Friday 29 June 2012

Hello Me! =)

Nike Lunar Run 21.06.12

Lunar Run 21.06.12 from NikeUK on Vimeo.

Nike Zoom Structure

A dinosaur shoe made for the spastic runners out there. That is for me!!!
Hopefully this should help me with my running!
What a chunky shoe man!!!!! :(
Flat feet sucks!

Nike Lunar Kit-Tens

Disclaimer: No animals were harmed during this...

Wednesday 27 June 2012

Damien Hirst

Morning school run did.
Washing hung.
Off to the Tate.
I went the week before with a Japanese group I taught, Takara. But we didn't get to go the Hirst exhibition. It looked amazing, so I made myself go, even if it was on my own.

I'm not too familiar with his work, or what his work meant. Or even what he wanted to express or show. You definitely get it if you go and see it.

It reminded of that saying that I love:
"Once you see death, you will see life."
Pow!
A reproduction of life itself in torturous ways of deaths. Hirst' work is amazing, but I somewhat felt quite sad as I walked around and left.
Call me morbid, but I am definitely more a death girl than happy live life girl. I have always been and this exhibition made me realise how real shit is these days.
Am I afraid of dying? Nope.
An I afraid of getting hurt? Not even.

Oh god. I am a death lover!
Go see it!

Tuesday 26 June 2012

Stressed

When I'm not doing anything, I feel it. I feel that shitty anxiety and shitty emotional shit that I shouldn't be feeling! It all comes back to me and I
REALLY need to shake it off!

Going to Run Dem Crew tonight but not going to run. Need to save my legs for the Gunnersbury 10k on Sunday. But I am itching to run so badly! But listening to wise words from Orsii, Elle's, Caz and Cory! I better rest!

So instead, I do another thing that helps relieve stress. I organise shit. A Virgo, so I can't help but be particular about a lot of things. Today, getting my sword fighting a.k.a fencing equipment ready for Wednesday!
Yes, I am that sad......

Need to vent some serious stress tomorrow, that I could easily (in my Hackney ghetto talk) jook someone, or in Layman's terms, stab someone. Yes..... I could.

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Sunday 24 June 2012

Game ORNNN!!!!

This will probably be my personal worst timing on a 10k.
Overly overcrowded I've heard! :-/

Bring. It. On!

I am SCARED!

Trying to run a small amount every other day apart from RDC and running home from work. Today was difficult.
It was only 18 degrees and it already hurt.
How on earth will I cope with Gunnersbury 10k next week, The British 10k the week after and then the Tow Path half marathon the week after that!?
Summer running might be a problem! Eeeekkkkkk!

I look mash up!!!!! :(

Hackney Weekend

Was lucky enough to secure myself a ticket for Saturday.
Rolled down with my sister and her other half.
I never understand why people call it their other half. Why does it being in a relationship makes you half the person you are!? You are a whole person regardless.
Anyway.... Slow start, and slightly annoyed that we missed Deadmau5, but a great day! Calvin Harris, Jack White and of course Jay Z smashed it!

I've never been so "Hackney" (born and bread btw) in my whole life during the Jay Z set!
True bad gal came out of me!
Loved it!!!!

HOVA!!! HOVA!!!

Nike Lunar Run 21.06.12

I had no idea what the event was about. I was selected. Reluctant to go as I didn't know anyone who was going to it.

I had a feeling it was about the soon to be release of the new Lunarglide+ 4 running shoe, or perhaps a diffusion run of the Hong Kong Lunar runs they do!?

Anyway.... I reluctantly went. But I thought it would be a good recovery run from the Dulwich 5k. The only thing that was really holding me back was that I had taken my kitten Monty to get her castrated that morn. (Yes, she has a boys name!) So I wanted to keep an eye on her really! Luckily I had my sister indoors to keep watch. So I went.
Not having to be at the Nike Covent Garden store till 8:30pm, I drove and thank fuck I found a parking space close by cos it was starting to piss down.

2nd one to arrive at the doors, I waited patiently.
"Orsii!!" wahay! Someone I knew!
Next, Shameek, then Alki and then Annie! And I thought I wasn't gonna know anyone! Phew!
To be honest though, there was a massive divide. You didn't get that Run Dem Crew family atmosphere there. No one spoke to no one. All silence and on their phones. No one made anyone feel at ease at being there. This is what I've heard about these Nike running clubs. It's pretty brutal. No one is friendly to one another and if u don't keep up, well, your left behind. What's that all about? I must see for myself one day!

Doors open, names checked in, Lunar Run tshirt given, bags checked in, and now all ready to see what our night had entailed! It was rather exciting!

A guy did a mini presentation on the, yes, I guessed it, new Lunarglide shoe. And my gosh, is it beautiful!

I over pronate when I run, so these were becoming almost perfect for me! Lighter, more support, so what more could I ask for???!!!? Perhaps to get a free pair!?

Oh yes! All 80 of us runners got a free pair to run in that evening and to keep!
Amazing! And you know what? The shoe fit like a glove. Got a tingle down my spine when I put my new shoes on!!

So all runners all geared and fuelled up, we were going to run the Covent Garden standard 5k run. From Covent Garden to somewhere to Embankment, to the Millennium bridge and then back round again, and over another bridge by the London eye and that.

