It was almost a perfect setting this time at the OSIM Corp Tri, my 2nd Sprint attempt...weather was good, friends "tri-ing" for the first time and finishing strong, Peng and I beating our previous timing and friends cheering you on. The only slight disappointment for me was not breaking the 1:30min mark and it was probably attributed to insufficient training and prep... well at least I know which part of the race to focus on for future races... Every part especially swimming!

SWIM LEG:
Whether it worked or not, at least this time I had a strategy - to start from outside away from main pack and make my way inwards towards buoy. Sounds like a plan - but realised it was easier said than done! At the start I stuck to my strategy and swam from the outside and tried to maintain mid pack. However, midway through the first 250m, I began to bunch up with the main pack and started losing my rhythm and orientation. Then ppl started overtaking me and what irked me was the breast strokers were overtaking me as well - quite demoralising being dropped by breast-strokers. Damn "tu-lan" so tried to swim a little harder but realised that I was splashing and using more energy but not converting to forward motion... got more tired but did not gain much ground i.e. powerless effort. So had to calm down at the horizontal leg to regain energy and breathing and by doing that I could focus on my technique and I was actually moving a little faster and smoother. But by then, I was already quite far behind the main pack. I was also swimming all over the place and it was then that I realised that my right pull is stronger than my left and I kept swimming into the rope. (Did not realise this at the swimming pool cos there was always the lane markers to guide you). At the final leg towards the beach, continued with the same technique but began to pull and kick a bit harder and managed to overtake a couple more breast strokers but in the end was unable to achieve a respectable time. Managed only 19:36min...but at least better than my first tri which I took 23min.
Bottomline - need more proper swim training!

BIKE LEG:
Bike leg was ok, timing was about the same as my first tri (43min) but can be better if I had clocked more mileage on my bike. Not much to report except that I felt a little more comfortable during the ride after being fitted properly. I also managed to gulp a packet of gel towards the end of the bike leg in prep for the run (but did not feel the effect at all during the run). Weather was also scorching and prob the only thing I could have done better was to hydrate more during the bike leg especially after taking the gel... My bottle of accelerade was still 2/3 full at the end of the bike leg. The result was cramps on my legs when I dismounted at the transition and cramps on my stomach muscles while changing to my running shoes. Not a good feeling before the run.
Bottomline - more rides with AAA, and proper hydration!


RUNNING LEG:
Weather was really hot, legs were cramping and the only thing that spurred me on were the AAA supporters on the side (Collin, Lin, Shem, Mel...) shouting "C'mon Paul". I felt a lot more tired this time compared to the last race. Coupled with the scorching heat, the halfway point actually felt like miles away and the run felt like it took forever. Tried to open up at the final 1km but realised that the lack of proper strength training took its toll as my mind was willing but the muscles did not respond. As a result, did not really finish the run strong and only managed a rather disappointing time of 28.5min, a minute slower than my last race.
Bottomline- More interval training required.



My overall timing was 1:31:49, about 3 min faster than my first. But my goal of breaking 1:30min was not achieved... SIGH :(

Anyways, on the brighter side :), seeing the happy faces of Sheng, Lawrence, Patricia, all first timers, at the finishing line, and Peng - always smiling at the finish (see happy faces in photo above) was more than enough to make the race so much more special.

And not forgetting the supporters from AAA and friends, thanks for all the cheers and encouragement. You guys definitely made a difference. Till the next race report...

Finally made it. Overcame my weakness in swimming and fear of the sea to complete my first Sprint Triathlon at the recently concluded OSIM International Triathlon on 28 July. My goal was just to complete the race and I did it. Was placed 155 out of 415 participants, not too bad I suppose for a first timer but on hindsight maybe should have pushed a bit more. But what the heck, I accomplished what I set out to do - to overcome my fear of the sea swim. I am definitely more confident in the sea now and will endeavour to swim faster the next attempt. Now for the race report.

The 750m Sea Swim: Before the start of the swim, the buoy looked so far away and it seemed so daunting to have to swim so far out into the sea. I psyched myself to not think of the negatives but to relax and think of the numerous long swims I did in the pool that covered double the distance (30 laps) and that I just have to take it easy the first time just to complete the entire loop. Indeed that was exactly what I did. At the sound of the horn, I slowly walked into the sea and started swimming from the back of the wave and from the outside. Took my time and managed to overtake a few but still ended somewhere at the back of the pack. Did it is 23min+, not a good time but I expected it cos I did not want to push myself too hard lest I puncture halfway.

At the transition, it was really muddy and the area was rather cramp. It was a challenge just to push my bike out onto the mounting lane and by the time I got there both my bike and bike shoes were soaked in mud. Had some problems clipping my shoes on at first but managed to eventually. Transition took me about 4 minutes - too long. The bike leg was quite smooth sailing and I felt that it was the easiest of the three. Managed a decent time of about 39min but could have pushed myself a little harder. But again, this is all on hindsight as at that time, I was trying to conserve for the run.

