Brooks KRI annual run 2013, Ipoh Malaysia

As our time here in malaysia winds down I am finding myself doing "lasts", not "firsts". The KRI annual run was a first for me in 2012. It was a fun race and there were a lot of the I-run group there from Penang. This years race was a bit different, there was less of the I-run group but because of that I got a chance to talk to some of the group I have not gotten to know that well. This event was held at "The Haven" an really nice eco resort in Ipoh, Malaysia, the surrounding area is also very picturesque and one of the lesser developed areas of Malaysia, so there are still traditional buildings and architecture, spectacular scenery. The route seemed well planned, a fairly direct "out and back" with some challenging elevation (placed at the end of the route, NICE!) however there were turn offs from the route and that is where some problems occurred. I personally saw a few runners "cut" at least two of the turn offs, BOOO! Now look, Im not a top finisher, never have been, never will be and lately I have been been really suffering with soreness and pain, so I don't care if your "deviation" gained you time, maybe it got you to the podium...Personally, I would rather start at the appropriate spot, run the given course and finish at the appropriate spot, and come in last, than "place" in a race knowing I cheated...thats just me though. I think, if you cheat, even if you don't realize you did (yeah...right) have the honor and decency to bow out. Like my Hockey coach always said, "winners never cheat and cheaters never win"....unless you give out trophies to the top 10 finishers. So that brings me to another issue, I mean no offense, for this race as in others there were trophies given to the top 10 finishers in each age group, and there were at least 4 age groups for both men and women. Personally, I think if you get a finisher medal, and a T-shirt you should be happy to allow the top three finishers to be recognized with a larger prize, otherwise it really discounts winning, doesn't it? Part of competition is to work to be the best, If I were to get a trophy for coming in 10th, what would my goal be for my next race...5th?? I think when you recognize 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, you increase the competitive element of the race. Here is why I have that opinion, lets say I train well, run a good race and come in the top 15 overall, the race recognizes the top 3 finishers in each age group, but because of the competition i miss a top prize overall and in my age group, but barely....the next race I may work harder to hit that top spot. If the race does the top 10 spots in each division, I now come in 5th in my division, what is my incentive for the next race?? I got a trophy, so why train any harder?? I recall coming in 2nd place in a competitive event, and calling it "kissing your sister".... I have never found peace with the philosophy of "everyone wins", the all inclusive nature of competition...I think it makes us soft and takes away from the true spirit of the event. I always knew entering a race what the time would be to podium, 10K mid 30 min...1/2 marathon sub 1:20....I ran a 43:00 10k before leaving florida, was thrilled, and for that race, no medal, no trophy, just the joy of the run, I cam in 59th overall and 8th in my division (40-45). That was a sub 7 min mile pace and still not in the top 50....something to work for...oh yeah! Ok, despite all of that I have pride for those that did get trophies and ran well. I don't want it to seem like I am "sour grapes", I was no where need the top 20 in my division, much less the top 10. Now, at this stage, while I continue to deal with getting my right leg back to normal after my accident...I am happy that I can run, enjoy time with friends, and the scenery of some of the most beautiful places on the planet. Overall for me, this was a great race, i loved it and will sadly miss it when we return to the US. I would suggest to some of the organizers though, having been a part of the planning committee for some races back in the states, the most important element of your event, after the participants...no, i take that back, even before the participants are your volunteers, so maybe, forget giving out 80+ trophies, and bring in more marshals and race staff. I had a race director tell me once, "Volunteers are the most important cog in your event wheel, and you would always rather have too many than too few." Loyal reader, thanks for the support, RUN HAPPY!

Blackmores Sydney Running Festival, Sydney NSW.

