Mottos to Work By
- Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings, they did it by killing all those who opposed them.
- If you can stay calm, while all around you is chaos...then you probably haven't completely understood the seriousness of the situation.
- Doing a job RIGHT the first time gets the job done. Doing the job WRONG fourteen times gives you job security.
- Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
- Artificial Intelligence is no match for Natural Stupidity
- A person who smiles in the face of adversity...probably has a scapegoat.
- Plagiarism saves time.
- If at first you don't succeed, try management.
- Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid altogether.
- TEAMWORK...means never having to take all the blame yourself.
22.9.08
20.9.08
Run With Passion with "4-8-12" Tips
This was posted sometime in June under another title. It contains simple easy to understand advises for runners. Just in case some of you miss it, so here is it again.
Newbie, take note!
Hardcore runners, take care!
train hard, train safely.
http://www.singaporepassionrun.com/
Run with Passion with our "4-8-12" Tips
Brought to you by Dr Kwee Lee Fung, Raffles Medical Group Limited
4 Baby Steps to a Good Run
Don't begin a running program without a full medical examination.
Start SLOWLY. If this is the first time you are beginning a running program, start with a little running, then a little more, until you can run steadily for 20 minutes.
Do not judge your running by your speed. Judge it by how you feel.
Run in a way that feels most relaxed, natural and comfortable for you.
8 Spoonfuls of Healthy Tips
Carbohydrates are the best source of energy for for athletes. When you run, carbohydrates should be the mainstay of your meals.
Eat whole grain foods such as rice, bread, oatmeal, wheat, and bagels. These are calorie dense carbohydrate foods and also contain fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Your diet should also consist of plenty of fruits and vegetables as well. These are excellent sources of vitamins and minerals.
Avoid empty calories, especially snacks that are high in fat and sugar content. To satisfy cravings, select a fruit or bagel instead.
As carbohydrates are burned quickly, consider eating multiple mini-meals during the day rather than eating several large meals. This practice called grazing, helps you maintain a high energy level all day long.
A runner's diet should be a 55-30-15 diet. That is 55 percent of calories from carbohydrates, 30 from fats and 15 from protein.
Consider taking a supplement or supplements that contain the main antioxidants, beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E. Vitamins C and E are especially important to runners.
Eat a light, digestible carbohydrate food one to two hours before running or racing. Good choices would include energy bars, a bagel, a banana or a piece of toast and jam.
12 Keys to Minimise Injuries
The warm-ups and cool-downs are important components of your workout or race. The warm-up prepares your body for running and the cool-down prepares it for the recovery period that follows a race.
The warm-up loosens your legs and your body prior to a run. The key to a successful warm-up is to gradually increase the intensity of the movement. Begin by walking, then jog, then run a little harder, then do some sprints.
Do not skip the cool-down. It is the best time for more thorough stretching or self-massage.
Do your stretching during the cool-down rather than at the warm-up. Stretches can be done more effectively and with less risk of injury after a workout or race as the body is more prepared for the stretches at this point of time.
Alternate hard training days with easy training days. The ratio should be one to three or even one to four. The body will need plenty of time to adapt to each hard workout and grow stronger before the next hard workout.
A hard workout is one that is longer or faster than your typical daily run. Do not worry about not getting enough hard days. The mistake to avoid is doing too many hard days.
An easy day could be a day off, a day of easy jogging, a day of walking, or a day of cross training or strength training.
The warning signs that you should heed that tell you to take easy days include an elevated morning pulse, sore muscles, slight cold like symptoms, lethargy, difficulty sleeping and a loss of appetite.
It is important to take an easy week every month if training hard.
Cross-train to prevent injuries and also to recover from them. For runners, the following cross-training activities, in descending order of benefit, will contribute the most to your running performance: elliptical-trainer, bicycling, pool tuning, weight training.
Cross-training gives your running muscles a rest whilst building the others. The end result will be a more coordinated and balanced body that could produce better running times.
Do a weekly long run to improve your aerobic capacity and fat-burning ability and increase weight loss and musculoskeletal strength. A long run would be one that is 50 percent longer than your average run.
Newbie, take note!
Hardcore runners, take care!
train hard, train safely.
http://www.singaporepassionrun.com/
Run with Passion with our "4-8-12" Tips
Brought to you by Dr Kwee Lee Fung, Raffles Medical Group Limited
4 Baby Steps to a Good Run
Don't begin a running program without a full medical examination.
Start SLOWLY. If this is the first time you are beginning a running program, start with a little running, then a little more, until you can run steadily for 20 minutes.
Do not judge your running by your speed. Judge it by how you feel.
Run in a way that feels most relaxed, natural and comfortable for you.
8 Spoonfuls of Healthy Tips
Carbohydrates are the best source of energy for for athletes. When you run, carbohydrates should be the mainstay of your meals.
Eat whole grain foods such as rice, bread, oatmeal, wheat, and bagels. These are calorie dense carbohydrate foods and also contain fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Your diet should also consist of plenty of fruits and vegetables as well. These are excellent sources of vitamins and minerals.
Avoid empty calories, especially snacks that are high in fat and sugar content. To satisfy cravings, select a fruit or bagel instead.
