Brooks Half Marathon 2013

I never had any intentions of running this event so to find myself at Bukit Jalil Sports Complex at 4am this morning was rather puzzling.

What was I doing there, I thought to myself. I should be in bed and waking up only at 630am for my long run!

As I've never ran in the Bukit Jalil area before, I didn't know what to expect. Everyone kept telling me there were hills to be wary of. Jamie had a plan to run at a 6:00 min pace so I thought I'd follow suit, and Calvin hopped onto the bandwagon as well.

L-R: SC Khoo, Kenny, me and Jamie
Photo credit: Kenny.

Nick, Jamie, Calvin and I started off together, and it took us approximately 3 minutes to cross the start line that held up a tiny arch. (It was a sorry sight, in my humble opinion.) We were cruising during the first 2KM, at 6:56 and 6:35 min pace respectively, until Jamie and Calvin disappeared to attend to nature's call.

Nick and I continued on, confident that the both of them would catch up.

But after a while, we had a sneaking suspicion that they may have had unknowingly ran past us ... and we were right!

It was only when we approached the u-turn and checkpoint at 7KM-8KM did we spot Calvin on the other side of the route. Hey!

The humidity was unbearable. Running through housing area where there were occasional unlit sections of the route was dangerous. I found myself pretty much slowing down just to peer cautiously onto the road to watch where I'd placed my foot.

The water stations were always packed with people and it was frustrating trying to wrestle through the crowd just to grab a cup of water. I was glad I had my bottle in hand (water + isotonic drink) because there were no isotonic drinks served at any of the water stations.

Nick grabbed himself a bottle with some water in it at 10KM thereabouts (we were expecting the water station to be at 9KM!) and ran off to the side for his water break. He told me to go ahead and he'd catch up.

I was wondering whether I was going too slow for him as whenever we checked our watches, we'd find our pace hovering at about 6:30. I kept telling him to go on without me but he said he wasn't on training mode so yeah, he was in no rush.

So he left me at about 11.5KM and I never saw him again. Dammit, don't tell me I was boring company!

Anyway, I sped up or so I thought, but in actual fact, it was still a 6:30 pace. *grumble*

I saw a guy on the side of the road with people trying to resuscitate him, which was worrying. It's not a fantastic sight to see a runner collapse at all times.

By then, I was running on 'feel' and trying to stick to my targeted marathon pace of 6:23 but it was hard. Not because I was feeling weak, but it was just bloody crowded!

We were running with the 10KM and 5KM runners at this stage and it was frustrating to find myself stuck behind a slooooooow runner on the right side of the route every now and then, and worst, one with a sour body odour. *gag*

Ran past the Calvary Convention Centre, a slope or two, Astro ... and I'm not really sure what else I saw.

Come 17KM I was eager to speed up a little as I finally realised that I had been going too slow all along. Even slower than my targeted marathon pace! 

17 - 18KM: 6:07 min pace

18 - 19KM: 5:56 min pace

19 - 20KM: 5:54 min pace

20 - 21KM: 5:50 min pace

If I thought I could sprint towards the finish line, I was so wrong. It was too freaking crowded! 

The clock showed 2:21 which was a letdown for me but whatever. My watch displayed 2:18, telling me that I was 10 minutes off my targeted time for the run. Whatever.

Grouped up with Jamie, Choon Yuen and Calvin for about 10 - 15 minutes before I sped off (with false supply of energy!) towards the nearby park to hobble/crawl/walk/jog another 10KM just so I could record a cumulative 30KM run today. Stopped at 7.1KM as I had to meet up with some friends during the prize giving ceremony. 

With cheery people: Lum Oldman, Weng Woo & Yin Yin
Photo credit: Sharon Chow

 It was great to bump into familiar faces. :)

She won 2nd place in the Senior Veteran Women's 21KM Category!

Pros about the event:

1. Massive space outside the stadium for runners to gather around and queue up for food and drinks, etc.

2. Finisher t-shirt distribution was smooth.

3. Milo was awesome. I had 4 cups!

4. Medal trophy is cute.

5. The kids with the kompangs near the start line was great.

Cons:

1. Did not enjoy the route with its unlit sections and narrow checkpoint mats.

2. Orange vest and finisher t-shirt - I don't like orange colour!

3. No isotonic drinks at water station.

4. A sponge station would have been great.

5. The start line did not display a 'START' arch - it was not noticeable from afar. I wasn't even sure that it was the start line in the first place!

6. The route was not wide enough to cater for the huge crowd.

7. Distance markers were almost 1KM off until 18KM.

With two young lovely ladies who were hoping to bump into femes people
but the femes people had already left! :)

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Let me digress from this race report and talk about my marathon training.

