run, run, run, run, runaway...

KLCC Park has a nice running track that's about 1.3km in circumference. For the longest time that I have been working here, I had never bothered using it, despite it being less than 100m from the entrance of my office building. But earlier this year, my comp's management decided to get us a little more into shape, so once a week on Wednesday, we can go down at 5pm for a jog.

And I am happy and even surprised at myself for having been a regular at the park (except for three weeks when I had classes at BCM and that couple of weeks when I was sick and that week when I strained my muscles from the fire drill exercise and that week... okay, I hope you get the idea: If i could, i did =)

On my first run, back in April:

• I wore an large old tee shirt and a pair of shorts which I had to keep pulling down cos it was really embarrassingly wrinkly. I went home and dug out something more appropriate and I've been wearing the same top (grey baby tee) and bottom (black yoga pants) since.
• I didn't have proper shoes other than my old Sketchers which wasn't made for running and by the first month, both shoes koyak. And I had no intention of salvaging them anymore. Happily, I managed to get a new proper pair of running shoes from Spore when I went down there for a quick hol with my parents in May! Muaks to my sis who partly sponsored them. Hahaha.. It's a pair of New Balance that looks something like this on the right (I can't be sure, they all look the same to me). 



"cotton candy" :D

• I didn't have music in my ears, and the sounds of nature bored me.. I'm one of those ppl who focus better with music and I think I do it more often than I should, but I always have earbuds in my ears (especially in the office. Even when I am not playing any songs. Haha..) So I started carrying my iPhone, but knowing how clumsy I could get, I was nervous too to be running with the phone in my hand... And so, in the same trip to Spore......... I erm kinda cajoled my Dad to buy me a iPod shuffle. Hahahaha.. I felt embarrassed for getting him into the deal (my sis thought I was unbelievable), but at the same time, I was giddy like a little girl whose dad got her a giant cotton candy. *more nervous laughter* I run mostly to a mix of songs from the Chinese singers I've been listening to lately, but also some of the older songs that I like. My favorite for now would be Mayday's 星空. The tempo is just PERFECT for my pace, so I do tend to loop that song to keep me going when I am slowing down. 
• I didn't run. I did not have the stamina at all! I did manage to do brisk walking.. for most part. The best thing is, once I got into doing it regularly, it became easier. I managed to run one round non-stop after a month. And happily, last Monday, I ran about 90% of the 4 rounds (that's 5.2km)(and I did it in 45mins -- which is nowhere near good by any standard except mine, and I am very, very proud of this lazy ass. Hahaha..) Anyways, I have always covered four rounds, never more cos I still tak larat, never fewer cos I didn't wanna waste the effort of bringing my exercise gears. 

Starting this week, I am going to try to run twice weekly. It's tiring but I think I might have just discovered an antidote for my insomnia: exhaust myself so that I'd be so tired and crash early. Let's see if that works. I don't know if I really enjoy running (I mean, all I really wanna do is laze around at home watching TV shows and movies), but it makes me feel less guilty about all the food I eat, and for that reason alone, I'm good. :D

Btw, I just saw this vid this morning on the basics of jogging. I think I have kinda been following the do's and don'ts, but it's always good to know.