My Running Journey - A Look Back In Gratitude

I admit, this post is inspired by Fitness First Malaysia’s current campaign #THATMOMENT with their tagline “You Can Cross the Finish Line” and their campaign inspired me to write this post.

I first signed up for a gym membership and even gotten a personal trainer when I was 33. The sole purpose for me training then was to have a strong body. Not to be skinny but to have a fit body.

So that I can do this while hiking with my son.

Although I didn’t have a personal trainer for long (it is a huge financial commitment after all), I tried to keep active but outside the gym.

I hated running at first but I tried running as a way of keeping fit when I was 36. I joined my first ever race in September as my 36^th birthday celebration. It was a 10K and I finished in 1:15.

I was hooked.

From a 10K I moved up to a half marathon and I ran my first half marathon at Standard Chartered KL Marathon (SCKLM) in June 2012. I’ve done a dozen 10Ks and other distances before I did the half marathon at SCKLM and I managed to finish in 2:31.

Afterwards, I set my sight on doing a full marathon and I finally did it in March 2013 at the Inaugural Malaysia Women Marathon. My timing wasn’t impressive at all and I finished in 6:36 but it was a special one. My then 10 year old son decided to accompany me at the last 5km, and we walked and talked and I crossed the Finish Line together with my husband and son.

In 2014 and four full marathons later, my husband and I did our first ultra-distance at Watergate 16 hours. Our aim was to reach 50K in this time-based ultramarathon, and we did it in 10 hours.

I increased my distance to 60K a few months later at Back 2 Endurance 12 hours.

We were back to Watergate 16 in 2015 and I managed to do 80K in 11 hours, followed by Gunung Nuang Ultra two months later. I did 50K in 11 hours for my first trail run at Gunung Nuang.

In May 2015; to celebrate Mother’s Day, my husband and I joined the Route 68 Challenge and managed to finish our 50K in 8:26.

After a number of half marathons, full marathons, 50Ks, 80Ks and a 48-hour run; I decided to try an ultra-marathon in Japan to celebrate my 40th birthday. And I registered for Tango Ultramarathon in 2015 and finished well before the cut-off time.

To train for it, I signed up for a gym membership again, at Fitness First and used to dash for a quick run during lunch hour at Fitness First Gardens Mall.

I had promised my ever supportive family that I’d slow down for our son’s PT3 in 2017 and SPM this year.

Tango Ultramarathon was supposed to be my last ultramarathon until our son finish schooling. I “kinda” technically kept that promise although I did managed to join MKH 12-Hour walk in November 2017 (it’s not an ultra-marathon event but a race-walking event) and managed to do 64K in 11:52 and also gotten a surprise 3^rd place at UM 24 in the 6-hour category.

When we are not running, we tried to give back to the running community by volunteering at races from fun run to ultramarathon events. Nowadays, with limited time to spare; we only take photos at races as unofficial photographers.

The highlight of volunteering/crewing at races for me is definitely the experience of being a part of Ironman Langkawi crew. It was a great, exhilarating 6-days experience for me and my husband.

I am able to do all this because of the strong support of my family and I am forever grateful to them.

I am also equally proud to say that I finally managed to join a race together with my siblings and their families at FMM MAFMAG ActivRun in July.

My achievements may not be great to others but the important thing is I did what I want to do and at the time I want to do it and with the support of my family.

My running journey involved a lot of other people whom I love and I am deeply humbled by all the experience I've gained all these years.

For that, I am blessed to experience my own running journey and hope that I will be able to continue doing so for many years to come.

If somehow this post and other running posts that I’ve shared in my blog inspire others, I am glad.

If it made someone take their first step towards a healthier and more active lifestyle, I am honoured.

Remember, WE ALL CAN CROSS THE FINISH LINE.

And oh, remember to wave if you see me and my camera at any race. If we're taking photos, we'll post them up at our Facebook page Cik Arnab & En Kura-Kura.