Gear Review: Merrell Bare Access 3 & Newton Distance 3

This is both old models. As I always do, I get it when the model almost obsoleted. The Bare Access 3 (BA3) was at 20% discount, not typical stock clearance price, but MYR240 for running shoes is very reasonable now. For Newton Distance 3 (ND3), I got it at around MYR350 (which is stock clearance price for Newton which usually start from MYR500++).

As the VFF built quality deteriorated, I am looking for some shoes to replace them. It’s a hard decision because I was running in Komodo Sport for the past 4 years, or 80% of my running career if you want to exaggerate a bit. I had a pair of Bare Access 1, which I had some problem to run in it when I first got it. But recently I think as my core and running gaits improved, I have no problem running in BA1. I even complete a 20km trail run and a 68km road ultra with it. This is the main reason I go back to Merrell, now BA3. For ND3, I really based on the comment from other running friends and also the discount. I don’t do the usual lengthy open box review. I will just descript shortly my experience in both.

For BA3, the fit is slightly narrow with hard insoles and nice durable Vibram outsoles. After my fair share of running, my feet actually expanded into size 9 (I usually wear US8, or Europe 41, before I start running). I found it a bit narrow in both toe box and the arch area, but not until the type of fitting that will create hot spots and blisters. So far the longest distance in 1 run is 19km. And I had completed few speed intervals with it at around 4:30min/km pace. My opinion, you can basically take it as racing flat shoes, with very durable outsoles. The shoes have great response on the speed and a solid built. I can clock lots of mileage in it without worry to get another replacement really soon. It should last for about 1500km, and I plan to ramp it up for marathon in Kuching and SCKLM.

For ND3, the fit is great with soft insoles and the special 5 lugs outsoles. The toes box is only typical D width, but the upper top used the soft material that doesn’t squeeze your toes together. The sizing is a bit weird and I took a US size 10. The 5 lugs outsoles needed some time to getting used to it, and I really enjoyed the running in it. My last running shoes with soft insoles was 4 years ago, you can imagine my feet have some great time running in pampering mood. The insoles absorbing part of the impact hence the response over the speed were poorer compared to BA3. But mind you when I said poorer response doesn’t means ND3 is a slow shoes. The popping from this shoe really worked wonder, and you are speeding without knowing it. Only problem is the 5 lugs system didn’t lasted very long if racing and toes off. This makes ND3 good racing shoes but durability really off. I only clocked around 100km in this pair of shoes, but some part on the EVA plastic on the lugs showing bad wear and tear. The ND3 only have the EVA plastic on the lugs section, the rest of the outsoles are constructed with the soft material which usually used in midsole, and these parts wear off even faster. Don’t think it will last until 500km, and probably the EVA lugs will finish before SCKLM. May be my running gaits and the speeding put lots of pressure to those lugs, but I can’t help cause it’s really difficult to slow down in ND3.

When I first started in these 2 pairs of shoes, BA3 is only for short distance and ND3 for longer distance. Now it slowly changed to BA3 for all distance plus speed works, and ND3 for easy run only. It may be more to my personal taste and preferences. I only have limited experiences on running shoes. When I ran more in shoes then I may have a more objective taste, or may be that never will be the case. Anyhow, running is very personal. Your take, your preference, your experience all played an importance role in how you perceived certain issue. Like my barefoot running journey.

If you follow my running journey, I seem to moving away from barefoot running? Nope, I still belief in barefoot running, but I corrected or adjusted my take on why I run barefoot. Barefoot running to me is more like a drill or a tool to correct my running gaits. Do I need to barefoot run in a whole marathon? I actually prefer not to do it. One may argue that if I can’t barefoot for a race, my PB is not my body really tuned to do, and one day the body will be overly stressed and injury is inevitable. I won’t argue that may be the case, actually if you run long enough without a balanced training intake involved cardio, core, muscles, skeleton/bone strength, and recovery (you can analogue this example with your diet), injury is really inevitable. Barefoot give some stimulus in both physically (the soles, the muscle and the sensitivity of our body response to the running) and emotionally (the feeling, if you ran barefoot before). Your current running capability is a summation of the above. The injury rate will skyrocket only if you pushed too far from it. My body had enough restriction to limit my speed, and I listen to them (do I?). Hence I just don’t need another limit switch to tell me to slow down.

Meanwhile, I will continue to have fun with my running shoes and looking forward the half marathon 3 weeks later.

Start of a New Racing Season

18 more weeks to my yearly highlight race SCKLM, and now is the best time to start another round of training cycle. The previous training cycle actually dragged much longer than 18 weeks and it’s kind of back to back so often I felt drained after each major event I trained for. This time, I took 2 weeks off (almost totally off) from running, and went for shopping instead.

