Great Eastern Pacesetters 30KM 2009

Written by Lynn(Ribbit) and Chin (Tweet)

• Ribbit's version:

Never been my habit to blog immediately after a race or an event. Guess that the reason I'm a queen of procrastination! ( from blogging to doing other stuffs). Been a yearly resolution to try to correct that habit but I never been able to proudly say I manage to overcome it. Perhaps improving 5% for the first half of the year than back to square one. Anyway since today I'm too tired to anything else ( yes Lynn do get tired! ) . I decided to post up the entry of my run.

Run: Great Eastern Pacesetters 30KM 2009
Distance: 29.8km ( Recorded by my Garmin 405)
Map: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/1837776
Time Taken: 2:52:15

ChinChin came out from Penang with 3 others runners to join the event as well. Dr Khoo (Siew Suan)and Dr Lim(Guan Choon) arrived around 7-ish pm because both of them got to work half day on Saturday. All of us gathered at my cousin's place in Sri Hartamas for dinner. Chin Chin cooked the spagethhi and also prepared a bowl of salad to share between 7 of us. Everyone was happy with the meal. Thanks Chin as well as Siew Suan too who lend a hand on preparing the dinner. Siew Suan and Guan Choon left around 9pm as they were sleeping over at Guan Choon's sister's house. SP went over to BC's (another Penang runner who was already down earlier in KL for work) house to stay. Light off around 10-ish pm. ( Sounds like in a hostel huh ? ) Oh well basically just everyone went to their room around that time.

Arrived at the Bukit Aman parking lot at around 5.20am. Luckily to found a spot to park the car. Saw the "Platinum Runners" ( Frank , Choi, Lawrence) were already there including Chee Kong and Lionel. Talked for a bit then we proceed on to the Lake Gardens. Felt a bit cold. I guess it was just the morning breeze. Saw Guan Choon first and not too long after that Siew Suan. As usual she looked energetic and cheerful. Holding a cup of power bar drink and a half power bar she looks like a kid enjoying an ice cream and a cup of coke! *grin*. Saw Victor at the starting line when we started to line up for the race to begin.

The air horn went off around 6.15am. 15 mins off the starting time. Tried to break off from the large crowd. When I realized I was going too fast, I started too slow my pace down a little. Was feeling alright for the first 10km then I started to feel cold. I was sweating but somehow I couldn't feel the heat on my body but instead I feel cold and soon my sweat start to dry up. I sense trouble! I had this feeling twice before and I knew what will follow later. As I cross the Duta Highway, my sweat starts to dry up my left knee starts to twitch with pain a little. I was suprised it wasn't my right knee and right archilles which was hurting for the past few days. The cold sweat feeling and my left knee start to act up even more. I felt so uncomfortable. Tried hard to keep my pace but then I knew I couldn't sustain it longer. Just felt like passing out at that moment. Luckily Frank was still within sight at that moment. I tried to keep up with him whenever I feel that I'm slowing down. By the time I hit Petronas and going up the hill , my left knee was even more painful. I started not to bend my left knee. By the time I hit back MATRADE and back to LHDN to do a loop my left knee felt like popping out or I might burst my vein. Tried to slow down again. I could see Frank slowed down a little as well and sense that he is waiting for me to catch up with him. Tried to push myself to keep my distance not too far away from him. But as we head back to the Duta Highway he drifted even further in front. I knew I couldn't push much ..going over curbs and uneven ground really jolted sharp pain on my left knee. Was a little frustrated , but I told myself I could finish the run if I keep pushing a little to the end. Hoping I don't get any other cramp.

At Jalan Langgak Tunku, Ameba ran past me, I tried to keep up with her but I knew I couldn't , slowly she drifted into the front pack too. I wanted to stop badly. But then I knew that if I was to stop and walk , the pain might be worst so I kept running. I knew my pace was getting slower.

Finally thank God, I was glad to see Lake Gardens. When the marshall told me there was 400m more to go..I wasn't any excited because I knew that when you're tired and injured 400m would be like another 4km. ALAS! I crossed the finishing line painfully but I tried to put up a smile for the photographers.

