Anyone here?

This blog is getting dusty! Where's everyone? Why has Opus posted about her women's run - where I abandoned you and you still managed a good time?




I've been meaning to blog about these compression shorts for ages. I got them a few months back and until yesterday, have had only a few chances to wear them, and all indoors. On Wednesday I finally went for a run at the beach wearing them. Met a handful of other runners there, and half of them were sporting compression apparel! Hmmm, interesting, no?

Anyway, they feel nice and tight tho not so fun to get into. Imagine stuffing sausages, with lots spilling over. But once on, the jiggle factor is non-existent and it works great to wick away moisture and keep you feeling cool and dry and unsticky! 2 thumbs up for that!

Of course there's the UV protection and all the technical advantages - improved blood circulation, prevent muscle fatigue, etc.

PLUS you get to wear a size down (yes, it's got to be *that* snug).

Doesn't this make you want to run out and buy yourself a whole outfit right now?

I love my Skins!

StanChart run coming up, and with or without Skins, not looking forward to it!

Me here!

Blogging is taking up precious time, which could otherwise be used to topple Bejeweled high scores!

Anyway, back to running. Saturday night's run was nothing short of tortuous though I must say I did think I was going to stop and walk. It just went on and on and on and on and on and on. Oh, you get the idea. 10.5k (I was deceived into thinking it was just 10k!) in the dark night, having to avoid low branches and motorbikes parked along the pavement and maneuvering uneven sidewalks is a great feat, for a fatigued runner who is semi-night blind. Plus, they had only ONE drinks station along that entire route. By 2k I was accosting marshals for water. I was obliged - but it was an entire bottle of Ice Mountain, not even cold at that. And because I was so parched (duck rice chilli!!) I couldn't afford to throw the bottle away (would be killer litter too!) and was sipping the entire route and in addition to the usual hard panting there was the sound of sloshing from the mineral water bottle. Sigh, so unglam.

But yes, we finished, and bettered out previous times too! How glourious.

Today I ran at the gym, 4.3k in 30 minutes. Legs still recovering from the run. Yesterday I cycled (don't get excited, only stationary bike). Maybe tomorrow I shall swim. Hmm, maybe we can join triathlon afterall!

Opus thinks I'm training in secret, not unlike covert mugging... but I liked studying; why should it ever be in secret?

Where everybody?

...namely, runningstitch!

Well, we did it - the 10k at the Sundown Marathon. Woo hoo!

I was happy with what I accomplished since it was the second 10k I'd participated in, but the first 10k I'd *run* the whole way. Yay! I hope that my time is better than the first one I run-walked... Though oddly I don't think I felt that exhausted at the end, so I dunno, may I ran really really really slowly.

Too bad the event wasn't the most organised, my biggest grouse being that neither runningstitch nor I saw the clock!! I don't know know what my timing is! Grr. I'll have to wait till the website or whatever, and I hope that comes through soon.

But, on the brighter side: the beer after the 10k was FANTASTIC.

Oh, and best part of the run: when a woman easily passed me at the 6k mark WHILE merrily SMS-ing on her phone. Gah.

High Score

Previously, I had already scientifically proven that running makes you smarter, and enables you to get a high score on "Who Has The Biggest Brain?".

But does it help you get a high score in Bejeweled?

Answer: Nope.

Aunties: Bane of All Runners

Usually when I run, I start composing my blog entry in my head. My positive, encouraging, triumphant blog entry about how well my plodding pace is going and how I am not going to walk this time! All was going well - I was feeling quite proud of myself today too, seeing as I took the dog for walkies (twice!), played tennis AND ran.

So there I was, rather pleased with myself, less than 1km from home, when... I get passed by an Auntie! Not just slowly passed but *extremely* passed - she zipped right by me! She was holding a towel in one hand and a water bottle in the other - that's how auntie she was!

BOo hoo hoo.

My only comfort was that she stopped running about 100m ahead of me. Which leads me to believe that her entire run was only 110m, not the awe-inspiring 3.5k I did. Ha.