I got myself a pair of Merrell Bare Access 3, and a pair of Newton Distance 3, with good discount. With the good experience from R68 in Bare Access, I decided to explore my shoes running options. As there are lesser channel nowadays to get VFF in Malaysia, plus the build quality is deteriorating, I need some other options.

Bare Access 3 like its previous version, was a minimalist shoes. But it’s not really that minimalist anymore in this version. It’s heavier and harder soles; narrower in both toe box and arch area; make it more like a racing flat compared to the usual barefoot running shoes.

Distance 3 on the other side, with lots more cushioning and softer soles, flexible toes box (it’s still consider narrow, but the upper layer actually quite flexible and you won’t felt your toes restricted inside), with the strange feeling to running on those 5x lugs system.

Both shoes providing great stimulation to difference part of my legs muscles and also the workouts. Together with the 2 VFF, I am rotating shoes on daily basis. This also helped by taken away some routine from the running. As I am now so used to VFF, I usually just ran. I don’t check my gait, my posture, my form usually. But now I will need to adjust myself in every workout. Not to the extent of changing my gait, posture or form every time, but at least I am going thru my running form check list again. Lower back straight, kept those feet land below my centre of gravity, body lean forward, head upright, kept a high cadences, etc.. But with all these shoes added into my arsenal, now my wife started to question me regarding the number of running shoes I had :P

I will still follow the Hanson Marathon Method 18 weeks advanced training program and SCKLM will be my target race. 2015 SCKLM will be using the same route like 2014, I will be able to estimate and plan better to face the challenge now. Hence I am moving up my goal to finish this marathon in 345. Btw, this year the SCKLM sold out in record pace, only 4 days and all categories were filled. 6500 participants will be running full marathon. As this year the starting pen will be go by estimated finishing time (just estimated, no proof required), I don’t expect to have any issue at the starting point. 

The key challenge like last year, located at 37km when we joining the half marathon participant for the last 5km. I hope my training will allow me to go faster than 345, than the human traffic should still be manageable. The peak actually around 345-415, the full marathoners speeding at 5:20-6:03min/km pace will be facing the half marathoners who will be finishing around 2.5-3 hours with the 7 to 8min/km pace. The 1-2 min/km pace difference is too big so we will be blocked. The water station will be packed. I will make sure I run with my bottle this year, and padded up my elbows!

There are some races lining up in these 18 weeks, total of 2x half marathons (Seremban & Malaysian Day), and 1x full marathon (Kuching). All these races had their own target now aligned to my 345 goal.

Let’s train hard and aim high!

Race Report: Route 68 Challenge

This is my 2nd ultra marathon that’s goes beyond the usual 42.195km, and I started the preparation of it with a really ambitious plan. The publish route indicated a 1900m elevation gain in total out from this 69km course (for comparison, Titi50 only 900m elevation gain in total out from 52km). In the end, I only completed this ultra with the similar speed like I did in Titi50 2014.

Around 20km, thank Tey for the photo.

Race attires,

Nike We Run KL 2010 T-shirt, 2XU compressed short, Injinji socks and Merrell Bare Access.

Rudy Project Argon Impact X2 sunglasses, running cap, Ultimate Direction SJ 2.0 vest with 1x 500ml Gatorade bottle (plus all mandatory kits).

Didn’t slept very well and woke up at 1am, so I decided to left for the race site earlier and arrived at the starting line around 4am. Got nothing much to do and just hang around looking at busy volunteers getting ready for the race. The weather was great, no rain on the night before but not very hot too. Did the final preparation and get myself ready for the race to start at 6am. And off we went!

I broke the total 69km into 4 sections (about 17km each). First quarter was 17km of incline and I planned for 2:15 to reach A3 check point at Genting Sempah. Then 17km of descending, I planned for 1:45 to reach the A7 check point at the u turn. Coming back will be similar cause it is an out and back course.

The first quarter of the race went well, in fact very well! The inclines were fun and adrenaline rushed; I reached A3 in 1:45! This should be the pace I used for descending, but now I did that in ascending the 17km! I was happy, but quietly took stock. The body seem to be doing just fine hence I only slowed down a bit after A3. Slowly but surely, the fatigue kicked in, I was struggle to kept a 6min pace after 30km. Then I finally arrived at A7 after 3:56 time lapsed. The incline after the u turn point was still gentle, so the body still pushed on with a 7-8min pace. At 38km I bonked totally.

