A Colourful 2007

2007 was a year of many firsts in my little adventure world.

The year started off with a return in January from a successful climb in 3rd Peak of Mt Siguaniang in Sichuan, China. That was followed within 2 weeks by my first 30km race at the GE Pacesetter in KL, where I broke the 3h barrier. Continuing the momentum 2 months later, I clocked my PB at the HK Stanchart Marathon, which was also my first overseas marathon. April then saw my first attempt at leisure rock-climbing on natural limestone walls in Krabi. Shortly after, I ran my first 10km race at the Mizuno Wave Mt Faber run.

May was a very busy month, starring an Oakley Duathlon where my Titanium road bike made its debut at a race. A week later, our Safra running club held a successful Mt Faber Challenge. I ran 5 loops and got 5th position - my first ultra distance!

Running then took a backseat as I ramped up stairs and Bt Timah hill training in preparation of my Mustagh Ata climb in June/ July. Although I did not summit, I was thrilled at my first exposure to a high altitude of 7,000m.

I returned home to an intensive training schedule courtesy of our trainers at Safra club in preparation of the annual Army Half Marathon in August. I managed to clock my first sub-2h in Singapore for that distance. September was the month for the Ladies Triathlon - my very first olympic distance triathlon event - but it was unfortunately aborted due to heavy rain on race day. I then travelled to the USA for work in October and had a fabulous opportunity to participate in the Berkeley Golden Hills Trail Marathon - my first marathon distance on trail terrain. It was a priceless experience. Still on a high from the race, I went to Lumut in Perak, Malaysia with a number of Safra runners for a Powerman Duathlon. That was my first time travelling overseas with a bicycle, and using cleats and aerobars on a ride. December saw many of us running the annual Singapore Stanchart Marathon. For many of my friends, it was their inaugural marathon or their personal bests, kudos to the club's training plan. I ended the year on a high note with a completion of 70km at the MR25 Ultramarathon held at Macritchie Reservoir. It was definitely a wonderful closure to the year.

2007 would indeed be a hard year to beat.
Here's a toast to more great adventures ahead in 2008. :)

MR25 Ultra Marathon

It is amazing how wearing a race tag motivates/ inspires/ coerces one to put in extra effort. Today was the annual MR25 Ultra Marathon at Macritchie Reservoir. Participants were given 12h from 7am to 7pm to complete as many loops of 10km around the reservoir. The route started from the Northern Trail, out to the tarmac road before looping back into the trails. It then hit a stretch of wooden bridge and many steps (which were disruptive to the run), Jelutong Tower, wooden planks, golf course, Lornie Road and down the "Victory Lane" back to the main carpark. It was my first time at the trail marathon, having been overseas during previous year ends.

I went to the run without expectations nor preparations. I would play by ear and run based on how I felt. Participants who ran 5 loops (50km) would get a finisher tee and a certificate. At the minimum, I should do 3 loops to justify my waking up early in the morning for the event. The night before, I had prepared some chocolates, powerbars, powergels, extra Endurance drink, muscle rub, plasters and so forth and packed them neatly into a plastic box. I also chilled a cooler tub of ice water for the event. Both were labelled with my name.

I started off the run with Eddie, Alber, Melvin and Chin KK. The guys soon ran ahead, while I stuck to my easy relaxed pace. It felt great to do a no-time pressure run, I had not felt so relaxed for some time. I met Michael (Ong) in the trail and we ran together for some distance. The first lap was over in about 1:16h, but my shoes were giving me problems. I chose to wear my North Face Endurus GTX trail shoes today and had taped potential hotspots on both feet. Nonetheless, new abrasion areas surfaced and I stopped to add more tape. After getting a drink, I set off on the 2nd lap. Again, Eddie and Alber ran ahead and I happily kept my trot-along pace. At the end of the lap, I had to adjust my shoes again. There were abrasions at the back of my left ankle. Only after the 3rd lap did I manage to get my shoes fixed comfortably. It was almost 5h and I had only ran 30km. Gosh! I was clocking about 1.5h per loop. Incredibly slow. The extra time was spent refueling at the main carpark station. Somewhere along the trail, a monitor lizard laid in my path before lumbering off lazily, a monkey threatened to snatch my water bottle, and children almost knocked into me. I really needed the extra spice to an already challenging run...

I ate some kit kat bars, remixed my Endurance drink and pushed through the 4th and 5th loops. Wee Hou (Principal) was running around my pace. He seemed to be going strong, and was all prepared with a water bag that he started using on the 4th lap. After the 5th lap, I stopped for some food. I was beginning to feel hungry. In the last 8h, I had only 3 kit kats, 2 Gu Gels and 2 bottles of Endurance drink. There were chicken pies at the refuel table, complete with longans, mini-tangerines and bananas. I was still feeling strong and my legs were ok. I did a quick mental calculation and figured that there was enough time to do 2 more loops if nothing went wrong. Not wanting to pin my hopes too high, I gamely mixed a new iced bottle of Nuun drink and set off on Loop 6. The cold Nuun lemon-lime flavour was a rehydrating (sodium) drink and tasted very refreshing. I met another runner in the trails who was also on his 6th set. We cheered each other on and agreed that we could try for the 7th lap later. As time was tight, I mentally rehearsed the food and drink I would need to grab before starting the last loop.

A number of familiar faces - Chin, Benny, Henry and some others - were at the finishing point when I came back from the 6th loop. I got Alber's help to top up my Nuun drink while I took a Powergel enroute to the washroom. I had about 1:50h for the last set, which should suffice if I maintained the 1:30h timing. Fingers-crossed, I ran off, feeling energized by the Powergel. I think the Gu Gels I took gave a nice base of carbos without energy swings, whereas Powergels provided the "high" and kick to turbo charge but energy would dip after the effects wore off.

The guy I met in the trail had already gone ahead. In the midst of the Northern Trail section, the sky rumbled and starting drizzling. I prayed that the rain would hold off until I completed the run. I felt the onset of cramps in the quads and deliberately slowed my steps and not dash downslopes. There were only a few participants in the trail by now, each silently willing his legs to take the next step forward. I forced myself to run through the Lornie Road stretch and spotted Wee Hou a distance ahead of me. Soon the end was in sight and all the runners made an extra effort for a strong finish. Within 5min of completing the run, the skies opened up and poured heavily. High from the run, I headed home for a much needed rest and decent food.

Now as I am washed and comfortably seated at home, I could feel all the sores and aches in my legs amplified. I felt perpetually hungry, but was happy that the run had burnt off all the xmas feastings. The MR route seemed simpler than the USA trail marathon I did - where the slopes were much steeper and terrain more varied - but I was slower today perhaps from the hot weather. On my 7th round, I motivated myself by comparing the run to a climb and visualizing that it was only a short distance to 'basecamp' aka end point. I had a cramp-free run, but as I looked ahead to the Sundown 84km next year, it would not be as comfortable. The trails offered a nice cushion and variation in strides, whereas the tarmac road was a repetitive motion on the same muscles.

7 laps. 70km. 11:48h. It was a personal record for me! I had never clocked such a distance, nor expected to do so today. It was definitely a wonderful closure to the running year 2007, already a year of many firsts. The run today was the icing on the cake. :)

Safra 10km Run

In view of the upcoming Chiangmai Marathon and Macritchie Ultra-marathon this weekend, we had a short 10km run at Safra today. Alvin, JunDe and Sumiko managed to join us for the run.

A fun bunch. We had a dinner gathering just last night on Boxing Day, together with Eddie. It was a jolly fun affair. We often erupted into cramp-inducing laughter in between mouthfuls of food.

Surprisingly I did a relatively good timing for the 10km today. Perhaps it was my new Pearl Izumi shoes or the Phiten necklace, but my legs did not feel as heavy despite the Xmas spinning.

Xmas 2.5 on 25

Grand xmas plan - To do a long long run, for instance, a meaningful 25km. Grand reality - A long long sleep under the comfort of silk blanket and aircon. For the entire morning, the angel and devil were prancing around my head. One pointing to the gloriously cool weather outside, perfect for a solitude run around Macritchie. Mental image of Runners' World cover page lone runner whisking through the trail, lost in the tranquility. The other pointing to the grey clouds tossed like candy floss in the sky. Mental image of lone runner getting chased by monkeys in the rain.

Laziness prevailed, unfortunately. I settled for the guaranteed session of a spin session at the gym. It was a holiday special 1.5h Interval Challenge class by Kee Leong. I had no idea what Interval Challenge was, except that 1.5h seemed a decent workout time. It was raining when I arrived, but the class was full nonetheless. As it turned out, Interval spins were not as fast and furious as RPM (= adrenalin pumping excitement), but focused a lot on hill climbs and building strength (= very very heavy resistance and low cadence). Since I seldom attend Interval spins, I had no way of predicting what was next. I suppose that implied a higher caloric burn? We had 20mins of pure climbs, each songtrack building upon the previous to up the resistance. By the last climb track, our legs were slowed to a crawl. If one should lose the pedalling momentum, one's legs would be 'stuck' in position and unable to 'step down'. That was how heavy the resistance was, so much so that one really had to suck in the abs tightly and crank out power to move the pedals.

