Nike+ Human Race 10K Race Report

If I had to give an award this year for different races, the Nike race would win the prize of 'Most Gimmicky Race'. From the bit where everyone HAD to run the race wearing the same T-shirt that had your race number (ie, you're Number 359,128 amongst all the million runners in the world - they had a separate race number for each country's individual race which makes the whole 'world number' kind of lame) emblazoned on it to the finisher's medal...not really a medal but a Nike arm band which I'm sure many many people will be wearing in the days to come as a whole 'guess what I got this from the Nike 10K run I completed'...to the really annoying local rock bands they brought up to entertain the crowd (you know that 'look at how how open we are to different kinds of music because we've got the whole ipod thing going').

Maybe it's because I had a crappy run that's why I'm being hard on the Nike run, because other than their completely crap website and lack of email notifications, the actual run itself was pretty well organised. I had some crap time (no idea what the actual time is since the Nike website sucks and I can't access it) because well, I haven't been doing much by way of running for a long while now, plus the tons of unhealthy food I've been shoving down my throat can't have helped. I had a side stitch pretty early on the race and had to stop to walk about 4k in because my chest felt tight, and my legs just felt miserable. R was actually being nice and running with me (poor chap had to take tiny little strides) at the beginning, but I fell so far behind he had to leave me in the dust about midway through.

So I've come to the conclusion that next year I'm going to save me some moolah and not do any Mizuno or Nike runs. The thing is I really don't see why I should pay all this money (these races are pretty pricey) when I don't really need the free goodie bag (which isn't 'free' seeing as you're paying more for these races than any regular race). I know a lot of locals run for the race pack and all the freebies in it, but frankly I'd rather have the money I put into a race go to a good cause then another t-shirt or water-bottle or backpack.

Race Time: 1hr 22 mins (as per my watch which I forgot to turn off till I had my post-race drink - Nike website sucks!!!!)

What I did yesterday:
1hr in the gym working the core

A Very Easy 7k

After much lounging around, excuses followed by pangs of guilt, I finally laced up my runners and hauled my KFC-filled body out on the roads. I'm quite happy I did that. Okay, so it wasn't a huge distance, nor was it anything close to speedy. But, it was me finally climbing out of the lazy rut and a run is a run at the end of the day.

Surprisingly, post-run I actually felt (and still feel) pretty good. I suspect that previously I was over-working myself with all the running, muay thai, swimming training, pilates etc. My muscles didn't actually have time to heal and I was getting to a stage where running was becoming more a drag than something I at least looked forward to. Moral of the story, I'm going to be a bit more sensible going forward and do things in a bit more moderation. All things going well, I'll have no more bouts of illness or injuries for a while!

What I did last night:
Ran 7k in 51mins

AM running

So far of the one million times I've tried waking up early in the morning to run, I have succeeded a grand total of 1 time and it probably was a fluke I was up that early anyway. I was supposed to be up to do an easy 4k - 5k this morning but when the alarm went off at 6am the excuses started - I'll sleep another 5 minutes/I can run during lunch/I can run after work/I'm too dehydrated to run this early...blah blah blah. So now I have to run during lunch because I didn't wake up early enough to run. Better yet, despite sleeping the extra 1 hour, I still feel tired, which makes me feel as if I should have just woken up and run the damn 4k.

Big plans to wake up at 6am tomorrow and try this again. Wish me luck.

Last note: I've just discovered how ridiculously easy to fall back into the lazy cycle. I've been ill for the past week and have sat on my ass eating fried chicken and other similarly unhealthy meals. I also haven't been doing anything close to exercise. And somehow, while there's a little part of me that feels guilty, I'm actually pretty happy being lazy for the most part.

Salomon X-Trail / Tinny Run Reports - ish

Thanks to the lovely cough that's keeping me up most nights, I decided to give the Salomon X-Trail Run a skip and go down as a supporter. R did the muddy, hilly run and enjoyed it, which made me kind of bummed that I was too sick to take part. Bah. I have some pictures somewhere.

As for the Tinny Run, maaaan....I dropped out of that. Firstly it was unlikely I was going to be any better than I was in the morning (where I skipped the Salomon Run) and secondly, running with a tummy full of beer, SHEER MADNESS! R did pretty well and got held back by the big spoil- sport, essentially me. He has plans to train me well in the art of downing cans of beer and running madly after. Good luck to him.

Meanwhile, I'm still coughing away and I am so behind in training and fitness. Tonight I'll do a little core training, just to ease my guilty conscience.

On the Brink of Illness

I've been feeling a bit out of it lately. Been really sleepy and I've got an annoying cough to boot. I've decided also to be sensible and take the next two days off running/muay thai etc. Sigh, what a bummer.

What I did yesterday:
Swim training for 1 hour

I Woke Up At 6am!

And did a 6.5k run!