September 22, 2013, I was met with bright sunshine, clear blue skies and cool temps. This is why I love to travel outside of Malaysia from time to time, to escape the heat and humidity, run in better atmospheric conditions, (Malaysia at times during the year does have difficulty with acrid smoke haze from the "slash and burn" palm oil farming that takes place across southeast asia) and have a chance to run in places I will never have the chance to run in again. This is my second trip to Australia for a run, this time I was solo, the last time Rox and Brenna came with. I had not trained well prior to this race, I have been dealing with some hip pain (not the joint/bone), and Rox had been spending every other week in Singapore, so getting up early to run was not possible during the weeks that she was away. training here in full sun and 80 degree temps is not fun, and after getting Brenna on the bus its 7:30ish, so the sun is up full and its HOT! I am however Brenna's dad first, and I like that just fine!
So I booked a Singapore airlines flight (love flying with them!) and found a hotel within walking distance of the race finish, and also within walking distance of Circular Quay, which is a really nice waterfront dinning and shopping area in Sydney.
I got in very early on Saturday the 21st, got to the hotel, and was able to check in right away, so I have to highly recommend the Sofitel Wentworth, a fantastic hotel, close to everything. So I settled in, connected to the wifi and found the best route to the Town Hall, where the packet collection was. I registered for both the 1/2 Marathon and the 10KM runs, thinking that if I really did not feel up to snuff, I would take on the 10KM instead of the 1/2. After much thought and convincing by my beautiful bride and finding out the finish for the 1/2 was at the opera house, it was a no brainer.

So packet collection was quick and easy, I even bought some ASICS gear at the expo, they were the title sponsor so all the commemorative clothing was done by them. It was an easy walk down to the Ton hall, and i found some 7-11 type shops to grab some water, yogurt and a bananna for breakfast. While at the expo, the next mission was to find out the best way to get to the start line, which was at Milson's Point, just over the bridge from where I was staying. The general opinion was to "take the train"! the next mission was to find out how to do that, the woman I spoke to who was very helpful told me the station to leave from and the time to catch it. The volunteers for this event were AWESOME! I will get to that more later. I headed back to the hotel, on the way back, I ran into the statue of Islay, Queen Victoria's Dog, who talks...oh yeah...talking dog!

Getting back to the hotel, I asked the concierge about the train and the location of the stations the woman from the expo suggested, I found the St James station is a quick walk, ticketing was easy and inexpensive. I had my plan set for the morning. the next step was finding some FOOD!
on the way back I saw a few places, my best lunch option though was the little "pieman" (not sure if its called that) place across the street from the hotel. dinner was a different story, I had gotten some info on a little italian place not far from the hotel, so after a short walk, discovered that it was packed...other options...on the way back toward the hotel, I found .....

This place was great, fresh ingredients, just a good pre race meal. 

Race day 4:30am Sunday 22nd September. 

I had to catch the train at 5:15, figured it might be crowded (I was right) so I wanted to get there a bit early, and with a 15 min or so walk, I did not want to run into trouble.   I tend to be anxious normally, on a race day it actually increases by a factor of 100. The train was packed, I mean Manhattan rush hour packed. To the venue, turned in my bag to bag collection, then tried to keep warm, it was chilly.

The race began right on time with three different corrals, eventually we all just mixed in to one mass of humanity for the start. I started well and found that due to the cooler weather I was able to maintain a good pace...the view across the harbor bridge was really nice, I just have a tough time during a race stopping to take pictures. I ran really well up until about 9-10 miles and then the pain and cramping began, so the last 3-4 miles were a walk a bit, run a bit. 

This is a great course, lots of down hill sections, mostly flat, Tons of supporters and volunteers, everyone cheering or playing music. I really gotta say, If you want a great race, make sure you have great volunteers, This race had Awesome volunteers, from packet collection to pre race, to in race, to post race. They were all smiling and helpful, standing ovation for all involved in this race! As great a course as it was, i was disappointed because i had not trained properly for this, i really feel like I could have PR'd this race, as it was, I ran a 1:59:12, the race timing had me at 2:01:01...

Now I have to say, for someone who did not run longer than 8 miles over the last 4-5 months, 2:01:01 is not too bad...

Its called a sideWALK!

