Photo credit: Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon facebook page
Having completed 5 half marathons, one 32km run and one full marathon in 2017, I was looking forward to Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon on 3/12/17 because I believed that it would be my best run of the year.
Race Pack Collection
Race pack collection was held in MBS Convention Centre in conjunction with the SCSM Expo where sponsors and exhibitors showcased their latest products.
I collected my race pack within 5 minutes of waiting and was happy that my running T-shirt fitted very well.
Photo credit: Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon facebook page
Race Day
Gone were the days when the MRT started running early on race day to bring us to start venue so I bought the 2am shuttle bus ticket and reached the race venue outside Orchard Cineleisure at 240am.
I chose the 2am shuttle bus instead of 3am because during registration, I was unsure of the flag off timing hence chose the earlier bus to be safe.
Although I waited around 2 hours for flag off, it was a blessing in disguise as some runners who arrived via the later buses had to walk a long distance to the start point due to road blocks.
I did not bring any baggage hence was not affected by the long queues for baggage deposit which resulted in some runners starting their runs only an hour and a half after flag off.
Photo credit: Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon facebook page
The Race
Flag off was on time.
Although the full and half marathon runners were flagged off together, there was virtually no congestion along the route as the majority of the roads were closed for the run.
It was a warm and humid morning and I was already sweating profusely 1km into the run.
My GPS started to malfunction as early as 4km into the run due to interference from the surrounding tall buildings. Fortunately the distance markers were clearly placed at every kilometer and I had to rely on them to gauge my pace.
Hydration stations were present at around every 2km intervals and there was plentiful supply of mineral water and 100 Plus drink.
In addition, there were a few aid stations with bananas and energy gels.
The run brought us to many iconic places in Singapore eg the National Museum, the Masjid Sultan Mosque, the Central Fire Station, Chinatown and Gardens By The Bay, just to name a few.
There were many photographers from FinisherPix and I encountered at least 15 of them along the route.
Running Shots also had 5 photographers ie Marcus, Sotong, Eugene, Tekko and Epalite taking memorable photos of runners.
I was worried that the sun would become too hot to bear after 8am but fortunately it was a cloudy morning.
There are many groups of volunteers at various points along the route and they were energetically cheering us on.
After completing the marathon, we were rewarded with finisher T-shirt and medal, as well as 100 Plus drink, mineral water, banana and apple.
I was fortunate to get the finisher T-shirt of my size as some of the runners who returned later had to settle for smaller sizes.
Photo credit: Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon facebook page
Conclusion
There are 2 major marathons in Singapore every year ie (1) Sundown Marathon and (2) Standard Chartered Marathon which one of my friends jokingly named as Sun-up Marathon.
The main difference is that Sundown flags off at 12 midnight whereas Standard Chartered flags off at 430am.
This year, I ran both and I preferred Standard Chartered over Sundown because my body performed better when running in the light than in darkness.
Thank you, organizers and sponsors of Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon for the beautiful finisher T-shirt, the unique finisher medal and the memorable finisher photos. I will definitely sign up again in 2018.
Photo credit: Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon facebook page
This is my 3rd time doing SCSM, I have never been a huge fan of the local annual marathon race largely due to the warm climate conditions as well as the route which includes a segment whereby the 42km route merges with the 21km crowd. These made it harder to run a personal best (PB) in Singapore. Adding on to the list is the inhuman flag-off time at 4.30am.
However, this year due to schedule clashes with other overseas marathon and the eagerness to join in the fun with my teammates who are joining the race. I decided to take the plunge.
D-day -1
Race Pack Collection
Sherlynn (my girlfriend), John (teammate) and I collected our race pack on Saturday, the day before the race. Despite reaching 20mins after the race expo opens, a queue has already formed up and we waited for approximately 20mins for our turn.
We ended up spending another 20-30mins at the collection booth, as the crew members were unable to find our teammate’s bib, it turned out that someone else had collected the bib for him without informing him.
Pre-Race
In order to wake up at a later time on the race day, have a place to shower and relax, the team decided to have book rooms at Swissotel, which is just a stone’s throw away from the finish line. We discovered after checking in that many other local runners had similar arrangements too, with Fairmount and Carlton Hotel as the other popular options.
D-day
Warm-up, Start pen
Getting to the start line was pretty straightforward, as we jogged down Orchard road from City hall to Somerset. After doing our individual warm-up routines, we entered the pen (pen A) about 15mins to flag-off. In my opinion, this year’s arrangement was better than the previous as “serious” runners can easily manoeuvre their way towards the front even though we entered the pen late. Within a blink of an eye, the race was flagged-off.
Photo credit: John Chew
Race
Coming to the race, I had no expectation as this is my B race and 2 weeks before the race I had a minor hamstring strain. The plan was to start out conservatively at 4.45 – 4.40 min/km for the first 3k, decrease the pace to 4.35 – 4.30 and maintain it until 30k. Gradually then decreasing the pace at 30km until the finish.
I started the race as planned, ensuring that I remained relaxed, finding a smooth and comfortable rhythm. I bumped into Coached’s Head Coach (Ben Pulham) whom then exclaimed “Good Boy! I see you are starting conservatively”.
It wasn’t until 6-7km that I caught up with my teammates (Sia, Ben & Mini mok) whose plan was to start off at 4.40 – 4.35min/km. Mini mok (Mok Ying Rong) was contending for the local women marathon championship, Sia was contending for the local veteran championship while Ben has planned to pace mini mok.
