Weekly Mileage Reaches 100km

After 1 year barefoot running, slowly my weekly mileage increased to over 100km. Last week I completed 101.2km. And it was not achieved at the cost of next day training.

http://www.dailymile.com/training?group_by=week&workout_type_id=1&field=distance_in_miles
To achieve this, I have been made myself comfortable with 7 runs per week without rest since this August. There should be no speed works until I made myself adapt to the training style. Every run was aerobic (under MAF heart rate) so that stress was minimized. And there turns out to be large stress cushions under such training loading. That is, may MAF pace improvement stopped around 6min/km; and even when I violated 10% rule, increase weekly mileage from 60k to 100k, I still stayed injury free and even without DOMS after 34km long run. After all, I found it goo way the increase weekly mileage while staying injury free. And by this I could increase my yearly mileage to over 4000km. The only thing I need to figure out is how and when to incorporate speed/hill workouts in it, let me do with cautious and stick on 10% rule.

Cold Storage Singapore Triathlon: My First Triathlon

I'v completed an Aquathlon and a Duathlon early this year. So it came the final test, triathlon. Singapore Triathlon (organized by Triathlon Association of Singapore) used to be sponsored by OSIM and held in July. However OSIM dropped out from the sponsorship and just before the race TAS announced Cold Storage's taking over. All are same, the course, the age group, as before, except there was no more elite group. So it was totally a amateur triathlon race : )

I planned to finish the Standard Distance (1.5km swimming, 40km cycling, 10km running) within 3:30 and didn't want to rush, not only because I'v not been cycling for several month due to my wife's concern (more road accident recently and several cyclists suffered), but also I didn't want to push too much to interfere my marathon training.

29 Sept, I cycled to the race venue East Coast Park CP F, in a 10km route through Bedok Town (I used in Singapore Duathlon). I arrived at ~8:40 and my wave would started at 9:00am. I hurried to set up my transition and rushed to the swimming start. Sun was hot then, I plunged into the sea and found to water hot too. I met my TI coach Tang Siew Kwan who was in pink swim cap (I was in yellow) and supposed to start 10min later than my wave. We wished good luck to each other. I though he would catch up me but I wished I could catch up him in the run.

My wave started 9:00 sharp, I stuck at the back of the wave and swam south towards the 1st buoy. The tide was a bit strong and  towards west so I need to peep every a few stroke to make sure on track. From the 1st buoy to 2nd buoy it was much easier despite the head tide. After the 2nd buoy we headed back to the beach for the 2nd loop (750m per loop), again I was struggling with the side way tide: I often found myself  far away from the other swimmers. It took me more time to complete the loop for lacking of open water sighting skill. I finished the 1st loop in less than 22min. The 2nd loop was exactly the same experience to me. I found myself over took by a lot of pink caps (10min late starter), and even blue caps! (20min late starter). I was sure Tang was with them. When I crawled on the beach, there were just few yellow cap left. I packed me up and dashed to the transition area. The system record my swim leg to be 43:39.

The following bike leg I still rode my MTB as in Singapore Duathlon. I did not invested in bike because I was not ready to commit my self to triathlon, to me swim and cycling were still cross training to running only. The course was almost same as in Singapore Duathlon except the start turn not so abrupt (I did hit the barricade in the beginning of 2nd loop of Singapore Duathlon), and head wind not so strong. I maintained the same speed (24kph) as in Singapore Duathlon and kept my HR ~160bpm. It took me ~1:40 to finished the 6 loops cycling leg, system recorded my T1+Cycling+T2 timing to be 1:48:12.

Unlike in Singapore Duathlon, I did not ban by any official from running in barefoot. Instead, the marshals gave me applause when I ran out. The running leg was not so sweet as it looked. I suffered HR spiking an leg stiffness right after switch because I never trained bike-run brick. My breath was hard and had not a little strength in quads at all! I tried to run with only hamstrings and calves, it works. Only after 1st 5km loop it became better. Just before I thought I could run strong, my energy depleted, I could only run ~5km/min pace. Fortunately, I overtook my TI coach Tang at the early of 2nd loop. I finished the running leg within 51:51. It was the 19th fast within my age group. But my swim and bike really sucked. Finally my timing was 3:23:42, ranked 96 among 141 participants, beat my TI coach by 1min.