Ok, I would never purposefully down Penang, it is a great place to live and overall has more positives than negatives, that being said I have got to get this off my chest.
I run one of two routes in the morning...For the folks in the states or elsewhere this will make no sense but you can Google earth it if you want. The most often used route is the Straits Quay route, secondary to that is the Botanical Garden...i have not run the secondary for some time...mostly because i have massage clients in the morning and don't have time to lolly-gag, and running in the botanical Garden is made for lolly-gag in the best way. Most of the SQ route is well paved and eventually turns off into a neighborhood with really good sidewalks and very little traffic...except for the traffic that is ON the sidewalk.Yes the sidewalks in Penang are like the Long Island Expressway at rush hour...I have discovered that there really is no respect from a portion of the motor-able public...They really feel like "If its paved, then it can be driven on!"
 last week I ran 6 days of those 6 days 4 of them I had to doge motor bikes either coming at me or from behind on the sidewalk...WHAT THE FREAKING HELL!!!
I mean are you really that lazy that you have to drive your motorbike on the sidewalk because the turn around that would bring you onto my side of the road is 50 feet...yes 50 F'ING FEET away...and then give me a dirty look...I imagine the dirty look is because your motor bike riding, lazy, cant drive on the road fifty foot, cigarette smoking ASS...has no clue why someone would interfere with your convenience by actually doing something healthy, on the SIDEWALK!!! Its bad enough I feel like I have a target on me if i run anywhere near the road...now running on the sidwalk is like playing a real life game of FROGGER!
I am here to help though...They are called side-WALKS...In most of the modern world they are for people WALKING, that would be why "Walk" is part of the word...Although running is not walking...it a whole HELL of a lot closer than riding a GD motor bike you lazy...ok, i need to calm down, because as loud as a scream and as much as I complain...it wont change. I can only hope that at some point I don't become...well...Sidewalk-kill....I look forward to returning to the US, where my biggest worry running on the sidewalk was a big pile of dog poo...Penang motor bike sidewalk riders, you win this round...Being run over by a motor bike on the sidewalk, beats stepping in Dog S**t on the sidewalk any day...Well done, well done indeed! Run Happy

Singapore Sundown 10k.

Well this years Sundown was going to be my second race of the year...I really like this race...not because last years I got stalked and fished...that was not at all fun...I mean who does that at a marathon?! Anyway, I decided that until Sydney in September I will be doing 10k only races...it was always my best distance and at this time 1/2 marathons, in the heat and humidity, only serve to frustrate.
I also love any time I get to stay in Singapore, its a great city to get some down time in. This race has always been held in the same general area, this year though it used an epic venue. The F1 track. Last year I did a 10k with the Tri-factor series at this same venue and actually ran a really good time...it has been a steep downhill since then. I have toned down the competitive-ness that is me, and have continued to accept high 8, low 9 min mile times. I was really hoping this would be better than my recent 10k showing...it was not, but based on my overall and age group placing...it does not look as though it was that great for anyone...the heat and humidity plays a part in that I am sure.
This is a nice course generally, it passes by the majority of the Singapore landmarks, which generally are lit up at night. It is a flat course and tends to be well managed...although this time i saw a few transition areas where there was a different route for the 1/2 marathon folks, where people got off track and had to backtrack...At a night race you really need experienced and attentive marshals at the transition areas, especially if you are running a dual distance race. I would never down volunteers though especially for a race that begins at 1:00am...they do the best they can and in their defense they did provide instruction...they just need to increase the volume, runners tend to tune out, and focus on breathing and pace, well this runner does anyway...I was not happy with my finish time, despite the face that my splits were closer to even (we all hope for negative but...).
The marathon folks also offered a really cool interactive page that made me feel a bit better.

So second race of the year in the books...now I look forward to Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur in June, and Sydney in September. Run Happy Loyal reader.

Great Wall 1/2 Marathon. April 2013, Huangyaguan Pass section of the Great Wall, Beijing China

This was an Epic experience. It is a race I have looked forward to for 2 years...I was prepared to sign up last year but then had the hip fracture/bike accident. This was the year for it, despite the fact that the last 6 months my training has been horrible and at this point I am far from prepared for a normal 1/2 marathon...much less for one that has 5,164 steps, and gains about 1,000 feet.

