Live Life to the Fullest!

Yiddish Proverb

2011-10-09T08:44:00.000-07:00

"If you want your dreams to come true, don't sleep."

"Don't spit in the well, you might drink from it later."

"It's good to have hope, it's the waiting that spoilts it."

"Suspense is worst than the ordeal itself."

"If things are not as you wish, wish them as they are."

"You can't control the wind, but you can control the sails."

"What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul."

"A man's worst enemies can't wish on him what he can think up himself." (Fear paralyses)

"The woods would be very silent if no birds sang except the best."

"If God wants people to suffer, He sends them too much understanding."

"Seek advice but use your own common sense."

"When fortune calls, offer her a chair."

"If we can't do what we will, we must will what we can."

"If I try to be like him, who will be like me?"

"The longer a blind man lives, the more he sees."

The Sabbath

2011-10-07T09:28:00.000-07:00

The Sabbath is not meant to be a day of doing nothing; a day of passive living. It's not suppose to be a negative thing but a day for us to seek life apart from work. Life with family, friends, strangers....and a time to share our lives in other areas.

Sundown Marathon 29th May 2010

2010-06-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

Pre-Race Day:
The countdown started when I clicked on the “Confirm Payment” icon. My mind must not be thinking right that day. “Itchy hand!”, my legs protested, “you are not the one taking the pounding!”. 128,690 times to be exact.
Frantically searched the web to look for training programs; die die must finish standing on 2 legs. Incorporated and modified Runner’s World schedule to suit my needs. Found 2 schools of thought; single very long LSD or shorter back-to-back LSD every weekend. I decided to go for the back-to-back long runs.

Waking up at 4am on weekends was and never will be easy. Running alone in the middle of darkness can be quite depressing; some how I still prefer to meet humans en route. There was once when I ran to the BDK reservoir at 4.30am (intending to do a loop before heading to Sengkang) and the place just looked so spooky! The hairs on my hands and neck were all standing! Quick change of plan and headed towards the main road! Heewww! What a relief! Almost felt like giving the ah na foreign workers a hug!

Sometimes (or rather numerous times! ), I was just too plain lazy to wake up and had to do the long runs at 2pm. In the 30+ degrees heat, I had to find routes that offer lots of water points and shower points; it always feels so good to stick my overheating head under the flow of cooling water. The cold refreshing coconut water at Changi Village is one of my favourite. Esther’s effort in picking me up at the end of my LSD surely made it easier for my planning. How to make it without her leh!...smuack!!!

Through darkness, heat and rain, I finally bridged the 100k weekly mileage twice : ). I used to be adamant that I would never run 42k in training; “so silly to run 42k w/o a medal to commemorate”. Then I found myself eating up my words. Better to suffer now then on race day.

The combination of additional rest days (as and when needed) and swimming help to prevent injuries and burn-out. I also learned to eat early and more often during LSD and I love oranges and apple especially when the thirst sets in. It’s amazing how our bodies can adapt to changes as we push it a little further every week. Religiously stuck to the training program 95% of the time……..makan the other 5%! Tapering days finally came and the agony of waiting begins…..

Race Day:
After all the days dodging the notorious flu bugs, was glad to arrive on sD-Day in good health.

5pm: Left home and was a breeze to reach race site in 15mins. Check-in baggage and took some pics with my fellow brave (or crazy!) friends. Not thinking too far but was focusing on strategy and completing the 1st loop first. Anything beyond that will take it as it comes. Some jittery as anything beyond the 50k was still a big question mark.
Strategy: Maintain constant 7.5 to 8min/km pace @ HR between 75-80% with walk break at every 5k . Take 10mins break at the end of Loop-1 and take more walk breaks from there on depending on situation. Target to complete below 13hrs; below 12hrs would be a bonus and below 11hrs would be perfect.

6pm:
After a few quick hand shakes and picture taking, we were off! As usual, prefered to stay at the rear coz plenty of time to reel in the “fishes” : ). After the 1k mark, came across 2 young runners who were already shuffling their feet with heavy breathing. “Oh goodness, really hope they know what they are in for!” Shortly, I heard sound of shuffling shoes, turning around, I saw Mr.Reverse Gear (the Taiwanese who run backwards). It’s kind of tedious for him to turn around every few steps to check out the route. Think that mounting a rear view mirror would certainly helps! Lol! Then the horror; he overtook me! Wah piang mana a sai! It’s only 2k and kana overtaken by a guy running backwards! Even the ants were all rolling over in laughter : (…….but with 82k still to go, i swallowed my pride and stuck to my pace plan. “Let’s see who can last longer, Mr.Reverse Gear!”, I thought to myself as he moved further and further…..

My fellow PR runners had long since disappeared from sight and I wished them well : ). Running along the Changi Coastal Road was much better compare to last year’s narrow foot path which was stuffy with all the sweaty bodies and heavy breathing. As we reached ECP, my spirit lifted and the pace quicken unconsciously. Had to slow myself down to target pace and keeping close watch of cyclists, skaters, runners and kids who dash everywhere like headless chicken! At the BDK jetty, the Korean champion was already making the return trip. Finally, caught up with Mr.Reverse Gear at 15k…hehehe…… and moved on with some pride restored : ).

19K: Just before Fort Rd, Rhino gave me a good luck call! He had already u-turned and heading back. Who says Rhino have poor eyesight!.....certainly not this one! LOL! Man, this guy don’t seems to know the words PAIN, SUFFERING, QUIT, IMPOSSIBLE!……will get him a dictionary on his next birthday! LOL!
Reached 22k Fort Rd right on schedule and was surprised how well prepared this year’s batch of 84k runners were; I only managed to overtake a handful out of 600+ runners! Looks like I am going to finish right at the bottom few this time: ( . On the other hand, I am glad for all for I still remember that a certain woman was attempting the 84k last year when she (who started to run only for a few months) did only 20k as her longest run; a definite suicidal mission. One quarter journey done, 3 quarters to go.

Tried to ease the strain on my legs by running on grass/sand that when possible. Then the cock-eyed bird kicked a root near the Changi Sailing Club and almost crash. Thankfully, my right leg was fast enough to hold the body but suffered impact to the hip and pulled left shoulder muscle. “Is this the end of my race?” I thought as anxiety gripped. I did a quick injury assessment; thankfully everything was ok except the right glute & left shoulder muscle. . Grimacing in pain, I hobbled in pain to the nearest toilet for a break and hope that the pain would go away. Took a longer walk and pampered myself with some salted apples. Was fine after that and stuck to the tarmac and cement path the rest of the way.

35k: Felt some tingling pull in left calf, quickly pop a salt tablet just in case.

42k: Time check 5:27. Nice to reach the Transition Tent which meant that half the job was done. Pleased to be within schedule. Volunteers were very alert and proactive; I was half way into the tent when I saw my bag coming towards me! I don’t even need to ask! Changed socks and took some peanut butter bread with hot Milo… hmmm..nice. Caught sight of Patrick who was all changed and ready to set off. He was so focus that I decided not to be a distraction. A man of few words who prefers his feet to do the talking : ). Well done Pat, the silent warrior of PR! You have proven once again that age is just a number!

5:37: Left the tent and headed for the 2nd loop. Surprised that there was no sense of dread in going for the 2nd loop. In fact I was looking forward to it. So different from the Putrajaya night run where I was 99% certain that i am going to quit the ASDM. Mentally told myself to get to Fort Road and the rest hopefully would be manageable. Suck Nuun tabs to prevent cramps. Glad that there wasn’t any smell of oil at ECP but runners behind me must be staying at a distance; I was gasing a lot! : ). Did I eat something wrong? Then it dawn on me that it must be the Nuun tabs.
46K: The fastest 42k guy zoom by….then Jacter called as he passed by not far behind. I shouted “Jacter SUB-3!” before he disappeared. Then I realised that he was wearing full length compression tights! Goodness, we must be having a blue moon that night! ; )

47: Panda passed by at a good speed looking strong…….then Perry who fulfilled his promise of giving me a pad on the back. After growing weary of seeing so many bobbling running tees, it was so nice & refreshing to meet our very special Ms.Punggol! Ow neow also passed by running strong1! Well done to all!
55k: Broke my record for the longest run ever so far. Body check: neither cramps nor pain, just tiredness. So far had maintained a constant 8min+ pace, good enough to finish under 12hrs.