Sia dropped off the pack at about 12-13k while Ben, Mini mok and I stuck together until 35k. Being teammates, we took care of one another, taking drinks for one another and passing gels around. It was a true demonstration of running as a team sport and not an individual sport. We motivated one another, ensured that each of us got our drinks at the water station and maintained at a consistent pace.
In the middle of the race at a water-point, Ben exclaimed at Mini mok “Your race is more important than mine, take the drink”. It made me reflected for a moment, this is just my B race, I had no expectations and surely won’t be breaking any PB. Her race is indeed more important than mine, she was contending for the local marathon championship and had a high chance of getting on the podium. I then decided to embark on plan C which is to pace her for the race.
Gradually Mini mok crept her way to 2nd position overtaking Bao Ying, Anne and Jasmine.
Ben dropped off the pack at 35k just before Sheares bridge. He had been tanking more than us, such as being the pace-setter and speeding up slightly at water points so that the 3 of us would not collide with one another while taking drinks.
Photo credit: Running Shots, Marcus
Mini mok’s pace started to drop along Sheares bridge. It didn’t help that we had to constantly shout at the 21km participants to make way as we weave through them on the up-slope.
We struggled past to 40km and she began asking “Where is the finish line?”. For those who know, 2 out of her recent 3 races, she fainted within 1-2k from the finish line, namely CSC 21km and Real Run 10km, and for both races, she was in 1st position.
She always asks that question just before she faints. I was wary and worried that it will happen again. I yelled “you better don’t faint! We can do it! ”. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have used negative words such as “faint”. It is scientifically proven that our brain doesn’t register negative words well. You could see her straining her facial muscles in the picture below.
Photo Credit: Second Wind Nation, Jing Zhi
Fortunately, we managed to crawl towards the finish line, not literally but figuratively. Upon crossing the finish line, she dropped to the ground and I heaved a sigh of relief. She stayed on the floor for the next 20mins.
Post Race
Photo credit: SCSM Official
After the race, the team headed back to the hotel and some of us proceeded for a hot-spa for recovery. We were too afraid for a cold spa.
Race Review
In my opinion, the race was very well-organized.
● Ample water points (except from 30 – 42km)
● Enthusiastic volunteers who shouted words of encouragement (except some at 10km+ who shouted: “You’re almost there!!” LOL)
● Good starting pen protocol (didn’t have to squeeze to get near to the front)
● Start on time
Aspects that the organizers will need to improve on are
● Merger of the 42km and 21km route
● Mobile application that doesn’t scale well with higher traffic
● Baggage collection (didn’t experience it, only from hearsay)
It’s really warms your heart when you see runners extending a helping hand to one another – we really are like one big family! It really touches your heart – how sport can bring everyone together!Here are 4 really heartwarming videos you must watch!
#1 Ariana Lutherman
17 year old Ariana Lutherman showed tremendous sportsmanship in the Dallas Marathon. Lutherman was running the anchor leg of the girl’s relay when she came across race leader Dr Chandler Self on the home stretch. Self was struggling and her legs were buckling due to exhaustion. She was tripping all over herself. Lutherman came alongside Self with 2 miles to go and encouraged her to run on. The ran stride for stride and finished the race together arm in arm. What great sportsmanship by such a young girl.
#2 Earl Granville
Veteran Earl Granville lost his leg while serving in Afghanistan back in 2008. He turned to running to combat depression. He has completed marathon distances using hand cycles but this is the first one he has ran. He ran it together with his Achilles International guide Andi Piscopo and an American flag both which he carried across the finishing line. Anyone can do anything if they put their mind to it!
#3 2 Strangers, Help 1 Distress Girl
Haley Klinger set out to run a sub 2 half marathon at the Philadelphia Half Marathon. 2 random passerby runners knew what the clock meant to a lot of runners and helped her. She was really struggling. One of the kind hearted helper missed his personal best by 18 seconds, but something tells us he would have helped her all over again.
#4 Brotherly love – 12 year old completes triathlons with younger brother who can’t walk or talk in a cart
12 year old Noah Aldrich have finished more than 15 triathlons by pushing his younger brother Lucas Aldrich in a racing cart in front of him. Lucas was born with a rare neurological condition which renders him unable to walk or talk. Sports wasn’t for him. But now, together, the brothers can cross any finishing line! Nothing spells brotherly love more than this!
As runners, I think it’s pretty much a testament when we say, we can get carried away. We try everything possible in order to hit that personal best, because it feels good. But, we may be making mistakes that we would have to pay the price for later on. Here are 5 common training mistakes runners make.
#1 Running Only At A Feel Good Pace
If you’re running the same distance at the same pace every day, there will come a time where your performance will plateau. You need to push yourself once in awhile in order to see improvement. Diversify your workout – include tempo runs, hill repeats, fartlek workouts and speed intervals.
#2 Too Much Too Soon
More does not necessarily mean better. We can get a tad bit overexcited and increase our mileage too much, too soon. However, we need to remind ourselves that this increases the risk of injury. Our muscles may not be strong enough to sustain that kind of mileage just yet. The golden rule is to always increase your mileage by not more than 10 percent every week. Take it slow and increase your mileage gradually.
#3 Neglect Tapering
You shouldn’t be doing too much in the final week of your race. Instead you should allow your muscles some rest and time to recover and become stronger. This is highly effective. If you’re still doing hard workouts during the week of your race, you risk exhausting yourself and not running a good race.
