Wednesday, February 17, 2010

SUB-4 MATERIAL ???

Week 10 : 2/2/10 - 7/2/10
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Am I a sub-4 hour marathon runner?
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Since my first Ironman in Feb 2004, I have always wondered if I am a sub-4 material. I have ran 4 marathons but all were parts of the marathon legs of an Ironman. Best time was circa 5 hours 30 minutes.
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This week, I was to run my first ever (plain vanila) marathon. The timing of the race at Putrajaya Nite Marathon on 6/2/10 was simply perfect. I have built up to 35km on my run and was meant to run a 42km at least once before race day at Langkawi.
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Rested my running legs for most part of the week & focused on swimming.
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Sat, 6/2/10 : (p.m.) PutraJ Nite Marathon
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Race started at 8.00 p.m. Target was to go slightly under 4 hours. Was familiar with the race course, which was my usual cycling playground on weekends. Thot a nite race would be cooling but the humidity made the run tougher than the usual morning races/ runs.
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Race support was excellent with water stations every 2km. The cool sponges were particulary helpful with the humidity - I could literaly hear the hissing sound of heat evaporating as I squeezed the cold water over my head.
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Started the run EZ and found a comfortable pace shortly into a couple of kilometers. The km markers seemed to come & go very quickly. At half way mark, I thot I was flying. Maintained a good pace that felt effortless. Was actually holding back, knowing the common complaint amongst marathon runners of breaking down after 30km into the run.
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At km23, I tripped & fell. I landed hard on my left hip. Felt disorientated momentarily. Was a little confused and couldn't really figure out why I was lying on the tarmac. Immediately, the fellow runners beside me came over to see if I was alright. I extended my hands to one of them, who took them immediately to pull me up.
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One of my Felt Belt bottle fell off and was lying on the tarmac. I couldn't bend over to pick it up and the guy who gave me a pull, helped me. I thanked him, turned around and continued with my run.
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I was in trouble. The fall hurt my hip quite badly and I continued with a limp. To make things worse, my calves started to pull at about 35km. It felt like forever to finish the last 5km. Many passed me and I ended my 1st ever marathon in 4:29:something.
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Doubt I could dip under 4 hours without the fall. So, a long stinding question has been answered that night.
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Paid a visit to the first aid tent and went home in bandages.
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Monday, February 01, 2010

5 WEEKS TO LANGKAWI

WEEK 9 : 25/1 - 1/2/2010
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Time flies when you are training for an Ironman.
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5 more weeks to go b4 race day. Plan for a 2 week taper, hence, effectively left with 3 more weeks of real training time. But my real job at the office took precedence & ate up a big chunk of my training time.
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Perhaps, not too bad a thing to happen since signs of fatigue & burning out from training has surfaced.
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Mon, 25/1 :
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Rested, worked late at the office.
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Tue, 26/1 :
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Rested, worked late at the office.
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Wed, 27/1 : Run 7 km
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Worked late again & settled for a short 7km run on the Tmill at Celebrity Fitness ("Cel Fit").
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Thurs, 28/1 :
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(a.m.) Swim 1x2000 Paddles with Pull Buoy at Cel Fit.
(p.m.) Worked late again & settled for anothe short 7k run on the Tmil at Cel Fit.
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Fri, 29/1 : Rested
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Not really. Out of office & conducted branch training in Ipoh the whole day.
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Sat, 30/1 : Bike 100km
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For 1st time in almost 2 years, a 100km bike ride felt like a short ride. Recent high mileage & lack of training time during the week must played a vital role in feeling this way.
Opted for a 100km ride to reserve energy for the long weekend (Monday being 1st February, a public holiday for KL), which I hoped to pile up some heavy mileage in running & cycling.
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Sun, 31/1 : Run 31km
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Home - Cyberjaya - LimKokWing - Home. Covered the distance in 3 hours 15 mins (excluding 2 pee stops & 1 refill stop). Probably best timing at the distance/ route for this season. Maintained good pace thru'out with minor negative splits.
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Mon, 1/2 :
(a.m.) Abandoned planned long bike ride due to unforeseen circumstances. Ahhh...so much for reserving energy for the long weekend!!!
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(p.m.) Took a nap in the afternoon & woke up just in time for dinner.

FAVOURITE PLAYGROUND

Week 9 : 18/1/10 - 24/1/10

My favourite playground during my weekends - Putrajaya.

Views from my bike:







Beautiful But Bloody Hot

Mon, 18/1 :

Rested, worked late at the office.

Tue, 19/1 :

(a.m.) Run 7km on Treadmill, was meant to swim but pool at Celebrity Fitness was closed for a week.

(p.m.) Worked late at the office.

Wed, 20/1 : (p.m.) Bike/ Run Brick

40mins Flying Wheels + 7km Run on Tmill at Cel Fit.

Thu, 21/1 : (p.m) Run Tmill

1km EZ + 10km Random Inclines at Cel Fit.

Fri, 22/1 : Rested (LAZY)

Sat, 23/1 : Run 35km

Home - CyberJ - LimKokWing - Home + 3 neighbourhood loops. Felt heavy & tired. Starting late + clear skies with blazing sun didn't help.

Sun, 24/1 : Bike 120km

Home - CyberJ - Maju Expressway (MEX) - Jln Tun Razak - Imbi - Kg Pandan Round About - MEX - Putrajaya - CyberJ - Home

Couldn't muster the physical & mental strenght for a 180k ride. Felt tired from long run the day before. Sign of burning out??!!