Just how did the 2022 HM PB happened actually?

Not only that I got injured in 2025. I am most unfit while at it even. 

I am quite satisfied nonetheless, to be securing a 2:21 HM still. But I can't help to wonder on what I did in 2022, that had warranted me that PB.

This was not known until I've looked back at training history today. Few key factors:

(1) It was the start of the normalcy year. Schools starting to resume normal activities. Activities starting to build up. It was the first year that KLSCM and Powerman was conducted physically, after 2 years of virtuals and deferment for Powerman. And I was just out of a 2 years fitness cave during and post covid. Fitness was at its peak

(2) My office just started to be fully operational from office that year. But came July, we were working from home again, since the office was moving out. I was at home for a good 4 months I think. Hence, weekly workouts was top notch. I could do around 1 hour of Zwifting. I could run outside my house in the morning. Most workouts were in the range of 1 hours with minimal ones with less.

These 2 alone were already recipe for success. 

I was averaging around 122W weekly for cycling, at 77km on average. This is already mind blowing. I am hardly able to sustain 100W currently, let alone to push it 120W. 90 plus was an easy ride, as I can recall it now. Currently pure easy ride is 70-80W. Duration wise, mid week ride around 50mins to 1 hour, around 2 times a week most weeks. Compared to only a mild 1x session currently. 

My average weekly run was around 34km. Seems very low but good enough since I had a lot of quality rides. This may have been the reason I was injury free as well. Which I never noticed up till now. Hence, aerobic cross training do help with your runs, given that you still are able to run, and tune the paces just right as well. Squeezed in a super last minute training within 11 days block with my trusted training guide from the book that I've been using multiple years back and constructed into that short 11 days KLSCM 2022 training plan. I swear by the training plan, it has produced result every time. But it may be a bit too harsh for my old legs. At least volume wise. 

Vo2 max, coincidentally both are about the same. 52 then, 46 now. 6 notches down. Looking at this, I should have been so grateful to have been able to have an enjoyable HM last weekend, with still a rather decent timing. 

Having said that, and having taken the excuse or post covid/additional WFH phase, these can be summarised as the key to training success:

(1) I had 2 key races, which served as training. Garmin HM which I was able to finish in 2:06 and Powerman sprint which I was able to do my 5km PB at around 23" and 4:52 pace

(2) I managed to secure 5 quality long runs leading up to Garmin ranging from 13km up to 18 km. This means that my build up have indirectly started around 4 months before. 

(3) I was still heavily cycling as described above. Average 2 midweek rides of around 50mins to 1 hour, and 1 Shah Alam ride with few occasional longer ones to Ijok etc. 

Looking back, the unintentional training block was indeed a recipe for success. Without even planning for it. Hope to be able to use these for my next PB mission, while being casually at it as well, so that the training and PB stress won't hit me at the same time.