Nike+ Human Race 10K Race Report

If I had to give an award this year for different races, the Nike race would win the prize of 'Most Gimmicky Race'. From the bit where everyone HAD to run the race wearing the same T-shirt that had your race number (ie, you're Number 359,128 amongst all the million runners in the world - they had a separate race number for each country's individual race which makes the whole 'world number' kind of lame) emblazoned on it to the finisher's medal...not really a medal but a Nike arm band which I'm sure many many people will be wearing in the days to come as a whole 'guess what I got this from the Nike 10K run I completed'...to the really annoying local rock bands they brought up to entertain the crowd (you know that 'look at how how open we are to different kinds of music because we've got the whole ipod thing going').

Maybe it's because I had a crappy run that's why I'm being hard on the Nike run, because other than their completely crap website and lack of email notifications, the actual run itself was pretty well organised. I had some crap time (no idea what the actual time is since the Nike website sucks and I can't access it) because well, I haven't been doing much by way of running for a long while now, plus the tons of unhealthy food I've been shoving down my throat can't have helped. I had a side stitch pretty early on the race and had to stop to walk about 4k in because my chest felt tight, and my legs just felt miserable. R was actually being nice and running with me (poor chap had to take tiny little strides) at the beginning, but I fell so far behind he had to leave me in the dust about midway through.

So I've come to the conclusion that next year I'm going to save me some moolah and not do any Mizuno or Nike runs. The thing is I really don't see why I should pay all this money (these races are pretty pricey) when I don't really need the free goodie bag (which isn't 'free' seeing as you're paying more for these races than any regular race). I know a lot of locals run for the race pack and all the freebies in it, but frankly I'd rather have the money I put into a race go to a good cause then another t-shirt or water-bottle or backpack.

Race Time: 1hr 22 mins (as per my watch which I forgot to turn off till I had my post-race drink - Nike website sucks!!!!)

What I did yesterday:
1hr in the gym working the core

A Very Easy 7k

After much lounging around, excuses followed by pangs of guilt, I finally laced up my runners and hauled my KFC-filled body out on the roads. I'm quite happy I did that. Okay, so it wasn't a huge distance, nor was it anything close to speedy. But, it was me finally climbing out of the lazy rut and a run is a run at the end of the day.

Surprisingly, post-run I actually felt (and still feel) pretty good. I suspect that previously I was over-working myself with all the running, muay thai, swimming training, pilates etc. My muscles didn't actually have time to heal and I was getting to a stage where running was becoming more a drag than something I at least looked forward to. Moral of the story, I'm going to be a bit more sensible going forward and do things in a bit more moderation. All things going well, I'll have no more bouts of illness or injuries for a while!

What I did last night:
Ran 7k in 51mins

AM running

So far of the one million times I've tried waking up early in the morning to run, I have succeeded a grand total of 1 time and it probably was a fluke I was up that early anyway. I was supposed to be up to do an easy 4k - 5k this morning but when the alarm went off at 6am the excuses started - I'll sleep another 5 minutes/I can run during lunch/I can run after work/I'm too dehydrated to run this early...blah blah blah. So now I have to run during lunch because I didn't wake up early enough to run. Better yet, despite sleeping the extra 1 hour, I still feel tired, which makes me feel as if I should have just woken up and run the damn 4k.

Big plans to wake up at 6am tomorrow and try this again. Wish me luck.

Last note: I've just discovered how ridiculously easy to fall back into the lazy cycle. I've been ill for the past week and have sat on my ass eating fried chicken and other similarly unhealthy meals. I also haven't been doing anything close to exercise. And somehow, while there's a little part of me that feels guilty, I'm actually pretty happy being lazy for the most part.

Salomon X-Trail / Tinny Run Reports - ish

Thanks to the lovely cough that's keeping me up most nights, I decided to give the Salomon X-Trail Run a skip and go down as a supporter. R did the muddy, hilly run and enjoyed it, which made me kind of bummed that I was too sick to take part. Bah. I have some pictures somewhere.

As for the Tinny Run, maaaan....I dropped out of that. Firstly it was unlikely I was going to be any better than I was in the morning (where I skipped the Salomon Run) and secondly, running with a tummy full of beer, SHEER MADNESS! R did pretty well and got held back by the big spoil- sport, essentially me. He has plans to train me well in the art of downing cans of beer and running madly after. Good luck to him.

Meanwhile, I'm still coughing away and I am so behind in training and fitness. Tonight I'll do a little core training, just to ease my guilty conscience.

On the Brink of Illness

I've been feeling a bit out of it lately. Been really sleepy and I've got an annoying cough to boot. I've decided also to be sensible and take the next two days off running/muay thai etc. Sigh, what a bummer.

What I did yesterday:
Swim training for 1 hour

I Woke Up At 6am!

And did a 6.5k run!

What I've done:
Friday: Ran 11k in 1:27 hr
Saturday: 1hr of pilates (Tower)
Today: Ran 6.5k in 50:18min - Yeah, the time's crap, but it was some insane hour of the morning!)

Reebok Pink Ribbon Walk - Women 5k Competitive Run Race Report

The Pink Ribbon Run/Walk was actually pretty well organised and also for a good cause. I did this race purely to find out what my 5k time was and I have to say I'm rather disappointed. I don't think it's a great time at all. I know I started way too fast and then I was struggling to maintain the idiotic speed I started at; then I spotted a friend walking around and decided to use that as an excuse to rest some (I stopped mid-race and went over to her say hi); then I managed to start again at a slower pace...and that essentially was my race. Needless to say my second 2.5k was faster than my 1st split (because I didn't have anyone to say 'hello' to) and because I somehow managed to find some reserve deep within me and dash the last 100m. I'm proud to say that my pace then was 3:28min/km...and that essentially is all I'm proud of in the entire race.

My personal timing aside, the race was at East Coast Park (which I hate running in so much) and it was just 5k of mind-numbingly dull flat road. Everything went smoothly - there really is nothing much one can say about a 5k run, since it really is just 5k at the end of the day.

More interesting than the race, is my 25k evening bike ride which was a real kick-ass (or crotch) workout. A couple of us joined Terra Outdoor for their Mid-Autumn Festival Western Connect Ride from Ghim Moh to Jurong freaking Bird Park! Okay, we didn't cycle all that fast and it was more a leisurely ride than anything else, but it was fun all the same!

Race Time: 30:28 mins (new PB!) - First split: 15:56 mins, Second split: 14:32 mins

What I did:
Saturday: 25k bike ride

My First Tempo Run

was pretty good fun but sure took a lot out of me! I think I may have run too fast in the middle and then having to hold that pace was sheer torture. All in, this run made me realise how easy I've been taking my runs. I've essentially become so used to running at my grandmother's pace that pushing myself harder has become a foreign concept.

What I did
Wednesday: 25 minute Tempo Run