Before i say goodbye

Listening to Adele's rendition of "Lovesong" is mind settling, soul searching. The perfect mood to just relax the mind and start writing down what has been in the mind for so long. I'm at the place where i was at last year. Never knew that I would be here again. Maybe there's a reason for me being here. 4  more days till the end of 2011. While most are busy enjoying xmas and the holiday season or some might be busy listing down all their wish lists and resoulutions for 2012, I on the other hand had the sudden urge to just reflect at all that things that happened thes past months. What have i achieved so far? Did i managed to tick everything on my resolutions lists for this year?. I know that i managed to tick a few. Not an easy task as I've to endure the challenges, twists and turns just to be able to get the resolution or wishlists ticked on that piece of paper. Bitter sweet moments applied as well.

The most important event that happened to me was me submitting my Msc thesis. How I have gone through my 3 1/2 years of postgraduate life just to get it done. Big challenge i must say. I even had to defer 1 semester due family reasons. I even had the thought of just quitting. I was quite amazed on how I managed to get it done, the final writing in 1 month while I was really down with my breakup, while mom and dad was away. Maybe i was blessed enough to have people who really cared about me thoughout the whole ordeal. Got a part time job after that. And 1 week after that, my granny passed away. She went to soon. She has always wanted to be at my wedding day. I remember how she described on how "kecoh2" would my wedding be. What i have now to remind me of her is the memories we had and also the gold bracelet and diamond ring she gave me. You've gone 2 months nenek, may your soul rest in peace. Al-Fatihah. 

In between all that, my running and cycling events and also my short trips to some of the places in the world have always "distracted" me from thinking of the unnecessary. I've also made my short holidays as a "healthful'' one by participating in running events. Even though not as far as a marathon distance, well 10km is also a distance worth running. I've been blessed with understanding parents. Eventhough mom is always "membebe" at me on why do i have to go so far for running events. Hatyai and Singapore seems far ka? Hahaha, dekat border Malaysia je kot those two countries. I have friends and aquaintences that have traveled as far as HK, Berlin, New York and even Paris. Anyway, earlier this year I started my travel adventure to Phuket with a dear friend, (I won this in a some magazine contest, yes it was really worth it). Came back and started participating in various running events. From running the 10km at Hatyai and doing my 3rd half Marathon in Singapore which i managed to get my personal best. In between that was running mostly in KL events.  Oh, Ipoh and Penang too and not the forget my 1st Triathlon relay in Port Dickson. Real fun that one. After the Tri event, i got a road bike for my 26th, eh silap, 27th birthday birthday present. Less then a month of cycling and training, I registered myself in Malakoff's duathlon event. 3km run-13km cycle-3km run. It was a good experience.

As I'm blogging this, I'm still reflecting on what has happened around me and in me in the past months despite already having in mind on what my new resolutions are. I hope and pray that next year will be kinder to me. Looking forward to it. 

p/s: To blog more on my running+cycling+travelling adventures. Resolution #2

Here I am again

It has been awhile. Lots of ups and downs. More downs in the past few months. But i believe that everything happens for a reason. Good or bad. The good thing is that i learned to be more stronger at heart, being more independent and responsible over things. However, the bad part is that i sometimes could not handle things or situations well enough but i guess that i will so in time.

Oh, i have finished my thesis. yeay!. waiting for my viva. not so yeay. Got a job at Kumon as a math teacher. interesting. My mom got me a road bicycle. Running routine has been slow lately but yeah, im still running as i have to prepare myself for my second half marathon in Singapore (Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon event). Still depressed over the lost of my grandma.

Yes, i will start rambling more. Will make a point to do so. 

A wish For you

1 year has passed. 1 year of friendship built

1 year of witnessing of your ups and down in life and how you are strong enough to through everything all by yourself

Happy many returns of the day to you . May all your dreams come true. Insya-Allah. Amin

Sacrifice

aku tak faham bila my own family tak faham what it feels like to withdraw from a running event. Yes, i decided to sacrifice my time and all to withdraw for my next 21km event due to family probs. Kerana FAMILY gak aku sanggup sacrifice untuk tak lari in this Sunday's event. Diorang cakap aku memperbesarkan benda yang kecik. Yelah, korang tak training sampai nak demam memang la korang tak tau how it feels like to withdraw from something. Dah la kena prepare untuk oral presentation untuk conference next week. Plan aku semua dah jadi kelam kabut sebab kena bantu family. OK ar, nak pegi jumpa Prof plak. harap2 tak banyak masalah sebab seadanya otak dah serabut

Yang Sebenarnya

Heh. 

Eh hai.

Rasanya macam dah sebulan lebih tak merajinkan diri update blog. Nak kata takde cerita. Rasanya banyak je kot. Cerita pasal study, cinta, lari, frust tertonggeng semua ada la. YANG SEBENARNYA, bukan tak nak update, cuma takde mood la *alasan*. haha. So since malam ni agak free untuk update ape yang terjadi dan bakal terjadi sepanjang sebulan aku buat tak tau kat kewujudan blog ni aku. Baca blog orang sangat la rajin tapi blog sendiri dibiarkan bosan.

