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.

SAFRA Singapore Bay Run & Army Half Marathon 2012

This was my third time participating in SAFRA Singapore Bay Run & Army Half Marathon, and 2nd time ran in barefoot. I have been using this traditional event as my annual 21k time trial because of it's good organization and sanctioned distance (although last year we thought is was over 0.7km shorter). One week before race a strong haze hovered over Singapore's sky, with PSI and PM2.5 both rising over 50. Fortunately a big shower cleared all this away the night before the race, bringing also a cool weather.

I woke up at 3:30am and reached The Padang around 4:40am and had my bag deposited very quickly because there were plenty of NS men at our service. But I surprised to find long queues in front of mobile toilets, maybe due to insufficient toilets supplies this year. I gave up and made my way to the Esplanade Bridge starting point. This year the organizer reserved a passage for "seeded runners" (elite runner I think) to get to the front of the starting line. I joined the less privileged runner in another long queue to move onto the bridge. In the past I could use the pavement of the bridge short-cut to the front, but this year it was blocked. I had to stay about 200m away from the starting line and later it took me 2min to move past it.

Flag off was punctual as usual at 5:15am sharp. 1st 2km in Robinson Road Shenton Way was same as last year, the parade moved slowly and I took it as warm up at a pace of 6:43/km. There was pauses at each of the turning point, no matter in the road or PCN. After 3km we turned to Marina Bay Boardwalk passing through newly opened Gardens By The Bay. But in the dark we could see nothing. The running experience was much better in the PCN leading to Marina Barrage, compare with previous "Marina ST- Marina- Place- Marina Mall" route which was a part of transportation line for Marina East/ South construction, dirty and rough. After 5km mark we moved to Marina Barrage, it was already 31min and I could move no faster then 5:45/km pace. The following 3km stretch of PCN at Marina East was also narrow. It would took more energy to weaving among the people. I avoided to do so and slowly overtook people, through it was 30s slower than my target pace. I was not the only impacted one, at 6km I overtook 2:00 pacers, they also fell behind their target timing a lot. I kept it to 8km mark, then I start to pump up to 5:15/km pace, on the meadows beside the PCN of Tangjong Rhu.

When I reached 10km turning point it was already 58min. Good news is we were back to the road, and the crowd was smaller after 1hr's overtaking. Very natural. The I decided to push a little bit and geared up to 5min/km pace, even when climbing up Tanjong Rhu Bridge. When we turned from Mountbatten Road to the wide, straight and flatten stretch of Nicoll Highway after 12km mark, very good for overtaking. I sped up to 4:50/km, and decreasing by 10s/km every 2km, while other people were getting slower and slower. The speed fun was interrupted after turning into Kampong Bugis at 16km mark, the road surface was so rough and even though it was down slope I decelerated to 5min/km pace. The 1km stretch tortured my soles but it was alright since I had put 1800km+ barefoot millage on them. The bridge in Kallang Riverside Park at 17km mark was so narrow (a pedestrian crossed bridge in a park, what do you expect? ) later turned out to be the most stringent bottle neck, after the massive 21k and 10km runners merged together. I was lucky to pass without delay because most runner had not been there.

Then we were again away from the main road, ran on Marina Promenade along Kallang river. Through I didn't like the pavement, I kept 4:40/km pace. At 18km mark, we turned into F1 track at which I was astonished to find all asphalt gone, only gravels left! It was quite different to that I ran J.P. Morgan 5.6k in Apr. I wondered if it was next week's GP F1 night race requirement. The 2km track was real challenge to my barefoot. I'v anticipate it to be rough base on previous experience, not expecting it to be so worse. I did not reduce cadence, just change mid-foot landing to "whole-foot" landing to ease the impact, my pace maintained steady without deceleration. The ultimate torture was over in 9min, at 20km we turned into Esplanade Drive. I started to sprint, pace increased from 4:30/km to 4:10/km. I also turned the tempo trainer (YAMAHA ME55BK clip on metronome) which help me to maintain 180/min cadence, striving for a free run. Before entering Pandang, I noticed my average pace reached 5:16/km, I almost hit my target pace, and also meant I would get a PB this time (Last year I ran 1:52 in 5:19/km pace, though it fell 700m short). I finished in 1:51:15, based on my Garmin305.

