What do I pack for an Obstacle Race

You all know that I have been into obstacle running and tomorrow will be my last race for 2015 and this post is about what I pack for such races. What I pack for OCR (Obstacle Course Racing) is different from a run (10km run or marathons of that sort). I have a checklist that I have saved on my Evernote so it doesn't go missing and it is easy to reuse.

So what I will do before I start to pack is un-check all the items and start fresh.

Here is what it looks like:

From the top left (L-R): towel, sport pants, sports bra, sport shirt, gloves, glasses case, dry bag, wallet, car keys, house keys, head scarf, water bottle, snacks & isotonic sachets, wrist band, a change of clean clothes, knee guard and dirty laundry bag, phone, slippers, and socks & shoes.

I normally wear the same thing for all my obstacle races which is an old sports bra, an old sport bottom and an old sports shirt. All these I don't mind getting dirt on and even if they stain, I am not bothered. Obstacle runs are VERY DIRTY so don't be wearing your favourite white sports bra because you are going to cry when you are done with your race.

Other things that I wear when I run are a head scarf (which sometimes acts as a wash cloth when something gets into my eyes), a wrist band, gloves, a knee guard, and awesome all-terrain shoes.

I have a small dry bag that I put important things in such as my wallet, phone, glass case and keys. DO NOT FORGET YOUR TICKET AND ID too when you are packing. My ID is in my wallet and my tickets are usually on my phone electronically. This dry bag is perfect as it doesn't get wet or dirty when I clean and change myself after the race. I normally do not bring things like watches or accessories when I go for races like this.

I put my shoes into a shoe bag with my knee guard and my plastic bag. I normally wear my slippers to the event and only change into my shoes when the event is about to start as I do not like walking in the all-terrain shoes on concrete or cement floor and I don't like the stuffy feeling all day.

Depends on the facilities each race offer, I might bring a toiletry bag filled with the essentials. I normally do a full-on shower as it takes too much time and normally there is a LONG line for the water. so a thorough rinse off should suffice. But just to show you my toiletry bag and its contents: 

(L-R T-B) Sunscreen, Contact solution, deodorant, perfume, tea tree oil, face wash and moisturizer, feminine wash, shampoo, conditioner and body wash

 Everything above usually fits into my gym bag below:

and once it is filled, it will look like this. I put my dry bag outside before the race so I don't have to rummage through everything for my keys but I will put it in the gym bag before it goes into the baggage area.

Another thing that I usually prepare is also a big bottle of water in my car boot just in-case there is not water station to rinse myself and I need to clean my self before I enter the car.

So that is what I pack for my races. What do you pack? Am I missing out on anything? Or am I packing too much? 

Anyway, I should be getting ready for bed as I need to be waking up at about 4am to get my breakfast in and do the necessary prep (which the most important is doing a No.2 as toilets at the locations are not the most comfortable!)

So good night and to those running tomorrow! Have fun! 

2010 at a glance!

January – Officially left the UK! Bittersweet definitely to leave a country that I grew to love. Wouldn’t mind going back there if given the chance!  Had the experience of studying and working there so had quite a gist of living abroad. Had a ball with my friends there. Memories to cherish!!!! Transit in Dubai for 2 weeks! Had fun with my sister’s family. Got to even celebrate Jia Wen’s Birthday with her after so many years! Even babysat my niece while my sister came back earlier to attend her friends wedding!

February – Came back to Malaysia for good! Celebrated CNY with the family having spent 2 years away was definitely awesome! Coming from a big family, it seems that CNY is never ending, from one house to another, from the 1st day to the next and the next day until we come to a close on the 15th day! Crazy don’t you think the amount of celebrating we are doing plus all the food that is consumed!

March – Spend 1 whole month back in Labuan, the small little island that I grew up! Didn’t really do much except trying to apply for jobs and catching up with good ol’ friends who i grew up with. Chilled out to the point of horizontal is what i can say about Labuan. When I was younger and still in school, always wanted to get out of Labuan, thinking it was so boring and just uncool to be in Labuan. But know I feel attached to that place. Looking forward to going back and just do nothing. Now I’m proud to say that I am from Labuan, however uncool you may think it is!

April -  Came back to KL, spent time in Alor Setar (where my parents are from) for Cheng Beng (first time ever). I think there are photos of that trip in an earlier post before I went MIA. Starting working part-time for my cousin while I continue to get disappointed with all the rejections from companies that didn’t want me!

May to July – Was still working for my cousin at Caterpillar. Usual meet ups with friends. These couple of months were kinda routine for me. Work, out with friends, chilled at home at my aunts place. I guess that was about it for that few months.

