Running Sucks

A friend took a photo of me at the F1 EQ Nature Run. My God! I looked like somebody on his death bed! On top of the usual shacked like hell face, now that I am no longer wearing glasses, the larger than life eye bags + the white hairs made me looked like a 80+ year old man in the final death throes except that in this case I was standing up and not lying down horizontally. Me think I better go put on my shades, if anything at least to just cover the eye bags and learn how to act cool during the finish (which is where most of the photos are taken).

My 2nd race of the year and also my first race at MacRitchie Reservoir. Being an uncle, can only take part in the 10km race. Same also with M. She like all the other ladies were only permitted to do the 10km. Wondered why the discrimination? But anyway, 10km suits me just fine. It was tough enough doing a normal run at MR but a race but darn it, I wanted the hydration bag which was being offered with the race so no choice. When we reached there and saw the roads all wet, I was like 'siow liao'. Going to be wet and slippery. Think got to walk all the way. The 10kmers were flagged off at 7.30 am. The organiser had thoughtfully staggered the start of the 10km, 15km and moved the 5km Junior to a different start location so that there were less congestion. Still, it was not easy trying to run during the early part of the race with so many people on the narrow trails. Fortunately, the grounds weren't so wet and with good weather, it wasn't that bad after all. There wer...

Reebok's new ad. Unfortunately, something we will never see on our tv screen. Hold on to your horse. Before you click on 'play'; please note this video may not be suitable for the young, immature and prude. So if you think you are going to be offended by nudity, please do not click 'play'. You have been warned!   Antonio mckee highlights Uploaded by Biodome10 . - More professional, college and classic sports videos.

Was going through my desk and came across this chart which kinda try to relates certain type of food to certain illness. The chart is very ambitiously entitled 'Never Sick Again' but I seriously doubt that. Then there is this website that list all the food that is beneficial for each different parts of the body. Seems sound and all the food listed are healthy wholesome food. Give it a try. Nothing to lose.

 This has got to be one big humorous race organiser. Tok Kong Runner? How in the world do they expect this wimpy old uncle to wear something like that? Damn paiseh. People see, ask how tok kong a runner I am, what am I to say? Sekali, they take marker pen and cancel out the 'tok' and write another 'kong' how? Become kong kong runner? Then in this modern age and time, they going to use elastic band at the check point. Hello, haven't they heard of timing chip, d-tag? And no results for the rest of the runners. Only the top 10! And they call it a competitive run? And then they giving out hydration bag. Last I checked, a hydration bag in the market cost easily at least $50. And they charging $38, giving out in the process a hydration bag (without bladder - that one got to add $12); the aforesaid t-shirt and a pack of Go gel with a retail price of $3.90. I wonder how they do their math? Maybe that's why they can't afford the electronic timing. Anyway, not c...

For the past few years, I have more or less faithfully adhered to a exercise routine: Monday: Gym - cycle and weights (actually not body building but more strength training) Tuesday: Run + weights Wednesday: Swim + weights Thursday: Run Friday: Weights Saturday: Long Run Sunday: Run So all this mucking around should cause me to loose a lot of weight right? But ever since I lost 12kg after the initial years, the weight had stayed put at 74kg before I decided to up it to a more respectable 80kg (which I am still trying to achieve). So is it because somehow I have hit on the magic formula and achieve a equilibrium whereby the calorie intake is equal to calorie lost? Cont'd here .

Saw this beauty of a shoes at the Timberland outlet. This would make a good addition to my collection. Sadly, according to the website, it is for water activities and "beach running". Maybe will have to settle for this: But the white base pales in comparison to the full orange of the Rip. This one looks much better - now if only it comes in full orange. Anybody knows anything about these shoes?

In last week (Saturday?) ST, there was an article about people taking part in races and endurance events just to get hold of the finisher tee. The main thrust of the article was that these people are not properly trained or prepared for the event and they risk injuring or worse killing themselves in the process. It quoted one guy who did not even train and plunged straight into the 70.3. From time to time, especially toward the SCSM period, at the RL run, I  come into contact with newcomers who joined the run as sort of a last minute revision for the marathon. Being a big kapo, I usually ask these people their objectives for running, their weekly mileage, blah blah blah and I am horrified that some of these people have practically no base, no background and yet here they were, doing just 1 run as their preparation. Like studying for an exam - they do last minute mugging and cross their fingers that they will get it right. I don't know how these people fares eventually but I thi...

5 pet peeves about the East Cast Park: 1. All the litters and rubbish on the grounds especially on a Sunday morning 2. Children playing on the pavement and cycling track 3. Cyclists/runners who screamed at people to get out of their way even though they are the one going in the wrong direction 4. Cyclist who think the cycling track is a velodrome or FI track 5. Aunties/uncles who walk and chat abreast along the pavement 5 wonderful things about the East Coast Park: 1. Long wide flat ground for LSD 2. Drinks, shower and toilets available at regular intervals 3. Adequate car parking spaces 4. Smell of barbecue especially on Saturday evening 5. Interesting views (and I am not talking about the scenery here) How about you folks out there?

I am not a triathlete so what do one do when one get a pair of triath shoe? Got this pair of Zoots Ultra Tempo+ 2 courtesy of the folks at Running Lab . The Ultra Tempo boast seamless lining within the shoe for wearing without socks. To aid in the transition from swimming, it has grab holes on heels and tongues and an unique lace system to help the triathlete put on the shoes faster. There are drain holes in the sole to drain water. It is lightweight with the usual EVA midsole and has a patent dri-lex mesh linings with SmartSilver antimicrobial treatment (whatever that means). Anyway, although I don't do triath, nevertheless a shoe is a shoe and strictly speaking the Ultra Tempo according to the specs is a shoe meant for short distance running. Actually quite common sense since one don't wear shoes for swimming and shoes are not an absolute necessity for cycling. So I decided to baptise the shoes with its first run at what else but the Funan TNR. Just so that I can feel ...

While saintly people go to church and the more saner people slept in on a nice public holiday, 6 of us slightly cuckooed people decided to brave the rain and made our way to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve for our virgin run there. Fortunately, the rain did not came and so begin the longest ever 12km of my life. Our run leader and 'nature guide' started the run by giving us a topo lesson aka a briefing on the run route. Our mission was to run from Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Visitor Centre(BTNRVC) to the Rifle Range Road and back to BTNRVC to complete the 2nd part of the TNF 25km route. That was part 1 and part 2 was to go up Bukit Timah Hill and from there make our way to Dairy Farm and the Quarry before making our way back to BTNRVC covering a total of roughly 14 to 15km. And so off we went. The first part of the route took us through the South View path and Catchment Path. We wanted to run but there were too damn many staircases going up and down and that kinda forced us to wa...