5km Run: At T2, again due to the lack of space and the muddy ground, I had to put on my shoes standing up. Being inflexible, I had a hard time bending down to put on my shoes and tighten the laces and as a result developed a cramp at my abdominal muscles. Spent some time stretching and drinking some isotonics before starting the run. Again wasted some time at transition. Cos of the cramps, I decided to start the run slow to get my body back on track. Just before the 2km mark, it started to storm and visibility was poor with the rain splashing hard on your face and your shoes soaking wet. The rain began so subside towards the end of the run and I eventually decided to open up at the end, at least finish the race with some dignity. But at the finishing line, it was quite an anti-climax as I was only greeted by a teenage volunteer holding a bunch of finisher medals who asked me for my champion-chip before handing one of the medals to me. Well the euphoria I expected to experience before the race at the finishing line was dampened a little but nevertheless I felt accomplished and happy that I was able to complete my first sprint triathlon relatively comfortably. At least now I know I have the capacity to push myself further towards a better time and longer distance.

I am also very proud to say that my wife Peng also completed her first sprint tri and I was even more impressed by her performance which was far beyond expectations. She was only 8min behind me and it was due to her cycling which was on a mountain bike. Her swimming and running was amazing. She was a lot faster than me on the swimming (4min) and her running was only about a minute plus slower. I think both of us are now hooked on tri and will definitely pursue this new found passion further and for the long haul. Till the next tri-report....could be sooner than you think...

This week decided to go for a longish ride in the morning before heading for the afternoon trg clinic at ECP.  It has been a while since I clocked a decent mileage on my bike and the OSIM trg at ECP only allows up to 4 loops which is about 24km.  I was with the AAA gang and boy it was quite a ride.

Ride Report:  Met up at Macritchie CP at 0730hrs but most of the AAA only arrived after 0745hrs.  Their plan was to do a brick session with a 60km ride and a 5km run.   For me, I decided to take it progressively and do only the bike portion. Had to also head home in time to send my daughter for ballet class.  I remembered the last time I went on a AAA ride, I had a hard time keeping up with them.  This time is was no different.  The ride started at a decent pace up till mandai road when everyone started opening up - which is the usual.   It is the usual struggle for me along Kranji, Neo Tiew and LCK stretch,  and it didn't help that the AAA group had a T@ rider pushing them even faster.  I started lagging behind after the Kranji Dam and within minutes, they disappeared beyond my sight.  I tried to open up but my leg muscles were not responding.  I felt bad when I saw then waiting for me at the Neo Tiew/LCK junction and thought I could try to keep up with them this time at the LCK stretch.  Again, I struggled to even reach 30km/h along the LCK stretch... and again they waited for me at the final bus-stop.  From then on, I was barely able to keep up along Tengah Road / CCK/ Upp Bukit Timah thanks to the traffic lights that forced them to stop.  But overall, the ride was a good workout and a wake up call for me to start clocking more bike miles.  Thanks AAA for a great ride.  Will join you guys more often and hopefully keep up with you in the near future.

OSIM Trg at ECP:  After the 60km ride, I decided to give the bike portion a miss.  Just went for the sea swim.  Again swam 3 loops prob about 700-800m in distance but it felt shorter.  3 loops was also the max allowable loops by the organisers.  But I think next 2 trgs I will try to squeeze in 1 more loop to make the swim training more fruitful.  But I think my sea swim is slowly getting better and more relaxed.  I am starting to feel more comfortable in the sea.  Hope that is the case on actual race day.

Till the next report....See ya!

Last Saturday was my 2nd OSIM Tri-training at ECP CP F2. Was late for the clinic so went straight to training.

Sea Swim this time was a lot better. Better cos I was feeling more comfortable in the sea. Although the sea state was worse (choppy sea, high tide etc) this time compared to the last training, I was able to complete three full loops (about 800m) quite comfortably and actually had spare energy to continue. Decided to increase the intensity progressively, so stopped at 3 loops.

Cycling this time was a better workout. Bought myself a pair of aerobars and used them for the first time. At first when I transited from handlebars to aerobars, had problem keeping the bike on a straight course. After a while, manage to cruise quite comfortably and realised that the aerobars indeed helped in increasing the speed of the bike by about 2km/h possibly due to better aerodynamics. Completed 3 loops (18km) in about 40min.

Finished the training with a 5km run in about 28.5min. Had to stop awhile due to stitch cos drank too much during transition (almost 2 cans of 100plus). Lesson learnt. Need to moderate even when hot and thirsty.

So this training I thought was a little more fruitful than the first especially in the swimming leg which is my weakest. Will strive to improve on the swimming next week, maybe do at least 4 loops, and then speed up the transition portion by organising the area as well as manage my hydration and energy replenishment better. Till the next trg report....

I finally made it. A Gold Award for my IPPT after 10 years. Ran my 2.4km in 10mins flat. My interval training at the track finally paid off. I'm all psyched up and will make sure I cherich and maintain this gold award for as long as I am eligible for IPPT. Next target is the OSIM Sprint Tri. Then the Army Half Marathon in Sep and maybe another Tri in between and then even the Stanchart Marathon end of the year. This will be a physically packed year for me and I am looking forward to it. Yeeeee Hah!!!

