IMWA 2011: my Eben-Ezer

Dec 4, 2011.

We stood at the start line looking at the distant end of Busselton jetty - 2 km way. 1,500 of us. The sea seemed calmer than two days ago when I did my familiarization swim (the cold water was a new experience and caused hyperventilation on my part, at least for 10 min or so). I knew that the water was only 8m deep at the end of the jetty, having been to the underwater observatory the day before, and that sharks only come close quite by chance and did not like piles. A short bike round the block to test the assembly and an easy two km jog were the other preludes, as prescribed.




Relatively little hype when the swim started, and I found a draft only after 300m or so. Had to switch draft a few times. Later SC told me that he drafted me, but I had no idea then. Glad to see the buoy at the end for the turnaround. Choppy waves out there that caused a few swimmers to throw up, as I found out later.

Glimpses at my watch told me that I was probably going to take 1:30, which was good by any measure. Wobbly when I stood up, and fell back into the water. Mistake #1: I forgot to kick hard when approaching the shore, to get the blood back into the legs.

Happy that the swim was over, I set off onto the bike. The wind was strong as predicted (reported 29 - 30 kph). Gusty headwind along certain stretches but with the benefit of tailwind on the out and back sections. Kept HR low at below 150, easing off as necessary. Stay aerobic, pace myself, was the race strategy.

It was good to see fellow FOTRers going strong. Where possible, we exchanged waves and smiles to encourage each other.

On the second loop, while negotiating the first U-turn at the end of coastal road, I heard a shout from behind. Turning back to look caused me to lose focus and I fell. A few abrasions, and grateful for the concerned "Are you ok?" from fellow competitors. At the special needs table, I retrieved my bag with the additional salt pills (which I took diligently throughout the race), and SC and IV had pasta in their special need bags. Good idea.

One toilet stop and a couple of water stops other than the special needs stop was good to stretch the legs. Admittedly, the fall caused me to be more conservative than usual, and I ended up unclipping to a rolling stop at the U-turns. A bout of cramps in the left calve up on clipping back on. That's a new one - the calves.

The last loop was slower in spite of the cooler and overcast weather. Speed dropped to the mid 20s by then. Time taken for bike leg: almost 7 hours.

And then the sun came out on the run. Time to maintain on the race strategy and keep HR aerobic. Which I did until the distant turnaround. The water melon looked good and I couldn't swallow the powerbar energy blast. Took one piece that was to be my downfall. That was mistake #2. After two more km, I knew that my stomach was acting up and started walking. Tried to throw up but failed until the first turnaround. Felt better after that, but the damage had been done.

The C monster starting acting up on the calves (may need calve guards next time), and the Salompas came in handy. A nose congestion kicked in. I walked two loops :( MBH was very concerned when she saw my dejection on the second loop - sorry dear. That was the lowest point of the race for me. Frankly, thoughts of DNF entered my mind.

I tried baby steps to run when one fellow Singaporean walked briskly by and made a snide comment about how walking was faster than jogging. Hardly the appropriate thing to say to someone struggling to finish. Would appreciate if you kept such comments unvocalized, thank you very much.

On the third loop, the boys and MBH were there to encourage me. The boys wanted to pace me, but that would be against the rules. Mistake #3: should pack some panadol and caffeine in the run special needs bag.

Managed to find my running legs on the way back. It was dark then and getting cooler. Really glad to be able to jog most of the last 12 km. By then, my goal was to complete within 16 hours.

Collected the last (orange) band and into the finishing chute I went. The cheers were incredible. "You are an Ironman" were the words we wanted to hear.

Strangely calm. No euphoria, no dramatics, no tears. Just an overwhelming humility that I battled the demons within and struggled to complete; an elevated sense of gratefulness for the support of MBH and family, who made countless sacrifices on my account; and a realization somewhere at the back of my mind that I had just accomplished a goal, unfathomable 3 years ago, at the age of 51.

In the grind that is IMWA, I tended to focus on the negatives instead of that I should be grateful for. Here's a list to remind myself:

1. relatively calm and warm sea (20.5 dec C)
2. nice weather during the bike leg
3. no punctures, no accident on the bike
4. tail wind on stretches
5. minimal sore butt
6. support and encouragement from YP's family
7. all marshalls, volunteers, bystanders and spectators who were never short on encouraging words
8. no debilitating cramps
9. encouragement from fellow friends and FOTRers
10. other age group competitors from SG who finished after 16 hours
11. all FOTRers completed their maiden IM race!
12. I had never felt so strongly the love and concern from MBH, D and E


Yes, I could well have been the competitor who puked on the swim and DNFed. I could have thrown in the towel and went back to the guest house, so conveniently situated 300m away.  I could have been one of the many competitors in the medical tent. Yes, these I-could-haves negate the other I-could-haves. 

Hence, IMWA 2011 is my Eben-Ezer*.

Congratulations to my fellow journeymen - IN (incredible run as usual), YP (strong throughout), CT (what heart problem?), MH, KT (what amazing improvement since the first Desaru ride), SC (mini to IM in 18 months!), KL and DC (my inspiration!). Thank you for the journey.

