Long Solo Ride to Tutong..... and back

I’ve always wanted to try riding to Tutong from home, and since its the last day of my holiday, decided to just go for it.

Woke up late and only managed to leave the house just after 7, with the sun already up and bright.

The ride to Tutong went nice and smooth, with trees along the road shaded me from the sun. Although, I didn’t really expect that there would be so many long hills and slopes. It just felt like going on and on.

Had a short pit-stop in Tutong to refill my water bottle and had a few bites of a powerbar. The ride home started off smoothly as I felt refreshed after the stop, but the morning was just getting hotter and the trees weren’t giving me any shade on the other side. The heat really drained the energy out of me.

I’ve never ever cycle this far before (in one go), so the last few kilometres was a real nightmare, my body was aching everywhere. I was changing my position every few minutes just to move the pain around.

Overall, it was a good workout and it gave me some idea how a long ride really feels. 110km - 3hrs 50mins

I just can’t imagine doing a long ride after a long swim and then doing a long run after that. I don’t even want to imagine doing a full Ironman. It’s just crazy, for now….

I guess all I need to do is train, train and train. NO SHORTCUTS.

SC Singapore Marathon 2008

Mission Accomplished – Sub 3:15

New Personal Best (PB) of 3 hrs 14 min 35 sec

Key Facts and Figures*:

Results in Entire Field – 96th place (12,285 finishers behind)
Results in Gender (Male) – 77th place (10,445 finishers behind)
Results in Division (M2529) – 21st place (2,153 finishers behind)

Average Speed – 13.0 kph / 8.1 mph
Average Mile – 7 min 25 sec
Average Kilometre – 4 min 37 sec

*Based on chip time

Ready or not, here i come Singapore

I'm off to Singapore tomorrow for the Singapore International Marathon this Sunday. I have been looking forward to this event in Singapore as it was just awesome last year. My current PB of 3hrs 20mins was set there last year, although i was initially aiming for a sub 3:15.

I'm not so sure if i can get a sub 3:15 this Sunday, my body doesn't feel as fit as i was hoping for, but it does feel better than how it was in Kota Kinabalu last October. But I'm still gonna aim for a sub 3:15 though.

If i do manage to get a sub 3:15 this Sunday, i'll do less running next year and concentrate more on doing triathlons. Meaning, doing more cycling and swimming. 

Thanks everyone for all the wishes, I'm really gonna need all the luck i can get. All the best to those joining the race and hope to see you guys there. Tegur2 lah kalau jumpa di Singapore.

2007 - Sub 3:20

2008 - sub ????

28th Panaga Triathon 2008

Felt really bad after the race; felt that I didn’t do well as I was really struggling on the run leg.

The swim was ok, although the water tasted saltier than the usual swimming pool, but overall I was really pleased with my swim time.

Started off the bike leg feeling weak and unable to spin on high gear, so I was just spinning for the first lap. Fortunately I saw a few cyclists on the second and last lap that I was able to tag along with them, which really help my bike time.

The run was horrible, felt heavy and out of breathe. Was really struggling and only managed to speed up half way through and do a last dash towards the finish line. If it was a long run, I probably would have recover and get a second wind.

The swim-to-bike transition went smoothly, but the bike-to-run was a bit of a mess. I was really rushing that I forgot to get out of my bike shoes towards the end of the bike leg and had to hop around with my bike shoes on.

After getting the official results, my overall time wasn’t as bad as I expected. I did manage to come before Bahar by a minute plus. :) Sorry bro, beginners luck I guess. Next year lagi. I just need to improve my swim and do more brick training so that I can run faster.

Overall, it was a pretty well organized event and the place is just amazing. I hope next year the organizers will consider doing a sea swim instead, would be more exciting.

Thanks to PnG for accompanying me on the bumpy ride to KB very early in the morning and taking lots of cool photos. Thanks Playa. I owe you one.

Pictures below courtesy of PnG.

late as usual

rushing to get ready

men in tights

swim - 11 mins 20 secs

bike - 43 mins 8 secs

run - 24 mins 20 secs

Overall Time - 1 hr 22 mins 26 secs

15, 60 and 25

15 mins, 60 mins and 25 mins…. That’s my target splits for tomorrow’s Panaga Triathlon in Belait for 500m swim, 24km bike and 5k run. This will be my first “sprint distance” triathlon and will be my first time joining this event. More info on the event here.