The rain stopped by the end of the class. I decided to go for a short 10km run to Marina South Pier and back. Pity the gym was closing soon and there was only time for an 1h run. Deja vu. I had ran the same route 2 days ago. There were less millipedes though. The sun was out and I had no sunshades. Only my trusty water bottle and a packet of Hammergel. I was trying the Tropical flavour, which tasted slightly sour/ fruity, but was less sticky than Powergel.

After the workout, I caught up with Dom and Cedric at the new North Face shop. Quite a decently laid out store, except that I already had too much gear and had nothing else to buy. Cedric's girlfriend from Kaz had just arrived in Singapore yesterday. It was nice to see Cedric in a happy mood, a great xmas and new year present for him. :) Dom had a book on Extreme Running and we pored over pages of extreme races held in various continents - desert, polar, altitude, heat, cold... you name it, they have it. I was extremely fascinated by the Polar marathons in the Antartic and North Pole. Participants ran in snow shoes! These are devices that look like skateboards but with metal 'teeth' underneath so as to have traction on snow. I used them on my Mustagh climb, and clambered about clumsily. Running with them would require a totally different running gait, style and leg power.

My xmas workout felt like a mini duathlon. A meaningful 2.5h pushing the quads and hamstrings, on the 25th day of the month. A compromise between the angel and devil. Merry xmas!

Silent Eve

Today was a half-day work day and everyone was in a non-productive party mood. It was a rare sunny day after weeks of unpredictable washouts. I went to Safra for a quick swim, seeking a respite from the heat. That was the first time I was back in the pool after a long long break. My slow sloshing in the pool was legendary.

My parents had another xmas party to attend in the evening. I think their social calendar is much more exciting than mine. Mum's away meant a sad setting of dining on leftover turkey and ham in a quiet house. All around my street, neighbours were having gatherings and parties.

This is the first time in many years that I am spending xmas and new year in Singapore, without snow and altitude. And it is not starting out well. How I long for a climb. :(

Turkey, Cheese, Ham

Food is said to be a great motivator for working out. I cannot agree more with that statement.

I dragged myself out of bed for our Sunday 21km run this morning. There were very few festive runners - Michael, Ricci, Wong, Peter, Julie, TH, Jason, Siew Lee, Wayne, Lai Chee, Alber, Thomas and myself - and about half the group took a shorter route. It was a slow but not-so-easy run for me. I was trying to wean myself off my reliance on the Endurance drink that was a staple for previous trainings. Alber and I took a wrong extension and went a longer way. At the boring Marina South Pier stretch, I saw Michael and Thomas, who quipped that they were on a recovery walk. Ha, felt so much like joining them on the walk. The return run was a hopscotch mix of jog, walk and... hop. There were so many millipedes crawling on the pavement, I had to do a little tip-toe dance and hop to side step them! I hate creepy crawlies, yucks! Alber, on the other hand, was full of energy, having rested a whole week. He kept running ahead and jogging back to wait for me. I was getting giddy seeing him run in circles.

The only thing that kept me going was the thought of the party my mum was having in the evening, complete with all the requisite xmas feastings. My usual practice was to count my running rhythm. So I started mumbling "Tur-key-Cheese-Ham" to myself. Brilliant! A 4-count beat! And if I wanted to go faster, I would hum "Tur-key, Tur-key" in a 2-beat pace. If I ran a little bit more, I could have an extra ham or cheese. That was the extent of my mathematical grasp. No complicated simultaneous equations. Just a straightforward linear tradeoff between running steps and food bites.

But the run was worth it, and made dinner even more gorgeous. My mum found a wholesale supplier of poultry, cheese, sausages and the likes, and bought an array of food for the party. Looking at the size of the ham leg, I wondered what size the animal was before it met my dining table. Turkey, cheese, ham. Protein recovery? :)

Rib Cage & Necklace

I think I pulled some abs muscles or something near the ribs from Pump class on Thursday. The ribs hurt when I rotated or moved in certain directions. That included trying to toss in bed. :( I sought out Frankie for a massage, and we narrowed the strain to the left ribs area. That was interesting because the pain/ pull was felt on the right side. But when he applied pressure to the left side, it triggered the pain. I guess I should look up the anatomy and find the culprit ligament or muscle tissue.

RPM class by Rodney in the afternoon was surprisingly tough. He had a different style from the other instructors, usually very high cadence even at high resistance. There was hard breathing throughout the class. It was my 5th RPM for the week. In 6 days. I think that was the highest record. Interestingly, there was an article in the papers today about the delusion of high-calorie burnt from spin classes and the calorie numbers displayed on treadmills, stair-masters and stationary bikes. It suggested that most people (and machines) overestimated the amount of calories burnt in our workouts, and then mistakenly consumed the equivalent amount.

I bought a Phiten Rukawa X30 necklace (http://www.healthshop.com.sg/). It apparently utilized aqua-titanium to improve blood circulation and relax the body. Many of my athlete friends had been using the necklaces and bracelets and they had favourable testimonials. I could try wearing one to sleep each night and monitor if I recover better from trainings. :)

Holiday Workouts

A long-awaited holiday! I woke up to heavy rain splattering on my balcony and wondered if I should drag myself to the gym classes. My intention was to do an 1hr RPM followed by 1hr BodyPump, in that sequence. Disciplined prevailed and I rushed to Paragon in a cab, reaching the gym exactly on the dot. Well, 30 other people had the same strategy but were clearly more disciplined and motivated than I was. = no bikes. = full-house! = wasted cab trip. :( Mega sulks. So I sat around, read the papers and waited for Pump class.

I had not done any weights and strength training for a long time and was inspired/ motivated/ disgusted by flabbier arms to do something about them. Everything had to start from scratch, from the minimum baseload of weights. I had a feeling I would ache the next day, and I think I strained my back in my over-enthusiasm. After Pump, I dashed over to the One Raffles Quay to catch a RPM class. It was led by an instructor new to me. I arrived early to reserve a bike, having learnt my lesson in the morning. Even then, the studio was already quite packed. My gosh, don't we all have a life instead of stalking gyms on a public hol?!

Rearranged RPM

The eve of a public holiday. I was feeling lazy about going for RPM Challenge class tonight. But I was glad I went. The class turnout was small so Kee Leong rearranged the bikes to face the full-length mirror on the side wall instead of the stage in front of the room. Everyone was able to get a clear view of themselves and one another in the mirror. The sheer vanity of not just seeing one's reflection, but everyone else could also see what one was doing, made everyone ride very hard tonight. My initally aching legs found newburst power to overcome the soreness and go hard and fast for 1hour. At some point the legs shifted gear and went into overdrive. It felt so good.

Slippery Pearl Izumi SyncroPace

I needed a new pair of runners. My shoes would not dry in time in the wet year-end weather. I picked up a pair of Pearl Izumi SyncroPace from Running Lab, and was eager to test them at Safra's run. The route was ~12km from Clubhouse to Cantebury Estate, 2 loops of Labrador Park and return via Henderson Road. That was my 1st pair of Pearl Iz shoes and I was curious to try them. According to Pearl Iz's brochure, the SyncroPace was a "Stability + Cushioning" - moderate stability with excellent cushioning. At Running Lab, it was listed as "Performance Stability". My daily staple are stability shoes like Asics GT21** series and Mizuno Wave Elixir. So the SyncroPace matched that genre.

For the 1st stretch from Clubhouse to Depot Road, the shoes felt really good. Cushion and support were very good, my feet felt snugly in place and the shoes could adequately catch hold of wide strides. The shoes had a nice bouncy feel which added a spring in each step. However, the problem of slippery shoes arose when I was coming out of Cantebury Estate. The cement path was slightly downslope, wet from the rain and semi-covered by fallen leaves and twigs. I almost went gliding but managed to stop myself in time. So I tried to gingerly walk through that stretch of wet pavement. Even then, I skidded a few times.... walking! In all my days of running in different shoes and terrains, I had never skidded as much as tonight! That was when I realized that I should have checked the soles before buying the shoes. :(

The soles had little circular bumps instead of flat markings. They drastically reduced the amount of surface area and frictional contact with the ground, making it especially slippery on wet pavements. A typical mid-foot striker engages the ground on the fleshiest part of the runner's soles, toe-off and go. The bumps are located on the forefoot area of the shoe soles (see picture), meaning the big toe experiences the 'skid' and instability right at the very moment of toe-off. It happened a few times as I was walking, and also when I was opening up strides. It was very irritating, because one would have to hold back and be extra careful. You never knew if your next step would send you sliding.

Tarmac roads are not a problem. Cement pavements that are dark, wet, covered with fallen twigs, brown leaves and so forth... you get the idea... would be a challenge. In my mind, the shoes would be really dangerous if we were doing speed work on MF loops or running down MF slope.

The shoe body that cradles one's foot was a full-piece seamless construction. There was a thin sponge/ fabric that lined the inner shoe completely such that the foot was kept snug and eliminated chances of foot/ toe abrasions. However, that same construction meant that you would not feel the 'wind through your socks' on runs and consequently, a less ventilated feeling. By contrast, most running shoes have mesh tops and sides that allow more wind and ventilation - but which would leave your feet cold in winter runs.