Possessed

I've figured out the mystery of my life. I am controlled by the weather.

On hot days, like today, where I am sitting in a puddle of my own sweat, I feel like squishing ants with tennis balls and doing nothing else but space-out and drink ice-cold Perrier. I don't like anyone. On cool days, I am agreeable and feel like buying things and eating everything in sight (does that explain Tokyo to you Opus?).

I can't even begin to explain how crabby I am feeling now.

Last week was remarkable, however, where exercise is concerned. I ran on Tuesday at the gym (3k), Wednesday at the beach (about 5k) and swam on Thursday as part of on-going droid training (6 laps - I'm ready for Amazing Race!). How is it then, that I don't feel fitter at all? Right now, my throat feels funny and I want to lie down and have a nap.

In any case, this week looks like a washout for exercise already....

Salty

When I come home from a run, my dog licks me all over cos I am basically a giant salt lick.

Back on the wagon

I've been so bad with training (as compared to runningstitch who is undergoing droid training...).

Usually I'm on 1-2 weeks, then off 1-2 weeks. Totally inconsistent, no thanks to being generally busy with work. Aiee. Or Aigoo.

Today I finally ran - a plodding road run. Definitely NOT 7:20 pace but I felt quite happy that I was able to finish at all. I am determined to be good about running in May, so that I can survive the 10k at the end of the month! It's good to have these race deadlines. Keeps us on our toes. (Har.)

Gogogogogogogogogogogogo.

Training Week #2

AIGOO! (Apparently, that's "aiyo" in Korean).

On Tuesday, I text K and ask if Thursday running is on (I pray that for raincheck or real rain) and she replies "Yes running for sure!" Aieee.

Thursday rolls around and we meet at school lobby again. Today, it's scorching. And still. And muggy. I want to give up already.
But no, we go to the beach. Is enthusiasm infectious? Or is it insanity in disguise?

Warm up and chat and then run. We head in the opposite direction, thinking it may have more shaded pathways. Wrong! It was mostly uncovered, and even the pavement was hot hot hot under my feet. Breathing was tortuous.

I let K run ahead though she slowed down a little so I could try to keep up. She exclaims, if I was on my own I'd given up way back! Even the heat is deterring the dear android.

No idea how far we ran but the consolation was, she admitted after last week's run she could barely move her legs. Hee. I was ok after last week's sprint but how she can run so fast this week again, beats me.

We agree that running with a buddy helps keep us on our toes/feet. So till next week.... but don't hold your breath.

__________________________

That was yesterday. Today, I was struggling with whether to just sit by the pool and finish some reading, or go to the gym. I decide to be a good role model and exercise, though I'd really rather just stay in bed and not change out of jammies the whole day.... Treadmill run, for 20 minutes and then some weights. I've put on a whole kilo! Am very angry, and tell myself to stop thinking of curry puffs. Good news is, I was able to run at average speed of 6:30! I think I deserve a Cornetto.

Never Run with a Korean Chick

Today Ms Park and I decided to go to the beach to run together. I should've known better. Not to over-generalise, but I've since learnt that running with a Korean girlfriend is not a good idea. Or maybe one or a combination of the following should've clued me in:

(1) She seems super fit and trim
(2) She has a great outdoorsy look, tan and happy
(3) She is Korean (like in, possibly N Korean?)
(4) She does Muay Thai
(5) She is always perky
(6) She finds the gym insufficiently stimulating
(7) She saw me once in running garb and asked to come along

Anyway, we meet at the kids' kindy today and head to the beach. We decide on a 3k run. We start warming up and all this while, she's asking questions about my "training" (huh?) and previous runs, and tells me to run on ahead later, and not to let her hold me up. And we start off.

Urgh, this woman is unbelievable.

