Honey, Aloe Vera, Strepsils, Pi Pa Gao, Clarinase has been my company since last Thurs but sadly, it didn't help much on my condition. Nose block, sore throat and on the way to loosing my voice. 12 more days to the next race....I think I should just aim for completion and think no more :(

It was abt 20mins cab ride from Hualien City to Taroko Gorge/Aborigin house where we are supposed to for a night and walk to race site the next day... I'm mentally prepared of the condition there but thankfully it wasn't that bad afterall. At least, rooms and toilets are clean with warm shower. It does reminds me of the days where we camp along with roaches and toads at Pulau Ubin under the atap house, does look similar in a way but much much much cleaner. At least, I managed to sleep well...Yah...me and regina were on bed, nothing to do at 730pm. All we get was that little 7-11 abt 10-15mins walk away. We slept till......5am :)

Was a good 1.7km walk to the race site. Started at 7am sharp for a 5km run before we head back to the Gorge....The drama begins...Up and up and up....and UP again..... It wasn't that bad at the start because everything look so refreshing with mountains at one side, rivers and waterfalls on the other with shaded route most of the time. Sight seeing cum run, that's my idea of doing overseas run :)

But after a while, when the legs are really feeling 'it' and it's still going up... it felt like forever to reach 10k mark. Suprisingly looking at the watch, it was abt the same as my 'standard pace'. Mentally prepared although the legs are not, it's still a few more kms to climb before reaching the u-turn point at 14k mark. Would have climbed for 8-9km by then :) So so glad to be able to turn back and down slopes all the way... No regret of not doing full...haha...Did managed to go slightly faster conservatively though...that poor knee has not be too good lately... kiang is enough, no need to be keh kiang...:P And then, I suddenly heard siren from the back... guess what..... the two kenyan elite for full marathon (started on the same time as half marathoners) is overtaking me in our last 4km!!!! haha..bugger....

Completed within cut off time. 21k on such terrain..is just nice and good enough for me :)

So how did my 10D9N of eat,sleep,shop and a 21k run goes?? Not having to work and slept till 8+ everyday is a sure good thingie :)

A bit of a shock though as we make our way to Hualien upon arrival in Taipei on the same day, we were greeted by 3 earthquakes tremors. Well.. it was more than that, just a matter of whether you felt it or not. The first, while I'm at the hotel lobby. Nobody felt it except me. The 2nd, it was during our 'carbo-loading' session at the night market when all of us thought there's a big truck passing by. And the last one...... it was at 3am when myself and Regina was shaken by the tremors. I amazed by myself...I knew it was the tremors when our beds started to shake and hearing noises on the windows. And I still continue to lie comfortably on the bed while Regina was sitting on her bed looking at me. I just told her "Ya, it's shaking, it's shaking". "Shall we get down to the lobby?", she asked. Hmmm.... I told her to check out the window and see if there's anyone out there. She said none. Ok..then it shd be ok. I rmbr Peter Foo once said, if it's less than 10secs, it's ok..more than that, then be prepared :) So...I was back to sleep again, though was still pondering abt the matter. We're on 11th floor. 12th is the higher. If anything should happen, we won't be hit as bad as those on the lower floors?? Apparently, it's just part and parcels of the life at Hualien to have earthquakes :(

So that ends our adventure at Hualien City, of course with some nice local foodies before we head out to our 1night stay at an aborigin house, within walking distance to Taroko Gorge...............

Am just so glad that I'm going only for the half...... Even so... it's double of what Bt Timah hill has to offer....:) And the other 3 going for the full, they just completed their TNF 100 last week...Super Hero!!!!

A little drama again during swim class. It was already getting real dark with roaring thunder. I contemplated for a good 10 mins before decided to get change. Coach immediately summon us the appetizer for the day. Last week was endurance, this week is gonna be speed....^_____^

15 x 100m (15sec rest) interval speed

So there I go, panting like nobody business after every 100m. So sorry for those who spoke to me in the midst of that precious 15sec rest. I need it big time to catch my breath and couldn't response much :P On my 8th set, I have a real quick chat with Lala. We were about to start the next 50m one after another. Suddenly it rains, I did saw a flash of lights while catching my breath, but didn't think too much of it, just go as fast as I could to finish that 50m. The rain gets heavier within that few seconds and to my suprise, the pool is empty!! everyone was already out by the time I finish that 1 lap. Looked behind. Lala is no where to be found! I thought he's following me behind?!?!

Ok..nevermind..quickly pack and go to the shelter. It was already pouring, loud thunder. Coach happily 'kiao kah' sitting there sipping his drink and say wait 15mins. Uhh.... so...we're supposed to stand there, in swim gear, all wet and cold and wait for 15 mins? Ok ok...thank goodness he change his mind in less than a minute. Class cancel :) Lala immediatley came to me. He said he shouted at me a few times from behind and ask me to get out of the water asap..He saw lightning at the traffic light just outside where the pool is. So while he get out from the middle of the pool, I seriously did not hear a single word... That explains why Lala is 'missing'.......

So, ended up didn't finish the appetizer........... Unintentionally DNF again...haha.....

Duhzzz....The weekend flew by just like that!! Nevermind...nevermind...Patient I will be. Just 2.5 days of work week....I'll be in the world of eat, sleep, shop and a 21k run :) Yayyyy!! Someone asked, fly all the way there to run 21k only? NO!!! The run is to complement the eat, sleep and shop, not the other way round :)

Anyway, yesterday GE run was great with good weather, good route. Nothing fantabulous on the timing and nothing worth to talk about but it was a good run, good enough for a morning get together workout. Very strangely, I started to have a soreness in the middle of hte night on the hamstring and hips. Soreness to an extent it work me up from sleep. And guess what, while I try to stretch a little, it cramp on me BIG TIME!! Ya...CRAMP! Was screaming on my bed in the middle of the night! Thank God it only lasted 10-15 seconds but it was just terrible. Threaten on me again this morning. I applied deep heat like no tomorrow..haha.. Don't understand why...didn't push hard during GE and it was a distance that I'm comfortable of....**Scratch head***