Rebecca Ilham's Blog, page 3

Day #1: 30-Day HIIT Challenge

Since I won't be doing any running (as usual) this fasting month, I figured I should confront my demon and do exercises that would strengthen my core. Hence, I decided to do HIIT exercise every day - well night, after terawih, really - for 30 days.

I was a sceptic before, but last week there was a sharing session n fitness, and a friend who has lost a whopping 50 kg of body mass said that he spent the first month of his transformation journey doing squat to strengthen his lower body.

I guess it is not how intense the initial efforts are, but it is the consistency that pays. Since I won't be running anyway, I cannot complain that this exercise will interfere with my mileage quota.

I asked my sister, who was in JK1M Season 6, on HIIT exercise suggestions. She told me to Google and pick ones that I like, and helped downloading the HIIT timer to assist the workout. Conveniently, I found the 30-day HIIT programme that focuses on abs and core thus tonight, I started with the following:

1. 20 secs high knee
2. 20 secs squat
3. 20 secs burpee
4. 1 min rest

Repeat 10 sets

The whole exercise took just 20 minutes but I was sweating even at half time. I also found exercising made me more alert. To be honest, it was a mundane day today, and I really wanted to hit the sack after terawih. But after that 20 mins, I felt more awake than ever. Not to mention my brooding mood from earlier in the day is improving. Endorphins, ya know?

Anyway, I pray to istiqamah and continue tomorrow I believe the session will get more intense each day. But that's okay. That's progress.

#MisiMarathon5Jam: Seoul 2016

4:48:04 (net time, my block started 20 minutes after A) - a new PB, a leap from my previous best 5:21:48.


It was the weather, I think, and also my strategy to stick to the 4:50 pacers as long as I could. I lost the ajussi at KM 26 but chased him down before managed to regroup 3 km later. Then it was all about following his pace - when he surged, I surged. The rest of the time, all of us in that group just ran in unison. It was nice to have someone else doing the split in their head, I must say.

I lost the pacer again at KM 34. This time, I did not manage to catch any of the 4:50 pacers anymore. So I just ran alone, while once in a while checking on my pace to make sure I could make it I sub-5 hours

It got tough starting from KM 35 when we crossed the river because I could see the Jamsil Olympics Stadium, where the finish line was. But I kept reminding myself to just run - one step at a time - because the miles will roll in.

At KM38, as usual, I started to increase speed. I glanced at my watch and said to myself: let's do this in 30 mins. At KM39, I checked my pace again and it was sub-7 minutes. So I told myself, let's bring this home in 20 mins. There was this urge to walk but I kept reminding myself how much I regretted walking in Osaka. After this, I reasoned, you can walk however much you want. So now, please run.

I choked with tears when about to enter the Olympics Stadium. We had to run 200 m on the track to the finish line. I started to sprint and pumped my fist in the air when I crossed the finish line.

Total time is 5:10:something
Net time is 4:48:04.

Alhamdulillah. 

This was just a dream. Now it is a reality. I am a sub-5 hours marathoner, and I would like to continue pushing myself to find my true potential.

New PB at Cyberjaya TwinCity Marathon 2016

I ran my 4th full marathon today, here at home in Cyberjaya-Putrajaya.

I started with the 5-hour pace group, as I wanted to get familiar with the pace, in view of my incoming 5th marathon that has a strict 5-hour cut-off limit. Whe we started, I felt that they were a bit slow, thus I sped up and made sure I was always near them. along the way, the caught me, and I decided to just stick with them as long as I could. It wasn't a bad idea, the pace was steady, except that they liked to maintain the same pace uphill. Besides, I liked the fact that I did not had to worry about the split as someone else was doing the thinking.

I made a toilet break at KM 11-12 and my first dosage of energy gel before continuing. Turned out that I could no longer sustain the sub-7 minute pace, therefore I was left to fight my own battle as it was impossible for me to catch the pace group anymore.

Even though I did not run that long with them, must say that I treasured the experience; I like how responsible the pacers were - they seemed genuinely sincere about getting us to the finish line in the assigned time, safely.

But pacers or no pacers, I soldiered on. My target at the time was just not to get caught by the 5:30 pace group, and also not to take walk break - ever. I knew finishing in 5 hours was impossible, but maybe I could get 5:15.

The miles rolled in, not as smooth as in Toyama, not as hard as in Osaka but rolling in they did. When the going got tough, I kept repeating "fighting! fighting!" and adjusted the earphones so the songs could provide the much needed distraction. I stopped at each water station, I ate my gel and another packet provided at KM 2 water station faithfully, took the sponges when they were offered and did not skip the bananas. In order to run non-stop, I needed hydration, sugar and calories. Hitting the wall was the last thing I wanted.

Especially when I knew from experience how excruciating KM 30-KM 40 would be. It felt like it would never happen. Each 2 km interval between water stations was an agony. The sun was not particularly out in full force by 8 AM, thus it was still bearable but my legs were tired.

