THE IMPOSSIBLE THAT HAS BEEN CONQUERED

Photos by Action Pix Malaysia.

I joined the MPKj Half Marathon 2016 with a personal mission that was only known to some of running friends among Anonymous Runners Group.Another one person who knew about it was my running and photographer  friend KU Wong when he asked me via FB messenger whether I will join the MPKj HM or not.

This was  my truly first attempt to run under the 2 hours barrier  for 21km race.The idea popped up when I managed to clock 2 hours 1 minutes at the Compressports Malaysia Run 2016 on 18 September. I missed that 2 hour mark mainly because of the hill just before the finish line where I was already too exhausted for the final sprint.Although some people told me that actually the route is over distance for about 1km. However that was not  really matter to me because I just take any official result by the organiser as it is.

Compressports Malaysia Run 2016.The performance here has triggered the desire to give a shot to reach the sub 2 for half marathon.

The performance taught me a lot on what could the best strategies that will suit me to get the sub 2 performance.To create the momentum towards achieving the mission I created my own build-up strategies to overcome some weaknesses that I have identified and creating the atmosphere until the race day.
Here I would like to share how I planned myself for me to achieve the sub 2 goal at MPKj Half Marathon after the Compressports Malaysia Run 2016 although the actual build-up towards it has started indirectly much earlier than that.Since I started preparing to run my first half marathon race in my previous entries in this blog.
I am also would like to share the stage by stage experiences and key moments that have influenced me throughout the 21km of MPKj Half Marathon where finally my mission of sub 2 was achieved.

The strategy for the pace

I tried to run at controlled pace for 3 my first HM races.The strategy was to keep some energy that I can use to run faster at the end of the race.What I did was trying to run slower at pace 6-7 for the first 10-15km and then to push myself to run at my normal comfortable pace 5 for the last 6km.

After 3 races I concluded that it does not work well enough with that strategy for me.What I learned was towards the end I have been very exhausted physically and mentally and already running out almost everything or energy within me. It would be almost impossible for me to recover to make up for the lost time due to my controlled pace at the earlier stage of the race.

With that strategy,I was able to finish fairly comfortably at 2:07,2:08 and 2:18 for AIA Vitality MHWH Night Run,SCKLM and PJHM respectively.However with this strategy, the  sub 2 would be something much harder or impossible to achieve.

That was the reason for me to change the strategy for my 4th HM run. My plan was to run at my normal pace or better for the longest distance that my body  can go.To do that,I tried to run  faster during regular training to prepare for the event.Faster means I run in more consistent pace throughout the distance.

So,the new strategy worked very well for me when I tried it at Compressports Malaysia Run.Overall,have managed to run at pace 5 for about 15-16km out of the 21km.It has been proven to me again I was slowest towards the end of the race and this time at the last 3-4km especially.

The most important thing is I have learned the suitable approach and strategy for my next HM race if I really want to run under 2 hours.I have more belief in me that the sub 2 is no longer something impossible for me to achieve and it could happen soon.

My next race after that was AXA Hearts In Action Run and again at Cyberjaya on 25 September.The run was just for me to maintain my weekly mileage target.Unfortunately I injured my knee towards the end of the race.Suddenly I felt so painful at my right knee after some missteps on the road that caused me to walk mostly for the last 3km after a very nice and relax run at my normal pace 5 before that.

AXA Hearts in Action,12km.Finished with an injured right knee.Photos by KU Wong.

I knew that I need to just go back home and rest after that but I joined my ex-schoolmates for about 2 hours futsal after that instead. By noon after the futsal my knee pain become worst and I had some difficulties to walk after that.

Futsal is not something that I am really good but the opportunity to meet old friends is always very difficult to resist.We were preparing for the inter SBPs Futsal 5s Challenge on 22 Oct 2016.

Only after that I started RICE for the treatment and wore knee guard.The next day I went to the Dr and luckily he confirmed that there was nothing serious other than just the muscle pain.Received just some pain killer.I wore knee guard for almost a week to work because of that pain.Then I rested totally from running and praying for my recovery would be enough for me to run another 21km at HSN 2016 on 8 October. It was 100% no running and I just did some workouts for my upper body from the mid of the week to keep some level of fitness.

 

Exactly on the first day of the second week after I was injured, I tried to run again slowly and cautiously for about 5km with pace 6 at Nilai.The following day I ran at KL about 13km with pace 8. The pain was almost gone but I did not push it much further because I was more concern about to run much longer time in my life rather than just to run faster for my HM races.It was just anice and relax run.

