and never returned home... alive. He died while running through a magnificent wilderness. Sad but perhaps a perfect death for someone who loved running so much.

Anyway, this is a book that can get one start thinking about the benefits of barefoot running.
I got these months after the Born to Run book. Secondhand book from a friend of Jamie's. Some light reading with Haruki Murakami's "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running". I still read this book over and over, mostly when I'm spending quite a bit of time in the loo. heh heh Yes, it's perfect for that or when I need something to read before bedtime.

"The Competitive Runner's Handbook" is a technical book. I read it over once. Then I got a bit too serious about running because of it and that made running a little bit less enjoyable. So I'm laying off the book for the time being.
I got this book because well, it was a bargain at RM15! Good tips available in it, with colour photos too but perhaps not as in-depth as I would like. Still, the book was RM15! Anyone in KL is welcomed to borrow it from me, on the condition that you pick it up and return it to me.
Another book - I can't help but be teary eyed when reading this book. It tells about the late Jane Tomlinson, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 26. In 2000, she was told that the cancer had now spread to her bones and lungs. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, Jane took up gentle exercises at first and from there, she finished London Marathon THREE times, London Triathlon TWICE, New York Marathon and had even spent NINE weeks cycling across US. She did all these and she managed to raise millions of pounds for charity.

Jane passed away in 2007 at the age 43. Gone so soon...
Latest book I read. Twice. Probably will be reading it the third time if not for the two new books that just arrived.

Want to know how some people train for the gruelling ultra-marathon? And not just any ultra-marathon but the Spartathlon; a 246km ultra-marathon held annually between Athens and Sparta.

You think doing 42K is crazy let alone 100K or 100miles? Then what about this one; which revives the footstep Pheidippides? Oh yeah, the Spartathlon was held just last week.

I should shut up now and start reading and enjoying my new book.

p.s. for all my non-running readers (which is most of you... wakaka) sorry for boring the crap out of you today.

I'll make it up with some nonsense in the future. ^^

Comments

  1. I would love to run but I don't have the time ..too bad.

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    1. I used to go out at 4am for a run because that's the only time I can do it.

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  2. LOL! Why Boring post alert? : D

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    1. 1. It's about running
      2. It's about books
      3. It's about running books - not exactly fun books for the masses. xD

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    2. Yeah, I have to agree - these are quite boring books for me! Hahaha!! But the post itself not boring lah : D

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    3. Yes, the books are boring, all books are boring... I dislike books.

      But I don't mind comics or anime or encyclopedia.... oh, those are books too? Hehehe!

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    4. Eeee Yvonne,
      Cannot be all books are boring!

      Meow will fall from the roof reading your comment. You see how much she loves book. ;p

      But then, you like encyclopedia?

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    5. Yes, I like encyclopedia :D

      Back then, I borrowed all sort of encyclopedia from the library whereas my friends borrowed love novels... er, High School something.

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    6. I remember reading Sweet Valley High when I was in primary school. The graduate to Mills & Boons when in secondary.

      Like I mentioned to SK, I also read the dicitionary. At least, my spelling was good that time. Now I totally depend on spell checker! LOL

      Do you have lots of encyclopedia for Big & Lil Chi to read now? Must follow Mommy's footstep and share interest. ^^

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    7. Oh ya!! Sweet Valley High! Everyone went crazy for the series~ Maybe you can describe me as the geek and nerdy type.

      I don't have encyclopedia, I borrowed all of them, no money to buy then. And now my kids prefer story books! Princesses and Barbies, Spiderman and Batman XD

      Mommy now has cookbooks to see the picture and drool. Cooking skill fails max!

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  3. Wah! So many books on running! You are so passionate bout running!

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    1. Just like to be informed instead of just diving headlong doing something without proper knowledge.

      Hard to learn when one goes about this, alone. :(

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  4. Barefoot running? SO do you do barefoot running? I think too dangerous in the park or on the road right? What if you step onto a nail or something?

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    1. There are actually quite a number of barefoot runners in KL alone!

      I probably won't be doing any barefoot running anytime soon, but I find relief walking barefoot (on fields and tarmac... and yes, I can walk on roads that are alreasy exposed to the hot sun now... ^^). It's... liberating.

