Home Loop 2

Determined to make up for my MR fiasco the previous day, i started out to run in the evening and wanted to do a brisk 8kms or so, near my house along some reasonably up-and-down terrain. As luck would have it, strong rainfall deterred such plans due to which i decided to have some tea (i wouldn't have had it if i was going to go running). And just as i finished my tea, the rain stopped too... Murphy mama was once again paying attention to me...

Anyway, i was still quite frustrated by yesterday and so set out to run and this time without any music (was worried that my iphone might get wet) if it started to rain ... i was clocking decent speeds on the flats and the uppy-downy trying to maintain the same speed throughout. And then a thick drizzle started. It was not an all-out rain nor was it negligible drops - it was just the perfect size for annoying runners such as myself ! :) So there i was running, soaked in sweat while it was raining and making it more humid with each passing minute.

In the end, i quit the run at the 5km mark because the rain was threatening to become a downpour and i had somehow managed to land up right in front of my condo ..

Run stats: 5km / 29:37 / Asc-desc: 224m

McRitchie fiasco

Yesterday evening i tried doing my usual 10.5km run in MR thinking it would be good practice for next year's trail run. I got off to a decent start and clocked 5kms in a little over 34 minutes after which all hell broke loose. The usual trail had been cordoned off because of some renovation work (at the golf link) and i decided to take the trail next to it which was open and which i thought would be ok enough to run on ... my shoelaces came undone several times over the next few hundred metres and everytime i stopped, it was a struggle to get back on pace. Moreover i was trying out my new shoes NB 620 (all terrain) and knew that i had already blistered my little toes on both feet and that was adding to my woes... 2kms on this and i found myself on the golf course with a proper road and no trail and that completely killed my enthu to run. In the end i ended up doing a miserable 9.5kms, in a little less than 75 minutes. Gaah .. have to do this again soon ...

The bike is here ...

At long last and after hours of painstaking research, seller visits and showroom trials, i bought a 2nd hand bike (which has now become 3rd hand with my purchase). Its a 2008 Giant TCR 1 Composite full carbon bike with 105 Grouppo. I reckon the bike weight is around 8kgs or thereabouts. Also bought a car rack for my sedan, will get the cycling shoes and the helmet today and i am all set.

The intent for getting the cycle is to crosstrain for my long distance running pursuit. Its going to be tricky for the next few months - i am going to concentrate running trail runs as much as possible ahead of my 50km hike/run on Feb 6th in HK, and after i have recovered from that, will try to go on a 12-16 week training schedule for the full marathon on May 29th (Adidas Sundown).

I hope changes at/of the workplace still allows me to execute the above plans.

Hope to spend the evening with an easy 10km run in McRitchie.

The plan for 2010

After thinking about it for sometime, i figured that a target of 2010 kms in 2010 is a stretch target that can be achieved with discipline! :) I have signed up for a 50km race in Feb in HK, a full marathon in Singapore in May (Sundown) and will sign up for StanChart 2010 full marathon. All this is assuming that i can train properly and run injury-free. What would be sweet is if by doing all this, i can shed some body fat and get a toned, healthy physique. Also in 2010, i will run half marathons outside Singapore (atleast 2) as a plan!!