I'm quite sure I overate during the Christmas and New Year period. How am I sure? Because I just feel a bit bloaty and it could be psychological, but it does feel like I'm carrying a lot more weight when I'm running these days.
Nevertheless, I managed to do a 10.1k run yesterday. T'was a very painful run, starting with the shins and followed by the ankles, knees and (here's a weird one) my right hip. You cannot even begin to imagine how many times I wanted to throw in the towel. The last fifteen minutes more or less went like this - Okay, 2.5k, that's like 6 rounds on the track, that's alright...1.5k, that's the distance to the main road and halfway...
So after a month or so I have finally completed 10k again. And I'm very happy once more. Now to cut down on drinking and making the runs more consistent! I'm probably heading for a nice, easy 4k today.
What I did yesterday:
Ran 10.1k in 1 hour 12 mins
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Misadventures in the Gym
On Saturday, I did my 'circuit training'* again and don't ask me how but I managed to pull my left quadricep(s?) stretching. So much for my lunges this week, I had to settle for squats and they hurt because my thigh was sore (I'm using that as my excuse as to why I didn't do my long run yesterday as well).
As usual ("usual" being all of two times) I did the "tens" (7:26 minutes - I remembered to time myself!) but this time I cheated. I started the first 9 push-ups doing proper pushups, but then the rest of the push-ups that followed were girly pushups, on my knees. Somehow despite cheating, I managed to hurt my left wrist. Don't ask me how I did that, I have no idea. In fact I don't even know whether I hurt it doing pushups or I hurt it when I was fiddling with the weights. Aaargh, clumsy clumsy clumsy.
So as I said earlier, I didn't run on Sunday because my thigh was sore, but more because I was just too darn lazy. And 'Zohan' was calling to me from my DVD player.
What I did over the weekend:
Saturday
- Circuit training (approx 45 minutes)
- Swam 15 laps (25:36 minutes)
Sunday
- Went shopping with my good mate (that's like cardio exercise!) who's back in town
*I really have no idea what to call what I do in the gym, so I'm just going to keep calling it 'circuit training'.
As usual ("usual" being all of two times) I did the "tens" (7:26 minutes - I remembered to time myself!) but this time I cheated. I started the first 9 push-ups doing proper pushups, but then the rest of the push-ups that followed were girly pushups, on my knees. Somehow despite cheating, I managed to hurt my left wrist. Don't ask me how I did that, I have no idea. In fact I don't even know whether I hurt it doing pushups or I hurt it when I was fiddling with the weights. Aaargh, clumsy clumsy clumsy.
So as I said earlier, I didn't run on Sunday because my thigh was sore, but more because I was just too darn lazy. And 'Zohan' was calling to me from my DVD player.
What I did over the weekend:
Saturday
- Circuit training (approx 45 minutes)
- Swam 15 laps (25:36 minutes)
Sunday
- Went shopping with my good mate (that's like cardio exercise!) who's back in town
*I really have no idea what to call what I do in the gym, so I'm just going to keep calling it 'circuit training'.
Friday, January 2, 2009
First Run for the New Year
And it sucked big time. Note to self: Don't run after 10am in the morning, it's just way too hot.
I was supposed to run 8k yesterday so that I'd start the year on a good foot. I had a relatively quiet New Year's eve, opting to stay at home and watch Friends instead of drinking my body weight in alcohol, so in theory my body was all well rested when I woke up on New Year's day. At first I thought I'd go run in the evening, since I hadn't woken up early enough, but then it struck me that if I did that, I pretty much had to spend the whole day sober, which was a pretty depressing thought. That's when I decided to go for a run at 11am, with the sun high overhead. It was complete insanity. The heat was just sapping my energy and my feet felt like there were stones tied around them. Which is kind of why I ended up only running 5.5 pathetic kilometres. My first failed run of the year!
Nonetheless, I'm sure this won't be the only failed run, so I just have to get over it and move on. Meanwhile, HAPPY NEW YEAR one and all!
What I did:
Wed: Ran 4.2k in 29:02 mins
Yesterday: Ran 5.5k
I was supposed to run 8k yesterday so that I'd start the year on a good foot. I had a relatively quiet New Year's eve, opting to stay at home and watch Friends instead of drinking my body weight in alcohol, so in theory my body was all well rested when I woke up on New Year's day. At first I thought I'd go run in the evening, since I hadn't woken up early enough, but then it struck me that if I did that, I pretty much had to spend the whole day sober, which was a pretty depressing thought. That's when I decided to go for a run at 11am, with the sun high overhead. It was complete insanity. The heat was just sapping my energy and my feet felt like there were stones tied around them. Which is kind of why I ended up only running 5.5 pathetic kilometres. My first failed run of the year!
Nonetheless, I'm sure this won't be the only failed run, so I just have to get over it and move on. Meanwhile, HAPPY NEW YEAR one and all!