#4 No Warm Up
Warming up is often neglected. The warmup is very important. It prepares our muscles for the hard workout ahead. Although it is very tempting to save time and skip the warmup, but in actual fact, you are putting yourself at risk of injury. You may easily pull something if you aren’t warmed up and you’ll be out for months. It’s going to be a whole lot of time wasted instead of saving time!
#5 No Cross Training
We should always do some form of cross training to strengthen other muscles of our body. Constantly running puts a lot of stress on our knees! Do some strength training for instance – planks, squats, burpees and lunges. Or some aqua-running or even cycling! It is a good way to maintain cardiovascular fitness.
It is natural to fear the open water – most of us do. It is common and you are not alone – whether it is fear of the lochness monster, or drowning or not even knowing what you’re afraid of. Anxiety is normal regardless your expertise in swimming. Work on conquering your fears – because anxiety and panic can be what stands in your way of a great swim leg.
Here are 5 steps to conquer your open water fear. The answer lies in your pre-race training, great mental prep and creating a strategy that works for you.
#1 Mimic The Chaos Of Open Water
Pick a crowded pool to swim in. Try sharing a lane with other people. This mimics the conditions of open water swimming whereby you will come into contact with plenty of people. There will be plenty of accidental kicking and punching. Put yourself in this uncomfortable situation so you will be able to get used to it.
#2 Practise In Open Water
Photo Credits: Triathlete.com
Practise in open water as often as possible. Organise group trainings in open water to put yourself out there as much as possible. Join open water swimming clinics. The best way to conquer your fear is to expose yourself to it as much as possible. Some time down the road, this irrational fear becomes just a numb feeling.
#3 Practise Mental Visualisation
Mental Visualisation is a technique used by many elite athletes – to calm their mind. Imagine yourself in an open water environment and imagine yourself staying calm, concentrating on your strokes and moving forward. Imagine yourself with controlled breathing and even strokes and just swimming. This will really help you during race day.
#4 Perfect Your Race day Strategy
Familiarise yourself with the race course and surroundings. The more familiar you are, the less panic you will be. Plan out – which wave you’re going to be in and which side you want to start from – the inner or the outer part of the loop. With familiarity, we are more comfortable and less likely to panic and feel anxious.
#5 Talk To Yourself
Photo Credits: Today
Cut all the negative talk and give yourself a positive pep talk. Constantly remind yourself that you can do it and that you’ve put in the hard work, effort and dedication for the swim. Trust the process! Remind yourself not to panic and take long deep breaths to calm yourself and keep your heart rate down. Move away from the chatter and crowd of other swimmers to keep yourself relaxed and calm.
For want of a better name, I decided to title this post “Anniversary Run” for a good reason. Back in Dec 2014, I ran the first 10k race of my life. This year, it would be my third time running the 10k in StanChart Singapore Marathon. Back in Oct, thanks to a fellow blogger and running buddy, Kenjoe, who managed to secure from Peter Ong of JustRunLah, a free slot for me to join SCSM 2017. I picked the 10k category as I just recovered from a long drawn PF injury. I was looking forward to join the other runners on 3 Dec; in the largest event on the running calendar in Singapore.
This year, for the first time in SCSM history, the running apparel was sponsored by Under Armour. The event organizer, Ironman Asia, was helming it for the second time. I was planning to be just there, run the 10k and be done in less than 1.5hours and head home. No baggage deposit. No hassle. However, I was mentally expecting the huge human traffic on race day though. But it was worse than I could imagine.
Race Pack Collection (REPC)
Normally, I would collect my race pack personally as it usually happened on a weekend way before race day. But SCSM REPC has always been different; it is planned to happen a couple of days prior to the event. And so I asked a colleague of mine and also running kaki (thanks Tony Halim) to pick up the race pack on my behalf. I told him to help me take a couple of photos of the REPC venue too.
Since I had just run the Performance Series Changi about a month ago, there wasn’t much preparation I had to do. I just needed to make sure I didn’t over-train or strain myself too much to cause injury again. Hence, my pre-race preparation was mainly confined to short runs, tempo runs plus a bit of strength training. No runs longer than 10km.
Since I wasn’t gunning for a PB, so there wasn’t any pressure at all. Having done a couple of 10km post-injury, I knew that completing the 10km wasn’t a problem. I did check the 10km route and found out that midway I would be climbing the Sheares Avenue and that might slow me down considerably. Mentally, I set myself a reasonable target of 62-65mins, considering my current condition. Here’s the #flatlay I did for the race.
My Minimalist Flatlay
Race Day
As usual, I would get pre-race jitters but this time it wasn’t that bad. I slept pretty well and woke up at 5am. After the usual morning routine, I wolfed down what I called “happy trio” breakfast – a banana, a slice of peanut butter bread and a cup of coffee. These would suffice for the 10km run. I was out of my home at 5.30am and took me a whole 20mins just to walk to the train station which I could have done in 10min if I were to run there. The better part of me said not to run, so I did a slow stroll. I hopped onto the first train and to my surprise, there weren’t many participating SCSM runners in the train compared to previous years.
I made a mistake by alighting at Raffles Place station, thinking that it was nearer to Fullerton Hotel where it was the designated start point. I ended up having to make a big detour and walked all the way to the Esplanade side to join Pen C (which my bib indicated.) This was rather unusual because in all my past 10km races, runners were never segregated into pens. How much difference in timing can the runners be, I thought to myself? For the HM and FM, I can understand. Never mind, let’s see how they do this.
