I did my 2nd Teluk Kumbar cross country this morning. The first was in 2010.. The difference was in 2010, I ran under the Open category, and did 8km (actually measured by my friend was 7.5km) but now, I am in the Jr Veteran group, I skipped the ~1km hilly run.. and ended up with 6.56km (stated as 6km in the race).
It was truly a nice feeling running through the scenic parts of teluk Kumbar which offers a lot of different running conditions - along the road, across the villages, the beach, and the veggie plantation (running on the benteng). I must say of all the races, this one boasts the most variety - short of tougLuh !! The beach run was the worse..
6.56k@37:44'@5:45'/k.. Toughest along the 1.2k beach, almost at walking pace !!
Total distance : 6.56m
Total time : 37:44
Average pace : 5:45'/k
The splits:
1) 2.53km (pace : 5:07) - along the road & through the kampung small roads, in between houses too !
2) 1.18km (pace :8:19) - along the dreaded beach.. The tide was high, so I had to run the soft part of the sandy beach.. Chris did a run on the lower edge of the beach, harder surface but had to get the shoe soaked.. I guess I still love my Ravenna 2 to let it wet the 2nd time !
3) 1.81km (pace : 5:21) - along the kampung roads
4) 269m (pace : 5:16) - through the veggie plantation, tough with muddy sands
5) 765km (pace : 5:01) - caught up with Chris.. and paced by him.. LOL !
Up next --> Malakoff 17km !
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
Teluk Kumbar Cross-Country 2012.... so looking forward to it..
Races seems hard to come by these days.. or rather I have not been signing up with many races in the first 3-4 months this year.. The last race was in early Jan, so that's about 2.5 months ago. Most of the races will come in end April, May and June (including 2 marathons)..
Because of that, I am so looking forward to this Sunday's cross-country run.. even though it's just a short 6km run (imagine, 40-49 years veteran only run 6km, while the Open runs 8km).. C'mon, we oldies can run 8km also lah :)
This will be my 2nd time running this, missed that last year and i think I was doing a race in KL or something like that lah..
Recap:
1) Teluk Kumbar has such a spectacular view of sunrise.. Must bring my iPhone to snap2.
2) Never forget the yellow slip. I misplaced mine the last time and had to scramble looking for it in my car.. Glad that I found it, else could not start the race and not entitled to the medal/cert !
3) No need to go so early. I remember I was among the first 10 to arrive, still so dark then..
4) Bladder - toilet will be a problem.. Need to control hydration
5) Beach run - danger of the ropes tied to the boat.. Saw a couple of runners tripped and fell.. So self-reminder.. But the breah-taking sunrise view will take whatever tiredness and fatigue away.
Run Safe, Run Happy !
Because of that, I am so looking forward to this Sunday's cross-country run.. even though it's just a short 6km run (imagine, 40-49 years veteran only run 6km, while the Open runs 8km).. C'mon, we oldies can run 8km also lah :)
This will be my 2nd time running this, missed that last year and i think I was doing a race in KL or something like that lah..
Recap:
1) Teluk Kumbar has such a spectacular view of sunrise.. Must bring my iPhone to snap2.
2) Never forget the yellow slip. I misplaced mine the last time and had to scramble looking for it in my car.. Glad that I found it, else could not start the race and not entitled to the medal/cert !
3) No need to go so early. I remember I was among the first 10 to arrive, still so dark then..
4) Bladder - toilet will be a problem.. Need to control hydration
5) Beach run - danger of the ropes tied to the boat.. Saw a couple of runners tripped and fell.. So self-reminder.. But the breah-taking sunrise view will take whatever tiredness and fatigue away.
Run Safe, Run Happy !
Monday, March 12, 2012
Lethal threats of marathon running
Running without practice could prove fatal
Last weekend, four male competitors died during the Great North Run, the world's largest half-marathon event. Stifling temperatures and high humidity were blamed. Here, leading sports physician Dr Tom Crisp describes what happens to the average runner's body during a marathon - and why a few unlucky people never make it to the finish line
0-30 mins (3.25 miles) Body heat rises
Even before the race has started, a runner will have a raised heart rate due to adrenaline and the excitement. This is perfectly normal and helps to get the body prepared for the challenge.
An average male runner, aged about 40, should have a resting pulse rate of close to 80 beats per minute. Women tend to have slightly faster resting rates.
In the first half-hour of the race, the heart rate of both men and women should climb to about 140 beats per minute. A healthy person who has done plenty of training should find this no problem.