It was pouring, absolutely pouring with rain, but none the less, great fun!!!
I ran with fellow RDC West runner Annie, and we paced well. Her coins jingling in her pocket made a good pace noise for me to run to! Ha!

I kept my run mellow, as my knees were still in a bit of pain from the Dulwich run. The run was great fun, but I did have to walk for about a minute to make sure my knee wasn't going to injure me entirely! I kept on hearing, "She's walking, stop walking". And you know what, that fucking pissed me off! No offence to a motto I try to comply with (don't stop, run/jog slower) I was offended at that guy telling a fellow runner that I am walking! I looked at him and said: "I have a injured knee, I am allowing myself some time out to ease off it".
He said something, that to be honest, went in one ear and out the other. I said, "Fine, I'll run so I can just hide from you!". So I did, then I heard them say: "Oh, we have a runner!!!". Sarcastic or not, FUCK OFF!!!!
He pissed me right off, which just made me want to run away from him! What sort of pacer is that!? What sort of running leader is that!? What support was that!?
Anyway, that was the only thing that pissed me off. Rant over.
It was overall a great run! Great part was when we all ran through the London theatre, as the plays/musicals had just finished so there was a hoard of tourist leaving the building and creating a mass road coverage of faces and bodies. We ran though them roaring with noise, and with the theatre spectators cheering us on and taking photos. Great moment. Funny too.

That night, made me realise how much of a difference Run Dem Crew is. I know it's such a cliche when I say Run Dem Crew is such a family feeling with support, but it bloody is! You feel at 100% with yourself with the masses of support you get from EVERY single runner there. I can't believe it! Every single person is such a booster! I genuinely thank each and every one of you. You guys are the ones who keep me running! I thank you.

The Lunar Run event was great regardless of that one guy taking the piss of me walking. Nike truly know how to make an event, market the hell out of a product and keep their Nike+ runners happy. I thank you dearly Nike, and I'll sure be stacking those running miles in my amazing Lunarglide+ 4 running shoe!

Thank you!

Friday 22 June 2012

Dulwich 5k Run

This was my first 5k run! And I actually found it quite difficult and intimidating.
The late afternoon started off with meeting Tyrone, fellow runner from RDC West at Victoria station to embark the Orpington train to West Dulwich. We had no idea where we had to go from the station, but luckily Simon was on the same train also.

Mega early to meet Cory, our dedicated leader on our runs, so we decided to do some light stretches and chill and get our numbers pinned to our shirts.

Other runners were approaching. Running actually, running to a run. They already look mash up, but I guess another 5k couldn't hurt right?

Wrong! It did! For me!

The starting line... Packed!
As Simone said, it felt like the Lion King where the heard was just running to somewhere. It felt intimidating, overwhelming and exciting at the same time. A simple mark on the floor stating 5k start with white chalk was where we all waited patiently until we were allowed to run.
Go!
People were off! And I mean off!
Simone and I said we would pace together. We pace well together. I felt we went off at a nice steady pace, and it felt nice. We approached a 2k marker, and I thought in my head, wow, that was quick, it can't be that bad! I was wrong! I carried on running, and I just saw the 1k marker!
God dammit! Another 4 to go!
Did one and a half round the park, and then we were marshalled to the main road. The road was a bit all over the place. Small dips here and there. We got to the College Road entrance, and POW, my left knee almost just collapsed on me! I was thinking, oh fucking shit, and started cursing in my head, on why I am even doing this!? But the reason I am doing this 5k is that I have realised how chilled out and more relaxed I have been since I've started running again. My back doesn't ache as much. I don't stress as much, and my life just seems just so so so much easier when I have running in my life. It's weird, and even my work colleague Leila had asked me if I felt different from running because she could see the difference! So that was it, I was getting my self back on track.
My health hadn't been 100% 3 months back, but I do actually feel 100%!
But then, left knee spoke! Yep, I had to keep on running to finish this run!
I had about less than 2k to go, so I said to Simone to just go, as I was going to ease back with the dodgy knee. It helped. I had to walk for about 30 seconds till I mentally got my body and mind to take it easy and don't hurt myself for the sake of finishing under 30 minutes.
With some light jogging, I could see the crowd and finish line to my right. Yes! I was nearly there! But I had to battle a last bit of run uphill! Normally, hills are a pain for people, but this hill was only on a slight gradient, so it actually felt nice! (nice!? I must be mad!) Turned the last bend, and there was that long stretch ahead of me. I looked ahead to see Cory, Tyrone and the rest of the RDC crew, and as I approached, with Goldie playing on my iPod with Angel, I could see them in sight with their cameras ready to pap me! Smiling, gun finger up, I was nearly there.
No banner to break at the finish line, but instead a big fat clicker to mark my time! And also a pretty medal!
Jesus! I done it! Of course I could do it, I run double it every other day, but that run in particular felt difficult!
What have I learnt from this run?
I NEED TO RUN MORE! I need to rack up the miles to prepare me for my dirty half marathon next month! Ekkkkk!

Great night all round!
Loved it!


Sunday 17 June 2012

On That Mission to Find THAT TREASURE!


Coloured in by me! (a bit my Aki and Myanh!)

Monday 11 June 2012

Marawhat!!!!!?

Fuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's just hit me!

I'VE NOT TRAINED ANYWHERE NEAR ENOUGH FOR THIS HALF MARATHON I AM DOING NEXT MONTH!

Oh shit!!!!!!