Then things began to unravel after 60k. Pain began at the bottom of both feet near the big toes; particularly the left one. Felt my feet swelling slowly and blisters forming on the small toes. Shorten walking interval and lengthen walking duration. It was bad when I reached Fort Rd with 21k to go. Broke it up to 2 X 10K and told myself to get to the next 10k first. Remembered Adrain Mok, who attempted the 218k run around S’pore, said that it was not the lack of sleep that was troubling but the pain. The winner of that race had to take painkiller to finish the race. Now I began to understand their words.

Tried different “pattern” to elevate the pain; curling my toes, taking very short steps,etc. but all were short lived. Walking can be as painful. Reaching NSRCC was a huge relief. For the 1st time that night, the Changi Coastal Rd seems like eternity……”how come the Control Tower is always so far!” Reduced to walking for every km ran. My head was drooping, shoulders hunched and face contorted with every steps.

79k: Cannot liao…..the pain was killing me! Really felt like giving up; every steps felt like knife piercing at the feet! Remembered Ray Zahab ,an ultramarathoner, said in his book “Running for My Life” ,”The pain was so bad I wanted to scream!” And he almost wanted to give up during one of his ran, “It occurred to me that after all those years of being afraid to fail, I didn’t even know what real failure was. I wouldn’t be a failure if I couldn’t complete the race! I could only fail if I give up on myself, if I sold myself short. I could still run, and I could still walk if I had to. I could learn to adapt and deal with the pain. And that’s what it comes down to: I could give up on myself or I could keep on going” and he walked to the finish line.

Finally, enough was enough as I can feel the swelling getting worst and blisters forming on toes. So I decided to walk the remaining 5k. Every step still felt like a knife cut but I reasoned, “every step is also a step closer to home! Come on…just one more step….and another step…. and another step……..and………..”

84K: Mr.”Positive” Chin is always so encouraging; standing near the end to cheer us. Crossing that finishing line at dawn was the highest point of the race. A new milestone was laid; like the beautiful rising sun, it marks a new beginning ……….
“ We don’t know what we are capable of until we push ourselves. …once you go beyond what you ever thought you could do, there’s no going back. It’s with you forever”, Ray Zahab

Time: 12Hrs 36mins 57sec
Food Consumed: 6 X Gels, 2 X Oranges, 1 X Apple, 4 X Bread Slice with peanut butter, 1 X Nuun Tab, 1 X Salt Tab, Hot Milo
Needs Improvement: 1) More conditioning of bottom of feet 2) Tape little toes for run >50K

Putrajaya Night Marathon on 8th Feb 2010

2010-02-08T19:11:00.000-08:00

Left on Friday morning, 7th Feb.

Things seem to start on the wrong foot; kana booked for speeding along N-S Highway @ 129km/hr, then had to make u-turn at the KL Toll because they closed off the exit to Putrajaya for road repair. Worst when my GPS led us to “Holland”! After losing 1hr, finally picked up our race kits and head for hotel at KL.
Then we circled the place a few times looking for the cheepo “damn” hotel that I booked on-line. Esther had to get out to ask for direction in the pouring rain! When we finally turned into the carpark, I almost want to kill myself (before Esther kills me!) for choosing such a place to stay! It is an 8-storey building sandwiched between rows of other old buildings and the carpark was in the “ulu” back lane. I was surprise to find the carpark having mechanised parking space whereby one car can park on-top of another and it took me 4 times to reverse up that metal ramp to make sure that my back wheels were securely in place between the metal wedges. Good thing about this carpark is that the security booth is directly infront of the carpark and we left for our room hoping to see it in 1 piece again.

Savoured our time together eating and shopping along the “Orchard Rd” of KL. Bought 2 pizzas at the Papa John’s Pizza (I like the name!) for lunch before our run in the evening and we agreed that it tasted better than Pizza Hut’s (The morning after our run, we ate at Papa Rich….it’s like celebrating Father’s Day!)

Putrajaya, the land of the giants….it seems that every building sitting there was built to intimidate. They are huge! From the modern “birdnest” design to the traditional Malay dome shape building. The start and finish area was along the wide boulevard franked on both sides by these giants. With few tress, this place is a heat sink; soaking up the heat in the day and giving it out in the night. We can feel the heat rising from the tarmac.

8pm: The horn sounded, confetti shoots up into the air and we were on our way.

Strategy for today: Pulled my calf muscle badly in the Yoga class on Tue and having pains on and off since then. Stopped running since Tue and was really worried that I may not finish the race today. So the strategy is simple; extra slow pace up to 5k and see how my calf would react. Then maintain 7+ min pace till 35k and see if I can speed up a little from there if I didn’t “hit the wall”. If my calf give way, I had a contingency plan that is to apply the “Frank Theory” ……..take the bus! : )

Stayed back behind the pack and played the hunter and prey game to keep myself occupied. I know the “lambs” that never train well or started off too fast would be easy prey at mid-way. There was this ang-mo fit looking guy who worn a Mickey Mouse hat made up of light sticks. He was walking up and running down all the slopes. Interesting strategy but I wonders would it work here coz I heard the route is hilly. I was in a tussle with Mickey for quite a while and was pretty frustrating to have him rolling downhill after over taking him on the uphill. Finally we came to this very long uphill and I caught him a third up the hill. Believed this time Mickey would have to spend lots of time walking. That’s the last time I saw Mickey, hope he would achieve what he sets out to do.

At the 5k mark, we were running across this nice bridge and in front looms the enormous “space-ship”! It’s like in the movie “Encounter of the 3rd Kind”….so nice! It’s a gigantic building perched on a hill; at night it looks like it is floating in the darkness!

As we made our 1st u-turn, I spotted my next prey, our S’pore “Cat-Woman” dressed in her skeleton outfit today with very nice lights all over the back of her body. Must hunt her down! Mission accomplished at the 10k mark : )

Then the elite 21k runners started to arrive at the 12k mark; many of them Thais. It’s nice to run with the 21k runners coz it kept the loneliness at bay. When we finally parted, it was so demoralising; there was only a handful left sharing the same journey.

Further outskirt, there was nothing much to see in the darkness. But there were plenty of hills to keep us occupied. As I tried to stride up the hills in the most efficient way that I can master my body, I am thankful that the hours spent at MR have not gone to waste. Gleefully, I picked off the lambs one by one on the uphills.

5k, calf was fine, huge relief!….. 21k all system still rolling….29k feeling good but thinking of the “wall”…..
They all said that the “wall” comes at the 33k mark. Whosoever picked this course must be a sadist! From 31k to 34k was all uphill! He must be making double sure that we hit the wall and hit it hard! To make sure that there is no survival, there was another long uphill stretch from 36k to 38k! Believe he must be among those giving out drinks at the crest of the hill, enjoying the looks of our contorted faces!

When we hit the flats at 39k, I had enough of the hills for the night! My exhausted mind and body had enough of Newton’s Theory; “whatever goes up has to come down”. Then we came into the boulevard and I was glad to be dwarfed by the giants again. Further down we saw the bright lights of the event tents and our spirit were lifted a few notches. As we get nearer, we can hear the music….it’s ending soon! Then the arrow pointed left!!!....and all our hearts dropped! The sadist planner apparently has the last laugh…….we were led through a poorly lit side road away from the boulevard….away from the lights….away from the sound….away from much needed rest….: (
That was the longest 2k run ever!