This was going to be difficult and a unforgettable experience. Taking place at the Huangyaguan Pass section of the Great Wall...a really picturesque section with a great big central courtyard. The weather was the first factor that was in question...How bad was the pollution going to be? As you know Beijing is know for its poor air quality, my hope was that this far (2 hours by bus) outside of the city, it would be better than a city proper race. As you can see from some of the photos...its not bad. Then it was if it was going to be Hot, although in China and in the higher elevation the humidity would be better. The race began in a light rain and the cloud cover and light rain really continued throughout the race, so that made for optimal weather conditions.
The second part...I was looking at the route and elevation maps before the race and I saw that gradual incline at the start, might be a good chance to get some pace going before the steps and incline really started...I was wrong.
The entire route was uphill for the first 4 miles...it was brutal.
I thought that the downhill steps would make up for whatever time I lost on the uphill steps, I again was wrong. The steps are all so uneven, that I often had to slow down to get down areas.

Eventually i just resigned myself to not being able to do very much running while on the wall, except for the flat spots between the steep steps. lucky for me that is where most of the cameramen were, so I always looked like I was running.

Truth be told, I was not, I walked most of that first 4 miles and prior to getting off the wall I had to stop in one of the towers as my legs actually felt like rubber. The next part of the journey was on the road for about 2 miles, and then we went off road to am un-even gravel roadway, then we were running in a small rural town.

It was such a great experience. there were a lot of local people on the street clapping and all the kids wanted a hi-five, some of the older ones would run with you for a while. Then we were back on the road for the last 3 miles. I found a group to pace with which kept me at an even pace. Crossing the finish line at under 3 hours was a great accomplishment for me, especially since I was under trained. I would post me Garmin data, but somehow i lost a mile and almost 20 min...My Garmin showed me at 2:35:21, 12.68 miles, a 12:15 pace...

Not a race I was going to PR, and turned out to be a great deal more technical than i thought...I had originally expected the wall to be the toughest part and then be able to make up time as the last bit would be on the road. The fact that it was gravel off road and uneven paved rural town streets, back ally ways and tough little uneven trail, made for a very tough but enjoyable race. I was glad that I chose to wear my Brooks, Pure Grit trail shoes...They really helped through the changing conditions. This is not a race I would do again unless I was in better shape, it is however in my top 5 for races I have done, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a very challenging but rewarding race experience.

Running among the Flags...

Today I am the non political Florida runner...as I have always been, I have offerd the pictures in Black/White, and sepia tones, not as an insult to the Malaysian people. I did not want to have this post be about politics. I am a political retard, i don't understand how most politicians sleep at night, and how some people can say and do the things they do and still look at themselves in the mirror. Anyway, this is a blog about running and that is something that I have finally put aside pride and worry and just gone back to doing. I am getting used to running 9+ min miles, and accepting the fact that for me long distances in heat like this is not going to be pleasant. So, now to explain the title of my post...It was election time here in Malaysia, I have waited till the dust has settled and all has been decided before writing this blog as I did not want it to seem political (besides no one cares about my opinion on politics anyway). The political machine here seems less driven by TV advertisements talking about how the opponent sucks and more about "direct marketing"...There are hundreds if not thousands of flags of all shapes sizes and colors, placed on every square inch of space that can be found, there are blue flags, there are white flags, some have "balanced scales", some have "rockets". There are banners, there are posters and they are EVERYWHERE! It is fascinating, astounding and at times downright annoying. Especially when running on the road in traffic is not something I do often, as i feel like i have a target on my back...i actually had some big fat guy in a tiny car try to hit me on the sidewalk...really...and the motorbikes drive on the sidewalk as well...as a matter of fact the side-WALK seems to be for every activity but walking, but that is another blog post. Anyway, my point about the sidewalks is that for the most part, that is where the flags are. I was thankful to have the botanical garden and the Straits Quay neighborhood as a welcome respite from the influence of the flapping flags. As always our experience here offers something new...being here for this election and political process has offered those experiences  As a political dullard though...i will always remember the flags and the feeling of them caressing my sweaty legs as i waited on the corner for the traffic to pass...it was like a polyester hug, and who cant appreciate a hug...Loyal reader, thanks for sticking with me, and as always, RUN HAPPY

A Floridian runner in New Zealand.

