Good Coffee and Food

Note: Long overdue post and photos!

The Thaipusam weekend (24th - 27th January) was pretty hectic, if you asked me.

My intention (as always!) was to bake as many cookies as I could but alas, you know and I know that not everything will go according to plan.

I went over to my colleague's house for 2 bake dates, but it turned out that the cookies we baked were not good enough to be presented as CNY goodies. Aaargh!

Nestum cookies with a touch of sprinkles. A new recipe this year.

Sugar butter cookies which first made an appearance at Dutamas Runners'
handicap run. Just made a few more on Friday morning!

I gave up.

I was hoping to make some puffed rice crackers before it was officially Chinese New Year. Something like this. Well, more like this but without peanut butter.

After the 1st GCAM run clinic hosted by Jamie that Saturday, I found myself deliriously hungry that I drove myself to the nearest bakery I could think of. 

So to Wheat Field Bakery I went, with the intention to buy some coffee home.

The RM7 Breakfast Set.

Only to find myself ordering the breakfast set I could sit down to.

They had me at croissant.
It turned out to be buttery and flaky and I wished I had two!

Coffee was an Italian stallion, strong. :D
The slice of toast wasn't too dry, which caught me by surprise as I was expecting it to be so.

Sunday was allocated for my 1st long slow distance run (LSD) as part of my marathon training programme. *grimace*

The task was to complete 19km in 2 hours and 5 minutes by running and walking. I did my best to jog slowly and walk at times but come 13km, I was a bit impatient and wanted to hurry along.

But 2km later, I'd stop myself and slow down.

With 3km left to go, I was eager to get home!

I was trying out the compression calf tights for the first time since I purchased it in Melbourne. I found them comfortable, initially, but soon after 10km, my legs would occasionally feel numb.

I'm not sure whether it's meant to be that way?

1st February was Federal Territory Day and those who were working in KL got the day off. Hurray for the long weekend!

Despite a whole week of running, I made the wrong move of bringing forward my 2nd LSD on road (from Sunday) to Friday, 1st February as I wanted to join the 2nd GCAM Run Clinic on Saturday, and run the trails on Sunday.

Am I promoting Mountain Dew or what? :D

Big mistake.

My legs were tired and sore from my quick run on Thursday, but I'm not sure whether it was also due to the lack of good sleep. Honestly, I haven't been getting enough good rest these days.

But 21km I did, in 2hours and 24 minutes, although the programme called for 22.4km in 2:25.

Bah!

It really depends how you want to convert miles to km. :D

I don't have an ice bath, sorry. This will have to do!

Plonked myself into the jacuzzi pool for a few minutes.

It was bliss.
I just wished my phone was waterproof so I could surf the net while chilling out. :P

At Solaris Mont Kiara.

With the LSD out of the way and not had lunch, I was craving for rice by dinner time. AC and I checked out Gangnam 88 for dinner that Friday night.

Part of my dinner set.

I ordered the Royal Bibimbap (RM20), which I had no clue what would be served.

The steamed egg was part of my set, while in the background was AC's BBQ Pork Ribs (RM30). His dish was pretty yummy!

The Royal Bibimbap (RM20).

I thought it wouldn't be enough for me, but with the condiments as well as the huge bowl of steamed egg, I couldn't finish my rice!

Our dinner set came with dessert of either a small bowl of ice kacang or a cup of Americano. We both opted for the ice kacang and it was not too bad!

The spoon was annoying, though. Why must it be so annoyingly cute?

The next morning, Saturday, it was back at Lake Gardens / Bukit Aman for the 2nd GCAM run clinic.

To be honest, I was late by a mere 4 minutes but everyone had left and I couldn't catch up with them!

*huff*

I ran all the way to Jalan Parlimen, thinking that I would catch up with them but I didn't spot them anywhere. Puzzled, I decided to head back into Lake Gardens for a short run on my own and waited for their return.

(Well, I was secretly relieved that I didn't have to run the slopes of Bukit Tunku. :D)

They eventually returned and did some ply-ply-... plyometric bounding exercises before wrapping up the session with some food.

Cookies and I.
Photo credit: Ashe Ek

The poor participants of the GCAM run clinic were obliged to devour my butter cookies and brownies and TPRC were nearby with their own makan-makan gathering. They kindly shared with us some 100plus and boxed drinks. (Thanks so much for the drinks!)

Our Caffe Latte.

Thereafter, I had brunch with Kenny at Departure Lounge at Solaris Mont Kiara, just because I didn't have a clue where else to go. At least the coffee is decent!

Breakfast for champions?

It was a good and satisfying meal, I must say.

But man, was I broke from spending RM20 on each meal since Friday night, at Gangnam 88!

Sunday morning (3rd February) was spent in FRIM, leisurely running and walking up and down the slopes therein, solely for the purpose of mileage. It was a crazy 3 hour run/walk and I was pleased to have been able to wrap it up to 21km. Report can be found here.

Aromatic Trail

Can't wait to go back there again this coming Sunday. THIS SUNDAY, as in 17th February!

Got to burn off the CNY calories, urghhhhh.

GONG XI FA CAI, peeps!
See you on the running routes soon!