14 weeks to singapore marathon… entries for event closed!

this is the first year that registration for singapore marathon closed 4 months before the event! 50,000 runners…
it was a far cry from the days when runners rated singapore marathon as one of the top 10 worse marathons to run in the world…

i would like to officially introduce Y-Train training cum fund raising program
this is the program that aimed to help athletes who want to use the events they entered to raise funds to prepare for the race.

and this round it would be to help runners who signed up for singapore marathon and who wanted to use this race to raise funds for Yong-En care center to prepare to run the 10km or 21km or the biggie 42.2km.

the registration form will be make available via this blog by end of this week. all who signed up for the program will pledge to raise at least $250 for Yong-en via their contacts and friends. please be reminded that it their own initiative and they are responsbile to account for the funds to their friends who donated towards the course.
details will also be outlined in the document.

we had a trial run of the training program last week.
there would be some tweaking to it but schedule would be as followed;
tuesday 6.30pm at Bukit Timah running track (it is the currently the NUS law faculty and CCAB, former SMU campus)
intervals session
please come earlier to warm up. we will start the interval session at 630pm. the track gets really crowded so do come early so that we can finish by 730pm before the other groups start.

thursday 630pm meet at SAFRA Mt Faber lobby.
we will be doing hill tempo/intervals at Mt faber. we will run 20min before we reach car park opposite Danish Seamen church along Mt Faber Loop.
we will start and stop our tempo session there.

saturday 7am / 730am Fort Road car park B1 at East Coast park
for the runs longer than 20km, we will start at 7am.
which ever distance, we will start and stop at Fort Road car park. there will be drinks on sale at the end point. sorry charity so unless there is donation… no free lunch

marathoners workouts for this week
run 1 – intervals
1200,1000, 800, 600, 400 and 200 with 2min rest intervals
run 2 – tempo
20min warm up, 3×1.4km hill tempo and 10min warm down
run 3 – long run
15km

there will be no differentiation between the 1st timer and experienced marathoners as our program aimed to help runners who ran 1/2 marathon to step up to marathon training.

21km runners who have experience with the distance and looing for better timing
you are to do the same session as the marathoners

for the first time 21km runners
run 1 – intervals
12×400 on the track with 1 lap fast and 1 lap slow
run 2 – tempo
3 loops of hill at Mt Faber. no timing
run 3 – 10km

for the 10km 1st timer
run 1 – intervals
30min running with 5×30sec fast with 1min slow jog
run 2 – tempo
1km warm up, 2km faster, 1km warm down
run 3 – long run
6km

if you have time, please do the core strength workouts onlined on last week’s workouts

starting of the 15 weeks running program for standard chartered singapore marathon

this is the 1st week of the 15 weeks we will be training together for stand chart as the Standard Chartered Bank Singapore Marathon has been affectionally known.

anyone who wants to train using this program must
1. have done at least half marathon distance before or run an average of 30km weekly to start. would be great if you have done the AHM (army half marathon 2 weeks ago). even for the first timer, you should be able to at least run 10km before you embark in the program.

2. no serious injury or illness that will impair your running and training. if you have pain now running, you cannot stress your body any further with this hard training. you must be able to increase your training from where you are now.

3. you have time to train 3 times a week of 1hr for 2 sessions and 1-3 hours for the 3rd session.

4. use the most recent race times to find your pace for different workouts at First running program. there are different paces for intervals, tempo and long run.

5. find support (like your community especially your family) and

6. log your training! when you read your log, you will find strength in places in you that you do not know before

if you are doing the marathon for the first time, do follow the modified long run session.

workouts for the week
run 1 – intervals
warm up 10min or 2km
4 x 800m at 2 min. Rest interval (RI)
warm up 10mins of walk or jog

run 2 – 11K run;
8K @ MP (estimated marathon pace from your most recent race)

run 3 – long run
24K!
just cover the distance

run 3 for the first time marathoners - 13km

core and strength training is really important to prevent injury and maintain good run when you are fatigue.
do 1 to 3 session this week. the 6 core exercises are;
1. Bridge
2. Side plank with knee
3. Plank on knee
4. Crunch
5. Reverse crunch
6. Horse
1×12 reps for each exercise

let me know if you are coming.