As carbohydrates are burned quickly, consider eating multiple mini-meals during the day rather than eating several large meals. This practice called grazing, helps you maintain a high energy level all day long.
A runner's diet should be a 55-30-15 diet. That is 55 percent of calories from carbohydrates, 30 from fats and 15 from protein.
Consider taking a supplement or supplements that contain the main antioxidants, beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E. Vitamins C and E are especially important to runners.
Eat a light, digestible carbohydrate food one to two hours before running or racing. Good choices would include energy bars, a bagel, a banana or a piece of toast and jam.
12 Keys to Minimise Injuries
The warm-ups and cool-downs are important components of your workout or race. The warm-up prepares your body for running and the cool-down prepares it for the recovery period that follows a race.
The warm-up loosens your legs and your body prior to a run. The key to a successful warm-up is to gradually increase the intensity of the movement. Begin by walking, then jog, then run a little harder, then do some sprints.
Do not skip the cool-down. It is the best time for more thorough stretching or self-massage.
Do your stretching during the cool-down rather than at the warm-up. Stretches can be done more effectively and with less risk of injury after a workout or race as the body is more prepared for the stretches at this point of time.
Alternate hard training days with easy training days. The ratio should be one to three or even one to four. The body will need plenty of time to adapt to each hard workout and grow stronger before the next hard workout.
A hard workout is one that is longer or faster than your typical daily run. Do not worry about not getting enough hard days. The mistake to avoid is doing too many hard days.
An easy day could be a day off, a day of easy jogging, a day of walking, or a day of cross training or strength training.
The warning signs that you should heed that tell you to take easy days include an elevated morning pulse, sore muscles, slight cold like symptoms, lethargy, difficulty sleeping and a loss of appetite.
It is important to take an easy week every month if training hard.
Cross-train to prevent injuries and also to recover from them. For runners, the following cross-training activities, in descending order of benefit, will contribute the most to your running performance: elliptical-trainer, bicycling, pool tuning, weight training.
Cross-training gives your running muscles a rest whilst building the others. The end result will be a more coordinated and balanced body that could produce better running times.
Do a weekly long run to improve your aerobic capacity and fat-burning ability and increase weight loss and musculoskeletal strength. A long run would be one that is 50 percent longer than your average run.
18.9.08
I have a dream, what's your?
走过岁月
记忆是水 时间是河
捞起来得是回忆
流失掉的是岁月
如果现在不好好珍惜
有那么一天
你会感叹岁月如梭
四不靠五又到, 走过岁月的botak
人生也走了一大半，现在得更珍惜这趟末班车，让他更精彩，更值的回忆。
人生目标：50岁开始完成50个马拉松。。。。请老天爷给卑微的我足够的生命与力量去完成我的愿望。这是个勇敢的愿望，愚蠢的勇敢吧！
时间。。将见证我会是个无惧勇者 或是无知的纯白痴。。。
酒是老的好，老酒醇口，老白痴？？
非常认同五月天“咸鱼”里这么唱：
我不好也不坏 不特别出众 我只是敢不同
我的人生 就是 一错再错 错完了再从头
也许放弃掉一些 活得更轻松 我却不再是我
我不愿一生晒太阳吹风 咸鱼也要有梦
老白痴也要有梦！你呢？
one dream - 5050 , an exercise in courage. Dump courage, perhaps!
Time will tell, whether I am brave or just plain foolish.
记忆是水 时间是河
捞起来得是回忆
流失掉的是岁月
如果现在不好好珍惜
有那么一天
你会感叹岁月如梭
四不靠五又到, 走过岁月的botak
人生也走了一大半，现在得更珍惜这趟末班车，让他更精彩，更值的回忆。
人生目标：50岁开始完成50个马拉松。。。。请老天爷给卑微的我足够的生命与力量去完成我的愿望。这是个勇敢的愿望，愚蠢的勇敢吧！
时间。。将见证我会是个无惧勇者 或是无知的纯白痴。。。
酒是老的好，老酒醇口，老白痴？？
非常认同五月天“咸鱼”里这么唱：
我不好也不坏 不特别出众 我只是敢不同
我的人生 就是 一错再错 错完了再从头
也许放弃掉一些 活得更轻松 我却不再是我
我不愿一生晒太阳吹风 咸鱼也要有梦
老白痴也要有梦！你呢？
one dream - 5050 , an exercise in courage. Dump courage, perhaps!
Time will tell, whether I am brave or just plain foolish.
I have a dream
My 5050 Dream
5050 : 50岁开始完成50个马拉松
5050 : life is 50/50, you win some, you lose some ,
5050 : “一人一半，感情不散”
5050 : 有施必有舍
5050 : 想要拥有，先学放下
5050 : don't wanna hit the wall, but hit 4D
If you don't do it now, you will never get around doing
I meant buy 4D, if u have to ask what number? turn the page young man
A runner's creed: "I will win; if I cannot win, I shall be second; if I cannot be second, I shall be third; if I cannot place at all, I shall still do my best.”