Pre-race: 1KM

Race: 21.4KM

Post-race: 7.1KM

Total: 29.5KM - I don't care! *stubborn* I'm taking it as my 30KM LSD for today!

Ran/hobbled/walked/crawled around the lake about 14x for 7KM.

To have enjoyed the race meant that I didn't push myself hard enough. The fact that I could have a conversation with Nick during our run (except when I was trying to keep up with him!) reflects the effort put in. It does bother me a little, but it serves as an indication that my targeted marathon pace of 6:25 shall be about just right. If I had stuck to a faster pace say, 6:00 - 6:15, I may not have finished the race with some energy to spare.

Although it was troublesome to have the bottle of water/drink in hand, it allowed me to hydrate as and when required.

I consumed only 1 power gel; the first half at 10KM, 1/4 at 13KM and the remaining 1/4 at 16KM. I don't think I needed it but I thought I might as well. Who knows, I could have cramped at 19KM!

I ran up all the slopes. Yay!

My legs felt fine, no signs of cramping.

My right foot (near the bunion) was starting to chafe at some point. I'm beginning to wonder whether my GR2 wants to run the MWM or is pleading sick leave with one month's notice. 

Refuled with Gibraltar Latte (RM8.50) and Carbonara Spaghetti (RM17.90)
at Coffee Stain by Joseph, with Kenny and Andrew.

Went home and had a bowl of ice-cream to wrap up my brunch.

Napped for 2 hours.

 

Where we ran!

p.s. Quite glad to know that I wasn't *that* far behind my 2 pacers, 5 and 3 minutes behind Jamie and Calvin respectively.

Bukit Kiara Trails with the Pure Grit

Sunday, 1st December 2012. 

Finally I had the opportunity to tag along with a bunch of light footed trail runners (Ray, Mich and Karen, to name a few) for what Ray promised was an easy run.

"Puh-leese," I could imagine YB rolling his eyes at me.

"When they say easy, it's THEIR definition of easy, not ours!" He advised.

So I double checked with Ray again whether it was indeed an easy run and he assured me so.

Hmm.

Nevertheless, I turned up at the TTDI park's car park, eager to further test out the Pure Grit again AND run the Bukit Kiara trails.

A quick headcount before the guys led whilst the ladies took it easy.  :)

Various colours and brands of trail shoes. From Brooks to Salomon to Innov-8 ... and kampung Adidas!

We even had a discussion on which type of shoes were good. 

Someone commented that the Salomon (don't know which model) had a hard outsole which proved to be less responsive as your foot landed, whilst someone lamented that the Brooks' Cascadia 7 was too flexible that it provided less ankle support.

It was interesting to note that everyone had their own views of what type of shoes they preferred and were more suited for.

My Pure Grit received some feedback as well, which as you know, lacking of grip on slippery surface.

We exited the Bukit Kiara trails and found ourselves within the vicinity of the Bukit Kiara Equestrian Club. It was lovely to see the horses!

Running along the Sprint Highway towards Desa Sri Hartamas.

I thought we were going into Desa Sri Hartamas for breakfast first, before continuing with our run.

But alas...

As we turned back into the hills and headed back to where we came from, I became the sweeper to make sure Cheryl wasn't left alone and lost.

True to Ray's prediction, our run took 2 hours to complete - a slow and easy 9.4km!

I loved the trails so much, as it's a different terrain altogether, compared to FRIM. Pushing leaves and branches out of the way as you run along the often used narrow paths, it was exhilarating.

Oh, it was also rather fun shouting out to your friends to watch out as there's a "BIKE!!!" on the way!

On mossy like tarmac, I noted that I had to be cautious as I walked up the slope. It was slippery and my shoes were definitely lacking in strong grip.

It was fun jumping over puddles as I felt agile for a nanosecond when I leaped into the air and landed safely on the other side.

Wheeee~

The graveled incline reminded some of us so much of TMBT all over again. :)

Now what do I do with you, Pure Grit?

I can't walk on slippery smooth surface for fear of falling flat on my face. (I also noticed that about my GTS 12, but that's a different story.)

There was chafing at the usual spot for me - near my bunion on my right foot (head of the first metatarsal), but most probably because the skin was already sensitive from yesterday's chafing from my Skechers GoRun Ride. :S

There was a blister above my right heel as the heel collar rubbed against it. I think I was wearing the wrong pair of socks that day, which I have already chucked into the bin.

All in all, I have no qualms about putting on the Pure Grit for a dry trail, as its outsole grip remains a huge concern.

The entire support remains good, flexibility of the sole and toe flex is there and the shoes secured my feet well. I'm not sure whether the nav-band is of any use, as my shoelaces were already tight enough.

Nevertheless, that does not matter.

Our trail route for the morning!

