First century ride

In any training, there'll always be landmarks or key sessions - measured either by distance or time. Reaching a (metric) century is one such landmark. 102 km bike ride this morning. It took 3:43, average speed of 27.6 kph on Changi coastal road plus Loyang/Selarang - 3 loops in all.

IN and I started off at 3:30 am, completing the first loop (36km) in under 1:30. Met up with KL, JN, SY and HC at NSRCC junction where we proceeded to do another loop. At the end of the second loop, SY and JN were game for a loop, and were only too glad to draft behind fresher legs.

Our speed during the first lap was conservative - about 27 to 28 kph. The second lap was a little faster, and surprisingly, we clocked about 29 to 30 kph on the third lap. On some stretches, we were doing 32 kph.

Other than some animal tales at Changi village - a cat dashed across our path and a dog scratching its bum in the middle of the road, and some friendly hellos from dolled up "girls", the ride was rather uneventful. I ran out of water after Selarang on the third loop and had to stop at 7-11 to get a refill. This was in spite of my regular water bottle and aero-bar water bottle.

On the way home, we were in front of a convoy of heavy vehicles and cars as the other lane was closed. The stretch was more than 1 km long, and picking up the pace almost gave me cramps. What's annoying was this SUV that repeatedly horned at us. Where's the graciousness that SM talked about?

A nice breakfast awaited us at home where MBH cooked up some delicious omelette with some sliced Italian sausages and glutinous rice.

The next landmarks would be 120km and then a real century (100 miles)!

Asians of the year 2009: Physician of the poor

My good friend PK, featured on Channel NewsAsia.

OCBC family 5 km

Ever since the boys got their Trek 220 bikes, they had been out almost every day, even though it was just up and down the short lane. The other day, we went to the PCN along the Bedok canal where they completed more than 6 km.

So it was not too difficult for them to agree to participate in the OCBC family 5 km cycling event in March. The family package is quite attractive - 2 adults + up to 2 kids - for just $120 before OCBC credit card discount. Should be a fun event ;)

Freak accident

It wasn't too long ago that I visited a friend in NUH. Today, I was there again to see a friend who crashed while commuting home after a 3.5 hour bike session. He was avoiding the curb, got caught in a depression and fell hard on his shoulder and head. Good thing the helmut cushioned the head, but not so lucky the shoulder. A broken collar bone that required surgery.

He was in good spirits even though his right arm was in a sling, and the aviva race was down the drain. His entire year might be affected, for the collar may take 2 months to heal.

I took to heart the lesson reinforced yet again: Always be alert on the roads, even at low speed.

Now to check whether my insurance policy is still valid...

85km long ride

It had been a long time since I went the Kranji-Woodlands-Jln Buroh route. Three of us - IN, JN and I - started off at 4:15 am, up Bt Timah, turning left on Clementi to Commonwealth Ave. Then it's up Queensway and Farrer to Adam Road. Traffic was light at this hour, even for a Saturday.

A short pit stop at the SPC petrol station, and then it was off to our usual Mandai route. IN was strong - he's improved tremendously since the last time we rode together. I led after the second rest stop at Mandai shell, trying to keep a steady 27 to 28 kph. At the end of LCK, we waited for JN, who had cramps.

A bunch of Joyriders (the pinoy brothers) caught up with us along Jln Buroh and we rode with them for a stretch. The only reason why we could follow them was that there were many traffic lights along this stretch. Once we hit the west coast, we were dropped like hot potatoes. They were averaging 35 kph, and topped 40 along the straights. The speed session took a lot out of us, and cramps got the better of JN at the Clementi junction, and he called it a morning.

IN and I proceeded up the west coast ramp to get a feel of the aviva route. Headwinds, but IN was really pulling well at 34 to 35 kph. I was happily riding the draft, just trying to ignore my sole butt. Took the downramp before Keppel and went via Lower Delta. This little stretch was short but steep climb. Then it was River Valley, Patterson, Stevens back to Trevose.

Here's the ride on garmin connect. The first 18 km or so were not recorded as I forgot to hit the start button.

It was a tough ride given the three weeks break, and I was just hanging on. I found it a challenge to keep up with AY and PK on our Sunday 38k ride the next morning. Skipped RRR -- ain't no hero. A long long way to go, and would need to put in longer distances.

Registered for the TriBob Bintan training camp. A 120km ride on Sat and a trial OD on Sunday. Should be good fun.

Back to training, getting over rusty kinks

It had been a long long three weeks away from biking and swimming. It felt good to be back in the pool - an easy 30 lap swim just to get back into it. Lots of work to do to get back on track.