Shortly after I joined the Pen C runners, I realized that I was so far back from the starting line that I could not see the starting arch/banner at all. Oh, this is bad! This would mean a late start if each wave was going to be flagged off 5mins apart.
Way back at the start of Pen C
So the waiting game began.
The 7.15am official flag off time for the first wave for Pen A was on time. 10minutes passed; we hardly moved. 20minutes, the start point was nowhere in sight. 30mins, I could barely see the START arch. I didn’t know how many waves had passed. Then I heard people cheering the first runners of the 10km category coming in fast and furious – and I had barely started. Argh!!! I had to wait a full 45mins to be flagged off! I swore that I had lost all the hydrating fluids I partook before the race
Finally the start line is in sight, after a 45min wait 🙁
The first 1-2km was not easy. There were far more walkers and strollers than runners right from the beginning. Weaving through the human maze wasn’t easy. I had to zigzag my way through a sea of blues and greens to get myself into empty space. I could not find my rhythm; my body was not warmed up enough and I was going at an unnatural fast but erratic pace. I was barely settled into my race pace when I was confronted with the foreboding Sheares Avenue climb. The steep incline reduced many of the runners to walkers but I was determined not to be intimidated by it; knowing that if I were to walk, I would lose precious minutes and probably also break my momentum. When I checked by GPS watch, I was doing 6min/km up the slope. Not bad, I thought.
So far so good.
I caught a quick breather as I crested the top and hit the down slope. Then sun decided to peek out of the clouds. Even though gravity was on my side, the heat from the sun from 6km onwards was enough to slow my pace considerably. I dug deep and continued to press on despite the sudden surge in heat and humidity. I could feel my body overheating and my heart racing. I was probably dehydrating. At the next two water points, I gulped down two cups of 100plus and soldiered on. By now, I could feel myself dialing back the pace. This was going to be a positive split race for me.
Making sure that I did not lose my running form completely, I began a quick mental check from head and toe and tried to get connected with the rest of my body again. When I hit Republic Bouvelard, I knew I was already near the home stretch. The open space with the direct sun in my face and the heat from the F1 pit ground reduced me to a 7min/km pace. There was nothing in my tank to go any faster. Even the mist tunnel did not help. A runner of friend later complained that it was spraying hot water at her. Haha. The only saving grace at the F1 pit was the team of photographers from “Running Shots” who braved the heat to capture us in action and helped to take our minds off the heat temporarily.
Thank you and kudos to all the photographers.
Emerging from the hot mist tunnel, most were happy to see the photographers. (Photo Credit: Running Shots)
The last 1-2km was just plain mind over body as the heat was overpowering. I had to stop at the last water point to pick up another drink. I made a mental note to remind myself never to run the 10km category anymore if this multiple waves flag-off were to take place again in future. I will either do the HM or FM with an earlier start time. The 8am flag off time for a 10km race under Singapore weather was not only impractical but cruel.
Nudging myself to climb the last slope over the Esplanade Drive before turning right into Anderson Bridge and into the Padang, I had to draw upon every ounce of energy I had to make that final surge. Crossing the finish line just inside of 64mins was indeed an achievement under such adverse conditions. I picked up my medal, a cold towel, my fair share of banana/apple and isotonic drink and made my way to the race village; which was actually packed to the brim as most runners from the HM and FM were also streaming in. It was a huge mass of humans bathed in sweat; but thankfully we were all too exhilarated and oblivious of the smell that enveloped the Padang that morning. Sometimes I wonder how the non-runners and supporters could stand up to the stench!
Joy is also spelt F.I.N.I.S.H.
Post Race Routine
The race village was so packed with runners from all categories at 9.30am that there were no way you could locate any of your running buddies if there were no prior arrangements made. Anyway, I was too engrossed in cooling myself down from the overheating. I downed one bottle of water and a can of 100plus before I could feel myself again. I didn’t bother to walk around and just went straight to a nearby grass batch and watched the remaining of the runners streaming into the finish line. It was a hard race for me.
Oh yes, a BIG shoutout to all the volunteers who toiled tirelessly throughout the wee hours of the morning till noon. Without you, we will not be properly hydrated along the way, marshaled to the right place and the many stations that provided information, medical aid and logistical support to the tens of thousands of tired runners that day.
Thanks bro, this bottle is a life-saver!Apples and Bananas for quick replenishment of energy
As I sat at there waiting, I realized that many of my friends were in the HM or FM category. They had either finished earlier (for HM) or still haven’t completed (for FM.) I was happy to bump into a fellow colleague, Kartini (also an ex-student) and her friend, Lorine. We chatted for a while before we parted ways.
Wefie with Kartini and Lorine – we met again after 2 years!
On my journey home in the train, I was thinking to myself. So this marked the 3rd anniversary of my racing journey which began in Dec 2014. During those years, I had eight 5k races, fifteen 10k races, two half marathons, one Ekiden and three virtual runs; despite sustaining two injuries which plagued me almost half of 2016 and 2017.
What did I learn from these 3 years of racing and running? T
The races kept me on my toes, literally; while the injuries kept me humbled. Some runners are defined by the number of races that they participated and the PBs that they erased time after time. To me, my best times, although painful, were experienced while recovering from injury. The days and months of rehabilitation and patient waiting thought me many lessons. The downtime was spent reading about running and learning from others who had done more mileage than me. Strange as it may sound, I also get to know more of myself this year.