So anyway, YANG SEBENARNYA, malam ni sepatutnya siap kan powerpoint presentation thesis untuk supervisory committee meeting dan untuk conference presentation untuk MASO hujung bulan ni tapi macam agak malas. Nak kata tak start buat, dah 80% complete. Cuma tinggal part discussion and part2 edit-mengedit je. Tapi takpe esok boleh sambung buat balik. Thesis aku alhamdulillah, so far ok. Supervisor2 tengah check. So harap2 takde la masalah sangat lagi. Penat beb nak writing ni. Kekadang melangok depan laptop ni berjam-jam pun tak mungkin boleh dapat 1 page of write up yang berkualiti. Belakang citer, bila dah ketandusan idea and bosan, mula la layan fb and dok surf internet jer. Paper untuk publish pun dah accepted cuma editor soh buat some corrections here and there. Tu pun tak betulkan lagi sebab nak siapkan power point presentation dulu. Aku ni jenis yang tak boleh multi-task sangat. Nanti otak macam berserabut. Tapi macam mana pun, by end of the day benda2 ni semua kena settle before the dateline, Insya-Allah. Tu citer pasal academic.

Cerita cinta? Hmm, biasala ada ups and downs. Tapi bulan lepas memang down habislah siap frust menonggeng la. Tapi setelah berbincang, timbang tara. Rasa-rasanya aku dah dapat jawapan yang pasti. Mudah-mudahan lepas ni semuanya akan baik2 sahaja. AMIN. Ok, cerita ni aku save the best for last. Sekian. Haha

Activity running aku so far ok. Last month aku ngn geng Chap Ayam join event running kat Hatyai. Aku lari 13km je. Tak mentally strong and fit enough untuk lari full marathon. Trip sangat best la sampai aku lupa objective pegi sana adalah untuk berlari. So terasa seperti lupa diri sikit masa kat sana. Performance haritu pun macam hampeh je. Tak focus langsung. Sangat bengong. Patutnya dah pegi oversea tu, try la buat personal best, tapi hampeh. But its ok, I enjoyed my running trip. Harap2 adalah lagi trip2 macam ni. Memang enjoy la ;). Next event plak SCKLM. Aku register half marathon. Harap2 boleh perform better then energizer nite run few months back. Tinggal 2 minggu je lagi. So training session pun harus la lebih sikit. Ni pun lately ni banyak training sendiri. Dulu rajin gak turun shah alam training ngn geng2 shah alam. Bukan tak nak pegi, kekadang ada je benda yang menghalang aku pegi ke sana. Takpelah, janji training sendiri dari tak training langsung and since dah masuk gym, dapat gak la training ngn PT yang ada kat sana. Lepas SCKLM plak, aku akan ke Ipoh untuk event Ipoh International Run (10km). Register RM10 je. ok la kot, pastu end of july plak aku join event PD International Triathlon. Team Relay. Macam hebat sangat la kan aku ni. Tapi YANG SEBENARNYA nak experience benda2 ni. Dah minat kan. Nasib baik la takde beskal sendiri. Kalau tak confirm aku register as solo tapi masuk sprint je la. *angan2*. Adoi, sejak masuk running2. Byk betul duit aku belanja. Keje takde, tapi duit keluar banyak. Pengsan la macam ni. Now pun dah start swimming. Mak aku pun dah bising2 soh aku slow down sikit. Tapi seriously, memang pakai duit banyak. Lepas ni event2 tertentu je aku akn register. No more membabi-buta register tu sebab by end of the day aku gak yang sengkek. Aku ingat lagi dulu yang running ni is cheap. Tapi tidak sama skali. Bila dah start lari, nak plak beli kasut yang best, baju yang striking. Yela, berlari pun nak gak macam diva kan. Haih, macam2 la. Lari tak laju mana pun gaya je lebih. Haha :p. Dah minat kan :D. So moral of the story. Untuk mendapatkan financial status yang kukuh. CEPAT LA CARI KEJE. Hm, keje pun susah nak dapat. Mintak keje kat college lama pun tak dapat. Sedih doh. Hmm.. nasib :(

YANG SEBENARNYA, ada lagi benda nak aku blog. Nak cerita pasal the people i met since i started running. Setiap individu yang aku kenal sepanjang perjalanan aku dalam dunia running, semuanya unique and interesting in their own ways. Secara tak langsung membuka mata aku pada banyak persoalan dan perspektif dalam kehidupan ini. Haha. Jeng3!. Will definitely blog about it soon enough sebabnya mata pun macam dah mengantuk and esok kena bangun awal untuk pegi training. Babai!

In the end

It ended up with a heartbreak

Dear god, please give me the strength to go through this rocky road.