Conclusion
From an amateur runner's perspective, the Pearl Izumi SnycroPace offered a softer (yet firm) cushion over the Asics GT, but had a firmer support over the Mizuno Wave Elixir. The SyncroPace would be a good pair of shoes for cool and dry conditions on tarmac (or rough) surfaces. For instance, evening track workouts, and marathons in Tokyo, Hong Kong and temperate countries.

That said, my intention of buying those shoes as a wet weather backup would have been misplaced. The shoes offered an excellent blend of support and cushion for an enjoyable run. Pity the skid marks.

Double Spins

Rain, rain, rain. It had been raining the entire evening. That meant no run. :( I headed out to Paragon for double classes of spinning led by Kee Leong and Jennifer. Surprisingly, I had lots of energy to unleash in KL's first class. Maybe it was a leftover from Sunday's non-too-exciting run. I actually spinned hard and felt good. Jenn's class was less energetic, perhaps because there were only 5 of us in the class and she chose some tracks from the new release which I did not like. I think I whacked the bike quite hard at the classes.

I took a quick shower and decided to go to Ding Tai Feng for dinner. I had a sudden craving for its steamed dumplings and dan-dan noodles (in tangy peanut sauce). The plan was to eat alone, and get some peace and quiet to read my Economist. Alas, the couple at the next table had finished their meal, and the guy decided to impress his date by starting a monologue. He rattled on about his religious conversions, his school rugby training days and how he proud he was of his raw power without having to workout much, and yada-yada-yada. The girl did not have any chance to interject the monologue beyond nods and some sympathetic sounds. What a killer. My dinner plans were going down the drain.

I am now on a boycott of taxis due to the fare hikes, so I tried to take a bus home. The public transport was not cooperative. My direct bus was so packed that I could not squeeze onboard. I ended up taking a different bus and changing another later. Ooophf, the bane of public transport I say. I mentally drafted a note to the forum page.

Two Loops, Four Shoes

There were very few runners for this morning's Safra run. The usual hardcore regulars were there and we started off on our planned 15km route (1.5x MF 10km loop). Linda dear girl managed to wake herself up at 530am and dragged her sleepy feet to the clubhouse in time! Impressive feat, given that our shared concept of time is like blu-tack -- elastic. It is a waste of her talents that she does not like running. She is fast. 55min for MF loop, in heavy trail shoes, untrained. I do think she is capable of a 4h +/- marathon timing if she chooses to do one. Sub-4h even, if she trains for it.

I went out fast initially, above my normal pace for a 20km attempt. I cut 3min off my normal timing on the first 5km, which should have triggered alarm bells that I was going too fast. I ran with Jason for that 1st loop, with me panting and him coughing along the way. Unfortunately, it was too late by the time I decided to slow down my pace and the 10km loop felt extremely tiring. Even as I tried to stroll a little to regain my breath, my rhythm was totally lost. When we reached clubhouse after the 1st loop, Jimmy, Wong, and Julie were having a break at the entrance. Jason was not feeling well and decided to stop. I continued on the 2nd loop alone. I was glad Jason did not come along, he would have been utterly irritated. That loop was a lost cause from the word go. It was a great struggle, with multiple stop-strolls in between jogs. I lost count of how many times I did that, and how many runners bypassed me. Why was it mentally so hard to continue running and not stop? It was only 20km. :( The total time for run was way longer than my usual, nevermind that the 1st lap was faster.

I still need lots of practice and training to find a new balance between power (which I'm trying to build) and sustainable pace (which I had but slow) so as to create a more effective rhythm. Retail therapy beckoned during sulky moments like this. I indulged and bought 4 pretty pairs of shoes for my 1 not-so-pretty pair of feet. :)

Discovering Power

I ran hard today. Telok Blangah hills x 6 loops. I cannot recall the last time I breathed so hard and heavily during a run. Alber paced me for the 6 loops, and kept telling me to close the gap. I tried. I really did. On the 6th and last round, I felt a shift in my power source and could sense energy being tapped from my quad muscles rather than calves. Hmmm..... perhaps I'd been running 'wrongly' and using the wrong muscle groups all this time.

Sleepy Track 8

Andrew took the RPM Challenge class tonight instead of Kee Leong, who had MIA-ed. He mixed some new tracks from the latest RPM release, but they did not feel oomph enough for a good workout. The pace track (#8) was so monotonous, it totally killed the energy high from the earlier tracks. The legs were so sleepy after that, they could not be awakened again for the last hillclimb track #9.

Expectations or Runner

So there I was, all fresh after 4 days of doing nothing and mentally psyched to have a good run. The 'put in effort' type of run. The endeavor and images were prettily rehearsed in my little mind. They remained there.

I started off strong, but only because everyone was still chatting and taking it easy. After 15min, the runners began to get serious and picked up pace. I lost a group at the road leading to Labrador Park. I was already panting on the way up the Labrador Hill, but I persisted in keeping a close distance with my target pacer for the day. The 2 loops within the Park were quite a killer, I had to distract myself from the huffing and puffing by totally focusing on the pacer ahead of me. Then I was dropped, or rather I could not keep up. I continued alone back to Safra, desperately trying to test out the speed I was using. Speed is relative. What is fast and heart-thumping for me is often a relaxed pace for the better runners. I tried tagging on a front group as we waited together at a traffic junction. Of course I could not, and I lagged further and further until I could not see them anymore. Then I tried sprinting on the finishing slope up Henderson Road and nearly died 3 times (metaphorically).

The bitter pill was knowing that I was pushing the pace and strides, yet not being able to close or maintain the gap. It is very demoralizing to go for a run feeling totally refreshed and recharged, only to be reminded once again that one cannot perform up to expectations. Or perhaps the problem lies with the said expectations, and not the runner. And yet perhaps, redemption might come from the expectations, and not the runner, to spur us to better ourselves. I would just have to train so much harder and push so much more. That, plus I need to drop 2kg to go faster.

A Week of Nothing-ness

This was essentially a whole week of doing nothing, taking a break and eating. I did a recovery run of 8km on Tuesday, and 10km and Thursday, both at a very slow pace. My calves were still aching during those runs after the marathon. Jaime and Ong reckoned that I was upset over my marathon results and tried to cheer me up. That was so sweet of them. :) Next year is a new start, and a new training season. In the meanwhile, I am going to take a well-deserved break until the MR ultra run at the end of the year. :)

The Day After

The day after. The day when aches and sores from unsurfaced lactic acid are amplified in the muscles. The day when one's movement takes on an exaggerated crab likeness. Thankfully it just felt like any other day-after a training long run, ie. non-elegant.

I refused to do any recovery run today. Alber, on a high from his good marathon experience, suggested a short run. I am definitely not going anywhere near my runners and gear today. I think I deserve a little break, even though I felt like I had not completely offloaded the carbo I had in the past week. In fact, I had probably gained weight! Anyway, I gathered a few runners and we headed out for a dinner buffet to recharge ourselves. We had an enjoyable time recounting the hits and misses of Sunday's marathon and the people we saw along the way, in between gobbling down plates of oysters, seafood, sashimi and everything else on the buffet spread.

I believe that running is an individual sport. I still do. But teamwork will always make the experience better. One spoke about the "missing link" in a surprise pacing partner he found on Sunday, to motivate and look out for one another. When you have a shoulder-to-shoulder pacing partner, running stride for stride in sync alongside, words are unnecessary. Team support also meant generosity in sharing tips, strategies and resources like gels and salt tablets. Or simply by being there during the monotony of long long runs, or the lung-bursting pain of speed work.

Yet at the end of it, we run our own race. From when the gun goes off to when we see the finishing tape, the show is ours. Make it a good one.

Singapore Stanchart Marathon 2007

Did not train hard. 4:29.13h (chip)/ 4:30:30h (gun). 'nuff said.

The Stanchart run was my 4th marathon this year, in addition to a variety of other races and climbing activities. I could feel the race fatigue setting in at the start of the run, and it was not feeling like a PB day. I did not see any of the marathon pacers at all throughout the race even though I was going at a relatively consistent pace. This was probably the 1st year that I did not manage a negative split timing. :( I struggled through the last 10km, and was overtaken by many runners whom I know.

Many of the Safra runners clocked good timings, especially the first-timers. That proved the effectiveness of the training plan and the results were for all to see. All those who conscientiously did their speed work and interval trainings showed huge progress today. I probably should also rethink my new strategy of re-mixing my Endurance drink on the run, which cost me a couple of minutes. The race today got me to re-evaluate my running strengths - were there any? Given that I am no good in sprints or power bursts, and that I have also lost my endurance edge since many relatively newer runners have caught up, fast. Some natural first-timers were way ahead of me in their debut marathon. So, why am I running? Nonetheless, I was happy that Heng, Alber and Shirley did very well today. At least my sharing of tips and race strategy was not in vain.











On hindsight, some of the things that could have gone better today:
- should have worn my lighter Mizuno race shoes instead of Asics GT
- my Endurance drink was too concentrated, hence perpetual thirst and kept stopping for water
- no more pasta loading for future races - once again proven that I could not digest it efficiently, and ran with a stuffed feeling
- as a result of which, I went to the toilet at 18km (1min!), missed pacing with Alber, ran alone thereafter and basically slacked
- tried new strategy of carrying a small pack of Endurance powder and twice re-mixed my drink while running - I've to think of a better way to refresh my drink

As a self-consolation, perhaps this could be a warm-up to the HK Stanchart Marathon two months later. I wonder how I could maintain next year's excessive running in preparation for the Sundown Ultra. Shudders.