Closing Thoughts
Finally, I want to thank the people who came alongside me during the last one year; Coach Sham from Team Runfanatics who was there to help me pick the right shoes, Emily who assisted me with deep therapy in the early stages of the PF injury, Dr Ivy and the physiotherapists at the Sports Clinic at Changi General Hospital who guided me through a solid 5 months of regular consultation and care. And to friends and fellow runners who gave me much encouragement throughout 2017, I am deeply grateful for your friendship and support.
Please allow me to dedicate this last race of 2017 to all of you who had contributed in one way or another to my recovery – Thank You!
Dedicating this finisher medal to all who have helped me in my recovery journey – thank you!
As I told a running friend of mine, I hoped to re-visit the plans that I had put on hold in 2016 and 2017. I may not fulfill all that I set out to do but at least I can make a comeback to the running scene again in 2018.
This time, I hope to be stronger.
N.B. For those who want more of my running journey, please follow me on Instagram @twtwriter.
Here are some extracted points from the press conference given by the President of the Malaysia Athletics Federations (MAF) on the 13th December 2017 ILLEGAL MARATHONS AND ROAD RACES IN MALAYSIA.
1. The MAF shall be the only body, in Malaysia, with the sole authority to advise the Sports Commissioner on the control and regulate the staging and running of competitive road racing events – which include the marathon and half marathons as contained in the IAAF Competition Rules currently in force.
2. An entity, other than MAF for all marathons and its affiliate members for half marathons and other distances shall be permitted to sanction a competitive road races, of the standard distances, provided it subject itself to, and abide by, the conditions and regulations agreed with the MAF or its affiliate members, prior to the staging of the event. Any failure to faithfully abide and adhere to the agreed conditions and regulation may result in the imposition of a penalty in monetary form or a withdrawal of the permit to stage the event.
3. We have noticed event managers have only one objective which is to raise funds at the least possible cost – sometimes even at expense of Government machinery. It is profit orientated. The technicality is always overlooked. The MAF has qualified technical officials to run the programmes efficiently. Event Managers often overlook safety and technical aspects. They are often ignored and taken for granted. The Police must check that the organisers have approval given by Sports Commissioner /MAF/Affiliates.
4. To protect runners who pay registration fees to the organisers, the Sports Commissioner’s office should have a registration of event organisers under Class I or II or III based on their paid-up capital, past experiences and track records and background of principle officials who should have Sports background. The details and records. of each registered event organiser should be displayed openly in the Sports Commissioner’s website so that any runner can check on the organiser’s past records. Any suspended or de-registered event organiser should be prominently highlighted in the website.
5. The Sports Committee should form an event Technical Committee under MAF to establish the terms and conditions for runs to be approved.
a) The Technical Committee shall obtain official comments and recommendations from PDRM, venue owners, and other stake-holders and prepare a report to the Sports Commissioner specifying the terms and conditions for the run to be approved.
b) PDRM or venue owners, or town councils are not the approving authorities of runs. The Sports Commissioner is the only approving authority.
6. We notice that very often event organisers approach the town council and local PDRM for approval, Please note that these government departments are not the final approving authority. The final authority of which according to the Sports Development Act is the Sports Commissioner.
7. Ignorance of the Law is no excuse and cannot be accepted. Very often some government officers not from the Sports Commissioner’s Office for some unknown reason gives the impression that they are the approving authority. Please note that this is not the case.
Stretching is really the most neglected aspect of running. Think about it – we spend an hour maybe two hours running but we can’t even spend 10 minutes stretching. Doesn’t it sound like a recipe for disaster? After a run, your muscles shorten and become tight. Stretching after your run allows your muscles to maintain that range of motion in your joints. Stretching also helps your muscles relax and prevent soreness the next day.
Cool down stretches are static stretches. This means your hold your stretches for approximately 30 seconds to a minute before coming out of your stretch. This is to be done 3 – 5 times repetitively. The stretches are to be done gradually and not forcefully.
#1 Calf Stretch
As runners, we need to take good care of our calves. Our calf muscles are called into action in every run – whether it’s a speed workout or up a hill. We are always using our calves. Additionally, tight calves can lead to a number of injuries including the much dreaded plantar fasciitis. This is why you should always do the calf stretch after every run.
Lean towards a wall. Keep one leg straight as you lean in towards the wall. You should feel a nice stretch in your calves. Remember to do it for both legs.
#2 Hamstring Stretch
Tight hamstrings will create a downward pull on your pelvis which will affect your hips. It can also put a pressure on your lumbar spine, given you back pains. So, yes, tight hamstring are a problem. You should always stretch your hamstrings after every run.
Fold one leg inwards with one leg out straight. Point your toes upwards and reach out for your toes. You should feel the back of legs – your hamstrings stretching. Repeat on both legs.
#3 Glutes Stretch
Tight glutes can cause you severe discomfort. The piriformis muscle lies under the gluteus muscles. When your gluteus and piriformis muscles are tight, it causes your lower back and hamstrings to be sore. You may also get a nerve pain that shoots down your leg. This is due to the sciatic nerve that shoots through your piriformis. This pain is not a pleasant experience hence you should give importance to the Glutes stretch.
Lie on your back and position your ankle on the opposite thigh. Grasp behind your thigh and pull it towards you. You will feel the stretch on your glutes! Repeat on both legs.
