RUN.EAT.GOSSIP

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

7th Month Run Beware the Zombies

Just imagine. You are walking down Orchard Road. It is the Chinese 7th month or what is popularly known as the Hungry Ghost Festival. Suddenly from all around, staggering towards you are zombies, the living dead. You screamed in horror. Unlike the movies, you have no wooden stake, no silver bullet, no weapon. All you can do is run, run and run.


Yes run away from zombies in Orchard Road, And that is going to come true on 8 September 2012 at dusk when the sun starts to set. Believe it or not, there is going to be a race against the zombies right in Singapore!


There are all sort of running races in Singapore nowadays. From charity run to ultra-marathon, from night trail race to relay, theme race to barefoot race, everything is available for the runners wannabe. And now for the movie nd runners aficionados, there is the Resident Evil: Retribution Race.


This has got to be one stylo milo race if it is well executed. Imagine runners being chased by “zombies” all over Orchard Road. I can’t wait to be there to witness this. Too bad, I won’t be in town that weekend.

Registration close 31 August. What are you waiting for? Zombies to get you? Quickly go and sign up. Its only $10.70. Cheap cheap.

And don't forget to send me pictures of the zombies, please

Saturday, August 25, 2012

The Sad Saga of USADA vs Lance Armstrong

From bullying countries like all the rest of the world, to organisation like Standchart Bank, to individual, the bullying from the biggest hypocrite in the world never seems to amaze me. I don't know from where the United States of America think that they can can impose their will and decision on everybody.

They loves to talk about justice, equality and yet in this sad shameful case of Lance Armstrong, it seems that the rules doesn't apply. No positive doping test after hundred of in competition, out competition tests?  No problem. Guilty as charged! Limitation period expired? No problem. Just extend at will!

What happened to human rights that they are always proclaiming about and telling the rest of the world to observe? The rule doesn't apply to them at all.

Everybody agree that Armstrong's victories were nothing short of miraculous. My friend and many others are convinced that he must be doping or doing something to his blood. But like the man himself pointed out, after so many tests, nothing has been detected. One can have their suspicion but without any evidence, surely he cannot be assumed to be guilty. Did I hear somebody said Landis and some other are accusing Armstrong and will come forward to testify against him. Hello, there is such a thing as hearsay in law and framing another person out of spite and jealousy is not unheard of in the cycling world. 

I know Armstrong's refusal to stand before the USADA doesn't look good for him. But I can understand his frustration and where he coming from. Read his full statement here.

Many people out there believe Armstrong is guilty. Some think he is doing some sort of blood recycling. They can think what they they want. I think Santa Claus is real. I also think Elvis is still alive. But do I have the evidence to back up what I believe in?

We will probably never know whether Armstrong is guilty or not. But until real evidence like positive blood test is produced and not because somebody said he did, we have to give him the benefit of the doubt. Remember - innocent until proven guilty. 

Some interesting reports on this saga:

Washington Post 1
Washington Past 2
Daily Mail
Fox News
Guardian

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

1.5metres and Cycling Lane

Another weekend, another cyclist died in an road accident. According to reports, this is the 12th death in 8 months! Unlike the last accident where a young man was the victim, this time round it is an older guy with a pregnant wife and a young son. His death has finally awaken the cycling community from its inertia and raised much more noise than it has done previously.
Picture from  http://www.ridestrong.org.nz
As of time of writing, in as far as I know, there is now at least 2 open letters to the PM and to the Transport Minister. There have also been some feedback to some of the MP via their facebook pages and there are also 2 online petitions. Essentially, the cyclists want a safer road to ride on. Top of their wish list is a dedicated cycling lane at selected roads, increased enforcements against reckless drivers and harsher punishments for errant drivers. 

Will LTA stick to the old song and said they will monitor the situation and eventually do nothing except for maybe a short perfunctory period of increased enforcement? Will the cyclists succeed this time round in getting their demands met? I suspect not.

Frankly I am not optimistic. My guess is that LTA will repeat that cyclists should travel on the island wide park connector and the cycling path sprouting out in some HDB estates. Even if another dozen more die in the next 6 months, I don't think they will do anything unless some higher up intervene. Let me try and second guess their excuses:

1. Cyclists should ride on the park connector and the cycling path. The park connector are clearly marked out and pedestrian and cyclists should stick to the designated path.

2. There is no space on the road to create bicycle lane.  Currently, each road lane is about 3.6m wide on average. A typical car takes up 2m, a truck slightly more. Some clearance of about 0.5m is required on both side of the vehicle. Thus not sufficient space. To create the space, the roads will have to be widened considerably, turfs have to be removed blah blah blah.... there is no budget for this.

3. Traffic Police and LTA are constantly and vigorously monitoring the situation and will not hesitate to take necessary actions to enforce traffic laws.

4. Last but not least, the cycling population and motorist should learn to respect each other and share the roads. Education is the key and the LTA will step up efforts to educate both parties.