Polar Melt

My Polar watch flashed me a low-batt warning on its screen this morning. Horrors! It was the first time since I've had the watch in 2 years, that I almost forgot that it ran on battery. Given that the marathon was 2 days away, the situation necessitated a mini-crisis response! I hurried to Athlete's Circle and got Ben to change the battery. We chatted about the marathon and running in general. About an hour later, my watch was returned to me, resuscitated and beeping healthily. :) I think my heart, too, beeped in sync, relief that my race watch would accompany me step by step through 42 km-markers on Sunday.

Tapering Off

Wednesday evening I went for a RPM Challenge class. Kee Leong was back on schedule and the usual participants came. A couple of weeks ago, Glen took some replacement classes and attendance was dismal. I tried to spin hard as it would be my last workout before tapering off for the weekend's marathon. I went home for dinner after class. My mum had gotten hold of a Japanese cold dish that was a seaweed-wrapped fish roe. It had a refreshing taste, but I was not a big fan.

Thursday was the start of my 3-day tapering off and carbo loading plan. We had a departmental seafood lunch where I polished off 1.5 bowls of rice with the dishes. I had a massage at DJ's place in the evening before she returned to China for 2 weeks. The back of my knees and lower calves were rather tight - my perennial problem zones. And horrors! My big toe had not fully recovered after such a long time. Hopefully none of which would give me any problems during the marathon. Dinner was another huge bowl of rice and some chicken pieces. Oooh, I can have rice any day, everywhere! Perfect.

A Chatty Run

Safra's 10km run this evening was from club house to Fort Canning Hill. This must top the list for being one of the most disruptive routes the group has done. We were caught in so many traffic junctions, roadside constructions, vehicles turning into small lanes, and total darkness at Fort Canning Hill, it was a nightmare just trying to keep moving.

I guess the run was more bearable because everyone was in a tapering off mood and running rather relaxedly. I even managed to chit chat with a few runners along the way, something that I'd not done for a long time when everyone was all geared up for marathon training and chiong-ing all the way. Due to the relaxed mood, the group ran closely together, and I could hear lots of laughter from the back. Clearly, the girls were enjoying themselves, jibing one another. On the way back, I chatted with Lai Chee about bicycles and gear parts, and how expensive they were. Fortunately for me, it was an easy run today and she slowed her pace to accomodate me. I would never be able to run alongside her and talk to her at the same time!

We ran along riverside walk, where diners were tucking into their fancy dinners and wines. The aromatic whiffs of food filled the air, tempting us to slow down and check out their table spreads. We went past a Japanese charcoal grilled restaurant, and Jaime commented it smelt like satay! I guess it was true to a certain extent. Afterall, yakitori is simply a much more expensive and refined version of satay.

Next we passed Gallery Hotel, where I had dinner at its Satsuma restaurant the night before. Lovely quaint little cafe, nice ambience for an acceptable quality of food. I started discussing with KK about otoro and sake toro, and why tuna costs so much more than salmon sashimi. Oooh, the love of my tongue. I could have Japanese cuisine everyday and not tire of it, especially melt-in-your-mouth belly slices.

The group made our way back to the clubhouse in light-hearted banter and company. Such was a run I missed, the easy comraderie and social pace that made running all the more enjoyable at times.

Sports and Nature

It was a sad weekend as many of us stayed glued to the news for updates on the dragon boat accident in Phnom Penh that claimed the lives of 5 fine young rowers from our national squad. I was constantly checking the online news and soaking up every report. The sudden national tragedy made headlines for many days, and no amount of empathy could enable us to comprehend the extent of grief felt by the bereaved families. The national squad comprised mostly young men in their 20s. Disciplined, full of potential and in their prime, they represented some of the best athletes and citizens our nation could have. To me, it was especially heart wrenching that they had to go through such a devastating experience at that age. They might be men and leaders in the team, but back home, they were just sons, brothers, and.... boys, if I could use the term in a non-condescending way.

The accident set me pondering on the perennial question of us sports(wo)men vs nature and the risks we take. Why do we choose to pit ourselves against nature and push the human limits? I am not a parent, and have no intention to be one, but I can only imagine the dilemma all parents face in trying to bring up their children to be worthy sons and daughters. Do you encourage your child to explore the outdoors and be independent, knowing that there is an inherent risk in any outdoor activitiy? Do you quietly accept that risk, knowing that your child would eventually grow and blossom into confidence? Or do you keep them strapped beside you, safe and sound under watchful eyes but missing out on the shaping and moulding opportunities?

My parents have never violently objected to any of my outdoor passions, which they think are crazy and extreme. I say 'violently objected' because my mum would hint ever so often that I should scale back on my activities, find a good man and settle down. She even once suggested that I scared off potential suitors by my excessive (her view) running! But yes, they have never 'violently objected'. Each time I tell my mum of an upcoming climb, she would order it to be the last, and we both knew it would not be so. Each time I mention an overseas race or marathon, she asked why I ran so much, but we both knew I would not stop. And in a morbid way, I am thankful they were not the last climb or race. My parents have been extremely tolerant each time I picked up a new hobby, which meant a whole array of new gear and storage space. Supportive, even, with the occasional drives to airport and training grounds. Thankfully I have since narrowed my pursuits to a few, - running, mountaineering and cycling - but which could still throw up some harrowing moments.

A few years ago when I was still with the Singapore Women's Everest Team, we grappled with many What Ifs scenarios. What if we died on a climb? What if a team mate went down? What do we do with our bodies should mishaps occur? How could we be answerable to ourselves or our loved ones, yet not compromise the safety of our surviving team mates? I guess accepting the prospects of death and disability is a large part of being a mountaineer. One does not conquer a mountain, but by its graces, be allowed on its summit. Sudden avalanches, crevasses and many inhospitable elements keep climbers on our cramponed toes. Every climber has his/her stash of near-misses and close-calls to tell.

How we handle ourselves and recover from those situations, if we are lucky to have survived them, spells the fine print between make or break. I salute our national dragon boating squad for the shared courage and leadership they had shown the nation through this trying time, especially the young 21-yr old captain for displaying a raw maturity beyond his years. I hope they emerge from this episode to become stronger men and beacons for others to follow.

Race Expo & Sundown Marathon

The annual Singapore Stanchart Marathon race pack collection and expo is here again. I could not believe myself, but I went down on all 3 days! On Friday afternoon, I went to collect my pack, thinking that it would be less crowded at an off-peak hour. But hundreds of other equally kiasu runners thought likewise, so I had to queue over an hour to get to the collection booth. The exit funnelled us to the sports and fitness expo, right smack into the PowerBar/ Athelete's Circle (AC) mega booth. I met many friends and fellow runners/ triathletes, either helping out at the booths or collecting their packs, it was like a huge gathering at a carnival. We bantered around, joked and checked out the discounts and gear. A group of us excitedly swarmed around AC's upcoming events next year - Dirty Weekend, Sundown Marathon and Aviva 70.3. A day before, the AC newsletter had gone out announcing those events (http://www.athletescircle.com/newsletter/newsletter_211107.html). We inundated poor Ben with repeat questions at the registration booth, and he good-naturedy answered all of us.

I was already set on joining the Sundown Ultra 84km Marathon the minute I saw the news, so I was pleasantly surprised that we could register on the spot. Without hesitation, I keyed in my details and made the payment. On learning that there could be a 100-pax limitation for the ultra race, we started roping in more runners, and those in turned called their friends upon signing up. Ah, the power of peer-pressure. Or could it be peer-pleasure in running together? :) In the end, Ricci, Alvin (tri), DO, Anthony, Jancy, Ronnie, Freddy Yeoh and many others registered. I think we easily "sold" 20 slots for the organizers, and counting. I spotted Mika too, and told her about the race.

Set! I'm very much looking forward to the event. I have no doubt that I could complete the distance. What piqued my intellectual and physical curiousity was how such a long run (I reckon it should take about 10hrs +/-) would differ from my recent Mustagh Ata expedition where we climbed an average of 9hr each day at high altitude. I am not new to long durations of demanding physical activities at unspeakable hours. Almost every summit attempt of major mountains sets off around 2-3am, and easily takes 13 - 18hr to summit and descend to a safe campsite. However, running and climbing are different sports, and I wonder what the demands of such an ultra distance would be on the body and legs.

Adrian (Mok) shared with me that long-dist running in the night enhances all sensories and makes us more aware of ourselves and the surroundings. The silence and still of the night brings out the sense of solitude, and forces us to reach far deeper within ourselves to find the strength and motivation to carry on. I believe. Climbing is often a very solitary sports too, just you, yourself and the mountain all around. I'm full of admiration for Adrian. He's my age, yet has achieved so much. In between keeping up with the growing joys of his young son, and building an expanding business based on his sporting passions, he remains one of the top endurance athletes in the nation. Over the years, I have benefitted from his friendship, advice and business services. It is always a joy to chat with him, the impossibly-busy and ever-positive guy finds time to indulge in leisure gossip and generously shares tips with everyone.

