Siemens 10 km Charity Run

Last year, I ran in the 5km Corporate category.

This year, I am in the 10km Individual category.

I haven't trained for 2 months.

The race comes in a week's time.

Running cold.

Dude.

Barefoot running - what you need to know.

Barefoot running gives pause to most people who are comfortable running in shoes all their lives, because it goes against the principle idea that "good shoes prevent injuries".

Here are some articles that might help bring some light into the matter:

1. Mechanics of barefoot running
2. A recent study on barefoot running
3. A comparative study on shod vs. barefoot running
4. Against barefoot running 

I am still ambivalent about barefoot running, but I am putting in moderate training in barefoot running to judge for myself if it works out for me. Currently, my experience seems to indicate that barefoot running stresses the lower calve muscles and wears out the skin of the front foot ground strike points.

Barefoot running

I attempted my first barefoot run this morning. The stadium was closed down for some event, so I had to try it out at a smaller park near my place.

I was fearful of getting cut by glasses, punctured by nails / twigs. It turned out that my fears were unfounded (yet!), despite taking some risks in stepping off the path into the grass. I paid more attention to where I was stepping too!

The most significant difference from shod running is the footstrike. Instead of landing on my heels, I land on the balls of my feet - which strains my calves and feet muscles.

On my way back, I ran on tarmac which were much rougher on my feet.

It was an interesting experience! Although I was lucky not to have got myself cut or hurt through the run. I would give it another shot and eventually try a 10km on barefoot running.

Putrajaya Night Marathon 2010

7.7km in 39mins (approx.)

Uphills and downhills run around the Convention Center and the bridge, otherwise flat road race. Interesting for the fact that it was held at night! Multitudes of contestants.

Ennui

The Putrajaya Night Race is just 2 weeks away. I still can't get my acts together. Motivation hitting the trough. Low in mood and energy.

Discipline

Sometimes, I wonder if I have got what it takes to run 10km every morning.

Sometimes, I wonder if I can do all the crazy runs that I hope to do before it is too late.

Sometimes, I wonder if it is at all possible for me to complete 10km below 40 minutes.

Sometimes, all I need is discipline.

Mental Fatigue

This week has been disastrous for me in terms of performance. I have been unmotivated, sensitive to aches and tiredness.

Mental fatigue sets in.

Apparently, running volume is the key to endurance performance.

Limits of Endurance

I came across some interesting ideas that could aid an amateur marathoner.

Maximal oxygen uptake or VO2max
This value is determined genetically and determines the limit of oxygen burn rate for a person.

Lactate Threshold
The more accurate metric that determines athletic performance. It measures how close a person gets to his VO2max for a particular activity and it can be improved through training.

Lastly, an interesting discussion on how to train for a marathon.

Training as usual

Since the Angkor Wat 10km run, I have been training at the municipal stadium weekly.

I have been thinking of doing one adventure run - perhaps an ultra-marathon - somewhere crazy. Alternatively, I could train to bring my 10km time sub-40 minutes and just concentrate on that for the next year.

My next adventure run would most probably be the Nepal Half Marathon or the Dubai Marathon.

Angkor Wat 10km Run @ 47:53

I couldn't believe my time!

This is the most fascinating run I have had so far!

Run #10: Monsoon Run

Subang Jaya Municipal Stadium. Dark, cloudy skies. 7am. 8km.

I ran.

I ran because I haven't done so for 2 weeks and I felt suffocated.

For the past week, amidst the haste of workaday life, I imagined myself of running carefree through majestic backdrops: running through the Yosemite valley, the mountainous plains of Colorado, through the lonely village roads in the Japanese mountains...

Perhaps, I just felt like fleeing from the drudgery of working for my pain quotidian.

Run #9: Follow-up Run

Subang Jaya Municipal Stadium. Cloudy. Rising Sun. 6.30am. 4km in ?

I didn't want to record my time. No pressure.

