Race Report: Newton Challenge 2013

Newton Challenge was one of the race that offering the unique distances (15km & 25km) on the very challenging route in Bandar Kinrara. This was also the 3rd Newton Challenges in the past 2 years (twice in 2012) and I was running in the first one, now I returned to this race as it was one of the most challenging route with the Amah Hill and her two daughters.

This was a good testing ground to gauge my training result. I ran the first Newton Challenge when I was in relatively good form and took down all the climbs without much issue. Running on identical route served a good indication of one’s physical form. Anyway, the new route added in another climb towards the 20km just to make it more challenging. I planned to have an easy ride on this race to practice my target marathon pace (6.4 min/km). From the recent 2 races, I knew I don’t need to push too hard for this pace, but those were only 10k & 21k. I would like to find out if I can last for the 25k.

Closed to 1500 competitors lined up for 25km category. I started at the back as usual. The race field was packed from starting line all the way to the first water station, and then the pack eased up further when we turned at the traffic light to take down the first climb. I maintained a good average pace from start, at 6.3-6.4min/km. The situation started to be tricky after reached the top of the daughter hill. My legs felt extremely itchy, there descends was calling them to charge... no choice but just listen to the body and charged on. From there, the pace increased to 5-5.5min/km when descending, and 6.1-6.2min/km when climbing. Basically that’s what repeated for the rest of the distances left.

Towards the finish line, photo taken by Vivian.

Refuelling becomes very important when you are pushing for the race. I took a heavy breakfast (coffee with 2 tea spoons of Chia seed, plus 4 loafs of bread with cheese), but start to felt hungry after 12km. Took the PowerGel at 14km, but it can’t last until the end. The route joined with 15km category from 19th km onwards. I again felt hungry around 22km, and this time I didn’t had another PowerGel. No choice so I pushed even harder so that I can fill up my dummy at the finish line. Saw the water station at 23km, and I was hoping to see 100Plus, but only plain water available. Finally, got to the final turn and finished the race with 2:30’37” net time (gun time 2:32’16”, position, Men Open 164, overall 282; 12 minutes faster than previous). But I was disappointed to found no food at the finish line. Only watermelon was served, and I think I took at least half of a watermelon :P

The average pace from the race is 17 seconds faster than my target pace, and the heart rate averaged at 146BPM, with overall max at 161BPM. This showing that the training program hard brought me to a much better physical form. I am confident that I am doing fine now and heading towards my target of sub4.5. Looking at the pace chart, I think I will need some hill-repeats cause there will be more hills to climb in Titi50. Bukit Kledang at my home town will be my best friend come Chinese New Year :)

5000KM into Running

I started running for more than 3 years now. First I used Sport Tracker for mileages records, and then slowly I moved to DailyMile since March 2011. Why I faithfully login my training mileages? I used them to encourage myself to continue. Like what I read from Haruki Murakami’s book about running, me too got tones of reasons to not running every morning, but only few kept me going. Hence I need to carefully preserve those few. The statistic, analysis, equivalent numbers of donuts, TV powered, around the world, etc. do spark the interest of keep going. I also loved the interaction between runners in the DailyMile and met some great running friends like Lina, Nick and Kah Yen.

 

Now 3 years passed and I cumulated 5000km training mileages (with 200km of cycling earlier this year), just to reflect on my progress so far,

1. Started running with the intention to loss weight, now I am 18kg lighter than the time I started. 10kg from the first year, then it stayed around 70-73kg for 2 years until I started follow the training program and control my diet, now is 65kg.

2. Running getting faster. My first 10km race was about 90 minutes, and now its 55 minutes. My first 21km race was about 2:25’, and now its 2:03’. My first 42km race was about 6:31’, and now its 4:59’.

3. Completed 2 oversea FM, Singapore and Germany (Munich)

4. Started to felt that I had too much of medals in collection, and some time paying too much for a short race.

5. Calves, knees, ankles, lower back and some others parts I don’t know the name are suffering regular soreness (and some time pain), like all other seasonal runners does.

60 more days to my first Ultra 50km.

New Year Resolution 2014

Only now I start to plan for my 2014, I awared that I had 2 sets of goals in both DailyMile and in my Blog.
Goals set at DailyMile,
1. 4x Full Marathon

2. Sub-5 in Full Marathon

3. Control weight at 65kg

I achieved all these goals (the weighing scale started to show 65-66kg now).
 

