Next stop: Ironman

In an act of faith, I have registered for Ironman Western Australia 2011. Registration was 70% capacity when I logged on one hour after opening. I guess it must be due to the fact that there are very limited IM races in Asia Pacific next year.

After conferring with coach yesterday, we established the following:

• Recommend 6 months training for the full IM. I was eyeing IM China (if it takes off), but since I can't start training till mid Jan, it wouldn't work out with just 4 months. As coach said, it can be done within 4 months, but I'll suffer just to finish.
• 3 months of base building, and 3 months of race-specific speedwork
• 250km of cycling per week on average, over 4 rides. Peak of about 350km per week
• Run distance average 40km per week
• Aim for LD triathlon Korea in mid July 2011. Should have sufficient time to train up for IMWA
• Importance of base building reiterated. Most people suffer on IM races because of insufficient base building

Phuket Asia Pacific IM 70.3 2010

I woke up at 3:11 am with an elevated HR petrified by visions of the wall in front of me. "How in the world am I going up those slopes?"

The day before the AP 70.3 race, we did a recce of the bike route and I was horrified and terrified after seeing the steep climbs at 45 km and 72 - 75 km. The steepest was a 20 percent gradient :( In comparison Mt Faber (Kpg Bahru side) was 12 percent. And longer climbs too.

In any case, my race strategy was to ride conservatively so avoid my friend Mr C. And to simply survive this race. So no shame in pushing the bike up 'em slopes. As it turned out, I only managed to ride up 1 and a half of the five slopes and pushed the rest :) Guess what, most of the other competitors (with comparable times and riding abilities) did as well.

We flew in on Thu - IN, CS and MH - and did the usual pre-race routine - except now we have to set up our bikes. CT and AY flew in earlier and we hooked up during the expo. I learnt about the tough climbs from CW, and was worried sick. Actually the bike route is manageable except for the climbs. But that affected my entire perspective completely. The objective was to survive.

Met up with the gang at 6 am and made last minute preps before heading over to the swim start at Laguna Holiday Resort via ferry. Kevin (our swim coach) was there to give us last minute instructions on diving into the incoming swell. The waters were rather cool at 7 am.

I was in the second wave and decided to swim easy for the first 500m. Practiced the new sighting technique that Kevin taught me. The buoy was at 600+m but somehow it looked further than expected. After the first turn, I found a swimmer I could draft. He was kicking furiously which made it great for me. Drafted him all the way to the end of the ocean leg. HR was in comfortable range. Then into the yucky lagoon waters we went. Luckily it was only for 650m or so. The exit converged up into a narrow ramp and my feet felt the slimy bottom :( About 45 min, and I felt good after the swim.

As I exited, MBH was there with the camera, and needless to say, I had to smile and give a V for victory sign!

Up through the chute we went and collected our bike bag to change in the change tent. Apparently this is IM norms. Out of Laguna we went on our bikes, and I took it easy to bring down my HR. Overtaken by many but I kept to my race strategy, which is to go easy on the bike. After turning into a side road, we were surprised by a herd of water buffaloes. Some even turned their horns at us. !!

Lots of sharp corners and into the rubber plantation. Then we came to the highway and had to dismount to push our bikes up an overhead bridge. The ramps were newly built (just for this race) and was carpeted. First aid station, but I was fine. The weather was overcast and it wasn't too hot, thank God.

Around the 30km mark, we saw the pros coming back on the same stretch. They were 30km ahead!! :( Noticed a luminious green jersey (LGJ) in front and overtook him. Counting down the km to the real test and I could feel my HR and anxiety mounting. Thought I'd follow a lady - slow and steady. At least she'd be safe going downhill. The first warm up came and as I approached the top, a lady was by the side asking if I knew how to use the cartridge. I stopped to help, and when her tire was inflated, I resumed, losing 2 or 3 min.

Then came the first killer slope. No time to gain momentum. Just spin as hard as I could. HR went up to 180 and I could see many cyclists unclipping. At the turn where it leveled off a little, I decided to unclipped as welll and join the rest in pushing our bikes up. At the top, we remounted and the yellow flag zone started.

No faster than 20 kph, no drafting (7m rule), no overtaking. Just as well, cuz the turns were sharp and hazardous. The second slope I simply pushed. Midway I took a leak (lost even more time!!) and saw Koyabashi-san doing the zig-zag up. The cyclists brave and strong enough to pedal up where true warriors. Heaving and puffing. Legs straining with each crank. It's agonizing to even watch them. Except for one competitor on a mountain bike. He seemed to spin up easy enough!

It was a relief to get back on the saddle resuming our journey after the first two slopes. Negotiated the wicked hairpin turn, trying to keep my breathing steady. Nasty nasty. Only after the green flag did I breathe easy. Caught up with the slow and stead lady and overtook her. Overtook LGJ again and on the return leg, I saw the last rider - on a mountain bike - being escorted by four or five vehicles - ambulance, patrol cars, trucks, etc.

At the 70km mark, I could feel the anxiety returning. And without warning the first slope was upon us! It looked hideous! With a couple of nasty turns. Then we were into Naithon beach for a breather. Not for long. The next climb came but we had good momentum going in, so I managed to climb that. Then the killer climb. It was not very steep but long! Several turns, no letting up. At the top (or what we thought was the top), we resumed cycling only to be confronted with another surprise climb. No choice, just grinded it up. Almost cramped, could feel them coming, but my quad compression tights held up. At the summit, there was a rider down, motionless and crippled by cramps. Then I knew that I adopted the right strategy.

Back to TA and I was surprised to be approached by a bike catcher (even though I knew they were there). Into the chute and change tent again. and decided no deep heat. Filled up my water bottle and went onto the third leg. Was pleasantly surprised to see MH come behind me, even more when she told me that she "died" on the bike :(

At the canal village I was again pleasantly surprised to see MBH with D and E there! So glad to see them. :)

My quads started acting up after 1km and I eased off a bit. After about 3 km, saw IN behind, and boy did he run fast. Soon enough he overtook me and everytime I saw him, his lead over me was increasing! He did a phenomenal 2:0X for the run.

The sun came up then, and good thing the aid stations were well stocked with water, isotonic, coke and sponges. I took full advantage of the coke (caffine!) and sponges. Didn't want to take any chances until the second loop. LGJ and slow n steady overtook me :( Tried to increase my pace after 15km, but it wasn't anything to shout about. Just happy to complete.

CS and IN were there to welcome me back, as was MBH.

The long and short of it is a 3:38 bike split, a 46 min swim leg and a 2:35 run split, with a chip time of 7:08. Even though I improved on the swim (drafted half of the ocean leg) and on the run,  the 28 min extra on the bike compared to Aviva took me above the time posted in March. Actually I am quite happy with this time, given the tough bike course.

Congratulations to everyone who valiantly outlasted and conquered this tough course. Great PBs for some!

Honor roll: Cento Uno with compact crank, Zoot, UnderArmour Spectre

A prayer

A simple prayer during yesterday's brick workout under the hot sun:

Teach me Lord to remember.

For every stroke in the water, every turn of the crank and every stride on the road,
I shall remember to give thanks for manifold goodness and blessings.

The sun may be blazing hot and my HR in overdrive,
I remember those who are less privileged -
who have never worn a pair of nike or addidas shoes,
and yet find pure joy in running barefooted.

The climb may seem formidable and my quads are cramping,
I remember those who are less privileged -
who have to cycle 60km every day just to commute to work,
to provide for their children back home.

The race may be too demanding and I feel like giving up,

I remember those who are less privileged -

those who can't even walk, or stand, or talk,

and yet they are not giving up on life.

Help me Lord to remember.

Hitting the 30kph average

For the longest time, we have been languishing in the sub-30kph average in our rides. Along came EN and he pulled us to hit the new high over 60km.

The next ride, SC kept us at that magical 30kph average over the same route, and we were beaming from ear to ear.

Following that, we came in at 28 kph average, over almost 60 km, but with two loops of Kaki Bukit. Thanks to CS and SC. We are definitely on a roll here :)

Should be a nice ITT for our friends next week.

Tour de Bintan 2010

Children lining up on both sides of the road, cheering, smiling and waving you on.
Policemen and marshalls at every junction to direct you.
Cold isotonic drinks and water at support stations.
Exhilarating descents around every corner.
And the toughest bike race ever. For this athlethically-challenged rider at least.

Around every corner there was another slope to climb.
Isotonic drinks? Not on stage 1, at least not for the slower recreational riders.
Children wanting to hi-five and my water bottle.
And the 40 deg C heat, unrelenting, merciless and ever so humbling.

Having done the training camp some weeks ago, I was mentally prepared and came with a game plan. Hydrate more often, stay aerobic as much as I can, devise a nutrition plan of cereal bars, bloks, gels and S-caps. And of course, a compact crank. If only I could execute...