This morning was an easy 40km ride to Changi Village and Selarang. Couldn't sleep due to jet lag, so at 4 am, I went out. Streets were quiet. Somewhat startled by a car parked along the coastal road without lights on. It was certainly occupied, but hey, keep the lights on for safety reasons!

Good to work those cycling muscles, focusing on high cadence, pulling and the aerobar position. Back in time to say hi to the boys before they set off for school.

Gonna sign up for the Tribob Bintan training camp in Feb. 120km ride on Sat and the OD course on Sun.

Ideal temperature for running

Was it just pure blind luck that smiled on me last Sunday? Just the day before, half marathoners were subject to abject misery - with the wind and rain pelleting the runners in sub zero temperatures. Post race, I hear about how the runners were shivering in the cold and rain, and how they never warmed up at all. Sunday was still sub zero, windy but absent the rain. In fact, it was sunny, and the sun was a key factor. Put differently, all it required was rain to turn a good race into a miserable one.

I couldn't help but wonder at how tenuous any race could turn out to be. Just as HW noted in his blog, to perform at one's absolute best, the stars must be in alignment. Many times, the stars (and weather) are beyond our control. We merely do the best we can at the things we can control, such as training, nutrition, strategy, equipment, etc. Necessary but not sufficient conditions to a good race.

Which leads me to do some research on what is the ideal temperature to run. Some time ago, I read that it was 15 to 18C. A recent RW article puts it at 50F (or 10C). What I couldn't determine from these research is whether this is wind-adjusted temperature or otherwise.

The wind was 12 mph (20 kph) on Sunday, which would have put the effective temperature to about -5C(?). Certainly not ideal for me.

The lesson here is to accept the situation as it is and do the best under the circumstances; prepare for the worse and hope for the best. Such is life, isn't it?

Valuing friendships

After traveling more than 1,000 miles over the past two days (by car, of course), it felt good to get out for a short 6 km recovery jog at North Palm Beach, South Florida. Yes, I have done further south in search of warmer weather, but not before heading north to Tallahassee, North Florida, to visit a good friend and mentor who's recovering from prostate surgery. It was good to see CF and Elaine again. He's in good spirits and optimistic, and frankly I believed he's somewhat touched that I drove 400+ miles to drop by to see him.

It had been almost 10 years since CF shared a simple strategy to get us to where we are now. Along the way, he's been nothing but a pillar of strength and support for me and some of my colleagues. I owe much of what little success I am today to CF. Having lost a previous senior colleague to cancer, and seeing another stewart passed away last year, and having friends who were diagnosed and survived cancer just made me better appreciate the relationships that we have built over the past 10 to 20 years. We have to value people above all else.

It is this thought that made the prolonged separation from the family a little more bearable, though no less painful. Being inducted as a fellow candidate at a prestigious institute is an important professional milestone, but it's the friendships that we invest in that transcends the honor.

Running in cold weather: A novice's viewpoint

If there's one valuable lesson I learnt from the recent experience, it would be how to dress for running in cold weather.

• Keeping the body warm during the run (even in near zero temperature) isn't a big problem as the body perspire. Keeping the wind out is. So a good lightweight wind jacket is essential.
• The number of layers depend on one's cold tolerance. I found two additional layers to suffice, one L/S running top and another S/S tee over it. The L/S top I had had thumb holes in them so that (a) I can cover most of my hands within the sleeve and (b) I can wear my watch over the sleeve.
• A pair of running / compression tights should keep the legs warm. (I saw some brave souls running in shorts at the WDW marathon, and their legs were bright pink). Bottom is not as essential as the top.
• Gloves. The gloves I used had removable thumb covers to facilitate delicate tasks (such as tearing open the gel packs) and tactile holds.
• Running top to cover the head and ears, if necessary. Some folks had ski-masks that cover the nose and lower face.
• Place thermal packs in the gloves, and on thighs and calves (easily held up by the compression tights). Someone said that keeping the hands warm is the key.
• Keep a small towel handy for snort.
• Standing around is the hardest part. Solution 1: more layers. Some people used garbage bags - a cheap and effective way to keep warm and dry. It was quite hilarious to see how many garbage bags running that day. Solution 2: huddle in groups, avoid wind. Solution 3: Don't go too early. Solution 4: Stay in porta potty as long as possible without someone banging on the door.
• Remove layers as soon as possible to prevent overheating. For the same reason, zip up when running into the wind, and zip down with tail wind.
• After the run, get out of the cold or change into dry clothes as soon as possible. I felt comfortable for about 5 minutes after the WDW race, but the heat was gone and I was shivering all the way after that. The mylar blanket helped some (Thanks to technology).