Goals set at Blog,

1. 1x Barefoot Marathon
2. Sub-5 in Full Marathon
3. Sub-2 in Half Marathon
4. Control weight at 66kg

I only completed 2 out of 4. Barefoot running take a back seat this year. Even though I still race on and off with barefoot, but it more like for fun instead of training up to FM distances. The next will be sub-2 HM, I completed the last HM in 2:03. Let’s leave it for next year.

 

I am now following the Hansons Marathon Method training program. The recent two PB are obviously from the training program. I am excited with the result so far. I was not really good in following training program, all my previous program will only lasted for 2-3 weeks. Now I am actually completed phase one of the Beginner program and partially into phase two (8 weeks into training). Missed few workouts but mostly are on schedule. The weekly mileages stacking up to 65km, and ran 216km in November. I expected more to come in December and January before shifting back to low gear for tapering in February for the 50KM in Titi 100.

So it’s again the time to plan for 2014, I am actually struggled to find enough races to fill up my once a month quota. There will sure be lots of shorter or longer races come up later, so I will live with what I had here for time being. For half marathon, I will skip Brooks HM and Seremban HM, adding in the Bidor, Ipoh KRI (not sure the date) and PNM HM (don’t want to back to back FM weekend). 3 x 42km and 2 x Ultra. The Taipei Marathon will be part of the family vacation plan :)

Month	Race
January	MPIB Run, 12KM
February	Titi 100, 50KM
March
April	Bidor Half Marathon, 21KM
May	Larian HKSAS, 15KM
June	B2E, 12 hrs Ultra
July
August
September	River Jungle Marathon, 42KM
October	PNM, 21KM & SCKLM, 42KM
November
December	Taipei Marathon, 42KM

Target for 2014,

1. Complete a sub 4.5hrs Full Marathon
2. Complete a sub 2hrs Half Marathon
3. Complete a 52min 10k
4. Control weight around 65kg

Don’t think I will venture into full time Barefoot running soon, will continue to focus on speed training to expose my limit.

Hope the new year will be as fruitful as 2013.

Happy running!

Race Report: GM Klang Run For It 7

If I took out all Setia Alam races (2x CICM), then this is my first race in Klang. I didn’t know why I always missed races in Klang, and this year I only did 2 half marathons, hence I sign up this race as soon as it open up. No target set for the race but as it was at the mid of my training plan, I would like to check if the training workout positively.

From the last week’s 10k, I knew better on my current fitness level. So the plan will be hold up an easy pace (<150BPM) for the first half, then speed up to the finish line after 12km. Only I wish to avoid the repeat the previous mistake of pushing too hard, hence the max heart rate should be 170BPM. I will be looking for another PB if I able to stay between 5.9-6.1 min pace all the way. Btw, the race is on a very flat route you normally don’t see in other local races.

The race flagged off on 5:35am, I started slow but steady around 6.5 min pace. Not too many runners in this category and the road are wide in this part of the town, the crowds eased after 1km. I sped up to the target pace of 5.9min. Heart rate was steady and stayed below 150BPM, and start to overtaking other runners. Said hello to few familiar runners until I met my colleague Fong. He is going with about 6 min pace, and I figured that I should stay at my current pace (I was still speeding, almost 5.5min pace right before I met him) hence we ran and pace each other at the 6 min pace. The race felt much easier when you had some company. We exchanged some stories and office gossip, 12km just past like that. We merged with 10km runners, and then is time for me to push on.

I knew that I had lots left in the tank, so I took my PowerGel at 12km and sped on alone. The burst only last for 1km, then not too sure what was the reason, may be I was too comfortable with the company, the formation of the blister on my toes or the route is just plain boring. I lost the steam to stay on 5.5min. I can only push my best to sustain the speed at 5.9-6.1min pace. The situation finally over after I stopped by the water station at 18km to refill my bottle. I then sped all the way to the finish line and completed with a PB of 2:03’35” (Fong did returned with a PB too).

