Distance : 7km
Time : 58min
Status : The injury has returned. The left knee is just crying out in pain with each step, saying "Please... stop.. You're shortening my life span. I'm going to give up on you any minute now if you continue"
Doesn't help when I don't have my double knee brace on. It's a definite reminder that I have to be fully prepared each time I run, and adequately recovering when I rest in between. That means glucosamine tablets, cream and enough stretching.
Though I went very slowly, I sorta remembered quite a few things. I used to run very slowly when I started, so that I wasn't out of breath, I could go super long distances in a relaxed and enjoyable fashion, and I recovered faster. If only I could keep my current heart-rate with a much better speed. That's the goal of runners, I guess.
One day, if it ever happens, when I can break 4 hours on the marathon, I'll look back and thank all the people who paved the way to my success. There were many... will write about it next time. A preparatory speech if you will...
Friday, December 19, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Running (re)Start
Distance: 10km
Time: 70 mins (not inclusive of rest stops)
Area: Start at Fort Road, ECP, ran to the end, near the Marina Bay Golf Course, and turned around, to East Coast Hawker Centre, up to East Coast Road, and then home. Stopped at 7-Eleven's at The Playground@East Coast (aka Big Splash), bought two 250ml bottles of Sunkist Orange Juice. Very handy to run and carry the drink. Can do that next time.
Thoughts: Drinks definitely helped maintain my speed, which is still slow, about 7min per km. Used to be much faster, but believe that I am on the improving slope, and hopefully can bring speed up to about 6min/km for long distances. Heart rate is still too fast, reached >180 beats per minute. Need to bring down to ~120 if possible. It's good to begin running about 10 days after my half marathon. Last year, really left it too late to restart my runs, while still overeating non-stop. This year, I am slightly more disciplined, and have restarted my jogging. Hopefully I can get up to speed for the Adidas Sundown Marathon on the 30 May 2009. Wonder if I'll attempt an overseas marathon this year, as my friends have all been talking about it.
My dream is to compete and complete the Marathon du Medoc. The most fascinating marathon ever. Where you run along the vineyards of France, drink wine and eat steak WHILE racing in fancy dress! Heard they only open the run to 9,000 entrants, with only 20% of that allocated to foreigners. It would combine all my loves: Running, Wine-tasting, Eating! Haha, who else can ask for more? Maybe it will be my 10th run, as a celebration...
Time: 70 mins (not inclusive of rest stops)
Area: Start at Fort Road, ECP, ran to the end, near the Marina Bay Golf Course, and turned around, to East Coast Hawker Centre, up to East Coast Road, and then home. Stopped at 7-Eleven's at The Playground@East Coast (aka Big Splash), bought two 250ml bottles of Sunkist Orange Juice. Very handy to run and carry the drink. Can do that next time.
Thoughts: Drinks definitely helped maintain my speed, which is still slow, about 7min per km. Used to be much faster, but believe that I am on the improving slope, and hopefully can bring speed up to about 6min/km for long distances. Heart rate is still too fast, reached >180 beats per minute. Need to bring down to ~120 if possible. It's good to begin running about 10 days after my half marathon. Last year, really left it too late to restart my runs, while still overeating non-stop. This year, I am slightly more disciplined, and have restarted my jogging. Hopefully I can get up to speed for the Adidas Sundown Marathon on the 30 May 2009. Wonder if I'll attempt an overseas marathon this year, as my friends have all been talking about it.
My dream is to compete and complete the Marathon du Medoc. The most fascinating marathon ever. Where you run along the vineyards of France, drink wine and eat steak WHILE racing in fancy dress! Heard they only open the run to 9,000 entrants, with only 20% of that allocated to foreigners. It would combine all my loves: Running, Wine-tasting, Eating! Haha, who else can ask for more? Maybe it will be my 10th run, as a celebration...
Stanchart Singapore (Half) Marathon
Ran the Half Marathon in about 3 hours. Dreadfully slow, but my knees took it well. In fact, i wanted to run the next few days but i held back to conserve them for my diving trip.
It was really quite fun, and to be honest, maybe coz i was going very slowly, but the 21km mark seems kinda short nowadays. Was disappointed that i didn't persist and actually go for the full distance. Saw the new finisher tee and it looks fantastic, too bad i dun get to wear this one. Means that I still got at least 9 more marathons to go, but definitely the spirit, the thrill of the race, is back within me. It was gone last year, after I completed the full, and lost the appetite for it somewhat, and had to force myself to run.
Maybe it was the book that i've been reading (Haruki Murakami's What I talk about when I talk about running), maybe it's my knee recovering from my long-suffering pains, maybe it's the remembrance of the great times i had when i was running along Charles River in Boston, but i feel like i have been given a fresh lease of running life.
It's good, it's what I always wanted. While running, i had this realization... I run to become a better man, and that's a journey, not a destination, so I will continue to just run and run and run, and improve and improve and improve and improve, hopefully :)
i hope that one day, i can just keep running to work, and avoid all the nasty commuting crap, life will certainly be different. My future commuting companions: my Garmin watch, my Asics Keyanos, my Ipod Shuffle and Sennheisers CX500s, Cho-pat Knee Guards, running cap, Adidas running shorts and my Mizunos tee... That's plenty company :)
It was really quite fun, and to be honest, maybe coz i was going very slowly, but the 21km mark seems kinda short nowadays. Was disappointed that i didn't persist and actually go for the full distance. Saw the new finisher tee and it looks fantastic, too bad i dun get to wear this one. Means that I still got at least 9 more marathons to go, but definitely the spirit, the thrill of the race, is back within me. It was gone last year, after I completed the full, and lost the appetite for it somewhat, and had to force myself to run.
Maybe it was the book that i've been reading (Haruki Murakami's What I talk about when I talk about running), maybe it's my knee recovering from my long-suffering pains, maybe it's the remembrance of the great times i had when i was running along Charles River in Boston, but i feel like i have been given a fresh lease of running life.
It's good, it's what I always wanted. While running, i had this realization... I run to become a better man, and that's a journey, not a destination, so I will continue to just run and run and run, and improve and improve and improve and improve, hopefully :)
i hope that one day, i can just keep running to work, and avoid all the nasty commuting crap, life will certainly be different. My future commuting companions: my Garmin watch, my Asics Keyanos, my Ipod Shuffle and Sennheisers CX500s, Cho-pat Knee Guards, running cap, Adidas running shorts and my Mizunos tee... That's plenty company :)
Monday, December 01, 2008
Swim today
Laps: 35
Time: About 50 mins
Feeling: Not bad, weather was good today, think I was rather ok on timing, could do 30 laps under 40mins, so still can make it for the biathlon trials. Kinda disappointed about my knees, won't be doing the marathon this Sunday, but shall look and think long-term, i.e. the next 20-30 marathons, instead of just this one on Sunday...
Time: About 50 mins
Feeling: Not bad, weather was good today, think I was rather ok on timing, could do 30 laps under 40mins, so still can make it for the biathlon trials. Kinda disappointed about my knees, won't be doing the marathon this Sunday, but shall look and think long-term, i.e. the next 20-30 marathons, instead of just this one on Sunday...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)