Honor roll: DeSoto One 2-piece wetsuit, CEP compression shorts,  Trek Speed Concept, PI top, Specialized cycling shoes, KSwiss Kona running shoes

Postscript: 12 hours later, the germination of a seed to improve on my time next year.

* Eben-Ezer means "God had led me thus far" or "Thus far God has helped me."

2XU MegaTri 2011

The 2XU megatri on Sept 4 was the first long distance triathlon of its kind. The long course comprised 2km swim, 102km bike and 27km run, and the middle distance course was a 1km swim, 65km bike and 18km run. The key difference from a IM 70.3 was the run - a good 6 km longer.

Coach and I agreed that this would be a good stepping stone for IMWA. My objective was to keep a constant bike speed, and to reserve energy for the run. A speed of 25 to 27 kph was the target.

This was also a good opportunity to try out the aero helmut, tri-apparel (in particular the CEP compression shorts), nutrition and hydration. I also wanted to see how the KSwiss shoes held up over 27 km.

There were dark storm clouds with lightning flashes in the distant as we set up in transition. Looking at the ominous weather, we were speculating if the swim or even race would be called off. After a 10-min delay, it was clear that the dark clouds were moving out, and everyone was just glad to start.

The swim - two loops of 1km - alongside the Changi Ferry Terminal was in sheltered waters. No strong waves to pull us off course. I managed to find a few people to draft and was just happy to ease off and catch my breathe. Upon exiting the water, I was surprised it took only 42 min. I was the first in my age group to complete the swim (incidentally, the last to complete the bike leg!).

Tried to reign it in during the first few km but it was tempting to pull off. Hold back, hold back, I kept telling myself. I had decided that I would shoot for a 27 - 28 kph target, and the first loop was closer to 30 kph. After two loops, I managed to settle down to a more steady pace, with HR in the low 140s.

The wind came before the rain, and it was hard going along certain segments of the course. With the cool weather, I didn't need as much hydration and two bottles sustained me all the way. The last few loops were harder as the wind picked up and the number of riders thinned. Happy to finish under 3:30 hrs, at average speed of 28.9 kph.

1 cereal bar, half a blok, 3 salt tablets consumed. Aero position almost all the way except for turns, drinks and time checks.

The run began well enough, with a sub-7 min per km pace. Passed many friends heading towards the start point (it was an out and back course), and we cheered each other on. The route took us past a wooded area, past the Navy terminal, park, across the CV bridge and along the broadwalk. U-turn point was at a pavilion. Nice.

On the second loop, I kept pace with DC and chatted a bit about bikes and rides, just to pass time. Pace had then slowed to 8 to 9 min. It was really good to see MBH and the boys at Changi Village. That gave me new impetus to run. Surprisingly they stayed till I turned back for the third loop :)

The last 10 km was when the sun came out, and the race became even more challenging. Tried to trip over IN - he was just breezing ahead, and he finished a good hour ahead. Average pace: 7:37

Yup, finished last in my age group, but I could always say that I finished fourth!

Half blok, 1 gel, 2 salt pills, lots of pocari sweat and water

The big difference between this race and Aviva in March was a flip flop in bike and run. 2 kph slower on the bike and 20 sec per km on the run. At least I didn't get cramps this time. It must be due to the fact that I took this event merely as training.

Happy for the good timings posted by IN, CS, YP, etc. Good to see so many friends at the race.

Results
Swim lap 1: 20.52; lap 2: 21.53
T1: 2.06
Bike lap 1: 35.17; lap2: 34.10; lap 3: 35.32; lap 4: 34.05; lap 5: 34.45; lap 6: 36.03
T2: 2.45
Run lap 1: 1:04.38; lap 2: 1:12.28; lap 3: 1:06.11
Total: 7:40:39

2011 Sundown marathon

Sundown marathon: Fourth year running, and for me, it was back to the 42km event after last year's ultra. The route waas the same as for last year's, so there were no surprises other than the earlier start time (10 pm).

Highlights and lowlights:

Being stuck in traffic for 1.5 hours in spite of boarding the shuttle bus at 8:20pm. I had never missed a start before and it was a strange feeling seeing the competitors running while sitting idly in the bus.

At least, I didn't have to deal with the crowd and could go at my own pace.

Saw SC at the start line, but he was faster. Managed to catch up with him only after 2 km or so. We ran together for a while but lost him after the water station. I usually went for the third or fourth table as there were too many runners.

Managed to maintain my marathon pace of 6:45 to 7:00, with walk breaks at every water station. They were spaced 2 km apart (more or less). My HRM went haywire as usual (note to change), and my plan to run at 145 - 150 bpm had to be replaced by pace.

At the half way point, my garmin registered 2:33 hours, slightly behind target. Managed to hold pace for another 4 km, and then it starting going downhill. I gave up looking at my watch and just going by perceived exertion.

It was 32km when we turned into CCR, the so-called dreaded stretch. Time to pick up the pace, and I managed to go back to race pace albeit at much elevated HR. All those training runs with hard endings allowed me to sustain a second wind.

Started counting runners (IN's strategy) between water points. First it was 100+ runners and then it was 200+ runners (nett). Runpix showed that over the last 11km, I overtook 499 runners and 41 overtook me. The fun ended when we turned into Aviation Road. It was getting hard for me to maintain, and I guessed I started too soon.

