Race to Param

First day of Ramadhan.

This time last year I had about 3 days of running in total. It took me months to feel run-able again, and I suffered greatly in the subsequent runs.

Unlike the pros, I am not putting speed above whatever daily role as a husband and father, so squeezing all the runs this year will be a challenge. Today, is an acid test for the remaining 29 days of fasting and running, and the ones after the Aidilfitri, and navigating between the open houses and endless roti jala and ketupat pulut kacang merah. 

Hydrations and fuels during sahur and iftar, demanding work, runs, terawikh, and tucking the girls to sleep etc - all in 24 hours of time.

Dear wife dragged me out of my slumber, and I forced in few handfuls of rice with something-something, some dates and lots of water.

Truthfully, I am not a fan of conventional sahur and its spreadful of food and drinks. I just have whatever I normally have for breakfast - cereals and all. I know, boring!

The road barely inching away on both sides as I exited the office, all geared up. I had a window of an hour to squeeze in 7k at the park. Either KLCC or Kepong Metro seemed like impossible to reach. Now I wished I had a bike (ok, enough poking... motorbike).

The traffic was at its heaviest around 5 p.m., understandably. But I secretly wished that our non-Muslim friends would be more generous on the road at this time. You guys do not exactly need to rush and hoard the road at this hour, lah kan...

wind gush on approaching Stonor Park and Park Seven

Parked my car, had my run, or rather T.O.F (time-on-feet) of a full 7k - first 6k doing a faster 30mins and a cool fast walk for the remaining klick. 

Good run, no sign of fatigue whatsoever, although felt dry on the lips and throat. I almost accidentally stopped at a water station, oopps...

Weather was good, it started with few drops of rain but it stayed overcast throughout. Between the 300th - 600th metre, the wind gush was strong, it slowed down my pace by a tenth of a second... chewah! (ok, it was not). And it was good not having youths spewing off cigarette smokes in the air in your directions for a change.

I was out of the park just after 7, and the traffic was so free! Suppose the majority of us were already at the tables, or making the final turnaround to the kuih lapis stall, or frantically fight for the last ayam golek available. I managed to pick wifey at home, and picked the kids before iftar. 

The first thing for iftar was dates and 100+ (for the run)! Sedapnya...

oh, dah kurus pahala puasa ku...

Had time for Iris and her biking just after iftar, showered and solat etc, and the terawikh was like interval trainings, and home to get the girls to bed. The thing is, we Malays are minorities in our flats, as the majority of Pak Arab took the charge for terawikhs... felt a little like my old town in Wigan last time :D.

I fixed a simple chicken pasta dish for supper, and dozed off while watching CSI. I lost track whether Grissom and Sarah were back, or was it a rerun from whenever.

Acid test - tried and tested.