A 4D'yer creed: "I will hit 1st prize, if not 2nd or 3rd also can, I shall buy till i wins"
Run To Eat Creed : "Got Road, run. Got Mountain, climb. Got Food, eat. Got money, got money then talk lah"
“In running, it doesn’t matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, ‘I have finished.’ There is a lot of satisfaction in that.”-Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder
15.9.08
Train Hard, Train Smart,Train Safe but don't Over-Train
This article was emailed to me by our runner, Mag.
Training Tips
Over Training ~ contributed by Ms Wendy Lim, Senior Physiotherapist, Alexandra Hospital
What is over training ?
Over training in running is a matter of ‘too much, too soon, too fast’. Many running injuries are a result of over training: too much intensity, too many miles and too quickly in its advancement. It is training beyond’s one ability to recover. Some runners exercise longer and harder so that they can improve but without adequate rest and recovery, these training regimes can do more harm than benefit.
How do I recognize that I have been over training ?
Some common warning signs include:
· Prolong lethargy. extreme tiredness, ‘lack of energy’
· General malaise, possible depression
· Prolong aches and pain in muscles and joints
· Sudden drop in performance
· Decrease in training capacity/ intensity
· Sudden drop in immunity (increased number of flu/ sore throats)
What can I do to minimize the risk of over training?
It is important to pace yourself appropriately when adding mileage or intensity to your training regime. A safe incremental regime will be to increase your weekly mileage by not more than 10% each week with regular monitoring of your exercise and resting heart rate. It is difficult to plan a training regime as everybody’s body is different, if you are unsure, it is always important to seek a sports physiotherapist or sports physician for advice on how to plan your exercise regime.
What should I do if I suspect I have been over training?
If you suspect you are over training, the first thing to do is to ‘STOP or REDUCE’ your training routine. Allow a few days of rest with a normal balanced diet. If you feel yourself getting back to your ‘norm’, you may attempt a gradual increase in your training regime. If the symptoms persist, it would be advisable for you to seek medical attention immediately.
Getting to the bottom of things- Footwear ~ contributed by Ms Sharon Lim, Senior Physiotherapist, Alexandra Hospital
Does it matter what shoes I wear?
Running distances involves repetitive pounding on the legs, of which your feet bear the first brunt which each step. Depending on your running efficiency and type of surfaces, you can be transmitting forces up to 2.5 times your body weight on your legs. Thus, having the proper footwear may help in reducing these stresses.
What shoes should I wear?
If you are running regularly, it would be advisable for you to invest in a pair of running shoes, rather than using your tennis shoes or cross-trainers, as running shoes are designed to cope with movements in the forward direction. There are many brands, models and shoe types available in the market. Generally speaking, different shoe types have been designed for different foot types. For example, cushioning shoes for people with high arched feet, stability shoes for people who are mildy overpronating, and motion control shoes for people with flat feet. If in doubt, seek advice from your physiotherapist, or podiatrist.
What other considerations should I take when considering in my pair of shoes?
Here are some practical tips
· Comfort in your shoes is most important. Your feet should feel supported and cushioned without areas of pinch or rub.
· Wear both sides and run about in the shop to get a feel of how your shoes feel when you run
· Always go shopping for your shoes in the late afternoon when your feet are at its biggest
· Shoes have their own life span. Generally, they last about 500 miles of running, or anything from 3-6 months, depending on your volume of runs.
· To enhance your shoe life span, have at least 2 pairs of shoes that you can alternate runs in.
Recover Your Performances- Recovery Strategies ~ contributed by Ms Wong Shiyun, Physiotherapist, Alexandra Hospital
Why do I need to recover? How can recovery strategies affect my running?
After your run, your muscles may be fatigued and feel sore or achy. In addition, in your preparation for your marathon, you may be running on consecutive days, such that your fuel stores and muscle capabilities may be depleted. An adequate recovery will aid in decreasing fatigue, reduce inflammation of tissues and joints, reduce muscle soreness, promote refueling and thus, hasten a return to optimal performance capabilities.
What can I do to help in recovery?
The following methods may help in reducing inflammation of tissues and joints, relieves soreness and speed up recovery:
1. Ice bath
· Soak your body/ legs in cold water for 5-10 minutes
· Place an ice pack onto your sore muscles for 10-15minutes
2. Hot/cold contrast bath
· Alternate 2 minutes in cold/ warm water, repeat 3 times
3. Stretching
4. Sports MassageAdequate nutrition and hydration
Drinking Tips
Drinking adequately can promote better pleasure during your run and also enhance your performance. Start drinking before and also during the marathon to prevent severe health risks (e.g. heat stroke) which are common when you are under drinking and running under the hot sun in Singapore.
· Double the normal amount of fluid you drink in the week leading to the marathon.
· Before the race, do not drink coffee or alcohol to prevent dehydration
· Stay hydrated by drinking 500ml of fluid about 2 hours before your run.
· At regular intervals, drink 150 to 250 ml of fluids, every fifteen minutes, during your run.
· Continue drinking after the run as it helps to re-hydrate muscles, replenish energy reserves and fluid levels.
· Find out your weight loss in order to calculate your sweat loss. As sweat loss continues after running, additional fluids are needed to counter this.
· Typically, drink one-and-a-half times the amount of fluid lost over a period of 2 to 4 hours after the run to restore fluid balance.