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    2. and to answer your question about the dangers doing barefoot running - yeah, there is that... One really need to super alert when running barefoot. I'm not knowledgeable about it, but most barefoot runners here came back intact and not bleeding. Most of the time. ;p

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  5. i love jogging- slow and longer distance..instead of running ;)

    Latest: Fine Dining with #Oktoberfest

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    1. Correct me if I'm wrong but to me jogging & running is pretty much the same thing. Slow or as fast as ligthning Usain Bolt or amazing endurance to do 42K in record time like Geoffrey Mutai or as slow as the slowest jogger at the park. No? ^^

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    2. yalor, to me jogging=running also lah, some people jog like running and some people run like jogging..

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    3. betul.

      What I call running pace maybe just a slow jog to others. It's pretty subjective between jogging and running but the motion is the same. One foot forward after the other, and faster than walking. ;p

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  6. wah, so really read a lot huh?? last time Minah Rempit tak belajar then now Mak Rempit want to read more books is it?? wakakaka~~

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    1. Catching up on lost times. Dulu malas because it's for studying for school and exams. Now I'm doing this for my own enjoyment. Just like Haruki Murakami. kekeke

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  7. i have been buying a lot of books couple of years back, because can get tax exemption mah.. but not now lah, now i have enough of those research articles to read on.. want to puke already!!

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    1. Yours no fun... study one.

      If not for study, I can read any books and finish it. Like reading the kamus for the heck of it. kekeke

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    2. seriously you go and read the kamus?? eih, you siao lah, want to see doctor or not?? :D

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    3. cannot ah?

      When I was in school, I was like the purveyor of all useless info one. Those that had nothing to do with exams, that one I sure know.

      How you think I can be champion pidato in BM and champion of elocution contest ah? Because of all these useless knowledge la. wakaka

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    4. seriously, reading kamus won't necessarily strengthen your knowledge at all, unless you were reading encyclopedia lah.. wow, champion pidato and elocution contest?? that one hafal the speech only mah.. i also winners of countless competitions in school, but 20+ years ago, wakakakaka!!

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    5. Improve vocab mah..

      You hafal speech other people write kah? Need to write own speech one. Your teacher do for you ah? ;p

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  8. so all your books about running only?? cannot be lah, don't think there are so many running books.. sure you got some romance one, and those hamsap ones~~~ :D

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    1. Actually, Meow's book on the Shades of Grey were the first in many many years I read that kind of book.

      I like mystery and fantasy more. Hamsap one? Blergh. Better do than just read only. (Or watch porn!) wakaka

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    2. people say reading give you more rooms for imagination mah, that's why sometimes reading wins watching lah.. hahaha!! oh, i actually like factual reading woh, like history..

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    3. That's why I like fantasy genre. Imagination really can run wild. I do have the tendencies to be too immersed with a book that it's hard to come back to reality though. :(

      I like history... although not easy to read because in any event, you already know the outcome. And the outcome can be depressing and sad.

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    4. not really lah.. i chose those that intrigues me to know what was happening, and what the history book didn't tell us.. then that's a bit tendency to gossiping, so more fun lah.. :D

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    5. You gossip about history with who? Terer lah...

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    6. I read Hamsap books when I was in early secondary and watched the first porn when I was 12 years old. Kekekekeke

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    7. Wah... you watched porn way earlier than you learn to smoke, kah TM?

      tsk tsk....

      12 years old and I was still very much goody goody. ;)

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    8. I bet annay read all Kama Sutra books before he reached 20 years old!

      A person as curious as him will try to educate himself before any test drive, kakakaka!

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    9. I bet too! SP probably read them before he finish school! Wakaka

      I only read this Malay book that is called "Permata yang hilang" which teaches about sexual relations (and positions) and "maintenance" of our body when I was getting ready to get married.

      I'm so innocent and pure, right? ;p

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    10. "Permata yang hilang"? Fuyoh~ This book is interesting ler.

      Although my permata already hilang, but still can read, right? Nyek nyek~ Nights are not all masuk keluar ;)

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  9. fuyoh, ultramarathon?? that can be like no boundary right?? perhaps running non-stop for one whole year?? does that look attractive to you?? haha~~

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    1. Oi... the ones that we have in our region looks mighty interesting.

      We have our own Sabah's The Most Beautiful Thing Ultra just recently.

      But I want a life to la...

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  10. You got a good deal for those books for its price and quality. I do the same too when I walked in the flea market at Amcorp Mall.
    I am proud to brag that I was the person who introduced Chinese books to the whole MPH in Malaysia a few years ago. I don't even read Chinese but imported in some 2 containers from Taipei. Ahem...

