TLog: intervals and swim

Back to intervals. Managed only 4x400m due to time constraint (weekends are usually like this!). Improved on the times although the 4th was slower: 

1:40; 1:38; 1:39 and 1:56 

(pace: 4:10; 4:07; 4:09 and 4:52)

Swim session in the afternoon was touch and go, but the weather held up and it was a go. Again due to time constraint, I managed only 24 laps. Good news is that I was able to continuously swim the 300m warm-up, 500m pull bouy drill (lap time between 1:25 to 1:38) and 200m warm-down. 

It has been a long three weeks. One more tempo run tomorrow before recovery week.

Tokyo and Bordeaux

Last night, I was at dinner with some business associates and was making small talk with two Japanese visitors. Casually mentioned that I would be in Tokyo in March for the Tokyo marathon. And to my surprise, one of them, MT, is also participating. It would be her second Tokyo marathon (got in on second round of ballot!) and her fourth overall.

MT provided me with more information about the race:

• Bags dropped off will be transported to the end point (not a loop course like Singapore's races).
  
• Bring along money to buy drinks of choice along the route... there are many stores along the way!
  
• Get a disposable rain jacket that can be dumped along the way.
  
• March will also be cherry blossom time!

She also ran the Bordeaux Marathon last year and of course, the unique feature is wine tasting along the way. Most folks spit out just to taste. After 30 km, food such as ham, oyster, etc are offered. And another novelty... runners must dressed up in costumes. Imagine that.

Bordeaux is definitely on my wish list!
Official website
Read more...

TLog: 22 km aerobic run

Cool morning run and it felt good today. Must be the rest yesterday. Out of a scale from 1 to 5, I rate today's run a 4.5.

After the first two km for warm up, managed a good pace throughout. Except for a break for gel and a telemarketeer phone call (private number), it was pretty consistent - below 7 min/km until 18 km. Cool down thereafter.



Quite pleased with the consistent HR during this run, and holding form during the latter part of the run. More so given the course - the undulating terrain leading to Changi Village. The spike in HR about 17 km was due the overhead bridge when I "attacked" the slopes going up. :)

My first long run with the Nimbus 10. Good cushioning and balance. The heavier weight didn't really make any difference.

Lunar New Year celebrations

This is that time of the year where feasting and celebrations play havoc with my weight and waistline.

So this is my simple POV: What's the point of training if we can't get to eat? But then, what's the point of eating too much only to suffer in training?

In any case, I was rather "good" this time around ... and put on only 1 kg! :)

So here's how I celebrated my LNY:
Monday Jan 26; 90 min recovery bike to Changi village and back. Head wind difference in speed: about 3 km/hour. Still at 25 to 28 km/h.

Tuesday Jan 27: 8 km with MBH... her first 8 km! A significant achievement, even though we had to walk the last km. Then a 32 lap swim session in the afternoon. Managed to swim continuously for 300m and 30 to 45 sec rest after every 100m. Also practiced breathing on the left, alternate breathing, and sighting.

The one difference between a swim and run workout is that I get very hungry after swimming.

What happens to 500km+ running shoes?

Here's a short summary:

Mizuno Precision - donated to Project Love Sneakers
Mizuno Rider 10 - hopefully Vuthy from COSI is putting them to good use
Saucony Pro Grid Triumph 4 (gold) - garbage truck driver said they are the right size!
Saucony Pro Grid Triumph 4 (orange) - last seen with the same garbage truck driver above

What happens to running shoes that did not see extended duty?

ASICS Kayano - with nephew S for over two year... but did not see much duty
Pearl Izumi Floater - with nephew D who forgot to bring them home

A few more nephews on the wait list.

New shoes: ASICS Nimbus 10

First run with new pair of ASICS Nimbus 10. Pliable and comfortable as with the 9, but heavier. Nice color though - bright citrus yellow, black and silver.


See my latest views on Nimbus 10 viz post on March 10!

Eve of LNY
Today's run called for a controlled pace run. Warm up 3 km. HR to go up to 150, but due to slower run with MBH, I started only after 3rd km. Went out too fast, HR went above 176 after 2 km. Had to slow down to bring HR down to target of 160 - 165. But still exceeded 165 for most of the 5 km controlled pace run.

Overcast weather with little breeze.

TLog: swim, workout, aerobic run and stationery bike

Second day of two intense training days. Yesterday was a 32 lap swim in the morning, followed by weight training in the evening.

This morning, a 20 km aerobic run. Decided to go anti-clockwise instead. The usual route (Sundown) is clockwise, which I have done many times. With the change in direction, it is almost a new route altogether. Nice change.