Peng and I attended our first of six OSIM Tri-Clinic cum Trg at ECP. It was also our first time bringing so much equipment (2 x Bikes, shoes, change of clothes etc) plus donning our tri-suit. It was also our first time doing all three (sea-swim, cycle, run) at one go. Basically, there were many firsts...
Sea swim was ok, in fact I felt more comfortable than usual. Managed to take it easy and breathing was a lot more natural. Did a bit of breast stroke in between, whenever I hit a crowd of swimmers or when I make a turn at the buoy. Did 2 laps of about 250m and proceeded to transition area to get ready for cycling.
Cycling was quite a breeze cos I took it easy as well. Did 18km in about 45min. Route was ok but would have preferred not to cycle into ECP cycle track as there were many inexperienced weekend cyclists and children running about. Would have preferred to remain on the service road.
Running was last, just a slow paced 5km in about 30min. All in all, completed all three feeling satisfied with a slight boost in confidence that I should be able to complete the Sprint end July. Still got to complete the full sea swim distance first before feeling totally confident though...

Today's swim was not a productive one. While I have improved in my swimming pool speed and endurance, my psychological barrier of swimming in the sea once again hindered my performance. This is my 2nd sea swim, after 2 months from my first in Mar. I went in for my warm up round and halfway through began to feel short of breadth. Heart began pumping faster and I get really tired and decided to turn back to shore halfway. Not a good feeling. When that happened, all the technique, breathing rhythm etc that I learnt since Jan went down the drain. I was quite disappointed in myself. In fact, I thought my first sea swim was better. The fact that the sea was exceptionally dirty with logs and rubbish floating around didn't help. Coupled with the recent increase in workload and job stress, I think I had better sort out my life and give it some energy and morale boost. Hope my next sea swim in Jun will be a quantum improvement from this one seeing that the OSIM tri is emerging in the horizon...

Managed to try out my Nike+ and my new Nike Tri-ax+ shoes - in Sea World Brisbane. Wow, what perfect weather - 25deg C, not too much sun cos it was about 5pm in the evening, and people are so friendly, you fellow runners would smile or wave at you. There were cyclists as well. What ideal conditions to start my first run with the Nike+. Ok now for the comments:

At first, was not use to the IPOD earphones, should they be hanging from front or back of neck. Tried back at first but the outer side of the earphone (my left ear) kept falling off, so decided to switch to the front. This time my right hand had to grab hold of the loose hanging earphone wire. Not so ideal.

Next, the IPOD and the IPOD armband. Once in the armband, you cannot see what's on the screen. You have to get all the settings right first just before pressing the centre button to start your workout. Was a little clumsy at first but got through it third time round.

Once the running starts, the IPOD and Nike+ worked smoothly. The female voice was soothing and clear and the running data read out to you slowly and clearly. Even without calibration, the distance and speed was reasonably accurate as well. My only discomfort is with the armband that would cause an ugly tan mark on your arm after a few runs in the sun.

Lastly the running report and synching with iTunes and Nike+.com. Seamless and effortless. Just plug in your IPOD and everything gets uploaded to your iTunes and Nike+ account. Running data is presented in many useful forms and you can track your progress and set goals for yourselves.

So much for my first run, a 6.7km run in about 37min. About a 5:37min/km pace. Have set a goal to achieve 100km in 8 weeks. If running continues to be so fun, I should be reaching that goal in no time. See ya!

What is the best way to train to achieve Gold Standard (10:15) for the IPPT 2.4km run? Some say just run often at least 3 times a week at an average of 5km and you are ok. Some say do interval training, i.e. run 400m at 1:30 pace with rest of 1:30 in between for 6 rounds and gradually reduce the rest time to 1min then 30 secs. The more scientific ones would say run at a certain percentage of your max heart rate. I think sometimes it depends on the person, level of fitness, body built etc. One thing though does not change and that is the training will not be easy. I have since tried doing a combination of interval training and 5km short runs about 3 times a week. Either 2 x interval and 1 x 5km or the other way round. The interval training is the tougher one and sometimes I fail to meet the 1:30 timing busting it by 5 secs during the later sets. However, there are already signs of results from the interval training as my 5km run speed has improved by over a minute. Have yet to do a complete 2.4km time trial yet though. Hope that this will work. Am open to comments and tips on how to better train to achieve < 10min15sec for a 2.4km run. Am taking my IPPT next month. Wish me luck!

Supposedly the easiest stroke for swimming, I somehow cannot get my body to synchronise the arm pulling and kicking. Every stroke inches me forward so slowly that I feel like I am trapping water rather than swimming. While most swimmers use this stroke for recovery, I would prefer swimming front crawl slowly. Weird huh! I suppose one of my problems is flexibility and I cannot spread my kick wide enough to get an effective propulsion. And I find it unnatural to tilt my feet upwards 90deg as I am too used to the front crawl kick where one is supposed to flatten your feet. Anyway, I need to somehow get this stroke sorted out so that I can use it to recover and orientate myself in the sea.