Overall, I’m just hoping to finish the race in under 1 hr 45 mins.

Since I am planning to run the Singapore Marathon in December, I’ve been concentrating more on my running, and neglecting my bike and swim training. I just hope I’ll be able to finish the race tomorrow and not be left too far behind. Guarantee kena sayur by Bahar and his team anakpanyu, as they are in top form from their Powerman race.

Please have mercy. :) Let me draft behind you guys tomorrow.

Last Thursday morning, did my one and only ‘brick’ session for the race. Did a 30km ride and ran about 20 mins. It sure was painful, but at least it gave me some sense of what it’ll feel tomorrow. I should have done more ‘brick’ session. I just hope I won’t get any cramps.

Seeing as it’ll be a sprint race tomorrow, every minute and seconds will count, especially in transitions. So I’ve decided to wear my tri suit tomorrow. I’ve never actually worn a tri suit before, so tested wearing it while doing the ‘brick’ session. It sure is tight and revealing. Kalau badan lawa boleh lah…

sneak peek...

captain america???

Land of the Rising Sun

Was in Tokyo on a business trip with the bosses last week and since it was my first time to Japan, was really looking forward to seeing some sights.

However, the trip was packed with meetings, company visits, lunches and dinners, and by the time we finish, were too tired to go out.

It’s a good thing that I always bring my running gears with me wherever I go. It helps to exercise when you’re travelling, to fight off jet-lags, to burn some calories from all the lunches and dinners, and keeping fit, but most of all, to see and enjoy some sights.

Only managed to wake up early and dragged myself out of bed twice and went off for some sightseeing and adventure.

Here are some pictures taken from my morning runs:

First stop

the park in front of the hotel

path around the Imperial Palace

which way??

one of the bridge to the Imperial Palace

the lake surrounding the Imperial Palace

crossing still empty

saw lots of runners around

government buildings area

cold....

pumps are hanging from the ceiling.. (smart)

Eiffel Tower??? am i lost??

found an off-road track behind the tower

someone's backyard (lost)

Brunei flag flying high in Tokyo

the crazy gaijin

nice and warm....

fully automated...

Wet Sunday Long Run

Sunday is usually my long run day, so decided to go for a 2 hrs run in the evening. I usually prefer doing my runs in the morning but was just too tired to wake up early as I just got back from my business trip yesterday.

Only managed to run 4 times this week, not bad, considering how busy I was. My run this evening went well, except for the heavy showers toward the end, but did 2 loops of the Manggis-Sg Akar-Stadium-Berakas route with a feeding stop at home half way through. Oh ya, threw up a bit after my water stop, must have been the McD I had before the run. Not a good idea.

This week's runs:

Monday – None
Tuesday – None
Wednesday – None
Thursday – 45 mins easy sightseeing run
Friday – 55 mins easy sightseeing run
Saturday – 55 mins easy run (10+ km)
Sunday – 2 hrs steady run (23 km)

Note: Always keep hydrated, especially when doing long runs more than 90 mins.

Will post up some photos of the sightseeing run soon.

Second NYC Marathon runner dies

NEW YORK (AP) — Two runners who completed the New York City Marathon have died after their efforts — one shortly after crossing the finish line and the other several hours later.

Police say 58-year-old Sao Paulo resident Carlos Jose Gomes just passed the finish line Sunday afternoon in a time of 4 hours 12 minutes when he complained about feeling ill. He was taken by ambulance to Lenox Hill Hospital, where he died. An autopsy was being conducted Monday.

Richard Finn, a spokesman for the New York Road Runners, says the other man died several hours later. He did not give out any additional information. A call to the city medical examiner's office was not immediately returned.

At least two other runners became ill during the race and had to be hospitalized.

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2008-11-02-marathon-death_N.htm

Radcliffe Wins Third New York City Marathon

2 hrs 23 mins 53 secs

NEW YORK — Paula Radcliffe defended her title at the New York City Marathon on Sunday to become the second woman to win the race three times.

"It was tough out there because of the wind - everybody wanted to run behind me," said the 34-year-old after her latest triumph.