My plan was to go at my own pace and stay within my capabilities. We started together after a blowup some 100m into the race. After a few km, I was glad that CS and MH went ahead, they were much faster and stronger riders. SC, Jodan and I were lagging behind, and when the serious slopes started, we began to pull apart. I found the compact crank to be a major improvement and was pleasantly surprised to catch up with the front group who'd stopped for an impromptu water break. SC and I started together and I was wondering if it was a good idea for him to ride with me. Several times, I told him to go ahead, but was thankful that he stayed with me. We took turns pulling at the coastal stretch, but other than that, I was drafting him most of the way. Thanks, buddy.

Pix of SC with our supporters!

I was glad to reach the second water point without the ugly C monster grabbing me. Again surprised to see CS and MH there. Apparently the water ran out and they spent 15 minutes waiting. I was lucky cuz the water came shortly after I arrived. Counterpain aplenty. But that was insufficient to belay the C monster. It struck shortly after while we were going through up one of the slopes in Tg Pinang. But somehow, I kept spinning easy and it went away. The C monster would rear its head four to five more times.

The heat was getting to us then, and the heavier traffic didn't help. We had to make a few more short stops (at my request). Several times After a gel, I felt strong and started pulling. However, not long thereafter, the sugar high wore off and I suffered again. Decided to stop for water by a road side store. Just then the sweeper bus came along and the driver notioned to us. We waved him off, and then kinda regretted. :(

By then we knew that making the 125km cutoff was a tall order. The third water stop was just a few clicks away and I decided to stop again, and SC rode ahead. The conversation among the riders there were pretty much like - hot day, tough slopes - amidst weary smiles.

I turned a corner and saw this big climb and many riders walking their bikes up. My heart dropped. So I unclipped and walked up. That was when the C monster leapt up and consumed me. Ironic, wasn't it, to be seized by cramps in both legs while walking instead of riding. Took the better part of a minute to get around them and continue. Defensive from that point on, it was merely a grind-it-out affair.

At the 125km checkpoint, I was disappointed to see a group of riders standing around, and more so that SC didn't make the cutoff as well. Apparently he missed by 10 minutes, and I felt really bad to have slowed him down. I was glad that the pain and suffering was over at that point. At least the consolation was that I managed to make it to 125km.

The second stage the next day started with a larger group as cat 3 riders that didn't make the top 80 were lumped together with the recreational riders. Even before we reached the Nirwana Garden gates, I was right at the end with the motorbikes and bus behind me. Hhmmm...

CS was waiting for me and he asked me to draft him. So I did rather reluctantly and we caught up with the FOTR group. We rode together for a bit but soon I fell back. Going to stick to my game plan more carefully and ride within myself.

The terrain was not as challenging as stage 1, but I found that following AY's advice to go downhill on big chain ring and then changing down on the upslope really helped (I was on small chain ring almost all the way in stage 1). After a while, I began to get the hang of it and the slopes became easier to overcome. Took me four long rides to figure this out, hence I concluded that I am also learning-challenged.

Anyways, the highlight of the tour for me was the descent after a short climb outside town. It was a fairly long descent with two to three turns. Yeehaw!

The weather wasn't as cruel on day 2 and it even drizzled some. By the time we reached the second and last water station, I met up with JC and rode together along the coastal stretch, taking turns to pull.

Perhaps it was the adrenalin or the conservation strategy, but I felt strong enough to start overtaking other riders then. Over the last 24 km, I reckoned I overtook about 12 to 15 riders. Cheap thrill it was, overtaking two riders up the KOM. A polite gentleman from Operation Smile and I rode together for a spell and then I overtook him as well. Within one km of the end, I saw a distant rider and started huffing and puffing just to overtake him some 200m from the finish line.

The gang was at the side of the finish line to encourage me. They told me I finished mere minutes behind them. They were being kind. Probably a good half hour by my estimate. That said, I was glad to finish strong for the 74km stage 2.

A friend said that there was nothing fun about this tour. I agreed. But there were many lessons learnt.

And what did I learn from this humbling experience? To quote Dean Karnazes: Pain and suffering are often the catalysts for life's most profound lessons. 


Indeed, I had many hours of commune with my Creator, especially when struggling through the cramps. There's a song that I composed that brought me through those excruciating and trying minutes. I am also grateful for friendship and comrades in suffering. There's nothing more motivating than to have fellow sufferers pulling and pushing me on. And I am thankful for the gifts of life and health. 


Best of all, was this welcome home card from my family that made it all worthwhile:

TriBob Bintan training camp: Reality check

It's not as if I didn't spend enough time, especially weekends, away from the family. But I thought it would be good to do a TdB preview by riding stage 1 - 154km with two king of the mountains (KOMs) and several sprint aces. In truth, the mountains are only hills, just that we pitiful cyclists in SG are not used to hills.

Suffice it to say that the Bintan hills were sufficient to cause severe cramping, with no help from the very hot sun. The only consolation was that 6 of us didn't finish the ride, and that was 20% of the group. The other consolation is that I got to see the entire route.

The first KOM is about 25km into the ride. And I'd done it before - in Feb. It was not as bad as the first time. The coastal stretches - for the sprints - were flat and considerably long. But we started late - almost 11 am, and the hot weather took its toll. The C monster popped out without warning - otherwise I could have controlled it - and even after counterpain and salompas, when it reared its ugly head again, I knew I wasn't up to the second KOM.

The second KOM was tougher - according to the others. And then it rained. Fortunately it stopped after 30 min or so. At 4:30 pm, we had to pull MH out since we had a ferry to catch. She'd done about 130km.

CS would later sms me to say that it was the toughest 160km ride he'd ever done. SC and he sat out Sunday's ride, and wisely so. No point in risking injury at this point.

So what lessons did I learn? First, affirmation (?) that I don't do well under hot temperatures. Desaru and Mersing were overcast, and so was the 120km ride in Feb. Second, I still need to train hard riding and climbs. Third, hydrate more and don't try new salt pills. Finally, contingency plans for TdB.

There are 3 cut off points for stage 1. Bail out points. 125 km is the second cut off mark. And since we are in the recreational category, we don't have to do all stages.

TdB will all be about suffering. A huge big two-day sufferfest of the most severe kind.

SSBR-AHM 2010

Fourth year in a row for me, and the first time MBH doing the 21km. This is not her first time for a half - she completed that in SDM 2010. But her 3-month course had cut down her training and we went in undertrained. Nevertheless, we wanted to give it our best shot.

Picked up HP in the morning and arrived with some minutes to spare. By the time we got to the starting bay, we realized that the front runners have already done. But it was good to meet up with CT, CL, EW, SC and DT and Ling. The route this year went through MBS which was a good change. The earlier starting time of 5:15 am was also a welcome change. It meant that we get to run in cooler temperatures.

The other change was the different start times for open and closed categories. But the army boys starting overtaking us soon enough.

As usual, we did a run-walk and it was good to see the runners above us along the Sheares Bridge when we were crossing the new bridge. About 5 to 6 km into the race, MBH's ITB and knee started to bother her. But she was determined to grind it out. We kept going - up and down the Sheares Bridge into Fort Road. Met HP and Jodan along the east coast stretch. They were looking strong!

The support tables were sufficiently staffed and we were happy with our bananas. :) The only complaint was the lack of WC and portatoilets. I had to queue for 5 min!

The last few km were a grind as usual. But we were encouraged by this elderly gentleman who shuffled along steadily, often overtaking us. Credos to him!

About 5 km from the end, MBH was struggling. But after a quick check I told her that she could achieve a PB. Her time at SDM 21km was 3:45. That kept her going even though the sun was up and it was getting hotter.

Down the final stretch and we were able to cross the finish line at 3:42 (gun time). By my estimate, it would be 3:35 chip time, which would definitely be a PB!

Overall, we were very pleased with the organization - SSBR/AHM is one of the better organized races locally. Will be back for the 2011 edition!

Bike n Blade 2010: double century rides

After the months of training rides, we were looking forward to the Bike n Blade event - no, it's not a race as the AY reminded us - two 160km rides back to back to Mersing and Rompin.

We started off at Kota Tinggi - almost 100 of us. 6 of us from FOTR, not counting AY (BnB chairman) - IN, JN, SC, JT and GP. We started off riding together as a group, but the fast group went ahead and JN and I kept each other company until the 70km wanton noodle shop. It's familiar undulating terrain, nothing too difficult. But keep at it long enough, and it became a challenge. HR was way up at 150 to 160.

JN was kept busy - he fixed three flats - lady from Crazy to Tri ($100 fee!?), IN and SC. We stopped to help one rider who suffered from bad cramps on both legs. That's where the 'spray me, spray me' incident occurred. As I wasn't there to witness it, I'll leave it to IN and SC to tell the story some other time.