When it was all over, Esther and myself were laughing at ourselves…..she was going like, “NEVER! NEVER! GOING TO RUN AGAIN!” I must say that I am awfully proud of her to complete the distance within the cut-off time in spite of the hilly terrain. Many had given up but she persevered to the end.
News arrived today that one of the 21k runners collapsed at the 16k mark and died. The hilly terrain must exert an enormous strain on his heart. Safety always comes first; listen to our bodies and pride is secondary.

Overall, this was a good run and enjoyed our stay at the hotel, the nice food and shopping. Most important of all, we are thankful for a safe trip.

Review on Salomon Trail Shoe TX HAWK

2010-01-23T23:07:00.001-08:00

Took my new love at 1st sight Hawkie ‘wings’ for a 13K flight at MR on 12 Jan 2010.
Fitting: Forefoot area is wide enough for comfort and roomy toe area for toes to wriggle freely. I like the heel area where the shoes cup nicely around the heels; felt very secure and stable. Overall the shoe is very comfortable as it wraps around the feets nicely and the insole is made of good soft materials; they called it “OrthoLite” (looks like a piece of orthotic). The quick release shoe laces were easy to use but was wondering where to tuck in the continuous loop laces as it looked dangerous dangling outside. Then I found the ‘secret’ hood covering just above the laces! This designer got brains!

0- 4K: Good grip both at the forefoot area and at the heel of the shoe; no slipping on up hills nor downhills. The sole is as flexible as a road shoe (NF shoe is too stiff). It is also thin enough for me to feel the ground and thick enough to prevent pain to the bottom of my foot. The back of shoe holds up the heel very well. Good stability. Very pleased with its performance at this point of time.
Was wondering at the 4K mark how it would perform under wet conditions, then the sky opened up and poured! Someone up there allowing me to do the full test today!

I was very cautious at the beginning of the deluge. When the shoes seems to be holding up well over wet sand, mud, stones & gravels, I decided to take some risks and push it a little further; was able to run downhill at a good speed without slipping on the wet yellow earth. I believe a good trail shoe must be well ventilated. The TX Hawk has lots of netting around the body and even in wet condition, my feet still feels comfortable.

As the rain blurred my specs and vision, I had to run semi-blinded and hoping that the shoe would save me from injuries. A few ankle twisting moments but thankfully no harm done. I am not too sure whether it’s the shoes that help to prevent injuries to the ankles; suspected it did. I was able to depend on the shoe’s good traction and stability to return safely.
Verdict: A good cross between a Road Shoe and a Hard Trail Shoe; it has the Road Shoe’s flexibility & feel of the ground and the Trail Shoe’s stability. The shoe that I have been looking for since the NF100 experiece! So sometimes love at 1st sight may not be wrong after all : )

Stability: 4.5/5
Comfort: 4/5
Ventilation: 4.5/5
Flexibility: 4/5
Road use: 3/5
Laces: 4/5
Traction: 4.5/5
Ground Feel: 4.5/5
Wet Condition: 4.5/5

Reflection on 2009

2010-01-23T23:05:00.000-08:00

In the stillness of the night 2 days before the year draws to a close and the next one begins, it’s good to look back and see my failure and success, the things that I have done wrong and those that are right.

2009 is/was a special or crazy year, when the economy headed south, my exercise regime headed north. Maybe this would be the only time slot whereby I can put in a little more time to pursue that which was seemingly impossible.
As I peered into my calendar, I surprised myself for completing 26 events this year; 7.5K of Open Sea Swim + 310K Bike + 417.5K Run. Amazingly and thankfully my aging body did not breakdown!

There were so many memorable moments but of it all there is one in particular that I would remember for the rest of my life; my 1st ever open sea swim event on the 12th April by TriFam. A simple no frills event, yet it etched very deeply in my memory. A simple 750m Swim + 20k Bike + 5K Run, no big deal, nothing to shout about but to me it’s like Armstrong stepping on the moon; “A small step for mankind, a giant leap for John”. In fact, when I came out of the waters, I was over the moon! I have overcome the fear of the sea at last! Many would not understand why I was so happy coming in near the tail end of the swim with almost everybody gone from the beach (except Esther of course!). If one had experienced the near effect of drowning, every stroke we made, every inch that we propel forward and every second that we stay afloat is an achievement. Some said that we have conquered the sea but I always feel that we can never really do that. Its power is beyond our control and I have learned to live in harmony with it and to respect it.

The most fun Triathlon event was the Port Dickson International Tri. An Olympics distance event that was just right for my fitness level. Very exhausting but very enjoyable. My night mare was the Desaru Long Distance Tri. I was ill prepared for the ride; very hilly and hot. Felt that my heart was going to give way on the hills, I was totally drained in the end, both in strength and spirit. The pain was just too much and it took me a couple of weeks just to recover. Maybe I would be able to make peace with the hills one day.
The NF100 was another wonderful event. Never felt so uncertain, self-doubt and anxious ever since my 1st marathon run. To finish it was sweet!

2009 marked the 1st time that I ventured into Malaysia for runs. It was whilst driving towards Penang that I saw these big mountains reaching into the clouds. How I wish we have one of these here in S’pore, then I can run up and touch the clouds! Malaysia has the perfect terrain for NF events, it would be so interesting to run from hills to hills. I day dreamed that maybe one day we could run from S’pore to Penang and time it just right to run at the Penang Bridge International Marathon! 700+km, if we cover 42k a day it would takes us about 18 days to reach there. 18 marathons back-to-back and finish with the finale at Penang! One day….maybe one day….

The venture into triathlon affected my running. Time needed for swim and bike eats into my running mileage. This year, I didn’t see any improvement in my running times except for the 21k SAFRA event. So I have decided to focus on running for 2010 and come back to triathlon later. I was spread too thin this year by participating in too many events. Next year would be choosier and focus on Ultra- distance events. My 10k & 21K goals are long overdue, hope to achieve my target next year. They said that one would reach his/her best fitness level 7yrs from where one started training( if we train consistently). So 2011 would be my best year but would try to push a little more in 2010 and see how my body would cope.

2009 was a good year to meet many new friends at Punggol Runners. The friendship forged during our suffering together would not be easily forgotten. Countless Sunday runs, running to the Mandai Zoo, climbed the steep Bukit Timah Hill, got roasted on the Mandai Hills, and finally circulated round and round the MacRitchie Reservoir. At times, some were limping, some daydreaming, most grit our teeth and move on, some kana stomach upset, some have pains at all parts of the body we can think of, gifted few glide effortlessly, most mortals struggled to put one foot in front of the other, some almost wanted to crawl home, some charged like there is no tomorrow, others armed with calculated plans and cool heads, …..but none gave up. We finished our races! The “don’t know the word DIE” type and the Mr.Cool can all be found in the same PR group. Competition can either build us or destroy us. The unseen (and rarely admitted!!) competitive nature within some of us drives us to greater heights! Thankfully it is the friendly competition.

So it’s a year to thanks all those whom I sweat together with, joke with, laugh with….thank you all! Special thanks to Esther, whose presence and support made all these possible. The voice of the presenter of the Desaru Tri event still rings in my ear, “Hey John! Why did you keep your wife waiting for so long!” as I shuffled across the finish line after 7hrs. I wanted to reply, “That’s why I marry her!”. It’s a lot easier to know that she would be there all the time.

Looking forward to another good year of fun with the PR people and hopefully we would all run well into our retirement and beyond!

The Near Disastrous SCM 2009

2009-12-07T01:37:00.000-08:00

Today’s was perfect for running. The cool early morning, the charged-up atmosphere, the sight of thousands and thousands of runners lining up; some were causally chatting away, some were in deep thoughts….in prayer…each soul has a goal, a purpose this morning. To some it was just another run, to others it means much more. No right and wrong, each are entitled to their own perception.