Weather got hotter with the morning, and I struggled a little towards the end. Peet's coffee beans melted in the heat! :(


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Evening was a stationery bike session for super spinning and one-leg pedaling. Distance covered: 20km

Public swimming pool

I confess that I usually don't frequent public swimming pools. But for the last three swim sessions, I went to Bedok swimming complex for the Olympic size 50m lap pool. Some observations:

Dominated by male swimmers. Perhaps female swimmers prefer private pools, and if they do come, they don't stay very long.

Two ends of the age spectrum: Young swimmers - kids usually, taking swimming lessons and elderly swimmers (including me). Young adults usually on weekends.

There was this elderly lady who swam with only one arm. Her other arm does not do the overwater sweep - possibly due to an injury. Slow but persistent.

There was this elderly man who swam in his boxer shorts. He used a vertical style (threadwater-like) but going sideways. I couldn't figure it out.

There were many seniors who are in remarkable shape. They swam laps after laps without stopping.

There was a lap section for swimmers to swim anticlockwise, in circles. No one followed the rules.

Last but not least. The toilet talk. There were two gentlemen talking, while showering, about last night's stock market movements in NYSE (up, then down and finally up 200+ point) and the budget coming out this afternoon. All in hokkien.

TLog: Intervals

It has been a while, but back to interval training. Not my favored training, as I usually like longer slower-paced runs to take in the scenery, smell the flowers, etc. Anyhow, today's workout is for 5x400m fast paced runs, with 200m recovery. This was how it turned out:

Lap pace (min/km) time
1 4.23 1:45
2 4.23 1:45
3 4.23 1:45
4 4:20 1:44
5 4:32 1:49

Slower than the intervals in Nov last year, which averaged about 4:15 pace (4 sets only). But max heart rate: 203!! This is the highest recorded. Not sure if this is good or bad....

TLog: biking on the roads

There are two kinds of drivers - bike-friendly and bike-unfriendly drivers. Typically cars and buses are bike friendly. Thus far, truck and lorry drivers tend to be not-so-friendly. Thankfully, I have not had any nasty encounters so far.

It was bike recovery today. But the breeze and wind that I so favored yesterday became a bane today. Strong headwinds all the way to Changi village. Also of note: three stretches of speed bumps along coastal road. Loyang rolling terrain was a good way to prepare for Bintan. And feeling a little gung-ho, I turned into Selarang where the first incline made me regret my decision. I survived that and the other inclines along that stretch. Traffic was light, so down hill segments were good (max speed of 44 kph).

Short warm down along Singapore expo area. Ave speed: 21.4 kph


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TLog: LSD 18km run

My preference is go go anti-clockwise around Bedok Reservoir. But today is one of the rare times I decided to go clockwise. Perhaps it was just the timing, or that I have never really looked before, but the sight of the waters in the morning light and the clear blue sky was quite one to behold.

The number of runners/joggers/walkers out at BR was also a pleasant surprise. I think there must well be in excess of 150 people around, of all ages. Yes, there was an infant out there this morning as well. Sleeping soundly in his father's arms, with an entourage of four other adults. Walking though they might be, they were certainly a sight to behold.

The morning was really pleasant, with a cool breeze. Made good pace, about 7:15 to 7:45 mostly. I thought my fitness had improved since the start of Jan, when it took a dip after a lazy Dec.


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There was some soreness on the right knee when I started, but it went away after a while. Some tenderness after the run, but nothing that bothered me for the rest of the day. So keeping my fingers crossed.

TLog: Swim sets

Swim sessions are now more intense. Preset on drills. I still do not relish the side swim and legs only drills. The pull with buoy drill is fine. But the main set today was a step forward. Comprising merely 10x50m front crawl, with rest in between, I started to time the laps. Took about 1:27 to 1:30 minutes per 50m lap, and recovery time is under one minute. Overall time for 10 laps, including rest, was 22 min. Overall 1,600m.

Today's session was the second swim session this week. Earlier in the week, I managed to establish a good rthyme towards the end. The same for today's swim. Could feel that the hips were up, which is good. The pull drill with buoy certainly helped.

And BTW, the boys passed their bronze proficiency test today! Really happy for them.

Youth Tryathlon March 7, 2009

A new triathlon event for kids and youths from 8 to 16 years old at Tanjong Beach, Sentosa. Distances for 8 - 11 year olds are:
100m swim
4km bike
1km run

Certainly doable for our boys. But they have to be comfortable with the swim leg. Perhaps a good idea to bring them down to watch this year's event...