I couldn't sustain HR above 160 for long, so had to drop back when we were past Mersing. The group waited for me and we continued at a more sustainable pace below 30 kph. Even then, once we crossed into virgin territory at 140km, my left thigh cramped up. Took a few minutes to get rolling again.

The support vehicles and crew did a marvelous job, always around to render assistance, drinks, food and encouragement. We felt so pampered!

When we reached Rompin Beach Resort (it was 155km!) we were greeted with banners, photographers, drinks and congratulatory applause. What a nice end to an imperial century ride. 7.5 hours in all, 6:47 riding time. Ave speed: 26+kph

A nice buffet dinner with the gang. EN joined us and we learned much from him. Incidentally, EN was the first rider to complete! Amazing stuff. He's quiet and unassuming, but what a strong cyclist he is!

The second day started with light rain and a flat about 600m out. It's IN's second of the event. Good thing the mechanic was on hand to help. The rest waited and we rode together most of the way. With the rain, we were all splattered with mud and dirt. Took it easier, keeping below 30 kph. Even so, we were able to catch up with the other riders. The Rompin park was nice with a couple of challenging climbs. LV joined us at Rompin park and with her compact crank, she was able to surmount the climbs fairly easily.

After surviving the first 80+km, lunch was at the same wanton noodle shop. Felt pretty good until then. But the toughest part of still ahead of us. There were a few long climbs after Mersing, and that took their toll on me. Our group started breaking up, with SC and JT up front, and me at the back. But we regrouped regularly especially to top up and catch our breath. JT took a flat as well, so JN fixed a record 4 flats. He'd become really proficient.

The mental image most vivid in my mind was that of a bike or two mounted behind the support vehicle. I determined that I wouldn't end up in a support vehicle with my cento behind. Interestingly, even the sight of long climbs paled in comparison (possibly because I have seen worse climbs).

The last few climbs took me out - and I slowed to a crawl to keep my HR down. It was tough to ride alone - more so mentally than physically, and I struggled with my inner demons over that 10+km. Who'll sweep the sweeper? Who'll train the trainer? How to survive a 180km ride and then run 42km?

But my faith in the group was restored when I saw IN and further along JN and LV, waiting for me.

We rode together into Kota Tinggi with a car escort behind us! We were probably one of the last groups to roll in, and some were probably picked up by the sweeper bus. Ride time: 6:07 ave speed 25+kph. I was glad to finish cramp-free.

The biggest surprise was when we arrived back at WC McDonalds. MBH and Irene decided to meet us there with banner and cake. I was famished by then and gladly ate my bd cake. Thanks, ladies!

So here I am, having survived the double century rides and thinking about the next long ride! As SC said, we forget our pain very quickly.

More importantly than achieving a new distance milestone and the physical endurance for me was the spiritual journey of discovery. Dejection and redemption, servanthood and perseverance. Above all, humility and selflessness.

Last but not least, I am thankful for the many prayers offered by our friends and especially for MBH who fasted and prayed for our safety.

TLog updates

It's been a while, but I had a one-on-one swim session with coach last week. These weeks with SportInc appeared to be paying off. My swim had improved. But as always, there's room for improvement. Three important techniques for me:

1. front quadrant swimming
2. acceleration through the stroke
3. grab with lats

Need to work on these. Noticeable difference in the feel, though.

Coach shared some tips on long distance riding, and I'd be putting some to good use soon.

Bike n Blade this weekend would be the longest bike rides (not one, but two) for me. Attended the briefing last Fri. An event report to follow.

Last weekend's long rides were disrupted - partly due to weather. Sat's ride was cancelled due to gusty wind and heavy rain forecast. We were cheated as the rain didn't materialize. Four of us went for a CCR ride, and I managed to put in 74 km before running out of time.

Sunday's ride was supposed to be 110km Mandai loops, but once again, I was tripped up because of the weather. By the time I accompanied TC back, it was almost 7 am and even if the weather held up, I'd be hard pressed to complete the distance if I weren't to miss service two weeks in a row.

I have some hard decisions to make. Essentially, I was giving up family time for junk miles, which is a terribly bad trade. Perhaps I should focus more on quality riding? Do more trainer sessions? Reorganize our rides?

Stronger, Safer, Faster

In the light of the unfortunate accident last week, we have re-evaluated our safety protocols and added two more:

- Cap max speed limit to 40 kph


- No sprinting unless pre-specified

The key is to keep to groups (even in twos or threes) for safety reasons. Of course it feels good to be fast, and that drives much of any cycling group dynamics. (This is the reason why coach wasn't too keen on group cycling - we tend to push each other a little too much).

I think we need a max speed cap to avoid endangering ourselves needlessly. We'll have sprint points to keep the speedsters happy, but other than the specified sprint stretches, we should adhere to the limit. Those who like more speedwork would be able to find many faster groups.

From my persepective, there's no reason to be fast all the time. In fact, I enjoy being the default sweeper on most of our rides as that allows me to pull almost all the time. I'd rather be able to pull consistently at 30kph then draft at 40kph. That way, I'll know that I can shave off at least 20 min on the 90km aviva event next year. I still get to my interval trainings on sprint points and on the trainer!

Hence the title: Stronger, Safer and Faster. Speed will come as an outcome, but safety comes before speed.

Motivation

Found this wonderful post by Stacy with beautiful pix and motivation.

My favorite:

'If you can imagine it you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.'


William Arthur Ward

Kaki Bukit loops redux

Never too soon to take on the Kaki Bukit slopes again. Four loops, 16 slopes to climb. The usual beast is the KB climb that I merely try to survive. Some even went up Hendon and a nice detour through Selarang.

TC and HP came for one loop. Although TC missed the u-turn at Maris Stella (we were nursing CS's hissing tyre further back), he eventually realized that and made his way back. I was rather worried as it was the first time he rode the KB circuit with us. With the spade of accidents we had, we sure didn't need another. Trouble was that the usual sweepers were all bunched up in the back group. Need to talk to the group about watching out for new riders.

The long training rides, early mornings and lack of sleep were taking a toll, and I struggled this morning.

Read this wonderful prayer from Craig: Runner's Prayer Eleven. I quote:

"Guide us as we seek to experience its full potential. Grant that our past will not determine our future. We cannot change who we have been but we can change who we are becoming. We cannot change where we have been but we can change where we are going. Help us to find life’s best as we follow your leadership."

Potholes and trucks

It had been a while since we ventured up Keppel viaduct, so I planned an unconventional ride through Clementi, NUS-Westcoast-Jln Buroh, U-turn, and up Keppel viaduct. Traffic was light at 4 ~ 5 am, but there were trucks coasting along the viaduct.

I didn't see the accident as I was bringing the rear with CL. What I saw was IN holding his wheel and I thought "puncture." It was much worse - he lost the front peleton, saw some potholes but was helmed in by a truck and couldn't avoid the potholes. Went through the first but caught off balance by the second. Right-side abrasions to shoulder, hip, knee and ankle. Terrible accident.

Much to our surprise, IN continued the ride all the way - up Mt Faber (Kg Bahru approach) twice (officially it's one and a half loops), TBG, SBV and back home. For this, he deserved the FOTR Valiant Heart Award!

What of the Kg Bahru side of Mt Faber? Everything we heard about it is true. Tough b***h of a climb. I was panting so hard that I could have woken up the whole neighborhood. But definitely glad that we made it through :)

The gang was a little disappointed that we skipped Pepys as JT and KC had to head back to work. Best of all was prata breakfast at Evans.

Heal fast, IN! See you back on the saddle soon.

It's not only about the bike

Lest you think I should change the title of this blog, I hasten to say that I have not forgotten the other two disciplines.

Swimming with SportInc has been rewarding so far. Made several changes to my swim stroke and had been working on my technique.

Running has taken a back seat but not neglected. MRK made a comeback and is limiting my mileage on my feet.

Would be piling up the distances after BnB.

FOTR awards

In a word, the FOTR group has improved significantly over the months. 

Last week, we conferred the FOTR most improved rider award to JT! And it was only a week or so ago that he discovered the big chain ring. Bravo!

Yesterday, SC won the FOTR biggest loser award! 5 kg and 3 inches since Jan. Congratulations!

Today, JN and SC won the Mandai sprint.

Well done, folks.

Surmounting Mt Faber & Kampong Kaki

It has been a long time brewing - the inevitable climb up Mt Faber. For the benefit of foreign readers, Mt Faber is not a mountain, just a small hill. Singapore's that flat.

It was quite a turnout - 13 in all, of which only 4 - 5 had gone up Mt Faber previously. Nothing like a good challenge to get the guys churning. AY, our guru, came along just to witness our virgin climb up Mt Faber!

I had run and driven up Mt Faber before, so I was aware of the slopes. Still, going up on the bike was a different affair altogether. HR went up to 180 and it was just grind and grind. All too soon, we reached the top (it was only 2 km of ascent)!

