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.

No go RPM

I went for RPM Challenge class in the evening. My first spin class after a long hiatus from the studio bike. Kee Leong wasn't around to take the class, and there was a replacement trainer. Young chap, I think he just started teaching. His class wasn't as loud and motivating as KL's - music and noise level plays a part in getting the class fired up. But I was happy to have gone. I had total rest on Mon and Tue, and I was aching for a nice workout again. Especially so after all the food binge entertaining P. Hope my toe recovers for tmrw's Safra run.

Entertaining P

My dear friend, P, was in town for a couple of days. So friends and I took turns to bring him out for lunches and dinners. On his last night here, a whole bunch of us drove to Changi Beach Club's Palms restaurant for dinner. The tofu was their speciality, very silken and soft, like soya beancurd. It was lightly toasted, with some gravy, plus small mushrooms and stalks of steamed vegetables. Light, healthy and tasty. Apparently one could get a good view of the sea from the restaurant during the day.

The group then packed into one car to Changi beach, where we all stared wistfully at aeroplanes flying directly overhead. Both P and I love flying, the longer-haul, the better. There's a tremendous sense of adventure and going "some place" with a long-haul flight. P bullied L and made her sprint across a wooden bridge in high heels! I'm getting more sedate (that's a nice way of acknowledging age) and merely trotted along behind them. We ended with late supper at Bt Timah's prata stretch. Not doing wonders for my diet at all.