Introducing..

Nah.. my most recent acquisition. Nike Flywire H20 Repel..US size 8.. LoveLoveLove.. makes Walking, Strutting, Jogging, Running, Skipping, Zumba-ing much more fun and exciting..

With partially runny nose I jogged without pause for 1.6km. Walked and jogged for another 800m before finishing with some stretching. 19.30mins of jog + walk. gots ta.. gots ta..
My nap just now wasn't a smooth one. I kept waking up for no apparent reason and later I noticed that I was woken up by the intensity of my heart beat. It was racing. Weird..

Even though I went out jogging only once before the Fitness Test the other day, I think my stamina and endurance (minimal as it were) are due to the Zumba sessions I did at home. Thank goodness for Youtube and Zumba instructors who were generous enough to upload video clips of their Zumba routines..with lots of choices.. extremely fun songs to dance to.

Went swimming yesterday morning. Managed a clumsy 1.5km.. or thereabouts. My work schedule is so tight these days.. and is going to be more hectic in the weeks to come. Gotta keep on.. if not swimming, zumba-ing then..

Fitness Test 2012

Thank God for a misty, breezy, sun-less Saturday which made for an easier Fitness Test weather condition.

I partnered up with Ati for the push-ups (no problem)and the sit-ups(never was good at this). I later carried her on piggy-back for the 25m angkat beban slot. For the 2.4km run(read jog), I plugged my ears with some fast-paced tunes, the likes of Danza Kuduro and Jlo's Let's Get Loud, with the hope that the tunes will lull me into a continuous run/ movement. It worked well enough. *phew!* 18mins 23sec was the time shown on my stopwatch at the end of my jog.
Not bad..considering I hadn't actually gone on jogs. I relied on my Zumba sessions for the cardio side of my exercise repertoire. And oh.. wore Red Flywire for the jog. My feet looked daaammn pretty!! Love'em..just love'em..

Doing my warm down.. doesn't Red Flywire look pretty.. (ignore the dude behind..don't know who he is)

Note to self : Must consider doing jogging sessions at the stadium. Better running surface.

The 200m swim was done at a comfortable 5mins 41secs which was approximately 1 minute faster than the record I did 2 years ago. Didn't succumb too much on nerves and peer pressure (the swimmer next to my lane was a helluva swimmer, I could see him glide further and faster than me) and was able to do a regular pace without straining on the breathing.

Overall, I'm pleased with my performance this time. I coulda done better, but with the efforts put into the training, I am satisfied.

Progress rep

1 hour on Thursday afternoon was spent swimming at the Penampang Pool. At 3.00pm, the pool had zero occupancy!! I had the pool all to myself. Did 80 laps for around 1 hour and a few minutes. There is something not quite right with my swim stroke.. I feel it. And I can feel numbness creeping down my right hand from elbow down by the 1.5km mark. Wonder why that happened..

On Friday, I arrived at the pool before 3.30pm. My friend, Ooi wanted to try and swim 2km with me. As he hadn't arrived by 3.30pm, I started off on my own. On reaching the 12th lap, I saw Ooi coming through the gate. I paused the stopwatch on my watch and waited for him to join me in the next lane. Together we swam to our own tempo. Ooi's longer and more practiced strokes led him to quickly catch up with my 300m. We reached our 80th lap almost at the same time. I made 56minutes. Hurray for me!! I forgot what Ooi's time was. Hmm... having a buddy helped with the speed I believe.

Yesterday I arrived at nearly 4pm to an already occupied pool. No matter I said to myself, the serious swimmers intent on working out will stick to their lanes ( I hoped). I had been watching a few video clips on Youtube on correct/proper freestyle swim stroke and I was eager to try out the strokes. After some stretching, I started out in a fast pace, trying out the strokes I had seen on the video clips. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I had no problems keeping up with the fast pace using the slightly improved technique. At 300m mark, my watch recorded 7mins 15sec. I did 600m in 15mins 36secs. Upon reaching the 80th lap, I looked at my watch in disbelief...52mins 9secs. Interesting... I did lapse into my old swim stroke somewhere after a 1km swim. I noticed the lapse when I felt a strain in my arm muscle. I needed to visualise the swim as though I'm watching myself from above to correct my stroke.

