There is a 1st for everything

January 27, 2013

There is a 1st for everything

This is my 1st post. This blog generally will be dedicated for my interest in running. I will add anything that relevant in my life but the main thing is the running...

I started running in 2012 - my little brother finally succeeded to coax me into this thing. The events that I had participated ranges from 7km to 12km in 2012. When I already started to participate, it quickly became an addiction - I had completed 10 events in that year.

I realized that 10 events a year is too much. Most of the events is in KL while I'm in JB and it strains my legs a bit. So, for 2013 I'll try to limit the event to 6. My target for 2013 is to run 10km under 1 hour because starting 2014 I'll try the events above 10km.

The 1st event in 2013 for me is Dragon Back Run. The event is in Meru. The distance that I joined was 10km. Iqbal was feeling a bit adventurous so he picked 14.5km event (We'll come back to this later).

We arrived early at 6.30am at SK Meru 2 - the starting point of the run.

Participants already gathered at 6.30am. Race start at 7.00am.

At 7.00am, the 14.5km participants were sent off. For the 10km event, it started at 7.10am.

Running in the morning

Actually, Iqbal & myself wondered why this run is being held at a quite remote location. Normally, organizers will select roads in urban areas where the location is easily identified & accessible to the participants.

We found out the reason why during the run through the HARD WAY. The name of the run is Dragon BACK Run. Imagine a Chinese dragon:

Dragons have humps. During the 14.5km start release, the organizer have cautioned the runners that there will be FOUR hills that they need to go through. Not one, not two but FOUR hills. For recreational runners like me & Iqbal, hills are challenges that we hate. It is hard to go up & dangerous when going down. Iqbal realized that he had made a mistake getting into the 14.5km events. Ha ha.....


4 Hills?!!!

No one giving up

Despite the hills, I feel the run was fun. Due to Iqbal is running a different event, I didn't feel the need to force myself to run my very best. I'm also still recovering from my aching leg muscle from my December 2012 run so I'm using this run familiarized my legs to long distance running.

With not much pressure, I managed to finished the run at 1 hour 30 minutes. Very far from my record time of 1 hour 10 minutes. But I'm satisfied - my legs didn't feel hurt so much. I can give it all for the next run.

Iqbal arrived about 30 minutes later. I think he was so engrossed with his run because he didn't noticed me at 1st at the finish line. Anyway, here he is after his 1st 14.5 km. Not bad huh.