Perhaps we were too overwhelmed by exuberance that JN didn't see a turn on the way down and fell. Thank God he wasn't hurt.

At the bottom, we stopped to regroup and I heard a sharp hiss from my front tyre. Good grief. The third flat in two rides. What a bummer. Thanks to JN (he's becoming very proficient!), we were on our way shortly.

Next up was Telok Blangah Green, a longer but less steep climb. Regrouped again at the foot, and down Depot and Alexandra toward Labrador Park for our third climb. This was a short one, and the gang was kinda disappointed (What? That's it?!). I promised the group that the fourth climb up Pepys would be a better challenge. True enough, it was. Just under 1 km, but sufficient to bring my HR up to 180 again.

By now, the gang was getting fired up and we charged up South Bouna Vista. Before we did so, we asked IN if we should revisit Vigilante, but we decided to give it a miss this time. And that covered the Kampong Kaki circuit (I think we missed just one climb).

A left into NUH/NUS and we headed up Kent Ridge. The 200m up the peak was, as usual, a huff and puff affair. HR reached a max of 184.

After these climbs, the slopes along Clementi and Ulu Pandan didn't feel that bad. A short 38k, but well worth every meter.

Indeed there was an air of exuberance at breakfast. Yes, we definitely improved. As SC proclaimed, next up would be the Kg Bahru approach to Mt Faber and our nemesis - Vigilante Drive!

MAMILs

BBC article on Middle Aged Men in Lycra (MAMILs)

Farewell peetoo meus amicus

Peetoo has served me well over the past year, especially at the Aviva 70.3. MBH asked if I felt attached to my bikes, and whether I felt sad letting a bike go.

The new owner - a young columnist - is a knowledgeable and agreeable young man. I believe he'd take good care of peetoo. I'd miss her.

Good things come in twos

Yesterday was our second attempt to do the reverse island loop that was aborted the previous week. Happy to say that we completed it, the second time around, just in the nick of time before the rain came. This was in spite of me getting two flats - one at Kranji/Mandai and the second at Punggol. Thanks to JN, YP, CL and the rest for helping out.

Good to have SC-Cervelo join us up till Bt Timah/Clementi. He's a strong triathlete training for AP Phuket as well.

Highlights of the ride was going down Lornie at 49kph, trailing YP on his brand new Speed Concept, storming down LCK at 37 to 45 kph, and swooshing down Yishun Avenue 1 at 40 - 45 kph. Most agreed that the reverse loop was easier than our usual anti-clockwise loop.

Speaking of highlights, we were very impressed that YP and CL had the privilege of being transported to the RV point by car. Couldn't ask for better support from our spouses than that!

Thighs were tight after Sat's 140km ride, but held up relatively well, although my left calf felt tight as well. Thanks to MBH who gave me good massages over the weekend, I was able to complete the 100k yesterday.

Desaru 130k ride

As part of the Bike n Blade training, a group of 20 of us departed from TMFT on a bleak Sat morning, headed for Tg Pengelih in Johor, Malaysia. Bleak because dark clouds were looming, and we were sure it would rain. Thank God, the weather held out.

Our regular FOTR kakis were AY (chair of BnB comm), JN, SC, YP, JT and newcomer GP. There were many veterans - who took part since the inaugural event 2 years ago - riding as well. It was a good opportunity to know them.

We rode as a group to Sungei Rengit, 17 km away. Thought of stopping for breakfast, but decided to follow AY and rode on. It wasn't too long after a few climbs that a few of us lagged behind. Long way more to go, so I decided not to try to keep up with the speedsters.

Took Road 92 (17km) and turned left to Tg Belungkor on Road 89. Tg Belungkor is another ferry point, but would stop operating trips from Singapore. On the way there, three of us - JN, SG and I - came face to face with a wild boar. It crossed the road, stopped in the middle and looked at me. Fortunately it was about 200m or so away. Then it decided to continue crossing the road, after determining that I wasn't lunch.

Then we encountered a bunch of monkeys and were glad that we weren't carrying any bananas.

A short break at Tg Belungkor to fill up on water, and then looped back to Road 92. Saw the rest - who stopped for breakfast - catching up. We rode together all the way into Desaru. I was leading the group at that point, and was glad when Allan overtook me coz I wasn't sure where to go once we reached Desaru. Stopped at the Petronas station for drinks.

By then, I was starting to feel the effects of the long climbs. But as GP put it, we were just 30 km from lunch, and that kept us going.

The route from Petronas back was via coastal road 92. Less climbs, but very windy. On one climb, I pressed a little too hard to overtake Sam, and felt cramps on the right thigh. It persisted for a while and I had to slow down. Good thing Mr C went away.

For a good stretch I was happy to draft AY, who stopped to ensure that we were ok. The ride took its toll on all. Some just held up better than others.

Lunch at Sg Rengit was a seafood affair. It felt good to replenish and ease those weary muscles. It was then another slow 17k ride back to the ferry terminal where we cheered upon reaching the gates!

The Desaru ride was definitely the best ride this year for me. It was the longest as well - 134km by my garmin.

Memorabilia: A small frog did a kamikaze on the bottom of my downtube.

London-Paris Jun 2010

Google has this feature that picks up our email subjects and displays a related website on a bar above. There was this link to the London-Paris (L2P) ride. Yes. I clicked on the link :)

Touted as the Professional Event for Amateurs, the three day ride comprises London to Calais (168k, ascent 1,701m), Calais to Amiens (169km, 1,916m ascent), and Amiens to Paris (168km, ascent 1,557m). Option availabe to do only stage 1.

Would love to do this some day.

The reason I blog

It is somewhat of a puzzle even for me as to why I keep this blog. A documentation of my adventure through midlife is probably the most compelling reason. What else? Training log for sure. Amusement, perhaps.  It is also a medium for verbalizing my thoughts, fears, doubts, hopes and aspirations.

Sometimes, I faltered and thought of stopping. But somehow I kept going.

Of late, I have discovered another reason to keep this blog going. It is best captured by a line I read in Craig's blog (btw, I hold Craig's writing in extremely high regard):

In A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Donald Miller writes, “The saddest thing about life is that you don’t remember half of it."

Yes, I write to remember.

Rained out Purple Heart

Sunday morning's ride was interesting. We planned on a 90+km ride doing the reverse route to what we usually do. Just four of us, and the route turned out to be nice, especially the part down Lornie (remember the up slopes on our usual route?). We didn't stop until the rain stopped us at Jln Buroh, at the Pandan reservoir. There we witnessed an accident on the opposite side of the road - the car went up the curb and brought down a lamp post. A few good samaritans stopped to help the distressed lady driver. The ambulance came about 15-20 minutes later. (after all the flak on response time along the west coast last week, i think the ambulance service is much improved now).

The cold reminded me of Vancouver in winter. SY's garmin showed 23 deg C, but with the rain and wind, it was colder. After waiting for 90 minutes, we braved the rain and rode to McDonalds for breakfast. Then we grabbed a cab each and went home. :(

Sat's ride was no less eventful. 12 strong, we were glad to be back riding with our friends who did PD triathlon last week. Along Lornie, CT got a flat and a pit-stop temporarily held up. Unfortunately, it was insufficient and CT had to grab a cab home after completing KB.

It was 3.5 loops of KB, with 14 climbs. A tough first 40-50km for all. YP and I rode together most of the way and had a good chat.

It was also great that WL and P were able to ride with us - we were in the steady group. Even more admirable was that this was only P's second ride with us - and we awarded him a purple heart for bravery! WL had improved tremendously - and I wouldn't be surprised if he were to join the fast group before too long!

We also had GP join us for the first time. He's with a trading firm and is training for BnB in September. Really strong rider, and I was glad to be able to keep up with the fast group along Mandai. OKC and YP were true to form - pulling us along!

We all enjoyed mee pok at the end.

Audax Randonneurs Singapore

As we push towards the century ride (160km), we came across Audax cycling. And there's a Audax group in Singapore: Audax Randonneurs Singapore.

200km, 300km and even 400km rides! Makes our Desaru 130km ride next week look like a stroll in the park.

Wonder if I could ever get to do one?!?

Cycling under influence

A few months ago, I offended a friend when I turned down a glass of wine at his place. That was before the Sundown ultra and I had been staying off alcohol whenever training went high gear.

The verbalized reason is that alcohol has a negative effect on my training. There is another reason why I cut down on my drinking.

Two snapshots. (1) A few weeks ago, a car continued past a yield sign without waiting for the last riders in our group to clear. This was early in the morning, around 5 am. Our friend AY was sufficiently quick and deft to avoid the car. We believed the driver was driving under influence. (2) Last weekend, a car ploughed into a group of cyclists along the West Coast highway and 5 riders were injured. How could a driver miss a group of blinkers unless he/she was drunk?

