Weekly Summary (24 - 30 Oct)

This week is a low mileage week before i ramp for another high mileage next week. Due to tight personal schedule, I can only restrict my run around the neighbourhood except for my run today which I explored a new route down to east coast park and back thru siglap park connector. Date: 10/25/2005 6:30 AM comments: 2.4km for 13:55min@5:48min/km 1.9km for 10:31min@5:32min/km 1.9km for 9:20min@4:55min/km 2.4km for 11:08min@4:38min/km Route: Bedok reservoir (2 rounds) Total Distance: 8.6 Kilometers Total Time: 44:55 min Average Pace: 5:13.3 min/ Kilometer =============================== Date: 10/27/2005 6:25 AM Comments: 2.5km for 15:04min 3.5km for 17:59min 4.3km for 22:00min Route:Bedok Reservoir 10.3km run one run on road for 6km then one round reservoir for 4.3km Total Distance: 10.3 Kilometers Total Time: 55:04 min Average Pace: 5:21 min/ Kilometer =============================== Date: 10/29/2005 7:45 AM Comments: 5.2km for 34:58min@ 2.2km for 12:05min@ 2.9km for 19:23min@ 2.8km for 19:14min@ 1.3km for 7:26min@ Route:from bedok reservoir run down to ECP lagoon food centre via bedok north ave 3, turn towards west and head towards VJ, cross the bridge and went north along siglap park connector to PIE and cross the bridge and turn east to bedok town park until bedok north ave 3 and turn back to bedok reservoir and back to starting line Total distance: 14.4 Kilometers Total time: 1hr 33:09min Average pace: 6:28.1 min/ Kilometer

Oh NO!! Work also must see the word RUN!!!

I was shopping at a provision shop for my new notebook for my upcoming new work assignment when I found this!!! The perfect notebook cover for me!! RUN! Found on the cover of this notebook is the following passage: "When the runners are taking part in their race, they know they are practising both their endurance and strength. Strength exercise needs to be carried out alternatively with relaxing exercise, flexibility and coordination. The load for players should be proper, special the strength of each muscle part of the athletes waist and legs. Their health should be improved rhythmically by a scheduled basis. The whole dynamic strength should be assembly developed." If anyone understand what the hell this is talking about, please leave a comment for this post. cheers..........running is not only a sports, it is a lifestyle

Shopping, sightseeing and MIDNITE RUNNING in the Land of Angels: Bangkok

The place is called: "krungthep mahanakorn amorn rattanakosin mahintara yutthaya mahadilok phop noparat rajathani burirom udomrajaniwes mahasatharnamorn phimarn avatarnsathit sakkatattiya visanukam prasit" The meaning of the above is The great city of angels, the supreme unconqueralble land of the great immortal divinity (Indra), the royal capital of nine noble gems, the pleasant city, with plenty of grand royal palaces, and divine paradises for the reincarnated deity (Vishnu), given by Indra and created by the god of crafting (Visnukarma). But we only know it by the name, BANGKOK!!! Yes, I flew there on 14 Oct 2005 and came back on 17 Oct. Went Sightseeing, Shopping and RUNNING. Doing something different this time. With minimum words, below is my blog entry for this trip, click on the picture for enlarged version:

Flying Off

The Street of Bangkok

In Shopping centre

An Impressive performance at calyspro cabaret!!!

River & Temple tour

Weekend market and other finds

BMW AMARI MIDNIGHT RUN

Increased Mileage summary (17 Oct to 22 Oct)