My left knee was totally busted! Couldn't barely bend them . I just hoped its just inflamation and will heal in a couple of days. I'm still figuring out what made men to have the cold sweat feeling. sigh*

After I crossed the finishing line, Siew Suan came in not too long after that, beaming with smile. *thumbs up doc! * . Chin Chin came in not too long after that too.

Gulped down 2 bottles of waters while chatting with others. I felt so dehydrated, I thought I drank enough during the run. We talked for quite a bit before heading back home.

I wasn't frustrated over this run which I normally would, I guess I knew what was the outcome when I started to feel cold. Of course I felt sad not finishing with a position ( oh well I'm not a top runner to begin with ). Anyways I guess I tried my best. I might give my knees a rest this week till the CNY break.

Picture courtesy of Frank

Picture by Sam MJ

Time to hit the sack! :) Good NighT!

• Tweet's version:

"If it comes easy, if it doesn't require extraordinary effort, you're not pushing hard enough: It's supposed to hurt like hell."

Dean Karnazes

I hurt like hell yesterday, and yet I didn't think I was pushing hard at all. So what does this say about me, Mr. Karnazes?

I was dreading this past Sunday's Great Eastern 30k as I spent a huge part of December out on injury and I didn't have much time to train. I didn't have a race strategy in mind and I didn't know what pace I should attempt to run this at. After much debate in my head the night before, I settled on a 5:45min/km.

This race is one race in which I must say I have gotten the most amount of rest the night before. I conked out at 9.30pm and woke up at 3.30am. A good solid 6 hours, which is currently my ideal hours of sleep. (Although I wish I could be like Dean Karnazes and only sleep for 4 hours each night).

I lined up at the start with Lynn, Guan Choon, Frank , Chee Kong, SP and BC (who was ghost running it). Sam and Siew Swan were nowhere to be seen. The start was sudden, just a loud blast of the airhorn. As usual people were just charging ahead. It was like a 5min/km pace but I did keep that pace for 2km just to lose all the other people and to get ahead so I would have more room to settle into my own pace.

After 2km, I settled into a pretty comfortable 5:30/5.45min/km pace. I felt pretty good on the double hills, it was reminiscent of Mizuno Waverun last year. I was powering up those set of hills when I got passed by the first two women in my category, Emma and Bee. I tried to pick up the pace a bit so that I kept them both in my line of sight but they were just flying so I settled back to my pace again after a bit.

From then on until 17k, I was neck-to-neck with this girl wearing a Singapore Marathon 2007 jersey. I normally overtook her on the hills and when I was cruising downhill she would overtake me. At about 15-16k, I grab a Power gel. Since the gel was in my hand, I took it with water from the water station right after. It was such A BIG MISTAKE because it completely screwed up my stomach. From this point onwards, I hearby BANNED Power gel from my running diet. I felt a stitch coming are the turnout from the Petronas station in Hartamas and even though I pushed myself up the hill my abdominal muscles keep twitching. I also felt completely dizzy and like Ribbit my body felt chilled.

It sort of went downhill once I passed Kenny Heights. The dizziness continued, my breathing was haggard and I felt like passing out. At this point, I almost stopped at a medic post and quit but I guess the shame of quitting disallowed me from doing that and I plodded on.

It was then a 6:30min/km pace almost all the way back. I got passed by another 2 more women. It was frustrating that I didn't even have enough energy to try to keep pace with them.

Finally, at 26km, I heard Siew Swan. She has a pretty distinct breathing. She clears her throat every couple of mins. She passed me easily and happily. This was went I sort of woke up from my trance and gave chase. My legs miraculosly started working again and I keep her in my line of sight all the way until the end. Unfortunately, I still crossed the finish line the last woman in my group. Boo! :(

This was a very bad race for me. It is a new year (for us Chinese, anyway) so it is time to re-evaluate what I did wrongly this time and how to improve.

Pictures from Jason Lee