Monday, March 31, 2008

42km

Kuala Lumpur International Marathon 2008 is a run to remember! It was my 3rd marathon and it was my personal best, managed to go sub 4hrs! I didn't have any confidence of a sub4 run after all the comments from regular runners. In KLIM, you had to deal with humidity, heat, bad traffic control, lousy road conditions at certain points and the list goes on. And of course, the most feared of all... CRAMPS! So I didn't put much hope and just ran like any other runs, just trying to maintain the pace and pray for no cramps.

All the way along the run, I remembered these words...

God, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer's
- Habakkuk 3:19

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength
They shall mount up with wings like eagles
They shall run and not be weary
They shall walk and not faint
- Isaiah 40:31

Believe me, these words helped when my legs felt like jellies and lungs felt squashed. Praise God!!

My time:
10km 55min 21sec
21km 1hr 50min 56sec
30km 2hr 42min 15sec

42km Yes! Yes! Yes! ......3hr 57min 45sec

Friday, March 28, 2008

What animal is this?


Is it a weasel? Hamster? Guinea pig? Hairy piglet? Puppie?

She's the cutest pet i've ever seen!!!

Bangkok trip - Episode 2






After such long silence, here are more pix from my Thailand trip last year before Christmas...Beautiful orchids, Night market which I forgot the name, Cutie doggie and a massage parlour named Miss Puke!!! Wonder if the customers puke when they pay to the lady boss. hahaha!!!

2 days to KLIM

Come this Sunday, all the top contenders will stare at each other and say
"Let's RACE!"

Others will just say "Let's RUN!"

You look at me and tomatoman here will say "Let's ROLL!!!!!"

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

KLIM countdown...10 days

Tomorrow being a public holiday means training for KLIM. Yes, another day to do at least 25km so i'm hoping they won't be zzzz...haha!
After last weekend's 80km bike ride on Sat and 21km run on Sun, it's gonna be another fun day tomorrow!
Gotta add mileage to my legs so they don't complain (cramps) too much next Sunday.

We must remember that runners are wild and joggers are domesticated!
So...let's run! For tomatoman, let's roll!

C'mon runners, see you at Bukit Aman carpark 630am tomorrow 20/3/08.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Sleepy feet...not happy feet.

Last night I tried to add milage to my KLIM training and yes...i tried...i only tried but...failed! Bummer! :( Wanted to do 10k but my body refused.
It's terrible as I stopped after 2k and did some stretching. Really felt heavy...makes me wonder why. Tried to continue after that but my legs went to sleep...zzzzzzzzzzzz
Alamak! How to do KLIM?!?!

Today, I remembered these words...

The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills. —Habakkuk 3:19


Alrighty, next time before any run, I better ask the Lord to help me through.
So if you happen to see a tomato rolling like a deer, yup, he has said his prayers. :)

Monday, March 10, 2008

Adistar 6th Edition

Second try out…sometime last month (sorry for the long delay…:P)

Again I only did a short run of around 5km…
After a long day at work wearing ‘kasut batu’, Adistar 6th Edition was very much welcomed, felt like pillows. The cushion inside is very comfortable. In terms of impact on the road, there’s minimal as adiprene absorbed it up, which is good for the heel.



Third try out at KLIM 2nd Circuit Training (24th Feb)

We had 2hr15min to run as many laps as possible around Lake Garden through Carcosa route. It was a good try out with Adistar 6th Edition considering the distance covered in the circuit training.

Of course the further we run, more energy being used, legs starting to get tired and our shoes will feel heavier and heavier. But, if you feel the opposite, it’s either your shoes are wearing out super fast with the soles peeling off while running…haha!…or your dose of steroids is kicking in!
Adistar somehow started to get heavier slightly faster than others. By the 4th lap (11.2km) I had to change to my regular pair. I suppose that happened due to adiprene at work. Energy(from impact) was absorbed by adiprene but the transfer of energy to adiprene+ for the lift off was not in play.

With action, there’s reaction but here the energy from action (impact on adiprene)was dispersed off. There’s no rebound, no energy giving the lift. We had to use more energy to lift off, which is why it felt heavier faster. More energy needed to run.
However, this will be different for runners who land on their forefoot rather than their heel. The front of the sole is where adiprene+ is, so lift off is assisted.

No Seam did well in what it was supposed to do, reduced friction- prevented blisters.

Overall, Adistar is a good pair for leisure run, but I don’t think speed or distance fare well.

That’s my two cents opinion after a few try outs.

You never try, you never know…

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Why believe in God's existence, when it can't be proven scientifically?

For example, the survival of human civilization depends on the distinction that most people make between good and evil. Yet moral values like good and evil can’t be scientifically proven. Does the fact that moral values can’t be proven imply that they are less real—less “factual” in an ultimate sense—than the things that science can prove?

Most people would consider it morally evil for a man/woman to abandon his/her wife/husband and young children to begin a new life with another woman/man. Most people would consider this a serious moral failure, one of the “worst” things a person could do. But is there any compelling “scientific evidence” that could be brought to bear on such behavior to “prove” that it is wrong?

What “scientific evidence” could prove that murder, rape, and robbery are wrong? What would become of our system of justice if the prosecution had to scientifically prove that it is wrong for one person to kill, rape, or rob another person!