I spent some time at the Addidas booth and was very pleased to find the new white-purple running jersey that I had been eyeing for some time. Seduced by the 20% discount, I happily bought 2 pieces. Over at the Keypoint International booth, Sam, Eddie (Chang) and Sandy were busy with the retail crowd. Helen was gushing praises about a pair of 2XU running tights that I was looking at. Just my type of gear - simple, short, functional, yet good-looking. I bought a piece, tested it during Sunday's morning run at Safra, loved it, and went back to buy another piece!

My sense of retail restraint and reasoning goes into cardiac arrest when I'm in a crowd of sports junkies and race gear, and the expo organizers appeared to milk that vulnerability very well. Oops, I guess it's cheapo veg-rice for lunch in the coming weeks. :)

RIP Shoes

The time has come to lay my shoes to rest. Two very special pairs of runners that led much fulfilled lives. Shoes that have steadfastedly supported me through a year of long tough mileages, accompanied me on overseas races, been sloshed on foreign terrains, and saw me through many "firsts".

My purple Mizuno Wave Elixir was (and I'm still not used to calling them in a past tense) my race day competition shoes for the longest time. I used the Wave Precision some years back, and realized it was for my feet type. So I tried the Elixir for its lightweight stability support. It helped tremendously that the shoes came in purple-lilac (my favourite colours) and totally endeared me to them. I bought my Elixir about the time I joined Safra Running Club in June 2006, and saved them specially for race days and a couple of long runs. My Elixir saw me through many firsts:
- an improving AHM 2006
- PB at Singapore Stanchart Marathon 2006
- PB in Ang Kor Wat Half-Marathon 2006 (also my 1st overseas race)
- PB at KL Pacesetter 30km 2007
- PB at Hongkong Stanchart Marathon 2007
- MF Challenge 2007 (my 1st ultra 50km)

My baby blue Asics GT2100 was my everyday training shoes, that quietly held me in place as I tried out new running techniques, routes, terrains, dirt and dust. They softly caught my feet when I'm low and unthinkingly dragged my strides. They smartly adjusted their landings as I clumsily pounded downslopes. They held up in the rain, and never complained in the mud. I
repaired their 'opened mouths' once, and off they went, smart as before.

Sadly, the support and cushion is now gone, and the shoes feel "flat" during runs. Continued use of them would only cause knee strains and other injuries. I have extended their lifespans for gym and RPM use. Before they retire from the running circuit, this blog entry is my tribute to them. With thanks. :)

Hairpee Birdday

My charming friend, Linda, penned this for me, together with inputs from Joyce, Chee Meng, Joanne, Alex and Alvin. Hilarious! Thanks guys. My little reply is below. :)

Hairpee Birdday

run run (bun) run
bun bun bun (run)
Give her a bun,
so she can run;
or does she run,
to earn her bun?!
Such is the life of our dear Phei Sunn.

*hmm, maybe that's too simplistic -
let us be more realistic:
muffins, ice cream, chocolate, rice...
all desserts made of sugar and spice -
all of these will never escape
once she puts on her gourmet's cape!

Aiming for epicurean bliss?
Just ask this snazzy savvy miss;
voila, you'll have in your fist:
your well-researched dessert A-list!

She's lucky to have achieved a balance
with other fat-burning passions:
she loves running and climbing
(and more uselessly, writing);
else, instead of setting us drooling,
we'll probably just see her waddling!

Indeed, her figure's so svelte,
she maintains it well.
She always makes us melt,
cause she's the best pal...

For this special '3-long-2-short' year,
we'd like to send a special mail order:
Send in oodles of kaching and laughter,
and finally, someone just worthy of her.

Cheers.
(it's time for dessert)

P.S. We love you.
p.p.s. Xiaoming: on your future mountains, be friendly to Koreans; and to a group photo do submit, before we embark on the summit! :p


A Hairpee Reply

Yes yes, must run to earn my bun
A bum like a bun is so not fun
I can well be an epicurean bliss
But I'm usually a manicurean miss

Fat-burning passions are very cool
Ever seen a muffin waddling in the pool?
I hope your mail order will come soon
A special someone to take me over the moon

Thank you for this poem that brings a smile
Your gems of wishes would light the Nile :)

Mad Dash Along the Roof of the World

A fellow running friend sent me a news link today: http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/article2880423.ece

A new world record of (3days 2h 36min) had been set for a gruelling 188mile trek/ run (~300km) from Everest Base Camp to Kathmandu.

I love such stories. They combine my twin passions of running and climbing in a singular event. Absolutely awesome and inspirational. One day when I've mustered enough courage and conditioning, I would love to try a mountain run at high altitude. :)

Sort-of Birthday Run

Birthday Saturday

I turned a year older. My dear friend, Lee, said older but better. :) I had grand plans to do a birthday long run, but did not manage to wake up in the morning. Oops. In the afternoon, Alvin and I drove to JB to eat and pamper ourselves with facials and hair cuts. I rebonded my hair, and the stylist told me not wash it for 3 days. That's an impossibility given that I was due for a morning run in 10hrs!

Sunday Run

This morning Safra planned a 25km run from clubhouse to Marina South Pier, and ending with 2 loops up in Mt Faber. It was a humid day and I could not tie my hair due to the rebonding. It was hot, hot, hot. I started off the run with a relatively fast pace and light legs. That felt good given the very dismal week I had. At some points, I was even running alongside KK, but fell behind after we crossed into Marina South area. Today I deliberately weaned myself off my trusty Endurance drink and used plain water instead for the run. I wondered how long I can sustain the pace with water. I stopped for a refill at the Pier while Julie ran ahead, speeding up in her usual fashion. I definitely cannot run like her, I think I'm deprived of any fast-twitch muscles and have no explosive power whatsoever!

I took along a Clif-shot gel (Orange Cream) after coming out from Prince Edward Rd. It was the first time I'm trying the gel - it tasted like the Fruitella soft-chewy candy that we used to eat when we were young. Alber, Heng and I ran together out of Marina South and back to Kg Bahru, and then the two guys fell behind. I went up the steep MF hill, and was beginning to feel the strain from the upslope. There were 4 roadies training on the MF loops. After we crossed a couple of times, we started saying hi and giving thumbs-up to encourage one another. It certainly brightens the day when fellow runners or cyclists smile at and encourage one another along the way. A simple flash of smile or thumbs-up sends positive vibes for the tired bodies. I finished another pack of Gu-gel (Choc) before returning to clubhouse. I took 3h to finish the run, and it definitely felt >25km. My conclusion - Powergel works for me, the other gels simply could not match the "kick" of Powergel. After the run, Jaime and Ong gave me a Sugoi tri-tank top as a present. :) It was white with red prints and fitted me perfectly. Lovely!

In the afternoon, Alber came over to help wash the bicycles which had been left uncleaned since last week's Powerman race. I was increasingly getting agitated at the thought of my dear bicycle being caked in dirt for so long. It was a funny sight, two grown-ups each squatting by our respective darling bicycles and slaving over them. Degreasing, rinsing, hairdryer blow-drying, lubricating and pampering the bicycles. I always get a kick out of seeing the chains expel black dirt after degreasing, and then seeing water droplets scurrying out of screws and bolts from the hairdryer blasts. The last stage was to lub the chains link by link, as well as my cleats and pedals. Ah, inner calm restored.

Bummer

There are some days you wished they never happened, and weeks you wished never existed. This is one of those. Bad run day #2. In a week of 2 runs, that's a 100% hit-rate. Over-fed, under-ran. I'm feeling fat, lazy, unmotivated and useless. Times like this really throws one into self-doubt, and sends confidence spiralling down. Bummer.....

I went straight home like a whimpered kitty, dejected. Curled up on the dining chair, I munched on my mum's home-baked lasagne rice, seeking solace in the solitude. Comforting.

Iron Legs

Today was a bad run day. Period. I went for Safra's MF Loop training, but my legs (quads) were so heavy from Sunday's race that it was a pain to go uphill. I forced myself to go through 5 loops before I surrendered. Each loop took me such an incredibly long time, I knew it was totally ineffective and was merely going through the motion of chugging up the loops. I was not going to make it through the stair sets, so I skipped them. The plan was to go down Morse Rd and run back to clubhouse, hopefully getting some recovery on the flats. I was angry with myself for not listening to my legs and insisting on doing the prescribed training. In the end, I achieved neither mileage nor speed training. *sulk* To add fuel to my discouraged ego, I half-trotted and half-strolled the shorter Henderson route back to Safra. I could not muster up the power to run up Henderson Rd, one of my favourite slopes. :(

I'm probably lethargic from the race and a lack of sleep. I guess a race time of 4:32h is not something to crow about, neither is it to be scoffed at. I consoled myself that it was still some amount of effort nonetheless, and I should not be too hard on myself for a bad run day. I headed home for a quick dinner and early night. I think this is my down-cycle recovery week. Oh fraps....

Powerman Malaysia 2007

The Journey & Pre-race Day

I headed to Lumut, Perak, for the Powerman Malaysia race (http://www.powerman.com.my/index.html) over the weekend. It was a 11km run, 64km bike, and 10km run race event. I'd raced in duathlons before but that was my first overseas and the longest race. It would also be my first time using my brand new cleats and aero-bars.