After a break last week, I have increased this week mileage, you can said by quite a lot. Total mileage is 53.5km. Below are the summaries: 18 Oct 2005 7:00 PM Route: Run along bedok reservoir road then turn left to tampines ave 1 then turn right to tampines ave 10 then turn right into tampines ave 9 straight to tampines ave 2 coming back to tampines ave 1 and left turn to tampines ave 10 and end at bedok reservoir Distance: 14.7km Time Taken : 1hr 26min 59s Average pace : 5:55 min/Km Shoe: ASICS Cumulus VI Lap breakdown: 2:55km for 14:44min@5:47min/km 1.5km for 8:36min@5:44min/km 1.25km for 8:12min@6:34min/km 1.5km for 8:43min@5:49min/km 1.9km for 11:36min@6:06min/km 1.75km for 12:19min@7:02min/km 0.85km for 5:24min@6:21min/km 1.5km for 7:43min@5:09min/km 1.9km for 9:39min@5:05km 20 Oct 2005 7:00 PM Route: start at shaw towers->nicoll highway until bridge and went towards indoor stadium->cross bridge over to tanjong rhu and follow tanjong rhu road to ford road and turn right going towards indoor stadium and went up nicoll highawy to cross over to kallang riverside park and run towards esplanade, queen elizabeht walk and to empress place -> turn towards padang and towards raffles city->past raffles hotel and turn left towards bras braseh and cross the road to reach the church distance: 13.8km Time Taken : 1hr 39min 31s Average pace : 7:22min/Km Shoe: Mizuno Wave Rider 8 Lap breakdown: 2.4km for 15:25min@6:25min/km 3.4km for 24:18min@7:09min/km 2.7km for 21:01min@7:47min/km 5.3km for 38:45min@7:19min/km 22 Oct 2005 8:00 AM Route: start at NIKE start and go towards NSCC and went about 2km more at coastal road to make up the extra distance needed, U-turn and went to ford road end and U-turn and back to start point distance: 25km Time Taken : 2hr 51min 38s Average pace : 6:52 min/Km Shoe: Mizuno Wave Rider 8 Lap breakdown: 3.5km for 24:14min@6:55min/km 2.0km for 13:03min@6:32min/km 1.5km for 11:35min@7:43min/km 2.0km for 15:35min@7:48min/km 3.5km for 26:33min@7:35min/km 5.5km for 38:02min@6:55min/km 3.5km for 21:16min@6:05min/km 3.5km for 21:20min@6:06min/km

Running Gear VI update: My NEW Running Cap

Went for 4D3N shopping trip to the land of angels in Thailand called "Krung-Thep-Mahanakorn-Amon-Rattanakosin-Mahintara-Ayuthaya-Mahadilok-Propnoppara"....OK is actually known as BANGKOK to us...more details coming up when I find time to blog in a new photoblog style. But first, to share with everyone my new "toy" for running. I was at MBK on the first day when I spotted this Sports shop called "Sport junction" onthe second floor. Like wat my gf always said when she saw this," magnet on" and there I went into the shop and the first thing I that caught my eyes is this: A "perfect running cap" from Saucony!!!

White in colour

mesh cap with "large/huge ventilation holes"

light-weighted

black under the visor

What am I waiting for? I grab it and pay straight away for 350baht (~$15)

and went home a happy runner......heeeee

The One and Only for this week (I am a slacker)

I was feeling very tired, sleepy and weak on the bus ride home from office...The fast and furious badminton session last nite was drained quite a bit of energy from my body. My muscles are still sore this morning. I told myself: by hoook or by crook, rain or dry, I must run tonite!! Reached home and changed to my running attire immediately, get my gears and head out of the door. Decided to do the reservoir round of 4.3km first before i head out to the road pavement for the last 6km. The run inside the reservoir park was quite slow as I was feeling quite tight on my hamstring. It took quite a while for my body to loosen up as I can still feel the strain from last nite game. did a slow 24:30min for the first 4.3km. Head out of the hard pavement, I was feeling tired and my right knee seems to be feeling a bit of strain. I was slouching!!! I started to concentrate on my posture at this very tired moment and all the Chi-Running, POSE method, Alexander Method all started to pour out of my brain....Important is to run tall and look 30-50m ahead I told myself. After about 3km on the road, started to feel what runners called 2nd Wind!! I was able to quicken my strides and run comfortably tall. I was concentrating to maintain the good posture and My legs went on and on effortlessly until I finished at 56:13min. A bit slower than last week, But I swear my last 3km was my best ever finishing run. If i dun stop, I believe I can go on and on at that fast speed for 1-2km more. Due to busy schedules, This will be my one and only run of the week. Take it as a rest week before I ramp up my runs again next week. 12 Oct 2005 WEDNESDAY 7.00pm Route: run one round reservoir for 4.3km then one run on road for 6km Distance: 10.3km Time Taken : 56:13 min Average pace : 5:26 min/km Shoe: ASICS Cumulus VI Lap breakdown: 2.4km for 13:30min@5:38min/km 1.9km for 10:58min@5:46min/km 6km for 31:44min@5:17min/km Suddenly, I decided to time my 0.5km walk....I did it for about 6min at the pace of 2min/km....hmmm..should start planning my run/walk for year end marathon.. Cheers..............To Rest is to recover for longer journey tomolo.