Sundown Marathon 2012: My first Barefoot Marathon

One never know what his next marathon should be. There is full of uncertainty in this 42.159km journey. But in my case, as I slow down my pace, I found it so easy and manageable when I finished my last marathon in huaraches. This time again, I want to run a slow marathon (~5hrs) after half year's MAF training. My aerobic endurance had been further improved since last marathon. And my barefoot millage also accumulated to ~1200km. So it was time to do a barefoot marathon.

The event had ever planned to run West Coast Road but just one week before race they gave up and switched back to East Coast Park. I didn't mind run in old route. I just hated Marina East, ever since I ran my first marathon back in 2010, the road was there dirty and rocky. And now it was still there to bite my feet, this time I was out of any protection. The worst thing was the route need run this part twice, out and back.

As I always did, I would do some risk assessment before the race. I found three: 1, longest single run only 32km; 2, worse road condition in Marina East due to under construction; 3, Left sole injury (since end of Mar.) not fully recovered. The answer to all these questions is simple: RUN SLOW! It is always true.



A few minutes before 11pm I took late night train to the venue, Nicoll Highway MRT station. I reached 30min before start. It was full of people, the earlier started 10km runners were backing, half and full marathon runners were gathering. I walked to the starting line and joined sub-5 pen.

After flagged off at 12:30am, I started to move with the parade with a 7:30/km pace and kept in the white line, to save the soles for last 10km which I never experienced. The road condition of Nicoll Highway was good, but when we ran back to Marina Floating Stage (8km mark, also F1 track), the surface was so rough, the asphalt seemed to have been pulled away by F1 wheels, only left rocks to bite my soles. The following 3k through Marina Bay Sands was quite new, we were cheered by the drunker out of the pubs. The cement path was very friendly to my soles. Following 3km through Marina South to Marina Barrage (14km) was same part adopted by SCMS and SSBR&AHM. Heavy vehicles made the surface rather rough, and it began to wear my soles. Took a toilet break at Marina Barrage, I went through the bridge happily. It was my best part, with breeze and music. After the bridge we turned into a total darkness, same as last AHM. Several hundreds meters later we broke with half marathoners. The organizer was considerate and put quite a lot lights and speakers there to keep full and half marathoner on their own track. Then I was diverted to the nightmare part, Marina East. I was cursing the road being so rocky while running, and didn't hesitate to walk when the surface was too tough. I survived my 1st round of death march after entering East Coast Park (17km mark). It was later mid-night and I began to felt sleepy and hungry. I'd wished there were banana stations before halfway but in vain. And I also noticed my heart rate raising. I'v tried to fuel with more carbon drinks but only to induce more gas in the guts. I had to enter the toilet at 21km mark (car park C4)for unloading. It coincident to be the same toilet I used in last SCMS. Had I been doomed to use it every time I race through ECP?

The real race just started as rain drops fell in the ECP, And soon turned to storm. It was cool and my heart rate began to drop, but the lightening was scary. Neither organizer nor runners anticipated this, no evacuation  plan nor much shelters along the route. Most us had to push through in this bad weather, running on the flooded route. My drawback soon became advantage, most people got heavy boots but I got my sole cooled and refreshed in every step. I usually got tired feet and wore sole after 21km but this time it was so fine. I remember once in last year I also ran 27km in the rain without wore out my soles. The rain helps! I don't need to enter every water station to water my sole!

After 25km u turn finally came the fuel station. I grabbed 2 packs of gels and sucked them off  immediately. I found revived. I kept on the white line and took off my vest. at around 28km mark I passed another barefoot runner, I cheered for him and waved bye. I had already met one at 7km mark, he was roaring by me and saying "I'm not along" and soon vanished in horizon. The smooth ride came to a end after we had a banana treat at 32km mark. Then I began my "Death March II" back in Marina East. This time I ran even slower an walked more, to make sure no drop out from the race. There was fewer water station there and I fueled me with my hand held bottle. I felt released when get back to promenade along the Marina Bay, seeing the skyline of the city, ony 7km to go. I pumped up before the bridge led to Kallang stadium. The last banana station seemed to be abandoned. But I did not need carbo loading anymore. Just speed up, through Mountbatten road to the Nicoll Highway. When I saw the finish line, I realized I did it, the barefoot marathon, without suffering that I feared of. I finished it with no big deal...Suddenly I felt the only way to celebrate is free myself and release my feeling...tears burst out, I cried, with relief and gratefulness.