Body temperature, which starts at around 37C, will also climb to around 40C. The hotter the weather, the hotter the runner will be. The body increases the output of sweat to try to cool the body.
Temperatures in the North East last Sunday reached 68F (20C), four degrees higher than the average, which meant runners were at greater risk of over-heating.
30mins to 1 hr (6.5 miles) Mild dehydration
Now, the runner should be in his stride and the going should be relatively easy. The heart rate will be at a steady 140 beats per minute. The body will be relying on carbohydrate fuel, in the form of glycogen manufactured by the liver.
Mild dehydration could become a problem, particularly if someone has failed to drink plenty before a race. Drinking alcohol the night before, or even too much coffee on the morning of the race, can make dehydration more likely.
1 to 2 hrs (13 miles) Burning fat
The body now starts to burn fat to power the muscles. The efficiency of this depends on the fitness of the runner. Stores of glycogen are running low.
The heart rate may have crept up and the body temperature could be hovering at 41C, which is as high as you can safely go before the risk of heat stroke, which can be fatal.
A fit runner should only be running at around 70 per cent maximum effort and keeping some in reserve.
A runner must make sure he gets regular drinks to stop himself becoming dangerously dehydrated. In some cases, he may suffer stomach cramps due to the fact that oxygen-rich blood has been diverted away from the digestive system to the muscles.
Some runners also suffer from diarrhoea, caused by the interruption of the normal bowel motion.
The bladder should not need to be emptied because the kidneys slow down urine production during strenuous exercise due to the fact the blood is diverted away from the kidneys.
2 to 3 hrs (19.5 miles) Lactic acid build-up
This is the point when many runners realise they can go no further. The body's glycogen stores are now exhausted and the muscles must rely on the breakdown of fat.
People who have not trained properly can start to go into anaerobic respiration, when there is too little oxygen reaching the muscles.
If you are out of shape, your body is not very efficient at taking in oxygen, and you hit your anaerobic threshold while exercising at very low levels of intensity.
One of the by-products of anaerobic respiration is lactic acid, which causes pain and muscular cramps. Lactic acid also makes it more difficult for the body to break down fat, so a runner slows right down.
At the end of this period, many runners hit the so-called Wall.
This is a psychological and physiological barrier when you feel that you cannot go another step.
Glycogen levels have bottomed out so blood sugar levels are very low. Blood sugar is needed as fuel for the brain, so you can feel faint and woozy. Some competitors are mentally exhausted, or even just bored.
Lactic acid levels may be high and the levels of important salts in the body, known as electrolytes, which include sodium and potassium chloride, may be very low.
The joints, particularly the knee caps, will be sore because they are under an enormous amount of stress as the legs pound the hard road surface.
3 to 4 hrs (25 miles) Exhaustion point
The runner's body is now reaching exhaustion point and his pace has usually slowed right down.
This is the point where people at risk may suffer from heart attacks, because the heart is under maximum stress. For an unfit runner in a half-marathon such as the Great North Run, that point will come much earlier.
Dehydration is also more likely, which thickens the blood and slows down the circulatory system. This means that the heart is working even harder to push the sluggish blood around the body.
There are two possible types of heart attack victim. Younger runners may collapse for no apparent reason if they have an undiagnosed genetic condition called cardiomyopathy, when the heart muscle is abnormal.
Older runners, in their 40s and 50s, are more at risk of collapse due to pre-existing coronary heart disease, when arteries in the body become narrowed by fatty deposits made of cholesterol.
4+ hours (the last mile) Dangerous heart rate
Even exhausted runners will often push themselves to the limit at the last to try to make a target or beat the runner ahead.
The heart rate can soar to near the maximum of 180 beats a minute and the blood pressure goes through the roof. The core body temperature can go dangerously high. The heart can suddenly fail within sight of the finish line.
After the race is over. Beware hypothermia.
When a runner stops after completing a marathon, the blood pressure plummets and can even go too low. This can lead to fainting and giddiness. It is important to keep walking around so the blood pressure has a chance to go back to normal more slowly.
The heart rate should go back to normal fairly quickly, as will the body's core temperature.
In cold weather, a runner should make sure they quickly put on something warm, or they could suffer from hypothermia, when the body cools down too much.