As a cyclist, I am deeply affected by these incidents. I won't want to be cycling when someone is under the influence of alcohol. Conversely, the mere possibility that I might hit a fellow cyclist is sufficient to deter me from drink driving.

So what is to become of the 200+ bottles of wine in my cellar and 4 cases in the wine locker? Well, I would drink them in 2012 - my sabbatical year from racing. By then, the CDPs, Bordeaux Shirazes and Cab Merlots would be drinking very nicely.

And I'll have my fellow cyclists and ironmen to drink alongside. As long as they take the cab home.

Obsessive compulsion

What is it about clocking saddle time that is so addictive, and even obsessive compulsive?

We (FOTR) were bringing our mileage up to prep for the Sept Bike n Blade 160 km (x2) ride to Mersing. Somehow, we didn't quite hit our mileage the past few weeks. And I was determined to do the two 100km back-to-back rides this past weekend, not least because I lost some training time due to a minor setback.

Sat's ride was with three other riders prepaing for London-Paris. Hardcore veterans. We also had JC joining us, and Kaki Bukit was a baptism of fire. The group waited for us at Tampines Ave 10 as they were not familiar with the route to Yishun camp. We went via Jln Kayu and Seletar (I believe there is a shortcut from Ponggol).

Was surprised to met FeetofFlury at Ponggol Point. He qualified for Boston! Great news. He's taking a rest from running due to PF, and is now into swimming. And photography. He was there with a bunch of photo enthusiasts. Good to see you again, Max.

With the big group (11 - 12 of us), it was hard to keep track. And thank
God I saw someone looking like SC going down a parallel road when on the way to the dam. Indeed, SC missed a turn and SY had to go back to fetch him. Sorry we had to keep Jodan waiting at the Yishun dam.

The fast group had left Mandai Shell by the time we arrived, and the sky wasn't looking too good. We decided to press on to LCK. Rain promptly came while we were at Neo Tiew, and we were looking for a bus stop to take shelter. Guess what. No bus stops along Neo Tiew (we always learn something new). By the time we were at LCK, the rain had stopped. After a short break, Jodan turned back (poor chap had to work OT on Sat) and we proceeded to West Coast. Felt a little tired by the time we reached West Coast SPC station, but the thought of mee pok at Sixth Avenue brought a new lease of life to our weary legs. Clocked 98.6 km.

Sunday's ride was an afternoon affair, in part due to the ladies Shape Run in the morning, and in part we wanted to train under the hot sun. JN, WL and I took turns pulling as we did two CCR loops. Met up with TC at NSRCC for his first road ride. Not bad for a first time, managing 25 km on the way to Changi Village, and like most people, slower on the return. We were just glad to spin on easy gears to get rid of the lactic acid.

JN had to go back, but I decided to complete the fourth and last lap to make up to 100km. Hard (relatively) out and easy back with a much needed drink at CV. It was almost 7 pm when I reached back home.

How'd it feel after two 100km btb rides? The closest comparison for me would be two long 20+ km btb runs. Bloated from the water, require food (carbo) but yet not quite hungry. Legs were ok from Sat, and a little sore after Sun. But the glutes were quite sore (as usual).

Training updates

This week was a watered down recovery week, not by design, but by fall-induced and travel-related reasons. Four days to Hong Kong, where the only exercise was a 10km treadmill run.

Which is larger (in area) - Singapore or Hong Kong island? No, not Singapore. It's Hong Kong island flattened out. (Modification of the Colorado - Texas question posed by Philip Yancey).

Did a 7 km hills training run yesterday. Supposed to find a steep hill and run up and down it continuously. No good hills in the east, so I picked the slopes of Parbury and Lucky Heights.

Sat's 70km ride was rained out - a no starter. Incidentally, the rain was so bad that it caused flooding in many areas.

Sun's 60km ride was two loops of KB, and one CCR. Only IN, JN, SC, CS, MH and SY came for this ride. TC and DG were no-show at the 6:15 RV. Overslept/alarm not working. :\

Enough rest already. For better workouts next week!

The damage of neglect

Mitch Albom in his book 'The 5 people you meet in heaven' wrote:

'All parents damage their children. Youth, like pristine glass, absorbs the prints if it's handlers. Some parents smudge, others crack, a few shatter childhoods beyond repair.'

The first damage is the damage of neglect.

Exercise, like work or hobbies, can be an obsession that leads to neglect of our loved ones, especially our children. Let's face it, training for endurance events involve long hours on the road, away from home. Try as we may to schedule training in the wee hours of the night or early morning, it inevitably takes time away from the family.

I do not have a good solution, but the first step is to recognize the issue.

No finisher medals or PBs can make up for a smudged glass.

Inspiration to Run

I usually run the first half of the marathon and run-walk the last half. It gets harder to run 26.2 miles at my age, but I'm inspired by the memory of friends I've lost.

Harriette Thompson, 87-year-old grandmother of ten and marathon runner

The week that was (not)

The week started out pretty well. Easy 8km run and swim on Monday, bike-run brick session on Tue, gym and swim with SportInc on Wed (I actually enjoyed the swim session!). Then came unlucky Thu. Just a casual spin with TC, my good friend from VS who wanted to take up cycling. I had arranged for him to buy a second hand bike, and went down with him to test ride, buy cycling gear, and Thu was supposed to be a confidence booster for TC before he went on the roads.

Silly me decided to go on my tri-bike and was spinning along the PCN wooded park when I hit a depression (which I couldn't see) and down I went. As SC reminded me later, wasn't it Lance Armstrong who said that it is not whether we'll crash, but when. Thank God nothing serious. Some abrasions on the arms and right knee. Just a bloody mess, which my sons squirmed at. The right wrist was a little tender.

The fall meant that I missed the Sat 100km ride (sigh) and two swim sessions and another 12 km run. But on Sunday, I felt good enough to go back on the bike.

And what a ride that was. About 5km into the ride, up along Bartley viaduct, we heard a loud bang. I thought it was my tire, but it was IN's. His second puncture on the 1080s. Good thing CS was on hand to show us how to change a tubular tire (his spare). Took about half an hour. Sounded familiar? Last week we had a puncture as well.

Three loops of KB, and the rest were cursing me for picking this route. Then two more loops of Selarang/Loyang. Of course it was not fair that I had fresh legs. I remembered how dogged tired I was at the end of last week's second long ride.

There were 9 of us in all. The first time we had our two ladies with us. Would have been 11 had JN and Jodan been able to make it.

We cut short the ride to only 75km on account of various factors - tiredness, time constraints, etc. But it was certainly good to be back on the bike, bandage and all.

After breakfast, I discovered to my dismay that my front tire was flat. Two punctures in one day. CS to the rescue again. And this time, he showed us how to use pit stop. We should pay CS for the tire changing lessons!

FOTR B2B long rides July 3 & 4

Taking a page from my recent ultra training, we are embarking on a series of b2b long rides to build up endurance for the upcoming mersing rides (160k x2) and tour de bintan. The past weekend comprised a 80k and 100k.

Must admit that we're in uncharted territory, and me legs were working OT big time.

Saturday's ride: started from Namly, up Lornie, Braddell and Bartley viaduct. We took turns pulling in twos, and we're getting better at this. Hit 33 - 34 kph in the first 7 km. Got distracted with chatting with IN and good thing Jodan was with us - he showed us a new way to old Tampines road.

As usual, we stomped up Punggol point and that was when IN overtook me to show how much he'd improved! That wasn't all. As we turned into Mandai road, Sean picked up the pace and I was just content to draft him at close to 40 kph for several km. That was the fastest time I took to cover the mandai stretch!

Met AY and the BnB riders at Mandai Shell. Seemed like somehow we always linked up on the weekends.

It was along Upper Bt Timah Road that JN got a puncture. His second puncture in as many years. Took all of us quite a while and two tubes to fix the puncture. Sorry to keep Jodan waiting as he had gone ahead. The delay meant that we had to skip RRR.

I was somewhat apprehensive for Sunday's ride, but the good news was that we had fresh legs - CS, CT, CL and the everlasting AY to lead us. Along the way, we picked up CL's cousin. Went up Admiralty way, and there were some interesting slopes. Definitely tougher than the Mandai way.

We wanted to ride to Tuas, but AY pointed us to the side road parallel to AYE, before heading off. None of us had gone that way before, and it took a few more km of sightseeing and exploration before we headed the same way back. Realizing that we were getting late, we decided to skip SBV and go up Clementi Road and Ulu Pandan instead. Second time up Ulu Pandan felt much much tougher than the first time earlier in the morning.

Breakfast at the 6th avenue coffee shop - a mee pok and coffee affair with light drizzle seemed quite a good way to end the 100km ride.

The usual routine that accompanied long runs ensued - recovery drink, compression tights and a recovery swim that afternoon - to flush out the lactic acid. MBH gave me a good massage on Monday.

