Completed 81.6km trail for MR25 Ultramarathon 2010 in Vibram FiveFingers Treksports

5 Christmas ago...I did "My longest run in my life: MR25 12hrs ultramarathon"..I made a promise to myself..the next time I come back for this event, I will complete 8 laps....This year Boxing day...I extended my longest run by about 10km and fulfiled my promise made 5 years ago..

This year...50% of the route has changed due to some approval issue to use some part of the original route...as a result, instead of a looping route round the reservoir, it has changed to a out and back route...Which is much tougher because

• 5 years ago, it was 70% trail and 30% road/pavement but now is 90% trail and 10% road/pavement
• 5 years ago, it was 65% slopes and 35% flat but now is 90% slopes and 10% flat

However, weather was more kind enough to be sunny in before lunch and short heavy shower in the afternoon whereas 5 years ago, first 2-3hrs was super heavy rain pour and it was super hot after lunch. I used 2 pairs of shoes 5 years ago but this year..I only use a pair of Vibram fivefingers KSO Treksports

lap1: super crowded after a start for 253 runners on  a single path trail...I just try to maintain my riddle of walking upslopes but run on downslopes & flats.
lap2: runners beginning to spread out..i was able to run without much bloackage and clocked my faster lap time of 1hr 08min
lap3: even less runners int he trail as can see about half stopped to take a longer break fromt he punishing terrain...I am still able to walk upslopes properly and run at substainable pace
lap4: when i started this lap, the lead runner just completed his lap 4...he is flying...less runners...overtook some
lap5: finished my first can of ensure meal replacement...started with tiring upslope walk but running still ok..seems like running is ok but walking is not ok...this is not normal....after 3-4km, legs felt good..seems that ensure works.Feels like runners' high is on me....
lap6: started to pour....I jsut went whacking the muddy pool unlike most runners trying to keep their shoes out of water...i stouted I am splashing to runners in front so that I dun get them dirty...walking get more difficult but still running easy on downslopes and flats
lap7: slowed down on walking significantly as legs get heavy climbing....but surprisingly, I am still able to run fast downslopes and flat which amazed some runners who saw me in there....ground still with paddle of water..not much runners in the trail now...
lap8: struggled to walk upslopes but continue to fly downslopes & flat which I also amazed by myself...finished still with energy left which i decided to stop as I cannot finished one more lap within the 1hrs 15min more to 7pm...not much supporters left...as we wait till 7pm to catch those front runners coming back strongly on their 9laps...

At the U-turn point after a stretch of foot massage on very rocky downslope

Coming in after 1st lap

With my finishing time after 8laps

Special cloth based finishing cert

This gentleman is my idol for the race because he ran  his working shirt with a hydration bag and came in 91.8km in 11hrs 26min...and got 3rd position!!

Race Summary:
Overall Position: 15
Mens Position: 12
Total Time: 10hrs 41min 31sec
Food taken: 4x Bananas, 1x Shotz energy gel, 1x accel energy gel, 2x ensure
Footwear: Vibram FiveFingers KSO Treksports

official results 

New Rubber on the road - 2nd Vibram FiveFingers Classic (Black)

Thanks to a friend doing his PHd at Boulders, Colorado, he managed to grab this new pair from REI 20% off sale (that is half the retail price in Singapore!!)...This comes in time to replace my 700++km which may give way anytime soon..... The black colour made my feet look like black bear paw.....
classic walnut

The temptation of beautiful shoes - Adidas Hydroterra Shandal

Although I have been running with VFF since Jan this year and donated all my running shoes to Running labs for charity.....It didnt stop my temptation to buy new running shoes...especially very good looking ones...

Here is one handsome pair which I got from somewhere 400+km from Singapore..is called Adidas Hydroterra Shandals.

Actually, I have been eyeing this pair since 6 months ago...unfortunately, there do not have my size here and the colour that is found here sucks (The blue part replaced with grey)

I will let the photos to speak for itself.

New Rubber for the rocks and mud

When this was first announced, It got me excited and I thought this is perfect solution to the only problem I have with my VFF. To have a sole suitable for the rocks and mud in MR. I have been running in MR with my VFF Sprints and when it comes to muddy grounds, I have to be very careful not to slips due to the relatively flat outsole that does not grip on muds.

I finally have the guts to get one.....The Vibram Five Fingers Treksports

Looking forward to use it on boxing day..........lol

Learning how to run...........

Learn to Run Barefoot with Lee Saxby and Terra Plana from GTB Goodtruebeautiful GmbH on Vimeo.

The most difficult part of Running in the Morning

To get out of your bed?

To get into your running attire?

 

To get out of your house!!!

Ready for Project Love Sneakers 2010

Finally, Project Love Sneaker 2010 has started...the above 6 pairs are prepared for this project

Project Love Sneaker 2010

 

Finally, this is back........I gave away 9 pairs 2 years ago..(read more HERE).

This time....6 pairs!

Get disposable ChampionChip on Vibram Five Fingers Classic

SEW IT ON!

KL Marathon 2010 finishing cert

And it is LAMINATED!!

After a long slow run.......

First half marathon with VFF classic - KL Marathon

This post is more than a week late.............