What I did:
Wed: Ran 4.2k in 29:02 mins
Yesterday: Ran 5.5k
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Pool Etiquette
I usually go swimming in the pool at my apartment not because it's particularly great for swimming, but because at 9 at night, it beats travelling out just to get a swim in for the day. Because I'm not entirely sure how long my pool is though, what I refer to as a lap usually means going to and fro, which I convince myself is equivalent to approximately 50m.
The thing I hate about my pool are the kids. Every time I go for a swim my life is on the line. The youngsters think it's funny jumping off a high ledge into the pool and it's just a matter of time before they land on someone and break their neck. I like to hug the wall when I swim because I feel since I'm doing laps, the kids can have the rest of the pool to mess around with. However, since I've started wall hugging, I just feel that swimming is so much more precarious. When I went swimming last night I almost had a kid jump on my head, and believe you me, I wanted to wring that kid's neck right there and then. I also wanted to wring that kid's parents' necks. Firstly, isn't it way past that youngster's bedtime and secondly, you'd think they'd be a little more responsible instead of finding their kid funny. The thing is even if they didn't kill the unwitting swimmer below the ledge, the pool isn't all that deep and just one day some kid is going to crack his head and all these kids/parents would learn the hard way that sometimes a little bit of discipline is good, probably too late.
Other than jumping on my head, the thing I can't stand is when these kids take up the whole entire pool. I'm not asking for much, just the area across the length of one wall. But that apparently is still too much. I spent the bulk of my swim last night very frustrated and very pissed off, because I had to stop every now and then when the kids and their parents played ball the entire width of the pool.
The thing is, I hate being the prick that doesn't understand that children will be children. But it's gotten so annoying swimming in my pool lately that I'm wondering how I can get about all of this. I suppose I could pack up and swim at the club instead of at home, but somehow that feels a little like I'm being chased out of my pool by a bunch of unruly kids and their irresponsible parents.
What I did last night:
Swam 10 very frustrating laps full of starts and stops
The thing I hate about my pool are the kids. Every time I go for a swim my life is on the line. The youngsters think it's funny jumping off a high ledge into the pool and it's just a matter of time before they land on someone and break their neck. I like to hug the wall when I swim because I feel since I'm doing laps, the kids can have the rest of the pool to mess around with. However, since I've started wall hugging, I just feel that swimming is so much more precarious. When I went swimming last night I almost had a kid jump on my head, and believe you me, I wanted to wring that kid's neck right there and then. I also wanted to wring that kid's parents' necks. Firstly, isn't it way past that youngster's bedtime and secondly, you'd think they'd be a little more responsible instead of finding their kid funny. The thing is even if they didn't kill the unwitting swimmer below the ledge, the pool isn't all that deep and just one day some kid is going to crack his head and all these kids/parents would learn the hard way that sometimes a little bit of discipline is good, probably too late.
Other than jumping on my head, the thing I can't stand is when these kids take up the whole entire pool. I'm not asking for much, just the area across the length of one wall. But that apparently is still too much. I spent the bulk of my swim last night very frustrated and very pissed off, because I had to stop every now and then when the kids and their parents played ball the entire width of the pool.
The thing is, I hate being the prick that doesn't understand that children will be children. But it's gotten so annoying swimming in my pool lately that I'm wondering how I can get about all of this. I suppose I could pack up and swim at the club instead of at home, but somehow that feels a little like I'm being chased out of my pool by a bunch of unruly kids and their irresponsible parents.
What I did last night:
Swam 10 very frustrating laps full of starts and stops
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Resolutions for 2009
Because it's THAT time of the year again. Actually I stopped making resolutions when I was 18. I kind of realised then that I couldn't disappoint myself if I didn't put any expectations on myself. Just shows how completely 'ambitious' I am.
Anyway, because I've decided that I'm too easily satisfied with my life and I think I need some new challenges, here goes:
1. Finish a 10k race under 1 hour (the original purpose of this blog!)
2. Finish a half marathon
3. Run at least 20k a week
4. Master how to use the harness in windsurfing
5. Take part in a Bi-athlon
6. Be Triathlon ready - i.e. be able to ride a tri/road bike confidently
7. Have some money to show at the end of 2009 (I am terrible at money management)
8. Eat healthier - more fruits, vegetables and fish!
9.Do more for the less fortunate
10. Finish reading all 101 books in this list
Meanwhile, I had plans to go running tonight but I'm going to have to put that off again because I'm still aching! In fact I'm aching more than yesterday! Might go for a swim instead if my weary, aching self is up for it.