If you are pressing for time, make sure you at least do these 3 stretches. It will really help keep pain and injury at bay!
We runners love to run, but we often neglect the warmup. We would much rather get straight into the part we love – running. We have to bear in mind, however, that warming up can keep injuries at bay which could keep us away from our beloved sport for months. Warming up allows your body to prepare for the impending hard workout – minimising the risk of injury.
Bear in mind, the stretches you do pre-run and post-run are different. Pre-run stretches are dynamic stretched. They bring you through a range of motion that better prepares your body for the sporting activity ahead. The range of motion will mimic the sporting motion. It is a form of active movement. You start with a slow jog to warm up your muscles before moving on to these 3 very important stretches you should do before every run!
#1 Leg Swings
Brace your body against a wall or pole to support yourself. Stand firmly with one leg on the ground. Swing your leg up and down. Gradually increase its range of motion till as high as you can comfortably go. You should keep your legs fairly straight but should not lock your knees. These help warm up your hip flexors, hip extensors, hip adductors, and hip abductors. This movement really helps you open up your hips.
#2 Side Leg Swings
Similarly to leg swings, support yourself against a wall. Swing your body to the side, extending slowly to a comfortable height. Swing your leg such that it crosses the front of your body. This is another movement that helps open up your hips – very important for every runner.
#3 Walking Lunges
Walking lunges warm up your quadricep muscles. Do about 30 seconds for 3 sets and your quads will be all fired up. You will be ready to go. Don’t overdo it because it’s meant to warm up your muscles, not a full-blown strength workout!
Here you go – three must do stretches before you head out for your run. It makes a great warm up and gets you all ready for your run! You never know – these 3 stretches could be what keeps a nagging injury away!
Hydration is a very important element of running and racing. To run well, you need to be able to refuel and rehydrate well. Refuelling and rehydrating is a very delicate issue. Anything could go wrong and cause you gastrointestinal problems. Understand your sport drinks, and know when to drink what to hydrate yourself!
Hypertonic Drinks
Hypertonic drinks consists of a high level of carbohydrates – usually more than 10 per cent slash more than 10g per 100ml of fluids. These drinks have a greater osmotic pressure than our body fluids and is intended to provide our body with energy. These drinks are ideal for strenuous activity of shorter durations or longer durations of less strenuous activities. Here, the priority is energy and hydration is secondary.
Photo Credits: Dr Health Benefits
This means, taking too much of these drinks during a long distance or ultra event can cause gastrointestinal problems. You are getting in the calories but not hydrating yourself well. it is not recommended to take hypertonic drinks in solely for ultra events, but to take it together with a hypotonic drink to meet your hydration demands.
Examples: Fruit Juice, Lemonade, Coke
Hypotonic Drinks
Hypotonic Drinks consist of fluids, electrolytes and low level of carbohydrates, less than 4 grams per 100ml. They are designed to quickly replace lost fluids, without the energy boost of carbohydrates. It is absorbed by the body quickly – more readily than water. These are good for sports of shorter durations or less strenuous sport. This is because of the low energy levels they provide.
Photo Credits: Draxe
Taking hypotonic drinks are good for long events, however should be taken with solid or semi solid food to provide you with the energy to go the distance.
Examples: Coconut Water
Isotonic Drinks
Photo Credits: Gatorade
An isotonic drink usually consists of between 4 – 8g of carbohydrates per 100ml. They generally have the same osmotic pressure as our body fluids. This means they are taken in by our body as quickly as water, at the same time providing us with a boost of energy. These drinks are ideal for endurance sports – middle or long distance sports.
Examples: 100 plus, Lucozade, Powerade and most commercially available sport drinks
Water Is Not Enough
Water may seem like the best option to rehydrate your body. However, this can cause an imbalance in electrolytes in your body. Your body is already losing large amounts of electrolytes due to heavy sweating. Water does not replace these electrolytes, but further dilutes the electrolytes in your body fluids – causing water intoxication.
Often the treadmill is referred to as the dread-mill. One high school runner however probably hated running on the treadmill more than any one of us.
Quinn Schneider woke up to 8 inches of snow to his doorstep. Everyone loves the snow because it means – school’s off! Quinn loves it too, but being named the State’s best cross country athlete of the year, he is different.
He could have easily taken the day off, but he thought about what an Olympian would do. No snow was going to stop him from his training regime. He wasn’t going to let the snow be an excuse not to run! He truly embodied the no excuses phrase!
He needed to stay on his routine. Straying from your routine would make it less effective! So, he picks up a shovel – and – walks out the door.
He waded to his high school track and started digging. He ended up doing a workout before his workout. He shovelled the snow off one of the lanes which took him about an hour and was well worth his effort. All that work was so much better than having to run on a treadmill, Schneider says.
He ended up running 10 miles that day. What a great cross training workout, and a great run to finish it off! So so cool!
Christmas is just around the corner! We runners are pretty much very simple people, we want very simple things. Looking to get us the perfect Christmas gift ? There isn’t the need to brainstorm – here are the 3 things we runners want for Christmas and no surprises – they are all running related gifts.
#1 An Entry Into A World Prestigious Marathon
We runners have a bucket list of marathons we would love to do. It also doubles up as a race-cation. It’s the perfect gift for us. Whether it’s going to Cambodia for the Angkor Wat Marathon, or Vietnam for the Halong Bay Marathon or Japan for the World Marathon Major Tokyo Marathon. It is the best way for us to soak in a new city – on foot! We’d be ecstatic! Check out our list of World’s Best Must Do Marathons! These races don’t get more stunning!