  

August – Went back to Labuan to celebrate my father’s 59th birthday! My sister and brother was there too and it was fun to have everyone around! Being at home with the siblings was nice. Being the youngest in the family and also having age gaps that are quite big, I was mostly at home on my own without my brothers and sister. My sister and I have an age difference of 8 and with my brother its 5, which means that when I was 9 years old, my sister left the nest and when i was 13 my brother too left the house. So since I was 13 years old, I was the only one at home with my parents till I was 19? crazy right? But it also meant that I spent loads of time with my parents and I think that it made very attached to them! In August was also the month that I permanently started working for my cousin, since there were no offers that came my way I decided to work with her full-time. So I guess a new beginning started!

September -  Went on a road trip with a few good friends to Melaka! Ate and shop was what we did! Fun is what was on the menu. Jocker street was fun as things were really cheap!!!! Don’t mind going there again!!!!!

October – Went to watch a few shows at the KLPAC with my aunt and cousin during the Short and Sweet Festival. Saw friends act, direct and dance during the festival and it was definitely a breath of fresh air!

November – Moved in to the new place in Puchong. Still empty but excited to get it furnished. kitchen is coming in on Thursday so that part I’m excited! Also had a party there, my 25th Birthday! OMG i cannot believe that i am now 25 years old. Last time when i was in school, I always thought 25 was a very cool age to be, but now I feel weird. Sometimes I still cannot believe that I’m 25, keep thinking that this is all a dream and that 25 is an age where you have to be all grown up and act like a grown up which i feel i hardly do. I still feel like I’m 18 and still seek approval sometimes on things that don’t even matter! Argh….While i am writing this it is kicking in that 25 is the age that most people get married or even have kids! I still don’t think I am mature/capable enough to make such commitments. How can people my age raise another human being?!! Salute to those who are doing it but to me it is still something that i cannot imagine myself doing YET! Since moving to the apartment, I started to go to the gym provided and run on the treadmill. Seeing results already but I know I need to keep it a routine so that I don’t lose momentum

December – Busy busy month in terms of work. Was running around like a headless chicken for a few weeks! It was good as the weeks went by soooo quickly! It was hectic but at the same time, coming back from work after a busy day was very fulfilling. Christmas time came and have been celebrating it with friends and family. Fun times definitely and its a good way to end a year! Looking forward to the New Years although I know I need to set goals to achieve to make the year more fruitful. Resolutions is what everyone calls it. Have you got yours? Will have to sit down and think!

Hope all of you had an AMAZING 2010…….and wishing all of you AWESOME 2011!! As Era taught me, I need to tell the Universe what I want, so here goes “I WANT AN AWESOME 2011!!*era says need to be specific* Work wise - I want a pay rise, I want the company to expand! Health wise - I want to be able to run 5km on the treadmill none stop at a constant speed of 7 (now only 3 km). Overall – to be content with what I have and just to be happy!!! I guess there goes my resolutions for the year of 2011? Simple enough to accomplish?? Hopefully! *think positive*

God Bless!!!

Things that has been happening……

……since I came back from the UK:

I know that I have been promising to do a proper blog but have since failed. Now I shall attempt to..

I came back just in time for CNY which was the plan so that I could catch up with the whole family! I definitely managed to meet up with everyone.

After Chinese New Year, I went back to ol’ Labuan for a month. Although there was nothing to do there, I was out almost every night till 2am catching up with old friends. We would end up almost always at the same place every night just yakking till the morning. I guess having been away for more that 2 years, there was a lot of catch up with everyone.

After a month in Labuan, my parents and I came back to KL for Cheng Beng (chinese old souls day). While transiting in KL for a couple of days, I managed to go for my first interview with a pharmaceutical company, which I got offered and turned down (which I hope I don’t regret later). Cheng Beng was back in Alor Setar, Kedah, where my parents are from . This was the first time that I have been back for Cheng Beng, so it was all new for me. How there is so much food to bring to the graveyard as offering. We also burn paper shirts, shoes too! It is also like a massive reunion where you meet relatives who you share the same great-grandparents, relatives that I have not met before and would not recognise even they were staring at me in a middle of town. It really makes me realise that my family is actually very very big, both my dad’s and mom’s side are equally quite big.

After coming back to Alor Setar, I started work with my cousin at her activity centre and that is what has gotten me occupied this whole while. I have now worked with her for almost 3 months now and time has definitely flown! I’m working part time for my cousin while something else comes up is better than sitting on my bum applying for jobs, which I know that it might take a while before getting a job, as a few of my friends who came back last year only managed to get a job recently. I know that it takes a while. I am happy that I am able to gain experience as I wait.  You never know that I might find my calling while doing this. I know that I am a coward when it comes to job hunting. I’m always scared that I might make the wrong decision jumping into a job that I would end up regretting! I know that I am still young and I should be experimenting with jobs, finding my true calling, but on the other hand, I am scared! Like I feel that its gamble to choose a job, even if you know that maybe something better would come along. I guess all I need to do is to jump into in, mistakes are meant to be made to make you learn right???? Hopefully, with the mistakes made, I would find my true calling * imagining a light coming from above with a path to the most amazing job/career!