The existence of love, evil, and good are not “falsifiable hypotheses.” Yet most people—including atheists—admit that values like “love,” “goodness,” “friendship,” and “loyalty” are moral/spiritual realities that truly exist. Theists, whether Christian or non-Christian, have long considered the mind-boggling complexity of the material universe as evidence of a Creator. Although the scientific “spirit of the age” of the 20th century once insisted that the material world was nothing more than the product of impersonal, random evolution, today’s scientific consensus is shifting towards the conclusion that the universe was consciously designed (with incredible exactitude) for the development of life.1

Just as it is reasonable to assume that everything in physical reality has a cause, it is reasonable to assume that everything in spiritual reality has a cause. Immaterial spiritual values like love and goodness are even more amazing than the material wonders of the universe.

God’s existence cannot be proven scientifically. But although God’s existence can’t be proven, reasonable people acknowledge that the small number of alternative explanations for the wonders of material and spiritual reality can’t be proven either. Although faith is as much a matter of the heart as the mind, and belief in God is a moral as well as a rational decision, the rational case for the existence of God as the source of all reality is stronger than any other explanation.

1. Anthony Flew, an eminent British philosopher who has been widely published as one of the world’s most intellectually capable and well-known atheists, has recently become a theist on the basis of scientific evidence for design:

Darwin himself, in the fourteenth chapter of The Origin of Species, pointed out that his whole argument began with a being which already possessed reproductive powers. This is the creature the evolution of which a truly comprehensive theory of evolution must give some account. Darwin himself was well aware that he had not produced such an account. It now seems to me that the findings of more than fifty years of DNA research have provided materials for a new and enormously powerful argument to design. (From an interview with Anthony Flew by Gary Habermas, published by the Journal of the Evangelical Philosophic Society.)

Source: RBC Ministries

Monday, March 3, 2008

26 days to KL International Marathon!

Oh what a wet weekend we had after months upon months of long dry spells. Much needed rainfall to cool things down, be it our scorching weather or MPs wannabees campaigning here and there or anywhere they can set their foot on. Saturday morning was really cozy to sleep in with raindrops patting away on the window panes. Actually I was planning to go either hiking or cycling in Hulu Langat but the rain came….so….more sleep, yeah!
Thankfully it was not pouring on Sunday. Bukit Aman carpark was full to the brim with so many runners doing their runs in view of the upcoming KLIM. I joined Ironman Dr. Rum, Ironman Siok Bee & sis, Maryann and speakerbox Kelvin. It’s an honor lah to be running beside these Ironpeople. Wahlaueh!!
We started at 715am as they were just doing a relaxing double hill but I promised myself to do at least 20km, to clock in mileage for KLIM. Along the way to Petronas in Hartamas, many runners were on the opposite direction. They started the usual 630am while some started 530am – 6am with more laps put in. At Tijana2 guardhouse, I met Richard & Goh who were heading back at their usual breakneck speed. Reaching the highway flyover, met Phyllis who was also on her way back to Bukit Aman. At that point and after 15k, she still looks fresh. Amazing! For me to reach that point, I’ll already look like a sun dried tomato lah… aahaha! J So, to prevent drying up, I put a water bottle among the plant bushes below the flyover and that’ll be a most welcomed water station… a very valuable bottle when you’re panting your way back with a very thirsty throat. Near the mosque, I met our beloved cameraman Tey. He shouted “tomatoman” which can be heard for miles lah….hahaha! The Eng sisters were at their own water station, on their way back. Heck, everyone is already heading back and I’m not at Petronas yet. Aiyoyo, lonely run lah… long and winding road….la.la.la…

Approaching Petronas, I finally met a few runners going the same way. I passed Jackson and his pacer Michelle who was running with additional weight by carrying a big water bottle on her back. Extra kg but always have water on the go! Then came along Pm1, Ronnie the “tulang man” with his usual slogan “PIA KAU LAT”...and that made me picked up my pace but only lasted 1km lah…that last hill before reaching Petronas made me ran outta gas! That’s how that petrol station became our unofficial pit stop station. Hahaha!

After looping the hill behind Petronas and refueled with 100plus, my time showed 56min. Nice comfortable pace I increased my pace on the journey back. At the mosque, Richard & Goh were on their 2nd lap back to Petronas. They are really speedy gonzalezzzzz!!
Heading back was boring as runners were already back at Bukit Aman. It was a welcoming sight as I reached the flyover….my water bottle! Thank God it’s still there and didn’t taste funny…hahaha!

Climbing the steep hill after Tijana2, I met Carboman Jamie and Geraldine on their way back to Bukit Aman, completing their 30k. Syabas!
Upon reaching Jln Tun Ismail from Jln Tunku, I caught up with Michelle the gazelle. She left Jackson behind and did a very fast pace back. Both of us paced together until entrance to Bukit Aman and the time was 1hr45min. I continued for another lap around Carcosa track. Finally, 2hr7min and I reached back to the carpark. Pancet!!!
Happy with the pace but legs still not seasoned enough. Felt sore last night and today as well.

KLIM is only 26 days away. Gotta run more!!!!
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