Epic BBQ and 10k Running

Last weekend marked a whole year since we got engaged and what better way to celebrate with an epic BBQ feast! (Yeh I know it's not really an event and we've since got married, but well - any excuse). Stephen also had some good news in work so a bit of a double celebration. He didn't tell me where we were going and it was a very nice surprise as I'd been craving a BBQ.

He took me to The Grill at the Grand Hyatt hotel - wow / yum!

Dining by the pool on the 11t floor, love it. (Yes I was on the water after drinking a few too many Tsing Tao / Cocktails the previous night...) 

BBQ!!! PROPER MEAT!! The big massive prawns were my favourite, I must have eaten about 7!

One of our many plates of food....

With an awesome dessert selection to finish!

This place was fab, really good atmosphere - very casual but decent food and not too fancy. They also do a similar thing on a Sunday with all you can drink which is quite tempting but not sure if it'll be as good if the hotel pool is full of annoying kids... Although we were in the middle of the city (amazing views over the harbour) it almost felt like you were miles away on holiday.

On Sunday my planned lazy morning was rudely interrupted when I realised (at 11:30am) I needed to collect my race pack for the 10k the following weekend between 10 and 12 so I jumped on the tube and made my way to Victoria Park. In true Hong Kong style the organisation was excellent and I got what I needed in no time.

Divided up nicely into 10k / Half Marathon / Marathon Stalls

Think they were expecting a lot of people!

You will not be surprised to hear that I didn't make the podium

10km Challenge for Stephen, 10km 'Run 1' (of 5....) for me.

I do feel a little bit of a fraud with this but also am quite pleased with it!

Apparently over here the Hong Kong Marathon doesn't equal a 26.2 mile run, it equals 3 individual events; 10k, half marathon and marathon. Now if I had run 26.2 miles I'd be pretty mad if the people that had run 10k were getting the same goodies as me, but what can you do.

Another busy week of work passed us by and finally the weekend was upon us. I was determined not to drink much Tsing Tao in the pub after work this week, but it's difficult when the bar staff just keep bringing bottles out! On Saturday we went into town to get our haircut and discovered 'Chillino' drinks in one of the coffee shops.

Yum! 

Evening walk along the promenade

Possibly not the best pre race preparation....

Stephens 10k start time was 5:30am, mine 6am - not exactly ideal for a Sunday morning, particularly when you have to travel to get there (luckily at least the trains and buses were running all night). I woke up after about 4 hours sleep and still pretty full from the night before and really not feeling like running 10k up and down the motorway! (The half marathon and marathon have much better routes at least - over bridges and under harbour tunnels - maybe I'll do the half next year, maybe...).

Walking up the slip road at 5:30am 

As you do. 

Start line

Did it!

It was a really good race and I think I enjoyed it! Felt good to be out running again although I've realised training on the treadmill doesn't really work - need to investigate where you can run round here (i.e. not ridiculously crowded!). Stephen did an amazing 47:32 which given he's not been for a run for 4 months is pretty awesome! I got round in just over an hour, a little disappointed I didn't get under 60mins but I haven't run further than 5k in a while so can't complain. I also missed the 1km and 2km markers so had no idea how fast or slow I was going which isn't ideal! Although we were running up and down the motorway it is at least on the edge of the water so you get good views and it was nice to see the city wake up.

I got back home at 7:20am (!) and out of the window I could see some of the later 10k races going on, there wasn't a whole lot of running being done!!

Note the motorway!

After a small snooze we went out to watch Zero Dark Thirty, it was good entertainment but I'm not sure I was that impressed - the girl in it was too annoying and you know what's going to happen!

Worth it for the popcorn anyway.

Then we had a few beers and a slice of pizza before heading home to watch the finale of Dexter Season 6. Season 7 isn't out for a while yet so we need a new box set to start watching - any suggestions??

Three day week this week (two for Stephen technically since he has Wednesday off too but he'll no doubt end up working!) as we're flying to Bangkok woohoo!

Looking pretty toasty!

Right, back to watching the Oscars (woo Les Mis!) and researching what to do in Bangkok