Running

It's funny how I've not blogged about running.

I've picked up running again, the first run I've even done was in 2006 at the British 10k Run. It was a great sense of achievement, completing the run in 1 hr 24 minutes and getting a finisher's medal for the sweat and sore legs after!

After coming back from UK, I had the urge to run, but could never find the people to run with. Until last June, when EJ asked me to join the Standard Chartered Marathon with her. I pounced at the chance to pick up running again, and ran 1 hr 24 minutes again (being older 5 years and still clocking the same time was good enough for me!) And a finisher's medal also!

Since then, I've ran many races: Siemens Run (Dataran Merdeka), Shape Night Run (Putrajaya), Olympic Day Run (Dataran again!), Mizuno Run (UPM), Penang Bridge Run (Penang) and Angkor Wat International Half Marathon (Siem Reap). I skipped the Malakoff Run (Bukit Kiara) as I was recovering from illness then. But all in all, 2010 was full of runs, and I became very, very trim (much to my chagrin, since I had resolved to put on some weight).

The thing about running is you only have yourself to beat, and each time, it's just about shaving time off from the last race. My best is still Angkor Wat, at 67 minutes - but that was a fairly flat run, which I enjoyed.

The running continues in 2011: Larian Merdeka (UM), Bareno Run (Bukit Jalil) and today's Larian Bersama Bomba (Dataran Merdeka). The time's for this year have not been good, as I've not been running regularly, and there were long breaks between runs. Today's was very challenging, as half-way through I injured my knee (signs of getting old?!) and walked more than I ran. However, nothing to be worried about, it should be alright in a few days. But EJ managed to run faster than me today, and grabbed herself the last finisher's medal (way to go, woohoo!).

The running calendar will fill up soon: StanChart, Feel Good, Siemens, Penang Bridge, Adidas King of the Road, Seremban?? Have not really decided what runs to do next but we runners are spoilt for choice.

So why the penchant for running, you may ask? Simple reasons:
i. it's good for health - I do feel fitter and it gives me toner legs (heehee);
ii. it's for charity - well, some of the runs anyway, and I prefer to run those that donate the fees to charity;
iii. personal challenge and continuous improvement (kaizen!);
iv. it numbs the pain that life hands to me;
v. it builds mental strength; and
vi. I like shiny medals :)

I hope to be able to continue running for a long time (hope my knee's not busted), and maybe one day do a 21 km - which I'm not ready for yet. Am afraid I'll get too bored running continuously for such a long time (ipod to the rescue maybe!).

So the running will continue. And the battle cry shall be: Run, (insert name), run! *puff puff*