Welcome to der Family : der Pacemakers #97 (PM97)

Dear all PM friends,
First of all, I would like to thanks Ronnie for inviting me to join the Pacemakers Malaysia. It is my honour to become one of the family members of "Der Spirit of PIA”!

About Myself
Name: NG Guo Shen
Profession: Civil & Structural Engineer
Height: 165cm
Weight: 60kg
Hometown: Kuala Lumpur
Facebook: Click here!

Introduction
I consider myself as a newbie to running. I am never really into running during school and university days, I focused on basketball. During study life, I was rather plum, but not obese level yet.
When I started my working life in Year 2010 as an engineer, I quite basketball as hard to gather enough player at one time since all have their own work commitment, so was I.
I often worked through day and night for 2 years, and over these 2 years my weight shot up to 90kg, became an obese. The photo beside was taken during my fattest period.

How I Started Running
My girlfriend, now wife, decided to tried her very best to get me back into healthy lifestyle. First, she convinced me to sign up for my first ever run, SCKLM 2012 – 10km run, with the intention to accompany her run only. Did it without training and completed in 1hr 26mins, and, sprained my ankle during the 3km mark. At that point of time I still have no interest in running, until later before the end of year 2012, my wife signed me up for PJ Half Marathon – 7km run and LLG – 10km run.
I started to grow interest in running because I enjoy collecting the finisher medals. Quite active in signing up events during year 2013, but just to run the event, never do any training at all during other days. Ran my first HM in Bukit Jalil HM, completed in 3hrs 45mins, I wonder how I actually run it. This virgin HM I ran got myself into plantar fasciitis injury, which ended up resting 6 months to recover 80%, and eventually fully recovered after 9 months. During which I still ran the events I signed up earlier on.
Anyway, my running got a little serious after my first FM in year 2014, 2XU Compression Run Singapore – FM, first and only 2XU FM race till date, completed my virgin FM in 5hrs 26mins. Ran this FM with an obese body is no joke, killed both my knees after this FM. From then on, started looking into dieting program and plan my workout schedule, change my lifestyle a 180 degree. After 3 months of discipline lifestyle, managed to reduce my weight from 90kg till 70kg, from there I started running more frequently to build my stamina. Continue my routine for another 3 more months to my current body size and maintained it from then till now. Now see the difference between now and 3 years ago in the photo below.

My Workout Routine
I tried various ways of training method to improve my timing in running based on the study I read from online articles, but it does not help me much. Guess different people suits different training plan. Therefore started try and error on various training ways I could figure of, and here I am. Found a way which is suitable for me and it took me to the new level of running.

My Running Motivation
Most of them, who know me well, knows that is no secret that I aim to run Boston Marathon once in the near future. All my training I am doing now is preparing for the future FM (not sure when yet), a certified FM course, to run a sub-3hours in order to qualify myself to enter the balloting of Boston Marathon. This keeps me motivated and ensures that I do not slack too far off no matter how busy my work life is.

What Makes Me Love Running
1. I like competition, as only during competition, I will push myself to break my limit and “Pia”for a better result and new PB.
2. I enjoy eating very much (hence the obese history), therefore running is the exercise for me to burn all the additional calories I gained from the foods I ate.
3. Enjoy meeting new friends and share our knowledge on running. It became a social platform and part of my lifestyle.

My Personal Best:
5km – 18:47 (3:45 min/km)
10km – 39:26 (3:56 min/km)
HM – 1:27:54 (4:10 min/km)
30km – 2:08:33 (4:17 min/km)
FM – 3:24:35 (4:51 min/km)
70km – 10:03:01 (8:37 min/km) (First and ONLY Ultra)

Long Term Goals in Running:

Sub 18mins in 5km
Sub 38mins in 10km
Sub 1:24 in HM
Sub 2:00 in 30km
Sub 3:00 in FM

Best regards,

Brought 2u by Ng Guo Shen @ PM97