Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Waiting for the Six...
I did a good run yesterday, and that's giving me motivation to do another one tonight. But my legs are still aching, so i should give it some rest. At this point of time, i'm finding harder and harder to find motivation to do my runs.
Perhaps it's been 3 years since i've committed myself to doing endurance events and the fact i've pretty much reached where i can go as an amateur. I'm really blessed to have a job that allows me to commit that much time/energy to training and preparing for races. If i had been in an agency (which i am actually planning to go back to), i doubt i'd have the luxury. Secondly, i'm so thankful to have advice from professionals - specifically dieting. Professional athletes pay for such services. I have a good friend who kindly does it for me, for free!..professionally i might add. Awesome.
I used to have an avid supporter who would be there for all my events. Sounds superficial but think about this - whether you are running your first race, or doing your third full marathon, knowing that there's someone waiting for you at the finishing line, patiently waiting, even though you'd probably take another hour, makes a hell lot of difference.
He/she is eagerly waiting to see your body appear round the bend. He/she's cramped up with hundred of other supporters under the blazing midday sun, and yes, he/she hates crowds.
And he/she is willing to support you. Now how does that sound? I'm only too grateful and to have lost such a supporter is really sad. If you have someone like that for you, i hope you're not taking him/her for granted.
Not letting this get me down, i still want to keep going. I'm still going to keep training and i definitely want to get faster. But now, i think i'm going to hit another wall.. bad timing of course, considering i've got 42km in 5 weeks' time, and an Ironman in March next year.
Shucks. If only i could just turn professional for couple of months, that would be so cool. The closest i'm getting to that is via Lance Armstrong's tweets. Sheesh.
Perhaps it's been 3 years since i've committed myself to doing endurance events and the fact i've pretty much reached where i can go as an amateur. I'm really blessed to have a job that allows me to commit that much time/energy to training and preparing for races. If i had been in an agency (which i am actually planning to go back to), i doubt i'd have the luxury. Secondly, i'm so thankful to have advice from professionals - specifically dieting. Professional athletes pay for such services. I have a good friend who kindly does it for me, for free!..professionally i might add. Awesome.
I used to have an avid supporter who would be there for all my events. Sounds superficial but think about this - whether you are running your first race, or doing your third full marathon, knowing that there's someone waiting for you at the finishing line, patiently waiting, even though you'd probably take another hour, makes a hell lot of difference.
He/she is eagerly waiting to see your body appear round the bend. He/she's cramped up with hundred of other supporters under the blazing midday sun, and yes, he/she hates crowds.
And he/she is willing to support you. Now how does that sound? I'm only too grateful and to have lost such a supporter is really sad. If you have someone like that for you, i hope you're not taking him/her for granted.
Not letting this get me down, i still want to keep going. I'm still going to keep training and i definitely want to get faster. But now, i think i'm going to hit another wall.. bad timing of course, considering i've got 42km in 5 weeks' time, and an Ironman in March next year.
Shucks. If only i could just turn professional for couple of months, that would be so cool. The closest i'm getting to that is via Lance Armstrong's tweets. Sheesh.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
A Good Break
Took a short break from training and spent the weekend at a quiet beach in Malaysia with collegemates.
But still ended up doing a short 6km run along the shoreline. It's really therapeutic to be running with the waves crashing at your feet, endless horizon and though the sun was awesome (as prayed for), the cool ocean breeze made it as perfect as can be.
Someone is missing
Maggi Mee & Monopoly
A view i will always miss.
While it wasn't a 5 star beach getaway, it was good enough i managed to get some rest, time away from the busy city, my mind away from work and most of all spending the time with good friends.Altough training for December's 42 km and work beckons tomorrow, i'm really not in the mood to think about it. For that 24 hours away from Singapore, diet, exercise, work...was all out the window.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Long Runs & Heart Rates
I finally made it to running 3hours 3 minutes without stopping. Difference was a really carbo-laden dinner i prepared myself...