On Friday night, Eddie, Alber and I waited outside my house for Alvin to pick us (and 3 bicycles) in his van. When we reached Golden Mile Complex, many others had already arrived, some of them cycled from home. There were about 34 people and 32 bicycles to transport in 2 super-VIP coaches. A few of us were first-timers (Aili, Eliza and myself) amongst the many race veterans, like Chin KK, Freddy, Eddie Toh (Safra MF), Eddie Chang (Safra Tampines), Chin Ye (Safra MF), and James (Safra TPY). Mika Kume (of MR25) and Sumiko Tan (national athlete) were there as well - names I'd always heard but never formally met.

The loading of bicycles was an eye-opener for me, being the sua-ku that I was. We removed all front wheels and perched 2-3 bikes on the back/headrest of each seat. It was an impressive sight with 32 bicycles neatly resting on the seats. 8 of us travelled with the bicycles while the rest filled another bus. Alas, Alber and I had the seats right in front of the rows of bicycles, which meant a 8-9h ride without being able to lean the seats backwards! We departed about midnight, had a few supper and pit stops before arriving at our Lumut hotel at 8am the next morning. Our drivers were fast, we overtook the other passenger bus to be 30min ahead of them. We unloaded all the bicycles and fixed back the wheels before the rest of the group arrived. Hungry and tired from the long ride, we had some breakfast from the hotel's buffet - which was mere functional.

Melody from the Powerman organizers brought the race packs to our hotel and briefed us on the next day's details. I was not aware that there was a 5h cut-off time. Oops, I hope I could complete within 4:30h. After the briefing, Alvin arranged a small bus to send us to the stadium (race start point) as some people wanted to buy powergels at the race booth. By the time we reached our lunch venue at 3pm, majority of us were starving. It was a seafood tze-char venue, and they took nearly an hour to prepare all the food for our 4 tables. My table tackled the most food, we wiped our plates clean and even polished up food from the other tables. I was so hungry that I had 2 plates of rice. 3-4 of our guys cleaned off 8 flower crabs. We joked that hopefully we could race as well as our appetites. We returned to our rooms at 5ish pm and prepared for the race. I made my tuna sandwich for the breakfast, attached all the stickers and packed my transition gear. We had to cycle to the start point (~8km from hotel) early in the morning, while our bags would be transported to the end point later. I was asleep by 8pm, lethargic from the good food and previous night's poor sleep.

Race day!

I woke up at 5am feeling fresh from a long deep sleep. I munched on my sandwich as I got ready. Then, with a flick of the table lamp switch, I somehow triggered the circuit breaker, and the whole room plunged into darkness. Excellent... so I pulled the bicycles from the balcony and turned on the head lamps. We were supposed to check out by 545am, and everyone was gathered, ready to go. There was an excitement buzz in the air, everyone looked more pro and serious than the joking group the day before. We only set off at 630am as we waited for a few late comers. The race start time was 730am and I was starting to get jittery about not reaching there in time - I was not a fast rider and I certainly did not want to sprint to the stadium before the race. Mika had some problems with her bicycle, so Ping and Alber helped her while I went ahead. I decided to wait for them after a left turn. Forgetting that I was in cleats, I braked. But it was too late to unclip my shoe, and I had a classic sideway-0kmh fall, bruising my right knee. Damm. I cursed mentally along the way, adding to pre-race jitters.

Luckily we reached the stadium before 7am and had enough time to settle ourselves at the transition area. Sok Hwa's bicycle was 2 race numbers after mine. Last check to ensure that I had everything in order, took photos of the area, and went for a warm-up run on the tracks. We gathered at the start line, people saying hi to familiar faces. At 730am, the officials flagged off the Individual category - mens and womens together. I started near the end of the pack, not wanting to push with the fast runners in front.

We had to do 2x run laps. For the 1st lap, I was trotting along slowly before being overtaken by Snr Chua and Mr Lee. I only warmed up after the first 5km, and sped up in the 2nd lap. My cue was to look for the next female runner ahead of me and aimed to overtake her.

I reached the transition area in 1h, and headed for my bicycle. The ride was 2x 32km loops (or 4x 16km stretches). I was a little apprehensive on the 1st stretch, trying to get a good feel of my cleats and aero-bars. The seat post felt a little low when I was in the aero position. But it was too much trouble to get off and do a very small adjustment, so I lived with it. I experimented with the cleats, and using the hoods, drops and aero-bars, and feeding myself in the interim. I was overtaken by some of the slower runners but stronger sprinters on their bikes. Zoom Zip, I heard the wheels fly by and I recognized the more prominent jerseys. Snr Chua rode past me again - I think in endurance races, it really helps to be experienced and knowing where/ how to pace oneself. I rode past Aili, Sok Hwa and Alber near the 1st U-turn.

After I completed the 1st stretch and was more familiar with the route, I started cranking up my pedals. There were 3 bridges along each way, much like the ones along West Coast Highway and Jln Buroh in Singapore. One was rather steep and I saw cyclists slowly trudging upslope. I reminded myself that I was in cleats and I must never stop pedalling on the upslopes. It would certainly be headline news if my bike rolled backwards with me attached. I was also mindful of lifting my thighs instead of stepping down, to save some muscles for the run. Slopes were advantageous to me as I was light. I typically overtook many riders on the way up (including some who went past me earlier) and pedalled furiously down, enjoying the rush of wind in my face. Of course I was no match for the guys and swanky tri-bikes on the flats. And so it went. A couple of riders and I would play the catch-up game for the remaining sets. We recognized one another's bicycles and number tags after a while.

The weather was relatively cool, though humid. The sun was behind the cloud cover and only shone through during the last run leg. The police and traffic marshals were rather effective, the road junctions were well-manned and they stopped traffic for approaching cyclists. Unfortunately, Alber recounted that an errant truck driver left turned into his path, causing him to jam-brake and almost skidded. Cyclists behind shouted at the driver, who drove on nonchalantly. Alber insisted on using his MTB for the race and completed race in 4:55h. Quite a good showing for his very 1st duathlon with a MTB.

Finishing my ride in about 2:15h, I started on my run. I thought my legs felt good, and might have a chance to finish strong in good time. Alas, my quads started to cramp after a few minutes. Oh shoots. I had always suffered cramps after riding in all my duathlons. To be fair, the cleats helped tremendously and my cramp was not as bad as the Oakley Duathlon earlier this year. Still, the walk-jog-stretch-apply-muscle-rub routine cost me 15min before I was able to start running proper. :( Sumiko lapped me at the end of my 1st run lap to finish her race in 4:00h with a top 3 placing. Going into my 2nd and last lap of the race, I mentally willed myself to finish the run and not stop. I had a mental image of me at 39km of a marathon, with a few more km to finishing line. I am a long-distance runner, and I must not quit on a running segment of a race! That would be embarrassing, to say the least. I hung on, took my powergels and drink, and kept my steps steady, bypassing many participants who were walking back. The last drink station had ice-cold water and I poured them over myself. It was a perk-up, and I picked up speed to the finishing line, coming in at 4:32h. The organizers held out a race banner for all finishers to run through for a nice victory photo. Someone thrusted an icy dripping cold towel and drinks into my hand. The towel felt so good as I doused myself with it.

Everyone cleaned up and waited for the buses to arrive and reloaded all the bicycles. It was going to be another long ride home. I did not have enough carbo-reload after the race, and perpetually felt hungry. Sumiko treated our bus to KFC enroute using her prize money, and we happily devoured fried chicken on the bus. After several food stops, we finally reached the 2nd link at 130am. Some of us alighted at Tang Dynasty and had to wait for people from the other bus to claim their bicycles. By the time I reached home, it was 3am.

From our group, Mika took 1st position in the women's individual 45-49yrs category, Tanya (from NZ but staying in Spore) won the women's sprint event, and Sumiko was 3rd in the women's individual 20-29yrs category. Well done! Mika finished her race in 3:40h, I could only gape in awe of that sort of timing. It meant having to complete the 21km run in a strong sub-2h pace. I chatted with them during the trip and found them to be friendly and had no airs. Mika heartily enjoyed her seafood lunch and beer (no rocks!) with us the day before. Sumiko and I had some common friends, and she cracked me up with stories of all the F&B places she used to work at. She's a really gregarious and outspoken girl, very young with lots of potential. It is interesting how we tend to form stereotyped impressions of people we do not know firsthand except to hear of their glowing achievements, only to realize that they can be rather pleasant and charming in real person.

My results (http://www.powerman.com.my/results.html): 11/18 position for W30-39 category & 212/293 individual participants by 5h cut-off; 4:32:15h, Run 1:00:24 (31.21min, 28.43min), T1 0:02:25, Bike 2:15:07 (33.44min, 32.40min, 33.28min, 33.33min), T2 0:02:29, Run 1:11:47 (40.42min, 31.11min).

It was a good race experience, and I am already looking forward to more races. :) Meanwhile, today is a eat and rest day, to recuperate my sore cramped quads, and recover for marathon training this week.