 I finished my 4th marathon in 5:16:07, 8min faster than last huaraches one, 50min slower than my PB. I did the whole race at 153bpm, 5bpm higher than my training MAF. I felt extremely comfortable all along and got used to it (I didn't even check the HR during the journey as I did in the training). No more suffer, no more hitting the wall. I have master the art of running a marathon, a barefoot marathon in a even pace. The only secret is know your body and run slow. It was enjoyable and healthy. One day I think I could also run a ultra with that easy.

I took first train back. After wash I found my feet rather intact after marathon, with only one blister in left toe.  And believe it or not: my left sole ache fully recovered, just like that my right foot plantar fasciitis was cured after last huaraches marathon.

Garmin record.

My road to 42.195 -- Part 5. The finishing line

Some 20,000 runners gathered at Orchard rd. for a run. It took me 1hr to have my bag deposited. When rushed to startling line. The parade already moved and I could not find my category (<5hrs). And I also had not enough time to stretch and go to toilet. All mall were locked until I ran by Someset 313, it did save my life. It was only after 5k I ran out of slow parade and back to my designated pace. I'm already 10min late than usual. On the other hand it was a good warm ups. I hang on till 30km, when reached Marina bay barrage, the bare land and hot sun killed me, together with the strain. Half run half walk I struggled to the finish line at 4hrs57min38. Thanks the 5:00 pacer I met at Fulerton hotel, help me push to the end.

This is my first marathon, not so easy as expected, especially after 30km, when all the pain came, I even run with eye closed, trying to push the soul above my body, to feel less pain.
Shall I do another one? Sure, I still need to run into sub-4 as I promised to myself.

My road to 42.195 -- Part 4. The milestones

Mar. 28, started regular run.
May 6, 1st running event took. JP Morgan corporate challenge. Run 5.6km at 32:46.
Jun 5, LSD reached 20km for the first time.
Jun. 13, Mizuno Mt. Faber Run 10km at 53:38.
Jul. 4, Race against Cancer, knee injury.
Aug. 3, start barefoot training.
Sept. 12, SBR&AHM half marathon finished in 1:56:40. Run with old fashioned shoes.
Sept. 18, 1st barefoot race, rank 3rd in NicorrettQuitters Run, 7.5km clocked 31:22.
Sept. 19, rank 11th in POSB run for kids, 8.5km clocked 38:45, injured right calf.
Oct. 10, Newton 30km Challenge finished in 2:52:51, right calf injury worsen.

Oct. 24, Nike city 10k finished 45:50, right foot MTSS.

Nov 5, LSD reached 38km, right foot MTSS worsen.
Nov 28, after 2 week rest, LSD10km in race pace, total mialge reach 985.7km. No run before Marathon.
Dec 5, My 1st Marathon, SCMS, also 1,000km milestone in my running life...

My road to 42.195 -- Part 3. Growing pain

After the first few months' happy time. The problem came, right after I extending milage and speeding up my pace. I developed Runer's knee in my left knee. It was getting worse, the pain hauted even after a short run like 5km. I kept on running through it and iced after run, it did not getting any better. And in mid of July, right after Race Against Cancer, I hit the wall at 24km and my legs gave up. I thought I could not extend the milage anymore,but there was still enough time for the coming Singapore Bay Run & Army Half Marathon and year end Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS). I decided to taper off and cure the injury before it becoming chonicle disease.