Managed to finish at 5:16:07. No PB but third best timing overall. Actually this was my best timing for SDM. Overall, I am pretty satisfied given the limited training I put in and that my last marathon was almost 18 months ago.

For the record, my position overall was 1654 (22% ahead), men - 1460 (23% ahead), division - 52 (26% ahead).

Did a post race evaluation with coach today, and the next focus would be to run off the bike. Back to training. :)

MBH did her third half marathon, with a time of 3:41:09, a respectable time given even more limited training. Well done!

Truth be told, we are gettting a little bored with the route and the traffic jams to and from the race venue. So this year would likely be our last SDM for a while.

But then, who knows?

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

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:

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!

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.

Tokyo marathon 2010 Race Report by PG

Congratulations to my good friend PG, who completed the Tokyo Marathon last month. It was his second (not counting the 5-lap race around the Imperial Palace), after SCSM 2009.

This is his race report:

It was wet and cold. 4-6 degree C for the most part of the morning. I had my trash bag with 3 holes cut, ready for the weather so it came in handy. Still, was mostly wet, especially shoes. 

I had a good run. I finished in about 5 hours and 30 minutes. Its 30 minutes faster than SCSM in Dec09.

Considering that I was not in the best physical condition for it due to a hectic schedule preparing for posting back and the many business trips I had to make, it is a most satisfying time for me.

The best part of it really is that I thoroughly enjoyed the run and while I was tired at the finish, it did not feel half as bad nor tiring as the SCSM. I was amazed by the electrifying atmosphere which energised me. The supporters and volunteers were great. Certainly an excellent marathon experience.

A (wife) and A (son) braved the rain and cold and came out to support and encourage me, which gave me even more motivation to have a good run.

It wasn't the end of the story though, after I completed. I then had to 'run' to Haneda airport almost immediately to catch a flight to Osaka to join my staff there for rehearsals and dinner for the next day's new aircraft launch to Osaka. It was altogether a very tiring day but I was very happy at the end of it and enjoyed every minute of it, really.

Cheers and thanks for your tips and your help to get me to where I am today. Its amazing. Praise God for my legs and for giving me strength. - PG

5:30 is a very good PB by any standards! Well done, my friend.

Aviva 70.3 2010 race report: The "C" word

You know the L sign over the forehead made popular by the TV series Glee? My equivalent, as readers would know, is the C sign. C for cramps.

It was all over me right from the word go this morning. Perhaps it had been too long since I did a OWS in competitive conditions, or just nerves, but shortly after I hit the waters, I was hyperventilating and kicking too hard. After the first turn, I slowed down to relax, but the damage was done. As I exited the waters after the first loop, I felt cramps in both thighs as I ran up the beach. Not good.

Had to slow down even more on the second loop, deliberately keeping the leg movements to a minimum. Took an S-cap at T1 only to find that my garmin was beeping insufficient memory. Trust me not to delete old workouts! The watch was a goner, and I had no idea how fast or slow I rode and ran.

The weather was wonderful during the first two loops of the ride. Overcast and cool. I kept the pace cool, not only because of "C" but also I had wanted to go easy on the first two loops.

Only on the third loop did the sun break through. And that's when the C beast came out again. It was on the last climb over Benjamin Sheares Bridge. Both thighs. Had to slow to a crawl to keep going. Thank God, the C monster abated.

Saw MBH there with the videocam during loop 2, and the first thing I asked her was for the time. 11:25. So about 3 hours plus. Better than I thought.

Took my time in T2 (too much time was wasted in T1 fiddling with my watch!), and remembered IN's advice to apply deep heat. It definitely helped.

The sun was out in all its glory during the first two loops of the run, and all I could do is to keep moving without waking up you-know-who. To be honest, loop one was the worst. I entertained thoughts of giving up then. DNF.

And let the C become an L? No, not today.

Coach caught me as I was finishing loop 2, and with his encouragement, I managed to find a second wind. I finished loop 3 8 minutes faster than loop 2, whatever that pace was.

Never thought I would be so happy to see the finish line.

The cold towel MBH brought for me felt so so so good! Thanks, dear, for being there for me.

But truth be told, my happiest moments were when I reached home. There was this banner made by the boys and MBH pinned over the door, welcoming me back.

Yes, all those hours of suffering receded into the deep recess of memory, as did the "C" monster.

Honor roll: Nimbus 9 silver, Cervelo P2, 2XU endurance suit

OCBC cycle 2010 race report

There's a certain joy parenthood in watching our children enjoy the same sports as we do. That's how we felt as we watch D&E cycled two loops in the OCBC cycle Mighty Savers 5 km event on Saturday.

Getting to the F1 pit was a hassle, with the poor ingress and egress, traffic and construction. However, that did not deter more than 700 children from participating in this event.



Both D&E enjoyed their ride, and came back with several "war stories". Turned out that they were very impressed with the winners who zipped past in road bikes with high profile wheels!