For example, a kg weight loss after run, at least 3 litres of fluids is suggested to be taken over a period of 2 to 4 hours.
Isotonic drinks can enhance performance of runs lasting more than 60 to 90 minutes as they are formulated to:
· Increase absorption of the fluids by the body due its content of not more than 5 to 8g of carbohydrate per 100ml. The carbohydrates also provide additional source of energy which plain water does not provide.
· Replace sodium lost in sweat from the electrolytes (has approximately 40 to 50 mg of sodium per 100ml)
What is hyponatraemia?
When a person drinks at a rate faster than the sweat loss, it may result in a condition called hyponatraemia. It is a rare but potentially dangerous condition caused by low salt levels in the blood.
Symptoms include lethargy, confusion, leading to seizures, coma or death.
This is common in runners who gain more than 2 to 5 kg of weight from over drinking.
Plan your fluid intake plan during training!
When you are training, determine your sweat loss per hour, so that during the actual race, you can estimate how much you need to drink to hydrate but yet prevent over-drinking.
Sweat rate calculation
a) Measure your body weight both before and after, at least, an hour of exercise under conditions similar to a marathon run.b) Weigh yourself wearing minimal clothing and barefooted. c) Towel dry after exercise and obtain body weight as soon as it is practical after exercise (e.g. less than 10 min)d) Sweat loss (in litres) = body weight (kg) before exercise– body weight (kg) after exercisee) To convert to sweat rate per hour, divide by exercise time in minutes and multiply by 60.
Eating Tips
· Choose high carbohydrate, low fat foods that are familiar and easy to digest.
· Practice different pre-exercise eating ideas in training, not on the run day itself.
· Try a liquid or low fibre meal if you have pre-run nerves or other factors causing gastro-intestinal (stomach or bowel) upset.
· Monitor the effects of food and drink choices on your performance.
What is Carbohydrate loading?
The body stores of carbohydrates may not be adequate to sustain what will be used during endurance runs lasting more than 90 minutes. Carbohydrate loading will involve 6 days of gradual lessening of training, with the last 3 days to include high intake of carbohydrate (7 to 10g per kilogram body weight)
For example, a 60kg weight person will need 400 to 600g carbohydrates during this period.
For more details on eating tips (e.g. what are the sources and amount of carbohydrates, etc) to help you gear up towards the big run, go to http://www.alexhosp.com.sg/medical_education.asp
Training Tips
Over Training ~ contributed by Ms Wendy Lim, Senior Physiotherapist, Alexandra Hospital
What is over training ?
Over training in running is a matter of ‘too much, too soon, too fast’. Many running injuries are a result of over training: too much intensity, too many miles and too quickly in its advancement. It is training beyond’s one ability to recover. Some runners exercise longer and harder so that they can improve but without adequate rest and recovery, these training regimes can do more harm than benefit.
How do I recognize that I have been over training ?
Some common warning signs include:
· Prolong lethargy. extreme tiredness, ‘lack of energy’
· General malaise, possible depression
· Prolong aches and pain in muscles and joints
· Sudden drop in performance
· Decrease in training capacity/ intensity
· Sudden drop in immunity (increased number of flu/ sore throats)
What can I do to minimize the risk of over training?
It is important to pace yourself appropriately when adding mileage or intensity to your training regime. A safe incremental regime will be to increase your weekly mileage by not more than 10% each week with regular monitoring of your exercise and resting heart rate. It is difficult to plan a training regime as everybody’s body is different, if you are unsure, it is always important to seek a sports physiotherapist or sports physician for advice on how to plan your exercise regime.
What should I do if I suspect I have been over training?
If you suspect you are over training, the first thing to do is to ‘STOP or REDUCE’ your training routine. Allow a few days of rest with a normal balanced diet. If you feel yourself getting back to your ‘norm’, you may attempt a gradual increase in your training regime. If the symptoms persist, it would be advisable for you to seek medical attention immediately.
Getting to the bottom of things- Footwear ~ contributed by Ms Sharon Lim, Senior Physiotherapist, Alexandra Hospital
Does it matter what shoes I wear?
Running distances involves repetitive pounding on the legs, of which your feet bear the first brunt which each step. Depending on your running efficiency and type of surfaces, you can be transmitting forces up to 2.5 times your body weight on your legs. Thus, having the proper footwear may help in reducing these stresses.
What shoes should I wear?
If you are running regularly, it would be advisable for you to invest in a pair of running shoes, rather than using your tennis shoes or cross-trainers, as running shoes are designed to cope with movements in the forward direction. There are many brands, models and shoe types available in the market. Generally speaking, different shoe types have been designed for different foot types. For example, cushioning shoes for people with high arched feet, stability shoes for people who are mildy overpronating, and motion control shoes for people with flat feet. If in doubt, seek advice from your physiotherapist, or podiatrist.
What other considerations should I take when considering in my pair of shoes?
Here are some practical tips
· Comfort in your shoes is most important. Your feet should feel supported and cushioned without areas of pinch or rub.
· Wear both sides and run about in the shop to get a feel of how your shoes feel when you run
· Always go shopping for your shoes in the late afternoon when your feet are at its biggest
· Shoes have their own life span. Generally, they last about 500 miles of running, or anything from 3-6 months, depending on your volume of runs.
