Blogging About by Nizie: January 2011

Balancing & Breathing

Distance - 3.95 km

Time – 30:00

Pace – 7:34 mins/km

My workout session during lunch break was focused on the powerhouse Pilates and the control of breathing of yoga. It was pretty hard to balance the two fundamentals. But yes, it really helped my muscles relax in spite of the vigorous cardio movements especially from my lower body. It was challenging but rewarding. As I watched myself reflection from the wall mirror running on the treadmill, I can see the silhouette of my body shaping. I smile to myself pushing myself harder and looked down at the speed.

How are we doing on the speed department? Not bad. My high point today was 11km per hour for 5 minutes, from 10 km per hour for 3 minutes. Good to know my performances is slowly progressing in terms of speed. However, in terms of pace it is deteriorating. I hope my next session will be more promising.

I also did the drills of warm-ups, cool downs and stretching. Right after the 30 minutes cardio, I managed to 3 sets 30 reps of sit up and push ups. Guess what?? All the fundamentals of fitness made me feel as if my abs were on fire!!! I can feel the warm sensation through my powerhouse as we speak.

Anyways, overall how did I feel about my workout? I actually feel fabulously fine!

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Malakoff 2010 - A 12k Run

December 20, 2010

Distance : 12k

Time : 1:41:00

Pace : 8:25 mins/km

Its funny to know before the race one can be calm and collective. The minute the the honk howles, we all get all kiasu and wanting to win the rat race. Shyly I admit I was one of them.

Whatever I have been practising for weeks went out the drain in seconds. argghh!! But I could hear both the good and the bad voice in me arguing. "yes, you can do it! you have learned the master of balancing",while the evil voice go " who are you kidding, nizie. Youve pushed yourself too hard to begin with, now you will never get it on time". And before I made a firm decision and here we go, there comes the hilly slope and i go weee...!. Goodness!! My legs were slowly deteriorating at the 7th click. but yet i could afford to be happy giving my best smiles to the photographers. When i slowed down on the 9th click, some guys who passed by told me to run for LV, Feragamo and Ferrari. Go ferari go! I can hear their personal cheering. Another hottie Brit told me Ill race u there, come on girl you can do it. But, all i can do was walk. Yap at the 10th km i walked until the 11th km. Its funny inspite all of this, I was thinking on my first halfie next year and another dude broke me out from my thoughts, "its another 1 km babe..go for it!' and I sprint on and on to the finish line and felt gooooood.

My 12k Route

Looking at the bright side, I managed to create a new personal record (PR). So this goes to the wonderful 1 year anniversary in resilient running. Happy New Year 2011. I look forward in seeing you soon!

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Eat.Read.Run.

January 10, 2011

Distance : 4.74 km
Time : 0:30:00
Pace : 6: 19 mins/km

The sadistic death run as I wrote in my previous post, was the beginning of my 2011 running on the edge. Today during lunch break, I began to test the knowledge and the experience as a Hooha! Asia Bootcamper. I also decided to incorporate Bill Philips, author of “Body for Life” high point philosophy. He had explained that each cardio workout session incorporate intervals with a high point. My high point today was a speed of 10.00 km per hour, in which I had never reached before. Ever. The most I ever had was an average of 8km per hour, which is a good progression for a start. And my pace is 6:19. Man, I am so close at reaching one of my goals to reach 6 mins per kilometre.

To be honest, I was never a believer of warming- up and cooling down in my running session. I guess I was just impatient. The most I did previously was increasing the pace of my run gradually. A slowly decrease the pace as I end every session. But today, I decided to do things differently. I seriously did the drills including the detailed out the warm-up, stretching and cool down as taught last Saturday. And it felt great! I could hear the Orange Man ( Hooha! Asia’s so called mascot) whispering to me in my mind “follow the regime with determination and discipline including the diet”. I will!! I said outloud!

