Power chiong-sua tonight. No swim before the run. Still in a recovery mode from KL.
5 sets of the (back-to-normal) 1.2km route.
1- 5:24min (thought was non-stop so went slower, happy to discover a rest interval)
2- 4:54min
3- 4:53min
4- 5:01min
5- 5:00min
Rest interval ~4/5min
Think I went upslope too hard and fast, and then lost my form on the down. Literally overtook many people and tried to stick close behind the front pack of runners. Well, not exactly drafting distance behind, but reasonably close by my standard. And of course I got dropped every time once we chiong-ed over the slope. The guys picked up pace, and I slowed down. Even if I tried to maintain a decent pace, I would be overtaken by runners about mid-way through the loop on the down. Either I went up too fast (and died), or I slowed on the down to recover (and still died). Bad idea to try to speed up or open up strides on the down. I knew the theory of descent, but execution was a different issue. The impact on my shins was tremendous. Really went out hard that by the 5th set, I was totally flat out from the power bursts. Jelly-legs, could hardly walk straight after that. Whew....
Incidentally, KL official results are out. 1:54:56h for my 21km. Yes! And I'm gloating over the 4sec bonus (from 1:55h). Friend said I'm such a cheapo. Haha.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Rainy Swim
It started raining at 5pm. I was hoping it would stop by 7pm, but no, it continued drizzling.
Coach jumped into water during the drills, and swam around correcting the strokes. Then he stood at the pool side holding a giant brown LV umbrella. But wasn't he already wet....?
Drills:
Catch-up, kicks, sidekicks
Swim:
4x 100m (2:13, 2:16, 2:22, 2:20)
3x 200m (5:00, 4:44, 4:57)
1x 400m (10:08)
4x 50m sprints (1:01, 1:00, 58)
After some drills, we did our last 50m sprint (56sec).
Coach jumped into water during the drills, and swam around correcting the strokes. Then he stood at the pool side holding a giant brown LV umbrella. But wasn't he already wet....?
Drills:
Catch-up, kicks, sidekicks
Swim:
4x 100m (2:13, 2:16, 2:22, 2:20)
3x 200m (5:00, 4:44, 4:57)
1x 400m (10:08)
4x 50m sprints (1:01, 1:00, 58)
After some drills, we did our last 50m sprint (56sec).
Sunday, June 28, 2009
KL (Half) Marathon 2009
I managed to get a bib for the inaugural KL marathon for 21km, alas the men's category. Last minute error which could not be recitified, what the heck, just run. Morning of the race, it started raining when I stepped out of the hotel. Would not be nice if my shoes got wet even before the run stared.
Met Simon, then went on to meet Karen & Peter at their hotel. The full marathoners had already gone off at 4am (race flag off 5am). The half marathon flag off was 615am. We walked to the race venue and had 30min to spare. Stretched - I tried out some of the warm-ups that Shem taught us, jumped around and awakened the legs. Whew, tired already. Haha.
The gun sounded and off we went. I was blocked by so many people, it was impossible to open up my stride. There was no km markers for the half-marathon either, so I did not know my exact pace. I just snaked around the crowd, and ran. It was only after the 1st water point around 3km that the runners spaced out and I could go unobstructed. I saw Chantelle at about 6-7km, her style distinctive from behind. I wanted to time-trial for a 21km PB, so I had to 'just go'. The pace felt right, I reached Berjaya Times Square at about 55min. I estimate that was about 10km.
Continuing, there were a couple of slopes along the route. I maintained the pace and went up the slopes. Had to keep reminding myself that we were MF-trained. :) Steadily I went past groups of runners. I did not see many female runners ahead. Hmmm.... And of course the elites were well out of sight! Things went well, my run felt strong and constant.
Then congestion! Argh. the 10, 21, and 42km runners merged about the last 8km or so. Suddenly there was a surge in runners on the road, and 90% walking! The 10kmers were strolling, some even holding hands, oblivious to the fact that others were still running! It was pure energy wasting as I weaved through the crowds. Even the slopes on the roads looked less daunting from afar as they were filled with runners. All I could see ahead was a sea of black hair.
It was demoralizing but I trudged along. Could not stop to walk now, would totally waste all my hard run earlier! Up and down the highways.... Then we heard music and saw the flag at Dataran Merdeka. Time check: 1:45h. End point was nearing! Alas, we had to detour and do another 10min loop before reaching the Finish bay. The road signages were filtering the race categories, but the volunteers were shouting out different instructions. Confusion for a split second.