As for the 40km challenge on Sunday, all I could say was that it was a recovery ride for me as I was too zoned out. I gave the excuse that I accompanied WL on his maiden cycling race, but I didn't want to go hard with the crowd and many narrow stretches and sharp turns. I thought that the route was quite unexciting, and there were just too many errant cyclists to watch out for to make it fun for me.

The congestion at the F1 pit was appalling - we had to join the riders to get out of the race venue. There were just insufficient thought given to moving participants to and from the race venue. The poor choice of F1 pit was a major factor. And the route was only 36 km in total.

Nevertheless, it was good to ride with the FOTR gang, although we miss our regulars - PK, SY and IN. JN, SC, WL and HC were there, as were I and I, who did the 20km community ride.

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

Great Eastern Women 10k 2009

I was more apprehensive about this run than last week's TNF race. Reason? MBH had been nursing an ITB injury sustained since the Singapore Bay Run in August, which got aggravated during the Yellow Ribbon Run in September. Consequently, her running had been sporadic at best. In fact, I advised her against running this morning, but MBH would not hear of it.

So after picking up EL, a member of our PMC running community, we promptly made our way to Raffles City. Along the way, we met up with PK and family - J would be running the 10k as well, and KL and wife. Met up with tekko and other supporters, some of whom I recognized as participants in last week's race.


More than 5,000 ladies started the 10k race. It was fun to see a sea of red heading down Nicoll Highway.

The finish line was outside City Hall, and us dutiful husbands lined up to catch our beloved wives coming back. By then, all the elite runners were back, and we observed that a high proportion of the top finishers were caucasians.

J came back in 1:07 - an excellent time. MBH completed her PB - 1:31:54. Congratulations to EL for finishing her first 10k race in a great time of 1:24! The nice weather - cool and and overcast - helped.

One gripe among the runners were the presence of male bandits. In fact, several officials tried to get them off the race, only to be ignored or told off. One bandit even said that he was just running by the side, so what's wrong with that? That got MBH really furious!

Personally, I think it is one thing to show morale support and encouragement for your loved ones, but another to blatantly flout the rules. Gate crashing without paying the registration fee is bad enough, but to gate crash an all-women event is unfathomable. I say, leave the ladies be. It is after all, an all ladies event.

Would you gate crash an all-women event?

The North Face 100 km Duo

If there's one thing that I learnt about endurance races, it is this - many things could go wrong even with the best preparation. So what went wrong today? Lest I forget, I should first mention what went right.

First, our race strategy is fundamentally sound - run 8 min, walk 1 min and walk the inclines. Even Matt, the sweeper thought this was a sensible strategy for first timers. Next, it was really good to be at the end of the pack, so we had a good chance to talk to Matt, especially about his ultra races in Ghobi, Namibia, Antarctic! The man! It was also nice to catch up with Spiderwoman, Mohan and many others. Especially an honor to run with Shawn, our own Singaporean Kona Ironlady who just completed her race last weekend! Great to catch up with Alex and Eugene about their putrajaya race.

What didn't go right was, well, cramps. Plain and simple. Starting from 20 - 21 km mark, just as we went into the restricted area at Lor Asmara. I had been taking the electrolyte pills that worked for PK and coach, but in part the hot weather and heavy sweating meant that I was losing too much salt. I increased the frequency of ingestion, but when surmounting the barren Hill 256, another bout of cramping came in. The cramping episodes were dehabilitating - had to wait a few seconds for the cramps to pass. Too many slopes to climb in the hot blazing sun. We reached the first checkpoint within the time limit, but the damage had been done.

All the way back to Bt Timah Visitor Center, I struggled with cramps. At the checkpoint there, we were informed that we missed the CP cutoff, and if we were confident that we could complete. Sure, with another 12 km to go, but the question was when. We made a concerted effort to run the last stretch, with 2.5 hours to go, but the C monster came back to haunt me. The bottom line is that we didn't manage to make the 9 hour cut-off, and didn't get the finisher medal.

To add insult to injury, I accidentally deleted/reset the run from my garmin before downloading - so nothing to show whatsoever.

WD finished with plenty of time to spare, and heartiest congratulations to him! Alex finished in 7.5 hours, and he just raced putrajaya two weeks ago and the salomon 10k last weekend. Hope Eugene would be ok as his knee injury flared up about 10k into the race.

What did I learn? That TNF 100 is no respecter of persons - even the fit may not make it. And that we should respect the terrain, weather and distance. Definitely our preparation were inadequate.

What else can I say? We were glad that we didn't give up and take the shuttle bus back, although we had two or three opportunities. The most important is that I accomplished the ultra marathon goal I set two years ago.

Last but not least, this is the toughest race I'd ever done so far.

Honor roll: Salomon Comp XA, 2XU tights

TriFactor Triathlon (OD): a new PB

To my family who were there to cheer me on, the most spectacular part of the race was witnessing a participant crash into the railing at the skatepark. This was what I pieced together:

Right after my fifth lap, D saw a cyclist wavering on his bike. He crashed into the railing and according to MBH, he was hanging over the rails, with his head down, motionless. It took some time before the marshals got the medics to attend to the poor chap, and even more time before the ambulance came. Someone said there's blood, and apparently he had a gnash at the back of his head. More time to wait for a head/neck immobilizer, and there was a fair bit of commotion.

