Diary of an Old Pair of Legs January 2016
Running - 201 km this month [201 km. total for the year] Ascent 1601 mtrs. [1601 mtrs] Cycling- 33 km this week [33 km]
My Event Calendar [February]
Event: Venue: Target time:
EvetBiz Charity 9 km. Trail FRIM Botanical Park Kepong none
Action Asia SK50 21 km. Trail Hong Kong none
Pink 50 volunteering
January’s training schedule started with an easy ten on New Year’s Day, in the UK, on a wonderfully cold and overcast morning. The low winter sun was barely more than a glare through the cloud cover, however the glare was just sufficient to make the frost glint on the verge and the ice glimmer on the covered puddles. What a fantastic way to start a new year of running, bring it on.
Returning home to Malaysia, with a good old fashioned British Head-cold, almost three kilos heavier and, with only around thirty kilometres under my belt in 16 days, woefully out of condition. My first meaningfully run, two circuits of Bukit Jugra, let me know, in no uncertain terms, that getting back to fitness in the, now unaccustomed, heat and humidity in time for my first event of 2016, Shah Alam Night Half Marathon, was not going to be an easy ride. So, I’ll probably be toeing the line under-trained and overweight but happy to be there.
My first event of 2016, Shah Alam 21 km Night Run, certainly let me know that I was still under-trained, even if no longer over weight. A hot and humid night, 26 deg. @ 94% humidity, added to the difficulty of the undulating course, containing several testing long inclines. However, given the above, I am almost happy with my performance on the day, at least I know I gave it all I had. Having set a target time, before knowing the course topography of 1:52:00 and finishing with a 1:58:30 just keeping the dreaded two hours off my score sheet. Another 21 km at Cyberjaya, with a five percent improvement, and a tough 14 km trail run at Kiara, KL saw out the month’s competitive elements. All in all, very satisfying.
Disappointment has been my overriding feeling of month.
Not with my training nor with my competitive running but with my giving back to Malaysian running.
The Malaysian running scene has given so much to me since I ticked off that bucket list Full Marathon back in 2012, so, in December, after reading so many face book posts by Malaysian runners lamenting that they were unable to improve their times and/or distances, I offered my help.
I offered, free, to the first eight responders to design an individual training plan. The plan would be customised to the individual’s requirements and needs. The training plan is my own, it has seen me improve in my sixties from that first Full in a little over six hours to a sub hour at the same Penang Bridge International, so it must have some merits.
I very quickly signed up my eight ‘students’. And it was great for me that the group included a near beginner whose main aim was weight loss and fitness, a couple of people that wanted to step up in distance and several who wanted to improve race times. This group ranged from just above recreational level to a young talented runner that I had great hopes of seeing a sub one-thirty half from by the end of the year.
Having had several e-mail conversations with each I set about the task of designing the eight, three months, individual plans. The task was quite intensive but I was relishing working with these guys and girls, so working through my Christmas holiday was fine by me and was tolerated by my oh so understanding wife.
Plans completed, e-mails exchanged, the first months training plan was with them. The training plans were sent as a monthly plan to allow for amendments down the line all subject to how each individual was finding things. Each individual was to be in weekly e-mail contact giving feed-back on their training, additional contact was advised if they were finding things difficult or too easy.
So, I have had a very busy January answering questions on the plans, discussing alterations to schedules, receiving feed-back to facilitate next month’s schedule and generally chatting about how my new ‘students’ are getting on!
Well, no actually, not one of the ungrateful recipients have done a thing! Thanks guys, love your commitment, you suck and I am perplexed to put it very mildly.
It seems to me that a new shoe design that offers a faster ride and the queue to part with their ringgits is out the door, they are looking for that magic ingredient, they just don’t realise it’s called hard work and commitment.
Giving back! I’ll stick to volunteering, see you at some water table some place!
Happy Running.
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