The mileage is building up slowly and the intensity also increasing. Last weekend it finally built up to 35 km. We were to start off at 7 am, ECP B1 carpark. I couldn't reach there by 7 am, so Dear & i would have to take a ride from my in-law's car. We reached ECP at 5.15 am and some of the early runners were already there. Dear intend to do the opposite direction first before joining us to Shenton Way. I played catch-up behind her and u-turned back after 3 km.

 

At 6.55 am, most of the MF runners had arrived even the water support was there. I was feeling a bit tired, lack of sleep. Ricci gave a quick briefing on the route before we started off at 7.10 am. Ricci led in front, TH & I followed closely behind. The rest was trying hard to catch up. Joshua was here today, making the training more interesting. He paced himself against Small Chua. We followed the SCSM08 new route, hoping to get used to the surrounding. Ricci was right in front, 50 m ahead of me and i was leading TH by few meters. The front portion was among 3 of us like last week. I was holding on to 1 pack of rebina, getting myself ready for the hot sun. The pace was good, i was happy to sit behind Ricci to relax a bit. TH also never make any moves unlike last week, he made his moves after 6 km.

 

We passed by Crawford St. under the Nicol Highway, starting to stick near to each other. I was planning to take lead after 10 km depends on conditions. Passed by the F1 pit-stop and it was 10 km at Singapore Flyer. My watch was reading 41 min 26 sec, 4.08 min/km pace - a great pace. I wanted to open up to raise the tempo. Suddenly, i felt a pull behind my thigh. My knee got lossen and a nible pain was there whenever i bent my knee. I have to slow down to a stop, very disappointing. I watched Ricci move off in front and i stretched myself beside a lamp post. TH passed by and asked me 'what happened'.. I have pulled my hamstring, second time in the week. I tried to run but basically cannot retain the correct posture anymore. I was limping and was feeling 'lost'. One by one passed by me and i have no choice but to walk back to the start pt. I had started well, a great pace ... it was SCSM07 all over again.

 

The hamstring injury is going to take me a few days off. Cross finger for a quick recovery. TH finished under 3 hr -2 hr 55 min and Ricci finished just above 3 hr - 3 hr 1 min. Small Chua and Joshua was 5 min after Ricci. Most of them managed to complete this tough and hot 35 km.

 

19th October 2008. Distance: 35 km (Completed only 10 km)

 

 

I had arranged with KeyPower to have a Newton shoe trial for MF runners. At the first look at it, the shoes are bright and definitely looks like a racer shoes. Today's training was a 2 x 5 km speed run around Harbourfront - clubhouse. It give a good tryout for the Newton shoes. The turnout was not that big as i expected. I was surprised some of the runners didn't even give Newton shoes a chance. I choose to give it a chance to perform. The front barefoot has a hump which will force your feet to do forward running. I believe this type of shoe is designed based on 'Chi' running style, the aim is to minimize injuries and run fast.

 

 

 

I was given a Women's cushioning trainer due to lack of Men's model sizes. It is light-weight and feel moving forward whenever i walk. I was excited to try it out. But with my hamstring strain, i was a bit worried on trying out new shoes. Ricci gave a briefing on the training and Eddie also gave a 5 min briefing on how to run with the shoes. Kumaran and Wen Long were with us today to give the run a bit of speed.

 

Ricci would be the timer at the clubhouse. At 7.05 pm, Kumaran and i sped off, almost forgot that i have a strain on my hamstring. Until downslope part at Henderson Rd, i started to feel it. But the Newton shoes was forcing me forward at downslope, giving me an advantage over Kumaran on running downslope. I could follow the momentum without any effort. The first km at the end of Henderson Rd clocked 3 min 30 sec, it took me by surprise. The shoe?? or my speed?? It was years since i could run with this speed. Kumaran dropped off from the pace after Shell station. The Newton shoes helped me to maintain the momentum and it really suit my running style. I felt like i could even go much faster than that and I was definitely under 4 min pace. The upslope gave the shoe a test. I would need a bit of effort on the upslope but the momentum have helped me a lot. The harbourfront bus-stop was crowded and i would have to slow down to give way. At Pearl condo, my watch was reading 12 min plus. My fastest time was 12 min flat, set in 1999 when i clocked the best time for the 4 km run. Telok Blanagah Rise slope was the toughest part of the whole 5 km run. Steep upslope and wide turning along the way. I got back to the clubhouse at a time of 18 min 49 sec with Wen Long 100 m behind me.

 

I took a short break, chatting with Newton guys on the shoe performance. After 4 min, i went for my second 5 km. Wen Long ran off first, 30 sec in front of me. This time, i have to play catch-up. The first km was not as fast as the first set. It was 4 min flat, maintaining a vision of Wen Long in front. With the shoe momentum, i just waited for my second wind to come. Passed by Harbourfront and then the mosque. I started to make the move, overtaking Wen Long before the Telok Blangah Rise slope. I was picking up pace toward the end. I clocked faster than the first set according to Ricci - 18 min 20 sec. The effort was hard but good. Ricci and Melvin asked me .. is it the shoes that push you faster?? I was not sure about it. But the shoes was definitely good for short distance less than 10 km. I was not sure whether it can withstand the distance. But Ironman champion Craig Alexander had proved the shoes with the distance.

