Base Mode

There was a change in training programme. Instead of doing track intervals, we went back to basics to a base phase. Using this off-season (technically no, but...) to build our base strength and foundation.

So we did a 14km easy run - supposedly able to chit chat pace - to Queenstown, Commonwealth, Portsdown and back. I was the last few. Oh well, I never was in the front anyway through these years. I love base mode, I think I had never gone out of it? Haha.

Although I would have liked some intervals or beloved hill workouts. I guess I would just have to do them by myself.

Bird Bird

Went for a ride this morning, well, late morning. Started almost at 11am, the sun was strong and hot. Rode down to Kranji, Neo Tiew, and NTU. Put in effort & pedalled hard & fast. Did 3 loops in NTU. Hmm... wondered why I could not climb slopes. I mean, my legs are quite strong, so how come I have problems going up? We stopped at NTU canteen for a drink before riding back.

On the return ride, Alber spotted a baby bird by the roadside. It probably fell off its nest and landed on the road. It did not even know how fly yet! We scooped the sweetie and placed it in my bento box and brought it home. How cute!

Total 75km

Cycling Haikus

Cycling haikus, hilarious! @Tks Adrian :)
http://www.elevengear.us/confections.html

(Haikus - 5/7/5 syllabus)

Damn! Another hill/ Lord, please forgive my cursing/ and level this land

How do I explain/ a rear derailleur that costs/ more than my mortgage?

Hit by SUV/ Hark! Pelvis crack'd asunder/ You utter bastard

Thinning ly...cra of/ the cyclist in front of me/ revealing secrets

Perfect 100

I can't believe I got 'drunk' (well, knocked out) on mussels! We had pots of mussels cooked in assortment of sauces, mostly alcoholic, last night. And I kept spooning mouthfuls unknowingly. All I had was half a glass of wine, but damn, those soups.... *hic*

So this morning, I totally overslept for my morning ride. Sorry to keep you guys waiting. Oops. We finally started at 830am from Yishun Safra. I had 4 hours, just enough to complete 4x Mandai loops. It felt a lot more like 8x intervals. I was pedalling hard, by my standards, over the rolling hills, trying to keep the speed on flats at 26-30+kmh. The winds were changing directions through the day. So on some slopes we had fabulous tailwinds, and then some were just so demoralizing.

Melvin had a semi-flat around 70km, but enough air to roll back to Safra. Alas, Henry broke his chain! So Alber & I continued the 4th loop. It was really tough, especially the last slopes on the return.

Total distance: 100km. No water breaks, no pitstops, just pure hard pounding for 4h straight.
Oh my poor butt... I was totally flat by the end of the ride. We had lunch at the coffeeshop opposite Safra. Hard-earned meal, 2 iced-milo, ... and rushed off to shower & attend a race briefing. I felt like I burnt so much calories! (But that's probably self-delusional....)

Achy Sore Arms

My arms were already aching after yesterday's push-ups and drills. And Coach made us swim quite a fair bit tonight. So my arms are totally gone now....

The traffic near Clementi pool is always so bad in the evenings. I was late and missed all the warm up drills, jumping into the pool in time for:

6x 200m @ moderate 4:45min
1- 4:47min (uh, we missed all the time targets anyway)
4:57; 5:14; 4:58; 4:54; 4:56

6x 100m @ easy 3min
2:25; 2:27; 2:33; 2:39; 2:28; 2:31

6x 100m @ hard (uh... not much difference from easy)
2:21; 2:26; 2:22; 2:25; 2:25

10x 50m (the killer... obviously could barely swim, let alone sprint)
1:08; 1:09; 1:13; 1:13; 1:14; 1:14; 1:23; 1:19; 1:12; 1:13

Whew....

YF Strides Day 1

My first session of YF Strides since I missed last week's inaugural session. We did circuit training, drills, and ended with a 2.4km round the track. Oh gosh, I cannot recall the last time I did so many push-ups in one sitting!

Circuit - 8 sets of 4 activities, each activity lasting 30sec, rest 30sec, move on to the next one.
1. push-ups
2. plank
3. leg raisers
4. lunges (same leg, then switch leg)

Drills - I think it was 6 sets of 3 drills, each repeating about 6 times.
1. side skips
2. high knees (moving forward slowly)
3. butt kicks (moving forward slowly)
Super ouch. My lower calves almost cramped from the side skips and high knees. The lateral movements and landing on mid-foot were lactic inducing. Not to mention a slight strain on the ball of my left foot.

Track - 6x 400m with 30sec rest @ moderate pace
1- 1:47min
2- 1:45min
3- 1:49min
4- 1:49min
5- 1:47min
6- 1:45min

By normal accounts, that timing would be a moderate pace. But after all that drills, it was hardly moderate. Ouch....

Fish-on-land boot camp, let the fun-pain begin!

Paying Homage to MF Loops

It was my first MF loops for the year. 6 rounds. But felt crappy after the 3rd set. Could feel the gas and liquid sloshing in my stomach. Argh...

1 - 4:11/ 9:09min (up/ total)
2- 4:29/ 9:41
3- 4:33/ 9:56
4- 4:47/ 10:09 (oh no, cmi....)
5- 4:38/ 10:03
6- 5:25/ 10:53

Hopeless....