Project 100: My 100-Day Journey to Rebuild Running Consistency

I have a confession to make.

I have been a little inconsistent with my running.

There. I said it. 😅

For the past six months, running has been a bit of a complicated relationship.

I would run.

Then stop.

Then start again.

Then something would hurt.

Then life would happen.

And before I knew it, I was starting over again.

The frustrating part is that I know I can run.

I have completed marathons and half marathons. I have travelled to different countries to run races.

But knowing I can run and actually running consistently are two very different things.

So, I am starting Project 100. Not 100 days of running.

That would probably be a terrible idea for my body and an excellent way to get injured again.

Instead, it is 100 days of rebuilding my consistency.

Running. Walking. Swimming. Strength training.

Resting when I need to.

The goal is simple: Keep moving. Keep showing up.

I'm 45 now, and I have to accept that my body doesn't recover quite like it used to.

A few years ago, I could run a half marathon and recover after a day or two.

Now, my body seems to need a full recovery plan after a short run.

Honestly, it's a little rude. 😂

But this is where I am.

I'm not starting from zero.

I'm starting from experience.

From the races I've completed, the injuries I've had, the mistakes I've made and all the times I've stopped and started again.

This time, I'm trying to build something that lasts.

No perfect plan.

No dramatic transformation.

No promises that every day will be easy.

Just 100 days of trying to show up and find my way back to something I love. RUNNING.

Welcome to Project 100. 🏃‍♀️

Let's see where I end up.

And if you happen to drop by and read this, say hi. 👋🏻

I'd love to know you're here.

May xx

Running Alone: Finding My Way Back to the Running Community

“Did you meet anyone?” My boyfriend asked me this recently.

“Are you meeting your friends?” “Will any of your friends be there?” The questions were simple. Probably just casual conversation.

But they stayed with me. Because I realised that, lately, when I travel for running events, the answer is usually NO.

I fly somewhere, check into a hotel, collect my race pack, and I run.

And most of the time, I do all of it alone.

That conversation made me think about how different my running life is now compared to before.

Before COVID-19, running was a very different part of my life.

I had running friends. I was constantly meeting new people through running events. There was always someone to run with, someone to sign up for a race with, or someone to meet after a run.

I ran almost every day.

I joined running events almost every weekend.

Running was social.

Then I started travelling frequently between Penang and Singapore. Even so, I still had people to run with. I used to run with my colleagues on weekends.

Then COVID-19 hit. All running stopped.

When things eventually returned to normal, I started running again, but I joined fewer running events. I lost touch with some of the friends I used to run with. Life became busier and more complicated.

And slowly, running became something I did alone.

I attended races alone. I travelled to races alone. I ran alone.

Not because I had consciously decided that this was what I wanted, but because that was simply how life had evolved.

Constant travel didn't help either.

Moving between places meant that I never really had a consistent routine. Just when I started getting comfortable somewhere, I would be somewhere else.

And with every move, it became harder to maintain friendships and find people to run with.

Of course, there is always the question:

Why don't you just make new friends?

Honestly… how? 😂

I'm an introvert. I'm also shy about approaching people.

You see someone running alone.

Then you think, “But what do I say?”

“Hi.” “Where are you from?” “So… do you run?” 😂

And suddenly, you realise you have no idea how to continue the conversation. 😂

But the truth is, I don't actually mind running alone.

There are many things I enjoy about it.

I can run at my own pace. I can choose the races I want to join. I can travel wherever I want without having to coordinate schedules with anyone.

Running has always been something personal to me.

It has taken me to places I might never have visited otherwise. It has challenged me, frustrated me, given me some of my proudest moments, and occasionally made me question why I ever thought signing up for another race was a good idea. 😂

So I don't think running alone makes my running journey sad or incomplete.

I am perfectly capable of enjoying a race alone.

But being comfortable alone doesn't mean I don't also enjoy connecting with other people.

Those two things can exist at the same time.

Lately, as I've been trying to get back into running, I've also started trying to connect with other runners online.

I join running chats. I cheer people on. I congratulate them when they complete a race or achieve something they have been working towards.

And I genuinely mean it.

I enjoy seeing other runners achieve their goals.

I hope that, over time, some of these online connections can become real friendships.

I hope people will accept this casual runner who isn't always consistent, isn't always fast, and sometimes disappears for weeks before suddenly deciding to run again. 😂

Maybe we can motivate each other.

Maybe we can cheer each other on.

Maybe, one day, we might even meet and go for a run together.

Social media can be a strange thing.

It can connect us to people all over the world, but it can also make us feel like we are missing out.

I constantly see photos of groups of runners running together.

People travelling to races together.

Friends celebrating at the finish line together.

Running clubs organising meet-ups.

And sometimes, I look at those photos and think:

“Wow. They look like they are having so much fun.”

And then:

“I wish I was there.”

Sometimes I wish I were in that country.

Sometimes I wish I were in that city.

Sometimes I wish I had a group of running friends like that.

But everyone's running journey looks different.

Some people run with a group.

Some people run with one close friend.

Some people run with their partners.

And some people run alone.

None of these makes one person's running journey better than another's.

I may be a solo runner most of the time, but that doesn't mean I want to be completely disconnected from the running community.

I still want to cheer for others.

I still want to be cheered on.

I still want to make friends.

Not because I need a running group to make my running meaningful.

Running is already meaningful to me.

But because some experiences are simply nice to share.

The excitement of signing up for a race.

The nerves before the start.

The pain of a long run.

The disappointment of a bad training week.

The happiness of crossing a finish line.

These are things runners understand.

Maybe making friends as an adult is harder.

Maybe making friends when you are constantly travelling is even harder.

