Cutting down my 30 laps swim PB by 90s in 2.5mths....

About half a year ago in April, I posted about starting long swim since feb...I was then doing 30laps in 40:12min

2 months later in June, I cut down my 30laps to 37:00min

Another 2 months later in August...I tried out new techniques to my stroke and managed to cut my time further to 35:00min

Another 2 months has passed, in the last 2 months, still keeping to 2 swim sessions per week (Wed and Sun) I increased my swim distance to 50 laps.......I dun go for fast and tough swim because tuesday I would be in the gym so Wed my swim needed muscles will still be sore......and Sat is usually my long run and sunday swim will be slow but long for recovery of lower body from the previous day run and to increased stamina of upper body...

Today is a bit different....I din go gym yesterday but went for a run so my upper body is fully rested for the swim.....a strong swimmer was swimming beside me giving a bit of motivation to swim faster (although I am much slower than her).........I managed to cut down 90s off my previous best 2 months ago and hit 33:23min for 30 laps

The graph below shows the progression for my timed 1.5km swim from May....other swim sessions longer or shorter than 1.5km are not in...that's y the data are few on the graph

I hope I will continue to swim and make it part of weekly schedule to keep myself healthy

Nike Human Race (Singapore)10km 2009

Woke up at 4am.......had arranged to with Insane CM to run down 13km to Nike Human Race.......Sat supposed to be LSD day but this event on sat this year so decided to carry with LSD....

Start at 5.15am....we met many participant with the Red and Loud event Tee waiting for transport along the way....feel like asking them to join in the run down....maybe like pipe piper...oneby one follow and end up a big crowd when we reached the startpoint....daydreaming...

The last 3km of the run down actually covered the last 3km of the run ...we were running and suddenly a Beep sounded....then we realised our D-tag went over one of timing checkpoint....OOoops......we reached a waterpoint at after 8km mark......the volunteers are all staring at us thinking why we are running already.....and a young cute boy actually offered 100plus to us.....

We reached just in time to squeeze into the first wave...after 25min of rest from the end of the 13km..the gun fired.....the band at the startpoint is irritating.....

I tried measuring the route using online tools and the distance seems very accurate....the distance markers are good as well......the whole route has 4 waterpoints and they are well filled with ice mountain and 100 plus......I take my time and completed the 10km within 70min.......lots of banana and water at the end point..saw ice-cream also

This year finisher wrist band is much much better than last year cheapo one.....got a nice little box to contain it

Rubbery like the sports band and nice orange colour.....

Nice............

Very impressed that when I reached home.....the results are up online......

another event The North Face 100 crash with this run....so many good experienced hardcore did not come for this........only see a lot of young boys and girls...

I would say a well organised event......I will come back again next year

The North Face 100 Singapore Race Route

Interesting route...even venture into military training area in Lor Asrama....I am not running this year...and I dunno if I have the chance to to run this in coming years....

Nike Human Race - Race Expo

From Blogger Pictures

Collection is much faster than last year...

One more Nike water bottle.....tee material is much better than last year...is thinner and cooler.they using D-tag this year which is quite unreliable from experience in Passion Run....the rest goes into the rubbish bin

The complaint is Singapore Flyer is too inaccessible!!!...there are only buses from there but no buses going there....so have to walk a distance from marina squace or seating gallery of the floating platform...and the weather is freaking HOT to walk on the street lor!!!

double whooper weekend: 2xMR + Salomon X-Trail 2009

Tough running week where it is the first time I am clocking 4 runs in 7 days.......2 short ones on tues and thurs...a long 2 laps MR and a 10km trail run in tampines

SATURDAY

After last week shocking thunderstorm...the legs turned jelly for 30min after the run......legs felt good when we started this week 2 laps......we had 5 runners this week and the 3 ladies will only do 1 lap while TL and myself went for the second.

The first lap is easy lap with chatting for the whole route...we finished in 80min...5min slower than the last time we did 2 laps 2 weeks ago....

End of lap one.....later took 3 min break....both of us went on to the second.......TL cannot tahan my slow pace and went ahead after 2.5km marker in the trail.......I pushed on and managed to run thru the whole route except for the small hill and a short rest at the ranger station....did a negative split where the 2nd half is about 10min faster than the first (excluding the 3min water break after lap 1 and before start of lap 2)........good run and good company

SUNDAY

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

A short but satisfying run................

A short but satisfying run.........stamina and strength has improved..I was able to maintain hit cadence but short stride with my free all the way.......felt much easier to run this route now........rest tomolo before hitting the big trail again.......

2 days combo

Marathon training took a new meaning this year......instead of run, run, run.....I started to do swim(closed water in the pool), bike(stationary in the gym), run(weekend long run in the trail).......this is call indirect training

This week is hectic.....and I did a combo for yesterday and today...

Last sat thunderstorm run took a toll on my lower legs muscles....never have I ache for so long after long run....walking also can feel the "pain"

In anticipating evening rain....I decided to head to the gym for a pedalling session for 35min.....tried to maintain >90RPM and I did an average of 39km/hr with different intensity....took the program called alpine pass

Reached home later than usual last nite...I decided to head for a run to ease off the lower leg ache.......went at consistent speed not over-pushing..I did a reasonable 8km and found my aches disappeared

Today still felt the ache on the lower legs....after a long day of frustrating work.....I head down to the pool for my weekday swim

I decided to do some set training.....warmup for 10 laps and found myself swimming my faster 10 laps at 11min.........actually planned to do 10x2 laps with 30s rest...but after 8 laps....i decided to call it quit.......swim interval not my game.....and I went on to cool down with 14 laps to make up a total of 2km swim to wrap up the day....i will stick to my slow continuous swim..........

