Sunday Dusk Run: Nearing The Big Day

Tampines – Pasir Ris Park Connector

4.88km

36m 43s

07:31 min/km

Mapmyrun: http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/singapore/-singapore/872235299493

Sportypal: http://www.sportypal.com/Workouts/Details/197785

Notes:

Since I foresee an increased deluge of things to do  in preparation for my sister’s Big Day this Sunday, I guess any workouts that I can slip in between will be good enough.

And I miss the opportunity to volunteer for the Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore today as my assistance is greatly needed at home; helping to transform one of the rooms into a matrimonial showpiece.

Next year then and congratulations to Craig Alexander from the Land Down Under and Caroline Steffen from the Land of Giant Toblerones for coming up tops in today’s event.

Wednesday Night Cycle: I Think Therefore I Am

Tampines – Pasir Ris Park

29.09 km

1hr 22m 22s

21.19 km/hr

Mapmyrun: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/sg/singapore/291126883710537420

Sportypal: http://www.sportypal.com/Workouts/Details/191323

Notes:

Rene Descartes, the philosopher, once questioned his very own existence on this earth.

For me, I am no thinker what else an initiator of any thought-provoking  theorems. But my own journey through all my physical endeavours has set me thinking or I can say, doubting, the very exercises that I keep  on doing.

Like every other fat, obese, heavy-weight people with BMI over 23, my initial goal of starting this journey is so that one day I can become slim again and lose all the blubbers that are clinging to every organs inside me like a stuck leech.

Who doesn’t want to look good and I wait for the time I can fit into a size 32 or 31 pants. If ever.

But as ridiculous as pigs flying, even with all the exercises I’ve been doing, I’ve not been able to even shed a gram. Instead, my weight has increased by 2kg and this places my BMI at an all time high of 27.3.

And I thought running, cycling and swimming (okay I admit I’ve not been doing this) regularly will zap those stubborn fats into oblivion.

And who says that burning 7700 calories will reduce your weight by 1kg? I had a calorie deficit of 14,660 last month, which should translate to a reduction of nearly 2kg, not the opposite.

So where have I gone wrong?

But after this long rant, it doesn’t mean I’m quitting all these.

This struggle of mine will continue.

I promise.

Even if it takes forever.

Believe me.

Sunday North East Run & Monday Dusk Cycle

Sunday

NORTH EAST RUN 2010

Pasir Ris Park

4.83km

43m 01s

08:53 min/km

Mapmyrun: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/sg/pasir%20ris/552126865606823408

Sportypal: http://www.sportypal.com/Workouts/Details/186008

Monday

CYCLE

Tampines – Pasir Ris Park

27.91 km

1hr 16m 26s

21.9 km/hr

Notes:

1.5km To Go

Yesterday’s North East Run at Pasir Ris Park was a blast as it was the first time I ever joined a race or a run with my family members. Therefore, like I had stated in my last post, my aim for this race was just to take it easy, have fun, snap some photos of my cousins running and ultimately motivate my cousins who for some were taking part in their maiden running event.

I was so glad that they managed to finish the run strongly, which was evident from their smiles after the run and the best part was that they are now poisoned with the running virus that I’ve infected upon them. May this run be the precusor to more running events for all of us.

And the gorgeous-looking medal was certainly a bonus.

Cun Beb!

😛

p/s: Anyone joining the KL Marathon on 27 June 2010? There’s separate pricing for Singaporeans (thanks!!!) and it’s definitely more affordable than last year’s. Should I make this my first overseas 10km running event?

May make this a short weekend getaway inclusive of a run to boot.

I miss KL’s halal Subway Foot-Long too.

Hmm…

Friday Dusk Run: I Can’t Believe This

Pasir Ris Park

5.01km

35m 14s

07:01 min/km

Mapmyrun: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/sg/pasir%20ris/728126839688728672

Sportypal: http://www.sportypal.com/Workouts/Details/183863

Supplementary Exercises:

Chin-up: 1 X 9

Plank: 3 X 60secs

Notes:

After the morning disappointment of having to abort my training ride abruptly, I went out on a dusk run and tried to follow this Sunday’s North East Run route.

Though my legs felt heavy early on, I felt strong on the second half of the route. As I apporached the ending point, a quick peek at my SportyPal software on my mobile phone indicated that I had been holding an average pace of around 7:08min/km which was quite fast for a tortoise like me.

And after ending the run, I looked in disbelief that myaverage pace for the whole 5km was at 7:01min/km. Something that was quite difficult to comprehend as I usually suffered from cramps if I run faster than a 7:30min/km pace and my past training logs here clearly indicate that pattern.

Hmm…

So is this a new PB for me or my SportyPal is just playing an illusion on my  myopic eyes?

Whatever it is, you can take nothing away from a good run and since I’m not planning to go all out this Sunday, then maybe I’ll just adopt this new timing as my new best.

Friday Morning Cycle: Wrong Timing

Tampines – Pasir Ris Park

9.29 km

34m 35s

16.11 km/hr

Mapmyrun: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/sg/singapore/476126836139923110

Sportypal: http://www.sportypal.com/Workouts/Details/183529

Notes:

What a beautiful Friday morning!

After countless days and nights of stifling heat, the cool respite offered by the rain for the past couple of days presents a good opportunity to ride my bicycle again.