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,445965,00.html

Drafting isnt just for cycling, u can also draft when ur running. It helps in terms of wind resistance and by following someone else's pace.

2 hrs 8 mins 43 secs

Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil won the men's race for the second time in three years, passing Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco with about a mile to go.

Its surprising to see a non-african guy winning a big international marathon. Impressive.

Borneo International Marathon - Done

3 hrs 32 mins 38 secs

Full Marathon: Men Open - 7th place

Full Marathon: Overall - 12th place

Slower - but Happy

Click here for full results.

Point of No Return

After much thoughts and contemplating on whether to go or not… decided to just go for it and bought my tickets to Kota Kinabalu for this weekend.

Knowing that the race route would be flat, my initial aim when registering was to set a new PB or to just prepare for setting a new PB in Singapore in December.

However, I have a feeling that this race will be a nightmare, considering the amount (little) of training I’ve done for the last month or so.

And the last few runs I’ve done this last couple of days haven’t been good. I still haven’t found my rhythm.

My goal now is just to try and enjoy the race and aim for a sub-4 hours.

So no turning back now.

Penang Bridge International Marathon 2008

The PBIM comprises of a full marathon, a half marathon, a quarter marathon and a 10 kilometer fun run opened to those above the age of 13.

Info on the Full Marathon:

Date: Sunday, November 16 2008
Start Time: 3am
Reporting Time: 2am ~ 2.45am
Finishing time: 6 hours
Start Location: Queensbay, Penang.
Entry Fee: RM50.00 / USD25.00
Distance: 42.195km
Closing registration date: October 26th, 2008 (3 weeks before the race day)
Collection date of running bib, t-shirts and etc: 13th - 15th November 2008
Location for collection of running bib, t-shirts and etc: Queensbay Mall

Details at : http://www.penangmarathon.gov.my/

Route for the full marathon

This should be an interesting race to run as part of the race is on the famous Penang Bridge. The view should be phenomenal.

I might consider doing this race instead of the doing the Bangkok Marathon. This would give me more time to recover before the Singapore Marathon in December.

the famous Penang Bridge

Some quick facts on the Penang Bridge:

Official Name: Penang Bridge
Malay Name: Jambatan Pulau Pinang
Carries: Motor Vehicles
Crosses: South Channel, Malaysia (connects Penang to the Malay Peninsula)
Longest span: 225m
Total length: 13.5km
Opening date: 1985

Source: Wikipedia.com

Gebrselassie breaks marathon world record

Berlin Marathon 2008

2 hours, 3 minutes, 59 seconds

source: msnbc.com

What more can i say?

This is what he said after the race:

“Today, I’m so, so, so happy. Everything was perfect today,”

Offcourse he would say that, he just set a new world record and bagged himself £39,000 for the victory and the same amount for his world record

Some quick info on "The Man" himself and the Berlin Marathon:

Source: wikipedia.com

Haile Gebrselassie (born April 18, 1973) is an Ethiopian long distance track and road running athlete.

Gebrselassie has achieved major competition wins at distances between 1500 metres and the marathon, moving from outdoor, indoor and cross country running to road running in the latter part of his career.

He has broken 25 world records and won numerous Olympic and World Championship titles, and is widely considered as one of the greatest distance runners in history.

Berlin Marathon

Date: 27/28 September 2008 (usually takes place on the last weekend in September)

Location: Berlin, Germany

Race Type: Road

Distance: Marathon

Established: 1974

Official site: berlin-marathon

Several world records for men and women have been set at the Berlin course (42.195 km), which is known for its flat profile, even surface, a cheering spectator crowd, and its frequently mild temperatures.

This is probably the best race to set your own PB. Will definitely put this in my calendar if im im that part of the world.

Saturday "brick" training

I was initially planning to do a 'speed workout' down at the track, since i havent done any speed sessions for awhile. So decided to ride my bike down from Kapok to the track instead of taking the car.. kira doing my part for the environment lah... At least i'll get some bike workout..

Improvised

No water bottles, just shoes

Arrived at the track around 5.30pm and felt that ive used up most of my energy on the ride down. (20km - 45mins. est.)

Instead of doing a speed workout, i just did a fast run around the track (10 laps - last outside lane) in about 25 mins.

