Ipoh 7 Bridges 2018, INOV8 Semenyih Trail 2018 and HSN21 2018

Ipoh 7 Bridges 2018

Ipoh 7 Bridges 2018 was my second year running it. It was special then in 2017, since it coincided with STAROBW2018, so we kind of has a softspot for this race. So, joining it for the 2nd year seemed very natural.

I was sort of recovering but still having some pain came out of nowhere at that time. But definitely, was not yet clear from injury. I had been ramping up for Berlin then. I7BR's timing was quite timely, right smack in the middle of the training cycle.

I didn't set any specific target, but was quite anxious to see how would I fare with all the modest trainings, the injury and such. 

The route was a bit different than before. It was not that flat. It didn't start at wee morning as well. So I had prayer issue to think about. Was keeping my option open for prayer break, but I felt quite good during the race and decided to hope that the route would be under distance, and I would have a chance to end the race about +/- 2 hours. 

Looking back, I had a very good time executing the race. I started slower, went to sub6 territory, hovering anywhere between 5:40-5:50 even but longer at water breaks of about 6:30 ish, for about 4 laps. I didn't bonk as I did at many other races. Being conservative worked and would guarantee a surprising result. I'm writing this as a way to remind myself as well. When you are confident with your fitness, you tend to aim higher than you should but when you expect lesser from your fitness, you aimed lower and that is a recipe of a great run. 

Although I had silently hoped for a miracle of a better timing, I am pretty sure that the result was the best that could happen at that time. It was the first time that I got a sub6 pace for a half marathon and for a big race. And that is a big enough celebration to shout about. That was a much needed validation for Berlin. 

Inov8 Trail Run 2018

Almost right after back from Berlin, Inov8 Trail Run was up. I didn't have much trail run in 2018, so that race was quite much needed. I developed plantar fascia the year before that in Semenyih. Can vividly recall the moment when it happened, as I was passing through the gravel section, approaching the finishing section. 

Went in with full knowledge that fitness had severely depleted. It was the 2nd week after I got back from London. Not only that I was still in recovery mode from the Berlin Marathon and the travelling aftermath, I was not properly trained as well. Except for the minor mileage that I had in London. There was only some 5km@6:17 with at 70% effort. So that clearly wouldn't help in improving your fitness much. 

So I had zero expectation, but just try as much to do the best I could. It was fun, I didn't especially suffer, mostly due to the absence of any expectation. Paid particular attention to not getting lost. Which I almost would at certain part. Had no benchmark of how I fared. Finished it and suddenly they were saying that I might be one of the top runners. 

Stayed for a while. Met some familiar faces. Hang around this lady which I have met at some other runs before. They were giving away prizes for top 10 finishers even. I was lucky to have secured 3rd. Alhamdulillah. Was in the same trail event with Huiyoong for the second time now. First time being the Gasing Trail Run. There were another strong lady runner as well which turned out to be a common podium finisher for Reebok Spartan and obstacle races. It was a good way to close the trail event for the year. Alhamdulillah

HSN21 2018

HSN21 2018 was very much a social race. Raced it for the sole reason of Bukit Jalil Sports Complex as the starting location. And it turned out to be the last race of the year. 

It was held just a week after Inov8 trail run. It was timely to get the LSD mode on. So went it with that expectation in mind.

Wanted to pace hubster. Was with him for quite sometime as well until KM4. The route was very narrow and dark. The sheer amount of runners wasn't helping as well. We couldn't run. And hubs didn't seem to be cooperating the pacing well as well. So I went ahead and scrapped the plan of pacing him. 

Since I was too far back, I went slightly faster than I should and charged myself up from ~6:50 pace to 5:4x range. That only lasted for about 8km and I got bonked at KM 12. I thought I was capable of such pace but, wrong was I. It was that much known tempo effort and tempo duration => sustainable for 8km or 60 mins max. The undulating hills at Bukit Jalil wasnt helping as well. I thought it was just the hill talking (it was the first major hill with steep incline). I tried to do active recovery afterwards on the downhill. I had to give in to the hills and my pacing mistakes. at KM14, I was down to walking. Luckily enough, I managed to find my cruising groove back again at KM15. Having suffered earlier on, I knew full well that I would reach my threshold level yet again. and I did at km20 where I was almost to the point of walking. At that point in time, I had implanted on my mind 2 major bonk incidences: the first was Berlin, the 2nd was that HSN21 2018. And I really that I would remember it as much in the future as well. 

I had zero hope, but when you feel good, and you thought you could sustain that for long, you changed your expectation into something else. But it turns out having zero expectation wasn't good enough as well. You need to pace yourself well. Full stop. When in doubt, always err on the safe side. Do not push yourself to the limits. Not when it's more than 5km from the finish at least. 

But all in all, it was still a good workout. Decent LSD timing. Good fitness baseline check. And that was the start of the next mission towards Twincity Marathon 2019.