Aglio olio style - lots of olive oil, garlic and some pork cubes. I filled myself with a full packet of pasta and even after my run, i wasn't hungry (which isn't usually the case). I also took Yellow's advice and drink 500ml of isotonic drink. But i'm not sure if i drank a little too late, after 2hours of exercise.
But all in all, i'm contented i managed to run 3hours at a consistent stable pace. I'm hyped! Going to plan a 30km run next.
I also got myself a TIMEX Heart Rate Monitor. Awesome stuff. I haven't really played around with it, but i've monitored my heart rate for couple of 14km runs now. I've been able to hit like 150 bpm consistently. So..that's an OK zone right? Like 150bpm for 1hour20minutes?
I love tech and i love sports. This is the best of both worlds, baby! For noobs like me, i feel so pro. Hahaha!
Abrasion!!
Unfortunately, noobs like me don't wear the band properly and don't even have the cow sense to apply some vaseline. Ouch.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
After all this time...
Perhaps running is my feeble attempt to move on. But deep down, i can't because i'm still wishing i can turn back time.
Looking back at the past 16 months. I really can't believe all that has happened and i don't know if there will ever be that 'high' and that perfect joy that i have experienced.
Although i know it, i definitely cannot feel it right now. I have never felt like this before. Never felt so stupid, so sorry, so angry, so miserable and so wrong. This shall be the lowest point in my life.
So i can keep running and moving forward with time. But somehow, i left my heart back there... when i could tell her i truly love her, forever.
After all this war
Would you ever wanna leave it
Maybe you could not believe it
That my love for you was blind
But I couldn't make you see it
Couldn't make you see it
That I loved you more than you will ever know
A part of me died when I let you go
That I loved you more than you'll ever know
A part of me died when I let you go
Looking back at the past 16 months. I really can't believe all that has happened and i don't know if there will ever be that 'high' and that perfect joy that i have experienced.
Although i know it, i definitely cannot feel it right now. I have never felt like this before. Never felt so stupid, so sorry, so angry, so miserable and so wrong. This shall be the lowest point in my life.
So i can keep running and moving forward with time. But somehow, i left my heart back there... when i could tell her i truly love her, forever.
After all this war
Would you ever wanna leave it
Maybe you could not believe it
That my love for you was blind
But I couldn't make you see it
Couldn't make you see it
That I loved you more than you will ever know
A part of me died when I let you go
That I loved you more than you'll ever know
A part of me died when I let you go
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Hitting the wall...again
My 26km run last night was disastrous. After two hours and 35 minutes, i had to walk. Funny thing was that i felt like i paced myself well. After reaching Farmway LRT station, i felt really fresh and was pretty confident that i could make it all the way back without stopping. Wrong.
When i hit Serangoon MRT station, i felt hungry (yes! starving!) and thirsty. I took a quick detour into the MRT toilet and drank water from the public toilet. I must have scared the sh*t out of the commuters who had their evening ruined after a hard day at work, looking forward to the weekend, or party-goers who were glamorously dressed to some disco/pub. Darn.
(Aside: Funny how certain things that happen during the day give me the emotional-motivation to do all these runs. Sadly, none of them are happy. I channel all the stress at work, all the bad thoughts and i expire each and every one of them when i run. Yesterday's run was no different. I thought long and hard about what happened and realised that if i caused someone so much frustration and annoyance, then shouldn't i just back away? I mean, if i'm not wanted, then even as a friend, i would just disappear then. With that being said, it was during the run that i was thankful i know i have friends and company who really cared for me and yeah, though we argue sometimes, friends are people who go through thick and thin with you. So, i know when i'm not wanted. I'll gladly back off)
I admit, i didn't give my body enough fuel to do a long run. Guess i gotta consult my dietician again. But i was also wondering if i should continue to "punish" my body - my starving it, i am making it adjusted to work longer on less energy, so when i do load properly, i should be better, no?
So anyway, after last night. I thought, hey.. i deserve some crap. So this morning i had not one but TWO iced milk coffees. And for lunch...wait for it...wait for it...
"Ke Ai Ji" - Ain't that one "Cute" bird??