· To enhance your shoe life span, have at least 2 pairs of shoes that you can alternate runs in.
Recover Your Performances- Recovery Strategies ~ contributed by Ms Wong Shiyun, Physiotherapist, Alexandra Hospital
Why do I need to recover? How can recovery strategies affect my running?
After your run, your muscles may be fatigued and feel sore or achy. In addition, in your preparation for your marathon, you may be running on consecutive days, such that your fuel stores and muscle capabilities may be depleted. An adequate recovery will aid in decreasing fatigue, reduce inflammation of tissues and joints, reduce muscle soreness, promote refueling and thus, hasten a return to optimal performance capabilities.
What can I do to help in recovery?
The following methods may help in reducing inflammation of tissues and joints, relieves soreness and speed up recovery:
1. Ice bath
· Soak your body/ legs in cold water for 5-10 minutes
· Place an ice pack onto your sore muscles for 10-15minutes
2. Hot/cold contrast bath
· Alternate 2 minutes in cold/ warm water, repeat 3 times
3. Stretching
4. Sports MassageAdequate nutrition and hydration
Drinking Tips
Drinking adequately can promote better pleasure during your run and also enhance your performance. Start drinking before and also during the marathon to prevent severe health risks (e.g. heat stroke) which are common when you are under drinking and running under the hot sun in Singapore.
· Double the normal amount of fluid you drink in the week leading to the marathon.
· Before the race, do not drink coffee or alcohol to prevent dehydration
· Stay hydrated by drinking 500ml of fluid about 2 hours before your run.
· At regular intervals, drink 150 to 250 ml of fluids, every fifteen minutes, during your run.
· Continue drinking after the run as it helps to re-hydrate muscles, replenish energy reserves and fluid levels.
· Find out your weight loss in order to calculate your sweat loss. As sweat loss continues after running, additional fluids are needed to counter this.
· Typically, drink one-and-a-half times the amount of fluid lost over a period of 2 to 4 hours after the run to restore fluid balance.
For example, a kg weight loss after run, at least 3 litres of fluids is suggested to be taken over a period of 2 to 4 hours.
Isotonic drinks can enhance performance of runs lasting more than 60 to 90 minutes as they are formulated to:
· Increase absorption of the fluids by the body due its content of not more than 5 to 8g of carbohydrate per 100ml. The carbohydrates also provide additional source of energy which plain water does not provide.
· Replace sodium lost in sweat from the electrolytes (has approximately 40 to 50 mg of sodium per 100ml)
What is hyponatraemia?
When a person drinks at a rate faster than the sweat loss, it may result in a condition called hyponatraemia. It is a rare but potentially dangerous condition caused by low salt levels in the blood.
Symptoms include lethargy, confusion, leading to seizures, coma or death.
This is common in runners who gain more than 2 to 5 kg of weight from over drinking.
Plan your fluid intake plan during training!
When you are training, determine your sweat loss per hour, so that during the actual race, you can estimate how much you need to drink to hydrate but yet prevent over-drinking.
Sweat rate calculation
a) Measure your body weight both before and after, at least, an hour of exercise under conditions similar to a marathon run.b) Weigh yourself wearing minimal clothing and barefooted. c) Towel dry after exercise and obtain body weight as soon as it is practical after exercise (e.g. less than 10 min)d) Sweat loss (in litres) = body weight (kg) before exercise– body weight (kg) after exercisee) To convert to sweat rate per hour, divide by exercise time in minutes and multiply by 60.
Eating Tips
· Choose high carbohydrate, low fat foods that are familiar and easy to digest.
· Practice different pre-exercise eating ideas in training, not on the run day itself.
· Try a liquid or low fibre meal if you have pre-run nerves or other factors causing gastro-intestinal (stomach or bowel) upset.
· Monitor the effects of food and drink choices on your performance.
What is Carbohydrate loading?
The body stores of carbohydrates may not be adequate to sustain what will be used during endurance runs lasting more than 90 minutes. Carbohydrate loading will involve 6 days of gradual lessening of training, with the last 3 days to include high intake of carbohydrate (7 to 10g per kilogram body weight)
For example, a 60kg weight person will need 400 to 600g carbohydrates during this period.
For more details on eating tips (e.g. what are the sources and amount of carbohydrates, etc) to help you gear up towards the big run, go to http://www.alexhosp.com.sg/medical_education.asp
7.9.08
If you don't do it now, you will never get around doing
My 5050 Dream
9 months has passed since i was introduced or should i say con, hoodwink by ah hoo to marathon:-) the experience was gratifying, i was humbled and learned to be more respectful to life. I quote my friend, Nicky Tan: " Each day don't come by just like this, it is a privilege gift, be thankful"
Enough of "yar sor", now bragging time!
the results so far :
my longest run pre-2000, some time in Sep 1985 Pandan Reservouir 6.2km - 75 mins
fast forward to
1996-2007 ZZZZzzzzzzzzz
02 Dec 2007 Standchart Marathon - 7hr 53min
30 Apr 2008 Mt Kinabalu climb - 13 hrs
31 May 2008 Adiddas sundown marathon - 5hr 59min
24 Aug 2008 Army Half Marathon - 2hr 29min
05 Sep 2008 Come of age ritual 50 km run - 6hr 30min
07 Dec 2008 Standchart Marathon - ? hr ? min
ah hoo , we have a date with sub 5 on 7 Dec 2008.