Towards the finish line. Photo thanks to KelvinTan.my

Finisher Medal and PB for Half Marathon

Overall, the race is ok. I enjoyed the flat route, the friendly water stations volunteers and the check point volunteers (as they busy recording top runners from other categories, I reported my number just to make some fun out of it, the response was great). On the other hand, the organizing part got nothing to shout on. Water stations gave out 350ml bottles to all runners, some sections no marshals, traffic control only at most of the big junctions (this may not be an issue as we don’t observed heavy traffic during the race). And the best part was my medal… I got a finisher medal of 10km, on a race that I got my half marathon PB. Only realized it when I reached home and I wouldn’t drive all the way back to Klang just to exchange it. Anyway, I will still return to this race next year. I will push harder for my sub-2 HM target here :)

The PB shown the result from the training program, and I am heading to the right direction. Also I reconfirmed my targeted marathon pace with my 10k and HM race result, hence the 4.5 hours finishing time is achievable. I will continue to stick on my training program and enjoying few short races in between. 69 days until the big 50KM race.

Race Report: CICM 10KM 2013

This race becomes part of my office routine, another year into the corporate challenge. Some of the members not able to make it as the race rescheduled from September, we had 2 new team members this year. No pre-race meeting as we all knew that the Managing Director will be at the race site on that morning so we need to win! And we did, successfully defend the champion this year. The event is some how less eventful compared to last year. I think about 400-500 in the HM and 800-1000 in the 10k. Many withdrawn from this race as it not only rescheduled, but also moving back to Setia Alam from Putrajaya. We are 3rd times running the same route since CICM moved to Setia Alam from Bukit Jalil. And you can see how much the township built up from scratch.

Didn't bring the Official Event T :P

As I am mid way thru my training program, I took this as one of the training pace determination run. If the race result matched or better than my training pace, then I will continue with the current training pace, else, a revise may be required. The training pace I picked needed a 10k pace of 5:52, which converted to a finishing time of 58’40” for the 10k. So my plan was starting with 5.5min pace, and speed up to may be 5min pace after the 3rd water station heading back to finish line.

Reached the starting point 5:30am and walked around to finish my breakfast. Not long, the HM was flagged off around 6:15am (I still think is ridicules to flag off a 21k race in Malaysia after 6am). I started my warming up after used the toilet. We gather into the starting pen around 6:40am and flagged off on 6:45am. The start off was kind of packed, but lucky the traffic police block off the traffic on the main road. I started with 6min pace due to the congestion, but managed to catch up the plan 5.5min pace after flying off the descent. With the momentum I pushed a bit to 5.1min pace on the 2nd KM. Then I slow down and kept a decent effort on maintaining the 5.5min pace. The crowd was cleared. The heart rate was already 168BPM, but I was not panic like last year (knew very well that you need to push hard to get speed, and I held up that HR for few hours in my last marathon). I stopped at all 3 water stations for half cup of water, for hydration and regulate the heart rate. The heart rate actually stayed at below 168BPM until the 3rd water station at 8km before I decided to push harder.

The race was too short for a second wind, hence the decision to push harder was a difficult one. The speed again went up to 5.1-5.2min pace, but I was not able to maintain my heart rate this time. It’s burst from 170BPM all the way to 197BPM and my Garmin made hell lots of noise due to heart rate high alarm. No choice but to hold back and slow down. Finished the race with 55’28”, 8 seconds PB from last year race (I can continue with my training pace now and aim for a 4.5hours full marathon).

The paces for both races are very similar. 2 biggest lost time for this year race compared to last year, was the start up (I didn’t get to the front like last year), and I didn’t push after climbing the 2nd incline at the 5th KM. Overall pace kept very well at 5.4-5.5 min pace at 5-8th KM. And the heart rate kept very well below 170BPM until I pushed. One of the possible improvements will be the push (apart from starting in front). I should push earlier and not too hard. It’s really not a very good feeling when your heart rate went beyond the maximum (safe exercise zone).

Next week will be my 3rd HM for 2013. I will try to challenge my PB (2:07’19”), just keep going with the 6.0-6.1 min pace and I will reach another PB. Sub-2? May be next year :)

Training update: Hansons Marathon Method

After 12 full marathons, I achieved my first sub-5 hours (hopefully is the first one). I didn’t follow any kind of training plan as I am not really good to follow thru the 16 weeks routine and all my training was ad hoc. But now I started to wonder if this will be my limit, or what will be my potential if I follow thru some training plan. And Nick introduced the Hansons Marathon Method to me.

