Changi Village Run

Went for the 4th sgrunners running gathering. The run starts from Changi Village outside 7-11 down to Old Changi Hospital and then Loyang Ave, Changi Coast Road and back to Changi Village.
This was the same route that I was trying to get going about 2 weeks ago but which had to be scrapped at the last minute. Since I had wanted to run there for a long time, grabbed the opportunity and joined the sgrunners.

A big group came. There was many of them whom I have already met, TLR, Taz, Tiwazz, Carine, Cookie, Diver, Dream, DO and the rest meeting for the first time - 136, Walfish, Choon Wei, Teelee, Kelly and Philip.

The run started off slowly and when we reached the hospital, we walked up and stopped there for a while while 136 who had previously served his NS in the region pointed out the various buildings. It was dark and a bit creepy but with so many people around, nobody was frightened and luckily nothing uninvited joined us for our run.

We continued to Changi Coast Road - they have created a new jogging track all the way to the ferry terminal with nice clean toilets along the way - before turning back. It was more of a fun run at a very slow pace - probably 8min pace and everybody was chatting to everybody else. Most impressive was Kelly, a lady Captain in the SAF Signals. She had ran 6 marathons! Wow.

Back at Changi Village, adjourned for supper and met many more sgrunners. James, Seal (whom I saw in the carpark but didn't realised), Kops, Alvo and Meteor, Kops, Balasing, Sxuanjing, FD, Cosmic and Bee. I'm amazed - so many turning up just for supper and at such late hours too!

I enjoyed myself tremendously and look forward to future run with them.

Taming the Shrew

If you can't beat em, join them. I suppose that what the Mrs decided after she failed to get me to stop running this whole year. Last week she shocked me by agreeing to join me for my morning run. Not even the mention of long distance, 10K, waking up at 6.30 am failed to deter her. So there we were at East Coast and she managed to finish the full 10k in a very respectable time of 1h 12m.

Not bad considering this was her first 10k run - the rest of the time only about 30mins on the threadmill, although she quite regular.

Then last week 2 rounds at Bedok Reservoir finishing the 8.6k in 1h 03mins. Threw her another invitation yesterday - Pierce Reservoir. She has been there many times - I run, she catch lobsters with the kids. This time, she ran too and we even go into the air con road to make it roughly 10k. Time taken: 1h 15m. Even when I chiong up the last slope, she gamely followed.

Now I have a companion to join me for my early run and less nagging. Must get her to run until can run up to 20k then can join me for the half.

I hope she don't get to read this though - especially the title of this page:)

Kuala Lumpur

Ha home sweet home! Back from a short trip up to KL. Have not been there for some time.

This time stayed at the Mines Resort. Quite nice but boring place. Spent half the time at the shopping mall there and didn't even set foot in the Wonderland. From outside didn't think it will be worth the RM32 per head.

Followed the local and travel by train and the monorail. Quite easy to move around. Trains are clean and efficient. The taxis are terrible. All supposed to charge by meter but open door only ask where and demand lump sum.

The kids must have been bored. All the time was spent on shopping. From MidValley to Times Square to Chinatown and more shopping at Mines. The Mrs suddenly got shoes fetish. Brought 3 pairs of shoes!

Malaysia now got lot of imitation stuff - not just dvds but also sports apparels and clothings. Especially at Petaling Street. No different anymore from say Bangkok or China.

This Weekend

This has been a busy weekend.

Friday is Alvin 14th birthday. The Mrs brought him and Alicia uniform shopping and then caught a movie. I joined them after work at Funan Centre for sushi. Seems like I hanging around Funan very often nowadays.

Saturday is our 17th ROM Wedding Anniversary. Unfortunately, it is also cousin Kim's eldest son wedding so our own celebration plans got to be put on hold until next week. Meanwhile, in the morning, we had expensive sip of tea at Cousin Kim's new place at Sunville after which had to rush to Hyatt for the company's Christmas lunch. Too bad had to skip the church wedding. Night time was trying to decide between going out to eat or badminton and then the Mrs said her brother called. The father in law is acting up again and refusing to go back to his place prefering to stick it out alone at his place. Sigh, there goes the night. We went over to persuade him to go back since he can't possibly take care of himself with both his hand bandaged up.

Sunday is a real surprise. The Mrs agreed to join me for my run so instead of going to Pierce switch over to East Coast to make it easier for her. She surprised even herself by finishing 10k. First time she ran so far and not bad in a credible time of 1h:12m. All the more surprising since here longest run to date has been 30mins run in the gym. Looks like she ready to go long distance running with me soon.

Afternon, went Queensway bought a new paie of blade for Alicia before sending the kids over to Eric's place. Tonight, the wedding dinner. Hope the food will be good! To bad got no space for the kids. Good thing is we will be alone together tonight. Ha ha!

Running Lab Thursday Night Run

Attended my first Running Lab Thursday night run. Quite a big turn out with a number of runners from sgrunners - namely, Diverrunner, Leh-lio girl, T@z, tiwazz, yulan and Cosmic. Also 2 foreigners, 1 chap from Funan Mgt office, yulan's friend and another 4 girls from don't know where. Sam from Running Lab and Eddie led the run to Fort Canning which started at about 6.45 pm.

Fort Canning is quite a confusing place to run especially in the dark. Almost like running in a maze! but the sight of the Singapore's skyline in the dark is terrific and made up for the slopes and mosquitoes. Ran only about 4km. At the end of the run, we lost the chap from Funan Mgt office and 2 girls. Waited for them to turn up but after 10 minutes or so, gave up.