A recovery run after one week break after at the regular route in Nilai with my family.

Tried to test my knee for a longer distance with a solo LSD in the heart of KL City the following day.

With lesser and lesser pain felt at my knee after the two runs, I continued to train for the following two nights where I run another about 7km and 12km respectively nearby my house at Nilai with pace 6.Then I took my normal two days rest day to get myself ready for the HSN21km on  Saturday.

For HSN21km 2016, my main aim was just to assess the level of recovery for my knee and other than that just to be able to make it to the finish line.In the same time, I would be able to adopt the same new strategy for my HM race to get myself to feel more familiar and comfortable with it.

The plan  was just to run with cautious at the pace that would not hurt my knee again. I started from the back and took about 1km plus to pass back markers to isolate myself and to start to run more comfortably to get my normal pace. Only managed to run at about pace 7 for the first 2km due to the packed crowd of runners along the route from the flag off.

At the early stage I still had some doubt whether to really push or not to recover the lost time at the start and finally I decided to stay at the same pace once pace 6 was achieved from the 4-5km onward.

I met one runner in orange tee from the same veteran category at about the 13-14km and we ran together for about 2km before he disappeared gradually in front of me. I tried to push but from within there was still a hesitation about my knee.

The last 5km again has always been the reason that keeping me above 2 hours for my HM races. It was the same feeling where I was almost running out gas and any fuel left in my body.Then my pace dropped to 7 at the last 3km although I made few pace 5 along the way before that.

In general the run was a fairly satisfying run for me with 100% pain free especially at my knee from the flag off till the finish line. I finished the race at 2:09.

The ability to finish the HSN21km race  with  free of pain at my knee did give me more confidence towards the MPKj HM.

I felt pretty good after that race to know that I have fully recovered from the right knee injury that I suffered at AXA Hearts in Action run. I believe with some training in the upcoming  week would prepare me for much better shape to run  at MPKj Half Marathon in next Sunday.

After the two races with the new strategy, I felt more confident to reach my personal target of sub 2 for a HM.To create more supporting mood I decided to request a help from my friend, a regular sub 2 HM runner Fyrus Azim to be my pacer for MPKj HM 2016 and he agreed.

After HSN21km, I had another two more runs at my regular route at Putrajaya in the middle the week nights after my two days recovery periof. I ran about 11km and followed by another 15km before taking the two days break to rest again.

Trained with my running friend known as Isey who has been running sub 2 for HM regularly.

My night run preparing for the race day.

Body workouts

I read a lot about the importance of the balance between running and other types of workouts that will build our body to be more of a running body.As a result of the balance, we will feel more comfortable and much easier to run that will lead to the improvement of our running performance as well.

In between  races I do continue my  physical workouts to strengthen my core,knee and upper body.I also tried to add more efforts in my uphill and downhill training to prepare myself  for every HM races.It has been proven from my early days of running, these workouts have helped in improving my performance progressively.The only difference is I will increase the intensity of each workout with a week or few days before every running event that I will participate.

The most significant factor that contributing to the improved performance in my runs now is when I feel my core muscles are stronger.It makes me feel much more firm for every step that I take while I am running.It maintains me at the posture that I feel the most comfortable with the running techniques that I have found suited me at different conditions, surfaces and distance of every run. For core muscles strengthening I continue my regular core workout routines with must do 60 seconds full plank at the end of every my at least three times a week,30-45 minutes core workouts session.

For the knee and upper body

Some basic tools for body workouts at home.

Another important element is the strength of my knee and hip muscles that will enable me to push my pace further from controlling my stride and cadence.That has enable me to manage my pace when necessary throughout the race.This is also very critical when I wanted to push for the final sprint to cross the finish line.

To strengthen the knee

To strengthen my hip

That last portion of my body that I have done something to change is my upper body parts.The intention is to make more comfortable in my movements throughout the entire race that will definitely will contribute to my overall performance to be faster.I did some workout to strengthen my upper body and building and shaping some muscles in the same time. 

For upper body: Chest and arm

Meals

Since I have reached my ideal weight and body fat percentage, the meals is the least of my concern to prepare for my HM races.Eating healthy foods with less processed foods has been something that I am familiar with.However, I do  make sure  I plan my meals well for every run for the training and for the race days.