I haven't fully quit on smoking though. Bad habits are the hardest to quit..so they say.

'Tis the second week of 2012. Endeavoring to maintain fitness will be a challenge..
Yesterday my 2km swim was done in one hour, though the last 5km was done with the help of a pull buoy. Must remember...speed doesn't come overnight.. (i do think though, my freestyle technique needs tweaking). I had reached Penampang Pool by 3pm to discover the pool with zero occupancy. Bliss!!
If I can't make it on time for swimming sessions, there's Zumba. Gots ta do it...just gots ta do it...

Closing time

Aqua Babe report :
Today at Likas Aquatic Centre
Late arrival to pool = 900m swim in 26mins.
Pool cold as usual but i think my body was warmer than usual..hmm...
same soreness on the left shoulder socket.. a slight change in swim stroke countered the pain.

Yesterday at Penampang Pool
same late arrival = 850m in 28mins.
Warm, almost velvety feel water. A bit of soreness felt on my left shoulder socket.. napa tu ah..

Come next month, when school reopens,I will have to change my swimming schedule. Afternoon perraps...alternate with jogging days.

Aqua Babe report

Without the cumbersome swimming pants and top covering my swimsuit (which was how I covered myself during the 5-day Bronze Cross Course-for modesty sake), I did my 600m swim way below 18mins. Leisurely swimming I managed that too, I might add.

Cold weather it was, this morning. By the end of 1km swim, I already felt the urgent nature's call. Did a couple more laps before calling it quits.

The west coast area has been experiencing bad weather this few days. Effects of the storm from other parts of the world, experts say. Just got to be as careful as we can to avoid untoward incidents.

Woke up an hour ago after trying to keep the contents of my stomach from spilling out.. the migraine came..and now hopefully it will stay out...for a while. Today (later this morning) will start the first of 5 days of swimming activities in the pool. Need my strength lah..

Swimming updates since previous post..
Oyea... finally managed to get past the 2km mark. Did 2.1km on Thursday.. and 2.2km on Friday. Was getting tired the last few laps of the swim.. swallowed some water too. nice, chlorinated aqua..

My arms look pumped.. dismally not so on my lower body.. *sigh*

*note to self.. come january..with new running shoes for a push start (hmmm...when did i hear myself say this before?) i hope my running days will restart.. gots ta git me some running soles first..

Aqua Babe report

made 3 different designed shirts...
long time endeavor..
haven't taken pictures of it yet..
love them.

on to other matters..
drove all the way to Penampang Pool..
to swim under the warm 4pm sun..
and did 1.2km only..
wish the pool was an olympic sized one..
no need to do 48 laps..

Burnout

Went running round Likas Lake yesterday..around 5pm. As usual, saw many different kinds of runners, walkers and lenggang-lenggang-ers... Those with mp3-players plugged into their ears were aplenty..and also those who wanted the other runners to listen to what they're listening too. They look like adverts for music, jogging/walking past you... I'm just wondering.. how can they jog listening to Kenny G? Slow and sentimental lagi tu..

Anyway, managed 2 laps of the lake.. barely able to reach the 2 lap mark..with lungs feeling like they're about to burst.. Today, my legs feel funny. The muscles don't have that aching feeling. However, my legs feel like I've been standing still for too long. Mau kena massage la ni..

Huff huff

Huff huff...puff puff...
Ran 1 and half round yesterday..with my Nike..
Had discovered that the bottom lapisan mo tebuka suda lagi..
Mau kasi gam la dulu tu..
Today I will have to run with Adidas la..(too beautiful to run with ba..)

Run Forest Run

Went jogging yesterday after the young'uns training session. Malu-malu la konon mau jogging sama budak-budak..
All this while I thought the Likas Tasik was about 1.5km per round..(ignorance was bliss...). It is just around 1 km pulak aa...
My fats didn't hurt as much as the first time round. After finishing just 1 round, I didn't feel any discomfort from my legs, what stopped me from continuing the 2nd round were my lungs. I felt that they couldn't breathe/ expand enough for me to go on. Apaituh..