Road to Angkor Wat, Week 5

I’ve been feeling pleased with myself lately ticking off all my required run workouts. With three weeks left I’ve really started to ramp up mileage on the weekends. My weekday run sessions have been about training my body to hold good form during higher intensity efforts, leaving me to enjoy just rambling through my stomping grounds on Saturdays to put time on my feet.

To whet my appetite and yours for the racing up ahead, here’s the official Angkor Wat International Half Marathon race course preview video:

I charged an old camera yesterday and discovered video clips from 2010 — the year I did my first marathon. I was so skinny! It’s amazing though, because weight-wise I am only five pounds heavier than I was back then. Comparing between then and now is funny because I wasn’t happy with my weight then, either! So I guess that’s the human curse: a warped outlook that has you dissatisfied and always wanting more.

A positive thing common between then and now: I was determined to prepare for my race and was very consistent in training. And I think that’s what led to my enjoyment of all the races I’ve trained for so far — getting to the finish line after all the weeks of training is like a release and celebration of the hard work that took me to that point. And so I think I will really enjoy running my year-end half marathon at the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon after climbing out of the overtraining rut.

Yesterday I met with the kind folks from Manulife and got the briefing for our race weekend. I’m so happy the itinerary involves not just the race, but also going around Siem Reap itself, seeing the Old Market, and taking a walking and up-close tour of the temples. They’ve informed us that while December is the coolest time of year to visit Angkor Wat, Cambodia itself is warmer than the Philippines. I’ve already started to prepare my packing list mentally. Even though we’ll be able to wear sleeveless singlets and shorts while running the half-marathon, the temple walking tour will have a dress code to respect the country’s Buddhist traditions and sensibilities. I’ll need to cover up my shoulders and legs, so no beach gear, LOL.

I’m so excited! I love discovering new places, and Cambodia has always been one of those I’ve wanted to add to the list of countries I’ve already visited.