Hitting the Track Again

The Entry a Night Before

Tomorrow i plan to join the LSD organised by Ian/Kash at Bukit Jalil. My first LSD in a group. All this while i run my LSD (and most of my weekday's evening run) alone. I think my injured knee has fully recovered based on my recent 3 runs (5-8km). Lets see if the knee can take the 20k pounding tomorrow. I will run slow and safe. I think its time that i run with fellow runners if i wanna improve my running. Hope will find my way to that park tomorrow!

The Run

Bukit Jalil is quite far frm Shah Alam. So i went out early, around 5.30am. After checking out the google map, i was pretty confident that i could find the way to the park. I reached Bkt Jalil around 6.05 am and stopped at the shell station opposite the junction to the park for my morning call and subuh prayer. Since it was still dark and compounded with my lack of familiarity with the area, I waited the others at a different car park. I knew it was not the intended meeting point since after 4-5 minutes i could see none of them around. A few minutes later I saw Fong. I guessed she was searching for the others and when i saw her running to the other side of the park, i followed suit. It was DARK around that area and i lost her. So i ran back to my parking area but then decided that since I'd reached the place, I would start doing my run and hopefully i will bump into anyone of the GBS members during my run.

So i started my super duper slow run around d park clock wise i.e. going the same direction when i followed Fong. It was a correct decision since i bumped into Ian and Nik from the opposite direction. Said hi and followed then. Wahlau! Laju nyer dia org nie. The ascending run seemed effortless for them. I maintained my pace, if not x sampai satu loop sure aku dah pancit. after a while heard someone calling my name. Yes, it was Kash. She was with Zana (hope i get her name correct), Ian's trainee. Thanks kash. If not i will run by myself today :).

I ran with Kash and Zana. Yes, it was good running with others. Then bumped into Yim and later met Nik, Ian and Fong at the starting point and then we went for our second loop. Most of the time, I ran at the back with Zana (she said she is a newbie but she was doing very well (note to Ian- U shud convince her to do 1/2). Kash did reduce her pace once in a while so that me and Zana didnt left far behind.

I started the 3rd loop at the back since i took a longer walk break to eat the chocolate coated date that i keep in my pocket. Frankly tiredness already creeping in. I up my pace to catch up with the others. Yes, I struggled in my 3rd loop. Breathing was heavy. My target was at least to finish 4 loops but I called it a day after finishing the 3rd loop together with Ian and Zana. Nik, Fong and Kash proceeded to the 4th loop. Rested with Ian, Zana and Kash's daughter with 100Plus drink and jelly sponsored by Kash. Thanks again Kash! Yim the power runner was there as well after finishing his 15k run. He will have a 7k race tomorrow. Good luck. Chit chatted until Nik and Kash finished the 4th loop. They will have the POS session afterwards. I have to skip that since i could only swim kampung/badak/dog style only. May be next time guys (Note- when i got back home, wifey informed that she has a plan to bring the kids to Shah Alam aquatic centre in d afternoon and I happily obliged to follow. In d end, I will still have to show of my kg style today :)

Conclusion

It was my first run in a group and i really enjoyed it. GBS members are a friendly bunch of ppl. Running with them also re-affirmed my own self assessment that I need to increase the intensity of my training if i want to improve my run. There is a big gap between me and them. Even if i could not attain their current level (they will continue improving for sure), at least i could adopt the same level of training commitment and that would already be a personal achievement!