Note to myself: Should pace myself for the next two B2B long rides.

Guidelines for safe group riding

These are some guidelines that FOTR adopted (subject to fine tuning):

• Use verbal cues and hand signals - car back, hazards, etc. ANZA cycling has very good guidelines.
• Accelerate smoothly and gradually from stationary starts and away from corners. More so when the train is long and at higher speeds, to allows rear riders to stay with the group.
• On undulating terrain, front riders should ease up when climbing, especially if the train is long. 
• Designate certain stretches as no surge zones and sprint zones where riders can rev their engines with designated rv points
• Pre-ride briefing to emphasize ride route, stop points for re-grouping
• Pre-ride route sent out via email 
• Let the group know if tired or not feeling well
• For inclusivity, we should have shorter options for riders who are not out to do endurance riding
• Commitment to riding as a group for safety. Sometimes we may split up into two sub-groups - the speedy and steady sub-groups. Each sub-gorup should have a sweeper. Those who are dropped from the speedy group, please slow down and join the steady group. We should also stick together as a group when traffic builds up. We should have at least two or three riders sticking together, especially when peeling off.
• Organize the 2 groups such that the group taking the shorter route could rv with the group taking the longer route at a designated point at a later time. This way we could all end together, have breakfast and live up to the name of the group - fellowship!
• Rolling off - pull for a specified time/distance and then roll off. This way, everyone takes turn pulling at a good speed

Cycling: How fast is fast?

The start of our back-to-back long rides to prepare for Mersing double century was a 86km on Sat followed by 66km on Sun. We hooked up with another group of strong riders, and they, together with CS and MH set a blazing pace. More often than not, we were above 30 kph up till LCK.

After a rest stop along the westcoast highway, the action got even faster and more furious. We were rolling along at more than 35 kph along, and the speed went above 40 kph subsequently. This was the first time I hit above 40 kph (42 to be precise) over a single km on flats. I got dropped along the Keppel viaduct after a traffic light and slowed to join the steady group. Average speed: 28.3 kph over 86 km (the rest were faster!).

On Sunday, we tried taking turns to pull. The first part went quite well as we rode the Braddell viaduct, with speed between 25 to 30 kph on undulating terrain. RV with HP and WL for the second loop, and also RV with Jodan. Kept the pace to a comfortable 25 - 28 kph. And went up Hendon Road, a 400m climb that was sufficiently challenging but doable.

Then we decided to take turn pulling along CCR. We sped along at 32 to 38 kph and realized that we had to fine tune our technique to switching / rolling over.

At higher speed (above 30 kph), the first rider has to slow down to peel off, but the second rider should not speed up too much. Just enough to maintain the speed, otherwise the first rider would not be able to catch up at the back. Also, three lamp-posts appeared too short a distance to pull. Perhaps 1 km is a better distance. The other thing to note is that once the lead rider drops below a specified speed, he should switch back. 

For a better perspective on Sunday's ride, please see Jodan's account.

Personally I thought last weekend's rides set a new milestone for FOTR. We could now sustain above 34 kph and we achieved new highs (as a group).

But the question is how fast is fast? I had asked myself this question before, and my answer then was 35 kph is fast enough for me. Sure, it feels good to hit new highs to improve. Yes, it is wonderful to be stronger. However, we should never do so at the expense of safety.

One of the key learning points for me is to accelerate gradually. Surging from a stationary start or after cornering would mean that the riders at the back would have to accelerate even more to keep up. The same applies for going upslopes. This becomes more critical when the speed goes above 30 kph.

Why is this important? Safety. Riders tend to get dropped if the pack surges, and it is certainly safer to ride with the pack.

We have been mulling over some guidelines for safe riding, especially as our group gets bigger. Certainly need to fine tune our guidelines as we go along.

But hey, it feels great to hit 42!

Training program outline for next 12 months

Serious stuff, getting a 12-month training outline. But then, IM is serious business.

Formal IM program starts in Oct on account of my busy schedule in Dec & Jan. Aviva 70.3 will ne a tune-up. Focus will be on swimming and triathlon-specifics from now till Oct.

The C word - Cramps

Cramps. My beloved nemesis!

 

For long rides over 2 hours, cramps are very real problems.

From my intimate experience with the Cs, they strike due to 

- salt and electrolyte imbalance due to heavy perspiration 

- anaerobic state for too long

- tight muscles

- insufficent conditioning

Better genes help, naturally, but we can't do anything about what God endowed us with. So..

Solutions from trial and error, and these vary from person to person:

- s-caps / salt tablets 

- isotonic drink e.g. infinit (recommended by Mark Allen)

- stretch b4, during and after exercise

- monitor HR, determine and adhere to HR zones

- avoid sudden surges

- shift to easier gears

- take more frequent and longer breaks

- sports massage 

- training. motherhood reason :) 

    

Above are my thoughts in response to a recent FOTR discussion on cramp problems in cycling.

IM races and training

3.8 km swim, 180 km bike and 42 km run.

How much training would I need to cover the IM distances? Having put in up to 17 hours for the 70.3 (half IM), I have been pondering over the training time required to complete an IM.

After a few discussions with coach, here's what I established:

• 6 months of training
• peak mileages (6 weeks out): 10 km swim, 300 km bike (400 km preferably) and 80 km run. In one week. For two consecutive weeks. [faint!] The rule of thumb coach uses is twice the race distance.
• That's more than 30 hours a week for my limited capability. Alternatively 25 hours on higher intensities. 
• 6 weeks before the race: 4 weeks of speedwork and 2 weeks of taper

With such Herculean prospects, it would mean either (a) train for a good AP 70.3 (Dec 2010) and a mid year 2011 IM, or (b) treat AP 70.3 as training for IM China (May 2011).

A number of other considerations come into play in the choice of IM race - (a) cut-off time, preferably 17 hours, (b) distance and cost, preferably Asia, (c) beach or deep water swim start, (d) temperature, (e) time of the year, preferably during school holidays so that the family can go as well, and (f) work and travel schedules.

After some deliberation and consultation, I am targeting IM China (May) and IMWA (Dec). AP 70.3 and Aviva 70.3 would be training sessions.

BFG Rave Runs: Rotterdam, Netherlands

It's World Cup time, and there's no better place to be than in Europe. Rotterdam has another distinction this summer - it is the starting point for the 2010 Tour de France.

The Netherlands is a great place for cycling. One of the curious facts of the Netherlands: nearly 85 percent of the population own at least one bicycle.  It is estimated that there are about 16 million bicycles in Holland, slightly more than one for every inhabitant. About 1.3 million new bicycles are sold every year.

I was amazed when I saw a parking lot for bicycles near the train station. Rows and rows of bikes on a land area not unlike that for car parks. That's a grand sight.

It is not difficult to see the contrast in cycling environment between Netherlands and Singapore. Here, there are dedicated bike lanes (shared with motorbikes/scooters), and there are road markings, traffic lights, road etiquette for cyclists. The pix taken from the 15th floor of Novotel Brainpark shows clearly the dedicated bike lanes (in reddish brown).

Commuters as well as recreational cyclists can be seen well utilizing these lanes, making me wish that I could go out for a spin as well. After all, it's a nice summer day here, with 20 deg C temperature. I was looking at a ride to Delft, about 20km away. But work comes first.

What I did have time was a short 5 km jog around the hotel. Good to get those legs moving after the travel.

And I came across a small grass patch near the river with sheep grazing on it. Right here in Rotterdam. Amazing.

Now to catch up on World Cup news so as to make politically correct conversation with the conference delegates.

Back on the bike

Too many LSD runs have left my cycling muscles dormant for too long. So it was good to get back to cycling again, with a mid-week ride with JN and IN, and two longer rides over the weekend with FOTR.

The Sat ride was 75km through Braddell and Kaki Bukit viaduct (nice!), Punggol Point (what a rush), Sengkang (got lost), YCK (never ending; met AY there), Mandai (never seen so many cyclists at the Shell station before) before heading back via Upper Bt Timah. It was WL's first ride on cleats, so he had some difficulty adjusting to them. To his credit, he did not fall! So he's now officially our cleat hero.   :)

Sunday ride started off with dark clouds looming, but we decided to go ahead anyway. Towards the end of CCR, it started pouring and we took shelter at Changi village - and had some hot coffee and toast. HP improved substantially and reached 30 kph! Bravo.

This morning's ride was called off due to lightning and thunder. A downer for sure, but we win some and we lose some.

New Directions

My checklist for this year looks decent so far. PB for a 42, completed the 70.3 and 84 ultra. Now the next check box is a full IM next year. To go that distance for me would simply be one word - focus.