To my friends who are still not decided upon taking up marathon, may i quote again
"If you want to win something, run 100 metres, if you want to experience something, run a Marathon."
Emil Zapotek. The late Czech runner was the 1952 Helsinki Olympics triple-gold medalist in the 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon.
"If you want to win something, run 100 metres, if you want to experience something, run a Marathon."
Emil Zapotek. The late Czech runner was the 1952 Helsinki Olympics triple-gold medalist in the 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon.
There are certain things in life that if you don't do now, you will never get around doing it"
Just Do It!
Thanks to all my friends who came to support my come of age ritual - one dream 5050.
Special thanks to :
- ah bay, calvin and mag for joining the run despite having to work on Saturday.
- daniel, albert and francis for giving up their regular Sat golf to come to my party.
- sam and doris for taking half day leave to be my cordinator.
Runners list
50 km : ah hoo, william, freddy
29 km : ah tan, ah yeh, calvin, shao chong, shen lian, nicky
21 km : ah bay, ah chan, toby, mag, daniel, kah long, vincent
15km : allan, billy, patrick
Thanks also to my families and last but not least, ah hoo for conni.. oops i mean for inspiring me 。
Yes, it was a good run. I learned to listen to my body, keep it strong and healthy, i hope to be able to run for the rest of my life. That is the big goal now.
"run to eat"
Thank you , 谢谢，kum-seah.
1850 hrs, 5th Sept 2008
2125 hrs, 50 km runners taking 5 after 21 km
29 km runners joining in
2155 hrs, start of the final 29km, may Usain Bolt be with us. but he is a 100m sprinter, we are marathoners :-)
0153 hrs, 6th Sept 2008, 50 km done!
High 5 at 50 km
William, my pacer for the whole 50km, a big thank you
Our "Run To Eat" Brand Ambassador, Patrick. With our limited budget we can only pay peanut, but how come hor? instead of monkey,we get orang utan :-) 
I "run to eat!" He, "Run But cannot eat"
Excited fans with our Brand ambassador who ran 15km today, will be going full miles for SCSM
This botak! one dream 5050. 3 down, 47 to go
18.8.08
one dream 5050
My thank you run for becoming 50!
When Life gives us a 100 reasons to cry, show life that we have 1000 reasons to smile.
Face our past without regret.
Handle our present with confidence.
Prepare for the future without fear.
Keep the faith and live life to the fullest with grattitude. becos "Each Day don't come by just like this, it is a previlage gift, be thankful" - nicky ting
Friday, 5 September 2008
ECP Chalet unit C11/C12
One Dream - 5050
50 Km run
Start/End Point : Track outside ECP Chalet unit C11
Pace : Easy 8 minutes per km (7.5km/hr)
Water/bananas/power gel point at Tenah Merah Coast Road and mobile water point by bicycle along the route
Stage 1
50km starts 17.50 hrs . Route : Chalet C11- Safra - Fort Road (400m mark) - Chalet 11- Changi Beach Park- Chalet 11
Stage 2
30 Km starts 20:35 hrs. Route : Chalet C11 - Safra- Changi Beach Park - Chalet 11
Stage 3
21 Km starts 21:45 hrs. Route : Tenah Merah Coast Rd- Changi Beach Park- Chalet 11
Target to complete 50 Km at 00:50 hrs on 6th Sep 2008
So far the supporting runners are ;
50 Km - ah hoo, william ,shao chong, shen lian
30 Km - ah tan, man in black,
21 Km- Vincent Teo, Zhao Ming, Allan Kwek, Bay, Mag, Toby
15 Km - Patrick Peng
For 50 km runners, please be at Chalet C11 by 5.30 pm
For 30 Km runners, please be at Chalet C 11 by 8 pm
For 15 and 21 km, please be at Chalet C 11 by 9 pm, there will be transport to send you to starting point.
"If you want to win something, run 100 metres, if you want to experience something, run a Marathon."
Emil Zapotek. The late Czech runner was the 1952 Helsinki Olympics triple-gold medalist in the 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon.
When Life gives us a 100 reasons to cry, show life that we have 1000 reasons to smile.
Face our past without regret.
Handle our present with confidence.
Prepare for the future without fear.
