Coach Guy Oden conducted a seminar for a roomful of runners this evening. About 60 runners attended, which was very good response considering my initial target was about 30. :)
I took away many useful tips as well, which challenged a couple of "conventional" or existing things & trainings that we do. Eg. never do static stretching immediately before a training or race, but do dynamic stretching instead. I liked also that he demonstrated some stretching and showed video clips of exercises that are running specific (ie. mimic the running gait/ posture -which I had read in RW). Eg. holding light free weights in both hands & forward swing (running swing), or why place leg on the MR entry-barpole to stretch when we're not hurdlers. Haha.
Oops, forgot to bring paper but managed to salvage a precious A4 from my attendance list & scribbled furiously. I guess I retained abt $4 of knowledge from the talk. The other $2 of cakes also retained themselves somewhere on my waist....
Oh and, according to Guy, I would use up 2 precious marathon lives this Saturday. I probably outlived my 9 quota already. :)
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Slow Jog
Did an ultra ultra slow slow jog from Safra to Botanic Gardens and Tanglin Rd, about 11-12km. The rest of the group did a 14km around Buona Vista - Commonwealth. And returned before me! Sigh.... 'nuff said.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Waist Massage
Went for RPM Challenge. Sat on the big, fat saddle of the spin bike and ouch! Butt was still aching from Saturday's ride. Contemplated if I should go off, but heck, Ali had started playing music for the warmup track. So I stuck with the class. Legs were a bit heavy today, could not spin as fast or as hard as I thought I could.
After class, I decided to pop by DJ's for a massage and a check on the irritating hip problem which was playing hide-and-seek with me. We worked on the back-waist area, which was knotted, then worked our way down to the knee and calf following the same muscle alignment. Hope that would keep me ok until Sundown.
After class, I decided to pop by DJ's for a massage and a check on the irritating hip problem which was playing hide-and-seek with me. We worked on the back-waist area, which was knotted, then worked our way down to the knee and calf following the same muscle alignment. Hope that would keep me ok until Sundown.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Last LSD Tapering
Heng, Alber, Ultra and I decided to forego the Safra MF slopes today and do a flat 20km to Marina South Pier instead. We started off at a relaxed pace. My legs were ok after sleeping in my 2XU compression tights last night. But my hip had a weird electrical sensation to it when I walked. It did not give me any problem on the run though. We ran as a group until the Tanjong Pagar KTM Railway Station, and the guys picked up speed. I was happy to run alone and not hold them back. We stopped at MSP for a water break, and I did some stretches. The electrifying feeling returned, and I walked the stretch near Prince Edward Rd (exiting Marina South). But for some strange reason, it disappeared after I popped by 7-11 (along Anson Rd) and bought my drinks. Hmm... Very weird. Alber was waiting for me after the railway station. The guys had waited for some time before moving on. Oops...
It was a humid and hot morning for a run. I was soaked and tired by the time I returned to Safra. The ice-tubes from Siew Lee were such perk-ups after the sticky depleting run! Also met Sam, Helen and some of the Safra Tampines runners, who had started much earlier to check out the new bridges. Sam was setting up a support table during Sundown for their 42km runners. Way to go! Ong asked if we wanted any special food or arrangement as he planned to go to Changi early Sunday morning. Much appreciated! :) But we told him not to trouble himself and travel all the way to the race site. Hopefully good weather prevails for Sundown.
It was a humid and hot morning for a run. I was soaked and tired by the time I returned to Safra. The ice-tubes from Siew Lee were such perk-ups after the sticky depleting run! Also met Sam, Helen and some of the Safra Tampines runners, who had started much earlier to check out the new bridges. Sam was setting up a support table during Sundown for their 42km runners. Way to go! Ong asked if we wanted any special food or arrangement as he planned to go to Changi early Sunday morning. Much appreciated! :) But we told him not to trouble himself and travel all the way to the race site. Hopefully good weather prevails for Sundown.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Aching Butt Ride
Had a slow lazy brunch at Riders Cafe again. Tried the breaded fish & chips this time - pretty decent. Love the home fried potatoes. Alber had the Riders burger and it was good. The strawberry milkshake was made from real strawberries, nice. Vanilla milkshake was sinful too. Next visit I should try the fluffy pancakes and the egg benedict again. Many surrounding patrons had ordered the egg benedict and I had so much food envy eyeing those lovely sunny eggs!
