Recovery cum Exploration Run – 10 January 2012

Route: Seputeh – Kampung Pasir Baru – Taman Desa

Distance: 12.14km (Garmin)

Timing: 65:40 for 5:24 min/km pace

We took it slow and easy because:

1. Recovery run after Sunday’s race.
2. Hamstrings were sore. Really?!?! I thought it would have been the quads kicking and screaming since it was hill climbs on Sunday. Obviously, I wasn’t paying attention during physiology 101. Oh wait, I never did attended that class to begin with.
3. New route a.k.a. potential for getting lost and making a few many turnarounds would be 938,527 times.

Seputeh – Kampung Pasir Baru turnaround (5.77km)

Km1: Warm up mile to Old Klang Road.

Km2: Old Klang Road drafting the traffic…if we don’t end up being roadkill. We survived!

Km3: Up the pedestrian bridge heading to Kampung Pasir Baru. Ran into one of the side lane before Kenny realized it was the wrong one.

Km4-5: The most speed bumps per km in the whole of Klang Valley! No less than 5 “unofficial” ones and another 2-3 official ones. Naturally being the klutz I am, I promptly tripped on 3 of those – after which Kenny who was running ahead would call out when we approach one.

Kampung Pasir Baru - Old Klang Road - turnoff to Jalan Bukit Desa (3.34km)

Out-and-back route so it was the same scenery although it was getting bright which meant I could take in the surroundings. The new-to-me Kampung Pasir Baru is a lower middle class Malay settlement and we spotted road side stalls being set up for the day’s business, schoolchildren walking to or being ferried to schools by parents or on buses and office workers heading out. Definitely a welcome change from the quiet humdrum of Bukit Tunku or Taman Desa Seputeh.

Taman Desa climb (1.83km)

Odd…I distinctly remember this being a near 3km climb from last week. Perhaps I set the lap counter earlier. After the flattish Kampung Pasir Baru and the twice-crossed pedestrian bridge on Old Klang Road, we were back to familiar territory. Hey, I said “familiar”, not easy. Yes, Kenny gave me the option of heading back through

1. The-battle-of-the-headwinds Old Klang Road; or
2. Climbing Taman Desa

Let me be clear…I did NOT choose…I left it to him although I did warn him that I’ll be slow. I felt even slower when he came up and passed me at the final climb.

Turnoff from Taman Desa - house (1.2km)

Nearly crashed into one of the guards who came out from the side of the road. By a whisker. I let out a yelp. I’m that classy.

Kenny and I chatted on our cooldown and he wants me to finish strong, especially on the last km. This means throwing into the equation:

1. heart bursting and soaring heart rate (I’m so glad I don’t have a HRM because it would probably conk out if we implement this grand plan of his.)
2. running on painful and sore legs
3. the most agonizing face that would kill anyone who looks at it

Do-able? Absolutely. Would I be able to do it? Unlikely. Nopez. No bueno. Nicht.

Other snippets of gossip news

• TPC couldn’t find the front door getting out of Kenny’s house on Saturday.
• TPC went to “Holland” a.k.a. he got lost by himself (yeah, he's that blur) during Saturday’s long run with Kenny and tagged on an additional 5km. oh, maybe this was his plan to begin with since he craves higher mileage.
• Buteyko was kind of a funk for me this morning. It happens.