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. :)
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
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.
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.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
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. :)
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. :)
Saturday, November 3, 2007
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. :)
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. :)
Friday, November 2, 2007
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.
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.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
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.......
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.......
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