Running Sucks

More than 1 month and 45km later, I am ready with a field report of the Kinvara 1. Well, the Kinvara 2 is now out in the market and available in outlets here in Singapore but then better late than never. First, the usual technical stuff: Breathable nylon upper. Endoskeleton Synthetic Lockdown ensures a secure, supportive fit. Strategically placed memory foam in the collar provides a snug, comfortable feel. Hydrator Collar Lining helps wick away moisture and offers great next-to-skin comfort. EVA insole for lightweight underfoot plush. Heel ProGrid LITE midsole is 20% more responsive than EVA and supplies exceptional cushioning. High Abrasion EVA (EVA+) is an extremely lightweight grade of EVA that provides supreme cushioning and durability. XT-900™ carbon rubber outsole delivers multi-surface traction and long-lasting wear. Weight: 9 oz I must admit I am not too sure whether these stuff are for the Kinvara 1 or 2 or they are the same for both. Pic from Runblogger ...

I knew I was going to pay for it with all that reduced running. Some more with the tons of makan over the course of the past few months. So there I was at the mall trying out a trouser and I realised to my horror that I can only fit into a 1 size larger pants. Okay maybe it was the cutting but true be told, the signs were all there. The trousers were getting tighter. The Princess keeps saying that my stomach jingles and I can see a protruding tummy from my running tees. And is that a moob I see? So I need to do something. So now barely 1 month into the new year, I have a new resolution - to lose 2 inches off the waist line and 5 kg off the body. And to do it within 3 months! Possible? Watch this space!

Here in Singapore , practically every runner I know who wear a GPS watch have a Garmin. Mostly because there isn’t much of an option in the first place. Other than the Garmin, the only other “running” watch easily available here is the Polar. But unlike the Garmin, the Polar watches do not come with any built-in GPS. For measuring distance, it relies mainly on the separate foot pod or as in the  Polar watches which all require a separate GPS pod which comes with its own arm band for wearing on the arm. Not very runner friendly! Then there are a small number of people who go for the sexy factor and pump for the Nike Sportband. This is of course a poor cousin to the GPS based watch as it utilizes a pedometer to count the strides and distances. But there is hope for those who do not want a Garmin. First off is Nike who has come up with a GPS watch – the Nike+ Sportwatch GPS . It looks pretty cool too and should be a hit when it reaches our shores. Time...

This comes more than a year late. Prior to this review, I worn it once for a short run at MR and thereafter, it went back into the box where it has been sitting. Between then and now, New Balance has come out with a replacement for it and by now it is probably no longer available at the retail outlets except maybe during clearance sale. Nevertheless, now that I have finally decided to wear it, I will still do a field report of this shoe. First off, the technical stuff from New Balance: Rock Stop® embedded into forefoot provides protection from sharp rocks and debris Synthetic/Mesh upper provides lightweight comfort and support ACTEVA™ Midsole cushions and resists compression set - 12% lighter than standard foam EVA foam on the upper provides visual contrast and supports and cushions the Achilles; it does the same with the ankle as the EVA extends to the shoe collar SURE LACE™  secure shoe laces provide added midfoot support and keep the shoe snug around the foot...

As in everything in life, there are rules of thumb for running. Here are some of the more common ones and what I think of them. 1. The 10% rule . Increase mileage by no more than 10% per week. Okay this is probably the most well known rule among runners and also probably the least observed. Let say a new runner starts at 2km. Assuming he follows the rules religiously, he will be doing 2.2km the next week, 2.4 for the following and he will hit 5km in about 11 weeks. Did I interpret this correctly? Does anybody actually follows such a schedule? But that is not to say that this rule of thumb is bad or flawed. In fact, I personally think it is very sensible advice if taken with a pinch of salt and some common sense.  2. For every km that you raced, you  should rest 1 day . Nowadays, it is common to hear of people doing back to back marathons over the same weekend or running marathons week after week. The generally consensus is that marathon running should be restricted to ...

The Princess found a Pomeranian on her way to school. Anybody know of anybody living who lives in Pasir Ris and has lost his/her dog, give me a buzz or email me here. If no claimant within 2 days, unfortunately will have to hand the dog over to SPCA or whichever organisation willing it take it in since we can't keep 2 dogs.

I can't believe the last time there was a Eastside Run was exactly 1 year ago. It used to be a once a month affairs but due to the packed race calendars the past year, somehow I have not been able to find a free day to slot this in on a more regular basis.  Anyway, I decided since there was an extra long weekend and being its anniversary, it was a good time to hold one. This time round, the route picked was a part trail part route covering 3 separate trails in the East. Invitations were send out via the sgrunners forum and Facebook. I had expected in view of the many runs over the weekend to have at most 15 - 20 pax but  the numbers kept growing and growing and before I knew it, there were close to 50 respondents which was more than the 2 of us can handle. So last minutes I had to rope in buddies from Simei to help manage the group. Many thanks to Gary, Zco, Ming and AC. Especially the latter 2 as they still had a World Harmony Run to do in the afternoon. We sta...