Keep the faith and live life to the fullest with grattitude. becos "Each Day don't come by just like this, it is a previlage gift, be thankful" - nicky ting
Friday, 5 September 2008
ECP Chalet unit C11/C12
One Dream - 5050
50 Km run
Start/End Point : Track outside ECP Chalet unit C11
Pace : Easy 8 minutes per km (7.5km/hr)
Water/bananas/power gel point at Tenah Merah Coast Road and mobile water point by bicycle along the route
Stage 1
50km starts 17.50 hrs . Route : Chalet C11- Safra - Fort Road (400m mark) - Chalet 11- Changi Beach Park- Chalet 11
Stage 2
30 Km starts 20:35 hrs. Route : Chalet C11 - Safra- Changi Beach Park - Chalet 11
Stage 3
21 Km starts 21:45 hrs. Route : Tenah Merah Coast Rd- Changi Beach Park- Chalet 11
Target to complete 50 Km at 00:50 hrs on 6th Sep 2008
So far the supporting runners are ;
50 Km - ah hoo, william ,shao chong, shen lian
30 Km - ah tan, man in black,
21 Km- Vincent Teo, Zhao Ming, Allan Kwek, Bay, Mag, Toby
15 Km - Patrick Peng
For 50 km runners, please be at Chalet C11 by 5.30 pm
For 30 Km runners, please be at Chalet C 11 by 8 pm
For 15 and 21 km, please be at Chalet C 11 by 9 pm, there will be transport to send you to starting point.
"If you want to win something, run 100 metres, if you want to experience something, run a Marathon."
Emil Zapotek. The late Czech runner was the 1952 Helsinki Olympics triple-gold medalist in the 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon.
15.8.08
Say No! to Hitting "The Wall". Hitting 4D? OK lah!
Hitting "The Wall"
by Sara Latta
If You Understand the Scientific Reasons Behind “The Wall,” You Should Be Able to Avoid It.
© 2003 42K(+) Press, Inc.
"It felt like an elephant had jumped out of a tree onto my shoulders and was making me carry it the rest of the way in.”—Dick Beardsley, speaking of hitting "The Wall" at the second marathon of his career, the 1977 City of Lakes Marathon.
“I wasn’t wanting to talk much. And when I’m not talking, you know I’m hurting.”—Don Frichtl, a runner who encountered "The Wall" somewhere after mile 21 of the 2002 Chicago Marathon.
“At around mile 23, I was beginning to feel like the anchor was out.”—George Ringler, speaking of his 1991 Lake County Marathon.
It usually happens around mile 20, give or take a couple of miles. Your pace slows, sometimes considerably. Some runners say that it feels as though their legs had been filled with lead quail shot, like the stomach of Mark Twain’s unfortunate jumping frog of Calaveras County. Others can’t feel their feet at all. Thought processes become a little fuzzy. (“Mile 22, again? I thought I just passed mile 22!”) Muscle coordination goes out the window, and self-doubt casts a deep shadow over the soul.
The bad news is that more than half of all nonelite marathon runners report having hit The Wall at least once. The good news is that more than 40 percent of all nonelite marathon runners have never hit The Wall. In other words, while it certainly doesn’t hurt to be prepared for the possibility of hitting The Wall, doing so is far from inevitable.
Energy Dynamics 101
“Hitting The Wall is basically about running out of energy,” says Dave Martin, Ph.D., Emeritus Regent’s Professor of Health Sciences at Georgia State University in Atlanta—chemical energy, that is, stored in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and obtained from the breakdown, or metabolism, of energy-containing fuel. The runner’s primary fuel sources are carbohydrates (in the form of blood glucose and glycogen, a polymer of glucose stored in the muscles and liver) and fats (free fatty acids in the bloodstream and muscle triglycerides, molecules containing three fatty acids).
Fats might seem to be the logical first choice of fuel for endurance events; not only are they the most concentrated form of food energy, but even the thinnest runners have enough body fat to get them through 600 miles. Alas, it’s not quite that simple. Fatty acid metabolism requires plentiful circulating oxygen, a precious commodity when you’re running at marathon race pace. Carbohydrate metabolism, on the other hand, requires less oxygen. In fact, cells can derive energy from carbohydrates either aerobically (in the presence of oxygen) or anaerobically (in the absence of oxygen).
If you start your marathon at a reasonable pace for you, your fuel consumption ratio will be about 75 percent carbohydrates to 25 percent fatty acids, according to Martin. During the race, as carbohydrate supplies begin to dwindle, that ratio changes as your body begins to rely more heavily on fatty acids.
What does all of this have to do with hitting The Wall? Let’s start with the pace.
It’s common, in the excitement of the moment, to start out at a pace that’s too fast for you. Big mistake. Your heart cannot pump enough blood to ensure a steady supply of oxygen to the muscles. At this point, your muscles have no choice but to burn glucose in the absence of oxygen. The anaerobic metabolism of glucose, as it’s called, is inefficient, yielding only about 1/18 as much energy (in the form of ATP) as aerobic metabolism. To make matters worse, among the by-products of the anaerobic metabolism of glucose are lactic acid and hydrogen ions. As these waste products continue to accumulate in the blood and tissue, they will not only make your muscles feel as though they are on fire, but they can also inactivate the enzymes that govern glucose metabolism. You’re toast.
Even if you’re racing at a reasonable pace and you’ve done a good job of carboloading in the days before the marathon, you still have only about 2,000 calories worth of glycogen stored in the muscles and liver; that’s about enough to get you to—surprise!—mile 20. If you manage to deplete your glycogen reserves, say hello to The Wall. As mentioned before, burning fatty acids requires plentiful oxygen, so as fatty acid metabolism increases, your heart must work harder to pump more oxygen-carrying blood to the muscles. It may be difficult or impossible to maintain your pace, especially if you’ve lost enough water through sweat to become even slightly dehydrated (this causes your blood to become thicker and therefore harder to pump). In addition, fatty acid metabolism itself requires glucose; as someone once said, “Fat is burned in a carbohydrate oven.”