What I've done:
Friday: Ran 11k in 1:27 hr
Saturday: 1hr of pilates (Tower)
Today: Ran 6.5k in 50:18min - Yeah, the time's crap, but it was some insane hour of the morning!)

Reebok Pink Ribbon Walk - Women 5k Competitive Run Race Report

The Pink Ribbon Run/Walk was actually pretty well organised and also for a good cause. I did this race purely to find out what my 5k time was and I have to say I'm rather disappointed. I don't think it's a great time at all. I know I started way too fast and then I was struggling to maintain the idiotic speed I started at; then I spotted a friend walking around and decided to use that as an excuse to rest some (I stopped mid-race and went over to her say hi); then I managed to start again at a slower pace...and that essentially was my race. Needless to say my second 2.5k was faster than my 1st split (because I didn't have anyone to say 'hello' to) and because I somehow managed to find some reserve deep within me and dash the last 100m. I'm proud to say that my pace then was 3:28min/km...and that essentially is all I'm proud of in the entire race.

My personal timing aside, the race was at East Coast Park (which I hate running in so much) and it was just 5k of mind-numbingly dull flat road. Everything went smoothly - there really is nothing much one can say about a 5k run, since it really is just 5k at the end of the day.

More interesting than the race, is my 25k evening bike ride which was a real kick-ass (or crotch) workout. A couple of us joined Terra Outdoor for their Mid-Autumn Festival Western Connect Ride from Ghim Moh to Jurong freaking Bird Park! Okay, we didn't cycle all that fast and it was more a leisurely ride than anything else, but it was fun all the same!

Race Time: 30:28 mins (new PB!) - First split: 15:56 mins, Second split: 14:32 mins

What I did:
Saturday: 25k bike ride

My First Tempo Run

was pretty good fun but sure took a lot out of me! I think I may have run too fast in the middle and then having to hold that pace was sheer torture. All in, this run made me realise how easy I've been taking my runs. I've essentially become so used to running at my grandmother's pace that pushing myself harder has become a foreign concept.

What I did
Wednesday: 25 minute Tempo Run

Swim Training

Last night I went for swim training at the Club again and I must say I'm enjoying it more and more each week. You see, by nature I'm really really lazy, which means the moment something aches a teeny tiny bit, I stop. Because in my head that means I've worked hard - You'll only understand how that translates out if you're as lazy as I am.

We did pull a whole bunch of drills - kick drills (leg burn!), backstroke drills, breast stroke drills etc - and wrapped the whole thing up with two mad sets (the coach took pity on me, everyone else did 4 sets) of sprint intervals. I was panting like a dog at the end of it, but it felt goooood!

What I did:

Monday: Ran 9.5k in 1hr 10 mins
Yesterday: 1hr swim training

Running Philosopher - Running with Music

A friend of mine has just lately started running as a philosophical experience. He had also just finished reading Murakami's 'What I Talk About When I Talk About Running' and decided to dust off his running shoes (You can read his account here).

I've been for a couple of races with him, (which despite him not running at all before, still managed to beat me hands down!) and have had quite a bit of fun. I won't quite say that he's any replacement for G as my favourite race buddy yet (for one, he's too darn fast for someone who doesn't train!) but it's been interesting. He's asked me before what I think about when I run and I had to tell him the truth - the only thing in my head is that continuous whiny voice in my head going on about another different part of me that aches.

The thing is though, that isn't entirely true. I've become so used to slagging off running (in a kind of experienced, nonchalant 'the pain and I are one' way) that I neglect to mention that there are times, certainly not all the time, that my mind wanders off and the run goes by in a rather pleasant flash. In the past year, I've become the kind of runner that has become way too reliant on my Ipod. If I forget to bring my music in to work, I'll start my run thinking it's going to be dull and boring. This really doesn't make any sense since half the time I'm listening to the same 5 songs over and over again when I run. I hate uploading songs into my Ipod and I only had the patience to upload 5 CDs before I called it a day. The irony of it is that I only listen to 1 of those CDs, and even then I only listen to 5 songs on that one CD. So it really can't be that the music is entertaining me. On a normal day I don't even like listening to music all that much! Maybe I need the noise to distract that voice in my head that shouts out which joint hurts. Or maybe I've become lazy about going to church and this is the one time I can fit in a huge powerful worship session.

The times I do forget to bring my Ipod, I start the run with a sense of dread - how am I going to go through a whole long run without music? But ironically enough, those runs have been the runs where the voice in my head isn't as active. Last week I forgot to bring my Ipod, for instance, and I got through the run pretty fine. I also tailed this random guy who became my pacer (and my pseudo running buddy) about half the way, but that's another story.

So the aim of my long long rambling post? I think from now on, I'm going to try to ditch the Ipod sometimes. I won't give up my powerful worship sessions altogether, but I'll try to go music-less at least once a week. Running with music just makes me all too aware of the whining in my head...you know, because I'm trying to shut it out therefore subconsciously I know it's there blah blah...

