standard chartered marathon 2009… running it for Yong – En

this is the first time i am organising training for charity.
it has always been my passion to see people trying out new things, reaching for new heights and growing a community.
and this time, I hope I can encourage others not just to get out there to workout but also an opportunity to think about others.

Yong-En care center provides day care for dementia patients, help low income families in chinatown and provide youth programs for at risk youths.

i am hoping that people will come alongside to support this charity by raising funds for them while doing something they ‘enjoy’ and giving them the motivation to do so…
train and race standard chartered singapore marathon 2009!
if you are keen to help, please contact me via email and i will forward the details.

if you have signed up for the race, and you need a program, a community and a bigger reason to get out there to train and race, you have come to the right place!

i will be posting weekly trainings on this blog and organised, with the help of the runners from yong-en, the long runs on saturday morning.
there will be 3 runs and 2 cross trainings in the program. the program is modified from the FIRST running program.

the program will be organised as
run 1 – intervals session
tuesday 730pm at Bukit Timah running track or NUS law faculty
the sessions are done on the track.
it ranges from 400m to 2000m intervals with controlled rest or active rest by jogging.

run 2 – tempo or hill session
thursday 630pm at Mt Faber SAFRA
the tempo session is 3km to 8km at controlled pace.

run 3 – long run
this is the only session that we need logistic support for sure!
730am Fort Road car park at east coast park
we run from 6km to the longest 32km.

watch this space!

2 weeks more… have you checked out your race route yet?

the rain come whenever we are running!
real frustrating for the last 2 runs on the weekdays.
but thankfully, Saturday long run went on without a hitch.

the question that i get most of time is…
tapering?!!! u sure? workouts still so long and hard.
tapering is for your body to recover from all that training and at the same time, not to experience de-training.
all the hard work of getting your body ready for the race can be whipped out when you stop training. so maintaining the intensity will keep our body in that state of adaptation of the training stress yet giving it more time to recover.

this week training load is lower in volume but not intensity.
take the extra time you have saved from reduced training to check out the race route, try out the race day nutrition and maybe planned the logistics for the day.
who will be there at the finishing line to take that picture of you achieving the fruits of your training.

for the marathoners;
run 1 – intervals
5 x 1K (400m RI)

run 2 – tempo
10K run;
3K easy,
5K @ ST pace,
2K easy

run 3 – long
16km at race pace… slow and steady

for the 1/2 marathoners
run 1 – intervals
3 x 1K (400m RI)

run 2 – tempo
8K run;
3K easy,
3K @ ST pace or 5km race pace,
2K easy

run 3 – long
14km

3 weeks to RACE DAY! taper start now

last sat was the last long run for the program.
it was a tough run, the weather got warmer at the tail end of the run.
managed to run the last 8km of the 32km faster!
even though the legs were sore after that, it was manageable.
please go get a massage, ice bath if needed…
and work out all the nutrition and hydration needs.

i have been eating jelly beans instead of gel for the long run, sucking hydration salt that i chased down with gulps of water from my tiny hand held water bottle.
u can hold down maximum 600 calories per hour with training but i would suggest 300 calories in solid or liquid form instead.

will be planning a time to check out the running route for the race on our bicycle.
details to be confirmed.

taper start this week.
although u will feel that the workouts these 3 weeks might not seems too easy but it is not meant to be!
decrease in volume of training but maintain intensity.

for the marathoners
run 1 – intervals
8 x 800m (1:30 RI)

run 2 – tempo
8K run @ MT pace or mid tempo pace. that is slower then 10km but faster than 21km.

run 3 – long
21K should be run at marathon pace.
suggestion is to run it at a time where u will finish the run in the estimated finishing time.

for the 1/2 marathoners
run 1 – intervals
2 x 3200m (400m RI)

run 2 _ tempo
8km at Mid tempo pace

run 3 – long
16km

last note…
what is your post race logistic plan?
some of the girls have booked a room for the race.
many others are doing the same…
the cab fare, the stress from traveling there….
maybe all of you should consider…

4 weeks and if there is anytime left for long run, this is the week

last week was a tough week for training.
i can’t maintain the times for my intervals and i can’t complete the long run due to pain on my left knee.
and some of the athletes with me is feeling the effect of the training and showing signs of overtraining.
i would be taking it easy this week if i can’t hit the mark of the my intervals.
i will reduce the distance for the long run .
it is better to step on the starting line under trained than over train.

