10 days without training, 10 days to go for maiden FM and LSD on 10 of May 2017

It is a public holiday today due to the Vesak day.  Vesākha, also known as Buddha Purnima and Buddha Day, is a holiday observed traditionally by Buddhists on different days in India, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Nepal, Tibet, Bangladesh, … Wikipedia

It has been 10 days without training for me.  The last run was the SRR Relay Run 2017, which I’d missed the regular Sunday LSD.  So on the record I’d skipped 2 LSD in a roll.  This is not a welcoming news looking at the upcoming SCKLM which is within touching point.  In fact in less than 10 days time.  10 days since last run and 10 days to go to the full marathon.  It is an intimidating feeling and is not helping my confidence at all.  Actually it should be 10-10-10 LSD – 10 days without training, 10 days to go for FM and LSD on 10th May.

老天爷 is really testing me this time.  Arranging all my children to be admitted to hospital – in the form of dengue.  The first 2 boys were admitted on Thursday 4th May 2017 (after symptoms that started from 2nd May).  Then youngest daughter to be admitted on 8th May.  All my energy and attention had turned to support my children and family. Hence zero training during these time.

I told myself, I got to do something to get back to form.  I can feel my muscle is not that flexible and elastic as I want it to be. And Vesak day came as a good timing for me to do a 20k LSD at least.  Thank you 老天爷.

From the polling hosted in SRR FB, seemed like majority of runner chose the 5am slot (the heat is on SCKLM). Only a handful chose the 6am slot, which I was one of them.

Sure enough that there were a long stretch of cars when I’d arrived around 5.30am at SBA.  It is easily more than 20 runners by rough estimate based on the number of cars.  After a quick dynamic warm up, I did a slow warm up jog around the SBA area. More runners arriving later.

My running mate for today were:

• Wendy (4km)
• Christine (4km)
• Nicole Lee (newly crowned 4th runner up Mrs Universe Elite 2017)
• Terrence Ong
• Steven Gan (1st water station to after 1 loop of apartment)

It started quite as expected, the usual slow warm up pace of 8+ mins. Then it got slower at the 2nd km at 9+mins.  Wendy and Christine asked whether this slow pace is alright with me. I’d gladly answered yes as it was the perfect pace to get me into form.  But I was feeling alright, that was when I up the pace a little to chase Nicole and Terrence which was a bit in front.

At about the 4th km, it started to drizzle, what a nice setting. Wendy and Christine break from the pack for nature’s call.  Me, Nicole and Terrence ran all the way to the 1st water station.  That’s where Steven Gan was waiting for us there.  Steven uttered, “What is taking you all so long? I’d already cool down waiting for you all”.   Hahaha.

On the way to the apartment area, Nicole almost knock by a car at the Duta 2 junction. A silver colour Toyota Innova seemed to be in a hurry turning in from the junction to Duta 2.  There were a large crowd at the Duta 2 area which seems like going into the community trail.  Nicole with her looking-down on the road running posture did not noticed the turning in car.  I was at the back of the four noticed that and shouted immediately (together with Terrence and Steven) when the car was inches away from Nicole. Oh my…luckily Nicole stopped her track but the car didn’t.  It would have easily turned into a disaster to a perfect LSD.  We were shocked and shaken a bit, but that didn’t deter our spirit to continue the run.

So we go on to the apartment area and making a loop back to the 2nd water station.  I still felt quite alright until coming back from the Tenby hill, that was when I felt a bit of muscle heaviness at my calf area. At km15.5 to be precise.  Ok now that I know the level of fitness had deteriorated to km15. That was my measurement. I should bumped it up to at least 20-25km before muscle fatiqueness.  Ok, I shall work it out at this Sunday 30km LSD.

Completed the run at 19+km.  Not exactly 20km, but I don’t want to stretch it, after all it was a come back LSD.  Overall, I felt alright on this run, didn’t pull any muscles group luckily.

Not a fast speed, it is a slow speed of 8+ mins overall pace.

Perhaps should increase the cadences to above 180 to reach sub 8mins pace.
See you at the next LSD. Keep working and see you at work.