Anyway, because I've decided that I'm too easily satisfied with my life and I think I need some new challenges, here goes:
1. Finish a 10k race under 1 hour (the original purpose of this blog!)
2. Finish a half marathon
3. Run at least 20k a week
4. Master how to use the harness in windsurfing
5. Take part in a Bi-athlon
6. Be Triathlon ready - i.e. be able to ride a tri/road bike confidently
7. Have some money to show at the end of 2009 (I am terrible at money management)
8. Eat healthier - more fruits, vegetables and fish!
9.Do more for the less fortunate
10. Finish reading all 101 books in this list
Meanwhile, I had plans to go running tonight but I'm going to have to put that off again because I'm still aching! In fact I'm aching more than yesterday! Might go for a swim instead if my weary, aching self is up for it.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Recap for the Past Few Days
I've eaten way too much this festive season. Since my last post on Christmas eve, I'm proud to say I actually managed a 4k run back to my kitchen to roast a chunk of beef. The beef turned out pretty darn good, but the gravy, not so much. Ah well, at least I got half of it right.
Christmas day was spent eating the whole day. Well eating and fitting in a nap in between because I had a massive food coma. After two consecutive meals of festive fare, my dad who's a closet Chinaman, had enough of 'ang moh' food so my sis and I built up on our brownie points and brought the folks to Si Bon for a swanky (and in hindsight, ridiculously expensive) Japanese dinner. The service was fantastic, the food was up to standard, and thank goodness no one ordered alcohol...yes, I am cheap like that.
Anyway, as I've mentioned before, I've eaten way too much this festive season. And I didn't do much by way of exercise. I managed to squeeze in a pathetic 2.5k run on Friday. It was one horrific run. I was running late meeting a friend, so I figured I'd run faster. Only the lights worked against me. So every 200m I came abruptly to a stop. I tried to lie to myself that I was doing some strange sort of tempo, interval training thing, but frankly, I was completely exhausted just running the 2.5k. I blame the Christmas gluttony. Of course, instead of sitting home and feeling remorseful, I went out and drowned my sorrows in a lot of alcohol instead.
Needless to say, Saturday was a complete bummer of a day. Yet despite a crazy headache for the whole day, I managed to have two dinners. Well, actually I ate about half of all the leftover turkey stuffing from Christmas eve and then went over to my friend's house to have another Christmas dinner.
Did I say I've eaten way too much this festive season?
After all the eating, sleeping and doing not much else, yesterday I decided I needed to get off my lazy (probably significantly bigger) ass and do something by way of training for the biathlon in February that G and I are almost definitely taking part in. It was too sunny to run yesterday, so I decided to hit the gym where I stayed and do some core training and then head for a swim.
I've wanted to try this Crossfit workout that I've seen on one of my favourite blogs, but was too chicken shit to try the whole twenty one. I figured 10 was good enough for me seeing as I hadn't been doing much core training for the past couple of months. So in essence here's my wuss version of the Steve's "Twenty One" or what I shall un-creatively call "Ten":
9 sit-ups + 1 push-ups
8 sit-ups + 2 push-ups
7 sit-ups + 3 push-ups
6 sit-ups + 4 push-ups
5 sit-ups + 5 push-ups
4 sit-ups + 6 push-ups
3 sit-ups + 7 push-ups
2 sit-ups + 8 push-ups
1 sit-ups + 9 push-ups
No clue how long I took to do it because I was completely exhausted (even after modifying the whole darn workout) and forgot to check my watch.
Following that I did one set of lunges, two sets of split jumps, a whole bunch of crunches, worked on the plank twice (which essentially was all I could manage) and did some arm work with weights. I rounded all this up with 15 laps in the pool which took me approximately 40 minutes.
Cocky, arrogant me. My training log yesterday writes 'Lower back aches a little and thighs are quite fatigued. Everything else fine'. Guess who woke up this morning aching from neck down? And I mean aching to such point where it hurts lowering my ass into a seat, coughing, laughing, reaching for something...in fact, I can't think of anything that doesn't hurt doing at this point.
I'm taking a much needed break today. I couldn't sleep the whole of last night despite lying in bed since 10.30pm at night, which could be because I overworked my body, overate at dinner or overworked my brain by reading when I got sick of tossing and turning. Whichever the case, I'm meeting good, ole Keithie for dinner in what I hope is a sensible night-out.
What I've done other than ramble for 10 paragraphs:
Last Wednesday - Ran 4k in 28 minutes
Last Friday - Ran 2.5k in 15 minutes
Yesterday
- 45 minutes core/weights training (essentially circuit training)
- 15 laps in pool in approx. 40 minutes
Christmas day was spent eating the whole day. Well eating and fitting in a nap in between because I had a massive food coma. After two consecutive meals of festive fare, my dad who's a closet Chinaman, had enough of 'ang moh' food so my sis and I built up on our brownie points and brought the folks to Si Bon for a swanky (and in hindsight, ridiculously expensive) Japanese dinner. The service was fantastic, the food was up to standard, and thank goodness no one ordered alcohol...yes, I am cheap like that.
