Getting Back At It

As many say, the hardest part of any endurance races is not the race itself, but the hours upon hours of training prior to it. While we are attracted into doing the races due to being influenced by other friends taking part, or the exclusivity of the races themselves with big sponsor names, nothing much can be said about the training.

To step up into the training regime, the secret ingredients are in the words such as own willingness, self motivation and determination. Training can sometimes be lonely and boring, it may also be so mind boggling even when we put our eyes on the training plan with the incremental mileages we have to cover week by week. At times, you’ll face unfriendly weather. At other times, your work-family-own self time balancing act is at the edge of a smack down.

I completely rested myself with seven no-running days, after the Sundown. It felt very long. It almost felt like I am into resigning from running. I gave my body the chance to rest, while excusing myself with the busy work schedule. While the rest was good for the body, it has somehow affected my mental strength. The strength I needed to get back into the game.

Last Saturday was the first time I lost it. I had planned for a long run, either with a buddy or alone. But the slightly blocked nose, dizzy head, coughs, and comfy blanket won the battle over me that particular morning.

On Sunday morning, I took my family out to Kiara Park. There was an outdoor group aerobic session there where my wife joined, while I ran around the park with my daughter who was enjoying her moments being pushed in the stroller by her panting dad. It was a very short run, nothing more than 45 minutes altogether.

While my two girls were busy with their own activities, I ‘partially’ joined the other RBU in the stretching session, coordinated by IM Julie.

My daughter and Syah’s, enjoying themselves coloring the book while enhancing their motor skills.
Simple friendship, established almost instantly.

78% of those standing in this picture are actively writing their own inspirational blogs.
And all of them are either runners, duathletes or triathletes. There are many more, but they couldn’t come.
L-R: Shakhir, Alwin (hiding his face behind water bottle), Fadhil, EnAikAY, Syah, Ziff, Ian, Yim and Julie.

After the run and stretching session, we gathered at Mosin restaurant in TTDI for what they call as “Tribute to Sundowners TT session”. This was the largest, yet a simple gathering so far, if I can remember correctly.

We occupied five tables altogether.
I remained slightly shy and quiet this time around as I was not feeling so well and still coughing intermittently.

Finally, we get ourselves the Fitness Food Made Simple book, authored and signed by our own Ian.
We get 10% discount too! Woot woot.
If you would like to order, you may reach Ian at his blog.

Monday was a holiday for me, so I had another day or resting and recovering. I had another episode of ‘sleepless on the bus’ when returning back to JB, when out of a sudden diarrhea attacked me. Ouch!

With that lack of sleep, and hundreds of emails needing my attention at work, topped of with nice cool after-rain weather in the evening of yesterday, I felt the mother of all laziness to do a run. Although I had packed my running gear and brought that along to the office like I do everyday, when the clock indicated that my working hours have ended, I hesitated on every move I made from then on.

I hesitated on going out of the office, instead I was thinking I could spend some more hours in the office, blogging.

While driving, I hesitated on making my way to the garden. I was thinking of going to either the pool or hit the gym, or just head to a movie theatre. But anyhow I ended up parking my car at the garden.

Even after I put on my running shoes, I still hesitated on whether I should start running, or just get back into the car and listen to the radio, killing time. Or take a nap.

To be frank, I didn’t really understand why I ran yesterday. I was so lazy to run. I thought I was still on ‘vacation’, at least for another few days. Getting back at it (running) after such a break has never felt this tough.

Whatever it is, now that I’ve jumped over the first barrier, I better make this ‘come back’ a hard one. Another marathon is just around the corner, to be followed by my first OD triathlon of the year in PD next month. Training (preparation) is the key, and if I let my bum pamper too much in my laziness, I know I will suffer in the races. And I’m sure, I won’t enjoy them.

Am I the only person left who hasn’t (or not gonna. I don’t know, I can’t differentiate) register for TNF100? Gosh, I feel so left out. There’s also Desaru Long Distance triathlon a week before TNF. Hmmmm...

Or, shall I register myself for TNF and just become a photographer-runner for you guys? Who wanna be my sidekick then?

Races in Singapore are a bit expensive to start with (subjective to my ownself lah), but I don’t want to become a pirate again and again and again.
Nanti kena ban baru padan muka..