Mostly run and walking from there onwards, tried really hard to keep the average pace around 8-10min. Finally, arrived back in A3 after 7:00 lapsed. Gave up running altogether and I decided to walk the balanced 17km back to finish line. It should take me less than 3 hours to complete this torture! I swore to myself that this would me my last ultra marathon. While descending to the A2 water station, one cyclist called out “3.2km until the next water station.” 

Suddenly, I felt angry! 

“I should have completed this by now!" 

"Why I can’t make it happen?" 

"How many more training required for me to achieve my goal?” 

While I hated myself for another failure, I slowly picked up my pace. Back to run walk routine and made sure that all my split time average maintained below 10min/km. Anyway, later the flame ran out of fuel and I reduced back to walking mostly after A1 water station. 5 more KM later and I completed this race in 9:47’58”. Overall position 67, with total of 26 competitors overtook me in the last quarter of the race.

Key learning from this race, pacing is top priority in ultra marathon. Likewise in marathon, the result will be 99% based on what you put into practice and training. Merely 1% of the result may be on luck. And to deliver according to what we practiced, we need to pace accordingly. I planned, I practiced/trained, but failed to pace. Btw, looking at the overall result for the rest of the participants, 8 hours finishing time is somehow too ambitious. If everything went well, mostly I will still finish by 8.5 to 9 hours only, but I will felt much better compare to the defeated sour taste left in my tongue now.

Another stumble block in this race was the coke and rather emptied stomach. I took a refill of coke near 25km A5 water station into my bottle. Most of the water stations didn’t serve much food (banana, orange and biscuit, only A5 had bread). I did bring along energy gel, but my plan was to fuel the run by real food. From A5 to A6 water station, when coke met with the rather emptied stomach, it caused gassy stomach condition which is damn painful to run with.

Overall, the race was well organized. Only my execution part failed to deliver. There were no chafing or blister in any part of the body (inclusive the feet, which were first time running in Bare Access for such a long distances and period), only both big toes nails are painful now. Probably due to too much of pulling from the new Injinji socks.

Will there be any more ultra marathon for me in future? I am not very sure now because the painful experience still fresh in memory. At least it won’t be any more for 2015. Now, I will take some time off from running. The next marathon training program will start in first week of June.

Keep running.

Training report: Training week 14, 15 & 16, MURA Challenge68 Route LSD

After the communication and arrangement with the house chores on Saturday, I totally dive into the heat training sessions. This week, I started the Saturday training only 10am. I spent 3 hours under the hot sun and the body was doing fine for the first 20km. After that auto defenced mode turned on and the body was heading to wherever the shades were. The racing attire was confirmed from this training. The NIKE We Run 2011 short sleeve t-shirt plus 2XU compressed short.

Week 14	Program	Done	Remark
Mon	Easy 9.7km	Easy 4.3km
Tue	Strength 2x 5km	Strength 2x 5km	Shorter recovery
Wed	Rest	Rest
Thu	Tempo 14.5km	12.6km	11km in tempo pace
Fri	Easy 9.7km	5.1km
Sat	Easy 16.1km	27.5km	Started 10am,  heat
Sun	Easy 16.1km	22.1km	Hill training
Total Done		83km

Training week 15 started with an easy run. The strength training is getting tough too mainly due to the fatigue were yet recovered from the weekend training. Special agenda was arranged for Saturday as the Sunday Challenge 68 route LSD was postponed, I will be looping in the stadium at noon time for heat training! The ultra-lady Fujii planned to do some crazy 9 hours LSD for her coming 12 hours race, so I joined her for some fun in the UM track. Arrived the stadium around 12pm, but it was occupied by some other event. We only started around 2pm. First 5km I was sticking very hard to my 6min/km long run pace. But after that, I need to cool down in the toilet because the heart rate went above 165BPM. The heat was unbearable. I was probably thrown the white tower if I did this training alone. But now as there was someone else in the training, I had no choice but to continue. I was still managed the pace until 15km, until I ran into the wall. The stomach filled with too much of water/Gatorade and I can’t swallow any food. I was dried and emptied. I even struggled to run 1 complete lap of 400m track. Seriously I need to relook into my hydration strategy, in this kind of heat condition. Finally, 30km done and 4 hours gone, I called it a day. But the ultra-lady still continued strongly. She over took me around 18km and never looked back. Obviously I still need lots of training in order to embarking ultra-running.