I finally saw the Finish banner and opened up my strides. 1:55min. A 21km PB! Fabulous! :)
*Official results - 1:54:56h. Yes! So I'm gloating over the 4sec bonus. Cheap thrill. Haha.
Met Simon, then went on to meet Karen & Peter at their hotel. The full marathoners had already gone off at 4am (race flag off 5am). The half marathon flag off was 615am. We walked to the race venue and had 30min to spare. Stretched - I tried out some of the warm-ups that Shem taught us, jumped around and awakened the legs. Whew, tired already. Haha.
The gun sounded and off we went. I was blocked by so many people, it was impossible to open up my stride. There was no km markers for the half-marathon either, so I did not know my exact pace. I just snaked around the crowd, and ran. It was only after the 1st water point around 3km that the runners spaced out and I could go unobstructed. I saw Chantelle at about 6-7km, her style distinctive from behind. I wanted to time-trial for a 21km PB, so I had to 'just go'. The pace felt right, I reached Berjaya Times Square at about 55min. I estimate that was about 10km.
Continuing, there were a couple of slopes along the route. I maintained the pace and went up the slopes. Had to keep reminding myself that we were MF-trained. :) Steadily I went past groups of runners. I did not see many female runners ahead. Hmmm.... And of course the elites were well out of sight! Things went well, my run felt strong and constant.
Then congestion! Argh. the 10, 21, and 42km runners merged about the last 8km or so. Suddenly there was a surge in runners on the road, and 90% walking! The 10kmers were strolling, some even holding hands, oblivious to the fact that others were still running! It was pure energy wasting as I weaved through the crowds. Even the slopes on the roads looked less daunting from afar as they were filled with runners. All I could see ahead was a sea of black hair.
It was demoralizing but I trudged along. Could not stop to walk now, would totally waste all my hard run earlier! Up and down the highways.... Then we heard music and saw the flag at Dataran Merdeka. Time check: 1:45h. End point was nearing! Alas, we had to detour and do another 10min loop before reaching the Finish bay. The road signages were filtering the race categories, but the volunteers were shouting out different instructions. Confusion for a split second.
I finally saw the Finish banner and opened up my strides. 1:55min. A 21km PB! Fabulous! :)
*Official results - 1:54:56h. Yes! So I'm gloating over the 4sec bonus. Cheap thrill. Haha.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Leisure Swim
Had to rush for a dinner, and also forced myself to save my legs => no run.
Rushed through a 30lap in the pool - 13:45, 13:00, 13:01 - 39:47min. Ok, not complaining. Need to work more on my pull-and-glide, and angle palm entry deeper...
Rushed through a 30lap in the pool - 13:45, 13:00, 13:01 - 39:47min. Ok, not complaining. Need to work more on my pull-and-glide, and angle palm entry deeper...
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
4 On 2 Off Workout
4 min 'On' at Lactic Threshold HR, 2 min 'Off' with active recovery. 10 sets. Shem sent us a nice enthusiastic email describing the workout tonight. Except that I never did that LT test at the first session, so I had been running based on target pace all these weeks.
Had a 4km warm-up easy jog. 23min. Slow and easy to flush out the lactic acid from yesterday's hills. Was so zonked out last night, sleep was good indeed! Completed my jog in time to join the group for warm-up exercises. Ok, time to hit the tracks!
Well, not much to 'time' since it was basically Start-4min-Split-2min-Split-4min-Split-2min....
I set the target of maintaining at least 5min pace consistently, which meant at least 2 rounds/ 800m in 4min. Was slightly faster than that because we ran on the outer tracks, and completed 2 rounds on average 3:45-3:50min. So covered about 815-825m in 4min? The 10 sets passed fairly quickly. Coach joined us again tonight, he was pretty fast on the track. Melvin and Wenlong came as well, blazing the tracks obviously.
The sets felt like fartleks to some. But they seemed like Yasso-800s to me, since 4min ~ 800m anyway. Slight difference in that in Yasso-8oo, the active rest period equalled the 800m run time, ie. run 4min, jog 4min. Hmm.... so going by the above, my full marathon timing should be about 3:50h? I hardly think so.... *skeptical laughter*
Anyway, Coach said I was taking it easy on the run... He didn't see me panting hard after each set ah? *whew, dripping sweat*
Had a 4km warm-up easy jog. 23min. Slow and easy to flush out the lactic acid from yesterday's hills. Was so zonked out last night, sleep was good indeed! Completed my jog in time to join the group for warm-up exercises. Ok, time to hit the tracks!
Well, not much to 'time' since it was basically Start-4min-Split-2min-Split-4min-Split-2min....