A fit runner will have a normal resting heart rate just 10-16 minutes after the race is over. Muscles and joints will be very sore for several days.Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-362942/Lethal-threats-marathon-running.html#ixzz1oup8vB7F
Last weekend, four male competitors died during the Great North Run, the world's largest half-marathon event. Stifling temperatures and high humidity were blamed. Here, leading sports physician Dr Tom Crisp describes what happens to the average runner's body during a marathon - and why a few unlucky people never make it to the finish line
0-30 mins (3.25 miles) Body heat rises
Even before the race has started, a runner will have a raised heart rate due to adrenaline and the excitement. This is perfectly normal and helps to get the body prepared for the challenge.
An average male runner, aged about 40, should have a resting pulse rate of close to 80 beats per minute. Women tend to have slightly faster resting rates.
In the first half-hour of the race, the heart rate of both men and women should climb to about 140 beats per minute. A healthy person who has done plenty of training should find this no problem.
Body temperature, which starts at around 37C, will also climb to around 40C. The hotter the weather, the hotter the runner will be. The body increases the output of sweat to try to cool the body.
Temperatures in the North East last Sunday reached 68F (20C), four degrees higher than the average, which meant runners were at greater risk of over-heating.
30mins to 1 hr (6.5 miles) Mild dehydration
Now, the runner should be in his stride and the going should be relatively easy. The heart rate will be at a steady 140 beats per minute. The body will be relying on carbohydrate fuel, in the form of glycogen manufactured by the liver.
Mild dehydration could become a problem, particularly if someone has failed to drink plenty before a race. Drinking alcohol the night before, or even too much coffee on the morning of the race, can make dehydration more likely.
1 to 2 hrs (13 miles) Burning fat
The body now starts to burn fat to power the muscles. The efficiency of this depends on the fitness of the runner. Stores of glycogen are running low.
The heart rate may have crept up and the body temperature could be hovering at 41C, which is as high as you can safely go before the risk of heat stroke, which can be fatal.
A fit runner should only be running at around 70 per cent maximum effort and keeping some in reserve.
A runner must make sure he gets regular drinks to stop himself becoming dangerously dehydrated. In some cases, he may suffer stomach cramps due to the fact that oxygen-rich blood has been diverted away from the digestive system to the muscles.
Some runners also suffer from diarrhoea, caused by the interruption of the normal bowel motion.
The bladder should not need to be emptied because the kidneys slow down urine production during strenuous exercise due to the fact the blood is diverted away from the kidneys.
2 to 3 hrs (19.5 miles) Lactic acid build-up
This is the point when many runners realise they can go no further. The body's glycogen stores are now exhausted and the muscles must rely on the breakdown of fat.
People who have not trained properly can start to go into anaerobic respiration, when there is too little oxygen reaching the muscles.
If you are out of shape, your body is not very efficient at taking in oxygen, and you hit your anaerobic threshold while exercising at very low levels of intensity.
One of the by-products of anaerobic respiration is lactic acid, which causes pain and muscular cramps. Lactic acid also makes it more difficult for the body to break down fat, so a runner slows right down.
At the end of this period, many runners hit the so-called Wall.
This is a psychological and physiological barrier when you feel that you cannot go another step.
Glycogen levels have bottomed out so blood sugar levels are very low. Blood sugar is needed as fuel for the brain, so you can feel faint and woozy. Some competitors are mentally exhausted, or even just bored.
Lactic acid levels may be high and the levels of important salts in the body, known as electrolytes, which include sodium and potassium chloride, may be very low.
The joints, particularly the knee caps, will be sore because they are under an enormous amount of stress as the legs pound the hard road surface.
3 to 4 hrs (25 miles) Exhaustion point
The runner's body is now reaching exhaustion point and his pace has usually slowed right down.
This is the point where people at risk may suffer from heart attacks, because the heart is under maximum stress. For an unfit runner in a half-marathon such as the Great North Run, that point will come much earlier.
Dehydration is also more likely, which thickens the blood and slows down the circulatory system. This means that the heart is working even harder to push the sluggish blood around the body.
There are two possible types of heart attack victim. Younger runners may collapse for no apparent reason if they have an undiagnosed genetic condition called cardiomyopathy, when the heart muscle is abnormal.
Older runners, in their 40s and 50s, are more at risk of collapse due to pre-existing coronary heart disease, when arteries in the body become narrowed by fatty deposits made of cholesterol.
4+ hours (the last mile) Dangerous heart rate
Even exhausted runners will often push themselves to the limit at the last to try to make a target or beat the runner ahead.