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 more weeks.. taper time!

if you are tempted to do more hard training… please don’t!
if you have a hard workout this weekend, you may not recovered in time for the race.
it takes at least 10 days to recover and taper to get to peak level performance.
if you really want to have that hard session, do it early this week… today the latest!

unless of course, you are tour level cyclist…
even they also have their performance deteriorate in the later stages…

pointers for tapering
1. reduce volume but not the intensity of workouts.
2. mental training (have a race plan, decide what to at different stage of your race even for your preparation and post race. plan what to do during eventualities)
3. recover from all the weeks of hard training! massage at least 3 days before race to reduce the soreness from deep tissue massage. sleep more and not just the night before. eat well, not just for race. your body needs time to recover from the stress of training and it is not just overnight.

workouts for the week
swim 1: race pace work
open water swim 4×6 mins race pace with 2 mins RI. remember to practice sighting!
practice race entry and exit with 3min hard swim in the entry. 3 sets

transition training swim/run
this meant to train your body to get used to getting up from horizontal swim position to the vertical transition to bike position
500m race pace/ 2min hard run x 2 sets

bike 1: race pace work
use your aero position to ride these sets.
and try to find a rolling hill and work out the different gears for it.
3×20km @ race pace with race day nutrition 5min spinning RI

bike 2: transition work
10km bike/ 1km run x 2sets
you can do it faster than race pace or at OD race pace.

run 1: intervals
6x 800m at @ 5km race pace with 400m RI

run 2: long run
14km at half marathon race pace.

all the best for your race.

next week will continue the final taper.
all the workouts will be reduced in volume but the intensity will remain.

3 weeks and counting down… desaru 1/2 ironman…

some of us who did the port dickson race last week, it would be a good tune up and dress rehearsal for Desaru. it is time to reflect on the race and make adjustments to your race plan.

for those of us who did not race, i hope you managed to do a long brick that will test out your race day nutrition and hydration strategy.

if you have a race plan, it is the perfect time to start your mental rehearsal of it nightly.

and if you are like me, have not been training much (less than 50% of the workouts) and not 100% well to push hard, you should consider whether you should proceed to race or do a shorter race.
there would always be another race round the next month, the next year.
it is about the journey and not just the destination.

i have decided to do the sprint for desaru due to the above reasons.
but will still post the next 3 weeks workout here.

tapering start this week.
reduce mileage but not intensity
focus on transition work and recovery sessions.

swim 1 : intervals
10X50m @ 800m TT pace with 30s RI

swim 2 : race pace
2×900m @ 2k race pace. sight every 25m,
1×200m @ race pace with 60s RI

Run/ bike specific activation drills cum visualization
use foam rollers or tennis balls for self massage, 20min static stretch after the massage.

run 1 : intervals
5 x 1K (400m RI)

run 2 : tempo
1.5km warm up, 6km tempo at 10km race pace.

bike 1 : race pace
total mileage; 60km;
3×16km at race pace with 5min RI

Brick
20min bike/ 10min run 2 sets

4 more weeks…

this must be ranked as my most ill-prepared race !

only managed to do 30% to 50% of the training most weeks and even missed out on some weeks.

at this point, you should have done all the hard training and tried out all your nutrition and hydration strategies.
you should have a few bricks under your belt and even a few races.

well, at this stage i have not done any of those things.
only have a scheduled OD race this weekend in Port Dickson.
and i am nursing a perpetually inflamed nasal passage and sinus.

i will not be doing the 1/2 IM but will still be there..
for the sprint.

for those who will be racing OD as the tune up race this weekend, do taper for it.
taper like what you be doing for Desaru.
if even you are not going to PD, prepared to do a longer brick.

tapering for OD
swim 1: race pace
3×300m @ 1.5km race pace 1min RI

bike 1 : race pace cum drills
2×10km @ 40km race position and race pace 3min RI of spinning

run 1: race pace cum rehearsal for race prep
5×800m @ race pace 30s RI (please don’t run it too fast and raced the 800m!)
10min dynamic warm up like what you would do for race

Brick 1:
20min bike, 10min run

for those training through
swim 2: long
1km at 2km race pace with 1 sighting every 50m, 10×50m sprint with 15sec RI

bike 2: speed intervals
200, 400, 800 with 20s, 30s, 40s RI x 3 sets

run 2: tempo
6km at 10km pace

Brick: race pace work with race day conditions
60km bike/ 12km run

6 weeks.. and 5th week training schedule

the weather is finally getting cooler.
but according to the weather man, warm fair days will still be around.
and worse, the haze maybe back.

life still have to goes on.