Went for a ride in the late afternoon with the guys. It had been months since I last used my cleats. I tried and wobbled many times before I got my shoe clipped in, and darn, there were many traffic light junctions! Eddie, Alber and I rode from my house to meet up with JD & Sumiko at Ten-mile Junction, before proceeding to Mandai & Sembawang. It was a route with many rolling slopes. Nevermind all those, I was busy concentrating on my clumsy cleats. Eddie was super fast on his MTB and thick, fat tires. He was nice enough to keep looking back, wait and guide me along. Alber was behind me, lest I toppled over. Oops, but at least I managed to regain confidence on the cleats after some time.
We stopped at a coffeeshop in Sembawang for drinks. It was about 20km of riding. We contemplated whether to loop to Seletar or return home. Everyone felt lazy. It certainly did not help that the tables surrounding us were tucking into seafood dinners! Haha.... It was suppose to be a leisure ride, so we looped back. The plan was to go home, get a nice shower, then head out for dinner - on 4-wheels. We made it home safely, except for an aching butt. My legs were ok (RPM classes not wasted), but not the butt. Ouch, had to get seasoned with my saddle again.
Brought the group to Commonwealth cooked food stall next to the hawker centre. Cheap and good. 6 pax, 5 dishes, about $56. It was my 2nd visit in a week. Worth repeated visits again.
Went for a ride in the late afternoon with the guys. It had been months since I last used my cleats. I tried and wobbled many times before I got my shoe clipped in, and darn, there were many traffic light junctions! Eddie, Alber and I rode from my house to meet up with JD & Sumiko at Ten-mile Junction, before proceeding to Mandai & Sembawang. It was a route with many rolling slopes. Nevermind all those, I was busy concentrating on my clumsy cleats. Eddie was super fast on his MTB and thick, fat tires. He was nice enough to keep looking back, wait and guide me along. Alber was behind me, lest I toppled over. Oops, but at least I managed to regain confidence on the cleats after some time.
We stopped at a coffeeshop in Sembawang for drinks. It was about 20km of riding. We contemplated whether to loop to Seletar or return home. Everyone felt lazy. It certainly did not help that the tables surrounding us were tucking into seafood dinners! Haha.... It was suppose to be a leisure ride, so we looped back. The plan was to go home, get a nice shower, then head out for dinner - on 4-wheels. We made it home safely, except for an aching butt. My legs were ok (RPM classes not wasted), but not the butt. Ouch, had to get seasoned with my saddle again.
Brought the group to Commonwealth cooked food stall next to the hawker centre. Cheap and good. 6 pax, 5 dishes, about $56. It was my 2nd visit in a week. Worth repeated visits again.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Southern Ridges Leisure Run
Today was a leisure run across the Southern Ridges. Deja vu, I was just there on Monday morning. Anyhow, the bridges looked different and nicer at night. We ran up MF slope to the usual MF loop, and got onto Henderson Waves. It rained when we started our run, so the roads and bridges were slippery. The Forest Walk segment was long and slippery, particularly so in my Pearl Izumi which had terrible grip. Ran into Cantebury Estate, a lone runner was lost and trying to connect to the Canopy Walk on KR Park. I tried to describe the directions to him, but 10min later, we bumped into him in the opposite direction. We led him out of the small twisty roads and off he ran into Hort Park. I took Depot Road to return to Safra.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Carbo-loading!
Had a wonderful carbo-loading (that's a good excuse for indulging!) with a group of runners. 10 hearty delicious dishes that worked out to only S$27 per person. Quality food, good wine, great company. Makes one forget the bad timings, the poor races, the lacklustre trainings. No comparisons, no competition, no envy. Just a 3hr happy sharing of race experiences, quirky boo-boos as 1st-timers, encouraging exchanges of dos & don'ts, and a suspension of judgement on one another. That's what makes running in a group fun. :)
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