My goal was simple; to maintain a 6min pace for as long as possible….and hopefully to do a sub 4:30.
Jo Wang came from behind and tapped my shoulder at 1km and we exchanged a warm hand shake and best wishes. Off he went ….nice : ). Next came Sean, he has came so far in such a short time. Still remember how he struggled in his LSD runs with us to Thomson, today he was gliding smoothly and at a good pace. Glad for him. Zoom… off he went.

Took me quite a while to get the engine cranking (3km to be exact) before I hit the goal pace. After that, it felt good to chase down the 5:00 pacer, then 4:45, then 4:30…smiling inside : )
The rest of the way was uneventful until I hit the 28K mark. Pain surfaced at the bottom outer area of my right foot. Kept the pace going and hope that the pain would go away. It did not. It got worst at 30K; the pain got louder and refused to go away. Decided to have more walking breaks and see how it goes. The pain got progressively worst; by the 36K mark I was walking at every 50m of jogging. Can’t run, the pain was killing!

At 37K, enough of pain! So decided to walk all the way. Since I can’t achieve my goal, must as well enjoy the occasion and take time to look around. The sight of so many of us who struggling in our own race and so many casualties along the way brought back to mind the article in Saturday’s ST by Jeanette Wang “Plodders have place in marathon” which I at 1am read this morning.

I like the marathon because no 2 races is the same; each has its own lessons to learn and each has its surprises. It’s like our lives; full of uncertainty and surprises. We might be strong now but down and out the next moment. Even the fit and seasoned runners are not spared; Jeanette Wang who clocked an incredible 8:47 at the 84K Sundown Marathon was not spared in the NF100. So do the scores of very fit looking runners who littered the road side today. Many were limping….but we were still moving….still trying…..still plodding….It mirrored our lives; some are weaker than others. So to say that plodders have no place in the marathon is like saying get all the weak out of our sight out of our lives.

“Come on! Keep going! DON’T WALK!!!” shouted the race marshals and supporters. Again in real life, some people just don’t understand that sometimes we simply have got to walk! They don’t understand the pain that we are going through, it’s just too plain easy to tell someone to GET GOING! Sometimes, when we are down, depressed and deflated, we just need to slow down to recuperate. We don’t need someone to shout in our ears to KEEP MOVING! I believe it would works wonders if the marshals would say, “I know you are in pain, take your time and walk if you have to but don’t give up!” : )

Then Wen Yuan woke me up as I was lost in my thoughts at the F1 pit. She was having leg cramps and was like us, plodding our way home. Then suddenly Mr.Giraffe tower over us! Now I saw a different look in his eyes….the Mandai Hill look was gone…in its place the revived spirit! He was so courteous that he could have walk with us all the way to the end but we decided to set him free! LOL!! Well done Sandip, always a pleasure to meet you along the route. Your Dad would be very proud of you today, coz you ran all the way without stopping!

Wen Yuan made her way forward and merged into the crowd in no time. I carried on with my sight seeing and day dreaming. Then, she appeared from behind again! Wow, so scary!... luckily it’s not the Ghost month now!
What she said next makes me dunno to laugh or cry; she said those irresponsible ladies were leaving their “tea bags” all over the toilet booth! Yacks!...Goodness gracious me! LOL!!! Then she disappeared just as quickly….she certainly is a civic minded person.

Among our plodders were:
• Lady who moved like the Tower of Pisa; her head was heading one way and the body was pulling it back! Amazing that she can keep her balance and still travel in a straight line!
• Gentleman who conduct “live firing” in broad daylight with the Flyer as backdrop!
• The father who carried his son on his shoulder and the mum pushing another in the pram
• Our friend from Thailand raising his hands as if practicing his final pose at the finishing line
• Lovers walking hand-in-hand; dunno they came for the run or dates
• Overweight plodders who walked pass strong young men nursing their wounds by the road side (who say tortoise never win)

The final surprise came at the final 1k mark. Ronald, who I have never met but was introduced thru a fren thru Facebook, was waiting and scanning faces…and came up to say hello! He has in fact been on the lookout in all the races he participated hoping to catch a glimpse of my handsome face…LOL! Ronald is an Ironman and hope to link him up with Perry n frens. Then we ran together towards the finish line. Thanks Ronald for adding another memorable moment to my day.

The time spent walking and watching was not in vain. It has turned a disastrous outing into a good day. Have the honor of coming in 1st among our group of multiple marathon runners…in the reverse order lah! : ) ….but so what?! ........Completing the race is what counts : )

Time: 5hrs 25mins

The Penang "SunRise" Marathon on 22nd Nov 2009

2009-12-02T05:13:00.001-08:00

The race started at 2.30am. Jumped out of bed at 12.30am after 3hrs of sleep. Going to try a few new stuff today; using the experimental leg cream, wearing SKIN and having durian before the event.
Walked with Esther via the highway to Queensway Mall. Did some light stretching while waiting for the VIP’s arrival. I estimated that there were only about 300 of us attempting the full marathon, so decided to stay right at the back; reasoning that there will not be anybody overtaking me then, but I overtaking others. I was both right and wrong.

The flag off was like KL’s, very low key…no elaborated count down, simply “pop” & “go” ! The first few hundred meters were great as the later runners cheered us off. Targeted to maintain even pace of 6 - 6.30mins/km if possible and hope to finish in 5hrs. Took it easy in 1st 2K and was within the targeted time from 3k to 14k. Was feeling good and decided to ram up a little to below 6min pace.

The weather was fantastic, couldn’t have asked for better; felt like it’s going to rain anytime. I like the route; mostly flat with maybe 8 to 10 nos of slopes with low gradient. Felt good to run across the Penang Bridge for the 1st time especially with the song “Don’t Stop the Music” in my ears…gets really pumped up!
Too bad can’t see anything out in the sea as it was pitch dark but enjoyed the cool breeze blowing on my face. Then suddenly about 20-30 runners overtook me! They look super fit, must have missed the starting time. The U-Turn was at the toll gate and seems to take ages to arrive. Haven’t catch sight of the “botak” at this point of time.

After the U-Turn, felt some pull in right hamstring thus slow down a little just to be safe. At one point felt a little light headed….is it dehydration?...stroke?...finally settled with lack of sleep. Mid way through the bridge, met up with all the half-marathoners….and it was a sea of orange! Lots of them were walking and had a good time picking them off! …surely a morale booster : )

After the bridge, we branched into different direction; half to the left and full to the right. Suddenly, there were only a few poor struggling souls on this long and wide road in the cool darkness under the orange street lights….fatigue was beginning to make its presence felt. Hit above 7min pace from 30k onwards and only managed an occasional sub 7min pace. Spirit was at rock bottom at 33k…where is the u-turn!!! Then finally spotted the botak Rhino coming from the opposite direction at 34K, he was suffering from leg cramps….believed he would die-die charge home…...and that’s what he did! : )

U-Turn at the 35K was a relief and met the sea of green this time at 39K….the bubbling carefree young fun runners that dashed around like deer in the African plains certainly brought back the colors and helps energies our weary bodies and minds. By now, the sky was getting brighter which means that I am in danger of not achieving my target; decided not to watch the time after 38k so as not to be over pressurized by timing ….then some people sitting along the road near Eastin Hotel were shouting “come on! You can make it for sub 5!”. So picked up my pace the best I could and cheong to the finish line…with just over a minute to spare : )

Lessons Learned:
1) No more durain before run, bad for digestion
2) Either the cream or SKIN works; no cramps throughout
3) Need more conditioning to achieve better results

Would certainly come back again next year if possible!