Anyway, as I've mentioned before, I've eaten way too much this festive season. And I didn't do much by way of exercise. I managed to squeeze in a pathetic 2.5k run on Friday. It was one horrific run. I was running late meeting a friend, so I figured I'd run faster. Only the lights worked against me. So every 200m I came abruptly to a stop. I tried to lie to myself that I was doing some strange sort of tempo, interval training thing, but frankly, I was completely exhausted just running the 2.5k. I blame the Christmas gluttony. Of course, instead of sitting home and feeling remorseful, I went out and drowned my sorrows in a lot of alcohol instead.
Needless to say, Saturday was a complete bummer of a day. Yet despite a crazy headache for the whole day, I managed to have two dinners. Well, actually I ate about half of all the leftover turkey stuffing from Christmas eve and then went over to my friend's house to have another Christmas dinner.
Did I say I've eaten way too much this festive season?
After all the eating, sleeping and doing not much else, yesterday I decided I needed to get off my lazy (probably significantly bigger) ass and do something by way of training for the biathlon in February that G and I are almost definitely taking part in. It was too sunny to run yesterday, so I decided to hit the gym where I stayed and do some core training and then head for a swim.
I've wanted to try this Crossfit workout that I've seen on one of my favourite blogs, but was too chicken shit to try the whole twenty one. I figured 10 was good enough for me seeing as I hadn't been doing much core training for the past couple of months. So in essence here's my wuss version of the Steve's "Twenty One" or what I shall un-creatively call "Ten":
9 sit-ups + 1 push-ups
8 sit-ups + 2 push-ups
7 sit-ups + 3 push-ups
6 sit-ups + 4 push-ups
5 sit-ups + 5 push-ups
4 sit-ups + 6 push-ups
3 sit-ups + 7 push-ups
2 sit-ups + 8 push-ups
1 sit-ups + 9 push-ups
No clue how long I took to do it because I was completely exhausted (even after modifying the whole darn workout) and forgot to check my watch.
Following that I did one set of lunges, two sets of split jumps, a whole bunch of crunches, worked on the plank twice (which essentially was all I could manage) and did some arm work with weights. I rounded all this up with 15 laps in the pool which took me approximately 40 minutes.
Cocky, arrogant me. My training log yesterday writes 'Lower back aches a little and thighs are quite fatigued. Everything else fine'. Guess who woke up this morning aching from neck down? And I mean aching to such point where it hurts lowering my ass into a seat, coughing, laughing, reaching for something...in fact, I can't think of anything that doesn't hurt doing at this point.
I'm taking a much needed break today. I couldn't sleep the whole of last night despite lying in bed since 10.30pm at night, which could be because I overworked my body, overate at dinner or overworked my brain by reading when I got sick of tossing and turning. Whichever the case, I'm meeting good, ole Keithie for dinner in what I hope is a sensible night-out.
What I've done other than ramble for 10 paragraphs:
Last Wednesday - Ran 4k in 28 minutes
Last Friday - Ran 2.5k in 15 minutes
Yesterday
- 45 minutes core/weights training (essentially circuit training)
- 15 laps in pool in approx. 40 minutes
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!!!
And a Happy New Year's Eve to one and all! Being brilliantly efficient I've more or less finished all my work by 1pm, but here I am waiting to go home, where a chunk of raw beef is waiting for me to magically transform it into roast beef for tonight's dinner. Essentially, if I screw up, we get no beef. No pressure on me at all.
So anyway, I had big plans today to go for a run, prepare my beef, save the world, but instead I'm here in the office watching time pass me by and stalking waaaaay too many people (who really aren't worth stalking) on Facebook. Hopefully if all goes well, I'll be off at 4pm (my fingers well crossed) wherein I'll try to squeeze my favourite 4k run into journey home. It's a grey, rainy day here, which translates to a nice, cool run...something I haven't had in a while.
Last random point, I went for Carols by Candlelight at church last night and I love it to bits. Singing carols in a place that could potentially go up in flames has that nice christmas-y feel with a dash of that adrenalin rush that one needs in life. God bless everyone and have a great Christmas eve!
So anyway, I had big plans today to go for a run, prepare my beef, save the world, but instead I'm here in the office watching time pass me by and stalking waaaaay too many people (who really aren't worth stalking) on Facebook. Hopefully if all goes well, I'll be off at 4pm (my fingers well crossed) wherein I'll try to squeeze my favourite 4k run into journey home. It's a grey, rainy day here, which translates to a nice, cool run...something I haven't had in a while.
Last random point, I went for Carols by Candlelight at church last night and I love it to bits. Singing carols in a place that could potentially go up in flames has that nice christmas-y feel with a dash of that adrenalin rush that one needs in life. God bless everyone and have a great Christmas eve!
Monday, December 22, 2008
My Weekend Run
It's always been hard for me to run on the weekends because I always feel this need to do things I can't do on the weekdays. In that sense, running has taken a back seat to windsurfing or rockclimbing come Saturday and Sunday. However, with the onslaught of the North East monsoon in Singapore, I've been too chicken shit to go windsurfing. So over the past few weeks, there've been stories of people bruising ribs, getting hit by masts and I've just decided to be a complete coward and just give the whole monsoon period a miss. I'd like to think I'm being smart, knowing my limitations and all that, but bottom line is, I'm just a wuss.
