Round Island

Remarkable that this was my first round island (RI). 121 km, shortened due to unfortunate incident along EC service road. That was when the C-monster pounced on me and totally consumed me for all of 10 minutes. Not once but twice.

Three contributors. First, hard ride on GF, pulling more than what I should, and with two hard sprints. Second, was trying to stay off salt tables both days, using electrolytes instead. Third, not fuelling up at rest stop. One cereal bar did not cut it. Lessons learnt.

Poor JN had a tumble in dramatic fashion when an inconsiderate driver failed to give the 1.5m clearance when passing. Wishing JN a speedy recovery!

Thanks to EN for pulling me along WCH and viaduct :)

2011 Charity Bike n Blade

Second year participating in the Charity Bike n Blade, with a different route but the same distance, hot sun and rolling hills, The big difference this year was the wind.

Congratulations to all FOTRers who completed the event. This year saw a large contingent from FOTR, many of whom were taking part for the first time - JC, TC, BL, JY, YP, CL, DC, AL and PK.  For some, it was a baptism of fire of sorts, but one that would surely be a milestone in retrospect.

There were many pleasant surprises and accomplishments:

- didn't realize that YP and CL were participating until Sat morning (cuz I missed the briefing)
- IN and PK had improved tremendously, coming in at 4 hrs plus on the first day
- JN for regaining his former form so soon after the bike accident
- TC for winning the lucky draw for participants who raised more than $3,000 (sorry JN)
- BL for riding the first 60km solo due to a dropped chain right within the first km
- AL was untouchable, a great achievement for a first timer.
- DC was back in great form, zooming past me time and time again on day two
- DM for bieng a great sport, coming out to support and take such great photos inspite of a slipped disc

 I had a couple of objectives for this event. First was to finish in better shape than last year (which I did).
Second was to work on my nutrition plan and not feel depleted as in the Malacca ride (which worked out quite well). Third was to stick to a consistent 25 kph ride (which I failed miserably).

Planned for 1,200 cal of nutrition, and didn't use up 300 to 400 cal, due to additional food provided (bun and bananas) and drinks (100plus and red bull). Relied on solid food (cereal bars and bloks). No gels. The chocolate covered peanuts worked wonders, thanks to a volunteer.

The first 35 km from Kota Tinggi over rolling terrain was simply rolling with the peleton - averaging 30 kph at HR 145 - 155. Everyone was fresh and energetic. After Sedili, the coastal route was flat with strong headwinds. At the first water point (45km), I took a quick drink and bite was set off alone. Rode alone for a good 40 km, pulling G and G at some point, until Petronas. Speed was down to 22 - 23 kph.

Heading down route 95 was another battle against the wind. Could barely keep at 23 - 24 kph, with the rolling terrain reminding me of my painful experience some months ago. Was really glad to reach the Renggit junction, and had some drinks. Teamed up with Andy, who's a steady (but strong) rider.

Just around the 120km mark, I felt cramps in both legs while negotiatiing a short slope. Had to soft pedal for a while and Andy was kind enough to wait for me. Regained some measure of self esteem after recovering by pulling for a spell at about 29 - 30 kph. The last two climbs were stoic affairs, and was happy to reach the Desaru turnabout. I was surprised that my garmin read only 144km at Pulai (again because I missed the briefing!).

Ave speed 25.6 kph. Total elevation: 785m.

Day two started off with good intentions. We were in two FOTR groups - steady and fast groups. IN was with me in the steady group until we saw SC waiting patiently for us. No prizes for guessing what happened after that. I was glad to draft speed machine SC along the coastal route 90 with the strong headwind. Ave speed 27 - 32 kph.

As we were approaching the Renggit junction, one rider in a Y-frame Trek braked a little too hard and took a hard tumble. Thank God he only had minor abrasions. That was not the only accident of the day, unfortunately.

Time to go conservative and stick to the training plan. All went well until the Belungkor junction, and regrouped with the gang. I was surprised that some of the strong riders were skipping the Belungkor extension. There was a brief moment of hesitation, but I was not about to whimp out. Together with SC, IN, JN, DC and JY, we saddled up and rode west.

At the Belungkor turnaround, we rested for quite a long time, and I found it hard to get going after that. JN had to wait for me. After the junction, I kept back with JY and SG.

Then came the climbs after Petronas. Unfamiliar territory and the first big climb surprised me. Nothing to do but to grind it up. It was mostly undulating - longer climbs but equally long descents :)

DC was on fire after Belungkor turnaround. He kept zipping past me and disappeared into the distance. We'd regroup and then he would pass me again and disappear. Repeat! Really happy to see him regaining his form :)

A fellow participant was struggling a little and we resorted to happy thoughts to keep going (3 Carl Jr burgers await). Regrouped with LB, CH, DC, SG and JY at the 100plus drink stop, and we rode the last 35 km together (more or less). For the most part, I was just happy to keep above 25 kph. Incidentally, there was something wrong with my HRM. HR dropped to 110 ave for this segment (possibly due to a few rest stops?!?). Picked up Alvin at the last stop. Headwind was strong, but we were glad to ride together.