NF 100 Run on 24 Oct 2009

2009-12-02T05:12:00.001-08:00

Ran my longest ever distance of 50k today. Very happy to cross the finish line as I was fraught with doubt at the starting line. It all goes back to the failed 30k Progressive run and my own 30k training run. Did only 20k for the earlier and suffer bad aching foot for the latter that I had to walk all the way from Rafles Range Link to the MR carpark. Big doubt hung over my head whether I can even finish it. So while my fellow runners were busy chatting and having fun at the starting area, I was trying to psych myself up to finish the race; even 8:59 will do.
I know that for me to finish, I would have to discipline myself in using the Chi-running method and use gravity to my advantage. To prevent burn-out at 30k, I must go into the Eternal Pace mode....a pace whereby one can run for seemingly 'eternity' w/o getting tired easily thru efficient use of energy.

The journey to Bt Timah Hill was as per normal but the downhill from Rengas Trail to the North View Path was very different from what we had done...there were more steep steps. Lost quite a bit of time there. Had some stomach pain at 10k but decided not to go into the bushes. Funny thing was that it went away at 20k. Maybe my body need all the resources that it can get; recyclable or not doesn't matter : )

Targeted to reach entrance of Lor Asrama by 10am to meet the cut-off time of 12:15pm at exit of Lor Asrama. Was glad to reach it at 9.55, so have 5 extra minutes to refuel. The 9k loop inside Lor Asrama was a killer; lots of slopes and very little shades. 3 quarter thru the route, I got worried ;believed that I was dehydrated, so walk a little more to prevent heat stroke. It was both a pleasant and awful experience to move up Hill 265. 26yrs ago I was force to charge up this hill and now I paid to go up the hill! Time flies and I am glad to visit an old 'friend' that looks just the same 26yrs ago. It was so hot here today and I lost another 10mins. By the time I got out, I have only a buffer of 30mins from the cut-off time. As expected, my calf were beginning to pull, quickly apply some soothing pain killer.

Next, have to get to Hindhede Dr by 1.30pm. Spotted a pair of Tamp SAFRA runners who was doing the run and walk regime at a comfortable pace. So decided to tail them. All was fine till we almost reach the Lasia Track, I ran too near to the SAFRA runner and failed to spot a brick ahead. Left big toe got a direct hit that almost sent me sprawling. Managed to stabilised my fall at the expense of my left butt...cramp! Stopped to stretch my left glute but was unsure of whether to seek medical help for my toe. Limped my way to Hindhede Dr 20mins before cut-off time.

Got more cramps in the Durian Loop & so embarrassing to be frozen at the middle of the steps with pain when ppl were passing by. Spray and more spray. When I reached the PUB Water Station, the sign read, "40k". Wonderful, last 10k to go! Quick check with my watch shows that I have 3 hrs to make it home....assuming I take 2hrs to cover the 10k, still got 1 hr to spare....that really took my anxiety away.

At the end of Raffles Range Rd, I decided to brisk walk to the finish line; no point risking further injuries with weaken calf. Had a good brisk walk in the woods of MR....have never really spend time to soak in the sight, smell and sound of MR...always in a rush to get from pt A to pt B. Saw this little monkey who managed to catch a red/black striped worm and playing with it like a lollipop! Amazing what we can observe if we slow down our pace....

Finally, after some grueling 7hrs 51mins on my poor foot, I finally knew that I CAN ENDURE!

"Venture that causes us to doubt our ability to accomplish it always bring the greatest satisfaction when we finally make it" - HJ

Desaru Half-Ironman 1st Aug 2009

2009-08-05T06:15:00.000-07:00

2nd Aug, after a good 10hrs sleep 'walup' plate of long-tong & nasi lemak flush down with a nice cup of kopi-O. Had laksa then took 2hrs nap. All these to gain back that which I lost yesterday; my mind n body was utterly drained by the sea, hills n roads of Desaru. The nearest comparison was 27yrs ago when i was an army recruit. This is much worst than any of the marathons that I ever ran.

1st Aug, 6:30am the final preparation begun. As usual, didn't sleep well (must bring my smelly bobsters next time!) enough to last me thru the day. Left the chalets n walk to race site with Perry, Fion, Maryanne, Ken & Esther. Laid out barang barang n proceed to beach at 8.30 for warm up. The sea was cold n very choppy; did some breast strokes to feel the waves n found it very difficult to use front crawl. Was feeling a bit giddy after a short swim n my confidence level plunged to new low : ( "Can survive or not?" The plan is to stay near to the buoys, just in case i need to hang on.

SWIM(2K) 2 loops of 1K: Formed up at starting line n gave Esther a farewell kiss; it's interesting how one would appreciate their love ones more when one's life is on the balance (like our girls who climbed the Himilayas recently)." If that is our last kiss how?", had a silent prayer of safety n appreciation.
It was a mass start, so hundread of bodies & thousands of flinging limbs, the inevitable happened; kana punch on my right eyes (thanfully my goggles stayed intact- Perry got it worst, goggles slipped off his eyes), kana kicked in the abdomen by a froggie n swallowed few mouthfull of salt water. It took me 400m to get use to the temperature n choppy waters. The cross current was so strong that it easily sweep us off course if we don't check our sighting regularly. 2nd loop was easier as we were adapted to the waters. A prayer of thanks after completing loop 2 n head for T1.
Time: 44mins

BIKE(90K) 3 laps of 30k: After the 1st loop, it was like "Shit! Do I have to do this 2 more X!" The hills were tough (to me). Having ride mostly on flats, this was terrible. The last time I felt like quitting any physical exertion was when my Army officer made us run up sand dunes meant for sea reclaimation! On the hills of Desaru, I almost want to throw in the towel after my 2nd lap. The heat, the climbs, the aches, the mental focus,...in my last lap, I was climbing the hills at 10km/h n was trying to shift to the lowest possible gears available, only to find that there was none lower! #$%*&!! why the bike manufacturer don't add in more low gears! After over 20yrs, I found myself talking aloud to myself on the hills of Deasaru; "John, one last hill!", "John, u can do it! Come on! 1 step at a time!", "I am gotta make it!".....When I fnished lap 2, ppl were already running! How demoralising!...."never mind, finishing last also must complete". Started to count ppl behind on my last lap; 21, ok so still won't be last. I was totally depleted (mentally n physically) by the end of the bike leg.
Time: 3hr 43mins

RUN (21K) 2 laps of 10.5K: There was nothing left when I got off the bike; the head n body were empty. After the 1st lap, the thought of quitting resurfaced. "I have come this far would be a waste to quit now"...was reduced to walk/run regime for the final lap.
Time: 2hrs 34mins
Total Time: 7hrs 13mins

Lessons Learned:
1) Don't try this without adequate preparation! I was not, so more suffering than enjoyment.
2) Hill training for cycling is a MUST!
3) Fueling was adequate (5X gels, 2X Rasins, 1X Banana, 3X Salt Tabs)

Conclusion:
1) My current fitness is not ready for half-Ironman and above (the Full Ironmam thingy wld remain as a distant dream)
2) Overall was happy with the swim and glad to be alive to do another race. Satisfied to finish within my targetted 7hrs 30mins.
Very impressed by those staying for hrs to cheer on strangers like us! Some even distributed food n drinks. Thks to Esther who tried to lessen my pain with cool towel and ice-milo and frens like Fion, Maryanne & Ken who cheer us on.

AM NOT GOING TO DO THAT DISTANCE AGAIN ANYTIME SOON!!!