Week 15	Program	Done	Remark
Mon	Easy12. 9km	4.3km
Tue	Strength 3x 3.3km	Strength 3x 3.3km
Wed	Rest	Rest
Thu	Tempo 14.5km	10.6km	9km in tempo pace
Fri	Easy 11.3km	Rest
Sat	Easy 12.9km	30.1km	Started 2pm @ UM
Sun	Long 25.8km	13.6km	Easy pace
Total Done		72km

I was traveling on business in week 16. No running for the 5 days cause I was having some light fever. In fact the whole family was downed by fever and flu. Reached home on Friday night and still got some light fever (37degC) before my short workout. Lucky, the body temperature dropped to normal that evening. Decided I will still join the MURA LSD in Genting Sempah. 

The training run started around 5:45am and took the Challenge68 race route. It was 17km descending, then u turn and heading back to where we started. My game plan for the actual race was to cover this section in 4 hours. Hence I flied down the descending with 5.6min/km pace and completed the way out in 1:40. The main challenge came after the u turn, 17km incline. I was still go on with the planned pace until 11km ascending. Shifted gears to try out the run-walk strategy and I decided to call it a day after completed total of 30km. Saved the best part for the actual race day. Walked back to where we started, with a training of 904m elevation gain in the bag. Overall this part of the route is very fun to run. I am glad that I joined this rehearsal because I will not able to enjoy the scene come the actual race day.

Week 16	Program	Done	Remark
Mon	Easy 9.7km	Rest	Sick
Tue	Strength 4x 2.5km	Rest	Sick
Wed	Rest	Rest	Sick
Thu	Tempo 16.1km	Rest	Sick
Fri	Easy 9.7km	Rest	Sick
Sat	Easy 16.1km	5.2km
Sun	Easy 16.1km	33.6km	MURA Route LSD
Total Done		39km

Now, with another 2 weeks to the race, I finalized my game plan. The 8 hours finishing time look realistic now and I am sure I will go out hard to get that.

Meanwhile, I also signed up another short race even, the Kuala Kangsar 15km run. This year, the date shifted to 29 November and heard some changes in the starting point too. But one thing not changed, the cheap registration fees, RM20 for 10km and 15km. With the finisher package are similar to a full marathon event, the cheap registration fees make it really attractive. This is one of the small town race that very well organized and highly recommended if you looking for something difference compared to the usual KL/Selangor races. Click on below link to register.

Play hard! Race hard!

Training report: Training week 12 & 13, Heat & Hills Training

With the ambitious to add in the evening run, I started week 12. But lately the evening rain ruined the plan. Also I made effort to spend time with the kids for them to pick up bicycle. So the evening run session now backed to the shelf. May be one day I will need it. The high light for the week was the first heat training. The Saturday long run completed between 8-11am. Been quite a while I didn’t run around under the 10am sun in Malaysia. Most of the races will finish by 8 to 9am. The body responded to the heat and I had to slow down to keep the core temperature low. I ran with the Nike 2011 Run t-shirt, compress short, cap and the sunglasses. Totally burned down by the heat and all I can do on Sunday was an easy 15km run.

Week 12	Program	Done	Remark
Mon	Easy 9.7km	Easy 9.5km	2 sessions
Tue	Strength 4x 2.5km	Strength 2x 2.5km	Not enough time for 3rd repeat
Wed	Rest	Rest
Thu	Tempo 14.5km	12.5km	11km in tempo pace
Fri	Easy 9.7km	6.4km
Sat	Easy 16.1km	23km	Started 8:15am
Sun	Easy 16.1km	15km
Total Done		75km

Training week 13 started with a day off to give extra time for body to recover from Saturday’s heat training. Did the Strength repeats and tempo run without any issue (except for not enough time to complete the planned distances as usual). Come weekend, I forgot how badly the heat training can be, and started another session on Saturday. This time, I started after sending the kids to their art class, 9:40am. The run continued to 12:30pm. I was going with long run pace for the first half. After 10k I had to drop to 6.5min pace, subsequently walking after 18k. I wanted to give up, but managed to convince myself to stay under the hot sun, checked 19k, 20k, 21k then 22k. I walked most of these last sections. Very slow, but the training objective achieved. I used the blue long sleeve t shirt from Seoul Marathon. Felt too hot under the sun and too heavy when soaked with sweat. I preferred to run lighter.  