Again, I searched internet and library, for the running injury. I visited Dr. Pribut's website and followed the instruction to cut off the hill session and add side stretch to my warm up and post run cool down. And did follow R I C E (rest, ice, compression, elevation) rule. It did make me better but I was doubting about my running technique, especially feet striking pattern.  A lot of people were talking about natural running form against heel striking with modern cusioned shoes. People attribute the knee injury to the heel striking. And fore foot or mid foot striking were capable of knee injury prevention. I got a lot information from a book called Run For Life. It was comprehensive enough of cinvincing me to switch to fore/mid foot striking. Had not been even going through Born To Run, I put myself into barefoot run. Especially when I happened read one of my colleague's (Barefoot Pua) blog, barefoot runner's running story. I did my first barefoot run a few weeks after my tapering for knee injury. It was nothing but a little bit strain in calves, like many bare footer's experience, more easier than imagination. The following weeks I trained with barefoot at least two times per-week. But I only tried one LSD with bare boot, the east side run with SG runners forummers. My soles ended up with blisters owing to hilly terrain and bad road condition.

I kept on barefoot training and tried to landed with fore or middle foot. It did cure my knee pain and soon, before Singapore Bay Run & Army Half Marathon.  I was totally free of knee injury. To reducing sole hurts, I also tryied old fashioned running shoes I bought from China. I worth only RMB20 (S$4) a pair. They weighted <400g and equivalent to mid-weighted training shoes. The sole is flexible and the sense of ground touching is great! I even raced with them in Army Half Marathon after tried run with 2 LSDs >20km. Later I even boasted to my wife that I needed not bought Vibram Five Fingers and saved 200 bulks and my running hobbie was costless. I was very happy to be freed from knee injury and indulged myself to this barefoot and minimalist running life. I even did one short distance race (Nicorettquitters Run, 7.5km) with barefoot and ranked 3rd.

I was too optimistic about the barefoot run. So that my race schedule is full in Sept and Oct. I took 3 races in Sept and 2 races in Oct. Ranged from 7.5km to 30km, two of them were in same weekend! And during that period I was still inceasing milage for year end Marathon. Finanlly my right leg injured. I though it began after high intensity run in Sept. I finished half marathon on Sept. 12. And then run into 7.5k race on Sept 18, 8.5k race on Sept 19. I was rewarded right calf strain beside a broze trophy. It got worse after Newton 30k run, the following week LSD I developed ankle pain after 9km mark. I'v run through it and took it to next week's Nike 10k. Latter it got even worse and I try to sustained another 2 weeks, before my tapering week. I could do no tapering because I was totally disable to run. I even limped to work. I did checked Dr. Pribut's web and found my problem to be MTSS (medial tibial stress syndrome).

Actually barefoot is not panacea. When I sit down and look back my running history, I find it outcame from my running progress. First, In the first 10 weeks, my weekly milage increased by 170%, from 16.8km to 45.5km, 17% increase per week (much higher than recommended <10%). That stressed my left leg runner's knee. Second, I boosted my tempo pace from 7.1min/km to 4.8min/km (by 48%) in first three months. Following three month training totally with barefoot + thin sole running shoes with peak speed as high as ~4min/km, and continous extended LSD distance as long as 38km. My weakest point, right heel, ankle and calf, gave up at last. Some expert said injury was cause by muscle imbalance. That is true. There is always weak point in one's body, it could be hiding behind when he run leisurely, without stress. They will come out as distance and speed increases, and stress accumulates.

Some one blame the injury to the muscle imbalance. I should blame my ambition. I injured because my physical and mind imbalance. I need take it slow and build up my fitness before I engaging to a longer or faster endurance run. If I could not control myself, I' could injure myself again and again, and end up with giving up running at last.

3 days before SCMS, my MTSS is almost recoverd after ~1month rest. It should be a new start to know my limit and let me set another goal and plan for next year Sundown Marathon.

