The Infinite World

Perseverance is very important in running. If you push hard even during your lowest moment in running, you will emerge stronger physically and mentally. You must also watch your physical condition, this is where discipline comes in. You need to ensure you do not overeat, over indulge in unnecessary food, unhealthy food intake, so that you are in optimum physical condition. Lastly, you need to rest well, so that your body is ready to take on the next hard run. This is normally easier said then done.

I was amazed and impressed by the architecture in Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan. Wonder how the people few hundred years ago were able to build such elaborate structure.

Took a Lufthansa flight from Singapore to Frankfurt on transit to Rome, an Airbus A380 on 14 Sep 2014 Sunday. (11.34pm) Everything was smooth and the inflight entertainment system was good although not a wide selection of movie. The flight attendant was polite and provide good service. The landing was excellent and only took a very short time to come to a stop. The flight to Rome, Italy was equally good and took about 1hr 20min. The Roman architectural sight is impressive and it's a worthwhile experience indeed. The City is full of historical buildings and it's a wonderful display of excellent conservation and sustainable city administration.  

During my last long run on the 12 Sep 2014, Friday, I was rather doubtful if I would be able to maintain a sub 6min per km pace due to my lack of serious training. I did succeed in completing my 21.25km run averaging 5:55 per km. I did it by riding on my momentum during the run, I just maintained the 5:50 plus per km pace and not let the pace drop. At the same time, I was watching my breathing and how my body feels during the run. I found that legs and breathing was fine and no muscle clamp, so I just push on. Happy that I managed to finished the run as I set out with not much hope of a good time and did 2hr 5min37sec. A good lesson learnt on how to manage my run and even without water intake at all.

Managed to finally covered more than 20 km today, covered 21.25km in 2hr5min37sec, averaging 5:55 per km. Took a new route today, the first 5.6km was ran along pathway by the side of the road, but once I entered the park area at Buangkok green, it was smooth all the way. My pace increase to 5:55, even managed to hit 5:37. Felt fine most of the time, but felt rather apprehensive and doubtful of my fitness level, might be also because I ran without water all the way. But after the run, don't feel too well after taking water and a can of isotonic drink. Overall, a good run today.

Why need to bring down your PR in running ? Unless you are running purely for health reason or as a stress release tool, all runners want to get faster. Its basically a fight against time, versus distance covered. Its also a comparison against other runners, if your running partners can run a faster time than you despite having a little more bulk than you, why can't you beat them. I guess it is this competitive spirit that bring out the real runner in you, always looking forward to a new PR. You will only know how fast is a 6 minutes mile when you can actually run that fast, I can assure you its pretty fast for casual runner!

There is only so much we can do about having enough to spend when we retired from our jobs. Rather then worrying and waiting for someone to help you, be proactive and start spending on things that is totally essential and not on anything you fancy. People who just worry and do nothing about it, is just wasting time. Spend time on reading up on anything that will bring you closer to your goal and not just complaining! 

Did 8.2km run today in 48min6.8sec, averaging 5:52 per km. Not a bad run for me, but I need to start my run earlier as my night vision is not too good. The run become erratic once you are not sure what or where you stepping on. Need to be more patience as well, tend to rush my run. 

Watched the show "Lucy" on Sunday 7 Sep 2014, its a movie about the abilities that human will acquire as we uses more of our brain capacity and utilises it optimally. There has always been a myth out there that human only uses up to 10% of our brain capacity, even among the academics. I would say how we define capacity or how many percentage depends on what base one uses to derive the percentage. Furthermore, I would say even the real expert do not exactly know how our complicated brain works at our current knowledge level. Human tends to overestimate our own abilities, human still have along way to go to understanding our own physical self. One very simple example would be how to get people to stop killing each other ? We spent so much resources just to guard against our own kind and to kill each other. Way to go for human to become an advance race !

Did a 10.11 km run today, 9 Sep 2014 Tuesday, in 59min1.6sec, averaging 5:50 per km. Felt good today while running, strides were smooth and easy. Hope I can replicate the same effort on Wednesday.

Started from Yio Chu Kang/Lentor Ave junction via Lentor Ave, turned right to Yishun Ave 1 and across the causeway at the Seletar reservoir, about 8km and back. Completed the 16.41km in 1hr42min26sec, averaging about 6:15 per km. I considered this a good run as I targeted to keep close to 6min per km, although I am not that close to 6min per km, I did run well without slowing down too much. On the downside, I have been getting a niggling pain in my upper right tight bone area, after the last two run of more than 16km. I am wondering if its due to my light running shoes, will find out in my next run of a similar distance. Need to really work on my core muscle group and also my nutrition needs as well, have not been fuelling my body enough before long run.

Did a 10.2km run on 2 Sep 2014, Tuesday in 1hr1min45sec. Tried to run as easy and relax as possible for the 1st 2-3km to let my body warm up. My aim was to stick close to 6min per km, breakdown : 6:17, 6:13, 6:10, 6:20, 6:26, 6:27, 6:09, 5:47, 5:52, 5:05, 1:00. Looking at the splits, my run was not consistence, started slow, got slower and then fast, faster. The mind has to be strong and listen to what you want it to do, if its within your physical condition, your mind is able to push your body to carry out a constant and consistence performance but you have to be patience and not rush your pace or hold yourselves back too much. In other words, you have to stick to your game plan and see the benefits coming through slowly, as progress might not be immediately obvious.

Rested for 3 days after the last run of 16km on 22 Aug 2014. Did a 2.4km, 6 laps at the stadium in 11min22sec, no expectation, just an easy run on 26 Aug 2014, Tuseday. Did 12.5 laps, 5km at the stadium on 27 Aug 2014, Wed, in 25min1sec. Tried to get as close to 2min per 400m lap as possible, got a good feeling of what it's like to run at 12km per hour. I think my breathing was not too bad and my legs feel ok but just have to watch the energy requirement. On 28 Aug 2014 Thur, did 16laps, 6.4km at the stadium in 33min14.957sec. Have to be more patience and not rush in my run.