Port Dickson Triathlon (Olympic Distance) 12 July 2009

2009-07-19T01:03:00.000-07:00

On the 11th July morning, our 17th wedding anniversary, Esther and I left for PD. Had a break at Pagoh and took some durians!
Check-in at PD Chorus Resort at 2pm. Simple and nice resort with sea view. The weather was good with clear blue sky. Drove over to race site for race kit collection and took a peep at the race site. I had a lump in my throat when i saw the swim route; the water was choppy with lots of waves! Can make it tomorrow??? It didn't help when the organiser said that tomorrow would be worst b'cause of the high tide (in fact it was so bad that 20% of abt 900 starters gave up)! This time kana con by on-line forum; they say the swim here was easy like in the pool! This year they decided to move the start point out to the sea :(
Joined the carbo loading session cum briefing in the evening. The organiser told us the sea would be rough but 'feel free to call for help, they would throw us floats to hold on for a while n would not disqualify us". Small consolation : ( . Thrughout the entire night, the swim, bike n run thinggi kept running thru my mind. So bad that I woke up at 4am when dreamt that I missed the starting time!
6.30am - The time has come, drove over to race site for the usual prep. The weather was cooling with light rain. Perfect for a race (just like KL marathon)
7.30am - Took a good look at the sea n die liao! High tide, strong wind n very choppy sea! Took a warm-up swim out n don't really like the water temp, too cold n too choppy to see ahead. Was in fact a little panicky. I was not alone, many were already grumbling at the beach and filled with self doubt;"Can I do it?" Many were trying to cheer up n boost the confidence of their intimidated friends. Glad to meet Robin & co n exchange some best wishes.
8.15am - My veteran wave starts. In no hurry to plunge into the water. Did some froggie before using front crawl. The wave was so choppy that I could hardly see ahead at times; can see only the wall of waves coming! Funny, somehow I felt much better with all those trashing limps around, its like feeding on the confidence of others. There were some jokers who relish the waves; like little kids making joyous cheers everytime we ride the crest of the waves. It was a great help to take my mind off my fears! So I tell myself to enjoy the waves too and don't fight the sea. Finally reached the 1st turning buoy after some hard pulling and head into the harbour. With the calmer waters, I could concentrate on my strokes but reserved my strength for the choopy sea later. Goggles got fog up n the U-turn buoy never seems to arrive! Finally u-turn n made it out to the sea again. This time it was much easier as the waves pushed us towards shore. Was a very relief and happy man when I felt the sand under my feet; I did it! Never mind that I was 8mins behind targetted schedule.
Swim Time: 48mins
Cycling: Smooth transition at T1 n head out asap. Again kana con!; someone said the route is flat but it is far from the truth! Up n down, up n down! Quads started to hurt at 13k so I tell myself to enjoy the occasion. So took some time to admire the surroundings...saw this fuuny tree that stood out like a sore thumb...then incredibly, I spotted this dark brown hairy worm trying to cross the road infront in a hurry n was right in line of my path! Hope that it lives to tell his friends of his close shave with the twin" Flyers"! :) Then I saw one of the worst bike accident; this pro n very fast Cervelo rider was on the way back facing me. He suddenly lost focus n went onto the dirt path beside the tarmac, then man n machine did a 360* somersault in the air! Landed, sat up then laid down again holding his chest. Luckily, the race official was near by to help. Reached u-turn point and took some fluid from bottle while cycling. Error in putting back bottle onto rack n lost the entire bottle #@!%^ stupid! My speed ranges from 30+km/h for flats, 40+ for downhills n 12km/h for uphills. Trying to pump up the hills but my quads really hurts. So play safe n reserve strength for the run. Glad to finish it w/o accident and managed to cut 6mins off my targetted cycling leg : )
Bike Time: 1hr 30mins
Run: Transition at T2 is faster than T1. As expected, need to shuffle my leaden legs for 1k b4 picking up speed. Met Eddie from Keypower at 1k n he was alread heading back! Told myself to let loose n flow; so losen my hip n stride. The slopes here r not as bad as in KL n the cool weather helps. Quads were about to cramp after all the slopes n was glad to make it thru the last one; another one more slope would be disastrious. Very satisfied with my run (esp overtaking those bikers who overtook me!) and was 5mins within my target.
Run Time: 55 mins
Total Time: 3hrs 20mins (targetted 3:30)
Lessons Learned:
1) Weakness in quads n lower back
2) Cycle with spare tyre n pump; handful of cyclist with punctured tyres
3) Service bike to prevent broken chain, gear hub, etc
4) Keep away from motor boat/jet ski! The desiel smell made me want to puke! It threw my rhythm & focus off course

Conclusion: It was a marvelous feeling at the finish line; one that would not forget; First for overcoming the fear of the sea, then to finish the race w/o incidents or injuries. It is especially sweet to know that all these months of training paid off and it dawn on me that lots of factors could hv derailed the quest; weather, logistic, body & mind, accidents,...we can train like mad but have to quit b'cause of broken bike (which i saw a few), injured body n surrendered will. Like the Chinese saying it requires"Timing, Material/Logistic & Human" factors to succeed, thus all must come together in unison on the race day to achieve the single minded purpose of crossing that finish line and that I think is what makes the Triathlon so challenging and gratifying! We truly deserve every gram of that silver medal that we proudly hang around our necks!

P.S Many thks to Esther who's support is indispensable! Muck!

28th June 2009 - KL SCM

2009-06-30T05:43:00.000-07:00

My 1st ever overseas event. Has been eagerly waiting for it to arrive n it finallyy did! Reached KL on Fri n did some shopping at China Town area n eating; durains of course! Next day took a train to KLCC; nice building n feels good to see it up close. Did some more shopping n lots of walking. Rested early to prepare for the main event.
28th June 3am, woke up, took banana n hot milo b4 joining Jimmy at lobby. Short walk to the start point at Dataran Merdeka, which looks very much like our Pandang. "High tide" half hr b4 start, went looking for toilet but need to pay n didnt carry $! Thanks to the concealment of darkness n plants at a small nursery, managed to off-load some unwated hot-tea : ) Think the plants won't mind, next yr must take a look n see how well it grows! While forming up at start pt, the sky opened up and was very cooling n remian so throughout, perfect for running.
5am, off we went, reminding myself to wtach out for pot holes, vehicles, hills n body posture. I was so engrossed in all these that I hardly notice the surrounding scenery. 1st drink stop they already giving 100Plus n sponge, very impressed. At 15k they started giving bananas, surely there must be some mix-up! There wasn't as many pot holes as expected n the traffic was fine with me; the policemen were so runner orientated that they would stop all traffic even when there was only 2 of us crossing the junction, much to the ire of the drivers.
There were lots of slopes, lost count of it. Especially taxing was the one at 33k mark leading into the highway. Committed a big mistake here; while trying to stretch muscles, I pulled my R- calf muscle. No choice but to take more walking breaks. Then at 37k, the drinks stn ran out of water! Poor runners were literally scanvenging for water among the empty bottles, helpers were trying to collect whatever droplets of water they could. This was the final straw that kills off all hope of a sub 5 finish :( Finally reliefed to arrived at end pt in 5:10. Pleased with the time considering the tough course.
Nice to share this experience with our fellow Punggol runners n get to know each other better; Perry, he should write a column on FOOD APPRECIATION! n Jimmy is like a Rhino; coming fresh fr SD Ultra n Puket Mararthon then finished KL below 5hrs! He don't know the word 'pain', dont know the word 'give up', dont' know the word 'breathless' ....so i decided to buy him a dictionary! LOL...Respect him for his can-do spirit considering all his injuries n pain. Met some runners from Alor Star at bus depot who called themselves "Ironmen". Hope to see them in our SCM.
Lessons learned:
1) Good to hv strategy for every race
2) Don't be over conservative at early stage
3) Walk breaks n strectches are good but be careful in pulling sore muscles

26th April 2009 - Raw Duathlon

2009-05-05T06:49:00.000-07:00

Woke up at 5.15am, felt lousy, not enough sleep last night; went to see Chinese musical at NLB. Took bread with peanut butter n Milo. Load stuff and reached race site at 6.30am. Wow, so pack already! Set up at transition area and did some warm up. Looking at the cloudless sky, thinking "surely today would be hell!"
Race kicked off at 7.30am sharp. Target to do a 1st 10k run at 60mins. By the time I went into my 2nd loop of 5k around the Changi Aerospace Centre, our dear sun was smiling brightly! Did 58mins, ok within target; not much problem faced. HR at around 90%