Padang Kebajikan - only a few runners around

(note: Padang Belapan tutup)

Ultra Marathon Runner's legs amputated

Taiwan Ultra-Runner in Coma After “La Trans Gaule”
September 9, 2008 http://trailrunningsoul.com/trs/2008/09/09/taiwan-ultra-runner-in-coma-after-la-trans-gaule/

Sad news from the ultra world. According to several news websites, Chiu Shu-jung, a 51-year-old Taiwanese female ultra runner has had to have both legs amputated after her participation in La Trans Gaule French ultramarathon.

Chiu, nicknamed ‘ultra-marathon mama’, developed blisters during the race which broke on the 16th day - of the planned 18 days race course – but she was able to finish the competition. But then she was diagnosed with septicaemia, a potentially life-threatening infection, and was flown by helicopter to a hospital in Montpellier. There she had her two legs amputated to stop the infection from spreading and remains now in coma.

Chiu, nicknamed "ultra-marathon mama"

It’s always sad to hear bad news, even more if the bad news is about an athlete getting injured or worse amputated. My deepest sympathy for the Ultra-marathoner and her family.

She is one tough lady; she managed to complete the race 17th of the 44 runners even after getting the blisters. And this is not just any race; this is a really extreme ultra.

I hope she will recover soon and hope she will still be able to enjoy the joy of running again some way.

No matter how much you’ve prepared, there’s always a chance that something might go wrong.

So keep safe, train smart and listen to your body.

What’s in La Transe Gaule Footrace ?

• 1150km (715 Miles) solo race across France, from coast to coast
• 18 stages, 18 days
• shortest day: 49km (31 miles), longest: 75km (47 miles), daily average: 63,9km (40 miles)
• supply stations every day at km15, km30 and then every 10km until the end of the stage
• cut-off: 5,5 kmph (3,4 Mph)
• Overall cumulative rankings by adding the times of each stage
• accomodation in gymnasium (bring your own mattress and sleeping bags)
• breakfast included, every morning from 5 AM
• dinners included, all other meals at your own expenses
• Support vehicle and handler(s) allowed
• Organisation : Phare-West Organisation

Are you up for the challenge???

Ramadan Training - Week 1

It has been a slow start for the month of Ramadan – in terms of my training though. My plan for this month was to do easy runs before sungkai and do long runs in the evening after terawih.

But its been raining almost everyday lately especially late afternoon and in the evening that i've only managed to run thrice last week. It seems that I'm getting more workout done while performing my terawih, especially doing 23 rakaat and with the Imam that goes fast. Good workout for the legs.

Ramadan Training - Week 1:

Monday Run:

Duration: 1hr 5 mins

Distance: 12km (est.)

Type: Easy

Route: Around Stadium

 

Thursday Run:

Duration: 1hr

Distance: 11km (est.)

Type: Supposed to be easy – but it was hard

Route: Manggis – Sg. Akar – Stadium – Berakas - Manggis

 

Sunday Run:

Duration: 1hr

Distance: 11km (est.)

Type: Steady

Route: Around Stadium

With only about a month till the Borneo International Marathon in Kota Kinabalu, i will need to increase the intensity of my training... I know it's a bit too late to start training for a 42k race now, but i've just got to try and get my rhythm back. 

This week training will have to be hard, so I'm off to run now.....

Brunei Half Marathon 2008

Ive been quite tied up with work and other stuff that i just cant find the time to post any updates. Havent really done much training or workout as i was away on a business trip for a week and have been battling this cold/flu for more than a week now. However, did managed to do a few easy runs and joined in on the HSBC Heart of Borneo Challange last Sunday.

On another note, here's some pictures from the Brunei Half Marathon last month.

Managed to maintain my PB for this distance. 1 hr 29 mins.

About 2 km to go

I look heavy, need to get leaner

Bahar (he managed to get a new PB) Congrates dude

Veteran Runners - Julaihi and Pg Nordin

Speedy (have been seeing him running alot) - must be preparing for Spore Marathon

Not a big turnout - Need more publicity

Sumbangsih Runners - Squadra

Sports Medicine people on hand

The Winners

I was wrong about the Kenyan runner - he was really fast (1hr 11mins)

Overall, the race was well organised and the route chosen was very challenging. Would have been better if it was promoted widely and had more runners.