So Much For A Sub 2:30

What that means is running within or faster than 2 hours 30 minutes for a 21km distance.

I realised what a folly that was this week. Maybe I can try a sub 2:30 at SCKLM 2013 but definitely not at Brooks Half Marathon which was littered with crazy inclines.

Anyhoo, totally feeling unfit this week. I only had one other run prior to Brooks Half Marathon and that was on Friday! Cycled a bit on the other days as I was resting my legs (shin splint strikes again! *sob sob*) but not really helping. *wuuuuwuuuuwuuu* 
Prepping for the run. Tape, tape, tape everywhere. Somehow the KT Tape didn't hold up and one rolled down barely into KM10. 
Saw Neoh just before flagged off. He asked my plan for the run, and I happily told him that I had none. I decided to ditch that sub2:30 plan and just do a whatever run. I didn't want to push it as I've been experiencing a rather tight chest these past two days. @.@ (Zaini said it's my excuse to do a slow run. Yes, he is totally right).
5 minutes after flag-off, and off I go. Took 5 minutes for the starting line to be clear. Absolutely a massive half marathon crowd today. So massive that for a straggler like me, it was hard to run on a clear path. So I was like, oh whatever... when I can't run and overtake people, I just walk (especially on inclines). 

I didn't feel safe running this race either. Way too many honking and irate drivers abound. Man, Bukit Jalil people are sure one IMPATIENT lot. And at certain strecthes, they just zoom past us runners with nary a concern about running over somebody! @.@

OK, so some runners do seem not to care about their safety too, they way they ran outside the "coned" area. I mean, why on earth are you so impatient for? Want to podium, izit? Want to podium, don't run at my pace lah.... :(

Then there are those dark strecthes too. I am absolutely terrified running in dark places and the thought of accidentally stumbled on something and fall.

Cons aside, I must say I had fun today. 

At around KM10.50, Bett said hi to me. Then lost her. Sorry, didn't managed to take photos with you, Bett!

Zaini was waiting for me at around KM12(?) and I almost didn't notice him taking photos there.
Side view
Front view
Absolutely horrible rear view
Some random inclines photos I took. Took quite a number of photos before the sun rises but they all suck. I cannot take photos when there is no sun la! huhuhu
 
Saw this guy again with 6km to go. He paced me all to the finish line, taking lots of photos while running too plus be annoying by urging me to run faster. I DO NOT WANT TO! LOL

We probably annoyed a lot of runners as we took photos of each other! Bwahaha
At around KM15, saw Rashid. Poor fella. He wasn't feeling well today. As a matter of fact, he threw up 4(!) times during the run. Had a bad case of food poisoning but he was still gamely running for a half-marathon. He told me he'll see the doctor after this. I hope you're feeling much better now, Rashid!
Still running together and pretty much at chit-chat pace. Yup, we chit-chatted. A LOT!
Also can take lots of photos too. ^^
Saw KZ, a runner I got to know through Gaited Community and ran with her for a bit. She had a cramp and asked me to go ahead. Cramp also, she finished strong! SALUTE!
Made it to the finish line at 2:59. Gun time at 3:04. Slow run so got lotsa energy to pose for silly photos. LOL
Happy getting food after the run. Got Massimo bread, got watermelons, got red bean porridge (bubur kacang merah la...), got taufoofa, got wheatgrass drink also. Kenyang, I tell you! Took a number of mineral water too. 
Itsy-bitsy teeny weeny little gold troph. Oh yeah, got a rather fugly finisher t-shirt too.
Then, photo time!
and I also got a photo with Auntie Teresa. You know, the 71year old lady marathoner that was featured in Astro ad? She just ran Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon last week.

The race organization, the route and the impatient drivers at the area may left a lot to be desired for but I have to say, I am happy running Brooks Half Marathon.

I guess my quest for a 2:30 timing will have to wait. I'll try and do it at SCKLM. 

Now, more hill trainings to help me cope with inclines littered along a race course. I am such a wuss when it comes to hills. Next - Malaysia Women Marathon. Apr 7th!

Comments

  1. Don't berate yourself lar. Important is finish safe. Hills take 3 times more energy to run sister and the 21km route is littered with it.

    1 runner was down on the 10km route somewhere in 1st km. Heart attack or something coz CPR was being performed. :( Hope he's ok.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, for one we still need to conquer hills. Our race route do have a lot of them. :P

      I read from Jamie's comment in FB that there was one fatality today in the race. RIP. :(

      Delete
  2. Least you manage to finish the run. Proud of you girl! All the tapes sure looks like as though you were injured hehe... Make sure to observe the tight chest feeling. Take cares ;).

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  3. I had seen that guy in MWM T-shirt few times. I have forgotten where I met him. Probably he is a friend of a friend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh dear that one is your hubby dei.

      Delete
    2. It seems that most food desserts given out are quite similar. I supposed they are easiest to swallow after the run. Usually the food served after cycling events were crazy like attending a wedding.

      Delete
    3. Anay dei,
      Of course you see him b4 lah. In this blog! Yennadei. LOL

      Both have the properties for recovery mah... sometimes got beehun or nasi lemak also. But not at big races like SCKLM or PBIM lah. Smaller races have more stuff to makan. ;p

      Delete
    4. Wakakaka this anay old man. That's the same problem always for reading blogs from my phone. So tiny and blurr my eyes.