For all the stuff I was too lazy to put down last week:

Tuesday: 1hr Swim Training
Wednesday: Ran 6.02k in 46:38 mins
Thursday: 1hr Climbing
Friday: Ran 2.98k in 21:06mins
Saturday: 1hr Pilates

Hello Side Stitch My Old Friend

I've come to talk with you again...Why oh why are you back?!?!? I guess it was probably my fault dragging you out of oblivion by having a bit too many glasses of wine, too little sleep and not enough food. Was it the curry I ate the night before? Was it because I felt a bit thirsty before I headed off for what was supposed to be a 5k run before you came by and reduced it to a pathetic 2k run? Please reply me and tell me how to send you back to your happy place so that I can return to mine!

Mizuno Wave Run Race Report

Coming on the heels of the very well-organised Yellow Ribbon Run, yesterday's race was one of the more disappointing races I've done this year(the other would be the Mizuno Mt Faber Run...now does anyone spot a pattern?). The usual Mizuno screw-ups include the lack of signs stating how far you've run (if that was the only thing wrong, I could probably live with that, since I figure this 'need' is more a result of being spoilt by the Yellow Ribbon Run); no roads were shut, so we had to stop at every single traffic light; one water stop (there were only 4 in a 16k race) ran out of water (definite no-no!); the run was NOT 16k; and the race marshals didn't bother to stay till the end of the race, so the last runners were lost and people like me had to give them directions to the end.

It was so poorly put together that I don't know why they bother to do 3 races every year. In fact I don't know how they can organise 3 races annually and still not learn that they need to provide more water...this is the 2nd Mizuno race this year that has run out of water and well...I think it's going to be the last Mizuno race I take part in. I don't see how they can charge someone 45 bucks for a crappy race. And not a single cent of that goes to a good cause!

Grumbling about the race aside, I was a wreck after the race and my foot ached. Somehow the human body seems able to take up to a certain amount of running before everything falls apart. Parts that never used to hurt, hurt so much and I've managed to get my under arms chafed from the constant abrasion of my shirt seam! BUT beyond all the pain, I did 16k! And somehow that makes all the aches and pains feel just that little bit more worthwhile.

Race Time: 2:26:39 hours

Welcome Back Bruises

Guess what I did yesterday?

If you've guessed Muay Thai, you'd be correct. I look like some battered wife.

What I did yesterday:

1hr of ass-kicking, back-breaking Muay Thai

The Next Level

I did a 12k run yesterday and it was hard. It was also the furthest I've run in my life, somehow though I didn't feel that giant sense of accomplishment I get after hitting new milestones. I suspect it's because I knew that I stopped a million times at petrol stations and convenience stores to use the washroom or get a drink. It's pathetic I know, 12k and all of a sudden my bladder goes nuts. Good luck to me at the half marathon. Hopefully my bladder will be well-trained by then.

My right hip is aching today for some reason and the legs are tired, but not overly sore, so I guess on the whole I might actually be able to manage the 16k race this Sunday. I probably won't be the speediest person there, but hopefully I'll finish it in a respectable time.

What I've done:
Monday: Swim drills 1hr
Tuesday: Pilates 1hr
Yesterday: Ran 12k in 1hr 35 mins

The Yellow Ribbon Prison Run Race Report

I left the house yesterday in the middle of a spell of thunder, lightning and crap loads of rain and I thought 'Bummer, another race cancelled'. But the race took place far east of the island and thankfully the sky was just overcast and all it let loose was a slight drizzle. Which made for fantastic run weather...which is very rare in Singapore.

Gina (my good ole running buddy) wasn't too keen on waking up at stupid o'clock in the morning to travel from one end of the island to another, so I basically passed her race tag to Mun...who's a guy. He ran the entire run with a girl's tag and informed us proudly of his strategy to duck behind someone every time he saw cameras. So, sorry Gina, there probably isn't going to be any pictures of 'you'.

The Yellow Ribbon Prison Run was surprisingly well organised for an inaugural run. Everything ran smoothly (although I have a feeling there was something up with the guys' baggage drop...not my concern since it didn't affect me!) and the distance was nicely marked out each kilometre of the way. The route was rather on the tough side though...up and down and up and down and....that pretty much was the entire route. All in, it was pretty damn grueling. The run ended with a downhill run for about 1 k...which I dashed down...only to have my heart plummet to the very pits of my stomach when at the bottom of that you're faced squarely with a nice slope...not too far but pretty much guaranteed to wipe out the last iota of energy in you.

I got home and crashed for 2 hours. For some reason I was totally wiped out. Waking up ridiculously early coupled with a hard 10k just killed me. Still I made it up in time to collect my race pack for the 16k run next week and watch R at his hockey game. Roll on Mizuno Wave Run!

