Army Half-Marathon this Sunday!

I'm running another Half-Marathon race this Sunday, 12 september 2010.

I'm joining the SAFRA Singapore Bay Run & Army Half Marathon.

This annual mass running event is the largest in Singapore and jointly organised by SAFRA and The Army. The event comprises both the competitive 21-km half-marathon and 10-km routes. The social runners can participate in the non-competitive 5/6-km Fun Run as well. 

The event aims to promote healthy lifestyle and reinforce SAFRA and the SAF’s emphasis on physical fitness. Over the years, participation has grown from 15,000 when it first started in 1992 to about 70,000 last year.

This year, we'll start at the Esplanade where the Merlion is nearby. We're also passing along the iconic Fullerton and the now infamous Marina Bay Sands. Parts of the 21-km route also includes the Singapore Flyer, the Formula One racing track (the F1 GP Night Race in Singapore is on Sept 24-26, 2010!), the long, unending stretch of East Coast Park and Shears Bridge.

Below is a detailed route map

21-km route map. Higher resolution map here from the SAFRA website

I will be running longer than my scheduled 10-mile training run.


Big good luck to me! :-)

p.s. I wasn't able to snap photos of handsome army boys behind the race pack collection when I got mine. Tsk tsk.

(crazy) Day 15: staggered 12-mile long run [part 1]

I knew it was going to be a crazy day when I learned that I'm running 12 miles. And that I have a fun run on the same day. And that we're having our dragonboat training NOT on our usual place.


And it was crazier when I woke up and heard thunder rumbling. I peered out through my window, and I saw a couple flashes. Lightning. Eeek! Not a good omen.
Day 15 was my 12-mile run, or 19.32 kilometers, in our sub 4-hour training plan for the upcoming SCMS 2010.

The (not-so-fun) Fun Run

We hauled our asses to Expo MRT Station where we queued up for a free shuttle to the starting line. It was already 7:45 when the bus started rolling. 

And then, more bad luck. The bus captain, I think, took the wrong exit. We were heading towards the city. I didn't understand his conversation as it was in Chinese. But we made a U-turn somewhere at the East Coast Parkway, some 15 kilometers away from the venue, and headed back. We arrived at the venue around 8:20. The flag-off time for the 6-km Fun Run was 8:15. Sigh, we were late.
It was raining, still. They gave out disposable raincoats while we were in line to hand our respective bags to the crew in mini-trucks. These mini-trucks serve as baggage check-ins. It was actually a cool idea, to have the start and finish points at different areas. No running around a looped route. 

Kadiri. Ang basa-basa na, ang itim-itim ko pa.

Click below to

Day 5: 9 miles long run, under the sun (late post)

So this is already day 5 (22 Aug 2010) of my training. A 9-mile long run under the scorching, Singaporean sun.

Geographically, Singapore is hotter than manila. Singapore is nearer to the earth's equator. Thus, hotter. But this doesn't hold true as cities in the inner part of Manila like Mandaluyong, Makati and Quezon felt like I was inside a baker's oven in April 2010 when I was there.

Anyway, I wasn't able to get up early that morning, so I had to choose between running before or after, my dragon boat training for my Sunday long run. I obviously chose the former.

I started my run a little before one in the afternoon. The Bedok Reservoir Park has a 5-Kilometer loop around the fresh water reservoir. Perfect if you're doing a 9-mile run (14.48 kilometers), as you'll do 3 loops. My run started just fine as the route had a good amount of shade. The reservoir has its share of eye candy that weekend too. Some canoe-polo sports competition is being held in one part. At the middle of the 5km loop, there was the lack or absence of shade and trees. I was under the mercy of the scorching sun for at least a kilometer. Alas, I found a shaded area outside the loop, so I continued my run there instead. And since I diverted from the loop, I had to climb up this hill with a manageable 10-30° incline. It was manageable, but at noon time, my heart was racing at 60-90beats a minute. I felt like my heart was about to explode.

I finished the loop but I had to do it two more times. Thank God I managed to finished my run.

I had to hydrate regularly to avoid heatstroke. There were a few drinking fountains along the route. I gobbled up water every 20-30 minutes. I had to splash water on my body, my head and especially and my nape. As the insides of our body heat up while doing exercise, running under the heat of the sun is very dangerous.

Heatstroke can lead to death. As what happened to Remus Fuentes (RIP) last Milo Marathon in Manila. Even widely popular and well organized marathons like the recent Standard Chartered Marathon in Kuala Lumpur, another fellow runner met a tragic incident. Runners must remember to hydrate before, during and after a run, especially if one runs in hot, humid city like Manila or Singapore.

Tip: Did you know that running cool water on your wrist (where your pulse is) cools your body down faster?

Happy Birthday @OutedNarnian

I suddenly woke up, very early Saturday morning. I couldn't get back to sleep. I wondered why... Then I remembered, it is:

  NARNIAN's BIRTHDAY!!!

 
Happy Birthday Guuurl!

I love you girl, and will be always rooting furr you, whereevur you urr! Heart-hugs!

Image editing apps thanks to Hello Kitty Camera and TuzkiSnap

Post script.

Narnian is my sorta-best friend forever already. I bet he doesn't know it. If that's the case, then it's a one-way BFF thing. More on that later.
 

When I went home to Manila last April, I asked him to join me in Body Pump class, a Les Mills fitness class I follow religiously. After the class we were to go for Kaya breakfast at the nearby Kopi Roti along Ayala corner Buendia in Makati. As we're about to take our shower (not together and scrub each other's back, silly!) I noticed that he was carrying a toilet-and-bath basket. This plastic basket is usually seen with kids staying at a student's dormitory. It was what you carry to a communal bathroom, with your products. It was packed to the brim with his pampaganda. I asked him if he brings it every day to the gym when taking a shower, and he said, "Yes, of course."


To make the story short, I knew I had to help Narnian. As his one-way BFF, it's my duty and responsibility for his to take care of what others perceive of him. My now 24-year old buddy shouldn't be seen with a T&B basket. So as a big Sizzzter, I bought him this.

 
Take a sec to decipher.

Click on the READ MORE to know what I got Narnian 

Sorry na!

...For being AWOL in my blogging duties. I'll be posting my older entries first so I can get back on track.





Photo Credits to JaneLee20.wordpress.com