The last incident was with JY behind me. I heard a shout to slow down, and did so. A wheel kissed my rear wheel and JY fell. Again, we thank God that we were riding slowly and he was unhurt. His new Look would need a new handle bar tape. [note: a similar incident happened last year, and JN now rides ahead of me!]

Surprisingly, I managed an average speed of 26.8 kph, which was better than day 1, avoided the C monster and completed in time for a shower and lunch :) Total elevation of 1,258m.

A big thank you to all supporters (who donated generously), volunteers, friends and most signficantly of all, my family!

All in all, I relished the experience. Good training, great fellowship and unrivalled camaderarie.

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.

Lessons learnt from the journey of past 12 months

It has been 12 months since I commenced training for 42 km. I had the opportunity to share my experience with some youths recently, and here are the key lessons that I learnt:

Necessary but insufficient conditions

1. Hard work: Running is one of the most physically demanding activities/sports that I have engaged in. We have to pay our dues or pay the price, or risk injuries. There is no short cut, unfortunately. The hours and mileage required to condition the body in order to endure the 42 km meant having to put in up to 90 km per week for training.
2. Pushing the Limits: Endurance sports require pushing one’s limits both physically and mentally. KHW, Singapore's deca-ironman said, "Fatigue is my best training partner!"
3. Well structured training program: A good program comprises different types of runs: tempo, speedwork, LSD and easy recovery runs. I learnt to regard runs as unbreakable appointments: Schedule your priorities and prioritize your schedule. I may reschedule or miss due to illness or work/family, but priority must be accorded to the training runs. For the actual race itself, plan your run and run your plan. I adopted the Galloway walk break method for the last two races, and stuck to the plan as well as I could. Similarly, careful planning is required for hydration, refueling and pacing.
4. Commitment: You must really want to do this. This will inevitably come back to haunt us when we are at the 32 km mark or in a bad patch during the race (or even during LSD runs) where we just want to give up.
5. Patience: The 10% rule - increase mileage or time no more than 10% per week or risk injury - requires patience. Similarly, patience is required at the start of the race. Start out too fast (in my case, by a mere 15 sec / km), and I risk cramping and a poor finish. More recently, I came across the 5% rule: Expect no more than an improvement of 5% for each race, even after months of hard training. Then again, improvement is not guaranteed.
6. Support and encouragement: Although running is a solitary sports and we are entirely on our own during the run, knowing that I have the unwaivering support of my loved ones and close friends is of tremendous help. The encouragement I received keeps me going.
7. No guarantee of success; every possibility of failure. On my first experience at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, I had cramps from 32 km onwards and ended up walking the last 5 km. My second experience at the Sundown was disappointing. I realize that there are three possible outcomes: Great race (PB - personal best ), bad race (DNF: did not finish) and somewhere in between. Most of the time, it will be somewhere in between. It is what I learnt from these races that matter.
8. Learning from experience: Always review and learn. From the Sundown marathon, I realized that I should have gone out at a slower pace, reworked my strategy, and as it turned out, achieved a PB in Phuket.

• Hard work begets work ethic
• Pushing limits begets confidence
• Programs and training develop priorities, focus, discipline
• Commitment begets character
• Patience is a virtue
• Support and encouragement begets stronger friendship and relationships
• No guarantee of success ensures humility
• Learning from experience begets wisdom

To me, getting there is the objective. I have learnt to enjoy the journey rather than the destination.

What causes cramping?

postcript

I was curious as to the cause of my cramps that I experienced during the SCSM 2007. This is what I found:

(1) Cramping is also commonly seen as a symptom of ‘hitting the wall’ (or ‘bonking’), when an athlete completely uses up their muscle glycogen stores. To deplete fully stored muscles takes 2 to 2.5 hours of exercise.

Message: train harder! Or find a different strategy that delays muscle fatigue.

(2) Neural cramp: neural control of the muscle under fatigue.
"There is a disruption at spinal level which causes inhibition of the golgi tendon organ (GTO) nerve receptors, and thereby over- activation of the muscle spindles, resulting in the sustained contraction of the muscle. They also cite the fact that cramping occurs in biarticular (two-joint) muscles that are mostly shortened in the running cycle. It is in this position that tendons are under less tension and the GTOs are less active. A poor stretching regime during training is also considered a factor with neural related cramps, the argument being that an exaggerated reflex contraction due to a lack of, or irregular stretching, could increase muscle spindle activity."

Ok, I don't understand most of that. Just that cramps were due to inadequate stretching.

(3) Hyponatremia or low blood sodium
Thought mostly to affect ultra endurance competitors, such as the 54mile marathon runners or Ironman triathletes. Recently though, hyponatremia has been discussed more in the context of the 26-mile marathon. The body needs to maintain the right levels of blood sodium in order to draw the right amount of water into cells through the membranes. It doesn’t matter how much water you drink, if you have low sodium levels you can’t absorb any of it.

Takeaway message: don't just hydrate with water. Drink isotonic instead for the sodium.