this should be week of dress rehearsal for the race; the nutrition, hydration, walk/run pattern, pace and visualisation for the race.
time to think through pre race logistics like transport, support during the race if needed, and post race transport logistic. can even think of rewards for training and finally racing The Race.

maybe the Ben and Jerry ice cream…
or the xiao long bao’s buffet…

for the marathoners …
run 1 – intervals
10 x 400m (400m RI)
this is a fast workout, you should feel fast but tired. however you should feel refreshed after resting and some food. if you have this fatigue that lasted beyond 2 days then it is time to take the rest of the week easy.

run 2 – tempo
13K run @ MP

run 3 – long run
32km
if possible run this last long run at the time that will be close to your expected finished time and condition. if you are going for 4 hrs finishing time and the start time is 530am, you should aim to finish 930am.

for the 1/2 marathoner;
run 1 – intervals
8 x 400m (400m RI)

run 2 – tempo
11K run @ ½ marathon race pace

run 3 – long run
18km
do this run like you would be on race day.

please do take care of your health in this last stretch.
taper will start next week. it would be a time for body to recover and not a time to work overtime, catch on on social and even do cross training.
time for the mind and not just the body to focus on the race.
some will tell you why are you so obsessed with it but may i remind you the amount of time and effort you already spent on training for the race, what is that compared to the little time and effort you making now to ensure you that this would be the best race of your life?

5 more weeks! you should be counting down…

it has been a great run up to the race and we are getting really close!
last Saturday’s run was one of the best!
rained before we started, overcast and threatening to rain the whole run.

all of us were able to run the whole 21km faster with a much lower heart rate.
and i certainly did!
hovering 140-145 the whole way!
for the other runs, by the 15km my heart rate would drifted upwards to 150+ and hit 165 coming the end without and increased in speed or output.
temperature and humidity certainly play a big part in performance.

it was not a surprise that the great Haile Gebrselassie (current world record holder of the marathon at 2:59hr) could not re-write his world record this year at the Berlin Marathon because the temperature rise from 15C to 18C on the 2nd half of the race. the slight increase in temperature (very cool by our standards!) would have increased his heart rate in about 7 beats per 1C increase in temperature and that will bring him beyond his threshold and his body would not be able to sustain it.

for all of us looking for a personal best running a marathon in the tropics, we must be prepared for elevated temperature that will affect our performance. if you are slow like me, and will finished beyond 10am, please do adjust your expectations.

there will be 2 more weeks of hard training before we enter into taper phase.
take care to hydrate, recover and recharge for every workouts!
all that you do now will affect your performance more than the taper week.

for the marathoners
run 1 – intervals
3 x 1600m (400m RI)

run 2 – tempo
16K run @ MP
this is like dress rehearsal for the race. run it as the same pace as the race and not any faster!

run 3 – long run
29km
2nd longest run in the program… unless we do 35km the following week.
if you are going to try anything new like shoes, nutrition, apparel … this is the time do it!

for the 1/2 marathoner…
run 1 – intervals
3 x 1600m (400m RI)

run 2 – tempo
10K run; 7K @ ½ marathon pace, 3K @ 10km race pace
aim for fast finish!

run 3 – long
16km

6 weeks to ‘D’ day and 3 weeks to tapering for race…

32km was tough!
it was hot and we started to hallucinate icy cold 100+…
thank God for all who came and tough it out!
no dropouts.
we have to thank NParks for putting all these toilets that we can run without carry water.
packets of gels, jelly beans and hydration salts cannot sustain us without the life giving water.
all of us felt dehydrated and tired at the end but glad we did.
race day might be worse since it is another 10km more!

the track session of 6 sets of 1200m is hard not so much on the body but more the time.
by now, i think a lot more is the mind and discipline to train, to rest and to recover.

the fatigue was a little more than what i was experienced.
maybe training is really ramping up and i am working harder…
the whole of saturday, i was just resting physically. lying on the sofa and eat when i am just too hungry to not to!
the 2000+ calories i burnt was replenish by resting and eating all the meaty stuff that i don’t usually crave for.
listen to your body for food and rest. make sure it is not just greed by needs.

this is recovery week before we work hard for the next 2 weeks and start our taper to THE RACE.