However, because I have given my beloved board and sail a well-deserved break for the next couple of weeks, I now have time to fit a run into my weekend activities again. The thing is (and you'll see why this is just an excuse to buy more gear) unlike running home and all on the weekdays, I don't have to carry a backpack on the weekend with my work clothes and all...well, in theory I could do that, but it just seems a bit lame. Anyway, since I don't have a backpack, I also can't chuck my bottle of water anywhere. Yes, I know there are people who carry it in their hand, but I've tried that and I really don't find it very comfortable. After debating all this in my head (because I over analyse everything and because I'm also very very paranoid about not being completely hydrated despite me not running looooong distances), I decided to go out and buy me a hydration pack. And you know me, if I buy something new, I have to make an effort to perform up to standard.
So, I'm proud to announce that I'm back! Woo hoo, did me a whole 8k of runnin' in the sweltering heat! Of course, needless to say, all things leg related were screaming in pain throughout the run and I needed to rush into a toilet halfway through because in my focus on being well hydrated I forgot that water gone in had to come out somehow. BUT....I did a long-ish run for the first time in ages and it felt soooo good when I was done!
What I did yesterday
Ran 8k in 54:16 mins
However, because I have given my beloved board and sail a well-deserved break for the next couple of weeks, I now have time to fit a run into my weekend activities again. The thing is (and you'll see why this is just an excuse to buy more gear) unlike running home and all on the weekdays, I don't have to carry a backpack on the weekend with my work clothes and all...well, in theory I could do that, but it just seems a bit lame. Anyway, since I don't have a backpack, I also can't chuck my bottle of water anywhere. Yes, I know there are people who carry it in their hand, but I've tried that and I really don't find it very comfortable. After debating all this in my head (because I over analyse everything and because I'm also very very paranoid about not being completely hydrated despite me not running looooong distances), I decided to go out and buy me a hydration pack. And you know me, if I buy something new, I have to make an effort to perform up to standard.
So, I'm proud to announce that I'm back! Woo hoo, did me a whole 8k of runnin' in the sweltering heat! Of course, needless to say, all things leg related were screaming in pain throughout the run and I needed to rush into a toilet halfway through because in my focus on being well hydrated I forgot that water gone in had to come out somehow. BUT....I did a long-ish run for the first time in ages and it felt soooo good when I was done!
What I did yesterday
Ran 8k in 54:16 mins
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Batam and Then a Longer Run
My exercise over the weekend was courtesy of Habitat for Humanity. A couple of us from the Manchester Alumni headed to Batam to help build houses. Boy oh boy was that the best workout I've gotten in a while. G and I were digging soil to lay on the floor of the quarter built house and level it. It was back-breaking work. We dug and we dug and we dug...and two days later we were still aching all over. I highly recommend working with Habitat, you get to help people and get a fantastic workout! Seriously though, it was an amazing eye-opener for the bunch of us spoilt little brats from Singapore and I think the we returned home with a greater awareness of the world around us. Essentially it was good to get out of our comfort zone and step into a life that wasn't so easy and where material goods weren't as readily available.
BEFORE
AFTER
*I was starting to have a weird tanline on my legs from my $10 pants before taking the 'AFTER' shot (I went out to get $10 pants the day before the trip just so there'd be no heartache if I tore them or anything) so I wound up rolling the pants up to create makeshift shorts, or what I shall now call "shpants" - which sounds like 'shit pants' and being immature, that completely amuses me*
After the day trip to Batam on Saturday, I did a longer run on Monday. Longer than what? Longer than the 4k rut I've been stuck at for the past goodness-knows-how-many-weeks. So I ran my 6.5k on Monday and it was well...quite quite exhausting. But seeing how lazy I've been lately, that was hardly surprising. Nonetheless, I made the 6.5k target, so hopefully this is a sign of less lazy days to come. Fingers well crossed.
What I did on Monday:
6.5k in 49:54 mins
BEFORE
AFTER
*I was starting to have a weird tanline on my legs from my $10 pants before taking the 'AFTER' shot (I went out to get $10 pants the day before the trip just so there'd be no heartache if I tore them or anything) so I wound up rolling the pants up to create makeshift shorts, or what I shall now call "shpants" - which sounds like 'shit pants' and being immature, that completely amuses me*
After the day trip to Batam on Saturday, I did a longer run on Monday. Longer than what? Longer than the 4k rut I've been stuck at for the past goodness-knows-how-many-weeks. So I ran my 6.5k on Monday and it was well...quite quite exhausting. But seeing how lazy I've been lately, that was hardly surprising. Nonetheless, I made the 6.5k target, so hopefully this is a sign of less lazy days to come. Fingers well crossed.