And maybe making friends when you are an introvert who is too shy to approach people is harder still. 😂

But I am trying.

Not to change the way I run.

Not to stop running alone.

Just to be a little more open to the connections that come along the way.

Maybe that is where it starts.

With a simple “well done”.

A comment on someone's race.

A message in a running chat.

Or maybe just asking:

“Are you running this race too?”

Because perhaps the goal isn't to stop running alone.

Maybe it's simply to realise that you can run your own race and still find your people along the way. 🏃🏻‍♀️

May xx

SCORE Marathon 2026: The Half Marathon I Ran Without Any Expectations

Score Marathon 2026

Last weekend, I flew from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur for a half marathon. I arrived on Saturday, collected my race pack, rested and prepared for the race the following morning.

On Sunday, I stood at the starting line without any expectations because, honestly, I wasn't sure how my body would cope with 21.1km.

I hadn't been training consistently, and my plantar fasciitis was still recovering. I knew I wasn't properly prepared for the run, and I didn't want to push myself so hard that I ended up aggravating my foot again.

So, I decided to take a different approach.

I would run when I felt like running, walk when I felt like walking and simply enjoy the experience.

And surprisingly, I did.

There was no pressure and no chasing a particular time. I just listened to my body and enjoyed the run.

And I'm really proud of myself for that. 🥹

I used to be the kiasu type who put so much pressure on myself to run faster and finish within a particular time I had set for myself. This time, I didn't. I simply wanted to get through the run safely and enjoy the experience.

One thing that made me feel surprisingly good throughout the race was carrying a small bottle with me.

And yes, thanks to Thai Airways. 😂 I took the small mineral water bottle with me because it was just the right size and handy to carry. I'm just recycling the bottle.

It kept my hands busy while running, and I was able to drink water regularly instead of waiting until I reached the next water station.

But most importantly, I didn't have to throw away any cups along the route.

There were reminders made to all runners about not littering. Unfortunately, I still saw runners throwing their cups onto the road.

I know it may seem like a small thing, but I do think we can all do better. The volunteers are already working hard to support the runners and keep the race running smoothly. They shouldn't have to spend extra time cleaning up after runners who simply throw their cups onto the road.

Now, about the route…

Was it just me, or did it feel like I was constantly running uphill? 😂

I hate elevation.

Every time I thought I had reached the top of a “hill”, there seemed to be another one waiting for me.

Perhaps it felt more challenging because I hadn't trained consistently, but I definitely noticed the elevation throughout the route. Thankfully, I had no target time to chase, so whenever I felt tired, I simply slowed down or walked.

The toilet situation was probably one of my biggest frustrations during the race.

I was holding my pee from around 3km until 12km because every portable toilet available at the water stations had a queue of at least 10 people.

There simply weren't enough toilets at the earlier stops.

Eventually, I gave up and joined the queue. I probably wasted about three minutes waiting.

Three minutes may not sound like much, but every minute counts when you're trying to get to the finish line.

Hopefully, future races can consider providing more portable toilets at the busier water stations.

One more thing I noticed was the lighting in some areas of the route.

There were sections where spotlights appeared to be shining directly towards the runners. I have astigmatism, and the glare was really intense. There were a few moments when the lights were shining directly into my eyes, making it difficult to see clearly while running.

I'm not sure if other runners experienced the same thing, but perhaps the positioning of some of the spotlights could be reviewed for future events.

Overall, I thought the SCORE Marathon was a well-organised event, from race pack collection to race day itself.

I went to the expo quite late, so I probably missed out on a lot of the freebies. 😂

Congratulations to SCORE Marathon on a successful event and on achieving the Malaysia Book of Records for the largest running event in Malaysia! 

A huge thank you also goes to all the volunteers and photographers who made the event possible and captured so many moments along the way. 

Race day through the lens of VE Pictures.

This was not my fastest half marathon.

I didn't chase a personal best or have a target finish time.

But I enjoyed the run.

I ran when I felt like running, walked when I needed to walk and listened to my body throughout the race.

And I'm proud of myself for that.

21.1km done, with a few “hills” I definitely didn't ask for, no expectations and a reminder that sometimes the best runs are the ones where you simply enjoy the journey.

And for where I am in my running journey right now, that's something worth being proud of.

May xx

A little reminder to myself

Not everyone was raised the same way I was.

People carry different values, different manners, and different levels of self-awareness. That's simply part of life—and not something I can control.

What I can control is how I respond.

I'll choose patience whenever I can. I'll choose kindness where it's deserved. But kindness should never be mistaken for weakness, and patience should never be seen as permission to disrespect me.

Protecting my peace doesn't mean I've become cold. It means I've learned that healthy boundaries are a form of self-respect.

Sometimes, the kindest thing you can do—for yourself and for others—is to know where those boundaries begin.

Maybe the lesson isn't to expect better from everyone. Maybe it's to stop expecting everyone to be like us.

May we all have the wisdom to choose kindness, the courage to set boundaries, and the peace to walk away when they're not respected.

May xx

Still Here. Just Been Living.

It's been almost two months since I last wrote here.

No dramatic reason. Life just got full — the kind of full that's difficult to capture in a blog post but easy to feel. There was travel, a trip that meant a lot to me, a few things that got pushed aside, and a body that's been slowly finding its way back to movement again.

I didn't plan to be quiet this long. But somehow, it's already July. 😅

Over the past couple of months, I've been travelling quite a bit. Looking back, I probably have enough stories for a few overdue posts, and I'll get around to sharing them soon.

For now, I'm just trying to recover from the jet lag, unpack both my suitcase and my thoughts, and slowly get back into my routine.

I've been collecting experiences rather than writing about them. Some of them are still settling in my mind.

May xx