The distance was accurate, my watch shown 21.11km. I believe the course was sanctioned on IAAF criteria, as the organizer claimed. I think my last year timing should be 1:56 had not been the course falling short. So this year I'v improved by 5min. Thanks for the MAF training I dedicated since last December. My boy was comfortable throughout the race, starting in a slow pace with prolonged warming up, speed steadily increase to the end of the race. And my bare soles were also seasoned and could deal with tougher surface, without blisters and worn out. I hope I could ran into 1:45 next year.

Timing chip tight on Nathan ankle band

The medal was nice too, compare with last two years. I notice there was a mark of "ELM" on it, same as Standard Chartered one, very good design and quality.

Official timing was out, 1:51:13. The Runpix analysis shown that I had passed 295 runners during last 5km, second to another runner who passed 303. Both us ran a reverse pyramid scheme. I was forced to because the human wall, what about this guy?

Appendix:
Running statistics: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/220384722
Run pix analysis:

Father's Day Treat: SAFRA National Runway Cycling & Skating 2012

Had I know SAFRA National Runway Cycling & Skating (17 Jun 2012), I should have not joined OCBC Cycle Singapore. It was so cheap, only 1/4 of OCBC price. I registered as a rehearsal of my first triathlon that thought to take place in July (but turned out to be in late Sept.)

The airport looks near my residence but I cycled 10km to get there by rounding it up from northeast to southwest. I reached Paya Lebar Air Base at 8am and took 15min to get through security check.

There was a static display of F15 Eagle fighter before the entrance of runway. Many people took photo with it.

Only when I reached the runway, I knew it not a place for PB making. The runway had been designed to meet aircraft taking off and landing requirement. There was always head wind in one direction. This time it was from southwest. When I reached to start line the race had already flagged off. It was a non-competitive race and no ranking after race, so all you had to do was experiencing it and record your timing at your best.

I need to do 3 loops to complete the 45km endurance cycling, the 30km skaters started on the left most lane but soon merged with cyclists. I though a little bit unsafe for the mixed up. I did not see any crash between cyclists and skaters, but saw quite a few cyclist crashes. There were plenty of medic support along the route.  So all was under control.

Rather different to OCBC one, this race saw a lot of special bikes like fixies, unicycles,

tricycles, even some home made ones.

All were banned from OCBC. It more like a carnival. This year's theme was "Father and Son", the best scene was father taking his son touring.

I missed the sideway to finish gantry after loop 3 and took additional 5km ride. And the system record me as 4 loops. Actually I did 50km. 2hrs for the designed 45km, very slow one, thanks for the head wind. Despite the score, the workout made so easy, I did not felt any muscle soreness, it was the most non-competitive event I took place. Happy Father's Day!

Keeping The Saw Sharpened: Waterway PAssion Active Run 2012

10th Jun 2012, The first running event Waterway PAssion Active Run was held in newly opened Punggol Waterway. I registered it not only because it was near my door step, but also I knew the organizer was the famous grassroots running enthusiast. They didn't fail us, the registration fee was cheep, only S$23 under PAssion card, and goodies were quite good abundant. I have been toured either by running or by cycling around the waterway before. And I also arranged a walk through when the route was  fixed 1 week before race. I was quite satisfied with the 10km course they designed, scenic, no traffic interruptions, and least bridges. It implied I could possibly set a PB here.

Though I just finished a marathon 2 weeks ago, I felt fully recovered already. I did rest very well and carried out just enough cardio workout (jogging with my wife at 8~9min/km pace) during the days. I think my peak performance could maintained till the race day. Good news was the weather of the race day was cool, the sub 45min target became much more achievable.

The race was flagged off at 7:30, I tried to move closed to start line. As usual, all runners were burst out at beginning. When I read my pace to be ~4:00/km on Garmin I slowed down. The 1st km was heading to the Waterway Park from Punggol interchange. After entering the park there was a big down slope, there I just keep my stride but increase cadence according to the declination, no acceleration nor braking. Soon I was in the 2nd peloton after the elite runners. The course was barefoot friendly, mostly asphalt, only few with tiles (the uneven tile surface made my soles uncomfortable). When I began to maintain a steady 4:30/km pace. I runner whistled at me when he roaring by. It was Barefoot Pua, my colleague and veteran elite barefoot runner, who inspired me for barefoot running. He said he was running home and disappeared in the front.

