Running Sucks

Normally I don't like those what I call touristy photo taking run cause one short run can stretch into hours and the many stops for photo taking is so disruptive for running but today.......ha ha today not only did I join 1 such run but I was actually the cameraman. Some newer sgrunners members running at Bedok Reservoir decided to meet up so AC Leong roped me in to run to the MBT park. Except for Bee and AC, the rest of the runners who turned up were totally new to me. And all are getting younger and younger. So AC and myself were probably the oldest guy there up until Seong350 decided to gatecrash so there were 3 old men with a group of youngsters young enough to be our children. We started from Bedok Reservoir, ran via Tampines Ave 10, Ave 9 before reaching the Tampines MBT park, the highlight of the run. The place was a throwback to our army days with the hills in the background for us to conquer and winding muddy path - like going for topo! There was even a Jurassic like field...

My mother used to say that if got no problem, don’t go and see the doctor. If not, sure end up with problem. Sometime such old wives tales – it’s so laughable and yet ….. On Saturday went over to CGH for the Runners Seminar and met up with my doctor, Jason Chia and company. Now, just merely 4 days later, I think I have to go back and see him again – this time not for another seminar but for my knee. Old wives tale? After almost 1 year and 9 months, the )&$*#* knee has flared up again. I knew I was in trouble when the knee sounded funny at the trail part during the AHM . It was making a sort of cracking rubbing sound every time I bent it. This went on until Monday night when I decided to go for a swim. Hey presto, after the swim no more sound. Good news? No because it was replaced by a swollen knee and a sharp acute pain whenever I straighten the leg as when getting up from a chair. This looks like 2006 all over again. I think something (the remaining meniscus perhaps?) have broke...

Should I try and aim for a sub 1:50 finish? Or just a PB? Or just go and enjoy the run? Based on current conditions and with the rest these 2 weeks, I felt the first 2 options were doable especially with all the inspirations from the Olympic:) But that was going to make the race very tough and not enjoyable in the process. Than a friend asked whether I can help pace him to a sub 2 finish. Ha – the perfect excuse to slack so I readily agreed. Started a bit behind and of course as a result got stucked in the big crowd. Estimated we took slightly over 3 minutes to cross the start line. At the 1st Km mark, my watch showed 8 mins + and there was still a big crowd in front. The narrow 2 lanes along the ECP didn’t help. Told my friend at this rate, it will be tough to do below 2hrs but there was not much room to speed up. Also afraid if I start to go too fast to try to catch up for the lost time, he will not be able to cope later on. So we trudged along hoping to slowly make up for the lost t...

Attended a Runners Forum conducted by Changi General Hospital . Goodnu me. Thought the thing starts at 2.30pm. 10 mins past 2 still happily eating lunch at home. 5 mins before 2.30pm took out the piece of admission ticket and realised start time was 2pm. What a bozo! Missed Dr Jason Chia's talk as a result! The talk was very useful. A lot of useful tips but could be longer though. 2 hours definitely not enough. Found out contrary to what some websites said - forefoot is not the same as mid foot and of course me has been running on forefoot and not mid foot as I have thought! Time to readjust again:( Many other useful tips + food and all for $4.00. Possibly the cheapest and 'bestest' talk in town! Also met many of the sgrunners there and of course the nice people from Changi Sports Medicine Centre , the people behind this talk. Quite surprised that a number of them remembered me - after more than a year and a half. Dr Chia remembered me by sight, David of course I bumped in...

Was lucky enough to be invited to Nike Singapore to test run the new Nike Lunar an event which Nike called the Magic Ride Run. Among the invited people today were Roonz and Wendy also from sgrunners, Sumiko, others from the tri fam and a celebrity, Jessica Tan . After a short intro by Sacha, each of us were given a pair of socks, a pair of Lunar Trainer and a towel. Some lucky fellas who came without any running attire were also given t-shirt and shorts. A lucky lady got to test drive (wrong) run in the Racer simply because they didn't have the trainer in her size. According to the Nike website , the Trainer and the Racer are both extremely lightweight cushioning shoes featuring the new Nike technology known as 'Lunarlite foam'. Apparently the people at Nike got their inspiration from the moon where everything was supposed to be lighter than air. The lunarlite foam is also supposed to spread the pressure evenly across the foot thus reducing the impact on the bones and join...

This was supposed to be the week where I do my longest run for this year and chalk up the highest mileage for the week but what a sham it turned out to be. Saturday was supposed to do a proper trail run on the MBT park at Tampines but the precious princess didn't want to go school so early and also didn't want to wait too long so in the end had to cancel the run at Tampines and did a short run at the boring East Coast Park. Sunday was supposed to do a 25km run but the itch at the back of the throat for the past 2 days has now grew into a full blown cold or flu? So today is now rest day. Lots of sleep, vitamins and hopefully it will go away before this coming weekend's AHM and not a repeat of 2005 !

My lower calves are aching like hell. Probably due to delay onset as I have been trying to switch from heel strike to forefoot strike for the past week since attending a talk. All along, most of us old fogey runs using heel strike and never knew it was wrong until some bright young guru decided that heel strike was passé and forefoot was in. Just like stretching before exercises but’s that another story. Anyway, since reading Chi Running, have been trying to figure out how to do it properly but couldn’t grasp the logic and correct movement until Eugene (yes bright young guru) showed the way at a run clinic I attended a week ago. There was a short run after that and the first thing I noticed after the 12 mins run was the calves aches. Eugene said that was normal for those switching over and will soon get used to it. The next run was on Tuesday when I goondu goondu followed a pack of C razy B erserk D eranged Runners up Mt Faber. Thank goodness I was more sane and did 2 loops instead of ...

Originally, didn't want to do this run so didn't sign up when the registration opened and didn't do the first 12km run in Bedok. But than hor somebody garang decided to sign up the whole gang and dragged me in as well. In the end, for our first run in this series, only 3 turned up. The rest went to fly aeroplane:) There was a small crowd maybe around 300 to 400 runners only. This is what I call a no frill run. One small gazebo, 1 ending point and that was it at the start point at Kallang Riverside Park. The women was flagged off first followed around 10 minutes later by the men. Only 2 categories - Men and Ladies. No veteran:(. I started off together with Sebas who had decided to come out of his self imposed retirement and doing his first 20km run in like 2 years? Also with us was Sleek00000. We were doing something like 6.30 pace but was shocked when we reached the 2km marker and my watch showed only 8+ minutes. Okay what else is new? Distance marker off the mark. That see...

Look at the pictures. Just discovered this wonderful place to run. Shady trail Wide Open in the sun trail Soft ground Ground with granite chips but still better than concrete Of course also got the more difficult part very rocky + uphill too Challenging course Slopes River crossing! Plenty of meadering up hill slopes The rewards at the top of the knoll. (Wish Aram was here. He could have taken a mean 360 of the whole scenery and no trees to block the view!) Nice view Recognise the neighbourhood? More pictures here Plus: Really a challenging place to run - with plenty of upslopes and different type of terrain. Wide open area with very few runners unlike MR where it is overcrowded with runners and walkers. Conveniently located 15 minutes walk from the nearest MRT station or 5 minutes by feeder bus According to my 'tour guide', the route can amount up to 10km but with so many side trails, the distance can easily be doubled. Minus: No toilet or changing...