Was glad to get the 1st 10k run over and move on to the bike because there are lots of shade along Changi Coastal Rd. Beginning of the cycling session was heavenly; cooling head winds and plenty of cover. Then something that I never experienced occurs at the 7k mark; right calf began to cramp! Shxx! Still got 33k to go and cramps now?! Had to improvise a way to get around it. Dropped the gears and started paddling with left leg and right leg going thru motion. 500m later, it works! Happily, I up the gears after another 1k as right leg seems to be fine. At 12k, now my left calf started to cramp! Wa lao! They taking turns to strike! #@&*! Tried same technic but pain got worst and had to stop. Took opportunity to fix my number tag that came off and take some energy drinks. Did some stretches and go again. By this time the MBs were passing me by :(
Kept at low gear ratio and reduced speed, don't want any more protest from my legs. Is it due to restricted blood flow to legs? Wrong posture? Need to find out more later. Tried to pick up speed at 25k & again at 30k but felt the muscle pull in calfs. So back-off and tried to maintained at about 25km/hr throughout the rest of the distance at about 80%HR. Praying that legs would hold till the finish line. Tried to hold the lower handles and I think it helps to relief the strain on the calfs. Back aches; lower back muscles need strenghtening. By the time I went into my final 10k loop, most of the stylo-milo bikes were gone; they were already running the next 10K! Was a relief to complete my bike leg in 1:42 and prayed hard that legs would not cramp in final running leg.

The next 10k run was one of the hardest that I have ever done! At 35 Degrees heat, our Raw Duathlon became "Cooked" Dauthlon! Told myself to practise positive self-talk, so I told myself that I thrive in heat (after all the LSD with PCRC) and remind myself that Desaru would be worst. It helps when so many participants began to walk in the sweltering heat, so I can pick them off one by one, and it boost my self-belief. Told myself that whoever adapt to the situation will have better chances of success, so continue to press on. In the 1st 5k loop, we graciouly pour ice water on our body and heads with cups.....in the next 5k loop, we lost all manners and pour by the jugs! The ice water did wonders to lower my HR from 90% to 86%. The cooler we are, the more efficient we can run. Ambulances zipped thru a few times, heat stoke cannot play play.

Staring at the burning and blurring tarmac reminded me of my army days whereby we were 'terkan' by the saddistic sgt; making us do push ups and sit-ups on the parade square at 12noon!%$#&! Thoughts like these make me laugh and it helps to elevate the pain. At least for a while. Tried also to encourage some of my fellow suffering souls. The heat got so bad that my only focus was to get from one water point to the other and dream of jug of ice water!
Almost wanted to tear off all my cloths at 7k! God! you can put me anywhere but not in the desert!!! Funny thing was I began to salute those hardy creatures that thrive in the desert! Think I am going crazy!

The sight of the Finishing Point saved me from insanity! Quickly zipped up my cycle shirt, align the number tag (so that photograper can capture mah!)... and adjusted my running posture....die die must appear nice in pics :) . Call it vain,, call it whatever....we deserve it!
Glad to see Esther n children at the finish line. Message to kids: Dad has done it, so can they!
Last 10k run was 1hr 4mins.
Total Time: 3hrs 48mins
As I was enjoying my drinks and banana in the shade......in came Jimmy! Well done bro! Can see that he was totally "cooked" too! :) We were like beef steaks....the "WELL DONE" ones! :)
So, next year going again? During the run, "No!", now "Yes!"...the eternal irony of ALL endurance athletes! ;)

My First Triathlon Race with Medal!

2009-04-21T01:39:00.000-07:00

19 April 2009: Tribob Sprint Triathlon:

Woke up like last Sunday at 5.30am and shxx! it was pouring outside! Not sure if the event would be cancelled. Took same breakfast as last Sunday TriFam event. Thankfully rain stopped at 6.30 and reached site at 6.50am; lucky few to park near the race site. After the rain it was cooling and met KM Wong and Zul! Maybe we can start training together at our PCRC!
Zul went for 2nd swim wave while I choose to go in the last wave; less people better. Took a pre-race dip in the sea and felt good. As I stand at the starting line on the beach, somehow I got sandwich in the middle of the pack! Too late to manoeuvre to the back, so just go along and hope for the best.
As usual, the start was so frenzy! The adrenaline overflows, I think! Found myself getting used to all the trashing of limbs and the sound of thrashing waters like that of hundreds of fishes thrashing in the water as the fisherman reel in the net. Being caught in the middle, I learned the meaning of being elbowed, kicked and pushed! Kana elbow in the face once and learned to 'siam' and fight back; you have to fight for your own space. If not they swim all over you! Had to push away some swimmers to gain space and protect face. Was very weary of the breaststrokers; a kick from their legs pack a punch. Was glad I did not receive any kick in the face. Surprisingly, I wasn't afraid of all these joistling around, in fact I found it to be quite fun! Didn't need to do lots of sighting as the swimmer next to me was doing breast stroke, so i presume he should be able to see the markers clearly. Some of these breat strokers are really good! Swam off-course a little, but better than last weekend. Relax the last 100m to enjoy the sensation of floating in the sea, take a good look at the blue sky and peep at myy fellow swimmers.
Transition was smooth and sped away as fast as I could in my son's bike. The first 5km seems like eternity! and everyone seems to be faster than me! The next 5km, managed to catch up with people using mountain bike. Then my mind began to drift and lost focus; resulted in inefficient paddling. And it seems so hard to catch the next guy. Forced myself to concentrate on technic and it did wonders; managed to overtake some more riders :). Still has a lot of work to put into my cycling, it sucks!

The running leg was/is/will be a drag during the beginning stage. As the mind began to drift again, i almost wanted to stop and walk but told myself to focus and take a step at a time. Regulated my breathing rate and be mindful of my running posture and it helps; found my rythm only at about the 2km mark! From then on the run became more enjoyable. The cooling isotonic drinks and icy plain water was a welcome relief for my head and body . Felt great to overtake youngsters in their 20s :). So relief to see the finish line and some girls were kind enough to hold up the finishing tape and I literally jumped into it! It makes me feel that I am a winner!
Congratulated a lady of 60 yrs at the finish line and she gave me a 'High Five"! Amazing lady and I hope I would still be able to do it at her age :) Well done lady!
Lesson Learned: Stay focus! Stay Focus!! STAY FOCUS!!!
Overall it was more enjoyable than last weekend, as it was my first Tri race. Looking forward to the longer distances for new challenges and with longer running distance, hope that I can catch up with more people! :)
Finally, many thanks to my dearest wife, Esther who took all those superb shots and bear with the heat and hassle!

1st Triathlon Race!