      Delete
    5. Who ask to read blogs with phone? Read using the iPad big screen lah! tsk tsk ;P

      Delete
  4. Nice Playboy Bunny ears you've got! LOL!!!

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  5. kak lina... seronoknya banyak gambar.
    setuju sgt abt what u said on impatient drivers, dark routes and ramai!! '
    shin splint? ouchhhhhh...
    hopefully it will get better ASAP for our FMV.
    FMV?? yikeessssss

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nno laju.... congrats to you! Ohsem run!

      Laju sangat sampai tak sempat Abg Zaini amik gambar.

      Ib pun mcm x nampak.

      Delete
    2. Nano mmg lajuuuu... Salute uolss...

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    3. Mmg salute kat Nno. Tak sesia trenen dasat kan? :)

      Delete
  6. I would KILL to see a video of that cute fluffy tail bobbing along! Tell that stalker of yours to invest in a video camera! :D

    Congrats for finishing with shin splints and tight chest and wind-resistant ears and all! :p

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OMG! Just imagine all the wobbly bits that will jiggle along with the tail! Not a pretty sight.

      There even a time that I really thought I want to take off my top due to the heat! It was HOT at 5:30am! @.@

      But yeah, glad to finish in one piece. Slow but finished.

      There is one casualty in today's run though. RIP. :(

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    2. If you took off your top, you really would've been a bunny girl! :p

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    3. One 50 year old guy passed away - heart attack and fell down. His relatives posted a photo of him on Brooks Running Malaysia FB page.

      So far, the organiser is still pretty mum about it. :(

      Top off and show all the jiggly bits! Woohooo!

      Delete
  7. Ye la.. tak sempat photo shoot with u.. I sebok2 mata melilau carik surau masa tu.. perut lapar.. bizi pk anak2 dh bgn blum sbb nk tompang org p sukan.. haih.. mcm2 la pg td.. hahahahaaa next time when u potong I akan cpt2 kuarkan camera ok..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Super-mom lah you! Sambil lari pun leh multi-task mcm2. Tabik spring!

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    2. Bersalah dgn my dotter n son sbb dorang ada sukan but mommy dia p berlari tmpt lain.. hahahahaa kena berkorban perasaan!

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    3. Hahaha

      Kesian Bett.

      But all in all, great day for you. Satu family balik bawak trophy/medal ek? :)

      Delete
    4. wekekekeke Kak lina.. well hari ni I susun atas meja ada 4 medals from dorang n 2 cup medals from us semalam.. mmg kelakar la.. banyak kot utk sehari punye event? =)~

      Delete
    5. amek gambar tak? Buat blog post satu! :)

      Delete
  8. Congrats.. ok tu.. yg penting kita enjoy.. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yeah, enjoy itu mesti. ;)

      Congrats and salute over your Nuang adventure too! Salute!

      Delete
  9. dah agak dah tak jumpak org lari laju2 ni. lari 10k yg start 6:45 pun gelap, i cant imagine pukul 5:30 gelap macam mana. lorong sempit, orang ramai, kereta & moto taktau nak sabar dan ada runner yg lari luar cone. the surau provided kecil n got light n fan but it didn't switch on. semayang la kami dalam gelap.

    overall masih enjoy the run as it is my first 10k event.

    anyway congrats. good luck in MWM

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Itulah kan... kelam kelibut. Plus mmg ramai yang macam taktau apa makna race etiquette. :(

      Anyways, ada yang sembahyang tepi jalan je semalam... x guna pun prayer tent tu. Open air. Sejuk sikit. :P

      Your first 10K? Well done, Matjoe!

      Lepas ni race apa lak? :)

      Delete
  10. Congratz Kak Lina for your 1st Brook HM race this year... Last year was even better coz we started and finished inside the massive stadium although outside is more open air n less cramping... hehee....

    Xsempat nak melilau2 cari Kak Lina Bunny semalam, penat sgt coz almost hit the wall around KM2 towards the finishing line, dehydrated, both of my knees meragam balik T..T

    Erk, i thought u`ll be doing FM for SCKLM too? Back to back with BIM ek? Easy does it Sis... Recover, Rest n Refuel... =D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nope. HM at SCKLM.

      FM, HM, FM, HM. Itu my upcoming race line-up.

      I'm not kan-cheong about getting several FMs under my belt for the year. It's all about doing what I like to do, on my terms. :)

      Delete
    2. Neways, great job at Brooks! *clap clap* :)

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    3. Thanx Kak Lina... Wow alternating HM with FM, pretty smooth n awesome decision too... Looking forward to take pic with Hot Mama Bunny next April's MWM.... This time I'll pace my running partner slow n steady... U r doing pretty well too Sis! ;)

      Delete
  11. Oooh.. i see you've run with full gear - ears and tails ^ ^

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    Replies
    1. Somebody was nice enough to make the tail for me so that I can wear them both. :P

      Delete
  12. Hey..you were the one with the bunny ears n tail. Got me so intrigued while running and it was a nice distraction during the HM. :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Veron!

      Hehehe, I occasionally run with the ears just for the heck of it n to have fun.

      Glad it was a nice distraction for you. Say hi if we bump into each other in any races in the future. :-)

      Delete
  13. tak sempat nak jumpa kak lina sbb kami sampai sgt lambat. 3jam 43 minit.. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kitaorg pun jumpa yg lain. Time lari je jumpa. :-D

      Delete

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