for the marathoners;
run 1 – intervals
1K, 2K, 1K, 1K (400m RI)

run 2 – tempo
10K run;
2K easy,
8K @ MT pace

run 3 – long run
21km

for the 1/2 marathoners;
run 1 – intervals
4×1km (400m RI)

run 2 – tempo
8K run;
2K easy,
6km @ 10km race pace

run 3 – long run
14km

7 weeks before ‘D’ day. the 2nd longest run will debut this weekend!

the weather has been really hot at times and can be cool and wet for hours too.
the experience of the long run can be highly varied from one!

last sat long run was tough. apart from mental calculation of how much we have ran from fort road car park to the end of the park, crossing the little bridge, to the singapore yacht club and then back to the end of the park.
it was made worse with the weather getting warmer by the minute and meters…

thank God for friends who shown up with drinks (upon our requests of course! ) for the last 3km for surge.
thanks to Ben’s detour to petrol kiosk for cold coke, 100+ and water

this week will be the 2nd longest run for this training program.
pray for great weather, ‘reliable’ training partners and ’support’ from the crew…
and of course the will and the motivation to press when we feel like stopping.
this is the 2nd highest mileage week.
hang in there for the recovery next week!

workout for the marathoners this week;
run 1 – intervals
3 x (2 x1200m) (2 min. RI) and (4 min. between sets)
total distance is 7.2km with very generous rest. must bring water!

run 2 – tempo
16K run @ MP or marathon pace
plan for hydration and nutrition. use it like dress rehearsal.

run 3 – long
32km
it is really long.
worse case scenario for those who does not have enough time to train, this can be THE long run for this race.
and if you are competitive and looking to finish fast, you can run the longest run at this pace. careful recording of this workout would be most useful in your prep for the race.

for the 1/2 marathoners
(just a reminder, the workouts are not meant for 1st time 1/2 marathon runner. this is the program for runners who are looking to better their timing)

run 1 – intervals
2 x (2 x1200m) (2 min. RI)
(4 min. between sets)
you will be running 1 set less than the marathoner but for those with higher mileage, you can actually do 3 sets like the marathoners.

run 2 – tempo
12km @ ½ marathon race pace

run 3 – run
16km

the interval session will be at Bukit timah CCAB or NUS law faculty on tuesday 630pm.
i have a retreat on thursday so can’t be there for the tempo session.
sat long run, i might change it to 6am…
will see what is the respond.
the timing dependent on those running with me from fort road.
please do let me know.

8 weeks more to race, long runs is a must!

last week was the longest run we had so far.
it was hot even though we started earlier at 7am.
started hot and ended with the rain of the month!
by 930am, we were running from the hot sun into drizzle and then thunderstorm with wind that will blow u almost side way…
if u see the trees benting sideway in the wind in the movies… it was just like that for that few minutes out in East coast park.
the biggest glup from 7-11 was no longer that enticing..

maybe this week we need to start even earlier for the 27km…
yes, u heard right..
even longer!

for the marathoners,
run 1 – intervals
1600 m (400m RI),
3200m (800m RI),
2 x 800m (400m RI)
this is one of the longest and hardest set.
total mileage for the session 6.4km of fast running.
it is a change of tempo from last week’s 400m.
watch ur watch pace.

run 2 – tempo
10K run;
1.5K easy,
7K @ MT pace or mid-tempo pace
1.5K easy

run 3 – long
27km
start 7am at Fort Road car park.
will run the whole of ECP and then extra 5 km…
past 7-11 at PLAYGROUND and then come back for it!

for the 1/2 marathoners,
run 1 – intervals
it is almost the same set as the marathoners except that you run 1 set of 800 less.
1600 m (400m RI),
3200m (800m RI),
1 x 800m (400m RI)

run 2 – tempo
10K run;
1.5K easy,
7K @ ½ marathon race pace
1.5K easy

run 3 – long
18km

i have not heard from anyone doing 10k for the race so i will not continue with the 10km updates.

hope to see all of u for the run.
and what is the motivation for your run?
need one?
need a charity to give you a push?

will update more inf..

train happy and train safe…

9 weeks and 2nd week into race effort training

the haze and rain is back.
please take measures to exercise in safety,

this week the long run would be the longest that we have ever run in this program. do prepare for it.
it will be at Fort Road car park B1. time to be moved to 7am to account for the longer distance. hope we can finish by 10am.

run 1 : intervals
2 x (4 x 400m) (1:30 RI)
(2:30 RI between sets)
this is meant to be a fast workout that will allow you to push harder and yet feel fresh.