I'm panting like mad after the first 100m or so, because she is SO FAST!!! And she's talking to me the whole time! It *was* a beautiful morning, cloudy and breezy. So there I am, gasping for breath, and she tells me she's recently sent her maid home, managing the home on her own, and had just stayed up the past night to help hubby with secretarial work from 1-4 am (she does this several times a week)!! I grunt back.

And I noticed she hardly has to breathe - or at least she doesn't wheeze and gasp the way I do at that speed. So she tells me, try and take long deep breaths! I'm starting to form theories in my head, that she's had military training (of the communist sort) or must be an android.

Halfway, she turns and casually asks, do I know how to put in an abdomen workout while running? Of course I don't. I'm trying hard to not fall over and die.... Anyway, I say no and she tells me, (important multi-tasking lesson here) as you run, tighten stomach muscles and twist trunk from side-to-side. So *that's* what she's been doing, this cute twist and turn thing as she runs. I try it. It's hard! To concentrate on aforesaid task of not keeling over plus abdomen exercise... aieee. But it does feel good.

Then, last 800m, she tells me, you have to run ahead of me, I need something to chase! Whaaaa??

We finish in no time. I want to curl up and die. She was hardly perspiring, and all the way back she was encouraging me not to slow. She's sweet AND fast!! She's insane. I was my usual gross and drippy mess.

Back at the carpark, we warm down and she tells me, see you next week! OH NOOOOoooooooo......

Having said all that, I think I've been running at too comfortable a pace recently, and it was pretty good to really work out the lungs and legs. After a nice lie-down, I may be ready for next week. Perhaps *I* am insane.

Gymrunning

Even though I still don't like running on treadmills, I'm starting to really see the benefit of forcing yourself to run at a fixed pace. On the road, I know I definitely slow down and can't maintain my speed... it's like a mental tussle, and it's TOUGH. On the treadmill at least I can look at numbers and know that I am maintaining a certain pace.

I ran about 4.3k at a 7:20 pace... which I am pretty happy with, IF I could maintain that for 10k. Ha! Doubtful, but I'm working on it.

In the meantime, I am still getting fatter. What the.

At least it makes you smarter

Running makes you smarter. Proven. It's the endorphins, or the adrenaline, or the blood pumping through your veins, or the sweat... or something.

Anyway after my run today, while I was cooling off, I decided to play the "Who Has The Biggest Brain?" app on my phone. I knew I'd be smarter from running, so I wanted to test it out. For days I've been hooked on the game and I haven't been able to beat my high score that I set the first time I played it. And sure enough, I played it after my run today and broke my high score! Yay! An even higher cyborg brain score! (runningstitch, play it on fb!)

Fit n Fat

I am getting fitter but also, at the same time, fatter. WHAT IS THIS CRUELTY???

Steady Decline / Widening of the Great Divide

I continue to eat runningstitch's dust...

I haven't been running regularly for the past few months and have been too distraught to blog. But starting last week, I've finally (finally!) managed to get back into the old rhythm. Need to - 10k coming up! So been running usually about 3.5 to 4.5k.

What I've discovered is that running in the gym is a whoole different story to running on the road. On the treadmill I get to keep a steady pace and that really helps. I manage 4, 5k pretty ok. But on the roads, a bit of incline and I'm thrown out of whack. Did a very slow 3.5 today. Ugh. If I do more, like 4.5k, it's a struggle!

p.s. good news: my dead earphones aren't dead after all! They've come back to life! Yay! They're a bit iffy, but still working...

Beach

Ran at the beach, at 10am. Hot, hot , hot!! And I think my Ipod+Nike sensor has died. Boo!! And I just found out that the battery (no more juice, methinks) can't be replaced. GRRRR.

So, if you are checking my Ipod+ page and no new miles clocked, don't just assume I'm not running. I probably am not running, but don't assume, it's discouraging.

I find that more and more I have to click my hip back into place!

Ran a little at the gym on Tuesday morning, finished about 4km in half an hour. Not good. Plus, got severely zapped when trying out heart rate sensor.

Need water! Wonder how's Opus doing??

