Tag Archives: rainforest

How Janda Baik Ultra has helped to overcome my fear of trail running again

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I used to be able to do long distance run and I used to be an avid trail runner. However, for the past few months I only managed to run a few 10km-15km on the road. After running TMBT and not being able to complete it, I was scared about going off-road again. I could not face running in the dark, the muddy routes, the self-doubts…in short, I was traumatized.

Soon enough I realized that I could not allow my fears to overcome me. It could not suppress my need to be off-grid once in a while, spending hours totally to myself, and seeking new routes and adventures. I had to face my fears about trail running again. It’s time to show who is the boss here. I decided to go ahead with Janda Baik Ultra and use it as a ‘therapy’ to gain my confidence about long distance running and trail running. I went for the shortest distance available: 30km, with elevation of over 1,200m

Here are 5 points on how I used Janda Baik Ultra to overcome my fear of trail running again:

  1. Acknowledge that I have to face my fears

30km? I prefer to look at it as 5km runs, done over 6 rounds. Now, that distance sounds a lot more manageable compared to 30km

  • Denying your fears will not help to resolve it
  • It is ok to admit that you are nervous. Vent, tell to someone who is willing to listen, then let go.
  • Realize that if you can overcome this, you can overcome bigger challenges in life
  • If your fear is too big, break it up into smaller milestones. I set smaller goals by ensuring that I reach the aid stations first, so there were 5 milestones for me to reach my end goal of 30km. Now, 30km seems a whole lot bearable.
  1. Set a realistic expectation

  • The easiest goal would be aiming to finish within the cut off time. But where’s the fun, if there is nothing challenging about it? So strike a balance between being challenging and being realistic.
  • For example: Don’t try to aim for a sub 6 hour for a 30km trail run when your best timing for 30km road race is 4 hours 30 mins
  1. Be over-prepared, physically

Most of the things that I packed in that hydration bag were not mandatory items, but it bought great comfort and helped me to complete the run, such as my hat

  • Train for it! There is no short cut to building your endurance, except to condition your body to get used to it. Strengthen your glutes and quads for the elevation with weight training.
  • Double check your mandatory items. You don’t want to be denied getting into the race pen just because you forgot a whistle or water bottle. In addition to the mandatory items, think about anything you might need based on the weather condition and route. I bought poles, waterproof jacket, and a hat even though it was not mandatory.
  • Study the route. Be aware of the distances between water stations and the elevation profile to make sure you pack enough water. Check the weather forecast too.
  1. Be over-prepared, mentally

Keep calm and run tomorrow

  • Get enough sleep for a peace of mind
  • Talk yourself through it – Plant and visualize in your mind that you MUST FINISH IT. You’ve trained hard for this!
  • Find ways to keep yourself positive and uplifted. I have a few phrases that I say to myself when it gets tough, and a playlist of songs on my phone.
  1. Focus on the bright side of the challenge

The most rewarding part of a trail run is the view. No medals can replace that feeling

 

  • Enjoy the view. You can never get to see the vast open greenery if you are running on the road
  • Take in the fresh air. No traffic, no cars, and almost no pollution.
  • Have fun during the “runcation”. After all, you are on a holiday!

    More runcations, please!

    I hope my tips will help you to overcome your fears to be able to live life to the fullest. Fear should not get in the way to enjoy the things you love, and it will slowly become easy if you try.

    Share with us a scary experience, and how did you overcome it?

Taman Negara Pahang (Pahang National Park)

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“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.”- John Muir, Father of National Parks.

I don’t hate modern technology and the comforts of modern, civilized city. But, we are getting too dependent on them, it’s unhealthy and borderline addictive. It hit me that I was one of those addicts when I freaked out that Taman Negara Pahang has no wi-fi or 3G! How am I going to get in touch with everyone? What if an important email comes in? Will I miss out on an important news or announcement?

So I took up the challenge for a gadget-free weekend of ‘Digital Detox’. Deprived of the 21st century amenities except for a simple room with mattress and running water, I embarked on a simpler way of life. Electricity and telephone reception was available, but it was unstable. We weren’t deprived of food, but it was a non-fussy ‘kampung’ method of cooking.

I tried not to dwell on what was not available. Instead, I wanted to focus with the fact that I was in one of the oldest rainforest in the world. Surely there is plenty to look around then looking at the screen of my phone. My friend and I walked around the small village, chatted with other visitors and locals while waiting for our night walk.

After dinner, we proceeded with our night walk. Some of the interesting animals and insects we spotted were:

IMG_3851A poisonous cave centipede 

IMG_3856A docile, domesticated tapir comfortably taking a nap despite surrounded by a crowd. According to the guide, the tapir was orphaned since it was a baby so park rangers raised him instead. From time to time, it will appear on the hotel ground.

A trip to the rainforest would not be complete without any jungle trekking. The highlight of the trekking was a canopy walk and the view on Bukit Terisek. It was a very mild hike as most of the path had platforms or stairs, so it’s suitable for family trips or beginners. We went to an Orang Asli (aboriginals) settlement too to learn about their culture and way of life. Since this National Park is protected, it is interesting to note that only a few of the Orang Asli tribes are allowed to hunt and harvest in the jungle as they are still living their traditional, nomadic way of life.

 

IMG_3901Canopy walk. The suspended bridge was hanging 40-50 meters above the ground.

IMG_3894IMG_3900The hike to the top of Bukit Terisek for a view of Gunung Tahan, the highest point in the Peninsular of Malaysia. It’s about 7 days of hiking and trekking to get to the top from Kuala Tahan. 

Our last activity was called “Rapid Shooting”. As the name suggests, the guide will zoom us on the Tembeling River with a lot of splashing, and ending it with a swim in the river. By this point, we realized that there is no point in bringing along our gadgets. We locked them safely back in our room. We did not have any camera to capture the moment, but the fun memories were safely stored in our brains for us to relive it over and over again. While everyone was fumbling with keeping their phones/ cameras dry and busy pressing buttons, we did not have to pose for photos, we weren’t concerned if our gadgets will get wet or fall into the river – We were totally focused on living in the moment! It was very liberating.

In the end, I didn’t manage to totally cure myself from depending too much on the comforts of modern society, and I don’t think I ever will be. But it did made me think about “So what did I miss out on?” The main answer was: Nothing much. People will still proceed as their normal lives would, and the world will continue to spin like it should. Perhaps I should go for another round of ‘Digital Detox’, this time it will be longer than 2 days.

Until next week,

The Weekend Runner