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    1. Why you imported so many books?

      Wah, that time you had an idea to penetrate local market with Chinese book kah?

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  11. I read the story of Jane Tomlinson too. I asked myself how much good deed could I do in this lifetime. I think we can start a small way. I will ask SP to Masak and bake for orphanages since he pandai borak and ahem ahem.

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    1. You should.

      SP shouldn't just spend time ahem ahem only. wakaka

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  12. I tried barefoot running and it was good. The feeling was different and the blood circulation was great. I ran on the beach looking at bitches and ran on the grass being chased by dogs.

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    1. So fit lah you, running on the beach also still managed to check-out tits and butts! wakaka

      Being chased by dogs work wonders for our speedwork, right? ;p

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  13. Reading? Running? No, thank you...to both! LOL!!!

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    1. Arthur Oppa,
      Teacher saying no to reading kah? tsk tsk

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  14. Wowwwww, that Marathon Running for mortals sound pretty interesting la kak lina, wish to borrow from you someday, that is after u have finished reading la, hehee...

    I normally read the info from the internet only, I like to buy books, mostly on travels n healthy food, but I seldom finish reading them, must be due to lack of passion.. But running, I`m so obsessed with it... Eat,Run,Sleep,Run,Run,Run...

    So where can i buy these 2nd hand books too, kak lina, mind to share with me the contact person? TQVM... Me luv reading running mags, so many cool pic of shoes n accessories... =D

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    1. Barefoot Mel kat FB selling those two books that I got. You can get into Runners Malaysia page coz that's where he'll usually put up what books he has.

      You can borrow my books. X kisah. ^^

      But funny - the two latest book that I got kinda have a different approach. I'm reading the "mortal" one first and go hardcore with the second one. II'm contemplating on whether I can cope with training with the FIRST method for my first FM.

      Read. Learn more. Then we'll see how it goes. ^^

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  15. I try to avoid reading at all cost.

    Like those movies adapted from books... I prefer watching them to torture my eyes reading them :p

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    1. Me different.

      I prefer the book version than the movie version. xD

      But now, cannot read as much as I used to. :(

      p.s. now am "enjoying" reading too. Proofreading annual report. FUN STUFF! NOT! wakaka

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    2. And I try to avoid all jogging / running, too. Lazy bum, kakakaka!

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    3. Yan,
      Whip Yvonne's bum and ask her to be more active! wakaka

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  16. lina, I love reading too, books that I am interested was vary from 1 stage to another stage in my life.

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    1. Likewise.

      It's a sign we are maturing, I hope. hehehe

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  17. When I was young, I love reading novel and comics. When I was dating, I love reading "Men from Mars, Women from Venus". When I was married and have kids, I love reading parenting books and magazines. When I am into baking, I love reading cook books. When I am into fitness, I love reading Health magazines. When I am into fashion, I also love reading Women magazine.

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    1. Reading for the different phases of life. :)

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  18. I'm a non-runner but not a non-booker, so I'm happy. :)

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    1. Did you notice that among those book, there's also a nice block of chocolate which is a perfect accompaniment to books, in my opinion. ^^

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  19. Hahaha, good to see you totally hooked on running!

    As crazy as it may seem, I definitely want to run at least one ultra in my lifetime! But no so soon la, once I've done at least 10 marathons, then maybe la ... hahaha!

    Keep up the good work!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Fell for it hook, line and sinker! LOL

      Pity that these reading doesn't make any faster. Just crazier! Bwahaha

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  20. Punya banyak buku pasal running, I think through my whole process of running, I never read anything. Just do it and improve from there. But I got awesome friends that tell me how to fix this and that, eventhough not entirely fixed, I improved my timing hee.

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    1. Lucky you to have running buddies. :)

      I like reading and I love running too, so when I can enjoy them both, its a bonus don't you think so?

      Plus knowledege is power.

      And I do have the tendency to distrust laymen advice. :-D

      Plus a virgoan can be anal about doing things just right. ;-)

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  21. eh really that good ah the Haruki Murakami's "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running"?

    Saw that in the Subang Jaya Book exchange programme yesterday. didnt pick it up

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    1. Meow,
      It's only good if you can relate to him about running. Otherwise, it can be a rambling book to you.

      Delete
  22. indeed a very boring post XD

    unless you talk about Harry Potter books XD

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    1. Why you go and read????

      Shoo shoo... go finish your Harry Potter books.

      Delete

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