--

Some thoughts on metabolic efficiency:

1. For energy to release, our bodies needs glucose + water + O2.
2. Glucose can be stored in muscles, broken down from fat in the liver. The rate of glucose delivery to the muscles depends on biology. This we can improve through long term conditioning (correlates with training distance), if at all.
3. Water we can maintain by ensuring fluid goes through the body in a timely manner. BUT our bodies can't store too much water -- this translates to regular fluid stops along the running route.
4. O2 depends on both respiration and heart rate. Respiration depends on exhalation, which removes CO2 for more O2 capacity; and inhalation, which delivers the O2. Heart rate determines the speed at which the O2 can be delivered. Assuming heart rate is constant, O2 depends on lung capacity - how much CO2 is exhaled and replaced by O2; assuming O2 in lungs is constant with each breath, heart rate determines how much of O2 can be delivered to the muscles.

My target for this month would be to condition my heart and execute adjustments in breathing method.

Training has resumed.

Subang Jaya Municipal Stadium. 6-ish. 4km in 30mins?


Crap. Out of shape. Intended a 10km but terminated the attempt after 4km. Didn't think I would be healthy if I pushed for 10km after past 2 weeks of slacking.

--

I will be participating in the 10km Men category for the Angkor Wat Half Marathon on 6 December 2009. I have 1 month to prepare and restore my form.

BIM 2009

The run was beautiful and the BIM slogan was apt - "The Beautiful Run". 

Despite not training for 3 weeks, I finished the run ranked #31 overall and #25 in the Men's 10km category, and clocked 00:53:27.

Ice-sponge was a first for me: I squeezed the freezing water onto my head and felt lighter afterwards.

The Kenyan runners ran in great form. I never did caught up with any of them. The times they clocked were world-class times and inspired me to train for a 40+ minutes 10km.

The run is over, the restless part of me wonders when and where my next run is going to happen... The Angkor Wat Half Marathon seems interesting and I have 2 months to prepare for it. 

But for now, I feel so very tired and so very in need of a good rest. Perhaps I shall return again next year for the 3rd BIM run.

Run #7: Recovery Run

Subang Jaya Municipal Stadium. Clear skies, scorching sunrise. 7.25am. 8km in 45 mins.


Water stops 4km, 4km. Trained for speed. Felt heavier. I wasn't in The Zone. But form looked good (looking at my silhouette on the tracks).

--

Got blisters under a blister scar (which I got from last week's run). Didn't think that could happen. Aren't they one-at-a-time thingies?

Event: Angkor Marathon '09 so cool!

http://www.angkormarathon.org/en/index.html

Running in a magnificent ruin! Wow! I like the thought of that. Half marathon is out of my limits. But it seems worthwhile to try for this one.

--

Dream Routes

Perhaps another dream route that I'd like to try would be a run through the Lane of the Baobabs in Madagascar.

Or a run through the Kyoto East Side in early autumn, from Gingakuji to Kiyomizudera.

Officially sick

On medication... -_-

--

Observations:

8km was perfect workout.

10km was somewhat challenging and signs of overtraining were beginning to manifest.

12km is where I fall apart.

--

While mental barrier to sports performance is difficult to overcome, it is all to easy to push beyond physical limits by just ignoring pain and 'persevering'.

Overtraining is a necessary warning signal but not to be too concerned that it prevents better performance. Like a canary in the mines.

Heed the warning but do not quit.

--

All I need now is the next few days for recovery then revert to 10km runs with focus on training for faster speeds.

Falling sick...

Sore throat. Tiredness because of the lack of sleep. Overtraining has its toll. Gotta pay the toll, I guess...

Bad Sleep

Metabolic rate running all over the place. Tired but can't sleep. :-(

Run #6: Daybreak & Run

Subang Jaya Municipal Stadium. After-rain tracks, cloud-covered skies, cool winds. 7:10am. 12km in 1hr20.

Water stops 4km, 4km, 4km. Felt lighter. Sprinted through several 200m stretches. Quite satisfied that it was not as painful as I thought it would be.

The next step would be to overcome the speed barrier.