Monday, June 27, 2011

STANDARD CHARTERED MARATHON 2011 - RUNAWAY BRIDE

I just completed my 7th Marathon last 2 weeks at Phuket Marathon. There was no training prior to Std Chartered KL Marathon in order for my body to fully recover (uwekk)..

So, the excuse of no training for a marathon is...'to dress up like a Bride & Groom'!

This year's marathon was a bit different as I thought I'm able to finish a marathon without training targeted at 5:30 but naah..



Team up with Ms Mawar who had accepted my 'proposal' to be my Runaway Bride. There was no plan actually as the idea just popped out of a sudden.




I concurred that 42km was one hell of a distance (still respecting it). Mawar suffered 'hamstring-going-to-strike-soon' at bukit bintang area (23km-ish) but she still moved on (I salute her on this).


Mr Onn..63 years old...doing his full marathon. (zack, do you still want to quit at 40?)

Mawar Strategy - you pick a target infront (traffic light, road signboard, distance marker or even water station), you run towards the target, stop, and walk, pick a target, run, stop, walk...
hey..it helped!!...She admitted that she had insufficient training..don't we all? (ha, ha..)


The running with skirt group and pacers...wonderful people!!


aftermath - still in good running condition



say 'hi' to photographer








I'm sure this is not 'Gold Coast Marathon'




with Mr Deo - in 4 hr 31 min ! gila..



Gedik Girls


Gedik-gedik? - irwan, kau buat apa tu?

with Wan azmi - atas bawah 2XU. Power!


With Azizi iskandar from JB - susah2 je datang KL..

syah avatar..power!


Kak J from Singapore. Her 3rd marathon in a month.


 Mawar, me, Kak June and Karen Loh bumble bee..

Completed the marathon in 5 hr 47 minutes. Yeah..not too shabby indeed..


izuan : 4 hr 27 min..!! gila lagi..mampos aku nak kejar..



The girl in pink is Marlin Zaini.    Far right is Fiki

round applause!!









Wednesday, June 15, 2011

LAGUNA PHUKET INTERNATIONAL MARATHON 2011


Done in 5 hour 2 minutes!!



Day 1

Arriving at the airport approximately at 8.00am (thai time). We have been swarmed by transportation dude who offered their services. We managed to booked a van for 12 of us, the cost was 900 baht (RM90-00), so, one person only RM7.50...weohoo!! (the actual cost for a taxi to Laguna is a whopping 600 baht @ RM60-00!). Better share.

fast dude, me, irwan, KA and pui san

At the airport with the 'Kaki Runners'



Sir, there is no one by the name of Mc Ijam here...

Race site - with a lake view..oh yes..



The shuttle service, they will be at your service anytime..thumbs up!

It's hot.. 

Nothing much to do at the hotel as the room wasn't ready, so, we head on to the race site for bib collection.


The barrier

The finishing arch


Mr Tay chit chatting with running friends

The 'deposit machine' - Nice isn't it?

 TNF Bangkok? first time next year..hmm..(the currency is not too 'situation critical' like Singapore)

The collection process took us only 5 to 10 minutes, less crowded and very pleasant atmosphere.
At 12.00pm, we checked in at the hotel, hooray!

Well, nothing much to do here accept swimming..(blah). We make our way to Patong Town for lunch. The taxi cost us 600 baht (RM60-00) one way to Patong, my advice : better share, rent a car/motorbike (35 minutes journey) or plan your trip wisely.

 Our taxi : No wonder the taxi fare cost us that much, the 4 wheeler got lcd tv !!..


 Subway at Jungceylon

 Patong walkabout



 Famous shopping complex in Patong

 Mat salleh Rempit

 I need this once in a while

 Unique bar





 Wooden House

 Hard Rock - yeah

 Hard Rock

Tsunami warning signboard

Day 2 - Race Day 
Race started at 4.30 am. Laguna Hotel Club is just less than a kilometer from race site, but there's shuttle 'tuk-tuk' for our convenience for marathon runners as early as 3.30am.
william cheah, KA, Sam, Misni and me
(photo by sasha farina)


 misni, azizi, william cheah and sam
(photo by sasha farina)

irwan, azizi and me
(photo by sasha farina)

with an extra face - Mr Yim with his vibram.
(photo by sasha farina)

with Kak J and YKK
(photo by sasha farina)

photo by sasha farina

photo by misni

KA - all for a good cause
(photo by sasha farina)


 Our perfect team, taking picture is a must.
Pui san, Yim, Carrie, KA, Mohan, Sofian, me and misni at the starting line


 It was pitch dark to capture photo earlier, until at the 13th Km..

 Slower pace was the best strategy if you don't have sufficient training..mueh, heh heh..


It was an uphill running  baby..

 Approaching national park


 18km and still strong. There's a beach in the background..ah..sorry for the low quality phone camera


The road was all ours on that day...yeah...

 U turn at 20km (kot) where I met Irwan...fuh..power!!


my 'banana split' half marathon time..yeah..i put my heart rate monitor on and its pumping like crazy!!


99.99% accurate!! (24.99km) Garmin watch..can't run without it..


 I'm starting to crumble!!..


I got only 7 km left and with target pace of 7 minutes per km, I can still make it sub 5 hour.


and..maybe not!! I'm all burned out!!

The remaining 2.195km was the toughest.I can't lift my feet properly, my energy level had plummeted to the lowest level. I ran and walked towards the end, the scorching sun was no mercy. Pouring an ice cold water onto your body will dried out in a chippy.

Wohoo!! No sub 5 this time..no worries..
Thanks Mr Tay...

Proud to be Malaysian. Sub 5 Duo...KA and Irwan

Day 3 - Last Day

Return back to Patong for a nice massage

Warning Sign in the taxi. They read my mind on the first one..ceh..


Caught in a mess - there was this buzzing sound at their electrical pole..scary..

 The rempit dude with red and pink helmet

4 guys on a busy street of Patong..

 Tuk-Tuk service


Local Delicacy - Mango in sticky Rice with coconut milk.



Massage Parlour - RM25-00 per hour

Sanitary Napkin vending machine

Tshirt specially made for tourist..he, he..

3D potrait in a glass cube..awesome!! (Big - RM100-00, Small - RM40-00)

Great experience in Phuket. Nice place to visit for holiday maker. Doesn't have the time (and baht) to go island hopping, Simon cabaret, tiger show, fantasea..etc....huhu...

Leaving Phuket with precious memories!