malakoff 12km run

What a way to end this year's active running lifestyle! Here's the story...

Ruslan had been harping almost everyday at work since we registered for this race in early November about beating me in this final run of the year. He checked on me if I did any training everyday and the pressure was on between us to beat each other.

Up to the end of November, what Ruslan didn't realize fully was that I've been training quite rigorously to ensure my victory over his challenge. Only after he queried me, that I revealed my trainings - which he aptly called "secret trainings". Heheh..

On the race day, I was all fired up to do my best run of the year and guess what? I left my shoe at home and only realized it when I was already in TTDI and the race was about to start in another 15 minutes! Just my luck. Thankfully, Mafiz saved the day and lent me his Crocs sandal. Thanks, Mafiz. :)

The run was good with plenty of hills - this was where I started to overtake Ruslan, because he was fast on the flats but I think he tire himself out too early. We ran from Taman Rimba Kiara to the Sime Darby Convention center and back, which was 6km and looped another round to make it 12km.

Pancit naik bukit... ;)

On my first round, I was doing a steady pace, not wanting to tire myself out early in the race knowing there's a long way to go. However, on my second loop run, the Crocs started to hurt my legs and I developed a large blister under my right foot at the arch of my feet which was very painful. I stopped several times, checking on the blister and tried to mend it to no avail - at times eyeing Ruslan to see if he's near - don't want him to overtake me while I'm stopping right? Hehe.. (Anyway, I managed to get it mended with 2 plaster at the first aid ambulance just before the Sime Darby CC turn. Thanks to those boys).

In the end after about 7km of running, I gave up with Crocs and took them off and ran bare-footed with only my socks. Yup! 5km of bare-foot running... and that's what I call determination. Thanks to Ruslan's challenge, I summoned raw grit to finish the remaining run. I've run bare-footed before but that was like a year ago because my previous shoes was killing me and that was only for about 2km plus it was on a rather smooth pavement, not like this - tarred road.


corcs in hand... (Tey, kenapa tak tangkap gambar kaki itik in socks? hehe)

Anyway, I completed the race in 1 hour and 32 minutes - an improvement of 8 minutes compared to my last 12km run, which was in the Klang 12km run. I consider this a feat compared to the last run because this run was hilly, I stopped several times, I ran with Crocs and then bare-footed. And the cream of the cake? I finished ahead of my challenger - Ruslan!

Thanks for the challenge, Haji Ruslan. It was good and healthy fun - and you actually helped me improve. :) So, the meal should have supposed to be on me. I owe you one, then.


Fellowship of the Legs.


Standing : Blue Orcs
Squatting : Whiteboy and Hellboy. Hahaha... jangan marah. :)

Met Kash and also Nawal during the run. Nice to finally say "hi" at the event itself apart from realizing it later from blogs or facebook that we were all actually there.