For my regular runs in training, I will make sure that I will have enough water to keep me hydrated before and after every run.If I run in more than 40-45 minutes or 10km or more, I will add energy drink such as Gatorade with bananas after the the run or after the 10th km and every 5km subsequently until the end. For any time lesser or distance lower than that, I will only take plain water or isotonic drink such as 100Plus and Revive after every run.

However, until now, I still do not really see much difference between taking my normal meals and the so-called carbo-loading in a week or few days before the race day.What I am adopting now  is just to increase slightly my carbo intakes and drink more water than my normal days within two days before the race day.On top of that I will take about 4-5 bananas per day within the same two days period as well.

During the race itself, I normally do not take anything more than what have been provided at the water stations and finish line area by the organizer.I feel this approach has worked well for me so far up to the HM distance and I intend to stay this way.I did try two times to take energy gel in  while running in the race but I decided not to carry on because I do not feel much difference in term of comfort or performance.
However,I believe that I need to have different type routine on my meal intakes when preparing myself for a full marathon race.

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The day when I finally made the sub 2.

The location of the event was at Taman Tasik Chempaka Bandar Baru Bangi.I participated in the same event at the same location in 2015 and was my 3rd running event and I just ran the 5km fun run.

I arrived at the event location with my eldest son at about 5.30 a.m.

Luckily we managed to get a parking spot just nearby the flag off area.I was suppose to be joined with my wife who wanted to run the 5km distance but she gave it to my son who returned from the hostel unplanned that weekend.He told me he wanted to run just to take a break from the packed scheduled preparing for the SPM at school.

After the Subuh prayer at the tent prepared by the organiser,  I rushed to the flag off area and managed to sneak into the middle section of the crowd. Over there I met my regular running friends from AR Group Marzuki Khalid, Tharmendran and Hussien Mullar.Honestly, I was totally forgot about my pacer Fyrus because I used the time that I had to warm up a little bit my body for the flag off.

My good running friend, Marzuki Khalid.I had my first HM group LSD with him in March 2016.

My run started smoothly according to my plan.I managed to maintain the pace 5 until the 9km and at the 10th km, I achieved my target to stay under 1 hour time.At one point I even made the pace 4 for 1km.
When I reached at Jalan Bangi Lama to UKM route, Hadzuan Azmi, a friend for my working days at KeTTHA passed me and gave me some encouragement words to keep pushing.He told me that I am fairly fast already and just need to keep it up before he he disappeared.Then I bumped into one Anonymous Runner friend Hanafi Zaidan in front of me and talked to him.
" Hi! Kau tolong pace aku!"
Then I just followed him until we reached the entrance to UKM. It was very fortunate that I have maintained the faster pace because after the 9th km, there was the real test where the route started to enter the area of UKM campus.

It started with a little but of higher elevation route from the back entrance at the Engineering Faculty(I studied here for my bachelor  degree in 1994-1997).Then followed by a flat and slight downhill route.From that onwards,Amir Syahmi has already too far in front of me and I just let him disappear because no way I could keep up my pace with a very young guy like him further.Then I saw the biggest hurdle for me to achieve my sub 2 goal. 

The hilly route towards Kolej Pendeta Zaba.Looking at what was in front of me reminded my the final 1km of the Compressports Malaysia Run 2016 where I decided to walk at the final hilly route.Immediately my mind whispered to me that my sub 2 target was already over to be reached.Seeing some runners in front of me who were already walking to overcome the hilly route was not helping mentally at all.

Then I realized that it was just at the half of the distance and if I have lost some time there, I may be be able to make up for it after that.Quickly, I decided to push myself to just continue running and  not walking because it will disrupt my tempo already.What made it more challenging at that hilly route was after one elevation, it was followed by another one where I can see it in front of me while I was still dealing with first one.However finally I managed to stay running although my pace has dropped from 5 to 7.

Then suddenly one runner with yellow vest passed me after the hilly route while I was running at the downhill route. I overtook him few kilometres before but looking at the way he was running, he is surely a seasoned runner.He is far elder than me and at least at his middle of late 50s. He did encourage runners over there with some words that all of us still make a good timing.

I replied to him a little bit loudly "Please brother! Encourage me!"

"You can do it and just continue running!" He replied.

I really pushed myself at the downhill after the Kolej Pendeta Zaaba to pass the Faculty of Science and Technology towards  Kolej Ungku Omar to make up for the lost time because the next stage of route was fairly flat. I managed to regained the pace 5 after that.By the time I have passed the UKM Mosque and reached DECTAR, the uncle has already disappeared from my sight.

