Last Runners!

At yesterday's #MHWHNightRun, I arrived way later than the flag-off time.

First, it was because my friends and I had spent too much time at Alia's open house (the food was really good!). Then I went to the wrong venue. By the time I arrived at the starting line, some runners were already heading back to their cars (!)

So Zu & I became, literally, the last two runners of the race. We even had two crew members on motorcycles to escort us. Whenever we passed a traffic marshall or people serving drinks, our escorts would call out, "Last runners, last runners!", and the people would cheer because their work was done for the night.

I haven't been running for months so I was so out of breath and I felt like walking throughout the 5-km route. But since I was with Zu (aka the alpha female), I had to run all the way just to keep up with her. Though she ran slower than usual so that she could keep her eyes on me, she was still about 40 metres ahead.

The man on the motorcycle was going very slowly yet I still lagged behind so he had to stop every few minutes for me to catch up. I think the only way for him ride alongside me was to put his gear in reverse.

Around two kilometres to the finish line, we finally caught up with the other runners and were no longer dead last. #pridesalvaged

We met with another runner, Nelson, who had already completed the race and was looking for his friend. He took pity on me probably because I looked like I was on the verge of crying or dying, or both, so he accompanied me to the finish line.

He offered me some drinking water, urged me on when I wanted to just walk and taught me the correct breathing technique. Well, he tried to anyway but I was still breathing like an asthmatic patient until the end. 

At long last we crossed the finish line. Yeay!
I have to admit it was kind of fun but I think hiking is more my thing :)

Anatomy of a Breakup

Breaking up is hard. But when the other party has let you down so many times and there's a growing distrust, I am forced to face up to the truth and make that tough decision.

I've glimpsed the writing on the wall for some time now but I was in denial for a long time.
We were such a good fit and we had so many awesome adventures together. Who could replace such a fun-loving, trustworthy and dependable companion?

We've conquered Kinabalu, Rinjani, Mulu Pinnacles, Irau, Kutu, Nuang, Twin Peak, Bunga Buah, Tabur & Broga together. Those trips wouldn't have been the same without his reassuring presence.

He's always had my back and pushed me on though I was ready to give up.

But he's changed. He now seems unsettled and a bit unsteady. And I can no longer rely on him :'(
When he didn't catch my fall the first time it happened, I just brushed the incident off. Things happen; There's no need to make a big fuss out of it. But when it happened again and again and he still didn't save me from shifting ground, I suspect that he is just unwilling to.

He has made his point very clear: I can no longer depend on him and that it's time for me to go to Decathlon to find a worthy  replacement.

(Quechua Grey, you'll always be my first love and I intend to find a pair JUST LIKE YOU)