What I did on Monday:
6.5k in 49:54 mins
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Hong Kong Trip
I got back from Hong Kong on Tuesday and since I've been back I've finally hauled my lazy ass out of the taxi on to the roads once again. Before I ramble on about the first run I've done in weeks, first Hong Kong.
There's nothing much to say about Hong Kong since I've pretty much made my friends there tired of meeting up with me because it stops being special when the 'guest from out of town' appears about 3 times a year forcing drinks down peoples' throats. Nonetheless because of their selflessness (and I suspect they secretly hope if they turn up this time, they never would have to again!) I met up with a bunch of them for drinks (what else?) and a good ole catch-up session. T'was great. I love all my friends in HK and they take the edge off the mandatory relative visiting.
The one thing I did this time round in Hong Kong that I've never done before though was go trekking with Jimbo, Steph and my sister. The view from the top of Dragon's Back was fantastic and it was the first real exercise I had done since my last run. After the 8.5k hike, many M&Ms and a bag of crisps later, all of us were ready to just collapse...but of course, one must have the mandatory celebratory drink! And all four of us tumbled dusty and all into some sports bar where we proceeded to order a whole bunch of food and of course a bunch of drink! It always feels great knocking back a couple after a good 3 hours of exercise. I'm hoping the next time I get down to Hong Kong, I get to squeeze some trekking in again. Note to self to wear proper trekking shoes next time, because I slipped on my old pair of trainers and my feet were sore the next day! I'll put the piccies we took up just as soon as I manage to figure out how to transfer them from the camera.
Now to the run. Yesterday, I finally had enough of my sloth. I packed all my running stuff and took a bus down to the track and ran home from there. I ran really slowly, and I still felt quite tired at the end, but I did enjoy my first run in weeks. Muggy and hot conditions aside, the music was good, the legs felt good and in all it just felt like I found my old friend again.
What I did last night:
Ran 4k in 29 minutes (I did say it was a slooooow run!)
There's nothing much to say about Hong Kong since I've pretty much made my friends there tired of meeting up with me because it stops being special when the 'guest from out of town' appears about 3 times a year forcing drinks down peoples' throats. Nonetheless because of their selflessness (and I suspect they secretly hope if they turn up this time, they never would have to again!) I met up with a bunch of them for drinks (what else?) and a good ole catch-up session. T'was great. I love all my friends in HK and they take the edge off the mandatory relative visiting.
The one thing I did this time round in Hong Kong that I've never done before though was go trekking with Jimbo, Steph and my sister. The view from the top of Dragon's Back was fantastic and it was the first real exercise I had done since my last run. After the 8.5k hike, many M&Ms and a bag of crisps later, all of us were ready to just collapse...but of course, one must have the mandatory celebratory drink! And all four of us tumbled dusty and all into some sports bar where we proceeded to order a whole bunch of food and of course a bunch of drink! It always feels great knocking back a couple after a good 3 hours of exercise. I'm hoping the next time I get down to Hong Kong, I get to squeeze some trekking in again. Note to self to wear proper trekking shoes next time, because I slipped on my old pair of trainers and my feet were sore the next day! I'll put the piccies we took up just as soon as I manage to figure out how to transfer them from the camera.
Now to the run. Yesterday, I finally had enough of my sloth. I packed all my running stuff and took a bus down to the track and ran home from there. I ran really slowly, and I still felt quite tired at the end, but I did enjoy my first run in weeks. Muggy and hot conditions aside, the music was good, the legs felt good and in all it just felt like I found my old friend again.
What I did last night:
Ran 4k in 29 minutes (I did say it was a slooooow run!)
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Death
Death always trips me up. I'm not great at dealing with it. And more than anything else I become teary eyed over small little things for the next couple of days. Which is fine if I was really close to anyone involved in the death. But when all it is is that I've studied together with the girl who passed on more than a decade ago and that's probably the closest link I can muster up, somehow I feel like a complete fraud. What right do I have to feel so sad for her husband or her family? All I can do is sympathize and offer nothing by way of empathy. And then on top of all this, I realise how lacking my life is. At least she loved and she was loved. I just feel as if I take everything for granted and get very caught up in meaningless nonsense. I don't even know what this entry is for because now I feel like I'm just typing out random thoughts that happen to float into my head and there seems to be no obvious reason or train of thought I'm having at all.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Okay, I Feel REAALLLY Bad
I do, I do. I've been so utterly lazy the past two weeks and I am wrecked with guilt. But apparently not enough for me to do any real exercise. Sigh.
What I did over the weekend:
Saturday: Windsurfed for 2 hours (had a backache for 2 days as a result)
Sunday: Rockclimbed for 1 hour
Found out on Friday that one of my old school/classmates was a victim of the Indian tragedies. My prayers go out to her husband and family at this point in time. Terrorists suck.