Testing Out The Brooks Pure Grit

My earlier introductory post to the Brooks' Pure Grit can be found here.

As mentioned earlier, the good people at Brooks Malaysia were kind enough to gift their Blogs with Brooks' participants a pair of Pure Grit each. With August and September being crazy busy for me (with work and TMBT training), I didn't have a chance to take them out for a test ride til November.

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I've worn them twice, the first was in October for a 14km run within FRIM. I found some bloodsuckers leeches on my left ankle.

And proceeded to screech like wussy lady.

No fault of the shoes, I'm sure!

I probably stopped too long along Dream Trail.

The shoes were very confortable.

As my run was broken into 2 segments, the first along Dream Trail and the latter at Mountain Bike Track / Tongkat Ali Trail, I didn't have much time to pay attention to my shoes.

So I figured I'd require another visit to FRIM in this lovely magenta/fuchsia/ what-colour-is-this pair of shoes.

I made my way to FRIM once again on 11th November 2012, this time with the prime objective of paying attention to the feel of the shoes.

Did I tell you that I really love the colour of the shoelaces...

They're so vibrant!

*admires shoelaces*

I've never really enjoyed the beginning of the Mountain Bike Track because it's intensely quiet and flat. Or perhaps it's just a matter of warming up the muscles and my body feels rather sluggish.

Chugging along the way, I noticed a few things about the shoes.

They were really light. :)

They wrapped my feet in a snug fit.

I could feel the unevenness of the ground every now and then but the Brooks' DNA soles were cushioned enough to protect my soles from any harm.

Once you've reached the Mountain Bike Track signage, head straight towards Steroid Hill / Tongkat Ali Trail. (If you're not sure where you are, you'll see a huge group of mountain bikers gathered and casually resting on your right.)

A swift change of the ground leads you up a gravel path.

Elevation is about 140-150 metres. Depending on my mood, I'd jog-walk-jog-walk up or should I be lazy, I'd just walk up the path.

The shoes were sturdy enough on gravel.

Reaching the end of Tongkat Ali Trail, you'd have an option to run along the trail up to Salem High Country or climb up a path which was readily created by someone (I'm not sure who) amidst the tall trees.

Anyway, the path was rather muddy but not slippery. I tested the shoes' grip, making sure I wouldn't slip and I was pleased that they were doing just fine.

Some of you may have already heard of horror stories regarding the shoes' lousy grip where runners were slipping and sliding on slippery roads and floor, and I was pretty concerned that I would be one of the casualties to report such an incident.

I was expecting Ewoks to pup out from the horizon.

Upon reaching the peak, I took a few deep breaths before making my way down the same path again.

I checked my shoes every now and then, making sure that mud would not cling to my outsoles too much.

I made sure I was very careful when going downhill.

Check out the clump of mud.

And see those little steps? I made sure I secured my foot firmly to each step before going down!

So what do I really think about these shoes?

At that moment, I could only surmise these points:
Breathable.
Flexible, yet supportive.


Other reviews:
Moving On AC
Tristupe.com

Runblogger
Bikernate
The Runiverse
TriBomb

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12

September 2012.

So I bought myself a pair of Women's Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12 to replace my worn out GTS 11. It was a bit of a rush purchase but I needed a pair soonest possible, as at that time, I was unsure whether the Skechers GORun Ride would be the One for Race Day.

I honestly believed that they were closely similar to the GTS 11, as there were no adverse reviews.

OK.

Honestly, I think I may have to break into them as soon as possible or I'm going to be stuck with them for good.

I wasn't too sure whether the GORun Ride was too deliciously comfortable for me (in terms of cushioning) and had somewhat altered the way I run or there is something just different about the GTS 12.

I've worn the GTS 12 for 2 runs now and I've come to realise that the forefoot padding is somewhat stiffer than the GTS 11. Just a few 100metres into my run and I instantly felt that the sole was very flat and hard. My forefoot sole wasn't too comfortable with it.

I also then realised that my calves would begin to tire after halfway through the run.

Hmmm, surely I hadn't changed into a forefoot runner, thus the aching calves?

Now.

I guess it took a while to break into them.

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12.

I was hoping I could try out the Ghost 5 instead of getting the GTS 12 but after some deliberation (an hour in the store!) I decided to play it safe and stuck to the GTS.

Not much of a difference between the GTS 11 and the GTS 12, though the latter looks a wee bit chunkier.

My first reaction to the GTS 12 can be summarised as follows:

1. What's with the metallic shiny bling bling colour?? Ack!!! Is there a pastel colour I could get instead?

2. It's heavy!

3. It feels the same as the GTS 11. Phew!

The upper has been improved to make it more breathable yet with extra moisture wicking. The silver mesh underlay gives it an updated look.

