Day 331-Borneo International Marathon

Me with Just and FaiZ, 2 of my 3 running buddies at the airport leaving for Sabah, East Malaysia.

Pic was taken to taunt the 3rd friend who decided to stay in Singapore one more day for work.

I wasn't sure if I should post about the Borneo International Marathon or BIM 2012 because at first glance, it seemed completely unrelated to miniatures. Yet, BIM was about running and a big part of my life; a part of my life that could explain why it has taken me so long to start creating with my hands and finding a world just as fulfilling.

Handball in Uni back when I had hair down to my butt

My love-hate relationship with running started since I was 8.  Back then,  in my very small primary school, those of us who could run just a little quicker were invariably selected year after year for all the events during Sports Day. I remembered running in the 100m, 200m races and the 400m relay. I also shot-putted, high jumped and long jumped. My childhood room was littered with all the trophies, mostly bronze, some silver, one or two gold for races and competitions that I had won. I continued to run in secondary school but I started to dread the competitions because I hated the gun at the beginning of the races. In junior college and then the university, I stopped running and played in team sports like basketball, netball and handball. 

Me and the netball team in Uni 

I guess you can call me the sporty type. Crafting? Back then, it was as if  sports and crafts were mutually exclusive. You just didn't do both. In any case, school, sports, dance and a huge dose of disbelief that I could make anything with my hands helped me veered my course off art. I thought you must be born with the talent before you should even try. Living in a family where everyone of my siblings could draw except me did not help. 

Photo by CK- MacRitchie Reservoir 2010 during one of our runs

I stopped running when I started work but picked it up again after I had gained 10 kg. I became addicted to running because I would run, rain or shine and by shine, I meant flaming hot. That was until 2005 when I took part in my first full marathon. I completed the marathon in slightly under 6  hours when a few laughed and told me I could not. The skin on my toes came off and I could barely take off my shoes. I injured my knees and could not walk for 3 days and for the next 3 years, I did no running.

Running buddies- 6.30am, 2011 Wetland Run

It was only in 2008 that I resumed running again. Since then,  I have participated in at least 2-4 half marathons a year. And I thank my running buddies, Just, CK and FaiZ for re-igniting my passion.  

FaiZ, whom I introduced running to and who in 2005 came in 1 hour after me in the same marathon, not only did not stop running, he started a small group to run every Sunday and now runs at least  1 km or more ahead of me in every race. 

In search of the Shinto Temple Run 2012 where we had to cross a reservoir on rubber tubes 

Our Sunday morning runs which woke us up at 6 in the morning, took us to all parts of Singapore and it became a highlight of the week for all of us. I love my Sunday morning runs although I was always the last one in. There were a few times I got hopelessly lost because I was too far behind and my sense of direction did not help. 

This year however, I enjoyed a breakthrough. We decided to sign up for our 1st overseas run and I started training seriously. I ran 3 -4 times a week , 9km each time and I used a timer. I wanted to achieve a personal best because this was an overseas run. The long and short of it is that I did. I shaved off 20 minutes from my last time and did 21 km in 2:22:59 minutes. I even beat one of the guys and came in 3rd amongst us 4. 

I don't know how this post which was supposed to be about Sabah came to be about running. Perhaps like me and miniature making, I was trying to say that nothing is impossible. I never thought I could beat any of these guys. Like I never thought I could work with my hands. 

I am serious when I tell you, if I can, so definitely can you.