Me- The Lazy Runner !

Originally from Singapore, I moved to Texas in 2009 for work. Alone here, I decided to participate in some activities to get to know more people. I found a cool website "meetup.com" that allows people of similar interest to meet and participate in similar activities. I was then a leisure runner and decided to join a running group for fun.

One of the first running groups that I joined was a ladies only running group. This was a small group made up of 5-6 active members. . I was " pressured" to participate in the San Antonio 1/2 marathon in 2009. There was no formal training plan We just ran. Surprisingly, I managed to finished the 1/2 marathon in decent time ( 2h, 2 mins). The group was disbanded after the 1/2 marathon.

I moved on to join a group call R.U.N. The group is made up of crazy runners who run crazy miles. I joined the group 1/2 marathon training in 2010. This was when I purchased my first Garmin watch. Yes.. I never had a Garmin although I had completed 2 half marathons prior to joining R.U.N. This is a fun but close knitted community of runners. The group is like a family to me. There are always activities and events besides running. I meet many awesome runners in this group who inspire and motivate me to run faster.

Still a leisure runner trying to learn running. I never expected myself to run a full marathon. The turning point  was when I met my running coach - Gary Brimmer. I met Gary on Dailymile.com in 2010. I was injured with IT band after the 2010 half marathon and was ranting on Dailymile about my injury.  Gary was then a complete stranger who offered me advices on how to manage my injury.  I goggled him and found that he was a running coach. He invited me to his training runs a few times but I never made to any of them as I was "terrified" of being the slowest runner. I wanted to do the marathon in 2011 and decided that I needed help. That was when I approached Gary. Gary transformed me from a "one pace" runner - I ran 5K, 10K or 13.1 miles the same pace - to a marathoner. I completed my first marathon (Nov 2011) in  4hr 14 min 30sec... beating my goal time of 4hr 30 mins. 

I am not a fast runner. I always tell people that" if I can run, anyone can run". Firstly, I am injury prone. I had 3 injuries in 2011. Secondly, I am asthmatic. This makes running a challenge for me. I am at my doctor's office every 3 weeks every summer because of allergy induced asthma. Thirdly, I am not a natural runner. I hated running when I was a kid. I always find ways and means to get out of the school cross country ( Cross country is mandatory for every student in Singapore).

I called myself a lazy runner as I do not have the fire in me to push myself. Unlike friends who do races, I rarely do races. One marathon or 1/2 marathon a year is the maximum for me.

From a non runner to running a marathon, I am amazed by how much I have grown as a runner in the past 3 years. This blog is set up to chronicles the journey of this lazy runner.