It ain't fun - Timex Tri-Run 2010

This wasn’t a race that was on my schedule but got greedy when found out there was a free Timex watch worth about $80.00.  The way I figured, I was going to do a long run during the weekend anyway and since my current Timex had been cruelly mutilated by the dog, why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone?

So that’s was how I found myself with a small crowd of 2000 people at Sengkang although strangely the race was touted to be in Punggol. That was the first omen but hey who’s paying attention to such small details?

The 21km route was on a course of 3 loops of 7 km. A lot of the runners were touting this as a PB route. I wasn’t looking for a PB but after my experience 2 weeks ago at KL, I was quietly confident of regaining my sub-2. I even got it all worked out. All I need to do was to run each loop in an average time of 40 minutes or a safe 5:35 mins pace. Very achievable or so I thought. But nobody told me there was 2 freaking long inclines and both of them had us staring directly into the sun. Times 3 loops both way and that was 12 bladdy slopes in the bladdy freaking hot sun! 2nd omen.

It started well enough though. Did the 1^st loop in 37:59 mins with almost 2 minutes to spare. There were no isotonic drinks provided along the entire route. Only warm mineral water.  3rd bad omen. Didn’t think too much of it though at that point in time. Nevermind, at the second loop u-turn which I reckoned should be 10.5, took a packet of SIS Gel. Time checked: Closed to 56minutes. Slightly over an hour to complete under sub 2. But the sun was up and blazing strongly by then. At the foot of the incline to the start/finish/u-turn, I stared at the sun and the distance to go and was thinking – wah this one like the New Balance Real Run final stretch – only thing was I have to do this and then repeat one more time. At that point in time, the weak mind took over and my plan went to pieces. I struggled to go up the slopes (about 1.2km?) and my mind keep telling me – why torture yourself – let’s stop here. I was seriously entertaining a DNF. That would be a first for me! Time checked: 40:43 for the 2^nd loop a very drastic drop of almost 3 minutes. Time elapsed: 1:18:52. But heck, with another 42 minutes and only 7km more, I was still on course for a sub 2 and so somehow I convinced myself to push on for the 3^rd lap.

Fun

A lot of people including me talked about having fun in running but the way we over trained or under trained for it, makes me wonder seriously how fun it can be?

Can it be fun running/walking for 7 to 8 hours when other marathoners have long went home to bath and eat and you are still struggling under the hot sun?

Can it be fun when cramps hit barely 5 km into a run?

Can it be fun when we push ourselves to run until we are about to puke and bent over in pain?

Maybe we should take Reebok more seriously instead of just doing it or thinking that impossible is nothing or try to run like an animal when we can't even crawl properly.

Paiseh, photo taken via my not so trusty handphone while going up the escalator, so blur blur!

Eeny Meeny Miny Moe

Time to replace my Brooks Axiom and Saucony Fastwitch.

But not into that VFF stuff yet but am now somewhere in between. Which shoes to get?

This?

Or this?

Actually it is a no brainer. Those who know me well enough by now will know which one I will pick.

But other than Nike, maybe I should be more adventurous and go ahead and get this?

Anybody got any other recommendation?

Singtel Race Against Cancer 2010

Another beautiful cool day - perfect for sleeping in but was up at 5am for a race that I was not running.

For the 3rd time this year, I have elected to participate in a race not as a participant but as a volunteer. This time the event was the Singtel Race Against Cancer at Pasir Ris Park. Unfortunately, was deployed to the Pasir Ris Bus Interchange to point participants in the right direction. I guess they figured us volunteers were cheaper than printing and putting up a whole lot of directional sign. Being at the Interchange means I had to miss most of the actions on site but nevermind, it was for a good cause.

But sometime wish can and do come true but it may not turned out exactly how we like. Was recalled back to the finish line at 8.30 am and found that I had to trudge through 100 metres of mud and then stand there guiding the finishers into the right chute. It was fun time though and I caught a glimpse of a witch, a 'Áh Lian' and a 'air stewardess'!















But the best part was watching the participants hopelessly trying to pick their through the mud without getting their shoes muddy!





And the absolute best part of the whole deal was we get to bring home the many freebies that could not be finished includes loads of fruits, Yakult and Magnolia ice-cream!

Me think I should sign up for more of this.