Week 13	Program	Done	Remark
Mon	Easy12. 9km	Rest
Tue	Strength 3x 3.3km	Strength 3x 3.3km	Recovery cut short to 400m
Wed	Rest	Rest
Thu	Tempo 14.5km	11.8km	10km in tempo pace
Fri	Easy 11.3km	4.3km
Sat	Easy 12.9km	22.7km	Started 9:40am
Sun	Long 25.8km	22.2km	Triple Hills route
Total Done		73km

The body responded better to the heat this time. I still felt the heating impact on Sunday when I wanted to start the long run in triple hills route. I decided not to push, just took easy pace around 6.5min, and focus to concur the hills. The Petronas station at the Hartamas end reopened, but I didn’t plan for any replenishment. I ran with my 2x 500ml Gatorade bottles, one with water and the other 100Plus with chia seed. Had a great run and practiced some descending skill.

After this hills training, I think the Plan B for R68 is more realistic. I will find out myself on the MURA R68 route racee on 19 April (2nd part from Genting Sempah to Bentong hot spring). I was also doing few running sessions with the Bare Access to condition the legs to getting use to go with some shoes. I should be surviving with VFF, but after 20km they will be soaking with the sweat and very wet, causing potential blister issue. Bare Access on the other hand, very well ventilated, hopefully with the DryMax socks it will keep the feet dry.

Today the Osaka Marathon 2015 (25 Oct 2015, 3 weeks after SCKLM) opened for registration. I registered the marathon, but still not sure if I will actually joining. The entry will be selected with ballot system and announcement will be made on June. This is the 2nd largest marathon event in Japan (after Tokyo). With the Japanese currency weaken recently, running in Japan seem to be more affordable. May be this will be my first marathon in Japan if I was selected.

Meanwhile, 5 more weeks until the R68 challenge. There will be another set of back to back heat training plus hill training this weekend. Have fun!

Training report: BWM Anniversary, CNY Celebration and Training week 6 & 7

Training week 6 went well except the FB group BWM anniversary celebration on the 15 Feb. The long run was reduced into a 3km short run, with some catching up with fellow barefoot runners and sharing of experiences from the barefoot guru. Some training schedule in week 7 changed too to suit the travel plan and other family chore before and during the CNY. But nonetheless, I recorded some decent mileages for both training weeks, without further stress on my injury.

Week 6	Program	Done	Remark
Mon	Easy 9.7km	4km
Tue	Speed 4x 1200m	Speed 4x 1200m	All repeats paced around 5min/km
Wed	Rest	Rest
Thu	Tempo 11.3km	11.3km	10km in tempo pace
Fri	Easy 9.7km	7km
Sat	Easy 16.1km	10km
Sun	Easy 12.9km	3km	BWM Anniversary
Total Done		45km

Overall week 6 was the low mileage period after the long run in week 5. I seem to have some problem to stick with the planned mileage especially during weekdays. I woke up 4am but usually dragged until 5am only out the gate, and need to return home to prepare the children for school by 6am. The one hour will only enough for 10km and below. I think some improvement needed here to reduce the waiting time from 4-5am  :P

Week 7	Program	Done	Remark
Mon	Easy 9.7km	None
Tue	Speed Progressive	Speed Progressive	All repeats paced around 5min/km
Wed	Rest	10.5km
Thu	Tempo 11.3km	14km	12km in tempo pace
Fri	Easy 11.3km	8.6km
Sat	Easy 12.9km	None
Sun	Long 22.6km	25km	23km in 6min/km
Total Done		73km

The highlight of week 7 was the progressive speed work. You will redo all the distances you concurred in previous speed work at once, plus the longest speed work of 1600m. My CNY holiday started so I can add in extra warm up and cool down. Total mileage for the week was 73km, doing it in the CNY holiday increased the feel good factor. I ran in Polo Ground during the CNY break. This is a great running venue but you will not want to start too early (before 6am, or the first Morning Prayer) cause it will be occupied by Mak Rempit. Also it will be too busy after 7am with lots of people doing their morning walk. So most of the workouts started with few loops in Polo Ground, and then I will venture into the surrounding area.

I put on 3kg extra weight during the injury and the CNY break wasn’t help at all to bring it down. It will run with me during the Seoul International Marathon. But after I checked the weather forecast, I think these extra fats come in handy. The 15 March forecast stated a 5degC high and -2degC low. If this is accurate, it will be way cooler than what I experienced in Munich (10degC). I don’t have any suitable running attire for this temperature. I planned to use the similar approach in Munich Marathon (double top, compress short, cap, arm warmer sleeves & gloves). The challenge will be on the waiting for flag off; like normal I will try to lookout for a disposable poncho and I am thinking to standby my running jacket underneath the poncho. Anyway, I think I will be ok after the engine warmed up. If the body responded well with the cool temperature, I will probably score a PB in this race. For now, I can only hope for the best and continue to fine tune my running pace to the target racing pace.

14 days until my departure to Seoul.