This Week

Managed to run 5 km last Sunday, since it was pouring outside. Fortunately at this gym I used there wasn't an automatic cut off after 30 minutes; no way I could've finished 5k in less than half an hour at current fitness level! Running outdoors is much better - I dislike the way the aircon stops your body from properly sweating it all out and yet at the same time, makes you feel chilly all over despite the workout.

Did another 3 or 4 km throughout this week, and I think I've been running too much! The skin on the balls of both feet are peeling horribly! From all that friction? Time to rest, methinks.

Been analysing the First Lady's arms - they're hard to miss, given that they are rarely covered up. Are deltoids really the new C-cup? Got Derek the gym guy to teach me some deltoid workouts with weights. So far, no difference. Must google for more exercises.

Need new socks! Asics? Love the free pair I got with the shoes - must look for shorter pairs with same cushioning!

runningstitch made me run

runningstitch made me run, so I did. I couldn't match what she did, though. I can't, I just can't! I can't be like you runningstitch! I am destined to eat your dust forever. Your resting heart rate is lower than mine!!!

Did about 4.5k and once again, it was not pretty but I managed, whew. One fat auntie passed me and even though she slowed down eventually, I still couldn't catch up with her. Big dent in self-esteem.

Running after a thunderstorm was GREAT, too! I wish it would rain more...

Did we really run 10K?

I ran yesterday. Or at least I tried. All I could think of was, what's for lunch?

Love the Asics but have one complaint - the laces don't stay tied! This has happened a couple of times mid-run, enough to become annoying.... bah. But at least I've since found out that it *is* possible to start off after pausing to retie laces.

Anyway, yesterday's do was half an hour on the treadmill then some weights. I wonder if I will ever be able to do push-ups the way boys do.

Lunch calls! Sio bak is slow roasting in oven.... Come to mama, fatty pork!

Back in the saddle!

It's been WAAAY too long since I ran regularly. And I can feel it - it hurts. My body's forgotten how to run, how it feels to run, and I feel like my stamina has dipped. Sigh.

It's been a few days since I started up again and at least I don't feel as whiney and complainy as I felt last Thursday when I started. (Be glad I didn't blog THEN!)

Today, the most exciting thing that happened was that my ipod earphones finally pooped out. I had been told that would happen - all that icky sweat will kill your earphones. So today, as I was running I realised I couldn't hear parts of the song - specifically, the main vocals and the drums. I could only hear guitars and backing vocals. Weird. It was like I was running with a soundtrack of minus one karaoke tracks. Hm.

New earphone time!

I ran!!

It's been way too long (two months!) and I definitely felt out of shape. I ran a short 3k (was going to say an "easy" 3k, but ha, who are we kidding...) My legs are all wobbly and achy now!

Was excited to finally break in my new Asic Nimbus 10s, though! The cushioning was fantastic. Though I daresay that my old Nike Airs felt lighter.

Tired now, but glad I finally got out there again. In my purple shoes. Ipod. Road ID. Like a dork. Ha ha.

Now I just have to work on a 10k plan for May! (is the race in May?)

Week 3, 2009

Happy new year (very late, I know, I know) to whoever is still following this blog! And to you to Opus!

Since last update, yes, I've finally got me spanking new running shoes from Asics . They are wonderful though it was a tad sad to say goodbye to ol' faithful NB shoes which have served me all this while. Anyway, I'm now officially a big fan of Asics! The cushioning and support are superb! Wonder how much faster and better I would've run if I had these magic shoes all along!

Having said that, I've hardly had the chance to put the shoes through its paces. Must definitely run more this year.

M (my very romantic husband) bought me, for our anniversary gift, a book - The Marathon Runner's Handbook. Anyone need the ISBN? Anyway, here's the link to the book on amazon.com. Flipped through it a little, must sit down and go through it carefully though I seriously doubt if it can top the wisdom of that article from The Independent.

Opus and I have signed up for the Sundown Run 2009, 31 May, for the 10km!