Roxanne and I sit next to each other in the office at home, this often leads to long debates that are often one sided (Roxanne did not grow up with 3/4 of the Long Island debate team). It also leads to discussions on "where are we going next?" The last discussion involved Brenna's 3 week term break, where to go, what to do...so we started looking at a few of the places we wanted to go to but have not been yet, Japan, Vietnam, New Zealand, The Australian Outback...Now as far as my running, it had not been going well...it was oppressively hot as of late and my training has gone down a great deal. Needless to say I was looking forward to a break (although I often leave room in any travel bag for running clothes and shoes).
We finalized our decision and the winner was New Zealand. Knowing it was fall there and the weather was gorgeous was a big help, for me anyway. So we spent many hours debating over what to do and how best to use the time we had. We decided to begin our journey in Chrirstchurch, Then onto Franz Joseph, Queenstown, Te Anau, Dunedin, and then back to Christchurch for the flight home. So as Roxanne planned hotels and our itinerary I was looking at running routes in each town...its what I do. Every place we stopped offered excellent opportunities to run, and some of the most picturesque running tracts I have ever run.

Christchurch:

 Christchurch was eerie, to be honest. We stayed in the center of the city in the only operating hotel, surrounded by buildings in different states of repair and empty lots. streets were still closed and you could really get a sense of just how widespread and overwhelming the destruction was from the 2011 earthquake. It is however a beautiful city and has some beautiful routes to run, walk and cycle on. Since I was so close and could run to it, I decided on the Botanical Garden route, which brought me past Hagley Park and Christ's College. The cool weather was a welcome change and the route was so nice for running, tree lined gravel paths, wide sidewalks, in good condition. There were always other people out running, biking, or otherwise, just outside. It was a nice easy 6+ miles, no stopping or slowing, and my legs felt great...can I just say, I LOVE the Brooks Green silence...so sorry to see it go. Christchurh was just a stopover we were off to Franz Joseph withing 24 hours or so.

Franz Joseph:

Franz Joseph was THE greatest place that I have ever run. The day we arrived it was raining so I could not get out...the next day it cleared up and I could finally get in 6 miles. We stayed just outside the national park, and the run through town opened up to these epic vies of the mountains and the glacier itself...Then the road gave way to a gravel walking path through the wooded area that emptied out to the parking lot. Our time here was limited and we had to get to Queenstown.

 Queenstown:

I had mapped a run in Queenstown, Once we got there I found a better one. This was again a combination of well maintained sidewalks, gravel and dirt pathways, and from time to time grassy trail. From our hotel, High up on a hill (which both sucked and was great) I could run down along the Esplanande, then through Queenstown Gardens. the trail through the gardens and subsequent neighborhood, offered some awesome views of the Queenstown scenery. This was the longest we would have in any one spot so i took full advantage and got in two good days of 6+ mile runs in beautiful weather...once you see the pics you will know why. Then it was on to Te Anau.

Te Anau:

This was another longer stay and I was happy because i was again treated to a really nice track. It was again a well maintained sidewalk esplanade, and then a basic grassy/gravel trail track along the water and through the outlying neighborhoods. These Neighborhoods were more like a few homes surrounded by lots and lots of land. the views did not disappoint and the weather was perfect. Allowing for more mileage  this time, it was another two runs, but at 7+ miles. Excellent! The greatest thing about this run as with  ALL of them here in New Zealand...Its sooooo quiet...no annoying traffic noise...NONE!

Christchurch:
So this was the last stop before we went back to Penang...I ran the same route and thought the whole time...How am I going to deal with that heat and humidity when we get back?? Its been so nice to train at 8 min miles (Penang is 9:34/mile) I loved New Zealand...I think overall the best run for scenery was Franz Joseph. the best overall run was Queenstown. I could live there easily! Queenstown had an active community, great restaurants, fantastic organic markets, and a mean temperature of around 60 degrees Fahrenheit for a high, and 40 for a low...this is a runners city! We had a fantastic time in New Zealand and this experience was fantastic. loyal reader I ran happy...I hope you do also. thanks for reading.