Race Time: 01:03:37 hours (new PB!)

Running

I had grandiose plans to do a 15k run on Wednesday, but that more or less got thrown out the window the moment I started my run and every joint hurt. I managed to get a 10k in which more or less throws my training plans out of whack. Well sort of...I'm going to try to fit a 5k run in tomorrow and have a nice pilates session and then it's the Yellow Ribbon Run on Sunday morning at the other end of the island...

Hai Yah!

I ache. As I always do after Muay Thai. I ache so much. My knuckles ache, arms ache, my back aches, my shoulder aches...ache ache ache....whine whine whine. We had Rob in last night's lesson and he's really tough on the class. I'd say he was a real meanie, but out of class he's actually pretty nice. He was hard as nails last night though. Numerous 2 min speed boxing sets, endless amounts of push-ups and sit-ups. I think at one point my left arm actually went numb and I couldn't feel it at all. Although, in spite of all this, during the class itself, the boys were bigger whingers than the girls. So HAH! the girls rule.

Swimming training tonight and my arms really don't feel up to it!

What I did last night:
1 hr Muay Thai training

Weekend Recap

I was supposed to do a race on Sunday, and I slept early the night before and woke up feeling great, only to have the race completely rained out. So that's 3 races in a row that I haven't done now. Although, yesterday's race wasn't really my fault. In the end, G and I ran back to our respective homes in the miserable rain and whilst it wasn't a 12k race, I'm pretty happy that I did something in the end.

Saturday was a complete wash because James (my dinner buddy) and I had our monthly dine-out on Friday and succeeded in finishing a bottle of wine. Each. R didn't do much better himself since he was off on a nice little wine event (that dragged on the whole day) and was pretty much as plastered, if not more plastered than I was. Nonetheless, we both managed to drag ourselves out to lead the Alumni Running Club in a 5k walk. He was retching the entire way while I don't think my head stopped spinning at any one time in the walk!

What I did since I last posted:
Wednesday: Ran 10k
Thursday: 1 hr swim training
Friday: Proceeded to make Saturday a complete waste of a day
Saturday: 5k walk in the Botanical Gardens
Sunday: Ran 7k

The Familiar Aches

of Muay Thai! I thought it was going to be a wuss class on Monday. I mean, I'm tough right? Not so. My wings, my forearms and my upper arms are in such agony...and mind you this is a good 2 days after my session. Little secret? I'm kind of liking it. I've missed the burn and the feeling that I've whipped my pretty little ass into shape. Makes me feel hard core. I'm sure I've mentioned that millions of times. The thing with MT (which I wasn't so big on at first) is that I'm doing things that, left in a gym by myself, I probably wouldn't do. I don't think I'd do as many sit-ups or push-ups. Nor would I work my arms till burning point. I'd usually just stop the moment my arms ache just a wee bit and then come to a grinding stop, pat myself on the back and feel happy that I've 'worked-out'. Yes, I don't actually push myself at all.

Yesterday's pilates wasn't so pretty. I don't think it was the hardest class I've been for, but everything was just screaming in pain and I was struggling to do any of the arm work. I think I need to give those arms a break for a couple of days....well, till Thursday since I plan to make swim training at the club!

Meanwhile, I'm putting in a 10k run tonight. If I don't get lazy and stop half way like I did last week.

What I've done:
Monday: 1hr of Muay Thai
Tuesday: 1 hr of Pilates

Very Lazy

I had a 5k charity run on Sunday and I didn't go for that. Somehow I've managed to fall into this rut of laziness...or I've just gotten used to not turning up for races. Sigh....

That aside, last Thursday I went for my first swim training at the British Club and it was tough. Good tough. The coach (whose name I really don't recall!) looked at my swim stroke and I'm proud to say that my right arm stroke (what on earth do you call it?) was very very good. But he also said that my left arm stroke was really really crap. I could be a brilliant swimmer, but for my left arm! Damn left arm! The last bit about the 'brilliant swimmer' was my own swim analysis, don't think the coach said anything close to me being brilliant.

I did a crappy 2.4k fartlek run on Friday and drank too much wine after, which meant my Saturday was more or less a lost cause. My grand plan to do muay thai in the afternoon, became an afternoon of hitting the beers. Gah.

And to round up my already lazy weekend, I didn't turn up for my 5k run. Terrible terrible. I did go to the gym for some core training though, so that made me feel a little better. All the calories that might have burnt were put back at dinner. On a whim, I decided to make Beer Butt Chicken (I basically took a bunch of recipes and came up with something) and a very sinful apple crumble. Guess this week'll be spent working off all those added calories!

What I've done:
Wednesday: Ran 7.23k in 58:40 mins
Thursday:45 minute swim training
Friday: Ran 2.4k in 16:49 mins