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!

A New Beginner

Hello, loyal reader(s)! Yes, it's been a whole week - that's how long it's taken me to recover... Last week's 10K went well! Yay to us. I did just ok, but I'm happy with my time and race position (1:25 and came in with the first 35% of the women's 10k runners). And runningstitch did AWESOME! (1:15 and top 14%!!) Woo-hoo!

I think I didn't eat enough of a breakfast so at about 7km I was *starving*!! Resources depleted. Systems shutting down. Ha ha. That's my excuse. Anyway, I was all sore and feeling - oddly - congested for a couple of days after. So... I prescribed myself plenty, plenty of rest.

And today, finally, I ran again. This time, with no deadline looming, I'm really going to try to improve my pace. Ran "faster" on the treadmill today. Did about a 6:35min/k for 3k and that was not too bad, though I doubt I could have made it for longer. The thing is, I think there is truth to the fact that you *can* run too slowly. Too slowly and you actually expend a lot of energy still - so it's not necessarily any better; in fact, it's more inefficient. So... let's see how I manage to improve...

Onward!

p.s. need new shoes, just like runningstitch! hehehe

DDay -1

Am frantically trying to upload songs into iPod, and wondering whether at all to run with music tomorrow, and at the same time feeling extremely frustrated by iMac not ejecting CDs! Arrrrgghhh.

Must remember to charge iPod!

Am I panicking!?!!?!?!?!

At lunch earlier, ate an entire plate (L) of roasted duck rice, then polished off Jaime's and Jared's leftovers, then had a bowl of cheng tng. Feel absolutely ill now. Drinking water like mad. Maybe I should go eat all that jelly still in the fridge too. One needs plenty of fuel to run 10k, no?

This week, ran on Monday and Wednesday. Thursday, Friday were spent being coughed at, sneezed on by 5- & 6-year-olds
who constantly needed water/food/toilet. Mediating skills had been severely put to test, as was patience and self-control. Anyway, as with earlier 5k run, I never actually ran the full distance before the actual run. I can only hope it works again this time, and that Opus and self are in good enough shape and health to finish in a decent time..... sob

Today's plan is to do nothing strenuous, have lots of water and carbo load and sleep early!

Week 18!

WAAAAAHH! I had such a busy week too!!

I only managed to run on Wednesday and even then I could only squeeze in a measly 20 min run. Boo. But it was good. And, see how far I've come when I can actually call a 20 minute run "good". Running makes your mind go bonkers.

Thurs was tennis day so that was nice. And then... nothing. Nothing, nothing. Until.. SUNDAY! Waaah!

Week 18, Day 5

AAAHHHHHH, no time already!

It's been a busy busy week, so much so that hardly had time to even consider running!

But I went on Monday, and ran a forced fartlek type of route; the son was with me so when he was within sight I could slow down but when he was out of view (he was on his scooter on the cycling path, and it sometimes branches away) I had to run faster just to make sure I could see him again soon. Such hard work. Anyway, managed a better run than last Monday's and at the end, like Opus noticed, when you run slower it's not as tortuous because the last 10 minutes or so, had to really slow down to come alongside the now pulled-along scooter. SIGH.

Today (Friday) I drove to Bedok Reservoir again. Decided that I really need to run somewhere where I could determine the distance. Ran 1 round (4.3km) plus 1km, then doubled back. So, total of 6.3 km. urgh. I was being overtaken by everyone! The fat old men with high socks and tucked-in tops, the extremely fit canoeists, ah sohs, etc. Sob.

Used Vaseline for today's run, on previously chafed area. Worked like a charm.

Week 17: Days 5 & 7

Ran on Friday - did only 3km cos i was feeling lazy. Decided to run "faster"... even though i don't know how much "faster" my "faster" really was. I have actually little to no recollection of this run by now. Running makes you lose your memory.

Today (day 7) I ran on the treadmill (better blog about it before i forget!). Normally I don't like treadmills but I guess one good thing about it was that it forces you to keep to a pace. So I ran at a slow pace - 7:30, which is really slow. (You get an F for your 2.4 if you run at this pace!) But, I've decided, this is a realistic pace for me in order to do 10k. Yeesh. Managed to run 45min which was about 6k. I was a gross, sweaty mess by then but you know the weird thing? I wasn't really panting hard by the time i was done. I was just really, really sweaty. Um.

Oh oh oh! And get this - chafing!! The inside of my right upper arm (just under my armpit) was chafing against my tanktop! Ahhh.. and it started burning even after a mere 2k! And for the rest of the run the sweat would burn it, and I would have to hold my right arm out like a chicken. Aaah. Vaseline!!!

Week 17: Day 4

Groaaaan. I played tennis today, which was good. But I felt really unfit. Was panting a lot. Cos I haven't been running!! Argh!