More information

TLog: open water swim and sighting

Jan 11, 2009

Trizen organized an open water swim session at the Tanjong beach, Sentosa this afternoon. It has been a long time since I tasted salt water (20 years when diving in Phuket?), so I was a little uptight about this. But it is a necessary step if my tri plans for this year were to be realized.

The verdict: it wasn't as hard as I thought it to be. No doubt we were in the sheltered lagoon, and the waves were ... what waves? But the lack of visibility was not as bad as I thought it would be. As long as I focus on the stroke and breathing, it is not really different from swimming in the pool. What did catch me by surprise was the giddy feeling when rocked about by the gentle waves. Perhaps it was aggravated by the side swimming style, but coach told me that it was normal and we would get used to it.

The other thing we learnt was sighting, and we were taught two variations. Not used to this, so would need more work.

Really nice to sit down and chat with the other folks. Many have ironman race experience to share. Although the entire session took about 90 minutes, I felt that I could have gone on swimming for another 30 min or so.

Looking forward to the next open water swim.

Bike fit and saddle position

In response to Lotus Fire's query, here's what I learnt about bike fit and saddle position. First, a qualifier. I am a newbie to biking, so this is from my very limited knowledge and experience. Experienced folks out there please correct me if I am wrong, or share your expertise!

Bike fit cannot be underscored, especially when we are going to spend hours on the bike (for those keen on longer endurance events). I went to a bike shop that has friendly knowledgeable cyclists willing to spend time sharing and listening. The bike folks made the necessary measurements before setting the saddle height. As a rule of thumb, one should be able to pedal through the bottom of the stroke without completely straightening your knees, and without rocking your hips on the saddle. Another check is to drop a plumb line from knee that passes through the pedals.

As for reach, the guide is to position the handlebars so they block views of front hubs. My initial impression is that I am too forward (having used only mountain bikes in the past). but I now realize that it is normal. In fact, I find that moving forward a little can add power and leverage.

I experimented around some and it took some time to get comfortable. I also had experienced bikers look at my position and sought out their views. A good article by Peter Jon White on "How to Fit a Bicycle" may be useful reading.

The other thing I discovered over the past 6 months or so is that there is so much to learn about bike mechanics, technology, training, techniques, etc that it would take time to appreciate and master. So the adventure continues ...

When tendinitis is good news...

Relief is the word to describe how I feel after consulting my GP this afternoon.

I was worried that the pain in my right knee was due to osteoarthritis. However, my GP examination detected some inflammation and no pain on lateral pressure.

He diagnosed it as a case of tendinitis probably caused back in October during the intensive training runs. He explained how injury to the tendons could cause shortening of the tendons, and only when the muscles and legs were relaxed (when asleep) did the pain surface. So he prescribed painkillers and cream, and no intense running. Should continue glucosamine and proper footwear to avoid onset of osteoarthritis. Also keeping weight in check will help. He reckoned the knee should be well by March.

Thanks to my dear friends for your concern. The BFG chronicles will continue...

TLog: Holding the line - tip from Sally Edwards

Jan 8, 2009

With a long absence of outdoor biking, it seems natural to head out for a 90 min spin this morning. Tried different gear combinations while maintaining a good cadence of 80 - 100 (estimated). Tried the big gear with 3 out along Changi coastal, and small gear with 5/6 in. Managed 24 kph going out against head wind, and 27-28 kph on way in. max speed- 33.2 kph.

Other than spinning hard periodically (reminder to myself - need to get a cadence monitor!), the focus today was on holding the line. This I read from a book, The Complete Book of Triathlons by Sally Edwards. I realized that I had trouble with holding the line especially while cycling along the road and when vehicles passes by. 

Interestingly, I discovered that moving forward on the saddle about 0.5 inch provided better traction for high cadence pedaling.

Ave HR: 139; high of 162.

TLog: Indoor bike, gym and swimming

Jan 5, 2009

As usual, it is a relief to get to the gym after long conference sessions and heavy dinners. The Marriott gym is well equipped, and I did a 75 min bike yesterday (instead of 90 min due to a dinner appointment). Today, I hit the gym for weight training, followed by a swim in the heated indoor pool.

The pool is short (about 12 m?) and small. Lucky for me, there was a separator lane that was vacated by another swimmer just as I was about to start. After a few min warmup, I did 15 min (almost non-stop) swim - not sure how many laps. Short rest, followed by another 15 min. Then a short warmdown. Took about 10 to 12 strokes per lap. That should translate to 22 to 24 strokes for 25 m. Hope to cut that down to 20 strokes as advocated by TM.