I only saw the ambulance on the last lap, and could see the poor chap in a stretcher. According to another couple, the ambulance door closed onto the guy's legs (shin?). Incredible!

Hope he's ok.

Another incident due to me. No, it's not an accident. Just that I was using the multisport mode for the first time and did not hit the start button when the swim began. Only on the second lap did I realize this, and hence I had no idea what's my race time. Only that from lap two of the swim to the end, I took 2:48 thereabouts.

Swim: the route is closer to shore, but the middle segment of the triangle course was longer, in comparison to OSIM. Small groups, by waves. I was in the veteran wave 11, and it was a small group, less than 30. Of course, with a small wave, there's more room to swim and less chance of being kicked in the face. This time, I swam easy, or could this be due to more experience. Bilateral breathing, freestyle all the way. Might have passed a few swimmers, but more passed me as usual.


Bike: I knew this would be a shorter course, as the turnaround point was at the skatepark instead of past the transition area. Forgot my rubber bands, so had to resort to manual counting with the help of the odometer. For some reason, my electrolyte drink tasted bad right from lap 1. It only went bad after the run during OSIM. So I stopped at the water point, discarded my electrolyte drink and asked for water. As it would turn out, there's a difference between electrolyte and water.

For a change, I kept to only one gear most of the time. Large chainring, number 4 rear clog. The one time I changed to a smaller rear clog, I found myself slowing as my cadence was affected. Not very high cadence, just averaging 68. Average speed of 29.0 kph for the 36+km.

The first few laps were fine, but subsequently when the sprint and freshmen participants came on the bike course, they tended to crowd the lanes. Many ladies on their mountain bikes, as well as a few kids. Saw two hand-cyclists with bike escorts.

There was this gentleman who was probably new to aerobars, some weaving about.

Run: Pace was close to 6:00 for first two km. Somehow, I tended to run too fast when off the bike. At the third km, I felt a cramp on the right thigh. A few stretches and I was back to a 7 min pace. Attributed the cramp to the water instead of electrolyte.

A few drops of rain just to tease us before the sun came back up. Good thing I had my sponge and water bottle with me. The extra weight was worth it. Last two km in the 6's. The run distance was only 9.6km and it took me 1:05.

Unlike OSIM, the younger participants were in the earlier waves. So I felt no pressure whatsoever on the run. In fact, participants from the earlier waves felt the pressure. A number of them were walking and when they saw me overtaking them, they immediately started running and overtook me. In quite a few instances, I ended up overtaking them again. :)

Fancied it was more crowded at the finish line, but perhaps due to my later finish and the sprint & freshmen events. Maybe I didn't look hard enough, but only had water to rehydrate. What happened to isotonic drinks? As it turned out, I paid $1.50 for a bottle of Boost. Not really complaining, since the registration of this event was low.

Met up with the family. And then had a free shower on the way back to the car.



When the boys witnessed the accident, their first thoughts were whether the participant was me. I feel bad that my participation causes them worry and stress. Have to constantly reassure the family that safety is my first priority, even if I get a DNF.

Provisional results:
swim: 00:38:23
bike: 01:21:04
run: 01:06:35
overall: 03:05:59.70

So it is a new PB, albeit with a shorter bike leg!

Congratulations to KL and AY for their personal bests! Both under 3 hours!!

Inaugural Yellow Ribbon Prison Run 2009

What happens when you put together a novel run through prison premises, historical sites, undulating terrain, cool 27 deg Celsius weather, overcast skies, breezy conditions, enthusiastic cheerleaders, costumes, efficient organization, great sponsors, free ice creams, balloon sculptures, grand finishing venue, a personal running challenge for a former inmate and a flagoff by the deputy prime minister? No, this is not a trick question or a wish-list.

Well, we get a very enjoyable first rate race. In fact, I would rate the Yellow Ribbon Prison Run as my most enjoyable 10k run. Period.

MBH was all praise for the YRPR. And this is a rarity. Perhaps she managed 51 min to complete 5.8k against doctor's orders and my advice, or perhaps it was the nice weather and atmosphere. Unbridled praise. And when the missus is happy, I am happy :)

OK. From the top. We were at the Expo MRT station at 6:30 am to catch the free shuttle to Changi Village. The 10k race start time was 7:30 am. The roads into CV were heavy with cars going in. Even with the small field (6,000 participants), CV was transformed into a bustling neighborhood. Many participants were caught in the traffic and started late.

The entire road was closed to traffic to allow runners to congregate. Saw three runners in costumes. One of them was catwoman, although in a different costume this time. After the warm up exercises, we were off.



Started off at a modest pace, about 7:30. Took it easy for 2 to 3 km. Some interesting t-shirts caught my eye.


The nice morning weather, with some drizzle elevated my spirits, and my pace increased till about 5k when I caught up with PK and J. They were doing a nice pace.

The undulating route became more challenging as we went up Loyang Way. Surprisingly it rode tougher than it ran.

