Boring

Slacking time again. With nothing major to train for, it just aimless running here and there like a headless chicken. Runs now tend to be short and getting a bit boring. Throwing in a little speed work here and there but still nothing beats running with a purpose. Maybe should sign up for something challenging?

Saturday - did 2 rounds at Bedok Reservoir. First round was with Alicia and M. This time round, Alicia improved significantly on her timing from a 31mins+ 2 weeks ago to 27+ which means either I didn't push hard enough the first time round or she really can go much faster.

Sunday at East Coast along the park connector just before the Adventure Club after NSRCC, saw a cyclist spilled off his bike just in front of me. When I reached him and he still haven't got up, knew he was in trouble. True enough, seemed like he dislocated his shoulder in the fall. Ouch! Got him up after removing his bike from him and another cyclist called for an ambulance. Walked with him and the 2 cyclists who had also stopped to help to the Tanah Merah Ferry terminal road to wait for the ambulance. Interesting, could see the shoulder pop out quite badly and must have hurt like hell but he was more concerned about his bike. He still managed to call his wife not to meet him at the hospital but to collect his bike and car. Left him there with the 2 cyclists before continuing on my run. The suffering sportsman get themselves into in the pursuit of sports! I pretty sure he be back cycling as soon as his shoulder doesn't hurt anymore!

Cholestrol

Runners run a lot and burn up so much calories, therefore will not get high cholesterol. Myth or Fact?

This is what most of my colleagues said to me whenever I lunch with them. They assume that because I run so much, I burnt up everything that goes into my stomach and therefore will not get high cholesterol. How wrong they are.

To explain to them, I like to use the example of a running tap and a sink. Just turn on the tap and let the water run and the sink will not get choke. But if at the same time, someone continuously pours pot and pot of oil or sludge into the sink in addition to the water, sooner or later, the thicker oil will start to coat the pipe and over time the sink will start to clog. Imagine therefore a runner as the water flowing down and the drainage pipe as our arteries. The oil represent the cholesterol laden food that is taken in without regard. Sooner or later, the arteries will start to get clog.

The key to everything is moderation. By all means continue to eat the char kway teow, laksa etc but in moderation cos if we stop eating all the nice food out there (and somehow all the nice food are rather unhealthy), what's the point of all these running?

Short Run at MR

Went MR. Have not run there for a long long time. Did a short little run with Alicia and M. Took the MR25 route starting from the zigzag bridge till the 2nd fitness corner and back. Distance should be around 4.8km to 5km. Time taken 32:02mins which I think is rather good. Last week run was at Bedok Reservoir and it took Alicia around 31mins so this is a big improvement considering the terrain.

Anybody can confirm what is the exact distance from zigzag bridge to fitness corner and back?

Going Bananas

Went to kaypoh kaypoh the Banana Relay organised by sgrunners. This is a fun relay run comprising 3 to a team each member running a distance of 7km.  Kudos to the organiser, the race was well organised from what I can see, with adequate drinks, marshalls and of course bananas! And what were the runners doing with the bananas?

Here's what they were doing to the poor bananas 

More photos here

Weight Loss

People complained it is so easy to gain weight and so difficult to lose weight.

I have the reverse problem. 

Have been trying to gain 4 kg since a year ago and till now the most I managed was 2kg. 

Having said that, for those who are desperately trying to lose weight, I have the best method.

Forget about all those stylo-milo diet plan 'conned' up by the angmoh. Those doesn't work. Even if it does, I am sure no know want to go through the rest of our life religiiously watching what we can and cannot eat and counting calories every time we want to eat something.

Talking about calories - everybody said to lose weight, calorie intake should be less than calorie output and vice versa. That is easier said than done. e.g. How much calorie is a plate of char kway teow? What is the difference if you order a $2, $3 or share a plate? So confusing right? How much calories do we burn if said we run for say 30 mins, 1 hours or cycle 2 hours? How to remember things like that?