Weekly Summary (3 Oct - 9 Oct)

Reached East Coast at 6.30am and joined J, SK and G at 6.45am. We did a light stretch and started our half marathon at 7am. I not sure whether is a good idea for me as my longest run so far for the past 2 weeks is only 10km. So is a big Question mark on my endurance. We started at a comfortable pace until 7km mark at NSRCC entrance when G stomach giving him problem and he dropped out from the group. After about 8.5km. SK started to pick up and he went way ahead of J and myself. So J sticked with me all the way to ford road end and after U-turned at 17.5km, we started to pick up out pace for the last 3.5km. The sky started to turn dark at about 2km, the damn wind pickup its strength and went against us. We pushed on and struggled the strong headwind and finished at 2hrs 11min. A very good timing for me considering my first serious long run >10km after a long layoff. I was acually surprised that today's timing is faster than my last half marathon run (2hr 12min 20sec) at east coast 3 months back before i got my 2 months bronchitis... After the run, we met up the SgRunners(supposed to have gathering today but we wanted to run earlier and went our way). Had breakfast at MacD and went separate ways...Hope next time I have a chance to chat more with the SgRunners.... Here my this week summary: 3 Oct 2005 MONDAY 8.00am Route: run one run on road for 6km then one round reservoir for 4.3km Distance: 10.3km Time Taken : 56:04 min Average pace : 5:27 min/km Shoe: ASICS Cumulus VI Lap breakdown: 6km for 32:21min @ 5:24min/km 2.4km for 13:25min @ 5:35min/km 1.9km for 10:17min @ 5:25min/km 6 Oct 2005 WEDNESDAY 7.00pm Route: Adventure run on new route from suntec to marina south and back Route details: Start at Suntec, running pass esplanade, cross esplanade bridge, along shenton way and turn into marina south. Did one round 4km and out from Sheares brdige exit.walked till sheares bridge before going to suntec, down rochor road and pass bugis junction and finished at st joseph church Distance: 13km Time Taken : 1hr 35min Average pace : 7:18 min/km Shoe: MIZUNO Wave Rider 8 Lap breakdown: 2km for 17:18 @ 8:39min/km 2km for 13:50 @ 6:55min/km 4km for 27:59 @ 7:00min/km 9 Oct 2005 THURSDAY 8.30pm Route: ford road to entrance of NSCC and back Distance: 21km Time Taken : 2hr 11min 36sec Average pace : 6:16 min/km Shoe: MIZUNO Wave Rider 8 Lap breakdown: 3.2km for 20:26 @6:20min/km 2.3km for 15:05 @6:33min/km 1.5km for 11:00 @7:20min/km 1.5km for 10:38 @7:05min/km 5.5km for 33:47 @6:09min/km 3.5km for 20:47 @5:56min/km 3.5km for 19:59 @5:43min/km

Crazy Night Adventure Run: Marina South

I was asking J when they having their nite run at Bishan park when She suggested that we should try running around esplanade from her workplace at Bugis. We started asking our running kakis and managed to KT and SK to joined us. I went to the map and start thinking about 3 possible routes to run from Bugis: 1) running to esplanade and went north following Singapore River thru Boat Quay, Clark Quay, Robertson Quay and reach ZOUK and U-turn back the same route 2) Going towards esplanade and go south along esplanade park to kallang river. Running along the riverside till we reached the end near Kallang MRT, U-turn and back the same way. 3) Going towards Esplanade, crossed esplanade bridge running along shenton way till Maxwell road and turn left to marina south. Go into marina south and run round the big loop and come back either by the same way, or up sheares bridge and to exit rochor road and back. In the end, we decided to stick to plan 3 and try to come back via Sheares bridge and rochor road. We met up at about 6.45pm and did a small walk tot eh starting point at suntec. We started and found the construction going on which does not allow us to cross the road to marina square…damn..we got to hit the crowd going up the pedestrian bridge. We finally hit esplanade and crossed the bridge and everything went well. J was not herself…running much slower than usual…might be her previous nite which she pushed too hard and did not recover well. We took 17:18min to hit 2km mark at Golden Bridge. Into Marina South, we met several runners running against our direction and we took about 13:50min more to reached the 4km mark. We started our loop into marina south and everything went good and comfortable. We took about 27:59min to cover the 4km. Then we hit the exit to Sheares Bridge and Out of my plan, I did not realized that there is no pavement for about 1km up to Sheares Bridge!! We decided to walk by the dark undulating grass patch beside the road until we hit the Sheares Bridge pavement. It was a very nice view from Sheares Bridge and we came down at the Suntec side and turned right. We ended up in the crowded Suntec and J started cursing…cos she so paisey to run in the middle of shopping center. We too a run thru to Rochor Road when KT’s friend Horned at him! Damn, caught running in the middle of the nite at Suntec. We went straight down to Bugis Junction and got no choice but to run thru the crowd at outside to reach the junction at National Library side. Finally ended the run at St Joseph Church and took about 1hr 35min for the whole route which is about 13km. < An enjoyable and interesting run overall…Only for thickskinned runners who can run thru shopping center without the need of a shade and cap….Hope to do it again another nite!!!

