The Infinite World

Start point was at the junction between YCK road and Lentor to Yishun via ave 1 to the causeway between Yishun and Seletar airport and back to YCK road. It was a slow run average pace 6min1.6sec, total time 1hr42min28sec. Started the run at 7.11am along Lentor avenue, try to run easy but my legs did not feel too good. Felt better after 5km, my stride got smoother, the tigh and calf seems to get into the rhythm and coordinate well. But it was still slow, reached 10 km in 1hr1min plus. Tried my best to maintain a pace of less then 6 min per km. Reached 15km in 1hr31min plus and I was able to run around 5min40plus for the next km and eventually covered the last km in 5min26sec. It was a slow run but good workout overall.

Ran a 10km in the gym on 24 Apr 2013, Wednesday, clocked 52min55sec. A ok run but can be faster, got to improve on my core muscle. 

The London Marathon winning time was 2hr6min3sec, speed was 20.08km per hour. Just how fast is this suppose to be, I guess for the majority of us who are really into running, you would find it difficult to comprehend. This would translate into 17.58 times of our our regular Army 2.4km run at 7min 9sec each without taking a break! Almost 99 percent of us would not be able to do it even for just once in our life time! Incredibly fast time ! Although I would never be able to achieve such timing, the joy in running is the feeling of accomplishment when you hit a certain milestone or target, and you continue to set new benchmark for ourselves. Keep running !

Completed 25.66 km in 2hr52min43sec at ECP, it was a lousy run. I was totally depleted of energy at 20km, felt so dehydrated and body temperature was getting too high. Left tigh start to cramp up at 23km, really have to slow down to walk a few times. The 1st 16-17 km was fine but the last few km was really torturing, need to be really be more descipline to avoid such lousy run again.

Participated in the JP Morgan Run today, started at the tail end of the 3rd wave, crossed the start line at 5.53pm. There are just so many participants(16,300), it was really difficult to run as I have to try my best to snake around the walkers and slow runners. I completed the run in 33min20sec, the slowest of my JP Morgan Run.

Last year I managed a time of 28min13sec for the 5.6km run. Hopefully, I can run a better time this year, any time below 27min would be satisfying, as I am not in the best shape. My plan is to slowly warm up along the way, maybe starting at 5:45 pace and accelerating to 5:15 pace by the 1st km. I want to finishing strong at the end, so hopefully I can maintain about 5:10 or less till the 2nd km. From the 2km onwards, try to maintain about 5:05 or slightly faster till 3.5 km. If I have sufficient strenght, I would slowly increase my pace to 4:45 by 4.6 km. For the last km, try to accelerate to 4:30 till 5.25km then sprint the last 0.25 km reaching perhaps 4:10 pace or faster. Based on this estimation, I should finish in about 27 to 27min15sec.

Completed another short run, 14 laps at YCK Stadium , time 29min18.81sec. (5.6km) Felt really unfit, I think carry too much weight, causing me to really feel so heavy. I really need to reduce my weight so that I can run faster. 

Wanted to try to run as fast as could for 14 laps but just not fit enough to do it. Finished 6laps 2.4km only, in 11min33.01sec. Judging from my current fitness level, 28 min 5.6 km could be my best possible.

Just feel like need to run, so went out 9.39 pm Sg Time 12 Apr 2013 and covered 3.63 km. I do not really like to run at night as I am shortsighted and cannot see well in the dark. Did a quick run during the brighter stretch on the route, just try to go as fast as I could, fastest was just 4min25sec per km pace. But feel good after the run, very relax and feel fitter as well. Thinking if I should go to the nearby stadium to do a 5.6km tomorrow morning, want to see what of timing I can achieve. 

I tried to analyse each race and figure out what I have learnt from a particular race. For instance, the Run 350 I did on 7 Apr 2013, Sunday, overall it is a pleasant race ran at a comfortable pace. The first 3-4 km was as usual, bottleneck here and there, getting the body warn up and getting into a rhythm. Then there was the additional tightness around my right foot which was unusual and I had to stop twice, to try to loosen the shoe lace a little. Then as my pace steady, I was apprehensive about increasing my speed marginally, as I was not confident that I can substain it. I was thinking too much about wearing myself out early in the race and subsequently running at a reduce pace for the major part of the race which will definitely slow my finishing time. I am still thinking why my body temperature was raising so fast and not maintain at a manageable level like in my training run, did the humidity increased so substantially recently in Singapore ? By the way, my official timing for ...

I think one big different between a serious runner and a casual runner is descipline in training! 

Time to up my mileage and improve my overall fitness for the next race, the Sundown Marathon on the 31 May, 2013. Its a night race, last year I did 2hr14min plus, this year hopefully I can achieve a 2hr. Got to try to add a 3rd weekly run of at least 8km and start doing some push up an sit up to strengthen my core muscle group. 53 days to go, will be running the JP Morgan 5.6km on 18 Apr 2013. 

Woke late today 4.28 am, I set my alarm for 3.30am. Quickly drink a cup of warm water and quickly go to the washroom to wash up. Leave house at 5am and reached City Hall at 5.20am, took a slow jog to the start point at the floating platform. Deposited my bag and jog to the start point at the F1 pit. Just managed to join the rear end of the start as the start signal went off. Took about 3 min to reach the start line. Start slow, covered 1st km in 6:10, keep getting the feeling that my right feet was too tight, stopped twice in the 1st 2km to loosen it slightly, slowing to a 6:50 2nd km. Tried to run easy and hope the tight feeling in the right foot goes away, covered 3rd km in 6:03. The tight feeling in the right foot was gone by 4km, 5:44 4th km. Reached 5km in 30min:22, split time of 5:33 per km. Feeling ok at this point, covered 6th km in 5:38. Luckilythe organiser managed to avoid the dark stretch that 2xu went through. Covered 7km in 5:33, 8km in 5:38, slowing to 5:43 9km, reached...

My plan is to fuel my body better and keep it fully hydrated before the race and also bring an additional gel as well. (2 normal and double shot) I will also try to have more sleep before the race, hopefully can put in at least 5 full hours and also have a light breakfast. Mentally, I have been visualising how to run the race and also the race pace, at it at below 6min per km from the start, provided I can get further ahead and nearer the start point. Anyway, hope to run easy and dip below the 2 hour mark.

I find that keeping my goal in perspective is quite difficult and challenging during a race. Usually it's the body that tend to derail your plan, when you are struggling during a run due to fatigue, your mind cannot focus on the task at hand. Your body will keep telling you that your temperature level is too high, this is what happen to me during the recent 2xu run. I kept being afraid that I will end up slowing down too much later if I maintain a faster pace early or midway through the race. So I ran with so much apprehension that I keep holding myself back. I must try to overcome this problem this Sunday at the 350 half marathon.