Look out for these stock replies coming soon to a paper near you. So forgive me if I don't think the petitions, the many web postings and even the few ministers that have spoken out will be able to force the change. The way I see it, changes will come about only when somebody big shot or important enough is hit. Only then will the gahmen wake up and do something! I hope I am wrong. 

Someone said I am evil for saying that but I think that is the reality. Right now what is lacking is the political or economic reasons for the gahmen to do anything. Somebody compared this to the maids falling their death and how the gahmen put into place a legislation to curb that. That arises because foreign maids falling to their death in our country is politically sensitive. Or maybe if Singapore decides to go big time into hosting a Tour de Singapore and needs to clean up our reputation. Will that day come? Don't hold your breathe!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Waking Up Early is Making Us Fat

Waking Up Early Is Making Us Fat! This startling headline in the papers screamed out at me and caught my attention immediately.


Those who follow this blog will know that I obsess over my weight a lot. Not that I am really fat but I am very mindful of the bulging waistline and fighting what seems most time to be a losing battle of the bulges.

So the article was a real eye opener.. Just look at what the researchers have to say:

- “…….metabolic chaos: glucose spiked to levels that could, over time, trigger diabetes, while energy expenditure slumped to the point where subjects would have gained up to 13 pounds in a year.”

- “Sleep loss, says Buxton, triggers a feedback loop that “makes people prefer processed and sugary foods over fruit and vegetables, while leaving them with less energy to exercise.”
Reading it, I now have the answers to why I am losing the battle

1. I am waking up too early especially on weekends when I set my alarm to go off at ungodly hours just to go for the long runs.

2. No wonder my body has been resisting the idea of waking up early. Our God created body is not just a piece of miracle, it is also the best physician and it knows that waking up early is bad for the body. So now I know why I loves to sleep so much ~ cause its good for my body

I going to sleep now. And don’t wake me up please. Thank you arigato.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Woodcutter Trail no more?

Recently I posted a trail run at the infamous Woodcutter Trail. Subsequently I got a message from somebody who tipped me off that the Nparks had started to clamp down on "illegal" entry into the reserve where the Woodcutter Trails is located. 

How true was the above? A quick dug by another friend soon confirmed the worst fear. Indeed Nparks had clamped down on entry into the trails, put up new signages and even fined bikers! Some bikers even had a dialogue with Nparks, Nature Society and other related parties to break the impasse but it seems like it was no good. 

So Woodcutter and even Butterfly and Scorpion Trail is now out of bound to everybody. After so many years, why did Nparks suddenly decided to enforce the "rules"?  To me it was deja-vu all over again.   

A few years ago, runners could run from MacRitchie Reservoir to Upper Peirce Reservoir via what was known as Killer Hill and the SICC golf course. Then one day runners were disallowed ostensibly for their own "safety". It was a big shock to everybody since nobody had been injured by golf balls in the many years that they have been running that route. But what caused the closure was a group of gangster had went there and beaten up some golfers which prompted the SICC to take the action to close off the access. My post about this here.

So is it the same case with Woodcutters and the rest? Apparently, the real reason was that somebody who went there posted a photo of the helicopter landing site and that incurred the wrath of the SAF who pressured Nparks to keep bikers and hikers and runners out. Sighed!

So it all boils down to responsible usage of the facilities and not to abuse it. On my runs in the trails, I often see discarded isotonic drink bottles and gel packaging. These are items that must have been dumped by runners, hikers and bikers. Then there are damaged trails where bikers forced their way through to carve out "new routes". All of us as users of these facilities should and must learn to use the place responsibly and be accountable for our actions. If we do not collectively do this, we will soon find ourselves without a trail to run. Already there are many complaints from the public about the overcrowding at MacRitchie Reservoir and how runners are forcing hikers off the trail. If we don't moderate our behaviour, one day we may even find runners ban from MacRitchie as well. Let's hope that day will not happen!

Wednesday, August 08, 2012

New Items for Sale

Some housekeeping and some more stuff to clear.

2010 Singapore TNF 100 Challenge Event Tee $20

2011 Run & Raisin' Event Tee $10 (SOLD)

2012 The Republic Run Shoe Bag (2 pcs) $10 each


 2011 Yellow Ribbon Prison Run Shoe Bag $10

2012 Bali International Marathon Cap $10

Saturday, August 04, 2012

From Zero to ????

I have this friend. One year ago, he could barely run 6km. Now, he is talking about completing the Ironman! In the space of a few short months, he has gone from a novice sportsman to a hard core fanatic triathlete. He  wakes up at 4 am to cycle, talked about open sea swimming and runs home from work. He goes overseas to cycle, run ........almost every weekend. 

I seen so many people like him. They started off tentatively and once they got hooked, they went to the extreme. They jumped from minimum mileage to super high mileage, think that they are invincible and refused to take a break. 

The saner one of us knows sooner or later they will get injure and burnout. But when we uncle who eat more salt than they eat rice try telling these young heroes to slow down and take a break, we are me with scorn and ridicule. People who are past their prime should just be seen and not heard. Sighed:( Guess we old fogeys better keep our mouth shut and just concentrate on our own stuff instead of being a kapoh.

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