Crazy escort Run: In support for TLR

Apologise for those who are expecting this entry earlier, kind of lazy and busy to blog for the past 2 days. It was a last minute twist of events during last weekend inaugral Ultramarathon in Singapore. Some surprises like Adrian Mok injured before his last marathon and limped all the way back to NTU in 27++hrs. An irony that the oldest runner was the first to complete the run in 24hrs 45min...where are all the young runners? Nevertheless, it is the spirit of running, the friendship, wonderful support from runners, supporters and not the time or who complete the Ultramarathon first that wins the day. Now back to the main Topic....the crazy run of my to escort The LonelyRunner (TLR)..After running thru 2 marathons, TLR was really feeling the strain of not preparing for this run. He told me that he did not exercise for the past 2 weeks, with no preparations and training...He was just trying his best to see how much his body can tahan. I was constantly getting feedback from Kops21 the condition and locations of TLR (and the escorts from SgRunners) thruout the day....as I will only join in for the overnight phase after 10pm. after about 2 marathon stations, TLR started to slow down and about 8km before where I meeting him, He feedback that he will be walking slowly.....I decided to make a move I took a bus which goes against the direction of where TLR and gang will be going and managed to catch them at the ulu Old Tampines Road. Only 2 SgRunners were left: DO and BrokenRunner.

So we snapped a picture and carry on our walk. By that time, TLR was walking very slowly and feeling the sleepy at that time. We push on and turned into Tampines Ave 10 towards Station 27.

We reached Station 27 after about 1.5-1.8km of walk. DO suggested TLR to do a "POWER NAP" which he "secretly" found Adrian Mok "secret" to stay awake and still going strong after 2 marathons. It was here that BrokenRunner decided to break away and went home. A TLR's parents and Fd came by and checkout the condition. After TLR's "POWER NAP", we are on the way...he started to look fresher... We strolled and finally reached Downtown East when TLR atacked by the sleep bug again.....we decided that he should take another "Power nap" at a busstop 100m away from Downtwon east....However, this time he is really looking quite bad and decided that we should call it a day. TLR's dad decided to do ferry service so he brought TLR first to Changi Village before coming back to pick DO and myself up.....Do and My legs started to carry on the run towards Changi Village and we started to run like a Bull....we ran for abt 2-3km at a ferocious speed especially the downslope at loyang towards changi...I was carrying a 2l waterbag while he was having a 6 tiny bottle hydration belt from New Balance....but still, we flew until commando camp before TLR's dad caught us and pick us up.

We reached the food center at Changi Village and Do and myself had a good hot Teh Halia. All of us had a good meal of Nasi Lemak before we called it a day at about 2pm. Although, TLR did not managed to complete the 168km run, it was a very good and inspiration effort from him for finishing more than 2 marathons in 16hrs with no exercise of 2 weeks and no preparation. Another great inspiration for all of us was the continuous support and companion from SgRunners for the whole 16hrs which did not let The LonelyRunner Lonely during this long and tiring run.

Although I did not completed the targetted distance and time for this run, I did enjoy myself for the night and get to know more about the experienced DO...and had a very good run with him before the yummy Nasi Lemak...I guess, I will do my crazy run next time when I more prepared also...hahaa

Checkout Balasing's Special report on this wonderful SgRunners escorted TLR run

Cheers...................................run like Forrest Gump

My new baby Review: Mizuno Wave Rider 8

Another User Comment: Mizuno Wave Rider 8 A proven cushioned running shoe by many, A proven brand in international event. I got this shoe after more and more positive reviews by SgRunners and happened to got some vouchers for used. After Running 6km with my new baby, I was very happy and satisfied with this new pairs of new shoe I brought. Then I thought, Mizuno is the running shoe brand to watch in Singapore. The make, the feel is not worst off compared to ASICS. The only thing yet to be tested is the durability. My ASICS Cumulus VI has hit 800km and still going strong...Hope that WR8 can be as good in time to come. My feeling for this cushioned shoe is that the cushioning is soft and sufficent but yet, it is light and responsive enough. The shoe is very comfortable and it is able to hold my feet well. I have the problem of left foot bigger than right so My right shoe is feeling quite roomy at the toebox. Luckily, my right shoe lace at the toe end is actually quite loose so if I tighten the lace more, it should be very nice. By the way, last night Dasher Gerald has made his moved and joined the Mizuno WR8 usergroup...Welcome Ethanolic!!! Number of stars out of 5, I will give 4