Coach confirmed my intuition yesterday. Ideally, 8 months to train for the IM. He put it very nicely - it would be easier for him to plan my training if I didn't get distracted with various other events. The Mersing ride is ok - two back-to-back long rides. The SBR/AHM is fine - just a long training run. But no main event until the Asia Pacific 70.3 in December. That means foregoing Desaru, TNF and other events.

Next year, we plan on two IMs - IMWA (Dec), with Desaru in October as a lead-up, and another mid year. Possibilities are Korea or Roth, Germany. I am more inclined towards Korea even though it is not a dot-M event for a simple reason that it has a 17-hour cutoff. Cheaper to boot - only USD170. Roth has a 15-hour cutoff.  Plan to use the 2011 aviva as a lead up to mid year.

A new direction going forward would be speedwork to improve my run. True, all the longer distances have slowed me down considerably (not that I mind), but to do well in the run leg, I have to get some speed. No way to buy speed except to train. Urrgghh! The dreaded intervals again. So the plan is to do 5km races with a target time in mind. Strangely enough, I have never taken part in a 5 km race.

I am also toying with the idea of taking a sabbatical from racing in 2012.

A good break

The past week was spent with PK, JN & our families visiting Siem Reap, PP and HCM city. It was a well deserved rest, with lazy swims and only one 5 km treadmill run.

But we can only stay away for so long. This morning, JN and I met up with IN for a short ride on the usual Mandai route. Boy, has IN improved! He's really fast and slowed down so that I could keep up.

Pretty happy with the new Edge 1.65 wheels. Stable at high speeds, and nimble on climbs. Managed close to 40 kph for one km before Mandai Shell, which is my fastest todate. This stretch is slightly downhill, so nothing to shout about really. Need to get them cycling muscles up to speed.

A nice finisher photo for MBH! Her first half marathon, bad ITB and all.

SD marathon runpix update

Runpix provides an interesting breakdown of the race.

So I ended in 319th out of the entire field. With 62 runners behind, that made up only 381 finishers. Does this mean that the rest of the 600+ field (200+ runners) dropped out?

Anyways, glad to be 16th in my division (M50-54).

Sundown ultra race report

What's the toughest part of completing the Sundown ultramarathon? It's doing the mental math "how long more would it take to make the cutoff time" at 3 - 4 am in the morning.

There's a 15-hour cutoff and from 1 am onwards, I felt sleepy and had to keep splashing water on myself to stay cool and awake. By then, I was walking most of the way and kept looking at my pace to ensure that I complete within 15 hours. The good news was that I got my finisher medal and tee.

From the top.

WD picked me up and we made a beeline for the ultra tent where we left the transition bags. Hooked up with PK and enjoyed the atmosphere. Seemed quite different this year. Guess it was the time. Some introductions and speeches and at 6 pm, 600 participants flagged off.

Crossed off DNS from the famous equation (FDL>DNF>>DNS).

There was a backwards runner from Taiwan and a one-arm runner. Running backwards for 84 km... that's tough.

The three of us used a run-walk system, but all different ratios. We deliberately kept at the back of the pack (just like TNF) and we kept leap frogging as we targeted the same 8 min pace.

By 7:30 pm, the sun had set. The slogan for the race was: race the night and beat the sunrise. I didn't think so, not with a 6 pm start and 9 am cutoff.

Kinda not used to the empty water stations as they were usually swamped with runners. Met Sam at one of the volunteer support station and he offered me some grapes that I happily accepted. At the turnaround, it was almost 3 hours. Right on target.

The way back I was bothered by the stench from the oil spill. It was actually the bags left by the side and as PK pointed out - the smell of dead animals. On my second lap, the stench was so bad that I almost vomited.

The cool evening breeze was a nice welcome, and there were the usual merry makers along East Coast. The pace dropped after 25km. I attributed this to fatigue.

Coming into the CCR stretch, I was surprised to see the 21km runners on the road, but we were on the PCN. The sight of so many runners (6,000 I was told) energized me. I looked to see if I could spot MBH but to no avail. About 5 km from the finish, I stopped for a quick deepheat rub down.

Twas a good thing, coz PK overtook me after that and blazed away! I did my best to keep up, and by then we had merged with the half marathoners. Heard a call - it was WD heading out for his second loop. Boy was he fast!

We came in just before 6 hours.

At the pit stop, I was surprised to see many runners there taking breaks, chatting away and chowing. A quick change of shoes, hydration belt and running top, and then headed out. I was told previously that the most difficult part was to get out of transition, and hence grabbed my drink and sandwich to eat on the way out. 10 min tops.

However, my stomach was bloated with so much water that I didn't have the appetite to eat more than two bites. The SIS drink came in handy though.

About 2 km out, I spotted MBH coming back and was really glad that she managed to complete her first 21 km. I opened my arm and shouted. Another runner in front of her was mistaken and beamed a broad smile. Sorry!

The legs felt tight and heavy in the first few km and my pace had dropped to more than 9:30. That's not much difference from power walking. In fact, PK and J were about the same pace, and we kept leap frogging all the way till the 35 km mark.

Zico - an experienced ultra runner - was a good companion most of the second loop. He had PF and the effects were showing. Else he would be way ahead. We chatted to make it more bearable. Thanks, Zico!

The first 10 km of the second loop was mentally most challenging. Should I go on or call it quits? DNF didn't sound so bad at 1 am in the morning.
The recreation goers were now replaced by the 5,000 marathoners. I had the good fortune of the companionship of a chatty couple - actually the lady was the cheerful one and it was good to eavesdrop just to pass time.

By then, most stations had run out of 100plus and some stations had called it a night. Good thing I had my own hydration. The routine was to grab two cups of water to drench my head, neck and arms. A small sip to keep being over-hydrated.

Just after the lagoon hawker center, met Jordan taking a breather. Good to see you, bro!

Moh was rounding up the rear with some friends and he had his honker to keep spirits up. Another guy was riding his bike to keep his wife/gf (antenna girl) company. These were the ultras. Moh would talk and encourage runners who have stopped to rest, "Keep moving, don't rest too long!"

Good advice. I would probably throw in the towel if I stopped to rest for a minute. As Zico said, we asked ourselves "why are we doing this?" especially during the second loop. DNF, DNF... like some sirens out of greek mythology. But once we reached the 72km mark (30km of the second loop), the sirens fell silent. Around that time, Zico powered past me, never to be seen after that.

The morning broke about 7 am, and I could then take a proper look at my companions. There's a lady with headphones whom I thought was a 42-er. But no, she's a 84-er. Heard another call from a car heading home. It was WD! I later found out that he completed in 12+ hours. Outstanding, my friend.

Picked up the pace with 3 km to go. By then it was clear that I would be getting my medal and finisher tee, and timing was not an issue. Just to put up a good finish, blister and all!

13:45. Beyond my target of 13 hours, but at least with more than 1 hour to spare before the cutoff time.

Congratulated PK and J after the race - they finished 5 minutes earlier! PK must have set a new world record for the shortest training time - only 6 weeks - from injury to 84km! Truly amazing.

How did it feel after the race? Relief, really. Just glad that it's over. My first and last 84km.

Appreciate the well wishes from friends before and after the race, as well as the cheering from volunteers along the way. Especially the support from MBH and kids. Couldn't have done this without your support and understanding.

Last but not least, the family's really proud of MBH for completing her first half marathon, even though plagued by ITB.

Sundown marathon 2010

13:45:52
Rank: 120/183 (mens masters)

MBH's maiden 21km:
03:45:59
Rank: 1276/1944 (womens open)

D-day minus 2

Went for a 10km run at race pace, with a 10km fartlek earlier in the week. Ave 7.36 pace at ave HR 137 with the usual walk breaks. Just where I wanted to be. So it's all systems go.

Venturing into uncharted territory is always an adventure, with the accompanying anticipation and dread. Plan your race and race your plan, was what a friend said. Yes, I have a plan. In fact several plans, as usual. I keep reminding myself that t-shirt slogan I saw at WDW marathon:

FDL > DNF >> DNS

I figured FDL is finish dead last. That's going to be my mantra this Sat/Sunday.

Bet it's going to be a humbling experience. We'll see...

week t-2

Two weeks before the race. Time for taper. This is the period that is most difficult for me. On the one hand, I am relieved that the tough training is over, but on the other, there's always this lingering doubt - have I trained enough? am I ready?

With the longest run at 30km, my training would appear insufficient. But hopefully the back-to-back long runs, and back-to-back-to-back runs over 24 hours would have worked their desired effects. The test, as they say, is in the pudding.

It's simply a tradeoff. Very long runs would require longer rest periods. Break up the long runs but execute over say 24 hours, instead. At least for this set of old bones.

Completed my last long run, a 20km affair, this evening, to cap off a 50km week. Surprisingly, ave HR was under 150 with reasonable pace of 7:09 to 7:54.

