Supergirl's (Cheng Yu) FMV @ The inaugural Malaysia Women Marathon 2013

Without thinking much, I've registered a full marathon for MWM, inspired by Jason Tan (boyfriend's running mate). I was just started running 10km last year, 21km this year and then followed by 42km. Without LSD training, and i did a costume run for my vfm.

Me and my boyfriend, Jason Kow

at one of the water station, still close by my side

My knee started to pain after 2-3km run, and i have another 40km to go, first thought in my mind was i cannot finish it but my boyfriend telling me, pain is just for temporary, keep running don't regret it. And so i continued. I'm very lucky to have very good supportive boyfriend back up me, nothing is impossible when i have faith and he's there to give me support and courage. I tell myself, even if i cannot finish this fm, I'll be happy too because at least I'm brave enough to take the challenge, and there are so many friendly & helpful runners cheering me up. Lastly, what i want to tell is: If you think you can, you can! Enjoy the pain, get the pride, no regret and run with style!!

Group photo prior to the run, photo credit to ET Tey

Written by, Cheng Yu

Inspiring video

Most inspiring video that i found that when i start running last year, although im not fat when i start. But this video mean alot to me, kicking my ass off my computer chair. 

Is a video bout a man who is 120pound journey to slim down and get his life better.

Starting with slow jog to a run till iornman 

The Difference Between Running and Jogging (cyktrussell)

What’s the difference between Running and Jogging?

When I first got this question I thought to myself “Don’t touch it! There’s no way you can answer this without making someone mad…”  Then I asked some friends and fellow runners this question.  I was surprised by the quick answers I got.  It turns out most runners have, at least in their own minds, a solid opinion of what delineates ‘jogging’ from ‘running’.

We all know what running is, right?  I mean the physical act of running, regardless of pace, form or effort is easy to differentiate from walking, sitting, swimming, crawling or laying on your back in a Hawaiian shirt in a hammock.  The term itself isn’t controversial.

However when you ask a runner if they are going ‘jogging’ be prepared to get a scandalized dirty look.  “We’re not jogging!” They protest.  “We’re Runners!” It’s as if you’ve accused them of not being worthy.

I looked up the etymology of ‘Jogging’.  As a word it is a gift of the British from the mid-seventeenth century that had none of the emotional overtones.  It simply meant to perambulate in some form or other.  Saying “I went for my morning jog” was just a tad more whimsical way of saying ‘walk’ or ‘brisk walk’.   Those whacky Brits.

Jogging presumably acquired some of its less-favorable overtones when Bill Bowerman went ‘jogging’ in New Zealand with Arthur Lydiard and subsequently wrote the book titled, yes you guessed it, “Jogging” in 1966 proposing this recreational form of running as the solution to many social ills and  health problems.

It would seem that during the first running boom of the 1970’s ‘jogging’ was just a way to describe running for your health with no particular competitive inclination.  I think this is where jogging starts to get painted with a negative patina.  It came to be seen as a slower, lower effort, non-competitive version of running.

It seems “Jogging” was originally intended to be a subset of running; a less strenuous, less serious form of running. It was running for the non-competitive masses.

Dr. George Sheehan is famously quoted as saying that the difference between runners and joggers is a race number. The thought being that as soon as it becomes a competition – you are running.  This is one of the most common responses I got when I polled my virtual running friends with this very same question.

Curious man that I am I spent the weekend asking every runner I met if they could describe the difference in the terms.

I asked my friend Rich on our long run this morning and he immediately replied “8-minute miles”.  I was expecting a more thoughtful, if not philosophical response.  I asked him why 8-minute miles?  He said, “Because that’s what the Garmin defaults are!”  It turns out when you get your new Garmin GPS device it will have the transition from run to jog at an 8-minute mile.

Of course, that’s just an arbitrary number set by some Product Tech.  Not all responses to my question were that definitive but many framed the difference as one of pace, effort or distance.  People seem to sense that running is ‘more’ and jogging is ‘less’ in some way but they are hard pressed to come up with a quantification.  The border between running and jogging is apparently amorphous and mostly self defined.

One interesting wrinkle I got on the ‘effort’ argument was ‘conversational’ pace.  Meaning that if you can still hold a conversation while you’re running, then you’re jogging!  I guess that would put an end to my long runs because they would now be long jogs.