What I did over the weekend:
Saturday: Windsurfed for 2 hours (had a backache for 2 days as a result)
Sunday: Rockclimbed for 1 hour
Found out on Friday that one of my old school/classmates was a victim of the Indian tragedies. My prayers go out to her husband and family at this point in time. Terrorists suck.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Sick
Bah, I'm on the brink of a flu and I've been fighting it for almost a week now. What with multi-vitamins, lots of water, tons of rest...in fact I haven't run since last week...although that probably is more due to laziness than illness. Despite my efforts I'm having a persistent cough that wouldn't go away. Hopefully if I keep up the rest, water and vitamin intake, I'll be feeling 100% by next week and I'll have no excuse to not run!
I miss waking up bright eyed and bushy tailed!
I miss waking up bright eyed and bushy tailed!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Back to Being Lazy
Wow....I haven't run since last week's pathetic 4k run. So that's like 5 days (except for the 1.5 hours of windsurfing on Saturday...which to me is more fun than exercise) of laziness. Don't I feel guilty now...
Monday, November 24, 2008
Cuts, Scrapes, Bruises and One Wrecked Sail
My poor sail is with the Windsurfing Doctor this week because I managed to make two huge holes in two separate panels. So RM is going to get it all fixed up for me and hopefully I'm good to go next weekend.
I tried using the harness on Saturday and it was well, weird. I get the whole, 'your arms will be less tired, you're using your body weight' argument, but firstly, I kind of like my arms being tired and secondly, being hooked onto the sail just means if I let go of my sail because of whatever reason, the darn thing pulls me along with it and I wind up landing on my sail, looking completely stupid and putting rips and tears into it.
But being me, I don't like knowing that I suck at anything (which is probably why at some point of time, I'll probably be heading back to complete my dive course). So I'm sure I'll be back next Saturday, harness and all, putting new holes in my sail and more. L's going to look at my rig next week and I might be on my way to buying a new sail! I hope to God it's a lot lighter than my current sail!
What I did over the weekend:
Saturday: Windsurfed for 1.5 hours
I tried using the harness on Saturday and it was well, weird. I get the whole, 'your arms will be less tired, you're using your body weight' argument, but firstly, I kind of like my arms being tired and secondly, being hooked onto the sail just means if I let go of my sail because of whatever reason, the darn thing pulls me along with it and I wind up landing on my sail, looking completely stupid and putting rips and tears into it.
But being me, I don't like knowing that I suck at anything (which is probably why at some point of time, I'll probably be heading back to complete my dive course). So I'm sure I'll be back next Saturday, harness and all, putting new holes in my sail and more. L's going to look at my rig next week and I might be on my way to buying a new sail! I hope to God it's a lot lighter than my current sail!
What I did over the weekend:
Saturday: Windsurfed for 1.5 hours
Friday, November 21, 2008
All About Fish
Long time ago, I mentioned that I had too much body fat and was trying to eat a bit more healthily. I can't remember if that's actually what I wrote, but in my head I knew I had to start eating more healthy.
Since that entry, I've made only a half-hearted effort at eating healthy. The moment I started running 7k and upwards, I convinced myself I could eat anything. So I've been eating all kinds of junk - McDonalds for breakfast, curry for lunch, fries in the afternoon and the list goes on...
This week, I decided to make some effort to eat a bit healthier and have more fish. Fish to me is the miracle food group. Every other runner goes on about having more carbs, but I'm more about the fish. There are so many health benefits in fish and it tastes oh so yummy when it's cooked just right.
So, my fish intake this week has been as follows:
Monday: Asian Grilled Salmon with buttered bismati rice and stir fry vegetables
The recipe for the salmon is here and this time around I went easy on the sugar, so the fish turned out just nice. Tasty and healthy.
Tuesday: Grilled Sanma with Curry Udon
Sanma is one of my favourite fishes. I know it's strange, but it tastes soooo Japanese. And it's so easy to make, just season with salt and pepper and chuck it on the grill. The curry udon was a bit on the dodgy side though. Coupled with the fact that my sister completely overcooked the udon and added too much water to the curry, the whole thing just tasted like it was choke full of MSG.
Didn't do fish on Wednesday
Thursday: Grilled Italian Sea Bass fillet with Herb Butter
I didn't cook this. One of my close guy friends and I went on one of our dinner dates at this lovely Italian restaurant on Bukit Timah called Casa Roma and they served a really mean fish dish. My dinner date had a lovely squid ink pasta with prawns in white wine sauce. It was a kick ass dinner!
SO that's my fish roundup for the week!
Since that entry, I've made only a half-hearted effort at eating healthy. The moment I started running 7k and upwards, I convinced myself I could eat anything. So I've been eating all kinds of junk - McDonalds for breakfast, curry for lunch, fries in the afternoon and the list goes on...
This week, I decided to make some effort to eat a bit healthier and have more fish. Fish to me is the miracle food group. Every other runner goes on about having more carbs, but I'm more about the fish. There are so many health benefits in fish and it tastes oh so yummy when it's cooked just right.
