The End of The Racing Year

It has been an interesting year, to say the least. 5 road races, 3 mixed terrain and 4 trail runs.

It has been equally challenging for me to improve in every aspect such as speed, strength, endurance and nutrition, and despite recapping my races to identify which part requires further improvement, I tend repeat the same mistakes every now and then.

Frustrating.

The first half of the year was spent mucking about with friends and running more. We spent more time on the road as well as the trails, and always having a bit of a laugh. It was the friends that made attending events feel like a great party, even if it was a lousy event.

Moving over to Melbourne, the second half of the year was a tough adjustment for me. It took me back to 2009 when YB and I just started running and we only had each other. Attending events on our own, shy and feeling a bit out of place with these super strong Aussie runners, I wanted to dig a hole in the ground and bury myself deep.

And then you meet a few nice ones who go out of their way to make you feel at ease. Without them, I think I would have remained hidden in the background like a sullen pock-marked face teenager at events.

Sure, finishing last is no fun at all, because I don't want them (strong runners) to think I'm a loser or a complete idiot for participating in an event out of my league. I would like them to understand that my capability differ from theirs, and it doesn't mean that I cannot complete the race at all. Just that I'll take a longer time to do so.

Anyway, putting that aside, it was a fun and crazy year of racing. Meeting new friends, learning new things, lovely scenery, and ran a personal best - what else can I ask for?

To summarise the year in a nutshell:

Uhm.. am I too early for the prize giving ceremony?

Podium finishes (because I was lucky!)

MPIB Run

Deuter Trail Fun Run

Melbourne Marathon finish.

Personal best/record

Melbourne Marathon - 42.195KM

Let's go skiing instead!

Best scenery

Razorback Run - 42KM

Surfcoast Century - Leg 4 23KM

Where's everyone??

Toughest run

Lake Mountain Sky Run - 34KM

First time going beyond the marathon distance!

Most painful run

You Yangs 50/50 Trail - 50KM

It turned out to be a fun outing instead with the GCAM gang.

Organised most poorly

Salomon S-Lab Kuala Selangor Jamboree Trail Run - 11KM

What will 2014 bring?

I wish I could say that we will be attempting our first 100KM trail run together but that's not in the plan at the moment. It be a crazy adventure for the records, but .... no, I don't think so. We have locked down Two Bays Trail to be THE run of 2014, and thereafter, I think we will take a break.

Training for Two Bays itself is already so ridiculously tough that I really don't know how I'm going to make the cut off time if the heat gets to me.

Be that as it may, the plan is always to keep training no matter what.

Just in case, you know, there's another race that catches my eye. ;)