From ZERO to HERO

I attended a running clinic/circuit training organized by (sila click link ----->) FROM ZERO TO HERO this morning as part of my preparation for my second half marathon. Yes, i telah berjaya berlari sejauh 21km during the Energizer Night Run last Saturday and manage to clocked 2 hours and 43minutes. Not bad la for a first timer kan. So yea, main reason of me attending this clinic/circuit training is to improve myself in all forms sebab tak berapa puas hati dengan ENR haritu. Lari pun tengah injured so pace pun kena slow sikit. Itupun dah kena tegur dengan mama and my aunty untuk jangan lari malam tu. Ishh. Mana bleh... dah bayar kot. I told them macam cara sekali pun i kena sampai gak kat finishing line first half marathon i tu. And i did it! Ok cerita sikit la pasal experience ENR tu. Summary la eh so here goes...

Sampai2 je Sepang Circuit kena bayar RM10 untuk parking. Memang cekik darah. Amik kesempatan betul. Nak jalan ke circuit tu dah la jauh pastu kena plak lalu entrance yang sangat kecik rasa macam nak pengsan je lalu situ dengan the amount of people yang keluar masuk route tu (bayangkan kalau duduk dalam train atas bas yang penuh. sekian). Nak amik headlight pun dah macam pasar ikan. Gila tak bertamadun orang2 ni. Tsk Tsk. Nak letak bag kat counter kena beratur punya lah lama sebab 2 orang je yang in-charge (gila tak organized). Nasib baik la sempat nak warm up sebelum race. First 10km or running went well. Every water station i stop untuk minum air mineral or isotonic drink. I ni cepat peluh and bila berpeluh maka keluar la juga segala sodium and potassium yang membuatkan kaki i cepat cramp bila berlari (development of lactic acid yang cepat pun satu hal la kan). Nasib baik gak la i bawah GU CHOMPS which i kunyah a few hundred meters towards every water station sebab lepas kunyah gummies tu kena minum air. Alhamdulillah membantu and my first 10km went great. Mental focus went kelam kabut sikit bila lari dalam Sepang Circuit tu itself. I ni jenis tak boleh lari satu tempat berulang-ulang. Masuk je second loop, terus hilang focus and the last 4km tu dah rasa cramp. Dah takleh push. Rasa lagi down bila kawan-kawan dah start potong. Macam mana pun tetap habis run tu dengan masa 2 jam 43 minit. (First 16km i dapat clocked in masa 1 jam 54 minit). Lepas lari tak dapat medal, goodie bag pun tak dapat sebab dengar kata macam ada kekecohan berlaku. Tapi yang paling best certificate, medal and goodie bag organizer akan post ke rumah siap bagi refund lagi sebab orang complain pasal the event. So basically my first half marathon ni kira my experimental try out la. hehe

Ok, back to the ZERO to HERO story. The clinic/ running circuit was conducted by Mr Mark Williams. Elite runner ni. Rugi kalau tak join. So one week before the event i dah register. So yea, pagi tu pegi sorang2. Sampai2 je Mr Williams dah start his talk. Toleh kiri kanan tapi tak nampak any familiar face (that morning runner2 hebat pegi beraksi kat Bidor and Metta Run). Dah half way thru the talk, nampak plak Edan, Abg Shariff, Adznam, Muaz and and Afiq. Ha, cantek la tu, ada gak geng AnR Shah Alam yang datang. Started running at 7.30am. Time tengah lari rasa perut tak berapa best (tak makan dengan betul sebab the day before bedal mee kari, pulut ngan rendang and nasi dagang. Haha, ntah pape. Lesson learnt!). So nak lari pun takde mood dah tapi redah gak la sebab nak praktis my running technique. Pastu nampak plak the guys dok lari laju gila. Haih so cannot kejar ok. Mengah tengok dioang lari ni. Tetiba plak tengah2 lari Mr Williams dok berdiri satu spot nak tengok cara larian runners yang hadir. So i pun lari la macam biasa. So while running towards him , i could see that he was observing my running technique. And you know what he said? "beautiful running technique!, keep it up!". Wei! tetiba i kembali motivated ok!. Tak penah2 la orang comment pasal my running technique. Ni ELITE RUNNER yang comment ok!. I felt so motivated again. Kekadang i rasa down sebab takde sape yang nak observe and correct my running form. Kekadang fikir betul ke tak cara aku berlari ni. But yea, Mr Williams saw it and commented about it. But i took it in a very positive way. More to learn and more to practice to improve better.
 

With the real HERO, Mr Mark Williams

 

These guys here are FAST runners ok! Especially yang kedua dari kanan tu :p

With the upcoming HEROES and HERO-ine *coughs*

Lepas run 4 loop (around 8.8km), sempat tanya Mr Williams on running tips and what plan to follow as a preparation for my 2nd half marathon.  I cakap kat M.W first tapi terkantoi plak bila i cakap i dah lari HM masa ENR ahah. But i told him that ENR was just my experimental race to just experience the feeling of running half marathon. Boleh gitew? LOL.  

Asking for valuable tips ;) and he said " Just stick to the plan and you'll be fine"

Next running event will be this weekend. AnR breakfast run on Saturday and  SCKL running clinic on Sunday. Both events will be held at Kepong Metropolitan Park. So determine to be better as the tag line goes " FROM ZERO TO HERO" . But in this context it's HEROINE la kan bagi saya. Heh

See you all on the REAL race day peeps! Everyone are HEROES in their own ways. Believe me ;)