The cheerleaders were doing a good job to keep our spirits up. We passed the Changi chapel and museum and after the turning into a side road, we came upon the Johore Battery. The 15' inch guns were also known as Monster Guns because of their colossal size. They were the biggest and heaviest coastal artilleries and were able to pierce the armour of battleships. The gun we saw was just a replica.


Then we were at the Changi Prison Wall. The most well photographed part of the prison, the wall dated back to WW2.



Once past the gate, we were looking down at a huge open field, flanked by cluster blocks. Right in the middle of the field from our elevated position, we saw the carnival tents. 5k runners would end at the wall but 10k runners continued on the right path that brought us down a descent. A break in momentum from a short side detour (to make up the 10k, I suppose), but it was a nice finish amidst cheers and music.

1:07 gun time, but net time likely to be 1:05. PK and J came in shortly after.

After the customary collection of goodie bag, we were surprised that there was free ice cream to be had (actually there was a donation box, but we did not see it!). MBH came back and told us, much to my chagrin, that she ran/walked. Not sure if there'll be a price to pay, but so far so good.

As we were waiting for the shuttle buses to bring us back to the expo, it started raining. Many stragglers were still coming in, most likely the late starters. A nice breakfast with tekko and mrs at the expo and then it was home sweet home.

Overall a nice recovery run with some nice slopes to provide strengthen workout. Would we go back again next year? You bet.

View race in Garmin connect

SAFRA Singapore Bay Run and Army Half Marathon 2009

Taking part in this event - touted the largest running event for Singapore - for the third consecutive year. This year, many friends and MBH took part. MBH signed up for the 10k race (actually I signed up for her - and thought it was for the 6k fun run, much to my chagrin!). While the 10k start time was 7:15 am (new start time for women 10k), she went down with me for the 5:30 am start.

Met up with DA from PMC, we agreed to run this together, at a modest 7:30 pace. This year, the start time was brought forward one hour, a good thing for me, as we would be running most of the 21k before sunrise. As usual, we had to hold back our pace at the start. The turnoff into the ECP and Benjamin Sheares Bridge is sooner than in previous years. The climb up BSB was easy as the organizers had staggered the start times. Non-competitive army runners were in a later start, so that gave us more room to navigate.

Amazing how quickly the skyline changed over one year. Last year, the Marina integrated resort was only about a few storeys done. Now, it had reached to top floor.

By the 5k mark, we had cleared the bridge and at Fort Road. The lead runners were already turning back from the east coast. Some slight drizzle that lasted only a minute or so. Too bad, it stopped.

Waterpoints were situated every 2 km, well stocked with mineral water and 100plus. More cheerleaders this year, with bands, belly dancers (a perennial favorite with the guys!), stilt walkers, etc. The distance markers were clearly displayed, and more importantly accurate (more or less - although I thought the total distance was 350m longer!).

DA and I picked up the pace a little from 10k onwards, moving at close to 7:00 pace. However, at the water point just before the 15k mark, we lost contact. DA went for water and I followed, but going to the next table. There were many runners and when I looked back, I couldn't see him. Slowed down and kept looking for a few times, but no sign of DA. Could he have gone ahead? So I picked up the pace. Still no DA. Decided to keep going.

A glance at my 310XT, and I realized that I could still shoot for 2:30. Maybe I'd get 2:29:59?

The course got more crowded as the 21k runners merged with the 10k runners, but it was still manageable. Some weaving was inevitable, but manageable. My pace picked up to about 6 to 6:30 over the last few km, and a strong finish to complete in 2:30:23 by my garmin 310XT (too bad!).

Waited around for friends to complete. DA came back soon after. AY had already completed at 2:22 and having breakfast. IV had left for his rounds. PK came back with J, accompanying her all the way for her first 21k! Jodan did a PB. CONGRATULATIONS to all!

MBH's left knee bothered her on the slope down from BSB, and had a tough run. May have to go on an anti-inflamatory course.

Overall, a good race, considering the little training I put in for it.

View race in Garmin connect.

Honor roll: Saucony Triumph 6

Official net time:
BFG- 2:31:05.70
MBH- 1:39:33.15 (much better than she thought. She reckoned she finished at 2 hours!)

Breakdown from runpix:
Result in Entire Field - 5543rd place (53%)
Result in Gender (Men) - 4812th place (57%)
Result in Division (MEN'S VETERAN) - 1078th place (64%)
From 17k to finish, passed 620 runners and 23 passed me.

OSIM triathlon, Aug 2, 2009

Tough swim, great bike and hot run. That'd sum up the OSIM triathlon for me. End of race report.

That's the executive summary. For the long winded report, here goes:

Logistics was the first concern. The car parks close to the race at East Coast were closed from 6 pm, and the transition area opened at 8:30 am and the wave I was in started at 10 am. So MBH and I decided to park at NSRCC and take a leisurely stroll to the sand castle (between food centre and Bedok jetty).



The race is basically in waves, starting with the elites and then the women and then the men, starting with the veterans. I was in the 45-49 wave, and given a green cap. Apparently, the colors were repeated. At the transition area, I was surprised that there weren't allocated slots by bib number. Any where along the rack for 3500 would do, was what I was told. No wonder some bikes got mixed up during yesterday's mini and sprint races.