I initially planned to cycle three rounds around Pasir Ris Park but as I cycled along the Park Connector linking Tampines Town and Pasir Ris Park, I realised that my idea may not materialise at all. Packed along the route were students from my old junior college, who were heading in the same direction as me towards Pasir Ris Park.

And as I entered the park, I then discovered a cross-country race of a secondary school was in progress. I then decided then that this was not a good condition to do my training as my speed would be very slow due to the countless students taking up both the running and bicycle lanes.

So before I returned home, I cycled one last time around the park and realised that there were like four or five different schools ranging from the primary level to the junior college, holding their last sports event there, before the students went for their term break next week.

As I made my way home, I thought to myself how fun it is, to be young all over again.

Tuesday Morning Run: On Fire

Pasir Ris Park

4.37km

31m 58s

07:18 min/km

8.21 km/hr

Mapmyrun: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/sg/pasir%20ris/824126810284116010

Sportypal: http://www.sportypal.com/Workouts/Details/179683

Supplementary Exercises:

Chin-up: 1 X 9

Plank: 1 X 60secs, 1 X 50secs, 1 X 40secs

Notes:

No not me. I am not on fire and I didn’t leave any trail blazing with my run either. It’s just that I heard some rumours that the fiercesome Godzilla from the Land of The Rising Sun had made a mark right here in Singapore some days back. From this picture below, you can clearly see the destruction created by a single fiery breath of the awesome beast.

The Scorched Earth

Yours truly came across this devastation while on his way for his morning run at Pasir Ris Park. The crime location is at the last overhead bridge that runners from the previous editions of the Sundown Marathon had to trudge across. It connects the town of Tampines and Pasir Ris with the Tampines Expressway disecting in between.

If you happen to see this abominable monster, please don’t hesitate to call the relevant authority or it will continue to wreck havoc though hopefully not at this Sunday’s North East Run.

Take care everybody.

Friday Dusk Run: Route Recce

Pasir Ris Park

5.47km

40m 13s

07:21 min/km

8.16 km/hr

Mapmyrun: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/sg/pasir%20ris/228126779247285866

Sportypal: http://www.sportypal.com/Workouts/Details/175010

Supplementary Exercises:

Chin-up: 1 X 9

Plank: 1 X 60secs, 1 X 50secs, 1 X 40secs

Notes:

With the North East Run 2010 scheduled to take place next Sunday, what better time then to recce the actual route at Pasir Ris Park. As the running and cycling tracks at Pasir Ris Park are as intertwined as the threads of a spiderweb and the route map is as accurate as the aim of a myopic bobo shooter, it’s better to try to trace the actual route so as to have a rough idea during the actual run.

At the same time, I managed to complete a teeny-weeny mini biathlon as I cycled 3km to Pasir Ris Park followed by the 5+km run and the 3km ride home. Now where can I fit the swim?

Wednesday Night Cycle: Of The Competitive & The Talkative

Tampines – Changi Coastal Road

31.68 km

1hr 24m 03s

22.62 km/hr

Mapmyrun: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/sg/singapore/825126762833833262

Sportypal: http://www.sportypal.com/Workouts/Details/172791

Notes:

What a huge difference it made when cycling alone compared when riding with a partner or in a group. The distance seemed longer and the boredom was palpable. There was no one to have a chat with to break that monotony and the only company were the surroundings and sonorousness to your every breath. Easy breathing means the terrrain is relatively flat or downhill while laborious respiration indicates a positive gradient.

Apart from that, the other thing I like to look out for during cycling is if there’s any cyclist/s in front because as slow as I am, I have that teeny-weeny streak of competitiveness in me and I am sure everyone else does too. So with target in sight, I love to see if I can pass him/her. If I am successful, well the feeling of satisfaction is rewarding enough. But usually I would not be in front long enough as the overtaken cyclist/s would surely try his/her hardest to regain back his/her lead. That was exactly the case just now as I traded places with a cyclist in a cool Firefox cycling jersey. Our silent battle was indeed fun but sad to say he emerged the winner.

Till next time…

While on my way back, I met an uncle returning from work, riding his Hasa mountain bike along Loyang Avenue. Initially he tried to make small talk with the usual banter. But his chatter continued everytime we stopped at the traffic lights. Though I was happy to entertain, I was really trying to get back as quick as possible which in turn would lead to a higher average speed. I managed to shake him off but my conscience has been saying that I shouldn’t have done that. He just had a long day at work and the least I could do was to engage in a light conversation since we were going the same way. That way the long journey back for him would feel shorter.

I think I need to reevaluate myself.

Till then…

Monday Dusk Run: Swamp Thing

Tampines – Pasir Ris Park

6.76km

56m 12s

08:19 min/km

7.24 km/hr

Mapmyrun: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/sg/singapore/698126744711444669

Sportypal: http://www.sportypal.com/Workouts/Details/170138

Supplementary Exercises:

Chin-up: 1 X 9

Plank: 1 X 60secs, 1 X 50secs, 1 X 40secs

Notes:

Went for a relaxed jog.

Tried a different route into the magrove swamp of Pasir Ris Park.

Didn’t see anything interesting.

But luckily it wasn’t at night.

Cause that place is infamous for its twilight dwellers.

And I’m not talking about the bats and the owls.

More of the goosebumps and spinge-tingling kind.