I set the target of maintaining at least 5min pace consistently, which meant at least 2 rounds/ 800m in 4min. Was slightly faster than that because we ran on the outer tracks, and completed 2 rounds on average 3:45-3:50min. So covered about 815-825m in 4min? The 10 sets passed fairly quickly. Coach joined us again tonight, he was pretty fast on the track. Melvin and Wenlong came as well, blazing the tracks obviously.
The sets felt like fartleks to some. But they seemed like Yasso-800s to me, since 4min ~ 800m anyway. Slight difference in that in Yasso-8oo, the active rest period equalled the 800m run time, ie. run 4min, jog 4min. Hmm.... so going by the above, my full marathon timing should be about 3:50h? I hardly think so.... *skeptical laughter*
Anyway, Coach said I was taking it easy on the run... He didn't see me panting hard after each set ah? *whew, dripping sweat*
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Wrong Bricks
So it occurred to me tonight that I was doing the wrong bricks - swim and run. I should be doing swim-bike, or bike-run,.... but swim-run? Ok, I guess one had to maximize whatever training time there is.
Swam 30 laps. Barely made 40:20min. :(
1- 13:32min
2- 13:06min (so I know gone-case already, usually this set would be sub-13)
3- 13:41min
MF loops 1hr (back to the normal 1.6km loop)
Legs were really heavy, calves and ITB tight. Was hammering away on quads during the downhill sections.
1- 4:19min (to 'top')/ 9:30min
2- 4:12/ 9:34
3- 4:22/ 9:50 (!!)
4- 4:33/ 9:39
5- 4:22/ 9:49
6- 4:12/ 8:37 (!!)
How inconsistent.... *sheepish*
Super tired out.
Swam 30 laps. Barely made 40:20min. :(
1- 13:32min
2- 13:06min (so I know gone-case already, usually this set would be sub-13)
3- 13:41min
MF loops 1hr (back to the normal 1.6km loop)
Legs were really heavy, calves and ITB tight. Was hammering away on quads during the downhill sections.
1- 4:19min (to 'top')/ 9:30min
2- 4:12/ 9:34
3- 4:22/ 9:50 (!!)
4- 4:33/ 9:39
5- 4:22/ 9:49
6- 4:12/ 8:37 (!!)
How inconsistent.... *sheepish*
Super tired out.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Semester Reset
Pool was hot, swim was tough. It was amazing what a long semester break could do to stamina. Total reset! *gulp*
There were many new students in Monday class tonight. I recognised some of the Friday swimmers. Then there were 3 young girls, students. And geez, they were really really fast. Someone said children know no pain, they just go. Goodness.
Kicking drills were heavy, legs forgotten how to kick?
Swimming:
200m - 5:02min - and Coach said at a moderate pace??!? (My usual average was 5:10-5:20. Lane 2 led by Lane 4 swimmer, how to moderate? I had to semi-sprint so as not to be dropped!)
300m - 7:24min
400m - 10:20min
300m - 7:33min
(I think... forgot to save the split times, recording from memory.)
6x 50m sprints - ok, totally spent. Where my usual sprints could be sub-1min, today they hovered around 1:03 - 1:05min. Only the last set broke in at 59sec (and only because I thought it was the last last sprint). *pant pant*
Coach asked why Lixia and I kept hanging on to the divider rope after each set. But he was the one who said if drowning, hold the rope....
But not over yet! 3x 25m sprints + 25m easy swim. Ouch, kenna conned....
Coach's parting shots - "Tonight you'll all have a good sleep...." Truly.
There were many new students in Monday class tonight. I recognised some of the Friday swimmers. Then there were 3 young girls, students. And geez, they were really really fast. Someone said children know no pain, they just go. Goodness.
Kicking drills were heavy, legs forgotten how to kick?
Swimming:
200m - 5:02min - and Coach said at a moderate pace??!? (My usual average was 5:10-5:20. Lane 2 led by Lane 4 swimmer, how to moderate? I had to semi-sprint so as not to be dropped!)
300m - 7:24min
400m - 10:20min
300m - 7:33min
(I think... forgot to save the split times, recording from memory.)
6x 50m sprints - ok, totally spent. Where my usual sprints could be sub-1min, today they hovered around 1:03 - 1:05min. Only the last set broke in at 59sec (and only because I thought it was the last last sprint). *pant pant*
Coach asked why Lixia and I kept hanging on to the divider rope after each set. But he was the one who said if drowning, hold the rope....
But not over yet! 3x 25m sprints + 25m easy swim. Ouch, kenna conned....
Coach's parting shots - "Tonight you'll all have a good sleep...." Truly.
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