run 2 : tempo
10K run;
3K easy,
5K @ 10km race pace,
2K @ ½ marathon pace

run 3 : long run
24km

for the 1/2 marathon runner, your workout is the same except your long run is only 16km for this week.

for the 10km runner
run 1 – intervals
30min of running with 4×1:30min fast run. RI of at least 2min in between sets

run 2 – tempo
total distance 5km
1km warm up, 2.8km fast and 2.2km warm down
this session is to get a bit more running in.

run 3 – long
8km

just increasing the distance bit by bit and hopefully by race day, you will not just finish by run the race fast

week 10 and the beginning of race pace effort training

i am back after 10 days of holiday and retreat.
10 days of play and feasting

and 1kg heavier despite of the heaving shopping and occasional hike schedule

now it is back to training!

but since i have not worked out much apart from that 45min session on the treadmill and 3 hrs of easy hike, i need to adjust my expectations for my workouts.
might not be able to tolerate the same amount of pain like before…

this is recovery week so workout should not feel as hard as the last 2 weeks. take time out to massage and stretch.

tuesday and thursday session will be held at Bukit Timah running track at CCBA or NUS law faculty 630pm.
hope to see you there!

run 1 – intervals
5 x 800m (1:30 RI)

run 2 – tempo
13K run; 1.5K easy, 10K @ ½ marathon race pace, 1.5K easy

run 3 – long run
14km
this week’s long run is shorter than the last 3 weeks as it is recovery week.
enjoy it and if possible run it harder

core training is still the same for bridge, side planks, front prone, crunches, reverse crunches and horse or superman. but increase to 2 sets.

workouts for the 12 and 11 week to marathon… less than 3 mths

last week was a good week for training.
almost rain but did not.

and we did the long run on sat 730am.
i think we ran a little longer than 18km… B1 fort road car park to SAF yacht club for the turn around…

there were new faces for training. hope to see all of you this week too.

i will be away from this thursday nite 17th sept to 23rd sept for a holiday in Tokyo and 24th to 27th sept for workplace retreat in KL.
the sat long runs will still be on but please read the comments section of this post for volunteer training session leaders posting.

so this is the 2 in 1 post for workouts!
please note that the 12 weeks to marathon program focus on the distance and 11 weeks to marathon program focus on intensity.

marathon program
week 12th 14-20 sept 2009)
run 1 – intervals
3×1600m RI (rest interval) 1 min
please note that if timing is indicated, it imply static rest

run 2 – tempo/hill/race pace
total distance 10km with 2km warm up, 5km at short tempo pace (between 5km to 10km race pace) and 3km warm down

run 3 – long run
21km
the aim is to run the distance at a comfortable and even pace. this is training not a race. but it is also training with purpose so paced your hydration and nutrition.

week 11th training.
11 more weeks.. we should be counting down

week for 21-27 sept 2009
run 1 – intervals
2×1200m RI 2min and 4×800m Ri 2min
this is a hard session with 5.6km of fast running!
be conservative in the beginning but aim to hit your target pace.

run 2 – tempo/race pace
8km at 10km pace

run 3 – long
18km
if you did timed your last 18km run, try to duplicate the conditions and run this a little faster and with adjustments to hydration and nutrition if necessary.

for the first time 21km runners
run 1 – intervals
warm up 2.4km
6×400 at 2.4km race pace RI 1min
warm down 2.4km

run 2 – tempo
total distance 8km; 2km warm up, 4km at mid tempo pace of 10km run pace, 2km warm down

run 3 – 14km

week 11
run 1 – intervals
warm up 2.4km
8×400m @ 2.4km race pace 1min RI
warm down 2.4km

run 2 – tempo or race pace
total distance 8km, 2km warm up, 3km @ 5km race pace, 3 warm down
if you have not ran a 5km recently, this might run it too fast so pace yourself!

run 3 – long
12km

for the 10km 1st timer
run 1 – intervals
30min running with 7×30sec fast with 1min slow jog

run 2 – tempo
1km warm up, 2.4km faster, 1km warm down

run 3 – long run
8km

11 week
run 1 – intervals
30min of running with 5×1min fast run. RI of at least 2min in between sets

run 2 – tempo
total distance 4km
1km warm up, 2.8km fast and 1.2km warm down

run 3 – long
7km

hope to see all of you when i am back.
and meantime…

happy training!