Eddie then led the runners in a cool down stretching session. This guy is good. He knows all the deep stretch and which part of the body it works. Must be a trainer or something like that!

Back at Running Lab, got to know the other sgrunners better.

Another great run to end the day!

Blood Donation

Sigh, really getting very old. Forgot that I was supposed to receive an award yesterday for giving blood for 25 times already. Actually, at last count is already 29 times. Just this morning, was telling the Mrs the presentation was somewhere this week at Changi Simei CC. Just didn't realise it was already over.

Sign of old age?

Post Marathon

I very glad the whole family came down to support me. Alicia gave up her blading lesson and both she and Alvin waited in the hot sun for poor old me to turn up. As I had told them I will finish around 4hrs 30 mins, they had to wait for an extra hour.

Also, many thanks to the dear Mrs who overcame her fear of driving at dark and waking up at4 am to send me down and then coming back again to drive me home.

As a treat, we went to Carl Jr at Marina Sq where each one of us have this enomous burger and me, as a reward for myself - my first sip of a gassy soft drink (sprite) in almost a year!

To everybody at home - love you all.

SC Singapore Marathon 2005

Bad Bad Bad! Big flop this year. Instead of bettering last year time, this year came in worse and to think I was actually aiming for 4.30.

Met up with a few of the sgrunners at the fountain just before the start of race. Finally get to meet Sotong. Boy is he tall! When the race started, it was every man or lady for himself.

The strategy was to run slow initially and pick up the speed later on. Covered the first 2 km in 14.25 mins. Just before turning to Marina Village, the first of the international runners were already running back. They sure are fast! Covered the next 18 km in an average speed of about 6.30 mins per km. At this stage, I was confident of completing in the target time. Along the way, saw the Lonely Runner zoom past and then Ironman Dreamer caught up and also in an twinking of an eye, disappeared.

By the time reached Nicholl Highway, it was real hot. The blind Kenyan runner doing the 21km was already turning back. Felt the muscle in my left leg tightening up. Thought it was the patt strap blocking blood flow and removed it. At the 22 km mark, stop at the toilet to apply some tiger rub. The legs was starting to act up! Walk a bit and then stopped again - this time to take a packet of hammergel. Thereafter, couldn't find the willpower to run and slowed down to a jog. Just before the u-turn at ECP, slowed down completely to a walk Both calves were now very tight. Decided then to follow Lim Ngee Huat's advice on walk 5 minutes run 30 minutes. Strange - never felt like this before! Definitely not at this distance since I have covered longer distance without any problem.

After the u-turn - decided to resume running - and wham it happened again! Immediately, both legs cramped up! Got no choice but to sit down at the turn off to Bedok Jetty and apply more tiger rub and stretch massage the legs - but no dice, cramps started appearing all over even the hamstring. Shit! Spent half an hour there trying to get my legs back before giving up and deciding to walk. Took slightly over 10 mins to walk the next 1 km and continued walking until reached the sgrunners support table. Stop and chitchat for a while. Renohtaram gave me a hydralite (whatever that is) to drink. Poor him. He had to give up running today because of some insect bit. Showed me his leg. One big ugly patch!

After that decided was well enough to run but had not even ran 50 paces before the cramp on the right calves came back. No choice, more tiger rub - no more stretching as it seems to make it worse and walk again until the 32 km. Already slightly over 4 hours. Realised there was no way I can cover the balance 10km and better my last year timing with my condition. Decided not to push myself and just enjoyed the rest of the ran.

Surprisingly, the legs choosed to behave themselves and managed to start running. First at 9 min pace for the next km increasing by 1 minutes per kim until my Red Bull from Cho manning the waterpoint at the 34 km and doing a 6km pace by the 35 km. Must have ran too fast cos at the 38 km when I stopped for a drink, the legs seized up again. sigh! so close and yet so far!

Resume walking from 38 to 39 before running again. Seems okay but bladdy hell at 41km with just 1 more km to go, the left calves cramped again. No choice got to walk. At the tunnel entrance to the Padang - there was Broken Runner and some other sgrunners. Wah - she very sexy in her red outfit. Finally after the tunnel - cannot lose face at the end - force myself to run to the end.

Total time taken: app 5:39:11 (1 hour 9 minutes behind original target time) damn malu!

Not too sure whether it is a mental thing. Last year cramp also immediately after the EC u-turn. Maybe just can't beat through this psychological barrier?

5 December 2005:

Official Results:

Chip Time: 5h:37:44s
Gun Time: 5h:39:10s
Average: 7.5km per hour
8 min per km

Starstruck

I can't believe I let such a good photo taking opportunity passed away. There I was at 5 pm at East Coast Park waiting for Alicia to finish her blading lesson when who should walk by - but the whole gang of international runners for the marathon. They seem to be out for a recce. I just stared at them open--mouthed and forgot that my current phone is a camera phone and I could have taken their pics even video and maybe even take a photo with any of the Kenyas. What a dork!

Tomorrow is the big day. Will I be ready? The shin is still giving some problems but seem okay. Have not been running since last Sunday run at Bedok Res. Tuesday, did some water running and Thursday did 30 mins on the e-trainer.

Anyway, just finished running through my last year results and I did average of 7.30 min per km and 8 km per hour. My walking point started at around the 30 km point outside the chalet. At that time, I was just slightly over 3 hours. This time round I shall not make the mistake of sitting down to rest or stretch. Hopefully, the weather will be fine and I can better last year lousy timing.