Standard Chartered Run 2013

After Great Eastern Run 2013, I planned to give myself the best shot in SC Run 2013. But who knows one week before the run, I was down with fever and coughing. The coughing was so bad that it even trigger my back bone pain. 

However, as quite a few friends joined this run, I still insisted to take part, even I knew I could not deliver myself good result. Running could be a very serious addiction. *grin*

SCSM 2013 was really a happening one, there were 40k++ participants! The whole Raffles are was so crowded. 

during the run

I enjoyed my run though I finished the run at 80 mins, 14 minutes slower than my GE Run. 

With friends happily on SC Run 2013 medal

Alvin also started to get addicted to running, we have signed up for Marina Run 2014 half marathon which falls on Feb 15! Gotta train for it! No target set yet, but I would try my best. 

Let's run for a reason~~~

Great Eastern Women's Run 2013

After two mediocre 10km marathons in 2012 Nov and 2013 Jan, I took part in my company 10km women's run again. Previously both run were done with about 90-95 mins.

But after my company's Live Great program on employee brisk walking every Wednesday few months ago, I was determined to improve my physical strength. I started jogging, elliptical training and climbing staircases. 

This time, I made it a quantum leap by finishing the run at 66 mins! I was so thrilled. 

Free picture from the running organizer... 

Hopefully for the coming Dec 1, 2013 Standard Chartered 10km marathon, I can at least keep up with this performance. Hope for a better one like 60-64 mins?  

OCBC Cycle 2013

I conquered another challenge this year - 42KM cycling from Singapore F1 Building to East Coast Park, to and fro.

It was another event sponsored by the company. I did not have any cycling training beforehand due to the busy workload. However, after knowing that it would be excruciating painful riding on bikes for hours, I decided to get myself a bike short which I did not regret at the end (it was quite expensive). 

On April 28, 2013 early in the morning, I really mean early, it was as early as 3am, I took a cab with 2 colleagues to the site. The organizer decided to push forward the check-in procedure due to Boston marathon bombing few days before the event. Excitedly after checking in, we collected our rented bikes and started to get ourselves familiar with the bike function. =.= Yea, moment before the event, we only start to figure out which button is for which function. 

It was very crowded as ten thousands of participants took part in that morning. In the beginning, we kind of enjoying ourselves, we were chatting while cycling leisurely. We didn't find ourselves having any problem cycling up Nicoll Highway. Then slowly, we all cycled at our own pace. Throughout the journey, I was challenging myself to the boredom of cycling non-stop and the physical determination. Luckily, along the way, there were many attractions which we normally can pass through by car only and do not have the chance to take picture. However, on and off, I saw some accidents, like participants collided and fell down when having some turns. 

Finally after one hour of cycling, there came the first hydration stop. I quickly went in to get myself hydrated. After resting for few minutes, I found my butt reluctant to get on the bike as it was really painful to stick on the seat for an hour. But I was determined to finish the journey, so quickly I resumed cycling. I could not imagine if I did not get myself the bike short.

Soon, after an hour, I was back to Nicoll Highway. But this time, I no longer had the energy to cycle up. Both my legs went jelly the moment I came down to push my bike. @@ Indeed many participants also like me, pushed the bike up. I spent some time there to enjoy the scenery and also took some pictures.

There, gradually I reunited with some colleagues, and so we cycled together to finish the route! 

A taste of success with colleagues after 2.5 hours at the finishing line!

Fitness Myth

I recently read an interesting article from Forbes magazine about some common fitness myths. 

To cut the article short, here is the summary:

Thinking that an hour workout can make up for the day long unhealthy eating is too presumptuous.  A strict healthy diet speaks more in reducing weight. 

It may sound reasonable that we could burn more fat with empty stomach in the morning jogging; but this not only causes us sub-optimal performance but also burns our muscle instead of fat. 

Shake might be thought to be healthy and ideal for a diet plan. But its side effect is we will never get full and satisfied, subsequently crave for more food intake. Whole food intake on the other hand can increase our metabolism rate while make us feel satisfied. 

Egg is thought to be a banned item from a diet plan. But a recent study says egg yolk is efficient in reducing our bad cholesterol, LDL. 

Stretching before intensive training is an conventional wisdom to reduce injury. But in fact, it not only weaken our muscle but also increases the risk of injury. 

Thinking that we need to hit certain heart beat to reduce fat is a common misguidance from the cardio equipment. The way our body burn fat is simply too complicated for an equipment to comprehend. 

My Fitness Corner

I am delighted that almost everyone who sees me says I am thinner.

This motivates me a lot on my coming workouts!

So I will keep a diary of the future sweatout workout in My Fitness Corner.