A Day of Slopes and Parks

I woke up at 630am to the smattering rain, my incessant alarm, and the beeping of sms-es from friends alerting me to the wet weather in various places. It's great to have equally enthusiastic friends scattered across the island who wake up early to check the weather for runs. Ronnie and I had planned to do a long run around Macritchie-Mandai, but we were not keen to do so in a mud bath. Since it was still drizzling, I decided to crawl back under my silk blanket. An hour later, the sky still looked unhappy. We scrapped the Macritchie plan and headed to Safra for a road run. I saw KK's car in the carpark and was pleasantly surprised he came to run in the rain.

We readied ourselves and hung around the lobby until the rain ceased at 9am. We followed the Sunday route - Club, South Buona Vista, NUS, Kent Ridge Park, Labrador Park, Mt Faber and back via Kg Bahru. It was a cool drizzly morning when we set off, Ronnie fast disappearing out of sight. It was comforting to go up the winding South Buona Vista road, it was like home-coming. I lived in the NUS area for the past 20 years, and that was my oft-trained route. I knew almost every nook and turning of the routes around there. So much so that I almost ran on and missed the turn back onto campus. Like a pigeon's homing device! It was almost 10am, and campus grounds were damp from the morning showers. Hostelites and students began to stream onto the soccer fields and tennis courts for their trainings. Ah, the beauty of running, anytime, anywhere, anyone.

There were many slopes today (all the above named), and it was challenging to tackle them so soon after the MR run last Sunday. Kent Ridge Park was pleasant and cool. There were some groups and families strolling with umbrellas, a dog rolling on the grass soaking up the dew, and an uncle practising his Taiji, accompanied by many birds chirping in the overhead trees. I did an extra loop in KR Park. On the way out of KR Park, I realised that I'd not explored any of the marked mountain bike or walking trails, and made a mental note to do so one day. The wooden walkway leading out to Pasir Panjang road reminded me of the overnight trek earlier this year when I was training for Mustagh. At 430am, we had rested at one of the benches on the walkway overlooking the canopy below. Glad to be relieved of our heavy backpacks, we laid staring at the stars above and foilage below, nearly falling asleep in the still of the night.

Next up was Labrador Park. Traffic was building by now and the sun was slowly breaking through the cloud cover. I passed the breakfast prata crowd near the entrance of the park, and was distracted by their creamy frothy teh-tariks. I stopped at the water-cooler for some sips and headed for an extra 2 rounds on the flat loop. The prime waterfront real estate was abound with activities - families having picnics, middle-aged couples holding hands on strolls, people meditating on the benches or fishing, children laughing merrily chasing one another in the fields. A little 2-yr old girl blew soap bubbles at me as her proud daddy watched from the sides. I slowed down along the waterfront, enjoying the calm lapping waves.

The last stretch back to MF was both a delight and pain. Delight in knowing that the finishing was near, but only after clearing the painful MF slope. Time check, about 2:20h. I had no idea how much I ran or the pace. I went on the basis that a run >3h would be at least 30km. I wore my Mizuno Elixir today (I was saving my Asics GT for the weekend's Powerman race), wanting to test the shoes on long distance. At the recent AHM, I almost had foot cramp and I wondered if it was me or the shoes. But so far so good, my Elixir were holding up well. I caught my reflection in a bus-stop billboard and tried to analyse my running form/ posture.

When I returned to Safra, Ronnie had already been back for an hour. Oops. On long runs, the gap between fast and slow runners widened non-linearly. We chatted about the distance covered and the route. I guess morning long runs in Singapore could be rather charming in little ways, we just have to open our eyes and minds to them. :)

Staying Neutral

Running does not have to be complicated. It is not. It is a simple act of putting one foot out in front of the other, until we reach the finishing point. Runners are complicated. And they make the sport complicated. Where there are egos at stake, the dynamics change. Unfortunately that is the case for the pursuits that I like - run, climb, cycle. Intrinsically, it is due to the individual nature of these sports, which means BIG individual egos on pedestals.

I love running, for running's sake. Having good company is a secondary bonus. Running is uplifting, stride after stride, a sense of etheral peace it provides. Running gives me the mental and physical space and privacy to sort out my thoughts. As some runners put it, we may drag our feet on bad days, but we never regret a run.

I love climbing, for the immense challenge it gives and for totally ripping us out of our comfort zones. Having good company is critical here. For you will have to face the person/ group in close proximity under the most inhospitable conditions that test your limits on all fronts. Even the best of partners and friends snap at one another. The crux is to find climbing buddies whom you can throw daggers at one minute, and entrust your lives to one another the next. In the mountain, egos are worshipped and crushed in a matter of seconds.

I love cycling, for the exhilarating control and freedom it offers, although I am not good at it (neither am I good at the other 2 passions). Having good company is somewhat important, from a safety perspective. Someone to watch out for one another on the roads, help out if a tyre goes flat or a fellow rider takes a tumble. When the rubber hits the road on a long deserted stretch, it is all systems go. Just you and the bike melded as one, eyeing the never ending tarmac, gaining strength and speed with each pedal. The adrenalin thrill of high-speed is addictive.

I guess, therefore, that having good company counts, albeit in varying degrees. Perhaps it is the search of such good company that adds to the complexity of the sports. Yet my realist side mocks at such a naive conclusion. I guess it is possible to stay out of the complex dynamics (in other words, politics) when company does not really matter, but not when it is a life and death matter. I am determined to stay neutral and injury-free, literally and figuratively, on all aspects. It is a tall order, but I'll try.

Dragging Feet

I went to Da Jie for massage last night. She has not lost her touch after 1 year's break, spot-on as usual. It was interesting how she kneaded the back of my knees to relieve the tension in the calves. And she did a great job with my sprained toe, which had been bugging me for 3 weeks. I think it just did not have a chance to recover fully, given my running. The toe was nagging again after Sunday's MR run, so imagine my relief when I could finally bend and wriggle it freely after DJ was through with it. :)

My legs felt ok today. A group of us decided to clock some mileage instead of following Ong on the hill repeats. I planned to run the Botanic Gardens route (15-16km) and then extend to HarbourFront & Kg Bahru (4.8km). I started off rather strong, but after we exited from Botanic Gardens, I could feel that I was going downhill. True enough, my pace slowed tremendously. I've no idea why. Perhaps it was due to the mild diarhhea I had before the run, or the ice-cream we ate in the office that spiked-dipped my blood sugar. I cut short my run and ended at the clubhouse. It was a drag just to get back, and it was getting late. Hope to run better on Thursday.

MR25 35km Progressive Run

I joined the MR25 progressive run this morning instead of Safra's long run. The target was 35km around Macritchie Reservoir, Upp Thomson, Rifle Range Road area. RR and I started slightly later after the runners were flagged off. Bad decision, because that meant I'd be the last runner amongst all the very fast MR runners. I mean, people who wake up early on a Sunday morning to log 35km with MR25 cannot be tortoises.

So there I was, trudingly going through my steps. Somehow I was rather sluggish after the Northern Trail. I was wearing my Salomon trail shoes that I used for my USA trail marathon. It was great in the trails, but rather heavy pounding on the tarmac roads - and the route today was split 50-50 across the 2 terrains. I had my Endurance drink, but it did not perk me up as much as last Sunday's long run. 2h into the run and I felt like I needed a powergel. Last week, I took my gel only at 2:20h. Perhaps the rolling slopes expended more energy. I was my most sluggish between the 2:00 - 3:00h stretch, my strides wouldn't open up. My breathing wasn't heavy, in fact I was probably too relaxed. My legs did not feel heavy, yet they would not respond to my push. The last water point was at the end of Rifle Range Road. I think the distance by then was around 25km and I reached it at exactly 3h. Crumbs.... I finished up my pk of powergel, took some water, and prepared to head back to MR.

And then the feeling came! Yes! I felt like I could run back decently and not drag my feet. :) I overtook the guy who was ahead of me, so that made me 2nd last. Gee, I should not be proud of that. Actually, I really was not bothered by position or timing. My aim was simple - complete the entire route in about 4h. I had about 10ish km to go. I decided to return via the MR trail that would take me to the Jelutong tower, wooden bridge and golf course, rather than follow the prescribed Northern Trail. I wanted more exposure on trail because my shoes would perform better. I felt really breezy on the way back, and the strides felt strong and sure. I focused on the chi-running technique of mid-foot strike, leaning slightly forward, and swinging my arms backwards. I completed the last 10ish km in 1:07h, and stopped at the canteen to get a much needed Sportade.

I guess that was a negative split, but hmm.... I'm pretty sure I would not want that sort of timing. Last Sunday, I was strong until 3h point at ECP-B1, and then the last 9km took its toil. Today it was the exact opposite. I slogged for 3h before my engine kicked in the last 10km. Crumbs crumbs.... I hope I get the best of both on race day (hopefully not the worst combination!).

I swear powergel makes me hyper. I came home feeling non-taxed (sigh.... does that mean the run was not effective?), so I decided to wash things. Lo and behold, one thing led to another - I vacuumed my room, scrubbed 4 pairs of slippers, washed 2 pairs of shoes, rinsed my running gear, washed 2 giant teddy bears, and cleaned the bathroom! Gosh... I think my mum would ask me to run more. :)

New Cleats & Aero-bars!