2009-04-14T03:39:00.000-07:00

12th Apr 2009: The day began early, much earlier than I would prefered. It started at 1am and at every hourly thereafter; dreamt of the race and kept waking up! Finally 5.30am arrived, had nice cup of hot coffee and 2 slices of bread. Reached MOE Changi at 6.50am. Beautiful cool and sleepy morning with scattered cotton clouds. Thankfully the sea was calm with light winds. Registered, spread items and do stretches. Then a dog came and stop at my feet and kept sniffing! Paul, my new found friend, joked that it's a anti-dopping dog! That's how the conversation started. Next was at the beach reciving final instructions. Then this Causasian, Trevor, in my age group came over and chat. Said he is slow in swim and run; in the end he came in 3rd! Nice guy.
The swim kicked off and as usual the 'pro' rushed to the lead. My matra is to 'focus' n 'relax', so start off way behind. The frenzie of so many people swimming and thrashing in the water together really can make one excited and charged! Had to calm myself down as my heart goes hay wire. A few long look at the blue sky has a calming effect on me. Told myself to just enjoy it. Overall I swam like a snake; going off-course at various places, so hard to spot the small buoy. The training at Sentosa paid dividends; 2months ago I would not step into the sea without a life jacket!
Finally, reached shore n head for the bike. Suprisingly not as goggy as expected. There weren't many bikes left, so quickly put on whatever necessary and head out to the road. Mid-way the hip and tigh weren't feeling too good. To take my mind off the pain, thought abt how/what to write in my Facebook. Didn't catch any front participants. Almost caught up with a lady but the traffic lights wasn't favoring me today.
When I finished my cycling, some of the runners were already back! So I began to run as fast as I could, but it is impossible to run fast at the start; the legs are wooden n the breathing is out of sync. Finally, managed to catch 2 front runners! The weather was great! In the excitement of it all, forgotten to start my stop watch. Think I did a respectable time in the run.
It sank in at the finished line that I have finally completed a Tri Race and felt so good to share it with Esther; without her support and encouragement, it would be impossible for me to train for it.Don't think I can ever thank her enough. Thanks also to friends who came to help; Mitchell (S'pore youngest Ironman), Perry (who pushed us further out the sea) and Maryanne (who spent many Sat afternoon at Sentosa with us and patiently guide the 'old man' along). Without you guys, my dream would always be a dream! Looking back, such excitement is good for our soul, body and mind! And dreams are good for us to keep going....I dream to do a full Ironman one day but there are still lots of work to be done in my swimmiing n cycling. Can I ever achieve it? I think I can if I am willing to put in effort to train and dare to dream! Are you?

Elderly Woman Ironman

2009-04-01T02:49:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCGLTyTW65k&feature=channel_page

Swim

2009-04-01T02:45:00.000-07:00

Did my longest swim of 2km yesterday in 1:01

Mother's Love

2009-04-01T02:44:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytrVOKZsSA4&feature=channel_page

KL Marathon

2009-03-26T01:41:00.000-07:00

Kl Marathon
Find more Runs in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

22 March LSD Run

2009-03-24T05:01:00.000-07:00

Ran from home to ECP to witness the AVIVA IRONMAN. Alarm rang at 3.30am n set off at 4:05am. First 10k was behind schedule at 1:10. It's always interesting who we would meet during these LSD; whilst at mid-way of Changi Coastal Rd, a cyclist came by to say hello then at NSRCC when the heavens open, an elderly man in SCM tee gave his morning greetings! Simple gestures like these in the darkness n cold just make my day; they are great morale booster! Reached AVIVA IM start point at 7.15am. Witness the final loop for the elite swimmers and the start of the others. Wha....the swim loop looks so long! Think it would be ok to swim with so many people.
The last swimmer, an overweight Caucasian in his 60's, came in at abt 1hr 20mins; there is hope! Admire his courage to keep going in breast-stroke.

Swim

2009-03-18T00:12:00.001-07:00

Did 1.5K in 43:49

Slowwwwww....... Recovery Run

2009-03-17T05:37:00.000-07:00

Legs still feeling sore from Sunday's race, so decided to do a slow recovery run today. As the legs began to roll, it carries the body along...and it fell so good to let the whole body flow.....and the soreness seems to go away. It felt so good to have the mind, body and legs in sync.....felt that I can go on forever! Just thankful for a pair of good legs and healthy body to enjoy the freedom of space and movement.
Distance:9k Time:1hr 05mins

Suburban Run

2009-03-14T23:18:00.000-07:00

Did 10K run. Experienced a muscle pull and pain at my left inner tigh area at the start of race. Was feeling diappointed and worried that I might not be able to complete the race. Think must have over exerted myself during yesterday's sea swim. After changing cadence and shorten my steps, the pain went away at the 1k mark. So thankful that I was able to continue without further problem. At about 6k, my CPU(mind:)) crashed! and suddenly I lost focus on the run (maybe its my body shutting down as the pain overload). Began to look around at the scenery and fellow suffering runners instead. It was at about the 8k mark that my CPU reboot and came back on and rejuvenated the rest of the hardware! By then the sun came out shinning strongly and had to cool off my hardware with water. Finished in 52:44, not my PB (a minute off) but still I enjoyed the race. Reserve the chase for my PB to another day. Son was sick today, so Isable ran on his behalf. After the run, Felicia, Isabel and I took part in the quizz at the YOG booth and each got 8 buttons. Esther also finished quite well. Next race:Passion Run!

2nd Sea Swim

2009-03-14T23:08:00.000-07:00

12 March:Did my 2nd sea swim today at Tanjong Beach with Maryanne and family in tow. Began to be more adjusted to the waters and was able to swim further out. Next trip will attempt to go all the way to the bouy. Did some swim along triangular route. Overall pretty happy with my progress. Needs more sessions prior to the Tribob race. It's good and safer to swim with a buddy; its safer and boost confidence.

Maiden 66K Bike Ride

2009-03-12T00:34:00.000-07:00

Did 66K of riding yesterday starting from home to Fort Rd and back. It was like going back to childhood times where the wind blew across my face and feel the speed and freedom! The only problem is the constant pain in the ass! At Tanah Merah Jetty, my butt was screaming to u-turn and go home! But my brain was more powerful, it sent a message to my butt that reads, "SHUT UP you ASSHOLE!" So the legs kept paddling and paddling......

Three quarter way along ECPark, I was wondering why it felt so smooth sailing? I found out soon enough when I u-turn at Fort Rd...the wind began pushing against my entire body! In the first leg the wind was actually aiding me, now I had to push against it and it took an extra 8mins to complete the return stretch at ECPark.

Other than the pain in the ass, there was a little numbness in my left hand; could be due to the backpack or poor flow of blood. Will have to check with my Triathlon Si Fu. At the 45k mark, got down and did some stretches to ease my butt and rest my hip.

Somewhere near the cargo complex, I lost focus for a split moment and next thing I knew I was lying on the path way! Wow...my $3 gloves does work after all! It had saved me from painful injury to my palm. Had some bruises on my right knee, other than that thankfully, no major injuries (and some bruised ego also :)) Began to tired at the 55k mark and was wondering how to ride up the sloping Loyang Ave. Switched to lowest gear possible and charged up the slope. Then its finally home!

Of the 3 disciplines (swimming, biking & running), I think running is the most difficult and the years spent running has conditioned me to withstand the pain and long hours of exertion.

Swim/Run

2009-03-11T04:44:00.000-07:00

10th March Tuesday: Swim 1.5k(44mins) and Ran 9k(55mins). Slight strain on right calf. Had to stop at 1k mark into run to do some stretching, thereafter it felt ok. Body is able to adjust to the new workout.

Maiden Sea Swim

2009-03-11T04:17:00.000-07:00

8th March Sunday: Did my first ever swim in the sea at Sentosa Tanjong Beach without life jacket! Thanks to Verma Michelle (at 22yrs she is S'pore's youngest ever female sports women to complete a full Ironman race and did it at the Langkawi's tough and sadistic route, she came in 4th in her age group catagory) and also Maryanne who is most helpful and encouraging. They have help moved me closer to my dream of completing a Triathlon.
The first dip in the water was terrifying, I could hardly breath! My lungs seem to have frozen! First thought was to quit and forget about the races that I have registered. After calming down, things turned out to be better. Got to know Michelle better and her colourful life thus far. Its good to meet people halve my age and get infected by their zeal and enthusiasim. Had a good day at the beach with family too.

Triathlon

2009-03-05T00:31:00.000-08:00

Going to attempt the TRIBOB Triathlon on the 19th April!

Tempo Run

2009-03-05T00:19:00.000-08:00

Did 8K Tempo Run yesterday. First time putting on orthortics prescribed by Dr.Lee and found it to be great! Hip is not so sore after the run!