#2 New Running Shoes
We spend most of our time in running shoes – making it a great gift for us. We runners have an array of shoes – shoes specifically for our long runs, shoes specifically for trail running, racing shoes, shoes for speedwork – you name it. We mostly have a favourite brand and can’t wait to try out their latest release.
Photo Credits: Nike
We get really excited about trying a new pair of shoes. We totally geek out and we can’t wait to head out on our run to test out new shoes. We have so many questions – are they light enough? are they responsive enough? are they comfy enough? We become like a kid who just got their candy!
#3 A New GPS Watch
Photo Credits: Garmin
We runners totally love information. We want to know everything down to every split we run. We would like to know our cadence. We would like to know our heart rate. We would like to track our distance. Basically, the more information we get, the more excited we are. So, consider getting us a new GPS watch. If we’ve already got one, upgrade our watch to one which has more functions. If we’ve already got the best on the market, get us a fitness tracker that has a more casual look that can suit our everyday outings – Vivomove HR.
You’re ready and pumped up to start your new weight loss plan – whether it’s going on a new HIIT routine or starting a no carb diet. You can’t wait to make these lifestyle changes. However, it is important for your plan to be sustainable. However, have you ever found yourself starting again next Monday? Or is your new year resolution the very same as last year? These are the mistakes you may be making when you start a new weight loss plan.
Too Much Too Soon
The most important thing about starting a plan is to remember that it has to be sustainable. How sustainable is a juice-fast diet? You’re probably going to only last a week at most! Then you go back to your very same effortless habits. We feel like we’ve failed, and decide to start again next Monday or month – so from now till next month we’d better eat as much as we can because next month is off limits again.
Or we totally cut off carbs from our diet to find ourselves crashing and binging on everything from waffles to crisp to 3 buckets of mash potato.
Does this sound all too familiar?
This is because our body craves the safety of familiarity. Change is difficult – especially when you are overwhelming your body with a whole bunch of extreme changes. It can start to feel like a struggle and ultimately you give in to your old effortless habits – because it’s easier.
What You Should Do Instead?
Instead, you should make small changes that are sustainable. For example, switch to a smaller portion of brown rice instead of white rice. Or have fruits for breakfast instead of that packet of nasi lemak. Make one small change every week. If you want to cut out carbs, try to cut out cabs for lunch, but still have some for dinner. Take baby steps! This way you are less likely to go back to your old habits. Your body has time to familiarise itself with these new small changes. These small changes with time, will become your new effortless habits. This is more realistic.
Don’t Be Too Harsh On Yourself
Sometimes, we really want that ice-cream. Don’t punish yourself just because you had a serving of ice-cream. Just remember – everything in moderation. Don’t go overboard and have the whole tub but a serving once in awhile is okay. Don’t think you have failed and decide to start again next week – in the meantime you eat the entire tub, since you’ve already failed anyways. Don’t be too harsh on yourself!
Remember, it’s about making it a lifestyle change – not a short term goal! Good Luck!
It was such a sad weekend for the Malaysia running community. Evelyn Ang was among 3 involved in a terrible hit and run incident, suffering serious injuries. The horrific incident took place at the 14km mark and is currently under police investigation. This disheartening news has brought with it such grief to the entire Malaysian running community.
Evelyn was the 6 hour pacer for the Klang International Marathon. She was running when the car hit the pacing group from behind. Evelyn suffered severe injuries, including a fractured jaw and a cracked skull. She had to undergo an immediate surgery by the a team of neurosurgeons to stop the bleeding to her brain.
It was a hit and run incident. However, the police have already apprehended the driver. His urine tested negative for drugs and alcohol. However a further blood test will be performed.
Evelyn is an avid runner and a regular in the running scene. She is the very definition of being passionate about running – having completed the Monster Ultra 200km. She is known for her spirit and her sunshine smile. We wish her a speedy recovery!
Eating healthy isn’t just about taking some healthy foods a few days to a marathon. Runners should choose a healthy diet throughout an entire training cycle to impact their athletic performance.
The best practice athletes can adopt is to take a high-carbohydrate meal within sixty minutes of a run. This discussion highlights five energy-boosting foods for top performance amongst runners.
1. Whole-Wheat Pasta
Pasta is a great pre and post-workout meal for runners who want to maximize their muscle glycogen stores. It makes one of the most carbohydrate-dense foods. Runners should, however, choose the whole-wheat pasta as it contains six grams of fiber, more minerals and vitamins, as well as fatty acids. It thus enhances digestive health and satiety while providing long-lasting energy compared to pasta.
Those who don’t like the blunt taste of whole-wheat pasta may take spaghetti squash. It is also rich in minerals and vitamins and a better source of omega-3 fatty acids compared to whole wheat pasta. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce muscle inflammation after intense work-outs or a long run.
Joe Bastianich, an avid runner who has competed in various marathons, recommends taking whole wheat pasta to enhance fiber intake while regulating blood sugar levels. He cites classic pasta dishes like puttanesca (features capers, pasta anchovies, tuna, and olives) and spaghetti all scoglio, which make great work-out friendly carbs.