Hope for good weather tomolo for another short run before resting on friday and get really for another double whopper over the weekend

Salomon X-Trail 2009 race pack collection

A bad but happening run

I was alone with mother nature as some have travelled to kota kinabalu for Borneo marathon......expecting less runners with waterpacks in the trail since TNF100 is just 2 weeks away...all should be tapering and the most is 1 loop round the trail plus rifle range road

I hit into the trail panting hard....missing one weekend of MR and lack of mileage is taking toll......Reached ranger station and found that I have ran fast than previous week....no wonder so heavy on the legs..I walk up long slopes in order to conserve some energy for the long journey....plus I was carrying heavier than before....2 more pieces of clothing

head off towards rifle range road and walk up 2 of the siong and long slopes......the sun came out strong and the heat is scary.....only saw cyclist along RR road which is expected.....reached the pipeline grass trail and venture into new terrain.....not eacxtly new...8 years before, I came towards rifle range road in the opposite direction dehydrated thanks to my teammate who mix the whole packet of pocari into the waterbag and we got no plain water.......

This path is simply slopes and on flats....goes up and down but the surrounding is refreshing.....wide green grass...the mountain bike trail went by the side and cut across the path at a few locations.....but as you run....you can still hear the heavy traffic noise from the BKE at the side....

Reached the BKE into dairy farm road and decided to went ahead.....just as I proceed, thunders roar on the left side....but is a contrast on the right...where the sun shone from the cloudless sky and the left are dark heavy clouds with thunders and lightning........i continue until chestnut ave...and decided to head back before the rain arrive

There are walkers, hikers and saw only a pair of runners out here....and a lady walking her dog...ulu place but beautiful and still can see people..

I pick up my pace as the rain clouds approaching.....but the legs got heavy and walking up slopes became tougher.....reached back to rifle range road and the drizzle started........as I crossed BKE flyover......no rain....it seems to stop there at bukit timah side....I was walking up the slope when a pair of TNF 100 solo runner went past me and exchanged greetings

Reached back the trail back to ranger station and started to see a lot of runners and hikers.....look like they started late as they will be covering less today

Reached ranger station tired and leg heavy...i decided to walk a bit before I started to run....I stopped at the boardwalk and started to felt pain on my right side....kena stitch...so i started walking...and decided to walk the last 4km.....

just before reached the fitness station....the lightning risk alarm went off at the golf course....thunders came roaring closer and closer......i tried to run but my stitch stopped me from doing so....so i walked faster.....until just about 500m after the fitness station.....the rain came pouring....i dash forward and finally saw a shelter to take cover.....a lady went dashing beside me and came in as well.....adn we started to grumble about the rain and strong wind came....the lady's 4 other running mates came in as well and the rain got heavier and heavier until we cannot see the other shore of the reservoir....the wind got stronger as well but it was blowing behind us where the vegetation has helped to block it for us..

Just we were waiting....suddenly, the wind changed to the opposite direction and this time, went straight at us from the reservoir side....nothing to hide and we were all hit badly by the strong wind and rain......it suddenly calmed downa bit and the group decided to went ahead.....thinking that no point staying since I was already wet, I went ahead with them......wewent at a fast pace for 1.5km in the wet flooded trail...my vision are blur due to the rain pouring down....but we were chatting as ran....suddenly, I started to realised I was running with no pain and with renewed energy....i ran thru all the slopes which I usually walked and still chatting away.......we finially reached the trail end and they stopped there while I went on to finish at the carpark........totally drenched and shagged!!!

My legs are still "running" although I already started to walk......only covered around 21km today and it was like a full 30km......My legs are jelly and tired but i have to continue to walk around for 30min as I now if I stopped or sit, they will cramped up immediately.../p>

A bad run consider I too a ot of walks....I think more than 30-40% are walking.....but the terrain of the pipeline trail is not for the normal heart to take.........hopely, next week long run will be better

Nike Human Race 2009

Last year Nike Human race did not hit the target of 1 million globally....let see if they are able to do it this year....Singapore response has been overwhelming so far that 500 additional slots need to be added after the registration close

This year also saw Nike promoting their sportsband together with the race...anyone who brought the sportsband can get a free entry to the race.......

Last year colour is RED tag on RED tee....look like this year is Banana yellow on RED tee

This year saw the Race registration late...route announcement also late and now with 20 days to go....the race pack collection venue is still TDB

Let's hope for the best...anyway, it will jsut be another LSD for me

Fernvale> Punggol> Punggol Park 15km

Looking at my running log, the last time I ran this route is 13mths ago!!!!

Due to the work schedule, haze and pink ribbon walk....I miss my weekly MR run and did not clock any run until this evening where I managed to squeeze some time to hit the road with my NIKE FREE 3.0.....

Weather is great! Not hot and windy....Finished comfortably in 96min with a few traffic lights stop.....

Another good run with my FREEs

Pink Ribbon Walk 2009

First time joining a Charity Walk. Arrived at 8am and saw this famous Milo truck..immediately went to grab a few cup of it!!!

Saw the Sgrunners Booth and took a photo with it as well............. Everyone in Pink Koh Cheng Mun was the host at the Start........ It was a big crowd for the walk........... Almost everyone...except one or 2 are in Pink..... 5km Walk also got water point!!! Everyone just walk........ Saw someone walking his parrot.......... Reaching the finishing point.............. Got ice mountain, 100 plus, Jia Jia Herbal Tea............... And even Swensen's Ice Cream!!! Yeah!.............

Come again next year...............