How time flies, and we are already heading for the end of 2010..!!
Is it good? Is it bad?? Have I done all I can for this year?
Well...those shall be addressed next time, but for my 'running life' at least, I should be quite satisfied. It was less than half a year ago when I actually wanted to take up running seriously...If you'd read my post back in June, you'd realise one of my running idols David Goggins ignited the spark in me to join competitive races. Looking back, we've done quite a few this year, haven't we? The Nicorette Quitters Run, Army Half Marathon, Nike City 10k races, New Balance Real Run, and the most recent Salomon X-Trail Run.
It has been fun...the journey until now. Learning and training rigorously everyday... making mistakes here and there...planning and organising my time for both training and duties.. <---This was especially difficult and sometimes depressing, when things don't go your way, but judging from my race results, it has more or less worked out. Not to mention, sacrificing precious rest time to do things out of the norm...quietly suffering, training, completing workouts without recognition but only necessary assurance for results...trying to reach my targets and one up peers... Oh it's been quite a heck of a ride.
As I digress, the Salomon trail run yesterday was a new experience. I know, this is NOTHING compared to actual trail running, but as somebody who has never even tried trail racing before, this is a very nice change. However, the organisation was utterly disappointing. Complaints ranged from the very obviously extrapolated distance of almost 13K instead of 12K (No wonder it felt so bloody long and the end!!), absence of distance markers, inefficient, clueless volunteers who lacked the sense of urgency ESPECIALLY AT THE DAMN BAG DEPOSIT, the senseless usage of such a narrow ONE WAY route, and more. It was lucky the threatening dark sky did not rain if not the whole event would have totally crumbled. I really liked the gathering venue though; the entrance of MacRitchie Reservoir, with its luscious, green surroundings, a large sheltered hall with toilets, water coolers, seats and even a cafe housed, is simply a perfect spot as a gathering venue for a vibrant opening to the event. As I promised, I did not go for timing. So we started out at a comfortable marathon pace, (anyway it was so crowded we won't have been able to overtake) before breaking away near the trails. The actual running was crazy and weird LOL, we were just having run chasing each other, which meant the run involved sprinting, slow jogs, fast runs and talking, yea talking...so much the opposite of all my previous runs. It was quite funny man, we were like the only ones talking so loudly yet the rest of the participants were so serious and focused. Anyway this easygoing tempo only carried on until the hills attacked us, and pretty much ended at 8K. Instinctively, the competitor in me came out and I was breaking away soon after. From this point all I can remember are hills, hills, and MORE HILLS. Yes, it was quite tough, but nothing I can't cope with. Strategically I started to "Bankai" and hum all the Army songs I know, but because it was so hard to recall the various songs that I could only keep repeating, "Training to be soldiers..." LOL! It really distracted me from the pain of climbing all the DAMN HILLS. Just. Hate. The. Hills. Then...as i was in my droning mode...the light appeared and we were back on asphalt. Guess what, more up slopes LOL mindboggling stuff man. By now I was fatigue as hell, and my pace reduced to a mere jog. Then at last, we hit the final 400m mark and there's no way I'd walk from now on. I carried on as fast as I can til' I saw the supposed finishing point and started sprinting. AHA what I joke I became! Passing the 'finishing point' I found it strange since there wasn't a huge crowd, only to realise the thing I was was actually the starting line DUH! (To my defence, they look exactly the same...) and I had already slowed down. So upon seeing the real end point I had to sprint again. Yea, dumb, I know. But wow I must say, this was the best reaction I received from a crowd. Maybe it was how ridiculously I looked when I was sprinting!
Well so that was the race. I don't know the exact timing but I guess it's around an hour twenty minutes? Heh, overall despite the poor organisation things still turned out quite okay. This trail running stuff has made a new fan out of me.
...And that concludes the races for this year. What lies ahead is the final event, the Full Marathon. I'd rather focus on my training now that be too psyched about it; this isn't the time yet.
But as I said, by the end of the year I would have endured a hell of a journey. After thinking long and hard, I have decided that's all for my "racing life" and I will stop joining races, at least for the near future. And I will cut down all the trainings, the workouts, and looooooooooooooong runs. It's time to move on to the next phase of my life. Well what can I say, I had fun. And good things all come to an end.
Just Kidding! WE HAVE ONLY JUST BEGUN, BABY!
0 comments:
Post a Comment