But because of the wave starts, the bike out and run out exits were closed, and I couldn't do the usual warm up routine. So I did the next best thing, which was merely to simulate running to the exits.

Got my arms and legs marked, and went for the warm up swim. MBH remarked that the waves were pretty strong. I didn't think much of that, only to find out that the currents were stronger than I thought, when I was out on the second and third legs.

Met up with IN, who did Bintan as well. Chatted with him about his plans ... a few halfs next year, before the IM in 2011! Sounds like a good plan to me.

There weren't too many in my wave, about 50 or so. So there weren't any frenzied kicking and splashing. We caught up with a few white cappers (ladies) and pink cappers (>50). The current was strong, like I'd mentioned. Especially on the approach to the second turning buoy. I had to switch to breast stroke to power past that segment. I was among the last few to exit. 48 min. That's terrible. A full 12 min behind my last swim time.



It was a rather long way to the TA, going up a ramp and it was a huge TA. From my Garmin estimate, it took 4:20 min from exit to bike mount line. The grounds were uncovered, so had to wipe off the grass and dirt off feet. Another longish way to the bike out area. There's this guy who ran without shoes to the mount line, and then put on his shoes. The trouble was that he took up half the lane. :(

The bike route called for 6 loops. I was skeptical about how fast we could go, as there were many turns, relatively short straightaways and of course many riders. My strategy was to go out fast in the first few loops, before the younger guys joined us. There was only one turn that was nasty, right off the start. I was told that a number of cyclists had accidents there. The straightaways were easy, and I picked up some speed there (above 30 kph). The traffic, even on the 5th and 6th laps, was pleasantly low, much to my surprise. Any way, I slowed down on the last two laps, not unusual, but trying to maintain above 28 kph. Much much easier ride compared to Bintan.



Did not witness any incidents, although just one or two guys on the side, probably due to punctures. One guy gave me a jolt overtaking me on the left. "Overtaking on the left!" That's not good etiquette. "Overtake on the right!" was what I shouted back!

Didn't recognize the other participants until Jodan called out to me on my last lap, and overtook me just like that. Couldn't even see him in my sights after that. He's fast!

Before I forget, I must thank LT for giving me this great tip: I had six rubber bands tied to my hook. Towards the end of each lap, I took off one rubber band. This is an easy way to keep track of the number of laps. MBH told me that she saw a number of participants who used the same system. Works for me!

View bike leg on Garmin connect.

Very pleased with my 1:23 time for the bike leg. Took a quick transition and up the ramp again to the run. However that took 3:38 min! Gobbled down a gel right off the run. Timing was pretty good. 6:15 for first km, 6:30 for next two, and then the heat got to me. Notwithstanding the isotonic drinks (I hydrated well on the bike leg), sponge (thanks to Tribob) and misting stations, etc. the heat was on. Noon time. Slowed to 8 min pace, but there was a respite when clouds came in. On the second lap, I checked the overall time and realized that I could improve my time in spite of the poor swim. So I picked up the pace for the last two km. Jodan found me again about then. Wow! He really crushed the bike leg.

A strong (by my standards) finish past the two MCs and under the ramp. 3:29:xx by my Garmin. View run leg on Garmin connect.

Because MBH had to go send the kids off for a birthday party and the wave starts, I didn't hang around. Had my weight taken (73.1 kg), probably not much change, so my hydration was ok. Spoke to another participant (we were on the same rack) and he also had a longer swim (38 instead of 29 min). So I felt somewhat consoled. A short ride back to NSRCC, cooled down and went to pick up MBH. Along the way, a number of participants were still on the bike course. These must be the young chaps and relay teams. I couldn't complain about the heat,could I.

On the way, we heard on the radio about the mishap to one participant - he died after getting into trouble on the swim. We were just shocked. Our sincere condolences to the family. That piece of news reinforced the need to train and race safe.

So overall, not a great PB, but I'll take it.

Official results:
Swim: 47:26 (39/66)
Bike: 1:30:22 (30/66)
Run: 1:12:12 (46/66)
Overall: 03:29:59 (36/66)

Honor roll: Wilier Cento Uno, Saucony type A2, DeSoto suit.

Shape Run 2009: Race Report

Second consecutive year, MBH ran the 5 km event at the Shape Run. 8,000 runners, all places taken up within 1.5 days. Hence many of our LG ladies were not able to run this year. But we were glad that D was able to take part.

Being her first competitive run, D was understandably excited and perhaps a little nervous. So MBH ran with her.

For once, I was not there to see the flag off (being in Mandai somewhere), but was able to reach Millenia Walk in time for the return. Met up with Tekko there and chatted some. Also met up and chatted with fellow husbands patiently and lovingly waiting for our spouses.

D and MBH came in about 50 minutes, a decidedly decent time given the large crowd. Our other LG lady PC came in at 1:02 for the 10k run in spite of a stitch! Congratulations to our ladies!



The end point was a little narrow and some congestion built up. The organizers did a good job with water and isotonic drinks lined up right after the runners came in. Long queues for the kit collection. DW had the foresight to get the runners kit tags and collected the kit while the ladies were still out. Nice goodies as usual. Nice bag too.