So forget all this mumbo jumbo. This here is the secret to weight loss for all those who can't be bothered to count calories or exercise:

Fall Sick! Yes, remember everytime you visit somebody in hospital or somebody who is sick, the very first thing you will notice is how much weight the person has lost? Yes falling sick is the lazy man answer to weight loss. I remember many years ago when I was hit with thyroid, I lost so much weight within 2 months that I can easily put 2 chickens into my pants:) So those who want to lose weight - go get a bout of sickness. Guarantee to work... or if it doesn't work and death occurs, than all the more reasons no need to worry about being fat right?

Gym Rat 2

Saw this guy in the gym running on the treadmill. Nothing very usual except he was wearing a long sleeze sweat shirt and had the hood up as well. Does he imagine he is in some western country? Or is he trying to loose weight? Or is the gym air con going at full blast?

This is just one of the many interesting sights in the gym.

Then there is the preener. You know, the type who do 1 set and then preen at himself in the mirror to see how much of his muscle had grow. Very interesting. Rep, pose, look, rep, pose, look. I sure if the mirror can talk, he will go "mirror mirror on the wall... who is the beefiest of them al?"

The preener I find amusing. What I can't stand is the grunter. This guy grunt with every lift and movement. In a big gym, the noise from the music will probably drown out his grunts but in a small gym it is so bladdy irritating that sometime I feel like shoving the weight into his mouth!

And then we have the hoarder. The type who will take all the weights and place it around himself nevermind that he only has 2 hands and can't possibly use 6 sets of weights at one go. And this jerk usually don't return the weights after use.

And of course there is the banger. This are usually the newbies and they seem to delight in letting the machine weights slam down. It is like the louder the more better. Sigh what I would love to see is the weight banging down on their hands.

And there were 3

Went for a short run with Alicia in the evening. She has decided to do well in her NAPFA test this year and so has decided to train for it. This being her 2^nd training run, first one being last week with M, decided to proceed slowly and did just a loop of 2.8km. Took 19 mins to complete making it a 7min pace. She actually did a much faster time than this during last year test but I didn’t want to rush things since the NAPFA is in June.

However, I almost choked when she said her aim was to better one of her classmates who can do the 2.4 in 11mins. Hmmm that is a different ballgame altogether and require more intensive speed work but she being young and sporty, I don’t think it is impossible. As a start though, have signed her up for the Safari Zoo Run.

Start to the Year

Quite lazy to run. So far for the past weeks in fact for the month of December,  been slacking.

Week following the marathon: 18km

Week ending 21/12:      10km 

Weeking ending 28/12: 31km (not too bad)

Week ending 4/1/09:    27km

Hmm seem like if got no goals to run for, the body and mind just go blank and refuse to run.

Maybe should start signing up for some races....

Anyway, dragged my butt off the sofa at 5 yesterday and went for a run. M was also slacking and didn't even bother to follow me. 

Decided to run or should I used the word; jog to Tampines Mountain Bike Park. Ran along the main road to Tampines before turning to Tampines Ave 9. 

Once inside the park, took the opportunity to recce it for this month end Eastside Run. First, started with what I called the covered trail. This is roughly about 1 km long and sheltered on both side of the path by trees. Spotted this weird and looked like going to collapse anytime tree house. 

Back on the main trail, decided to do the full loop following the perimeter of the park. There were fallen trees, obstacles courses and a jungle trail along the trail! The latter was interesting.  There was an almost 1 meter bund to clear, shallow puddle of mud where NPark has put some rustic looking planks to form some sort of bridges, a slanting 'boardwalk', a bridge with gaps that can trap shoes, and narrow trails. Shiok although very short - about 800metres only. 

Back out in the open trail, and back to the start, this time went up the big knoll. The table at the top is now missing but I love the view from up there. Coming down, was unsure whether to go up the second knoll which is grassy. That place always remind me of the grassland in Jurassic Park with the little critters hiding inside and waiting to snare passerby. In the end decided to give it a miss but this is definitely one of the highlight of the park.

All in, include stopping to check directions, look at flowers, walk up the knoll, it took me 43 minutes to complete the 6km or so park. 

Ran back via the Tampines Park Connector all the way back to Simei. I quite enjoy the run, wrong - should be jog since I was doing something like 7.30 pace so probably will go there again, that is if I can drag myself up from the sofa or bed:)