You could easily spot her in road races because she usually dons a pair of rabbit ears on her head. Her husband may follow, wearing a tortoise “shell” on his back. Quite a cute couple. Meet our featured fellow blogger/ runner Lina who blog about being a mother, everything Japanese, pencil pushing in a property developer company and of course, running.
How long have you been blogging? Since 2007. But it was only because I wanted to share information about Ultraman! Not those running Ultra marathon but those Japanese super hero. LOL! I only started blogging about daily stuff around 2008 and on running in 2011.
What do you blog about? I actually have 3 blogs. One is in Malay. Nonsense mostly. Second one is to cater for my family obsession to Japan and all things Japanese (which was kinda triggered by Ultraman) and the third... stuff at home and occasionally on running. I try hard not to scare away my non-running readers so I don't blog about running all the time. Heh heh!
What motivates you to blog? To run? I blog because I have this insane need to share my thoughts with everyone, regardless whether anyone is reading or not. That and I need to improve on my English... My motivation to run? I stupidly thought that running is the simplest and cheapest solution for me to keep active and healthy as I didn't want to renew my obscenely expensive gym membership. I was naive. LOL
Are your approaches to blogging and running similar? Pretty much. Just push forward headlong. Consequences come later. No need to over-think. When the two interests combined, you get one lengthy, photos laden race recaps for all the races I did (or those I went & support friends)
How long have you been running? If I count from my first race; it's 2 years and 3 months. I was running daily a few months before my first race (just short distances; 20-30min at a time) but prior to mid-2011, I hated running!
Do you still remember your first run? Tell us briefly what you remember. Of course I do! I even blogged about it! LOL! It was organised by KLIUC students. It was cheap. It was a 10K run. It was a few days before my 36th birthday. I didn't know any runners there but I had a blast! Read about it HERE.
Why do you run? At first, it was essentially to keep fit and healthy and keep my weight in check. Now, I run because it's fun. I de-stress with running. I socialise with running. I grow as a person with running. And being outdoors is super nice.
Where do you run? How often? How far? I do hamster loops around my apartment carpark on weekdays. I'm taking a break now so the security guards & neighbours are spared from seeing me going round & round the carpark at ungodly hours but I used to spend at least an hour around it every alternate night. Sometimes, if I can't go out for my LSD, I'd run around the carpark for 2-3 hours. My hamster loop record stands at 3hr 40minutes! I started at 3am (because I didn't want my neighbours to see me) and finished around 7am.
I'm seriously thinking of training for Putrajaya 12 hour walk by walking around my carpark!
Putrajaya is a favourite training ground for my LSDs. I'll smack you if you say Putrajaya is boring & flat.
I try to do at least three runs a week. One speedwork. One tempo. One long run.
Who is your running hero? When I just started, I sported pigtails whenever I run in races because I'm in awe with Grete Waitz. I also look up to Kathrine Switzer because without her, where would women marathon runners be now? And Couple On The Run, Andrew & Sue O'Brien rawks! Emil Zatopek is pretty high-up in my list too! Plus all the awesome peeps who run and run in joyful abandonment! I like crazy people too.
Best advice a fellow runner has given you. Just register. I was encouraged to do just that for my first race by a fellow blogger & runner, Nick of Happiefeet fame (and Cap'n Skechers fame). The rest is as they say, history.
Best advice you have given a fellow runner. Be serious about your training so that you can enjoy your races.
Where is your favourite place for a run? I like Putrajaya.I haven't been running a lot outside KL but I absolutely adore Taiping people (not the race organiser though) when I did a half marathon there in 2012. Seremban drivers are pretty patient lot too.
What are the top three things/ factors that make up a successful road race? (What is important to you when you join a race)
1. Reasonable registration fees.
2. Race organiser that respond to inquiries & are runners themselves.
3. Free flow of tau foo fa!
I'm quite easily pleased and not demanding, ya'know. Hihi
What is your favourite running gear? My red Adidas ClimaCool Seduction shoes and my pink cap. I'm set to go. :-)
What is your dream race? At the moment? It'd be awesome to run in the autumn season, see historical sites, maybe get chased by a few deers along the way, right? And it'd be more awesome if I can do it in a costume! :-P
I wanna do Nara Marathon. It has killer inclines and you get to run around historical sites. Within 6hours.
What are the some of your running pet peeves? Not while running itself, but I hate runners who belittle newbies instead of encouraging them. Just bcos you run a 5min pace, doesn't mean you have the right to look down on runners doing 7min!
And people calling a 3K run a marathon. More so if it's THE ORGANISER who calls anything less than 42km a marathon!
What is your mantra for running? Just go run already... ;-)
Do you listen to music when you run? Now, nope. I used to listen to K-Pop though when I run. I used to run to 2NE1, Big Bang, BEAST, ZEA and the like. ;-)
What do you do with your black toe nail(s)? I pull them out. Black toe nail doesn't match my outfit Hahaha!
How do you reward yourself after a run? A cold can of Malta! I only drink this after I finish at least a 2-hour run.
What are the memorable (funny, proud) moments in your running experience? Proudest moment : Finishing my first full marathon at MWM 2013 with son & hubby giving their full support from the start till finish.
Finish this sentence. You know you are a runner when...Its raining outside and you tell yourself, it ain't that bad and go out anyway and had a blast running.
The hare and the tortoise. ;)
Your resolution/ plan/ target in 2014 (in running/ blogging). I want to be more involved - supporting, volunteering & sharing race infos, maybe take a few photos too etc. I hope I can blog and motivate the non-runners to take up running as a hobby.
Message from you to the readers of the blog. Say hi! By commenting or when/if we bump into each other.
Get connected with Lina at:
Main blog: http://linasbackyard.blogspot.com/
Most thing Japanese nonsense blog: http://urutoranohihi.blogspot.com/
Seldom updated Malay blog: http://budakraub.blogspot.com/
Facebook: Marlina Ibrahim
Twitter: @lina1975
Great interview! One thing that stuck out was your comments about feeling belittled. I too am new to running and on a steep learning curve but I've never felt anything but encouraged by more experienced runners in Malaysia so I'm sorry-and surprised- that you have felt belittled as a newbie. One of my favorite things about running is the sense of community it offers, and the fact that unlike most sports, the only person you are really competing against is yourself. Be proud of your running habit and don't compare yourself to others, fast or slow. Will watch out for the bunny ears:)
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