My PBIM Ranking

18.11.12 was the last Penang Bridge International Marathon (PBIM) to be held on the 1st Penang Bridge this year. Next year onwards, it will be held on the 2nd Penang Bridge instead. So how can I miss it this round? I had to miss it last year due to SP's wedding. So there is no way I am going to miss it this year. In fact, I had to skip a university-mate's wedding luncheon for it.

I don't have much confidence to complete the allocated 90 min for 10km open category but thankfully I still managed to finish within the time limit nonetheless. I registered only for 10km because I know running is not my forte and just in case I have no time to train I know I can still complete 10km without killing or dragging myself through it.

Why not join fun run then? It's still the same 10km distance. Ah-ha! The difference lies in the medal and the running vest. I want the dry-fit running vest instead of the cotton t-shirt and it feels meaningful when you have a goal to aim for. If I join fun run, most likely I won't bother too much to finish within the stipulated time.

I walked more than run this year. And when I saw that there wasn't much time left, I made the finishing dash towards the ending point. Then I realised that actually I do have the stamina. What I don't have is the mental strength and determination. So I believe that those who run marathon have very strong mental strength and determination. If you ever find one when you conduct an interview, by all means, grab the candidate, can't go too wrong with that!

Thank you to BH for forwarding me the link to check my timing and ranking for the PBIM run. I thought I would have to wait until they deliver the certificate to my house. Thanks to the advancement in technology. In fact, if you register on the PBIM page in FB, you can track your own progress, live! How cool was that? And here goes my result...

Name	:	TAN KWENG PHEO
Status	:	Active
Collect Method	:	Queensbay Mall (10th to 11th Nov 2012 10am to 9pm )
Category	:	10K Open Women
Bib No	:	K21318
Event Results
5KM Split	:	00:40:03.16
ChipTime	:	01:26:16.63
GunTime	:	01:28:48.94
Ranking	:	1027/5209

Not bad huh? Calculating by percentage, I am at the front 20% pack, though I have seen that those who won the 10km open category women actually did it within 40min. I wouldn't want to compete with that though, definitely not my forte. But it does feel good to sweat everything out.

And oh, take note of my bib number: K21318. If you read it in Cantonese, it's very auspicious. Pronounce it as "yi yat sang yat fat" which translates into 'forever getting rich easily'. And I take the 'K' as signifying 'OK'. Haha, I just like this bib number, enough to know that I am keeping this bib...

I like this round of PBIM: I got a good bib number, I got a finisher medal, and I got a very good sweating session out of it. Maybe next year I will still join it, but definitely it will still be a 10km category. Nothing more, nothing less.

What's better to end this post than my reaped fruit of labour?

Walk

With cars so easily available and accessible, we hardly walk nowadays. Some even go the extent of driving to the store which was just about 5 min walk away. I have seen that for myself during my uni years. I on the other hand prefer to walk whenever I can, though I don't go for the staircase to avoid the lift. Ascending staircase is always my weakness. Descending staircase... I have no problem with that.

I think I've seen people hanging out a small display in their car, something about walking 10,000 steps a day. I have that too, but couldn't figure out where I'd dumped it already. Might still be in my room, or it might have ended up in the dustbin already. Can't deny that walking does bring about plenty of health benefits. So are some to be shared, also from Yahoo News...

1. Increases Your Lifespan

A 2011 study looking into 27,738 participants between 40 and 79 years old over 13 years shows that walking for more than an hour a day improves life expectancy significantly.

2. Wards Off Diabetes

2002 study - 30 min walk can prevent type 2 diabetes. Overweight people are at higher risk.

2007 study - min 1 mile walk cuts your risk of death from all causes in half.

3. Keeps Your Mind Sharp

Walking 6 - 9 miles a week increases grey matter and lowers risk of cognitive impairment or trouble with concentration, memory and thought. To those already suffering from Alzheimer's or mild cognitive impairment, 5 miles walk per week will protect the memory and learning area of the brain, slowing the decline in memory loss.

4. Lowers Blood Pressure

30 min walk, 3 - 5 days a week can significantly lowers blood pressure.

5. Good Bone Health

1994 study - walking a mile a day improves bone density in post-menopausal women, slowing bone loss rate from the legs.

6. Cuts The Risk Of Stroke

12.5 miles walk a week cuts the risk of stroke in half.

7. Improves Your Mood

When you're feeling down, just 30 min on a treadmill reduces tension and depression, lifting moods faster tan anti-depressants (with fewer side-effects too).

8. Torches Calories

Daily 20 min walk burns 7 pounds a year, giving more dramatic effect when coupled with dietary changes.

9. Improves Insomnia

A brisk 45 min walk in the morning 5 days a week can improve sleep significantly. An evening walk, however, have an opposite effect. So keep an eye on when you're exercising and what your sleep patterns are.

10. Good For Heart

Brisk walk for 3 or more hours a week reduces heat disease risk of women by 30 - 40% (according to a study of 72,000 women aged 40 - 65). A different study showed that the risk is cut to half for men aged 71 - 93.

So what are we waiting for? Walk now, bring umbrella or wear cap if you want, but walk! Dump your motorised vehicle for a short while and soak in the joy of walking.

And hey, one last thing, walk the talk... it's still a walk, but in a different manner, which is very important if you want to achieve something.