Just because I discovered I have more energy, I was so tempted to sprint and run for my life. But the aim of this workout is to control my speed, as I recalled from the Dagny Scott Barios’ book “Runner’s World Complete Book of Women’s Running”. I keep reminding myself of the after math - my leg muscles will just hurt me like a b*** again. I still have tomorrow, the next day and 4 consecutive days to train. So take a chill pill, I hear me saying to myself.

This session in my opinion is all about balance and control, including what I should eat. I just had a glass of soya milk and 2 pieces of banana. It’s amazing that I am still full from food. In the next 5 weeks, my food will be strictly being based on my blood type, which O! It is amazing how Dr. Peter J.D’Amo presents this in his book “Eat Right For Type: The Individualised Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer & Achieving Your Ideal Weight”. Let’s see where all these will take me in totality.

How did I feel? I feel good on this magical monday, yo!!

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The Therapeutic Swim!

January 9, 2010

My running drills yesterday haunted me in a good way. I was longing to be in the waters again and it felt like being a nice hot bath on a horrible cold winter. My aches and pains disappeared the moment I came out from the pool.

The marvelous view of Royal Selangor Club in the heart of KL, zoned me out thinking how wonderful this morning is.

How did it go? It felt as if I belong in the water :)

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The Death Run - Hooha! Asia Running Bootcamp

January 8, 2011

Distance : 7 km
Time : 1:30:00
Pace : 12:51

Coming from the dead, alive!!

That was the feeling I had as I completed my first session in the hooha! Asia Running Bootcamp, on January 8,2011, recently.This is my first experience of any running bootcamp from that matter. I know I was beyond crazy to even think about it. But I dare to dream to visualize myself as a visible winner for my first half marathon in April. So, I dared myself to take up this challenging course with hope to live up my 2011 theme of running on the edge.

Frankly speaking, the easy run was kinda breezy for me but it was the drilling that was a death sentence. We had a trainer who was an ex national runner of the (SEA) Games gold medal winner and now runs for PDRM, who introduced a crazy hard core police drilling fitness regime. It was non stop vigirous movemement in 30 torture minutes.

A typical strength training would have at least 1 minute pause for every sets. But this was absolutely sadistically crazy! For the first time in my life, I felt my chest was dislocated from my body, gasping for air. I saw black and white stars as if my world was falling apart and worse of all I felt like I was about to die puking, but didnt. I almost gave up and suddenly I heard voices saying that I shoul look at the luscious greens. The Orange Man gave me a bottle of mineral water and congratulated me as I have pushed myself to the limit and I will never forget this moment. Ever..

Suddenly..I felt like a different person. I felt I was a living dead come alive . I am alert, alive and kicking. And it felt gooood!!!!

Since the next week session venue is still a secret, I'm looking forward to start my next training

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Happy New Year Run 1.1.11

January 1, 2011

Distance : 11 km
Time : 1:11
Pace : 6: 28

Today is the New Year 2011!! In terms of running this is my personal best.Today is also my lucky number is 1.1.11. Wonderful morning!! I started off nice and slow and then my legs swift like a wind. hahaha. The good and evil had spoken again. But thank goodness the good soothing words from my mind won the battle. Adjusted my pace just to make sure I made across 11k in 1:11:11. hooray!! and it felt as if I moved mountains and valleys!!! Happy New Yeah People :)

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To Balance Beautifully in 2011

Good morning Bloggers,

I know. This post is long overdue especially to those who follow me. I have meant to post this right after I completed my post - New Year's Resolution 2010 Revisited. I guess as we embark in the new year, there are so many things we need to take control once again. So here I am, trying to take control over Resolution No.3.

To spiritually connect to Him mind, body, heart & soul
To hope for an offspring for Aisya, Insya Allah
To update my blog on average twice a month
To continue reading an average of 36 books a year
To part take in a Running Bootcamp so I can go Running on the Edge.
To impactfully participate in a Half Marathon atleast once this year
To diligently monitor all physical fitness activites on http://www.dailymile.com/
To diligently monitor healthy food intake while having only 1 cheat day to eat whatever!
To be more thrifty in spending and eventually be debt free
To cutdown on caffeine drastically.