I kinda like the massage service and the yakult / marigold freebies. And of course, the nike bracelet was nice, handed out by "hunks in bow ties". MBH was impressed, but I wasn't.

I was only impressed with the quotation on the nike box:

"What's amazing isn't that YOU finished. What's amazing is that YOU had the courage to start."

Anyway, we had a nice breakfast at Food Republic and the ladies were basking in their achievement. Nice Sunday morning.

Bintan Triathlon 2009: first OD

"Triumphant but humbled" is how I sum up the 2009 Bintan triathlon. An accomplishment in that I attempted and finished my first OD triathlon. But I was humbled by the undulating terrain and slopes of the Bintan bike course.

So let's start from the top.

As with all TriBob events, the organization cannot be faulted. Transport was arranged for participants from other hotels, including logistics for the bike. Race pack collection was smooth and the race briefing was well attended. Only grouse I had was that there were only XL shirt left by the time I collected my kit on the race day.

The race wrist tag was an ID band, with name, blood type, allergies and emergency contact. Nice.

My front tire required air, and good thing Bike Haus was there. I ended up replacing the front tube. There was still sufficient time to set up and for my pre race routine. My family and friends turned up just as I was going out for the bike out routine. It was good to have them present.

After the swim warmup, I caught up with PK, who's been a volunteer medical doctor for a number of years now. Also met IN and his family. Then caught up with Alex, who's doing his first OD as well.

The swim. Started back of the pack on the right to avoid the crowd. About 400 male participants threshing and churning the clear waters off Nirwana Garden resort. The water was supposed to be clear, but with all the folks stirring up the waters, it was less than clear. But still, the best waters I'd swum in so far. At least clear enough that I could see jelly fish and avoid them! Got a light sting on the face, but it didn't bother me.

A U-shape loop around a catamaran, to a beach turn. Then retracing back to the start point. Drafted off a few swimmers along the way. Mostly front crawl except for the second to last segment where we swam against the current. Perhaps it was my lack of practice, but I got a slight cramp while doing the breast stroke. Not good.

But to my pleasant surprise, I finished the swim leg under 37 min. Average about 1:12 per lap, which is good for me. But looking back, I could see a small number of swimmers. What a fast field!

At the transition, my family and friends were there to support and cheer me on! Had to smile for the cameras.

The bike start was a little rough, as I couldn't cleat on quickly enough. Good thing the rain had stopped by then, and the roads were dry. Felt strong for the first 10 km. And then the slopes started haunting me.

Even though my average speed on the 40 km bike ride was 24.7 km/h, it took more than 1 hour and 37 min. During the last 10 to 15 km, I was struggling and wondering where the end line was. Although I had two intensive training sessions at Kent Ridge, I was not ready to take on 40 km of slopes and more slopes. Yes, I tackled the first few km well, going fast on the down slopes and pushing on the up slopes, and even overtaking a few. But by the time I reached the technical slopes at 20 km, I was struggling. All the way back to Nirwana Gardens. It didn't help that the female and relay participants who started 20 min later started overtaking me. :(

The bike route took us past a small village. The villagers were out, and I noticed the children and waved at them. Their smiles eased my agony somewhat. About then, I wished I hadn't forgotten my gel pack as my energy level was sapping.

For future reference, I ought to mention the cobble stones at the NG entrance. I was going through with speed and could feel the grip slipping. Good thing it wasn't wet. No wonder we were warned about this part. Speed humps - a few of these. The first speed hump I almost flew out of my seat. I was going too fast. Watch out for speed hump just after a left run. Make sure to go straight across rather than at an angle.

One more note for future reference: The approach at the finish line is a decline and too many went too fast and crashed.

The ride took its toll. Right off the run, I felt cramps on the quads. Then cramps on the hamstrings. On and off for about 4 km, and I had to stop many times to stretch. The good news was that on the second 5 km loop, all the cramps were gone, and I put in a better last 2 km. By then the sun was setting, and the second loop felt easier.

A note of thanks and gratitude to the race crew on the run route. They were really encouraging and cheering us on! Well appreciated by BFG.

What I really appreciated was my family (MBH, D and E) and friends who were there to cheer and support me! Each time I saw them, I had to smile and wave. They kept me going!

Time for some pictures and to ravel in the carnival like atmosphere. Over at the medical tent, my good friend PK was having a busy day. Many jelly fish sting cases, bike crashes, and dehydration. Thank God I didn't have to go into the medical tent.


So here are the timings:
Swim:- 36:51
T1:- 1:36
Bike:- 1:37:19
T2:- 1:35
Run:- 1:17:36 (first loop - 39:37, second loop - 37:48)
total:- 3:34:59

Position
age category: 35 / 52
men category: 395 / 434
overall: 486 / 552


How did it feel to complete an OD triathlon? It was certainly a sense of achievement. It didn't feel as tough as running 42 km, but my legs felt as if they had. Must be the bike terrain. I felt happy about the swim and not so happy with the bike.

Next year, I hope to be back to redeem myself. And best of all, D and E said that they would like to attempt the kids tri next year. So it'll be fun come 2010.

Honor roll: Cannondale six13, Lake CX 210, Saucony Type A2, 2XU endurance tri suit