I slept at 4am this morning. I was on a roll last night, designing Dawn's farewell scrapbook thingy. But today's Saturday, and my much awaited rest day, so I can sleep in. Went to F for my usual massage. I thought I had a decent week of workouts and not feeling like I'd lost my legs. Alas, once he started pressing, I was a goner.

Met Alvin for lunch and we proceeded to Millen's to install my Look pedals and a set of aerobars on my bicycle. I finally mustered enough wild courage to fix everything after much prodding and cajoling from Alvin. I succumbed to the 'if not now on the flat Msian race course, then when?' argument. The other taunt of 'you're so athletic, how can you be so clumsy at this?' also worked on me. :)

My main worry is not being able to clip in/out quickly at road junctions and getting into accidents. I mounted myself on the bicycle and tested the new gear on Millen's stationary trainer. I practised clipping and unclipping in many times before feeling comfortable enough to go on the roads.

We drove to Lim Chu Kang cemetery stretch to practise loops. Right shoe clicked. 'Ok, here goes nothing', I told myself, and stepped down. Instinctively my left shoe found its way to the pedal and clicked in place just as practised! One challenge down, and I was moving forward. Now to figure out how to brake and stop safely. Remembering to position my left foot at the lowest point, I unclipped the shoe. But I was too tensed up to brake properly, and promptly scrapped the bottom of the shoe on the kerb. That wasn't correct. So I did the drill a few more times - mount, clip in, clip out, brake, stop, foot down. And I got it! It was heartening to know that I'm not as klutsy as I thought. Next trick to learn was balancing and controlling my bike with the aerobars. The first time I rested my elbows on the pads and held the bar (or attempted to), the bike swerved dangerously. I clutched the hoods in a reflex move. It took me a couple of angle adjustments and trial-and-error to learn how to ride with the aerobars.

I did 3 sets of the loop, approximately 20km. It was a nice experience using the cleats and aerobars. I feel more confident to use them on race day next week. :)

A Grand Crazy Plan

I woke up this morning feeling an immense urge to use my swanky new cleats and install aero-bars for the upcoming Powerman. The flat, long race route was an incentive to test the gear, because we would not have that sort of condition in local races. The grand crazy plan was to fix on the Look pedals and go to Lim Chu Kang stretch for a few loops to practise my cleats technique. I could even throw in a 2-3km run for a little brick training! Brilliant! Part of the motivation was because I had no training plans for the evening, and was itching for some workout.

But as the day went by, I was feeling less and less confident. I hate to fall over, and beginners in cleats always crash. As a 'backup' training, I went for Andrew's RPM class followed by a 10-min dreadmill plod. His class was always a high-energy hit. I forgot whatever lactic that had accumulated in my legs over the week, and charged all out as he directed. The idea was to get the legs really sng to make up for the short duration before jumping on the dreadmill.

Thankfully for the little workout. Because later in the night, Alvin and I tried and couldn't remove the old pedals from my bike. So my grand cleats plan fell apart. Oh well, I'll have to bring my bike to Millen for servicing tomorrow, so I might try again to convince myself to affix those new gear for the race next week. A wee bit suicidal, I'm not heeding my own advice of never trying new stuff on race day..... Oops.

Run like Volkswagen Mini

Today was Safra's easy run day - 15km. Yeah! *bells & whistles* But it was by no means "easy" as the fast runners were all storming down the road with such intensity. Me being the perennial lazy runner, kept to one side of the lane and let them overtake me. I felt no compulsion to give chase, in what I knew would be a futile effort and crashing myself in the process.

Heng, Alber and I extended our run into Botanic Gdns while the rest turned off along Holland Rd after MFA. It is always a challenge to run in Botanic in the dark, and not make the wrong turns around the many winding paths. We exited at the Bt Timah/ Farrer Road end and headed back to Safra. Margaret Drive was as mental as before, that 2km stretch is so boring and draining, I tried to distract myself by counting my cadence. Alber sped ahead, and Heng was keeping a nice pace slightly behind me. I tried to go faster along the canal, obviously not being a very seasoned fast runner, I didn't like the hard breathing feeling at all. :( Heng and I then decided to do an extra loop around MF, returning by Kg Bahru. That brought the day's run to about 20-21km. A nice and easy relaxed run.

I feel like a Volkswagen Mini or something, slowly slowly trot along. I probably can trot and trot forever, nevermind the distance, and I'll eventually complete it. I'm so not a Honda CRX. Haha.......

RPM & Dreadmill

I felt the urge to get on a bike. So I went for RPM Challenge class, not least also because KL was taking the class today. I wanted to do some brick training for the Powerman race. So, despite the long run last night and my legs feeling somewhat jellied, the music selection was so up my alley, I just had to spin hard during class. It was worth it. Maybe I'm a slacker, I can't seem to push my heartrate up to that threshold on a run, but I can do it with the flats & sprint RPM tracks. After peddaling hard for an hour, I hopped off the bike and made a quick dash to the treadmill. Thankfully there were a couple of them available today. However, there's something about a treadmill that makes running very very very dull. It was all I could to force myself through a 2km run on the machine. Verdict, no onset of cramps. But I wonder if that was due to the varied spinning positions and that the duration was not long enough to inflict cramps. Hmm....

Lazy Runner

I did absolutely nothing on Monday. No training. Just ate, ate, and ate. I was ambivalent about going for training, having just done a long run on Sunday. Tuesday was supposed to be Queenstown stadium 8x800m. As usual, I warmed up with the group to Queensway, where I'd then decide whether to join in the training or do my own run. And typically, I'd head off towards Portsdown Rd for my own run.

I'm such a lazy runner, I'm too lazy to get my heart rate up, preferring the comfort of my relaxed recovery run to the hectic sprinting round the tracks. So I did a 2h slow run along our usual Portsdown route, and added a loop round Harbourfront and returned from Kg Bahru. My run started off lethargic and draggy, it was truly a recovery run for me. I reached the Club about the same time as the stadium folks.

Safra LSD 39km

This morning Safra planned a 38km run and I was looking forward to it. I had prepared my breakfast and drinks last night, so this morning was a breeze when I woke up. It felt almost like race day. My strategy today was to keep a consistent pace (as if I had any other strategy, haha) and not to stop at all. KK and Wayne very kindly set up 2 water points along the route, but I was determined not to stop and break my rhythm.

My trusty Endurance drink took me to about 32km before I topped up my bottle with water. I took 3:02 to return to Fort Rd B1 (~30km), I thought it was a good pace. Alas, the next 9km (I extended a little to loop round the lagoon after seafood centre) took me 1:10h! The weather was very hot and I tried to run in the shade. At some stretches along Nicoll Highway, I was almost plastered to the fence/ barricade so that I could catch the shade. All in, my run was ~39km, 4:12:22h, 3pkts of powergel, 1bt of Endurance drink. At this pace, I can almost predict my marathon timing. :( Oh well.... Let's just enjoy the long run as it is. Some of the newer runners also clocked fairly long distances. Everyone then headed to Old Airport Rd hawker centre for a well-deserved lunch.

When I reached home, I was surprisingly diligent. Maybe I was still high from the powergel-caffeine overload. I washed my running shoes, cleaned, degreased and lubed 2 bicycles, packed some climbing gear, and vacuumed my room! Domestic therapy huh. :)

Powerman Night Ride

Tonight's (Friday) training for Powerman was a long ride. We set off about 930pm from my house and headed up the usual route towards Kranji and Neo Tiew area. I'm not experienced cycling at night, my Oakley lenses are all too dark. I wore a pair of industrial lenses that was almost clear but with a slight tinge of grey. Bad choice - the shades did not stay well on my face and kept sliding down my nose bridge, so I had to tilt my neck to see the road ahead. That meant a totally stiff neck and shoulder. The lenses also could not bring out the light contrast in the dark, which meant I couldn't go fast as I couldn't see well. I think I'll invest in a yellow lens for my M-frame.

Then I had an idea. The Lim Chu Kang cemetry area was a long flat stretch lit by street lamps, and had zero traffic. Perfect for doing laps. Brilliant! Each way was about 3km, so I suggested 4 laps. At the last minute, I decided to add another 2 laps so as to push up the mileage so as to experience race distance. Total riding distance 64km. Time, slow.... Got home past midnight and decided to refuel with prata supper. :)

Discounted MF Loops

We had a training discount today. Trainers decided to scrap the staircase workout as we were going to have a super long run on Sunday. So it was only 5 MF loops this evening. My legs felt fresh after 2 days of rest. But I didn't want to push, lest I aggravate my toe further. I've not done hill loops for a long time, and took it at a relaxed consistent pace. By the 3rd set though, I could feel a little tightness by the outer side of my knee. Hmmm, could this be the ITB spot that so many runners experienced? I held back a little on the downslope. My philosophy is to not get running injuries at all, so as not to have any downtime. However, I felt quite geared up to blast off the 5th set, so I put down my bottle and took off. It made a huge difference without the bottle in hand, my arm swings were much more fluid and effective. I found myself gliding up the slope steadily, lightly. I held the pace all the way to the top of the slope, and picked up on the way down. It was my fastest set ever. I was very surprised, I could not remember the last time I clocked such a timing on MF loop. I'm very much looking forward to Sunday's incredibly long run.