The heart rate can soar to near the maximum of 180 beats a minute and the blood pressure goes through the roof. The core body temperature can go dangerously high. The heart can suddenly fail within sight of the finish line.
After the race is over. Beware hypothermia.
When a runner stops after completing a marathon, the blood pressure plummets and can even go too low. This can lead to fainting and giddiness. It is important to keep walking around so the blood pressure has a chance to go back to normal more slowly.
The heart rate should go back to normal fairly quickly, as will the body's core temperature.
In cold weather, a runner should make sure they quickly put on something warm, or they could suffer from hypothermia, when the body cools down too much.
A fit runner will have a normal resting heart rate just 10-16 minutes after the race is over. Muscles and joints will be very sore for several days.Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-362942/Lethal-threats-marathon-running.html#ixzz1oup8vB7F
Sunday, March 11, 2012
My 2nd love now - Biking !
Distance: 4.53 km
Time: 13:14
Avg Pace : 2:55 min/km
Average Speed: 20.5 kph
Calories burned: 158
Hiking - my first training in months !!
I did my first hiking in months @ the Bukit Jambul Hill.. and also preparing for the Dnonce Hiking Challenge so that I don't just show up at the hiking on 22 April without any hiking 'mileage'.. Did 62mins 3 rounds ascend & descend Bkt Jambul, with 2 mins reast in between.. No jokes.. It's crazy ! So on average it's 9.5-10.5mins up and down.. This is the toughest I hv done.. Usually did one round.. I must hv burst my lungs & heart muscles.. and it's dangerous.. I was so exhausted and felt uneasy the whole night. Really thought I would die from heart attack in my sleep ! Thank God.. I am OK by the morning. So no more such vigorous hiking. Will take it easy moving forward. Was thinking of doing the Competitive Hike. Now, it's gonna be FUN HIKE for me !! No way for compatitive unless I want to be brought down dead !!
At the same time, I tried on my heart rate monitor (HRM) for the 1st time.. Alas.. battery kong.. So I need to change that. I must start to track my heart rate so that I keep a good monitor on it and not pushing over the limit. Anyway, I got weird looks from others because I was wearing my Sundown vest and the side sleeve revealed the black strap. People must have been thinking why this guy wears a bra and it didn't help because I keep adjusting it (too loose) :)
As for my Brooks Cascadia 7 trail shoes - perfect start.. Love it ! stable and well protected.. and it glows in teh dark too :) Flourescent Yellow & Green - you can't go wrong with it !!
At the same time, I tried on my heart rate monitor (HRM) for the 1st time.. Alas.. battery kong.. So I need to change that. I must start to track my heart rate so that I keep a good monitor on it and not pushing over the limit. Anyway, I got weird looks from others because I was wearing my Sundown vest and the side sleeve revealed the black strap. People must have been thinking why this guy wears a bra and it didn't help because I keep adjusting it (too loose) :)
As for my Brooks Cascadia 7 trail shoes - perfect start.. Love it ! stable and well protected.. and it glows in teh dark too :) Flourescent Yellow & Green - you can't go wrong with it !!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
3/6/2012 - Got my 2 new pairs of Brooks !!
Got my 2 new Brooks pairs from Tommy today.. Love them.. Very colorful !
1) Pure Cadence for my running... replacing the Ravenna 2
2) Cascadia 7 for my hiking and trail run.. in time for my Dnonce Hiking Challenge :)
D'nonce Penang Hiking Challenge - Apr 22
I have decided to skip the Energizer Night Race on Aprl 21. Sepang is way too far out unless I make a 24-hr trip to Tune Hotel LCCT but it'll still be a hassel. It's also too close to Kuala Kangsar LHKSAS the following week. This hiking challenge came up.. Why not since I have never done any hiking 'competition' before. I have just signed up for the 'fun hike'. Definitely will avoid the competition hike since that looks like a damn daunting hike into the wilderness ! :) and so, I plan to get my trail shoes as I never had a proper soe for hiking/trail run... Brooks Cascadia it will be --> my weekend shopping shoe, besides getting my red Pure Cadence !! So looking forward to the weekend !!!! :):)
Distance : 3.5km
Qualifying Time : 2 hours
Start & End : Youth Park.
http://www.dpihc.com/EventCtgry.aspx?evt=fun
Distance : 3.5km
Qualifying Time : 2 hours
Start & End : Youth Park.
http://www.dpihc.com/EventCtgry.aspx?evt=fun
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