My road to 42.195 -- Part 2. Learn to run

What I learned from 跑步重點指導 was the basic concepts techniques of running, that all runner should know. I realized one run per week was only sufficient to maintain my current status from inclining. I need to run at least 3 runs to improve my cariovascular capability. So I followed its instruction to run 4 times to accumulate 30pts per week (The pts was rated with running distance and timing. For example, 13min for 1.6km got 2pts, while 32min for 8km got 30pts). My weekly milage at that time was less than 15km. And soon the JP Morgan race day came and I finished with good timing (32:46), 2 more minutes faster than I expected. That is my first achievement. I was a kind of enjoying the run, and seeking for the next goal.
I found SGRunners forum by internet searching, only to iscover there were so many running events each month in S'pore. One interested me most was Mizuno Mt. Faber Run (10km) held one month later (Jun. 13). It was a ideal goal after 5km. I signed up despite its hilly terrain. And I soon increased my weekly milage over 20km. I also searched in the internet and local library for a real training plan. Brain Training For Runners came to my sight. I had no idea of "brain training", to me, it was just a concrete training plan (the half of book are training plans ranging from 5k to marathon), what I need urgently. Soon I worked out my personal plan referred from it. And classified my weekly 4 runs to Interval, Tempo, LSD (long slow distance), together they would build up my endurance, stamina, and speed. I also tried noticed running form was essential for running, and added core training, cross training and running drills to my plan. I never found it so easy to expand my long run distance after breaking 5k's barrier, I reached 10k 1week after JP Morgan, reached 15k the next week. Then, there came the Mizuno Mt. Faber Run, again I finished 53:38 among the top 10% runners.

One week before Mizuno run, the inaugural Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2010 opened its registration. I wodered if this year end marathon should be my next target. Finally I mae up my mind if I can finish 20k that weeks long run I would sign up full marathon. Before that, my LSD had reached to 17km. I started ~10pm that Saturday night aftermy baby sleeping. With Matt Fitzgerald's help, I achieved the goal within 2hrs8min. No doubt I send myself to to marathon starting line.

My road to 42.195 -- Part 1. The starting line

I'm now standing at the starting line, to finish my very first marathon, the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2010. There is only one month to go. I never dreamed to be a runner eight months ago, nor even a marathoner.

I was 36 then, the longest run was 1,500m run done in the unversity 14 years ago. And I never run over that in my life. I used to be a 4x100m sprinter at school. I was a kind of casual runner relied on my talent only, never took serious training. I liked to finish the run in a short period. I could not bear the bitterness of long time to reach the finish line.

I received my biennial medical report early this year. Again, the colesterol was above the normal level, like last time. I hate my life style, like a machine, eworking, eating and sleeping. I used to manage to swim 2~3 times a week after last check, but finally gave up because the venue is not convenient. This time I felt a change were mandated. So a couple of days later, when one of my collegue called me to join the JP Morgan Corporate challenge (5.6km). I signed up without hesitation.

5k is the 1st step for all runners as later I knew. I put it as my target and decided to training for it in a month (the race date is May 6). Following Sunday (Mar. 28) morning I started my first long run in Pasir Ris Park. It was a hard begining (I expected, and that is why I always rejected to take long run), I felt exhausted only after half way, and wanted to give up the rest of run. The good new was I finished the 5k run in a hour without a break of walk. But when I was about to finish I was almost about to fell down. Anyway it was a good begining.

I was running idiot at that time and only repeated the training on weekends. For the following 3 weeks, I run the same route, ended up with same head dizziness and feet fatigue. That was not enjoyable. Until oneday I found a book for beginer runners, 跑步重點指導, wrote by a Japanese veteran runner Yamaji. Following the instruction, I began to run regularly and train seriously.

Why I become a marathoner in S'pore

1, Good enviroment in S'pore, good air quality.
2, Convenient fascilities in S'pore, PCN net work (http://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/index.php?option=com_visitorsguide&task=parkconnectors&Itemid=74) for pedestrians, runners, cyclists, roller skaters...
3, Good running culture in S'pore, tons of running events to take in part (http://sgrunners.com/blog/2010-race-calendar/).
4, Friendly tropical weather, always summer, no need to invest for apparels for different seasons.
5, High working intensity in S'pore deteriorates health. High meical expense and insurance cost. Running is a high efficient and low cost way to keep fit.
6, I reside in HDB flats and nearest swimming pool is 2km away, cycling on the road has safty concerns.
7, I'v finished 20km long run in ~2hrs within 2 months from I starting to run.
8, I duly resolved my knee injury and left less barrier and sufficient time for marathon training(4 months ).
9, My wife supports me.

There is Chinese saying best describes my situation: 天时，地利，人和. That means doing the right thing at right time, right place, with right person. I think that is what I'm doing now.