After a year, finally it’s the time again to review my sports achievements (or disappointments)

Here what I wrote as my commitment in 2023 in last year’s review:

• Consistent in my fitness exercise. Build Muscle Mass resulting better posture, strong back and body weight > 65 kg
• Complete Olympic Distance Triathlon
• Participate in at least 3 running race events
• Break 80s in my golf game, and win a tournament.

Let’s review it one by one.

Objectives 1: Consistent in Fitness Exercise

Looking at my Strava Annual Report, I guess I met most of this objectives. Strength training become my ‘Top Sports’ in 2023. I spent 29% of my exercise lifting and pulling weights.

Continue to sign up with Personal Trainer in my gym, I find a good rhythm for getting to the gym at least twice a week. I finally can enjoy the strength sessions in the gym.

However, I don’t think I’m building enough muscle in 2023. Yes there’s additional kgs in muscles, but not much. My weight was also 64.5 kg max. I didn’t bulk myself enough.

In the beginning of the year, I actually tried to bulk my self through protein drinks. I guess it gave me a bit of help, until I realized that it might harm me in long run, as I had previous ilness when I tried to bulk myself in the same method 8 years ago. Hence, I opted to go natural. But I guess I didn’t take enough protein intake to make the progress significant. This will be my priority this year.

Objectives 2: Complete Olympic Distance Triathlon

Unfortunately I didn’t find time to participate in any triathlon event. I went to Hajj pilgrimage trip in the mid of the year. So focus and attention was shifted towards this. I (especially my wife) didn’t want me to take any risk before this one-in-lifetime trip. Understandably so. So I have to defer this objective to 2024. In fact, I already registered to Bali Triathlon in 25 Feb 2024. Wish me luck!

Objectives 3: Participate in at least 3 Running Events

I didn’t join 3 running events, but I did participate in 2 big ones: Maybank Bali Marathon and Borobudur Marathon. For Half Marathon distance. And I did break my Personal Best in each of these races.

I broke my PB in Bali Marathon after successfully ran according to my race plan. Few months later, I bested my time, although I thought I didn’t put enough hours for practice.

What I’m happy with these achievements is I finally can enjoy running in Half Marathon distance. Not feeling “tortured” as I experienced in previous year. I still didn’t break my HM target time, but I guess if I put enough time to practice (which I didn’t) – I’ll achieve it someday.

Objectives 4: Break 80s in My Golf Game and Won Tournament

Failed big time. Although I felt I started to get back to my best golf game early in 2023, I didn’t swing my club for 7 months until I came back from Hajj. As result, my game was in disarray. I failed to find consistent form and struggling even to break 90s.

I did try to join 2 tournaments in November and December. Hoped I might be lucky and found my best game during the tournaments. It didn’t happen. As I finished both tournaments way above my handicap and came empty handed.

Worse, I got bad back towards the end of the year. It happened during the round on the final tournament. Which made me had to stop playing golf again, and back to swimming pool for my back therapy.

There you go. Some hit and miss this year, according to the 2023 Objectives. But the most important thing is I’m healthy, right?

Strava Annual Report

Looking at Strava Annual Report, I think in 2023 I had the most active days ever since pandemic. In total I have 207 active days (last year was 134). That’s 56% of days in the year, I went for exercise. And 54% increase from last year. That’s partially helped by my sessions at the gym. Signed up for a PT forced me to be committed to exercise at least twice a week.

The total distance was down though. Because I didn’t do a lot of long rides. Or cycling for that matter. The longest distance I took was during GFNY Ride, which I rode for 98.91 km. I spent more time running than cycling. 21% of active days in running, and only 11% of them are cycling. Hence total distance is just 1.477 km (compared to 2.456 km last year)

Golf Game

Should I continue to report my golf game? Haha. As I don’t think I made any progress. If ever, it went worse.

I didn’t play lot of rounds this year. In fact I stopped playing for 7 months. Due to Ramadhan, followed my preparation for Hajj. Just don’t get time for playing. And some of my close golf buddies are now more to runners or cyclists.

Anyway I only played 10 rounds of golf. My scoring average was 89.1. My best round was in Emeralda in September, playing 83. But then couldn’t find any consistency towards the end of the year. Hence my handicap now is down to 11.9 (based on GolfShot stats)

New Sports Gears

I bought two new sports gears this year. And both of them are running shoes. Hahaha.

The first one was Nike Alphafly Ekiden. During my trip in Singapore. I wore it right away the next day. Ditching my Nike Airzoom Tempo which already in danger losing its sole. It is a fast running shoe. I immediately felt the effect, as my pace increase whenever I wear it. However, I should have picked 1 number bigger. As my feet got blisters if I ran more than 10K using this shoe. Blimey.

Then, because of this problem, I bought my second shoe. Nike Vaporfly Next 2%. A great shoe. Very comfortable in long run. And pretty fast too. I wore it during my Maybank Marathon Run and Borobudur Run. And broke my PB with the shoes as well. So you can say it was a good investment!

Sports Resolution for 2024?

Ok, so what will be my Sports Resolution for 2024?

I’ll probably will start to continue my “unfinished resolutions” in 2023:

• Gain muscle mass so my weight can be > 65 kg
• Complete Olympic Distance Triathlon

Then I will start to add few new ones:

• Run Half Marathon below 2:15:00 time
• Play more consistent golf rounds, so I can regularly shot below 85 (see how I reduced my target here. Realistically LOL)

There you go. Hopefully I can continue to live healthy in 2024, and get better results on my annual medical check! See you next year!