When pressed, most people will cite ‘intent’ or ‘purpose’ as the difference.  I tend to fall into that group.   This cadre believes that the difference between running and jogging is not speed or distance.  For this group running requires a more focused purpose, perhaps the existence of goals, maybe the following of a plan.  This faction believes that the runner is not just aimlessly moving about, but is working, to the best of their ability and resources to achieve something.

I think my favorite response was ‘Sweat Pants’.  Meaning if you’re out in your Chuck Taylor’s and sweats, chances are you’re a jogger.  Another great observation made was that whenever the news talks about it, as in “Miley Cyrus was seen jogging” or “Jogger attacked in the Park”, they never say ‘running’, they always say ‘jogging’.  Therefore, if you’re not on the six o’clock news, then you’re a runner.

Why are we so offended when someone asks us if we have been ‘jogging’?  Why the personal affront?  Because, when you call me a jogger you lessen the value of what I’m out there doing.  You take away from the personal sacrifice, the miles and the pain I’ve invested in my sport.  I’m not winning any races, but I’ve worked hard my whole life, as a runner, to walk the talk.

We see what we do as clearly different than the casual and occasional jaunt around the neighborhood in sweat pants.  Is there a point where a jogger becomes a runner? Is it the point where recreation gives way to focus?  Is it the point where we start to care?  Is the very fact that we are offended by being called a ‘jogger’ proof in itself that we have made the transition?

Running, is not about speed, time or miles.  Running is not in our legs.  Running is in our hearts and our heads.  Running is what we bring to the sport, what we sacrifice and what we burn on our alters of shoes and shorts and race bibs.

The truth? The truth is that a runner is that person that defines themselves as a runner because as soon as they do that, they have made the transition from jogging to running.

Hitting the wall

Sometimes you hear someone say, or you read, "then he hit a wall" meaning what exactly?

Run direct to the wall?? NO!!!

In endurance sports such as cycling and running, hitting the wall or the bonk describes a condition caused by the depletion of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles, which manifests itself by sudden fatigue and loss of energy. Milder instances can be remedied by brief rest and the ingestion of food or drinks containing carbohydrates. The condition can usually be avoided by ensuring that glycogen levels are high when the exercise begins, maintaining glycogen levels during exercise by eating or drinking carbohydrate-rich substances, or by reducing exercise intensity.

Everyone of us at some point will "hit the wall" on our journey in life. A place in which we feel STUCK (emotionally, spiritually, physically, and even financially). A place where we continually repeat unhealthy patterns. In return, those patterns give us the same negative, unhealthy outcomes and result...so we continually "hit the wall".!

There will be a season in each of our lives where we will be confronted with the brutal facts of our reality. A time in which we can't walk, run, or hide from our pain anymore. Some of us feel so tired, knocked down, beat up, and have been tottering on emotional craziness...why? Because, we've been ignoring the emotional life (what's really hurting us within).

A good starting question to ask ourselves is, "What is your pain?" And then, exploring and engaging the "why" behind that pain.

For Runners "hit a wall." It's a point where the runner is exhausted and in pain. But if he/she keeps running, the runner can go past this point. "Get a second wind."

Very nice Distance Marking for Full Marathon

Modern Marathoner

Running is a very basic stuff that we learn when we small.
Time flies, so we are...from a basic running gear, just shirt, pants and 1 pair of running shoes to high tech cutting edge gear...full with GPS, heart reader, compression and soso on...
Full equip with all this kind of technology, suppose we will dominate every race. Yet we still lose to Kenyan, with just a piece of cloth, pants and 1 pair of running shoes....
So Cutting edge gear < strength?? 

MARATHON

Marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26 miles and 385 yards) Complete it is not an easy task.
Register a marathon is a very easy task, fill in a form, pay money, collect bib, go run....finish it, then done!!!
But the training for it is a nightmare, u need give up sleeping, Friday & Saturday night, woke up 4-5am in the morning...and countless injury, blister and dark toe.
running won`t make u look more pretty or handsome, it just will make u more darker, leg muscle grow bigger and knee injury will haunted u for few weeks, even month...
But who cares bout it, complete a marathon mean way more then tat.
It`s bout pride, self achievement, emotion, friendship, teamwork, determination and discipline..

I still remember when I finish my 1st Full Marathon in PIM2011. I had a bad run, leg pain and cramp like no tomorrow. At that moment i feel like i just quit it, come back next time....determination and teamwork help me tru the hard run tat i ever been...
I admit my tears fall down when i cross the finish line....and it worth at all