 

16th October 2008.

 

 

I arrived quite late due to the delayed time of bus no. 145. It ate up my time for a good warm-up. Since Ricci was not here, i gave the training briefing and we started off at 6.55 pm. We were to run to Holland Rd and back from Margaret drive - 14 km. I started off with pace, leading upfront. At Henderson Rd toward Tiong Bahru, i felt something was wrong behind my thight. The pain was right above the knee at the back of my left thight. What was wrong with it? A slight strain was felt on that area, hindering my movement. Especially when i tried to bend my knee, the pain was there.

 

I stretched here and then whenever we happened to stop due to the traffic light. It still could not substain the pain. I tried not to bother about the pain, keeping a normal pace and not to aggravate the injury further. I ran with Tay LH and a new runner (forgot his name), pacing each other. 3 of us were trying to catch up with Kumaran who had taken a big lead in front. The hamstring pain still bother me as i seldom have injury on that area. The road was busy with cars along Holland Rd as we ran. As we headed toward Margaret Drive, we started to go a bit faster in order to catch up with Kumaran. But somehow, we were always stopped by the traffic lights.

 

We reached the clubhouse around 1 hr 6 min. Without delay, i proceeded to do some sets of hamstring injury. Hope that it could cure the annoying pain by Thursday.

 

14th October 2008.

 

 

 

On the last 2 training sessions, it was basically speed training. One on Telok Blanagah hill and the other on Laborador park. The most fulfilling one would be at Laborador Park which i kept all 6 sets of 850m workouts under 3 min. Sunday's training would be a 30 km endurance run. We were to start off at 7 am from clubhouse to Shenton and then all the way to ECP, following the marathon route. This was the first time i ran from clubhouse to ECP. It was quite far when u looked at the map.

 

Dear and i took the first train to Harbourfront and reached the clubhouse by 6.50 am. This is the earliest that we can reach the clubhouse. I did a quick warm-up to get ready for the route briefing from Jimmy. There was a water support at ECP B1 carpark, 15 km mark. The Nicol Highway busstop will be the 10 km mark. 10 mins after the actual start off, we kicked off. The sun was already shinning strongly, giving a warning sign that it would be a hot day. I led the group and started off with 4 min 40 sec/km pace. Ricci followed closely behind, followed by Teck Hou. The first part of the run belonged to 3 of us. I was surprised that i was not able to run 4 min/km pace unlike the past 1 month. It seemed like i was slowing down as the distance get longer. Teck Hou was fast today and he was right beside me at Keppel Rd. It was not even 5 km, he started to show his power. It was a bit unusual from him.

 

At Maxwell Rd (CPF building), my watch was reading 26 min. I tried to keep up with Teck Hou and 3 of us started to increase pace. At the Esplanade bridge, I took over the lead, hoping to clock 40 min - 42 min at Nicol Highway bus stop. By the time i passed by Singapore Flyer, the time was already over 41 min. It was quite disappointing to miss the timing. I was getting slower every Sunday. The sun was torturing us, i could feel my shoulder was burning. The breathing was alright but my leg muscles were getting tight. I could still maintain the pace all the way to Fort Rd. Finally, i saw Peter and Wayne at B1 toilet. Sumiko was there too. They handed me a can of 100 plus which i took it and walked toward Big Splash. Thanks for the support, it was really a life-saving support especially at such a hot weather. Teck Hou took over the lead as i was enjoying my 100 plus. After u-turn from Big Splash, i took anther half-can of 100 plus from the support team and shower my head to get ready for another heat battle. Teck Hou was already 200m away from me. I started to play catch-up from there. It was more easlier than leading in front, taking off the pressure of front-leading.

 

Along the way back to the National Stadium, the MF runners started to pass by. They were having quite a reasonable pace according to their standard. My feet was burning ... hot! hot! ... With Teck Hou in front, it gave me a motivation to catch up with him. True enough, i saw him at Nicol Highway. It was about 100m in front. Bit by bit, I finally catch up with him at Singapore Flyer. I made a daring act to take over the lead as i wanted to rush to the Shenton Way Cheers for a pit stop. To my surprise, i could not find the Cheers. So i ran toward the 7-eleven at M-hotel for the actual refill. Teck Hou never followed up which i was quite surprised. I took a packet of rebina and ran with it. My mind was filled with negative thoughts along Keppel Rd. The sun shine was too powerful and my leg muscles were going to cramp. I just focused on the momentum, the will power to move forward. I felt like walking in the desert, slow pace and strong heat. I made another pit stop at Esso station to refresh myself for another push on Henderson slope. The last 1 km on Henderson slope was agonizing, it took 8 min to complete the last 1 km. I felt frustrated and lousy, what if it was a 42 km ...

 

I reached the clubhouse with a time of 2 hr 38 min including the pit stop time. The support team was already there. Dear was there too. She was having problem with her big toe- suspecting gout. Freddy came back 2 min after me, Small Chua came back in 2 hr 46 min and Teck Hou in 2 hr 47 min. The rest managed to overcome the heat and finished the distance. It was the first heat training of the year.

 

12th October 2008. Distance: 32 km. Time: 2 hr 38 min