So, my fish intake this week has been as follows:
Monday: Asian Grilled Salmon with buttered bismati rice and stir fry vegetables
The recipe for the salmon is here and this time around I went easy on the sugar, so the fish turned out just nice. Tasty and healthy.
Tuesday: Grilled Sanma with Curry Udon
Sanma is one of my favourite fishes. I know it's strange, but it tastes soooo Japanese. And it's so easy to make, just season with salt and pepper and chuck it on the grill. The curry udon was a bit on the dodgy side though. Coupled with the fact that my sister completely overcooked the udon and added too much water to the curry, the whole thing just tasted like it was choke full of MSG.
Didn't do fish on Wednesday
Thursday: Grilled Italian Sea Bass fillet with Herb Butter
I didn't cook this. One of my close guy friends and I went on one of our dinner dates at this lovely Italian restaurant on Bukit Timah called Casa Roma and they served a really mean fish dish. My dinner date had a lovely squid ink pasta with prawns in white wine sauce. It was a kick ass dinner!
SO that's my fish roundup for the week!
I Suck at Running
I do. 10 seconds into the run, I was exhausted. Yes, TEN.WHOLE.SECONDS. It was pathetic. I bumped into a friend midway through the run, so I had to look lively for a good 5 minutes after (you know, one always has to give the impression that one's at the peak of their fitness....it's an ego thing and I'll be the first to admit to that).
I think because I haven't been running enough lately, my legs have forgotten how to run. And I'm back to starting off too fast. And not drinking enough water through the course of the day.
So today my legs don't feel good. After spin class on Wednesday and last night's run, I think I should just give my tired feet a wee break. And I know I didn't run all that far yesterday, but well....WHATEVER....I think I've been pretty darn good this week with the swimming, cycling and running...ooh, I can probably take part in a triathlon after this...but like a really really short one
What I did last night:
Ran: 4k in 29:10
I think because I haven't been running enough lately, my legs have forgotten how to run. And I'm back to starting off too fast. And not drinking enough water through the course of the day.
So today my legs don't feel good. After spin class on Wednesday and last night's run, I think I should just give my tired feet a wee break. And I know I didn't run all that far yesterday, but well....WHATEVER....I think I've been pretty darn good this week with the swimming, cycling and running...ooh, I can probably take part in a triathlon after this...but like a really really short one
What I did last night:
Ran: 4k in 29:10
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Back Spinning
Whoa, crotch burn!!!!
I went back to spin classes last night and I have to say I enjoyed this class a bit more than the Monday classes. The lady was more attentive and didn't let anyone slack off. On top of that when she was leading the class on her bike and somehow no matter how much I felt like dying it was nice knowing that she was as drenched in sweat as I was. The guy on the Monday class just seems to shout a lot and the only reason he was sweaty was probably only because he was so into his shouting.
I think I might start going for these Wednesday classes from now on, which means I've got to play around with my schedule.
What I did last night:
Spin classes for 1 hour
I went back to spin classes last night and I have to say I enjoyed this class a bit more than the Monday classes. The lady was more attentive and didn't let anyone slack off. On top of that when she was leading the class on her bike and somehow no matter how much I felt like dying it was nice knowing that she was as drenched in sweat as I was. The guy on the Monday class just seems to shout a lot and the only reason he was sweaty was probably only because he was so into his shouting.
I think I might start going for these Wednesday classes from now on, which means I've got to play around with my schedule.
What I did last night:
Spin classes for 1 hour
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The Non-Run
I did swim though!
By the time I got home yesterday, I was just too lazy and hot to do any running. I think this is why I prefer incorporating my run into my journey home. I don't feel I'm wasting more time running after I've taken an hour to get home. Did I say 'wasting time'? Sacrilege! But yes, when it's half seven and I haven't had dinner, the thought of a one hour run isn't all that welcome.
All the same, I did swim 15 laps in the pool and didn't pick up a neck ache for a change, so I did do some sort of exercise!
What I did last evening:
Swam 15 laps in 1/2 hour (I think, I kind of only half checked the time)
By the time I got home yesterday, I was just too lazy and hot to do any running. I think this is why I prefer incorporating my run into my journey home. I don't feel I'm wasting more time running after I've taken an hour to get home. Did I say 'wasting time'? Sacrilege! But yes, when it's half seven and I haven't had dinner, the thought of a one hour run isn't all that welcome.
All the same, I did swim 15 laps in the pool and didn't pick up a neck ache for a change, so I did do some sort of exercise!
What I did last evening:
Swam 15 laps in 1/2 hour (I think, I kind of only half checked the time)
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
I Must Run Today
I must run today I must run today I must run today I must run today I must run today I must run today I must run today I must run today I must run today I must run today I must run today I must run today I must run today
My chant for the moment because I'm getting really sleepy.
My chant for the moment because I'm getting really sleepy.
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