When the distance to the finish line was finally in single digit, I found myself muttering "mo chotto, mo sukoshi." Supporters, apart from the wonderful volunteers from CUCMS, were non-existent but thankfully, the warmth of the spectators in Osaka dan Toyama stayed with me and cheered me on.

I met the Singaporean Blade Runner around KM 34 or 36 in front of Neo Cyber. He is a single leg amputee and was running the half marathon with a 6-kg backpack on his back. I said hi, wished him luck and carried on. Even though the route was back in Cyberjaya (we left Putrajaya after KM 24), there were series of U-turns in order to make up the distance.

U-turns in races are my pet peeves. I really did not enjoy seeing faster runners in the opposite direction, especially when I still could not see where the turn back point was.

However, that was what a full marathon is for. It is supposed to test you, for if it were easy, anyone could have done it. Besides, battles have to be fought in order to be won.

The last 4 km was hard. Usually I would start picking up speed at 38 KM, but I did not feel good at all. Thus, apart from maintaining the pace, I just told myself to bring it home in half an hour. That strictly meant NO WALK BREAK.

The last 2 km was the toughest interval. I knew the end was near but it was hard to keep the hope up when the finish line was nowhere in sight. I almost walked but urged myself to endure just a little bit more. You have ran for 42 km, I said, why walk now?

Upon turning right to Persiaran Flora, I tried to make a 200-m dash for the finish line. It was not really a sprint, but it was a decent speedy run. Managed to finish at gun time 5:21:45, which is my new personal best, alhamdulillah.

2016 First Race: MPI Generali Run

I returned to Padang Merbok to run my first race of the year - MPI Generali Run 2016 (formerly MPIB Run) for the third time.

Last year, I clocked 1:18:30 net time, and this year, alhamdulillah, I did as in the picture below. I felt a bit "heavy" and tred but decided to just suck it in and hold the pace. Besides, this was the pace that I need to run in my second FM this year (it has a cut off time of 5 hours).



I did find the run an agony, but that was just because I forgot how challenging Bukit Tunku is, not having ran there for a year.

The organizer was amazing as always, and the festive mood at the start/finish area was amazing. I tried the physiotherapy session by Pilateque; the therapist just applied some pressure at a spot on the side of my right thigh and I could feel the pain in the hip that has been bothering me for a few weeks shot up. She said there was a tight band in my glutes thus what she did was loosening it up for a bit.

Anyway, I have an FM coming up in two weeks. Could not help feeling nervous, but for sure, I want to do well after all the speed works.

Misi Maraton Nihon: Toyama Marathon 2015

One week apart running the Osaka Marathon 2015, I completed the Toyama Marathon 2015. It was a much smaller scale (12,000 runners), held in a small city with course that passed through paddy fields, fishing ports, residential areas and the Shinminato Ohashi that crossed the Osaka Bay with the majestic Kurobe Mountains in the background. I would run for that view alone :)

Official time is 5:36, official net time is 5:28.

I didn't walk, just did some slow running all the way, taking a few stops for gel, water, toilet break and food. It felt magical - the miles came easily this time. The crowd was no less enthusiastic, but I guess there was a different kind of energy in their simple small-city warmth and hospitality.

Misi Maraton Nihon: Osaka Marathon 2015

Alhamdulillah, finished my 2nd marathon on Sunday :)
Stories will come later - I have another marathon this Sunday, inshaallah. Am enjoying my 3rd time in Kansai too. It feels like my own kampung now, ;)

"Maraton Kampung" dan HSKU 2014

Alhamdulillah, cerpen "Maraton Kampung" memenangi salah satu Hadiah Utama kategori Cerpen Remaja Hadiah Sastera Kumpulan Utusan 2014.

Semenjak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini, saya semakin yakin, Tuhan memberikan saya rezeki tatkala saya sudah dapat menguruskannya. Jika hadiah-hadiah seperti ini hadir tatkala saya masih mentah, barangkali it will get to my head and stopped me from growing.

Inshaallah, semoga Dia terus mengizinkan saya mengarang, dan mengarang dengan lebih baik.
Hadiah dan anugerah sesungguhnya adalah tanggungjawab dan amanah.


Foto ihsan Rozlan Mohammad Nor (ITBM)

Cerpen "Rumah Kopi": Sebuah Oda untuk Kopi

Alhamdulillah, cerpen "Rumah Kopi" disiarkan dalam akhbar Mingguan Malaysia hari ini. Cerpen ini adalah oda untuk kopi, minuman wajib sebelum jam 9 pagi setiap hari dan rumah-rumah kopi yang kian banyak di ibu negara.

Proses penulisannya agak lama, kira-kira sebulan. Selama beberapa minggu sebelumnya saya diganggu oleh ayat yang kemudiannya menjadi pembukaan: "Suatu pagi, berlaku krisis di pantri mini firma kecil kami..."

Saya membayangkan seorang arkitek muda nanar kerana belum mendapat dos kopinya, sedang pembantunya menghadang di muka pintu pantri. Di dalam ruang dapur kecil itu, pinggan mangkuk, periuk belanga, sinki dan pili air seperti bersatu melancarkan perang kepada sesiapa sahaja yang berani melangkahi sempadannya.