The tongue seemed more plumped up and more cushy than the GTS 11.
Or it could by imagination.

Only available in Medium (B), or I'd go for the Wide (D).

Chunky heels are usually seen in support shoes, where the heel cradle has to be secure enough to cushion your landing impact.

Love the cute mini Brooks logo on the toe front!
SO CUTE!

The GTS 12 has diagonal grooves in the forefoot which the GTS 11 lacks.

The diagonal grooves help to increase forefoot flexibility upon landing. With Flextra, it provides excellent traction when running on wet and slippery surfaces.

The caterpillar crash pad helps to create a smooth heel to toe transition for a natural stride.
Resilient stuff.

The award winning BioMoGo sole, which is made of non-toxic material and has unique dampening properties. They biodegrade faster!

The Brooks' DNA responds to the amount of force placed on the foot and disperse the pressure for an ideal amount of resiliency.

Verdict:

When I first put them on for a few times, I was unaccustomed to the weight of the shoes. Yet the upper mesh overlay and laces kept my feet snugly in place and it definitely felt much more breathable than the earlier models.

The immediate difference, besides the weight, was definitely the 'hardness' of the sole. My forefoot somehow was more sensitive to feeling the hard ground as I pounded on the roads.

When running at an easy pace, there was a lack of responsiveness which made me think I was very sluggish. It forced my legs to pump harder in order to make it a smoother ride.

However when I pushed faster, I am oblivious to all the issues above and the ride proves to be a much better one. You'll forget the shoes because they are so comfortable!

My only minor grievances are:

1. The tongue needs to be slimmer, like the ones on the Pure Project shoes. The cushioned tongue reminds me of the days of Nike Air for basketball. :D

2. The weight of the shoes. (The shoes weigh about 260 grams each.)

3. The white/viola colours isn't my thing. 

Well, they are really trivial issues, I know. :)

Nevertheless, the GTS 12 is my "reliable pair" which I have no hesitations to grab and go off for a last minute run.

The comfort and resilience remains the same as the GTS 10 and 11 I had previously worn so religiously.

The sockliner is removable if you want less padding.

And hey, they match my nuumuu! :)

Other reviews:
Running Shoes Guru

Brooks PureGrit - First Impression

You hear the description 'minimalist' so often these days that I'm pretty sure that some of you are as equally blur as I am. In fact, I've pretty much decided that the term 'minimalist' is loosely associated with barefoot running.

Close to it.

While barefoot runners believe that shoes with cushioning impede your natural running stride, not everyone is comfortable with running barefoot.

So here comes the minimalist shoes, providing you with lightweight shoes that offer little support, but keep your soles protected from the ground, yet allowing you to feel as much of the ground as possible.

FEEL MORE WITH LESS

Brooks' Pure Project Collection gives you a selection of shoes for minimalist running, be it for the road or on the trail. Currently available in the Malaysian market are the PureFlow, PureCadence and PureGrit. (The PureGrit was designed with ultramarathoner Scott Jurek's input.)

Participants of the Blog with Brooks contest were each given a pair of PureGrit, the minimalist trail shoes to test and review.

And this is my pair! :)

I LOVE the striking violet-red / magenta colours!

The stretchable navband (underneath the shoelace) wraps around your arch to give you an assured fit. Keeps your feet nice and snugly fitted.

The toe flex to enhance the flexibility of the forefoot and encourages the activation of the big toe to help align the foot at toe-off.

Grip lug pattern to give you maximum traction when you're off road. [They look like mini tractors. ;) ]

Ultra-light mesh which allows your feet to breathe.

Flexible.

The one-piece outsole that is made with Brooks signature DNA technology, where its cushioning material customises your ride according to your feet size and type.

With TMBT last weekend and Rat Race training this weekend, I haven't had the opportunity to test this pretty pair of shoes.

I did, however:

1. hop around on the grass and found no issues with my foot landing. Well-cushioned, indeed.
2. hop around on the 'brick pavement with grass' (I honestly don't know how to describe them) and noted that the soles didn't absorb the impact. I could feel the hard surface.

But the shoes are so comfy without socks. ;)

Nevertheless, I can't wait to test them out during a trail run to keep you posted. Stay TUNED!

If you're interested to get a pair for yourself, don't forget to bring an old pair of shoes to swap them for a RM150 rebate via Brooks Go Green initiative (which I've mentioned about for only like the millionth time now!) and purchase the PureGrit for (RM429 - RM150 =) only RM279 (Is my calculation correct??) at your nearest Brooks outlet!

And maybe we can go and try them out together. ;)

[http://brooksmalaysia.com for more details!]

P.S. Feel free to write in to me so I can feature you as a Brooks Run Happy Profile too! I'm serious!
P.P.S. You can follow my Facebook page too. ;)