and how are we going to train with the haze?
maybe it is time to get a gym membership

and read up on treadmill and trainer workouts…

swim 1 : race pace
3×700m @ 2k race pace 60s RI

swim 2 : endurance
2km with sighting/25m, 500 swim with leg restricted

optional Stretching for recovery

run 1 : intervals
10 x 400m (400m RI)

run 2 : tempo
1km warm up, 5×1km tempo with 2min recovery, 1km warm down

run 3 : long
24km @ HMP +19 sec./km

bike 1: race pace
40km: 3×10km rolling hills with 5min spin rest

bike 2: endurance
2x 25km @ ½ IM pace
with 5 mins spin

transition
2x 20min bike/10min run, 5min RI

week 5 workouts
swim 1 : speed
4×25m @ 20s RI, 4×50m @ 30s RI, 4×100m @ 40s RI
1×800m race pace

swim 2 : endurance and sighting
2km with sighting/25m, 600 swim with leg restricted

run 1: intervals
3 x 2000m (400m RI)

run 2 : tempo
1.5km warm up, 3km at 5km race pace, 1.5km warm down

run 3: long
16km @ HMP +12 sec./km

bike 1 : race pace
40km: 3×12km rolling hills with 5min spin rest

bike 2 : endurance and race pace specific work
2x 30km @ ½ IM pace
with 5 mins spin

transition
2x 20min bike/10min run, 5min RI

will be away so i am posting 2 weeks worth of training schedule.

7 weeks to desaru

we are entering into race preparation phase.
this is the time to try out equipment that you want to use on race day…
the nutrition you considering to use

and time to plan some race day type of training where the conditions are close to the hot, shadeless bike and run route you would get on race day.

swim 1 : intervals
10×100m @ 1.5k race pace 30 s RI
10×50m @ 800m race pace 30s RI

swim 2 : race pace
2×1km @ race pace 1min RI

optional strength and recovery session
Pilates and focused on flexibility and core

run 1 : intervals
3 x 1600m (400m RI)

run 2: tempo
1.5k warm up, 3,5km short tempo, 1,5km warm down

run 3 : long
16km@ HMP +12 sec./km.

bike 1: race pace
40km; 3×10km @ 40km race pace with 2km RI

bike 2 : long
70km @ 90 rpm ironman pace,
50min strength endurance of 40-60 rpm race position

Brick or transition session
1x 30min bike/ 20min run; focused on transition

8 weeks … about 2 months…

the weather has been really hot.
we have to ask ourselves, if this is the weather we would be racing in, should we train in this heat?
what is the cost and benefits of training in such conditions?

we cannot be training at our best since we will be losing too much electrolytes and water, and our heart will be working too hard to keep our body cool instead going faster.

however, our race day, the conditions will be such…

we can effectively plan for race day type of workouts but for our speed and high intensity sessions to push our bodies to the limit, we should race in the more ideal condition that will permit us to be at our best and also have an accurate assessment of our abilities.

we must remember, we train to race not race at training.

this is recovery week. do take time to recover; massage, eat better and sleep more.

swim 1 : speed
4×25m @ 20s RI,
4×50m @ 30s RI
4×100m @ 40s RI
1×800m race pace

swim 2 : long 2km swim

optional strength and flexibility session should be Pilates focus

run 1 : intervals
1K, 2K, 1K, 1K (400m RI)

run 2 : long
22.5km @ HMP + 19 sec./km.

bike 1 : long
60km @ 90 rpm ironman pace,
50min strength endurance of 40-60 rpm race position

transition
1x 30min bike/ 10min run; focused on transition so speed and intensity secondary.
do more sets of transition

9 more weeks… planned for buffer if you need to travel, sick, exam or just needed time out

finally after 3 weeks of partial enforced rest and 2 courses of antibiotics, I am finally free from the phlegm and middle of the night coughing fits.

you can never really planned for illness, but you can managed your expectations for the up coming race and the training that will lead to it.

and you can take steps to prevent yourself from catching this very strong strain of flu bug.
rest sufficiently so that your immune system would not be compromise, take vitamins to strengthen your immunity, wash your hands often and avoid possible infection by contact.

this is a rest week in the 4 weeks cycle.
take time to take stock of your equipment and make plans for recovery and time off to complete the longer sessions that are coming up from next week onwards.

swim 1 : intervals
4×25m @ 100m TT 20s RI,
4×50m @ 200m TT 30s RI
4×100m @ 500m TT 40s RI
2×200m @ 800m TT pace

swim 2 : race pace
3×500m @ 1.5km race

optional but great to have strength sessions.
explosive movements;
3 sets of different plyometrics for upper, lower and core

run 1 : intervals
3 x (2 x 1200m) (2:00 RI)
(4:00 RI between sets)

run 2 : tempo:
1.5k warm up, 3,5km short tempo, 1,5km warm down

run 3 : long run
16km @ HMP + 12sec./km.

bike 1 : race pace
40km; 5×8km @ new 40km race pace

bike 2 : long bike
70km; 45km at 90km race pace
10km big gear 40-60 rpm

brick session
1 x30min bike/ 10min run
1x 20min bike/ 20min run
all to be done at Olympic distance race pace

remember the warm up and warm down for all sessions.
the more you workout, the more recovery you need to do to stay injury free and ready for adaptation to the new level of training stress.