Felt pretty good about the progress so far. Focus on the arm pull motion - the catch only after the other hand has "chased up" and to bend the arm on the stroke. Typically, I was able to do a good "kick" as the hands reach the hips. Also had to make sure that my arm does not cross the center line so as to avoid unnecessary side motion.

For my friends who expressed concern over the possible osteoarthritis, I am happy to report that my right knee is much improved after three days of glucosamine pills. Much less stiffness and no pain at night. :) Still, to be safe, I will be seeing my GP after I get home.

My take is that we often take our well being for granted. The farmer may occasionally twist his ankle, but hopes not to break his leg. Likewise for the soldier and athlete. So every time we are able to go out to run, bike or swim, let's give thanks. As a friend said to me once, it is the joy of training rather than the competing that spurs him on. Amen.

BFG Rave Runs: San Francisco CA

Jan 2, 2009

First run of 2009, and I was fortunate to do this in San Francisco, CA. Believe it or not, I last ran here in April 2007 (twice), and I took basically the same route, except that I started off in near Union Square instead of North Beach. So this is a run from Bay Bridge to Golden Gate Bridge.

Sunny afternoon, temp about 48F (8C). Not too breezy, but it was warm enough to remove my gloves after a few km. Down Market Street towards the Ferry Building, then east along the Embarcadero, past Fishermans Wharf and Fort Mason. Then along the Marina area past Crissy Fields. Nothing much changed since April 2007, At the end of Crissy Field, I noticed new pavements and remarkably, new tracks / stairs up toward the Golden Gate Bridge. The winding path made it easier to ascend the slope. The Golden Gate Bridge was packed with tourists and sightseers.

The out leg was fine, as it was bright and sunny, and I ran faster than I anticipated (<7 min pace). I also thought of Dean Karnaze (SF is his home city), and that he must have ran this route numerous times. Probably he ran the slopes and hills, but not me. BTW, this route is part of the SF marathon. There were many runners out as well, although they weren't wearing jackets and gloves as I did!





The return leg was slower, as my legs didn't take well to downhill running. Felt hungry as the sun set, and the aroma from the restaurants along Beach Street was really tempting. I thought of stopping by Bouldin for a bowl of clam chowder, but didn't have enough money.

The weather turned cooler as it got dark (starting from the turnaround point). It was a bit of a struggle for the last 2 km along the Embarcadero. Fortunately, I remembered that there was a Peet's outlet at the Ferry Building, and I thought of Peet's chocolate covered expresso beans that Dean Karnazes likes.

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Lucky for me, there was one bag left (and I got a discount). Took four or five beans, and immediately I perked up. My favorite - chocolate and expresso! (note to myself: must buy a few more packets!).

It was dark by the time I returned to the hotel at 6 pm. Total distance: 22 km.

Next time I will try the next half of the SF marathon route and take it all the way to the Golden State Park! Then it would have been more like taking part in the SF marathon, which I can't do for now (no clearance and no resources!).

A few lessons I learnt from running in cooler weather:
- must have jacket, gloves and hat
- tend to need more water breaks (I had to take two even though I didn't hydrate along the way - lucky for me I remembered that there were restrooms at Pier 39)
- legs tend to get stiffer due to cold
- nose tends to run (need to bring along a small tower - thanks for this tip, PG!)
- although I didn't feel much perspiration, must remember to keep money/notes in ziplock (I apologized to the casher at Peet's)

Food for thought: SF has a progressive marathon category. Wonder if I have enough miles to qualify for a progressive SF marathon? I believe I do. :)

Honor Roll: PGT5

First post of 2009

Jan 1, 2009.

New year. Found myself celebrating new year in Singapore and San Francisco (21 hours later). Actually celebrating is the wrong word, since there were no parties or gathering ... since passengers in the airplane do not constitute a gathering. Had to travel to SF for my annual pilgrimage. Good thing, the weather in SF is not too bad, at least warmer than Maastricht.

For some weeks now, my right knee has been troubling me. It does not hurt when I run, swim or bike, but when I stay still for too long, my right leg stiffens up and the inner part of the knee hurts when I move. The pain was so bad that I woke up many times during the night. I experienced this kind of pain only after a hard / fast run. But since I have only done slow leisurely runs (once a week) since SCSM, it is a bit of a puzzle. For some moments, I actually wondered if this is the end of running for me! After all, many ex-runners stop because of knee problems.

I figured that it was because I stopped taking glucosamine for a while (since November). So I resumed my daily dosage, and will see if that is indeed the cause.

If things don't get better, that would be the end of this blog (not that many will notice). I guess MBH would be quite happy with that outcome. :(