Again after that, the route shocked me.I thought we will run through the road beside the field next to DECTAR before entering the main public road again but I saw the signage was to run towards another hilly route passing Kolej Tun Hussein Onn, then Kolej Rahim Kajai and then Dataran Gemilang.My pace dropped again to pace 7 to pass that route.

What really made me feel to keep pushing physically after that was I did not feel any pain at my knee and ankle when I passed about the 16-17th km of the distance.The route after the Dataran Gemilang was a downhill where I have managed to bring back my pace to pace 5 before  I started to feel the typical exhaustion in towards the end of a half marathon race. After that the route was fairly flat when we exited UKM campus and started to run along the public road towards the finish line at Bandar Baru Bangi.

By this time, it was only between mind and my body again.However this time, felt more comfortable to continue my run  compare to the HSN21km.The notification from the Nike Running Club Apps was still telling me that I was still within the pace to achieve my sub 2 if I maintain my momentum.My pace was still within pace 6 compare to pace 7 in Compressports Malaysia Run and HSN21km at the last 5-6km.

With the potential sub 2 was already within my grasp, then the addrenalin and mental strengths started to take over.Somehow have manage to stay with the momentum to maintain the average pace 5 running towards the end.I was worry again when  me and few runners were stopped by the traffic policemen  for about 20-30 seconds at the big roundabout at about 2 km plus from the finish line.When we were released to continue, literally I was just following my legs that keep running to bring me to the end with the different atmosphere where we joined the bigger crowd of 10km and 5km distance runners.

I do enjoy my runs because no one will enjoy it for me.

My friend Hussien Mullar passed me between the last 2 km and gave me some encouragement words that sub 2 was truly within my reach. He just wanted me to keep pushing to the finish line.His words have served as the final boost for and I did manage to push my body to run faster.

Despite the finish line was getting closer and closer,mentally the last 1-2 km felt like the longest route that I have to pass through to reach my sub 2 goal.

The specials moments to cross the finish line that captured by my friend and  photographer KU Wong.

No words can describe the satisfaction.

The final 1km I did get my pace 5 again and  crossing the finish line for this time was a truly very special for me.I have conquered all my doubts to achieve the impossible in my HM running adventure.  I have done it!

Officially, I am now one of the runners on earth that can run 21km distance in under two hours at my 42 years old of age.

After taking the finisher tee and my my medal, I realised that  I have done it without the pacer.However, others do not matter now because personally, I have proven to myself again that there will be much more to explore if we are healthy and staying healthy in life.

With my eldest son Zaim. He has started enjoying running now.

After I settled down with drinks and meals provided by the organiser at the finish line area,I started to look around and looking for my son and friends. Surprisingly,there were some runners who I have never known then in person recognized me.They told me they know me from Running Kaki Malaysia Facebook and glad to meet me finally.What all of them shared in common is they have been following my health transformation and running progress from the page.We took photos together too.

Honestly, I do not really know in what ways I truly inspire or motivate them but if what I have been sharing at the social media such Facebook have created some positive impacts in their life, I am happy for them too.

Then,I looked for my regular running friends and I found them gathered at one spot already.
They were also eager to know whether I have achieved my mission or not and they were very happy for me too when I told them I did.

From left: Fyrus, Marzuki, me, Hussien,Aliff, Fafan and Sefiyyah.

With my very good friends from Anonymous Runners.

I also bumped into my other regular running friends who I often met at other events and via FB communications.

There are a lot lessons that I can learn in my attempts to break the sub 2 barrier in my running adventure.

The main one is surely the no give-up and no surrender attitude in trying to achieve our goals in anything that we do in life.

The next one is not just looking at goal as the only achievement that will give us the benefit but  we can achieve more as well along the way when the process is taking place.The training regime that I have adopted to prepare myself to get the sub 2 has made more disciplined in my daily lifestyle especially in balancing my time with other life commitment such as family and career.

The last one is I am also getting the new knowledge and experiences in continuing the healthy lifestyle that I can use asò the guide for my personal life in the future and may benefits others if they can do better by learning from what shared with them.

The journey for me to reach this sub 2 also has reiterated the key principle in life where there is no shortcuts for us achieve something great or meaningful. Anything that we may think is impossible to achieve in life will remain impossible unless we start to act to make it possible. Success stories are not only created and the end but also throughout the journey from the beginning.

"Healthy is not a goal. It's a way of life"

"To stay healthy and fit,no excuses and just do it!"