2. Oatmeal
Oatmeal makes the perfect breakfast before going out for a run. It is rich in fiber, has a low glycemic index and provides lots of carbs. It makes a healthy diet that helps your sugar levels rise slowly, generating energy for a long period of time, without spiking blood sugar levels. It also keeps the body feeling satiated for long.
Oats are gentle on the stomach, especially if taken with water instead of milk. Add some honey and a banana and it becomes the perfect meal to fuel your morning training routine, without running to the bathroom during the workout. Oatmeal is also an excellent post-run meal for athletes who are used to running in the morning. The carbs replenish the energy used up, so you have enough for the next run.
3. Bananas
Bananas make the best pre-workout foods for runners. They are rich in carbohydrates (up to 30 grams), are fat-free, and have a gram of protein. Athletes have increased needs for vitamins like B6, calories and electrolyte replacement. Runners who perform intense workouts are at risk of potassium deficiency causing irregular heartbeat and muscle cramps.
Potassium, being an electrolyte plays the same role as sodium in the body: balancing fluids and regulating nerve impulses. During exercise, potassium is lost through sweat and needs to be replaced. A banana (seven inches) carries 422 milligrams of potassium, i.e., 12 percent of the amount required daily.
It is also rich in magnesium, which is an essential mineral for the development of bones. Runners put immense pressure on bones during workouts, hence adding a banana to your diet aids in keeping healthy bones. Yohan Blake, a 2011 World Champion, believes bananas are an excellent source of energy. Blake confesses to eating as many as 15 bananas a day (it may be a little excessive).
4. Skim Milk
It features a balance of proteins and fast-acting carbohydrates, hence recommended as a post-exercise muscle-recovery food for athletes. Muscle tissues and glycogen stores are replenished fast when carbs are consumed together with proteins after a workout. Skim milk provides natural sugars and proteins in the required ratios for muscle glycogen synthesis.
Chocolate-flavored skim milk, for example, outperforms popular recovery supplements when taken after exercise. In fact, athletes who take carb-based drinks or low-fat chocolate milk after a strenuous workout tend to run distances twice as long as their counterparts in subsequent runs.
5. Wild Salmon
Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which boost the health of the heart by contributing to the development of elastic blood vessels and improving the function of the nervous system. Omega-3 fatty acids from marine sources like salmon get quickly absorbed and used up by the body. What’s more, they act as potent anti-inflammatories that reduce pain and soreness after intense workouts.
Salmon is also an excellent source of high-quality protein, which is also easily digested and low in saturated fat and vitamin D. The vitamin keeps the bones and muscles healthy, supports immune system function, and reduces free radicals in the cells after they are produced during vigorous exercises.
Conclusion
A healthy diet ensures the athlete has the required building blocks to provide energy while aiding in the recovery of muscles. The food should contain fats, carbohydrates, protein, and antioxidants.
Guest author bio: Amanda Wilks is a writer, contributing author for TheKitchenAdvisor.com, cooking enthusiast and sports advocate. She firmly believes that a balanced lifestyle means focusing on good habits, such as exercising and healthy eating, and reducing stress. If you’re interested in reading more of Amanda’s work, go on Twitter.
While waiting for Standard Chartered Marathon to start in 2 hours, I decided to write my first ever race review: Mizuno Wave Run that took place on 26/11/17, the previous Sunday.
Race Pack Collection
Race pack collection which was held in Velocity@Novena Square was fast and over in less than 5 minutes.
There were plenty of goodies inside the race pack including cereals, isotonic drinks, muscle rub and toothpaste etc from the kind sponsors of the run.
However, I was slightly disappointed by the race T-shirt as I felt the fabric was too thin and the rainbow-colored Mizuno logo was not as colorful as I expected.
Photo credit: Mizuno Wave Run 2017 facebook page.
Race Day
The race venue was very accessible, outside Clarke Quay Central which was beside the MRT station.
We were flagged off on time at 730am and in one wave.
There was minimal congestion along the route as the number of participants was smaller than that of other major runs.
The run took us to many scenic places in Singapore eg the Esplanade, Marina Bay Sands, the Promontory, Boat Quay and Robertson Quay etc and participants had ample opportunities to take beautiful photos on the sunny morning.
By the time I reached the Floating Platform, elite runners Foo Gen Lin and Nimesh Gurung were already on their way back.
Apart from the official photographers at the start and end points, there were 3 other volunteer photographers ie Tan Kim Lai, Dave Poh from Pictureart Gallery and Veronica Chia from Red Dots 123.
There were sufficient hydration stations with water but lacking in isotonic drink which was only given out at the end of the run.
Volunteers from Tanjong Pagar-Tiong Bahru CSC were very enthusiastic and did a great job in cheering us on.
Distance markers were not present at every kilometer but did not affect us much as the distance was short (10km) and we had our run trackers.
At the end of the run, we were surprised to find out that our medals would be mailed to us instead of given out on the spot.
Photo credit: Mizuno Wave Run 2017 facebook page.
Conclusion
Overall it was a very enjoyable 10km run surrounded by beautiful scenery.
For me, it was like a warm-up run in preparation for Standard Chartered Marathon on the following Sunday.
Thank you, organizer and all the volunteers, for making this run a very successful one.
Up till today as I am writing this review, I am still wondering, like the other runners, “When will we receive our medals?”
Photo Credits: Triathlete.com
Photo Credits: Today
Photo Credits: Dr Health Benefits
Photo Credits: Draxe
Photo Credits: Gatorade
Photo Credits: Nike
Photo Credits: Garmin
