Sunday, June 13, 2010

The 10K Run

By the time this post is out, I would have finished running my first 10K run in years. Hopefully I wouldn't have needed any EMS personnel to carry me back to the finish line ... LOL!

I've been training for the past two months to get back in shape. I've sat on my ass for way too long and have become an unhealthy couch potato. So, two months ago, I made a decision to start on my road to become healthy and fit again.

I've been getting up at 6.00am every morning and after sending the boys to school, I'll start my workout sessions before the work day begins. This has been going on every single day, except Sundays where it's a mandatory rest day.

So when I saw the ad for the Subang Jaya 10K run, I was of course excited. Here is a chance to see if all those early mornings of slogging back into shape has at least produced some results. I decided I was going to sign up for it. And wifey supported my decision.

But of course, me being me, I procrastinated in signing up and had to rush on the last day to the organizers office to personally sign up. Well, suffice to say, I made the sign up in time ... phew! I was looking forward to the run. In fact I couldn't wait for it.

As the days grew nearer and after checking out the route for the run, I was feeling like a child in a toy shop. I was excited and couldn't wait for race day. I kept talking about it all week non-stop. I think wifey is probably fed up of hearing about it and all my old time running stories by now ... LOL!

I've run numerous half marathons and 10K's before but the excitement I was going through was like the second time I ever took part in a race. I say second time cos I didn't always have this much enthusiasm for running.

It was years ago, when my buddy Sean dragged me along to take part in the Star Half Marathon way back in August 6, 1989. Yes, I remember the date and I still have the programme book and my competition numbers till this very day :D I never took part in a 21K race prior to that and I never knew what to expect. Like I said, I wasn't all that interested in running at that time mind you. All I enjoyed doing back then was sleeping.

I stayed overnight at Sean's place and we woke up at 5am on race day and walked to the venue which was about 15 minutes away. I remember I was yawning like crazy and asking myself time and time again on the walk there just what got into me to sign up. The place was still dark but when we reached the venue, it was like a carnival going on. The amount of people who were there astonished me.

I never knew that there was so many people willing to get up so darn early to just run. I finished in position 1,519 that year. I suppose the atmosphere and excitement got to me cos from that day on, I took running seriously and I'm happy to say that the next year after some extensive training together with Sean, I came out position 671 which I thought was a tremendous achievement for someone only a year ago who thought people were crazy to get up at 5am to run for 21 kilometers!

Sean and me have taken part in numerous runs back then cos we were both fanatics about running. We would run for 9 kilometers everyday and I would say we were pretty fit back then. But as we both got older, work and family commitments kinda broke up our running sessions. He was either busy or I was either busy and our runs together got fewer and far between.

Then I stopped running for months on end and try to start again which would last for a few months and I'd stop again. This went on for years. Ask any runner and they will tell you that trying to start running again from a long stop is the hardest part. Eventually I gave up running altogether until about two months ago when I decided that I had to do something about my fitness level which was non existent!

The slightest bit of hard work would cause me to pant like a mad dog (not that I know how mad dogs pant, mind you ... LOL!). It was frightening and I want to live a nice long and healthy life. The hardest part was starting again, especially having to wake up so early to get ready for my sessions but I persisted. There were so many days when I asked myself why am I torturing myself every single morning but I persisted and started enjoying it again. And missing a day of training for whatever reason would make me feel incomplete.

So, here I am now running my first 10K in a long time and I'm as excited as a kid in a candy store. I've taken out my old running gear which is still a perfect fit and got my numbers all pinned in advance. I even modeled around in my running gear for wifey ... LOL!


The only thing I need to probably do is get a new pair of running shoes cos the one I have now is pretty old and has lost most of its cushioning functions. I wanted to get a new pair but any runner worth his/her salt would know better than to run a race in a new pair of 'unbroken in' running shoes, so getting a new pair will have to wait until after the race.

I already have my eyes set on another 12K race that's slated for next month, that is if I'm not carried off into an ambulance by the emergency services people after this race ... LOL!
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22 comments:

  1. Well, you already have finished running now, I suppose... so how did it go?

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  2. HAHAHAHAHAH punya high ;)

    Am gonna run for 7k next month ;) I'm just as excited as you. I lost some weight from my everyday jogging, well except for weekends, I tend to slack a bit and fren said not to strain my legs. I got a bad left knee hekeh~

    But keeping my fingers cross. All the best Nick ;)

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  3. 1989? really?? how old r u? haha :P

    u should join Go Green run which will be held at Damansara Perdana :)

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  4. woohoo! way to go nick! the only long run ive ever participated was during my high school's annual cross country event. never fancy doing long run...

    best of luck for the next run. so how's the 10K run? managed to finish till the end?

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  5. Terra - It went well :D At least well enough by my standards :D I'm looking forward to my next race already.

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  6. Maslight - Well, good for you on losing some weight :D It's always great when you get lighter, kan :D

    I've got a bad left knee too but I'm working on strengthening it again.

    And best of luck on your 7K, I'll be looking forward to finding out how it went :D

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  7. Boy - LOL! You really don't want to know how old I am, la ...

    I am thinking about taking part in the Green Run, but I need to check the route out first cos that D'sara Perdana place is damn hilly one! LOL!

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  8. Carol - Yes, yes, I did managed to finish. I was dead tired but I was satisfied and ecstatic when I crossed the finish line :D

    I'm really looking forward to more races soon :D

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  9. u're twice my age.. *pengsan*

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  10. Wahh you're like forrest gump now hehe!

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  11. wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.. u actually did run.. good for u.. why la now only post the number.. now cannot buy 4d or magnum or horse or toto dah... but nice shorts.. sponsor ada bagi ka? nice!

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  12. Soulie - Hahaha ... Forest Gump! Life is like a box of chocolates ... LOL!

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  13. Anny - Yes, yes, I actually finally stopped whining and started running :D

    Urmmm, I know 4D, Magnum and Toto but what the heck is horse? LOL!

    No la, where got sponsor Puma shorts one. That shorts is mine la ... hehehe!

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  14. horse is 4d ka? there's a horse picture at their shops... and its red and blue i think.. *LOL*

    urmm... i know that the shah alam run gives pretty neat tees.. (nike punya) :D be sure to register for that.. last 2 yrs pun nike punya.. manyak cun

    u sure bukan sponsor punya shorts ka? it looks neat.. the color is niceee

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  15. Anny - Ok, now I recall seeing that horse logo ... it's called Da Ma Cai, I think ... LOL!

    When is the Shah Alam run? I must go check it out cos I'm on the hunt for runs :D

    And yes, that really is my shorts, paid quite a bit for it too ... LOL!

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  16. I would have wished you good luck, but I was offline last week, and I read that you already completed this!

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  17. ya ya... Da Mai Cai.. *LOL* Big Horse Small

    shah alam king of the road run (i tak tau bila cos i dun run).

    its adidas tee (bukan nike).. lupa sama the stripes :) but they give very nice tees :)

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  18. Anny - Big Horse Small ... LOL! Is that what it means?

    I'll look up on the internet for the run, hopefully it hasn't finished yet/

    Wah, Adidas tee? That's one of my favourite brands next to Puma :D

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  19. urm... i think thats what it means.. cos when you buy numbers.. there's Big & Small *LOL*
    Ma is definitely horse la.. and Cai can mean son too.. urmm.. ok.. too confusing la this Da Ma Cai

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  20. Anny - Hahaha ... well, I'll take your word for it cos I don't know Chinese.

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