I didn't really tell many this but I thought of the Brooks Half Marathon on Sunday as my comeback race. After an extremely disappointing performance at the PJ Half and Penang Bridge Marathon last year I deduced that my hyperthyroidism was back and a blood test affirmed my deductions. So I have been staying away from races, with the exception of the Newton New Year Challenge on January 1st which was only a month after I begun my medication again, so I was still drugged and not my 100% just yet.
I am still on my medication, but I've been feeling heaps better! I've also been training harder than usual just to make a good comeback at last Sunday's run. And I think I kinda did! Well, somewhat there la. There was one minor setback but overall I'm happy that I'm pretty much back to my form!
I went for the race with my dad, and it started in the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil. It was my first time ever in this stadium and the moment I walked in I felt a sense of awe. It's a really gorgeous stadium, I think it's of international standards and I could almost feel the presence of great athletes from all over the world just warming up and getting ready for their respective events in this stadium. It's a very humbling, yet inspiring feeling, I can't quite explain it. But the sports arena always does that to me. =)
So the run started alright. My legs felt strong, and I felt strong, but my tummy was a little unhappy. I have only myself to blame for that because I ate a whole bunch of stuff (trying to be clever). I ate half a powerbar (because it was free), 2 bananas, a slice of wholemeal bread, and I took half a shot of Red Bull (from NZ) which had very much expired. :D I wasn't in turmoil or anything, but I did keep an eye out for the porta-loos. The porta-loos only appeared after 5 kms into the race. I went in, did my business, and went back out feeling a whole lot better!
Before I went off to the loo, I was pacing with this guy wearing a LowYat.Net vest. He had a good pace to follow, just right for me, and he kept quiet too, so I didn't have to make to much conversation to follow him. But after I went off, I figured he'd be way ahead of me by then so I ran on my own. But the relief must've been a good one because I caught up with the same pacer again in under 2 kms and soon was keeping up with his pace again for the rest of the race!
The hills in Bukit Jalil are out to KILL, I tell you and if I weren't so in love with pain (from running, nothing else) I probably would've died. But I didn't. I happily overtook a handful of people each time we went uphill and I thanked all the Insanity and P90X and Nike Training Club training sessions I had with Olya and Wenisa! Thanks for making my legs nice and powerful, babes!
I finished the race in 2:05. It felt good eventhough it was 5 minutes off target. Hills plus toilet factor can account for that 5 minutes. =)
With that, I'm happy to say I'm back in the game, sistaz! Watch out for me in the next one!