Of course, you can do things to make sure you stay well hydrated and maintain an adequate supply of glucose during the marathon, and you’re probably aware of most of them. Begin to carboload a few days before the race to make sure that your muscles store as much glycogen as possible. Fortunately, the old, frequently stressful and unpleasant depletion/loading program has fallen out of favor with most runners. Martin recommends eating a balanced diet with a higher-than-usual percentage of carbohydrates as you’re tapering before the race. As the body increases its glycogen stores, it also increases the amount of stored water, leading to slight weight gain but also making more water available for sweat during the race.
Make sure that you are well hydrated before the race, and eat a light, carbohydrate-rich meal no later than two hours before the race. And by all means take advantage of the water, sports drinks, and other glucose-containing foods offered at the aid stations!
Many people also find that sports gels provide quick boosts of energy, although Martin admits that he is not a big fan of them. “Picture this poor soul who takes a blob of GU but doesn’t quite manage to get a cup of water. Now he’s got this thick 100 percent solution of stuff in his stomach that he can’t absorb. I’m a firm believer in energy drinks rather than just water.” Other favorites include defizzed Coke (Frank Shorter used to swear by it), which is a good source not only of carbohydrate but of caffeine as well (the role of caffeine in preventing fatigue is discussed later).
Martin also points out that nonworking muscles cannot transfer their glycogen reserves to working muscles; once glucose is inside a muscle cell, that’s where it stays until it’s metabolized. “This might be one reason why many marathon runners prefer a race course with periodic, slight elevation changes,” he says. “This allows the glycogen reserves to be shared among a larger group of working muscles.” Runners who are racing on a very flat course might consider occasionally varying their pace or stride length to mobilize unused glycogen stores.
Central Nervous System Fatigue
Davis, a professor of exercise science and the director of the exercise biochemistry laboratory at the University of South Carolina, suspects that CNS fatigue, the result of neurochemical changes in the brain, is very likely to be involved in a runner hitting The Wall during a marathon. In fact, he says, “I think that CNS fatigue is actually what causes most people to stop, as opposed to muscle specific fatigue.” Aside from very highly motivated runners, he says, most people don’t really drive or push themselves to complete muscle failure.
Davis cautions that his research is still at the preliminary stage, but his data certainly support the CNS fatigue hypothesis. During prolonged exercise, the brain’s production of the neurotransmitter (a chemical that carries signals from one neuron, or brain cell, to another) serotonin increases steadily; it peaked, in his animal treadmill studies, when the animals collapsed from exhaustion. Elevated levels of serotonin have been implicated in feelings of tiredness, sleepiness, and lethargy. (The folk remedy of drinking a glass of warm milk before going to bed has a sound scientific basis: milk, as well as chocolate, is a good source of the amino acid tryptophan, the precursor to serotonin.)
The rising levels of serotonin are caused by increased delivery of tryptophan to the brain. What’s interesting, Davis says, is that the increase in free tryptophan in the blood is very much related to the increase in free fatty acids in the blood. “While many people believe that the increase in free fatty acids is very important to delaying fatigue in the muscle,” says Davis, “we think it has a negative effect in terms of central fatigue.”
To make matters worse for the marathon runner, the brain’s production of dopamine (the neurotransmitter responsible for generating feelings of excitement, reward, motivation, and pleasure) begins to drop even as serotonin levels are rising.
One experimental approach to preventing an increase in serotonin synthesis has been to give subjects nutritional supplements that include something called branched chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine). Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) compete with tryptophan for space on the receptors that carry chemicals from the blood to the brain. Unfortunately, while BCAAs do indeed lower the levels of tryptophan and, by extension, serotonin in the brain, they don’t prevent CNS fatigue during exercise. Davis believes BCAAs’ failure to prevent CNS fatigue is due to one of their side effects: an increase in the blood levels of ammonia, a brain and muscle toxin.
The best strategy for delaying both muscle and CNS fatigue, Davis says, is tried and true: eating or drinking carbohydrates. “It’s well known that carbohydrate feeding blunts the increase in free fatty acids,” he says, which of course ends up blunting the increase in serotonin, “so carbohydrates cannot only delay glycogen depletion, but they also delay central fatigue.” In addition, brain function in general is highly dependent upon blood glucose, as anyone who tries to calculate mile splits at mile 23 probably knows.
Davis is beginning to investigate nutritional approaches to prevent dopamine levels from dropping, including the addition of tyrosine (the precursor to dopamine as well as norepinephrine, a stress-related hormone similar to adrenaline) to sports drinks, but he cautioned that there are not yet data showing that tyrosine supplements raise dopamine levels during exercise or delay fatigue.
Runners have been using caffeine to help delay fatigue for years, the prevailing wisdom being that the substance increases the blood level of free fatty acids available for metabolism. Recent research by Davis and others, however, indicates that caffeine plays another, perhaps more important role, in delaying fatigue by increasing the levels of dopamine in the brain.
for full story : http://www.marathonandbeyond.com/choices/latta.htm
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