Friday, October 9, 2009
Cutting It Away
I have never wanted anything so bad, so much in my life before. I want to stop clinging on to the past and wake up to a completely new start.
One last time, I’m looking back at all the failures and achievements that I’ve had during the past 25 years of my life. Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine myself where I am now.
And now it’s time to move on to another phase.
This time, I don’t want to carry the memories with me. It’s not going to be easy because I know I will cling to parts of the past, especially the ones that I hold dear, but I must accept the fact that these memories will not serve any further purpose, apart from the sad reality that things have changed; different.
On this very day, I’m totally new. People, job, environment, life.
I thought I was running away. Running as hard and fast as I can, running away from you. But as I turned around and stopped looking back, I realized that I was running into You.
goodbye and Hello.
One last time, I’m looking back at all the failures and achievements that I’ve had during the past 25 years of my life. Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine myself where I am now.
And now it’s time to move on to another phase.
This time, I don’t want to carry the memories with me. It’s not going to be easy because I know I will cling to parts of the past, especially the ones that I hold dear, but I must accept the fact that these memories will not serve any further purpose, apart from the sad reality that things have changed; different.
On this very day, I’m totally new. People, job, environment, life.
I thought I was running away. Running as hard and fast as I can, running away from you. But as I turned around and stopped looking back, I realized that I was running into You.
goodbye and Hello.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Getting Back in Shape
You probably know by now, i'm really really satisfied with my most recent triathlon. With an official timing of 2:35, it's a huge improvement to my earlier OSIM time of 3:08. Of course, i had lots of support and advise, so big love and thanks to them.
Then i took a weeks' break and boy did i really enjoy. Ate as much junk food as i wanted, overate almost every meal and i felt bloated almost all the time. I could feel all greased up inside and due to all the oily, spicy food, my body got so heaty.
Reality struck when last week, i got back to training. It was so darn demoralising, because it was like waking up in a totally different body. When i started running, i felt out of breath and tired just after 15 minutes. You know me well enough to tell that i don't mean to brag, but i used to run comfortable for 50minutes. Now, it's just 15. Feet felt like it was filled with lead and i could really feel myself carrying the additional weight.
So i ran for 4 consecutive days to get back up to speed. That was last week. So currently, i'm almost getting back to shape. I've done my usual 14km runs and did a 21km yesterday. It's abit different now that i'm training for a marathon. I feel that it's more difficult psychologically as it's not exactly as mentally-stimulation as a triathlon with the thrill of transitions, alertness during the bike leg, etc.
Marathons just mean run, run, run and run. After last night's run, my threshold so far is 2hour25minutes. After that, i feel mentally bored and my muscles start to complain.
Well, according to my training plan, i'll be doing the usual 14-16km run during the weekdays and a long (gradually increasing from 21km to 36/39km) run on the weekends.
Next up, Standard Chartered 42km!
Then i took a weeks' break and boy did i really enjoy. Ate as much junk food as i wanted, overate almost every meal and i felt bloated almost all the time. I could feel all greased up inside and due to all the oily, spicy food, my body got so heaty.
Reality struck when last week, i got back to training. It was so darn demoralising, because it was like waking up in a totally different body. When i started running, i felt out of breath and tired just after 15 minutes. You know me well enough to tell that i don't mean to brag, but i used to run comfortable for 50minutes. Now, it's just 15. Feet felt like it was filled with lead and i could really feel myself carrying the additional weight.
So i ran for 4 consecutive days to get back up to speed. That was last week. So currently, i'm almost getting back to shape. I've done my usual 14km runs and did a 21km yesterday. It's abit different now that i'm training for a marathon. I feel that it's more difficult psychologically as it's not exactly as mentally-stimulation as a triathlon with the thrill of transitions, alertness during the bike leg, etc.
Marathons just mean run, run, run and run. After last night's run, my threshold so far is 2hour25minutes. After that, i feel mentally bored and my muscles start to complain.
Well, according to my training plan, i'll be doing the usual 14-16km run during the weekdays and a long (gradually increasing from 21km to 36/39km) run on the weekends.
Next up, Standard Chartered 42km!
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