I have been catching up with my babes almost every week. Now that I am back, Janu is leaving for her studies in India in 2 days, Nana and Hsei Di is also leaving next week. Sad! Will definitely miss them!!! At least I managed to hang out with everyone before they leave! These are the friends who I grew up with and even now, graduated and working, I feel that we are still close and I really appreciate friends who know me best! I’ve known Hsei Di since I was 8 ( that’s 17 years!!) and the girls since I was 13 (12 years!!). Having friendships that long, make you feel kinda old huh??

Anyway, do enjoy the random photos taken since coming back. For those who read my blog back in the   UK. I miss you guys dearly, and I really hope to go back there soon! Somehow, it feels like home as well, even though I was there for only 2 and a half years, I feel that it was a big part of my life. The friends I’ve made and the experience that I have gained makes me wanna go back there. Having had lived there before, I feel that the possibility of going back there seems ever possible and I am keeping my options open. Maybe you’ll find me back there soon?? :P

Oh ya, my sister and family are coming back soon and I CAN’T WAIT!!!!!

Loves!

 

Atlantis, Dubai

Taking a “Leap of Faith”

Chinese New Year:

Cheng Beng in Alor Setar, sadly my camera went crazy after that so I couldn’t take photos of when we went to my dad’s side’s cheng beng.

            

Paper clothes for my maternal grandparents.

All cleaned and ready for prayers.

   

Money to be burnt for the loved ones who have passed on. Don’t ask me why its called “Hell”  bank notes

Food and prayer papers laid out as offerings to our ancestors.

 

Snippets of my time with the girls!!!! We hung out loads and photos are from the girls as my camera is gone…… these photos are random ones from here and there…enjoy!

 

 

 

                                                                  

 

  

 

Need to buy new camera so that I can snap away!!!!!!!!!!

When I'm Bored....

Have been experimenting with designs on my nails.....so this is what i came up with tonight.. What do you think?

The most recent family photo

Taken during CNY. We haven't had one family photo for a while now because there is always someone missing! Everyone looks good and I love it!

Princess Jia Wen is Six!

Happy Birthday Jia Wen!!! Remembered when you were only 3 months old when I first carried you very awkwardly, and now you’ve grown so much……

I think this was taken when she was about 2?

This was taken last November when they came to visit me in Newcastle!

Look how much she’s grown!!! Crazy how time flies…..

Happy 6th Birthday Jia Wen!!

Ee Loves you very much

New Years with New Friends!

Didn’t have any plans for New Year’s Eve so had a very impromptu dinner at home with Shean and Ah Mui. Cooked a very simple dinner and chilled out dinner….so chilled out that we didn’t even take any photos! Played chor dai di with Shean’s XXL deck of card which was so hilarious….cards the size of A3 was tiring and at the same time so funny…..shuffling and dealing the cards was so funny, couldn’t stop laughing. after a few rounds, we gave up to small regular sized deck of cards which made everything so much easier. We tried to watch a movie but we were all so comatosed from the dinner that we couldn’t even concentrate so we decided to continue to play chor dai di.

Midnight came and went with hugs and the traditional Auld Lang Syne. It didn’t really feel that it was already a new year and still can’t believe that the year has zoomed passed sooooo quickly. Not long after 12am, all of us were ready to retire to bed. Shean and Ah mui left and I did some tiding and packing as I was heading down to Warwick on New years day.

Woke up early and got ready for the journey down south. It was snowing the whole night and there was at least 1 1/2 inch of snow. Praying hard that my train will not be affected by the snow. The journey down was smooth and I arrived Coventry station at about 1450hrs. Ask at the customer service counter which was the easiest way to the University where the UK National Youth Conference was being held. The guy said that the bus 12 was the best (I even asked whether it was running since it was New Years, he said Yes). However, I was standing in the cold for about 20 minutes before deciding with a few other so share a cab to the Uni. Realised that 2 from those waiting for the bus was also going to the Youth Conference so was lucky.

The conference was a very inspiring one, filled with motivated youth. Made new friends and being around 346 youth for a weekend was really rejuvenating. The conference was all about the action that we need to make as youth for the advancement of the world civilization. As cliche as it sounds, youth are the future. We need to work hard in molding the next generation. We were called to action in making sure that children and young youth become tools to “contribute to the well-being of society”.  I will definitely reflect on it and try my best to do something. I know that I’ve taken a back seat but now I know I need to work out something to contribute!

Here are some of the photos….