There we have it. A novice's take on running in cold weather.

Walt Disney Marathon 2010: sub-zero temp, sub-5 finish

Bottom line: The good news is that I completed the race in spite of the frightful cold weather. The bad news is that I cramped (again!).

The race report. Three things stood out at the WDW marathon 2010. First, the harsh weather. It was sub-zero when we gathered for the start. The organizers arranged it such that we had to catch the coach by 4 am for the 6 am start. I had two bottoms and six tops. Found a nice cosy spot by the information tent where a number of more experienced runners were huddling. The tent blocked the wind, and as more runners joined the huddle (it was 8 deep at one point), it was bearable. Until I got out to walk to the corrals. The cold wind blasted me and I was shivering even as I walked 20 minutes to the starting point.

Second, the goofy challenge. This involved running the half marathon on Sat and then the full marathon on Sunday. Goofy participants were easily identified by their goofy hats. One even dressed up in a goofy costume. Finishers get an additional medal - the goofy medal.

Third, finishers proudly wear their medals long after the race at lunch and the theme parks. And they congratulated each other for completing the race.

Back to the race. The race flagged off with fireworks atop the overhead flyover near Epcot. Spirits were high even with the cold. It was good to start running. Anything but stand around and shiver! The route took us into Epcot. Even so early in the morning, many supporters were out cheering. At the 5km mark, I shed the disposable jacket and vest. Next up was the Magic Kingdom, (20km) where we were greeted with the disney castle (with photographers happy to oblige). Disney characters were present at the theme parks to cheer and offer photo opportunities for runners.

The road leading to the Animal Kingdom was rather long and narrow. There was a soldier carrying a full packpack and small US flags for anyone who would want them. He was walking by the time I passed him. Couldn't blame him. Patriotism at its best. By then, I felt a little tired and slowed a little. Legs felt a little crampy. But my overall pace was quite good, about 7 for the first 10km and under 7 for the next 20. HR about 140 to 150 for the first 20.

By the time we left the Animal Kingdom, we'd clocked 30 km. It was sunny by then, and I took off the wind jacket as I didn't want to overheat. HR had gone up above 150 by then. Hovering between 150 and 160. The next 5 km or so along the freeway was not very interesting, but the DJ kept us going.

A number of ramps to climb to get into Hollywood Studios. With about 6 more km to go, I kicked it up a notch, aided by raisins and familiar sights (I took a tour to Hollywood Studios two days ago). Passed some very luxurious resort and yatch club. Many spectators were now cheering and supporting. It was interesting watching spectators crossing at the crossovers. They would wait for a gap between runners and the marshall would say go! And they would dashed across.

Heading back into Epcot, at 39km mark, I felt my right thigh cramping up. Immediately went one side to stretch. Hobbled some, then ran. Had to stop a couple more times to stretch. I had been taking the S-caps faithfully every 7 km. It worked pretty well, but by 39km, it was just grinding it out time.

I was hoping to see signs indicating how far more to go, but there weren't any. Happy to hear the marshalls yell two more miles, one more mile, half mile more to go. Then there it was, the finish line.

Time check: 4:58:46. Yes, it's a sub-5 PB. :)

View in garmin connect.

Some observations: The Americans are rather expressive and loud (not in a negative sense). A lot of chatter and conversation. A high number of elderly participants. 16,883 finishers.

Lessons learnt:

• How to dress for cold weather runs - layers, technology and mylar blankets.
• How to stay warm before (huddle) and while running (run in middle of pack or behind someone)
• I also learnt another trick from a goofy participant on the coach ride back - place thermal packs in the gloves, thighs and calves. Cheap and effective way to keep warm.
• Better nutrition - one gel every 8 km (one hour) and one S-cap every 7 km (may have to increase frequency in later part of run).

Overall, it was a good experience.

Honor roll: Triumph 6, Skins tights, Brooks top

Walt Disney Marathon Expo, Orlando

James Canton, in his book The Extreme Future, highlighted 10 trends. Among these were Longevity Medicine (people want to live to 100 as healthy and active as they can be) and Weird Science (how science affects our lives, culture and economy). Both these trends were evident in the Walt Disney Marathon Expo, as in many other race expos. But what's interesting for me was a number of new discoveries.