The other thing that kept me busy this week was counting calories. Planning what to eat for the 13 to 15 hours ordeal is not a trivial matter. A plan is a plan, after all. 3,000 calories in the form of infinit, SIS go, clif shot bloks and cereal bars, SIS gel, bananas, 100plus and possibly a sandwich. Keeping all that down is the trick, eh?

Last but not least, it's vitamins and antioxidants time. The family's down with flu over the past two weeks. Touch wood.

Ready or not ...

Runs interrupted

This was not a good week - training-wise.

It would be the highest mileage week before taper with 3 challenging runs covering 66km over 24 hours. The first 21km run went as scheduled on Friday 8 pm. The second 30km run was scheduled for 2 am, but the weather had other plans. It stormed.

I came up with what I thought was a brilliant alternative. Reschedule another three runs on Sunday - 15km, 30km and 10km. The weather didn't cooperate again, but clever me was not to be outdone. I ran on the treadmill. When the rain stopped about 9 pm, I was pleased as punch.

At 12 midnight I set out. All went well until the 20km mark and the mild drizzle became another heavy downpour. Darn! After waiting for 10 minutes, with no signs of the rain relenting, I caught a cab home. So much for my clever plans. :(

The only upside is that I now know:
Carl Jr at Big Splash is open 24 hours, so is the MacDonald's at EC. But the 7 eleven at Big Splash was closed. The 7 eleven next to MacDonald's is open.

Nutrition and 咸鱼炒饭

Salted fish fried rice. I had that for dinner after the last 6 runs. Systematically sampling the quality of this dish in my neighborhood, I have now determined that my favorite is that at Big Eater. Generous slices of salted fish, well fried and fragrant. The lowest on my list? That at Simpang Bedok 24-hour coffee shop. Miniscule pieces of salted fish and down-sized dish.

Why the craving for 咸鱼炒饭? The long runs made me crave for carbohydrates, which the fried rice provided. I also lose a lot of sodium through sweat, hence the salted fish is a good replacement, not least with some protein. I would usually down a cup of yogurt with nuts later on to supplement my diet.

On to more serious stuff - nutrition. That issue has weighed on my mind for some time now. How much to ingest for the 12- to 15-hour double marathon?

I did a small empirical study (I have in mind a more rigorous study - but that will be coming out shortly). With past events as datapoints, I burn about 500 calories per hour. This did not cater for variations such as HR, terrain, temperature, etc. With an anticipated 12 to 15 hours, the total calories used would be 6,000 to 7,500 (probably less, since walking burns less calories). The question is: should I attempt to replace all of the calories lost and if not, what proportion?

After consulting with coach, I am working on replacing 60%. 300 calories for every hour. That works out to 3,600 calories for 12 hours, which is still a high figure. That would be almost 180% of our normal daily calorie intake. It would also mean that 2,400 calories would have to come from internal glycogen stores. That's a sizable amount.

The next challenge is to formulate a nutrition plan.

24 hours, 3 runs, 50+km

Another double run session. 18 km followed by 23 km within 6 hours. It was my wise idea to do this at night, so as to get accustomed to night running. So I scheduled the 18 km run when MBH was engaged with her alpha LG Friday evening. Did it real easy and had dinner around 10:30 pm.

Felt tired and sleepy - it was a long day after all. So I decided to take a short nap. Which turned out to be a long sleep. Finally stumbled out of bed at 6 am, feeling guilty for over-resting. The good news was that the 23 km run turned out pretty well, and I managed to hit my target pace for the last 5 km.

Rain disrupted my plan for a recovery swim, but it stopped in time for an easy 10 km jog at the stadium. That made up a total of 86 km this week so far. Another 10 km run to reach the bare minimum mileage for the double marathon.

One thing that bother me of late is that with all the training and long runs, I am becoming what I vowed not to be - an absentee dad. :(

Inexplicable

Runners know well how it is. Struggling with an easy run one day, and cruising through a fartlek workout the next.

That was how I felt. Struggled with yesterday's easy 10km run, found the heat and humidity hard work. Then this evening, with a cool breeze and lower temperatures, I was surprised at how relatively enjoyable the 4x1 km fartlek (target 6:40 pace) workout went.

Pace and HR
6:38@148
6:35@149 6:23@156 6:26@150

1km recovery jog in between.

"D" for double run day

Sunday was a double run day. 15 km in the morning and within 12 hours, another 18 km run. The first would be at 7:20 and the second at 7:10, with the last 5 km at 7:00.

Set off at 7:45 am, later than intended. Ran the normal route to Changi Village, and then to Changi Ferry Terminal. When I reached the north end of the wooded path, many marshals for TriBob sprint event were there, but no runners. I asked and was told that the first three runners have gone past. So the run leg had just started.

At the entrance to CFT, I became a spectator, looking on as the triathletes started and completed their bike leg. I was hoping to see the gang - IN, JN, SC and JT - some of whom were doing the first mini triathlon. An ambulance pulled into the bike section - must be some accident.

Just as I was about to leave, I saw IN coming back.  Thought he would be using his wilier, but he was riding his orbea. Couldn't stay to cheer on the others as the family was waiting. I found out later that all completed their events safely.

Completed the 15km run faster than planned, at 7:08 HR 155.

In the evening, I met up with DW, BP and DA at PMC for the second run of the day. The rest were doing 25 to 29 km, but I stuck to my modest 18km. The first segment was at easy pace, and the final 5 km was at 7:00 pace. Ave HR over the 5km was 153.

The good news was that I didn't get any cramps, and completed the two runs without too much struggle.

I expect tougher runs in the ensuing weeks.

More about shoes: Saucony Triumph 7 and ASICS Nimbus 11

My Triumph 6 served me very well over the past year. I trained in them in Adelaide and used them for the WDW marathon. The ASICS Nimbus 9 (silver) was a throwback given my disappointment with the Nimbus 10. Unfortunately, I found the later version of the 9 (unlike the earlier blue version) to be more akin to the 10s in terms of undersole durability. Nonetheless, they served me well for the Aviva 70.3.

So my recent acquisitions were the Nimbus 11 (from Running Lab) and Triumph 7 (N Zone).

The Nimbus 11s logged in less than 100km so far. The verdict todate is pretty optimistic. They are well cushioned, and more importantly, the durability has improved significantly over the 10s. That made the 11s more like the ASICS I know.

The Triumph 7 in luminous orange (pix above) are brand new, and only ate earth and asphalt this morning, all of only 8 km. I had to take a half size larger (11 instead of 10.5). Cushioning is good, and the one piece undersole provides better toe to heel transition. The flexibility, I feel, is not as good as the Triumph 6 (in luminous green - see a trend here?).

Why so many shoes? Good question. To be answered in a subsequent post.

Charity Bike n Blade 2010: Initial target achieved

With generous donations from former and current students, and with the latest $420 from my brother-in-law (with a gentle prompting from MBH!), I have now reached my initial target of $1200.

Hopefully, more donations would come in by end June. To do so, please follow this link:

website at give.sg

imaRunner: Singapore Blade Runner

I didn't recognize him until we passed each other.

"Good morning," I said.
"Hi brother," said Singapore Blade Runner.

This man has been an inspiration. Check out his blog here.

Under Armour Spectre

Most readers may have the same reaction as I did when I first head of Under Armour. What's that? Running shoes?

As it turned out, my luggage got delayed again last week (the culprit is Chicago O'Hare), and I was desperate to do some running (Sundown is only 6 weeks away). MBH told me about Under Armour that has an outlet store near Fort Myers. Since I was going to the factory outlet with a long shopping list, I might as well get some running gear and shoe.

Didn't know that UA has a very comprehensive range of merchandise - from golf tees to running shoes, compression tights to socks. The friendly assistant gave me a 2 minute introduction of how UA started when some Maryland (?) football players couldn't find suitable gear. My impression is that UA goes for comfort above all else.

So is the UA Spectre (USD44 - a steal!) comfortable? Most definitely. From the moment I put on the shoes, they felt very snug and well cushioned. I was surprised at how light the shoes were (officially 9.8 oz). But how would they perform?

The next day, I took the shoes out for a 10km run. They felt significantly lighter than the Nimbuses and Pro Grid Triumphs I had been using. There was a flopping sound when I landed too heavily on the heels, the result of a hollow under the heel section. But as long as I kept with the mid foot strike, the annoying sound was gone. 

After about 8 km, I could feel my feet complaining a little - they had been too accustomed to heavy cushioning. The good news was that the shoes felt comfortable and lively - thanks to the thin forefoot and foot sleeve technology. 

I would be taking them out for a long run soon, and reserve my verdict until then. For now, they make a good pair of trainers.

Another thing - the outsoles material looked to be durable, unlike that found in ASCIS and Saucony. Hopefully they will last 400km.

And I guess I have the only pair in Singapore.

PS: Took the Spectre out for an 18 k run on April 25. They felt just fine. The shoes also dried up fast after the downpour. Pretty happy so far.