I must say I am totally bought over to the ideas shared in this book. The layout of the information is very well and it’s explained the training program before jump into the training time table. I spent some time to first digest the information, and then I spend some time looking into my time table and an event that fit into the timing to test out the result. That’s why I register myself to my first ultra 50km. Back to the training program, it’s explained why the speed work, tempo, strength building and long run, and why the program layout into a full 6 days per week workout.

I picked to start with Beginner program, cause I needed the rest and I got not confidence at all after I looked thru the weekly mileages required in the Advanced program. Beginner program started with 25-35km per week, then step up to 55-68km when speed work kicked in. Then shifted to higher gear when strength building run kicked in, peak with a whopping 85km per week. I can tell you I never ran that much before in a week! Maximum in my records was 60km only, and that’s only happened once! I am sure if I can survived this training program, I will be running any marathon with a comfortable pace (sub-5 will not be an issue any more).

Pace setting for the training program is slightly less emphasized. For any target pace you wished to follow during your race, a set of training paces recommended. So you can move up the target pace (together with set of training paces) if you later found that the pace is too easy, or slowing down if the program is getting too hard for you. Anyway, in order to identify one target pace, the past racing pace should be used. If you ran a 5.5 marathon previously, probably starting with the relevant training paces will be good. For me, I check out the easy pace (7:08 min) that I usually do, then look up to the target pace (6:24 min), which is a 4.5 hours marathon finish time. May be an ambitious target, but let give it a try and see how far I will last in the training plan, and adjust later.

The first test will be the 10k race on 1st Dec. It is recommended in the book to reconfirm the training pace if you have no completed any marathon, by doing a 10k race full out at around 7 week into the beginner training program. Hence I will try to match or better the training pace of 5:52 min. I was doing a 5:22 min pace last year on the same race (pushed hard due to company assignment to win in cooperate category), hopefully I can repeat the same result this year. And then I will comfortably use this set of training pace for the rest of the program.

Anyway, the final test will not be a marathon, but a 50km ultra @ Titi 100. I will need to adjust my 5 hours target for 42km to something like 6.5 hours for the 50km. The target looks great! Let see how far I can go with the training program for the next 94 days.

Race Report: Salomon X-Trail 2013

My 3rd barefoot race, and the first one on trail. The decision to barefoot on this event is mainly just for fun. I didn’t put in any training on trail and my last trail run was January 2011 (was only less than 2km on trail plus other in Lake Garden area, in a Cross Country event by FTAAA KL), it’s not even in my blog :P  I don’t have any target, just planned to have some fun and play with some mud.

It was hot in Saturday, but the early morning rain before the race start made the race more interesting. Arrived the MAEPS site around 6:20am, and it already packed with runners. Preparation was simple, just took off the sandal and walked to the starting point. Hang around the area to chatted with some other barefooters (I am not the only crazy one in this race) before we headed to the flag off point. Flagged off on time and we are heading towards the trail which is about 1.5km away. I just kept a comfortable 6.5 min pace.

Once I entered the trail, ops, I felt regretted to barefoot as there is a trail filled with lots of stones & pebbles. No choice but to slow down to brisk walking and needed to be mindful to put down every step. Lots of runners overtook me, I started to get used to this humble feeling. I only ran when the trail surface is dirt, mud or grass. Uphill is relatively easy for barefoot, but descending on the stones/pebbles filled trail barefoot is really painful. So most of the time I did the reverse compared to other runners, running uphill, walking down hill. The pace is awful 10-11min walking pace for that whole 4km trail section.

Finally the trail ended at about 6km mark. All runners heading back to the finish line via tarmac. I slowly pick up some speed here and finish the under distances (7.18km only) race with 1:09. Luck, no damage on both soles (only the usual water blisters formed and gone).

Thanks Dexter for the nice photo towards the finish line.

Overall the race is very well organized. Organizer and volunteers did great to make this happened and everyone had fun. Overhead some one said the route cut short due to rain and some section is not safe to run. It will be great if the organizer can announced up front the short in distances.

With out sufficient trail training and the race was jam-packed with another thousand plus runners on the trail, I don’t think I could run any faster even if I went in with VFF/sandal, hence the decision to play with barefoot still a great choice. With this race, at least I confirmed that I am not really for trail running (at least at this point of time, hard to say never especially after you read the story about the road racing Carboman Jamie also started flying over those trails).

No matter on what surface, keep running :)