• A running top that not only moves moisture away from the body but balances body temperature through the use of silver embedded in the garment, good to a low of 20 deg F.
• Lightweight jackets that are windproof and thermal insulating, twice as light as my old adidas bought 3 years ago.
• Running shoes that use springs for better bounce.
• All manner of gels, gums, cereal, protein bars.

I was happy to browse through the expo, and armed myself with a pair of thermal gloves, a running top, rain top and pants as well as a massage stick for MBH (and myself)! Also bought some Clif bloks (cheaper than ordering online) for FOTR kakis.

The clothing purchases were out of necessity for the weather was expected to dip to zero this weekend. Rain and perhaps even snow and sleet on Sat morning (would affect the half marathon), hard freeze overnight and we'd have to stand in freezing temp for 2 hours waiting for the 5:30 am start. If the Tokyo marathon was anything to go by, it was the waiting in the corals that was the hardest, coz we didn't have much space to move about except to huddle.

Talking about hard freeze, sections of the road had black ice on them this morning when I went out for a short familiarization run. Dry-run for the actual race, with my newly acquired top, gloves, woolen hat and all. Figured an extra layer that I could discard if it warmed up. Temp was about 1 deg C. Only met two other runners out this morning, though I saw many more later in the day.

It felt ok after one or two km, and I had to unzip the jacket later on. Remembered what IN said about good thermal running gear. The running top seemed to work so far.

Suffice it to say that I didn't anticipate having to run a marathon in near freezing conditions. I don't particularly like the cold, and of course, I didn't train to run in the cold. Dressing appropriately is the best I could do under the circumstances. Two things that I should watch out for - stay warm prior to race start and watch for slippery roads. Totally new territory for me.

Estimated turnout for the weekend - 55,000. What's different was the number of elderly participants. While I may be considered elderly by some, I mean these are grandparents. They are certainly not letting age hold them back.

I would have to mention that I was impressed with the silver folks, first, manning the check-in counters at the airport and later at the theme parks - even in motorized wheelchairs, chugging along happily in the rain. The level of attention for the elderly is impressive. First time I saw a wheel chair friendly coach that tilts toward the curb-side, lowers a platform so that the wheelchair can disembark. The coach also has wheelchair securing devices in addition to a wide clear space next to the door.

There's a whole range of industries to cater to the aging population and changing attitudes. The silver generation (at least in the US) is not limited by their lack of mobility, continues to live active lives and contribute economically.

Wonder how long before motorized wheelchairs catch on in SIN.

Arctic blast

Not that many people would care, but there's a series of arctic blasts enveloping the US of A the past week. For a few days, the highest temperature for the day was under zero C here in Atlanta. A short respite yesterday, but temperatures are forecast to dip below freezing again. Clear blue beautiful skies, but even Atlanta folks were shying from stepping outdoors.


So nothing much to blog about except a series of tapering runs on the treadmills. It even felt cold in the gym!

The key question is what would be the temperature in Orlando this weekend.

Georgia on my mind 01012010

The longest new year day - 1 Jan 2010. Started off waking up at 5:30 am. No, not for a morning ride, but to get to the airport for three flights (SIN-TYO-LA-ATL). 30 hours later, I checked into my Atlanta hotel at 11 pm on 1 Jan 2010. Survived the long queues at the airports due to heightened security, bag transit (for once, my bag did not go MIA), and terrible airline food. So a happy 2010 indeed.

The next day was a little better, doing an easy 15km treadmill run. Why treadmill? Because it was -1 deg C outside. Much tempted though I was to run outdoors - it was a beautiful day with clear blue sky - I didn't want to risk it. Good thing the treadmill had a TV monitor to keep me occupied. But it was tough to stay focussed for so long on the treadmill. I was counting the miles and minutes.

Unable to sleep due to jet lag, I read two very interesting posts. The first is by our own ultra Ironman, describing his IMWA 2009 experience. A good race takes a lot of luck - an alignment of the stars, factors that are beyond our control. We tend to be deluded into linear thinking by past accomplishments, thus getting disappointed when our goals are not achieved. Luck plays a bigger role than we imagine. The key thing is what can we learn when the stars are not aligned. Learn from the experience and stay positive.

The second post is the Click-4-Klick event ... a 30 hours 150 km run by Major Kelly Lim to raise funds for the needy. 6 loops (25km) around Bedok reservoir, starting from 3 am. A 13km run to MacRitchie, and looping around the reservoir till 9 am. An amazing feat to overcome lack of sleep, rain, cold, fatigue and blisters! For more read on...And do make a donation if you can!