It had been weeks since we have hill interval training. Jimmy planned it and he also planned an interesting Sunday LSD 35 km. I will be looking forward to it. My knee injury was nursing well and i had done couple of knee strengthening exercise to strengthen the muscles around it. I decided to try the 1km hill workouts moreover i need to give my heart muscle a workout.

 

Pretty consistent on all the sets. Wen Long lifted up my speed by following closely behind. I gave a miss on the last set as my knee was feeling loosen and a bit numb. It was about 5 sec below my training sets 2 years back.

 

1st: 3:39

2nd: 3:34

3rd: 3:39

4th: 3:36

5th: 3:38

6th: DNF

 

28th April 2009 (Tues).

 

 

I was having a knee problem after last Thursday's training. My left knee was feeling loose and numb at times. The strange thing was that climbing up hill can feel the twisted numb and there is no such problem in down hill. I took rest for a few days from any intensive training to prevent the knee from aggravating. But i have a long endurance run at Mount Faber 20km on Sunday.

 

The long endurance run went on smoothly without any effects from the knee. But the weather was killing me, dragging my pace down. The first loop 10 km around MF went on with some hiccups. After i completed the MF hill, i gone to the toilet for a relief. It was 28 min at the MF loop carpark. I rushed back to the clubhouse for a quick release and then pushed on for another loop.

 

The second 10 km took me 49 min 43 sec, slow according to my past standard. It was really difficult to run under extreme hot sun. I found it hard to run even 10 km under hot sun. It was never this way when i have evening training during weekdays. I could even do 15 km with ease and still stay fresh. Is it my endurance having some problems? I need to sort it out in the next few weeks.

 

 

 

The Boston marathon have just finished on 20th April. Every year i can only look at the results and unable to enrol for the race. I can't qualify for the race as i must clock under 3 hr 10 min for my age group. Refer to the chart below:

 

 

I had tried very hard in last year's SCSM to beat the 3 hr 10 min. I clocked the first 10 km in 43 min, 2nd 10 km in 45 min and crashed out on the 30 km. This time round, i have promoted to the 35 - 39 age group which allows me for an additional 5 mins. It was 7 min away from my personal best. Suddenly, it looks possible to me to qualify for the marathon. I know i need to plan well for the race, particularly the last 10 km of the race.

 

For a 45 min/10 km, it should be able to beat the timing of 3 hr 15 min. It is easier to say, i will have to do a flat split for the marathon which is not easy. I have yet to do a long distance training although my short distance is doing well. My MF loops improve by at least 20 sec but my trackworks are not gaining any progress. Soon i am going to start the long distance training probably on this weekend.

 

I am looking toward SCSM09, taking Phuket marathon as another test. It will be too much to ask to crack another PB in Phuket marathon, as an unknown terrain and weather to me.

 

 

 

This period is an off season for our club with less hard training in the training program. But Tuesday's program will always be catered for some heart training. On tuesday, we were at MF loops doing 6 loops within 1 hr. My personal performance was satisfactory, in line with the performance time.

 

1st: 7:26

2nd: 7:16

3rd: 7:14

4th: 7:11

5th: 7:10

6th: 6:49

 

The timing looks impressive with a negative split ingredient. But as i approached the last 2 sets, I was breathing quite hard and feeling quite tired.

 

 

 

Over the Good Friday weekend, i had been to Genting. Just relax and gamble, no run - just sleep, eat and gamble. It give a good break for my legs' muscles but the endurance threshold will drop. Plus there is a lot of smoking in the casino which make me feel uncomfortable. The most relaxing part was the spa.

 

 

Get right back to training after Genting. I just do a 5 km hard run to warm up my lungs. Astonishingly, my legs were powerful but my lungs couldn't catch up with it. I have done a 19 min 29 sec timing, 30 sec faster than the previous time. It was a real surprise after so many days of break. It feel good to run again.

 

 

1200m:

1st: 4 min 25 sec

2nd: 2min 52 sec (did 800m as i took over as timer half way through)

3rd: 4 min 19 sec

 

800m:

1st: 2 min 49 sec

2nd: 2 min 42 sec

 

400m:

1 min 14 sec

 

My legs were tight and heavy after a long break. Overall, i am still quite satisfied with the performance.

 

14th April 2009.

 

 

 

Ricci handled the training today. My running form is good then hang there. Plan to do 6 loops but completed 7 loops instead. Ricci led in front for the first 3 loops before i took over. Wen Long followed tightly beside me and he proceeded to do 8 loops.

 

1st loop: 6 min 50 sec

2nd loop: 7 min 7 sec

3rd loop: 7 min 11 sec

4th loop: 7 min 2 sec

5th loop: 7 min 4 sec

6th loop: 7 min 1 sec

7th loop: 6 min 57 sec

 

Pretty consistent but not fast enough. Looking for under 7 min loops.

 

 

 

 

 

Result:

400m:

1) 1 min 17 sec

2) 1 min 16 sec

3) 1 min 15 sec

 

800m:

1) 2 min 49 sec

2) 2 min 47 sec

3) 2 min 48 sec

 

1600m:

1) 6 min 35 sec

2) 6 min 1 sec

3) 6 min 25 sec

 

 

05/04 (Sun): Trying to do 30 km on MF hill. Safra didn't have any training, i am doing it on my own. Hot weather when i run, DNF for 30 km. I stopped after 14 km and walked with Dear back to the clubhouse.

 

 

 

Last Friday i had the third speedwork training with Wen Long at the stadium. This time it was joined by Weixiang and another friend Danny of Wen Long.

 

8 sets of 200m - Avg time: 33 sec, rest time: 38 sec

4 sets of 400m - Avg time: 1 min 25 sec, rest time: 1 min 30 sec

2 sets of 800m - Avg time: 2 min 55 sec, rest time: 3 min

1 set of 1600m - DNF

 

Very tough for me on the shorter distance.