Special event for me...becos of th following reasons:

• 1st time fly to KL 
• 1st oversea race
• 1st oversea half marathon
• 1st half marathon under 2 hours
• 1st half marathon in Vibram FiveFinger Classic

Look at the route map below...i dun care..becos I dunnoe where all these palces are...i just need to keep my two feet moving till finish

We reached KL and went for race pack collection. Took LRT to titiwangsa station and hopped onto the shuttle....a chervolet SUV to the stadium

Entrance to titiwangsa stadium:

The racepack collection:

The race pack


















After which we went to check into our hotel and went to our favourite restuarant for carbo loading:

Root Beer Float and waffle ice-cream:

Also coney dog and onion rings:

We went to the start line to survey the ground:

















The route was good for me...lots of small slopes and smooth and rough surfaces....I managed to keep my feet on the move all the way in my Vibram Fivefingers Classic:

finished in 1hr 52min 55sec...which is a 10min improvement for my half marathon PB........

The birth of sgrunners.com

5 years ago....a community was found from an innocent idea and trial
5years later.....the simple idea has exploded into a large and active community in the Singapore Running Scene.
Anyone who runs and use the internet will know of the website sgrunners.com and I believe most of you who are reading this entry...but how many of you actually know about the birth of this website, forum or community?

Here is the birth story......by the "mother", The Lonely Runner

The innocent idea (full story at "Singapore Runners' Blog" ):

I was wandering, it will be great that Singapore running bloggers set up a community called Singapore Runner’s Blog or something like that. And we have a logo to identify our presence in this internet world. Not only for identification of Singapore running blogger, we can have a mailing list that update each other on running events that happened in Singapore or overseas. And not only updating each other on competitions, we can meet up for a leisure run together during weekends. Since we know that we will definitely run during weekends, it doesn’t matter whether you run alone or not, but it is great to have a company of runners. And not only that, if there’s a running competition overseas, they can go together or met up over there. Isn’t that great? There are no membership fees or stuff like that, it’s all about running and running and running.

The trial that started (full story at "Singapore Runners' Blogger Community" )

 

Well, this is just a trial. I have made a Singapore Runner’s Blogging Community. This is exclusively for all the running enthusiast in Singapore. Made by the runner, dedicate for the runners.

The story of how SRBC becomes sgrunners at http://thelonelyrunner.wordpress.com/2005/08/02/singapore-runners-blogging-community-2/

The very first time photo I took with the pioneers.....this is during the New Balance REAL Run Trial Run at Sentosa

After the New Balance REAL Run Trial Run at Sentosa

The very first event that sgrunners' members have gathered after an event REAL RUN 05

and our second gathering at east coast can be found at http://run-to-live.blogspot.com/2005/07/sgrunners-run-east-coast-half-marathon.html


Happy Birthday to sgrunners.com

Sengkang > UPR > Sengkang 22km........longest with VFF

It was 5am in the morning......a week before my half marathon in K....I finally decided to do this route again.....a challenging one....becos the whole route are slopes.......The last time I did this route was in 2006.....i finished in 2hr 8min

This morning was much earlier....temperature was low...lower than normal here....i thought i not in Singapore......probably 23-24 degree

I started smoothly and control my pace....becos of last the 2 weeks of illness has drained quite a bit of energy and i dropped 3kg in 2 weeks

It was a peaceful run.......my mind just think of the wonderful things in life....legs are not tired at all....reached OUTR....it was 6am.....still dark.....a few group of cyclist zoom past...

reached UPR gate and it was darkness inside...I went in bravely.....visibility was low....at least I cannot see how steep was the slopes...so I just went on and on until I reached the end....11km done in 1hr 5min

I decided not to stop and U-turned immediately....it was me and the tarmac road and the vegetations....the sound of birds and the rustling of leaves

It was cool..very cool..aircon road....probably low 20s degree....nvr ran in such cool ambiance.....still cannot see slopes as the sun still not up............i just went on and on and very soon...all slopes done and back to flatter OUTR......

more cyclist came...and a group of runners went by.....the sky started to brighten...temperature still cool...so I just went on and on......my hard panting, no screaming legs.....and i realised I din drink much

came back to CTE and reached Singtel centre....a think layer of morning mist was formed....beautiful as the sun rays shine thru.......back to sengkang fernvale.....left 2km.......i maintained my breathing but quicken my steps.....

finished in 2hr 5min......2nd half of 11km was an hour and my last 2km was done in 10min...

Still breathing normally and my tights are still fine....except for the slight strain on both calves.....my longest run in VFF...and my most comfortable and peaceful one

3 Reservoirs Run

To many runners I knew ever since I started long distance running 5 years ago, this route is not unfamiliar and most of them have ran it before..but for me, this morning was my first...In preparation to the upcoming KL half marathon which expect to be slopy, my pair of legs and 3 others pairs decided to give this route a shot...

First time run OUTR and realised how vibrant this place is with cyclists  and runners before 7.30am.....

We had a slow steady run to finished below 2 hrs for the 19km of several slopes...a good long run that I never had for a long time.......

Current Read: The Extra Mile - Pam Reed

Runners' World ZA recommending Vibram Fivefingers

Dr. Runner’s World and Mr. Hyde

Christopher McDougall..author of the famous BORN TO RUN wrote an interesting insight articles on Runners' World behind the scene changes of opinion and direction about running shoes.....look like the billion dollar industry is in danger.....

Read the FULL Article HERE

The New Vibram Five Finger Bikila!!!

Out of Stock within hours once is available on online shop in the States...left only the big big feet pair...want to try and get it now? Got $$ also cannot get

Great Savings from States

A colleague went US for holiday and a fren who worked in the States came back for holiday has helped to get some stuff from States....the reason being...is much CHEAPER than getting it here......

From left to right:

(F) is Cost from US
(G) is Cost from Singapore

A total saving of close to 50%!!!!! I think I purchase online and ship them back also cheaper.
I felt like kena chopped BIG CARROT HEAD if I get it here!!!