Tidak boleh tidak, arkitek muda harus mengunjungi rumah kopi pada pagi itu. Rumah kopi yang dijauhinya sejak sekian lama.

Pada mulanya, saya ingin menggunakan peralihan dari gelombang pertama sehingga gelombang ketiga dalam perkembangan kopi sebagai komoditi untuk menyorot perkembangan sesuatu yang dekat dengan diri dan negara sendiri, namun hasrat itu tidak pernah berjaya dizahirkan.

Minat terhadap kopi ketika itu sudah mula berdikit-dikit beralih kepada kopi gelombang ketiga, yang melibatkan biji kopi asli (single origin) dan kaedah membancuh kopi secara manual. Ketika itu jugalah saya mula cakna dengan profil rasa kopi yang berbeza-beza, bagaimana setiap campuran biji kopi diputuskan, proses penyangaian dan proses pengekstrakan sari pati kopi.

Saya juga meminati rumah-rumah kopi gelombang ketiga di Jepun yang bukan sahaja menyajikan kopi bancuhan tangan dari biji-biji kopi single origin, tetapi juga menyangai sendiri kopi mereka. Dalam banyak-banyak rumah kopi itu, saya jatuh hati pandang pertama dengan Glitch Coffee and Roastery di Kanda, Tokyo.



Ia masih terlalu baru, dibuka pada April lalu dan dimiliki oleh juara bancuhan kopi dengan teknik aeropress, Suzuki-san yang mengasah kemahirannya di rumah kopi Paul Bassett. Cuma saya terkilan kerana tidak punya ruang untuk mengangkat misi Suzuki-san yang memperkenalkan konsep "social-roaster", di mana beliau bersedia membenarkan sesiapa sahaja yang berminat dengan kopi untuk menggunakan penyangai Probat-nya.

Seperti arkitek mudaa, setakat ini, saya masih menyenangi campuran kopi-kopi berbeza profil rasa yang disangai bersama sehingga melahirkan profil rasa baru yang saling melengkapi.

Anda bagaimana? :)

Selamat membaca!

Moderating ASEAN Poets' Forum

As a non-poet, it was indeed an honor to be a part of Fourm Penyair ASEAN (South-East Asian Poets' Forum) last Saturday.

I was tasked to moderate the 2nd session, which discussed the topic "Poetry and Social Issues", featuring poets from the Phillipines (Prof Rebecca T. Anonuevo), Singapore (Isa Kamari), Myanmar (Maung Day) and Thailand (Chiranan Pitpreecha). They come from such diverse backgrounds (academics, professionals, artist, activists and of course - poets) and generously shared their thoughts and experiences.

Prof Anonuevo took the audience on a journey that her national literature has undergone in terms of sealing their identities through the languages they write in, as The Philippines "inherited" three languages - Tagalog from their forefathers, and Spanish and English from the colonists.

Isa Kamari spoke about the social issues plaguing the Singaporean Malays and how they were portrayed through Malay poetry throughout the decades.

Meanwhile, young Burmese poet, Maung Day, offered us a a glimpse of the contemporary literary scene in Myanmar. He reiterated that even though the young poets are deprived of the social experiences that the older generation went through, that does not make them lesser poets as they are still committed in addressing the issues in their current society.

Chiranan Pitpreecha spoke from her heart when she emphasized the power of poetry in highlighting the issues in one's society. She also aptly reminded poets that such power comes with huge responsibility to tell the truth as it is.

All in all, it was a great session. I enjoyed moderating it, and most importantly, I enjoyed listening to each panelist. This was my first experience at an event of such stature and I would like to extend my gratitude to ITBM, PENA and DBP for the opportunity to be involved. Apologies for any shortcomings, I am only human :)

"Rumah Datuk" dan Isteri Aladdin - Dewan Sastera Sep 2015

Saya menulis "Rumah Datuk" dengan lancar. Apa yang ingin ditulis sudah ada dalam kepala, maka kerja--kerja mengarangnya tidak sukar. Dalam masa lima hari, ditulis dalam sela waktu yang terhad, ia siap.
Cerpen ini untuk arwah Abang Rahimidin Zahari, sahabat yang amat meninggalkan kesan dalam hidup saya. Semasa hayatnya, arwah sering menggalakkan agar saya menulis tentang kenangan zaman kanak-kanak di Kelantan. Malah, dalam ramai-ramai sahabat orang Kelantan saya, hanya dengan arwah (dan Abang Nazmi), yang saya selesa bertutur dalam dialek Kelate.
Selain itu, cerpen ini juga diinspirasikan daripada biografi John Roderick, "Minka: My Farmhouse in Japan." Roderick adalah koresponden AFP di Jepun yang akhirnya menetap di sana. Pada tahun 70-an, beliau membeli sebuah rumah ladang di pergunungan Gifu pada harga yang sangat murah (5000 yen ketika itu bersamaan $14) sebelum membinanya semula di perbukitan Kamakura, dekat Tokyo.
Namun matlamat saya tentunya ini; semoga kita tidak menjadi isteri Aladdin, inshaallah.