2017 is ending soon and looking back, I’ve gained quite a lot this year and unfortunately, weight is one of them other than medals and finisher tees ?
Be careful what you wish for coz you just might get it! This year, I found a boyfriend through running ? Though I was pretty convinced that I am able to survive on my own for the rest of my life but still, I wished for someone whom I can share my life with and even pen down this wish on a sky lantern during Chinese New Year. And taaadaaa! My wish was answered within 2 months and I met Willis while we were running the 10km Safari Zoo Run. Though we didn’t exchange phone numbers on the spot but we sort of CSI each other through social media and started chatting through Facebook then meet up for a run ?
Willis is very encouraging and supportive towards my passion for running because he shares the same passion for running.
I ran my first marathon in 2015, and ran my second marathon in 2016. But in 2017, I crazily did 3 marathons! But I don’t think I’ll ever do more than 3 marathons a year as it’s too tiring. And ermmm, running a marathon is not easy! I’ve heard from runners after completing a 5km run claims that they finished the marathon ? But a marathon is 42.195km in distance, which also means a run that is 5km, 10km or any other distance shorter than 42.195km isn’t a marathon ? Meowww
The toughest 42.195km this year was SCKLM as I was sick and it took me almost 7 hours to complete it. It’s a very memorable race as Willis was with me that entire distance taking care of me and we walked for hours just aiming to complete. Running 42.195km was supposed to be my once in a life time thing on my bucket list and now, running a marathon is on my yearly to do list ? But didn’t know how, I’ve completed my fifth marathon already. And I was always cursing myself while running the marathon and telling myself that this will be my last and I should retire from running 42.195km but nahhhhh… Here I am, looking forward to my next marathon and I’m already thinking of which marathon should I run in 2019! ?
And thanks to running, I’ve visited 2 new places which I’ve never visited before. Vietnam and Japan! If not, I believe it would take me much longer to travel to these countries. And I want to explore more places and participate in running events overseas every year!
I’ve also achieved my personal best timings for all 5km, 10km, 21km and 42km runs this year! With huge improvements in my timing, from running best timing of 6 hours for a marathon to 4 hours 42 minutes for HKSCM2017 and a cut of 7 minutes down to 57 minutes for a 10km runs ?
Also, I had my first time volunteering as a pacer in SingTel Race Against Cancer Run which was quite a meaningful event. I hope that I could volunteer more in these types of meaningful runs and also to help people achieve their target timings. Maybe I could volunteer as support such as issuing of finisher items or even pour drinks at hydration points right? Or just turn up at a running event which I didn’t register and just cheer for the runners? ?
I had also signed up for the monthly 21 days challenge virtual run by 42race completing at least a hundred km every month in 21 days. I’ve registered for all the months in 2017 and theres only 2 months which I managed to complete 200km as I increase the mileage to prepare myself for marathons. I find it manageable even if averaging out it means running at least 5km everyday for the 21 days till this month then I find it sibeh hardcore because I’m struggling to complete the last 100km as I hurt my foot after Osaka marathon and didn’t run for 2 weeks! But luckily my legs is fine now but stop running for 2 weeks is no joke, I lost my stamina ? But don’t be like me, I’m just plain lazy lah, people with injury will find alternatives such as swimming or do other cross trainings ? I only registered for Lunar New Year virtual run and since then didn’t registered for any other virtual runs other than the 21 days challenge like the Pirates run, Ninja Run or Unicorn run though the medals are very cute and tempting. They offered like 2 or 3 virtual runs every month. Too many virtual runs offered makes me feels like the medals have “no values” or it just makes no sense to sign up for so many virtual runs I don’t know how to explain so I didn’t register. Though it’s $9.90, $9.90 not really cheap also and many $9.90 will add up to a lot!
Signing up for runs can be sibeh costly and blows up a huge hole in my pocket. But going to running events is different than just running on my own and I enjoys collecting medals and bibs of the runs I participated in. Each medal and bib I kept have their own stories and memories, mostly happy memories ? When I look at them, it’s just as if I ran that race just recently! But next year I’ll really be selective to the runs to register.