At the bridge (4km mark) I began to separate with the peloton. My climb was much better than before, made no speed loss. I overtook a VFF runner before 5km turning point. Barefoot Pua was there cheered for me. He had finished his morning run and ready to go home (he lived around but not participated in the race). More runner slowed down after halfway due to stamina loss. I had no difficulty passing several more. And before 8km mark, I overtook another female elite runner, Sumiko Tan, who ranked 4th in Women. Then came the big up slope at the same place we ran in. I still had enough stamina to climb the slope without loss of speed. The cost was I could not sprint in the last km. The young guy I overtook at the slope rushed off and finished before me. I felt my self quite old/ Sigh.

The system clocked me 43:38, it was a new 10km PB. I did it and proved that I was still in the peak even after a marathon. I was ranked 42 among 569 participants in my category. I was surprised by the level of this race, normally I should rank within top 30 in the entire fields for the small running events like this (~2500 participants). But when I looked into the top 10 finisher list I knew why, the top Singapore runners were all coming: men we had Lim Kien Mau and Foo Gen Lin (both ~33min), women we had Qi Hui (aka Ann Date) and Vivian Tan (both ~38min), they all latest local event winners! If Mok came, it would be more like an national championship : )

I took some pictures (album1, album2) when I waiting for my friend ti finish. And the race was supported by a lot of volunteer photographers, everybody got a bunch of pictures to memorized the hilarious moment. I would give two thumbs up for the race, a truly grassroots, runner oriented event, could not be better!

I also found my image in the race report by Run Society: http://www.runsociety.com/2012/06/11/waterway-passion-active-run-2012-sunday-communal-fun/

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 first B2B long runs, in a bonk way

Last weekend I completed my first back-to-back (B2B) long runs for the coming Sundown marathon preparation. B2B long runs are not necessary for marathon training, I just did them because I missed a few tuning up long runs for millage accumulation since I injured my left sole in the late Mar. So I planned the 21km/21km long runs in the morning and evening respectively, instead of going 30km in a single.

I'v been carried out "running on empty" training style since last June. I think it critical to my endurance training because running under a glycogen depleted mode would enhance fat burning ability. I usually did my key runs in the mornings without breakfast 3 times a week, including 2 medium runs and a long run, all 1.5hr above. The pace was easy and under MAF heart rate (<147bpm). My adaption developed well and now I would not feel hungry after the runs, even  a 3hrs run.

To make the training even hard, I decided go bonking: first run to deplete glycogen storage and 2nd run to run on tired legs. So the 1st run should be in medium intensity and 2nd run in lower intensity. At 5:30am, I carried out a progressive 21km run. After a 1mile warm up, I increased pace from 6:34/km to 5:37/km, heart rate increased from 142 to 171bpm respectively. And followed by a 1mile cool down. The run was stressful and sure glycogen used as the main energy source according to the heart rate. And I also felt quads soreness after the run. It was due to high lactate acid released during the high intensity workout, ended up with H+ accumulated in the muscle fibers.

I did not play harder and went real bonk by carrying out the second workout in the afternoon (before glycogen replenished), also because of the hot weather in Singapore. I was not worried about the bonk efficiency by doing the second in after 2 meals, because I was confident about my fat burning ability even when my glycogen storage was full, thanks to a years "running on empty" training.

I did the second run in a peaceful pace, ranging from 6:54/km to 7:12/km, heart rate from 136 to 143bpm. My gait and form were kept well regardless the morning run, except quads soreness developed into pain (might be muscle damage). After 13km I was forced to change the form, more relying on hamstring and soleus. Only by then I realized my normal gaits a more quads one rather than a traditional hamstring one. No wonder I could hardly improve speed now! I decided to train hamstring more a change my gaits later.

The B2B runs were did in 4:51 and my body was fully recovered in 3 days (quads pain only), without injury, nor bad stress. The MAF run after shown 20sec+ MAF pace improvement over the week before.

Apenix: B2B run data sheet
Run    Purpose                    Distance         Time         Avg Pace      Avg HR
1        Glycogen depletion    21.6km          2:16          6:18/km        155bpm
2        Stress adaption          21.4km          2:35          7:17/km        138bpm