Race Recap: North Shore Half Marathon 2012

This was my first half marathon for the year and second race overall. I have been training with with FRST program for about 10 weeks now and so far my running has improved, I feel better and it doesn't hurt as much as it used to but I am just not getting much faster. My main event this year is the Adidas Auckland Half Marathon in October and this race would be good to let me know what my weaknesses are. So many that I really hope to have enough perseverance to improve before the next race.

 My race day outfit : Lululemon shorts and my favourite Under Armour shirt. The bib is printed with my name, how grand it that?

I had more sleep than I thought I would get the night before and not as nervous as I thought I'd be. The race starts only at 8.20am and it was easy to find free parking around the corner. If only all races are like this one.  Perfect weather condition with no headwind and great sunshine. The entire route was stunning although I was busy being focussed running with as much ease as I possibly can.

1-5km:

During the countdown, I try starting my Runmeter. It crashed. I restarted my iphone and retry. It crashed again and this is the latest version of Runmeter. I am going to order my Garmin this week and not let this happen again. Luckily, I borrowed an old Polar from S and used it to track for time.

We took off on the beach and ran the 1st km on Takapuna beach. This is much better than last year's route where the last 1 km is a dash on the beach.
My game plan was to take it easy for the first 10km and run at a rather comfortable pace. I ran with a friend who was a stronger runner but I was able to keep up the pace. There was lady who ran in front of us and we used her as our pacesetter because she was very well paced and at a level where we felt comfortable with. Got a quick sip of water at 4.5km. Next time I shall bring my own water because it's more convenient. We didn't chat much on the course as we'd normally do as we were just focused on keeping our tanks full as long as we can.

6-10km:

This is the tough bit, going up North Head starting with a small dash on the beach and then 1km of mostly hill. Coming down and out of North Head was the best bit. The view was stunning but I was too focused on not stopping at all. A little bit of run down the hill which was really nice as my hammies were starting to sting. Had a bit of drink at 9.1km and then slowed down to pull out my iphone for some music. This was such a bad move. I dropped back from my friend and then I can never catch up to her. Sucks. I should have just focus on running with her.

10-15km:

It started to go downhill from here. I was aiming to run the whole course but I couldn't manage it and had a few quick 20sec stops to walk.I was so thirsty and there were mileage markers are all over the place. There are a few signages and the rest are just sprayed on the ground. Since I do not have my Runmeter going I can't tell how far I've gone. I became more dehydrated and hammies are stinging more by now. Finally at 14.1 km there is a water station and I took only 1 small cup of water and keep running. My mind was blank I can't think of anything to keep me focused. My mind is all over the place. The familiar runners who started with me are nowhere to be seen. This is bad for anyone in a race. You always want to stay with the pack. At least that gives you a point of focus.


16-20km:

By now I was walking a lot more often than I did before. Feet was starting to burn as it was so hot and it didn't help that I have sand inside my socks. I start to lose focus because I don't know how much more to go after I saw the 17km mark. I was so thirsty and my throat is really dry. I keep telling myself that I only have 1km to go. I try to picture Jillian Michaels screaming "You can't stop now!!" next to my face to keep me going. My right starts to buckle in the last 500m. Awesome.
When I reach to finish line I was so happy that it's over. The clock says I did 2:25, not great but I am always happy that I finish. I wanted to do 2:15 so bad but I had to accept that I didn't. I've learnt that I need to be more focused in my next race. I have to stop being distracted by gadgets that didn't work when you need them to. I learnt that I should stop letting Runmeter ruin my run again and buy a Garmin asap. Lastly, I've learnt that I need to train harder and stop letting pain get into my head.

Overall it was a very good event, lots of support from the crowd and the run marshals, the weather was perfect and a little boy hi-five me on my first km which brought a huge smile to my face. I still have about 8 weeks to the more important race which is the Adidas Half Marathon and I hope that I will learn from all my mistakes and run a better race in 8 weeks.

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Running with Compressport Calf Sleeves

I have been reading a lot of bloggers favouring the calf sleeves and finally decided to get a pair for myself after reading mixed reviews. Some swears by it and some think it makes no difference so I thought I'd give it a try anyway.I bought a pair of Compressport calf sleeves on Wiggle.co.uk since they received a lot of great reviews. Many were saying that these are much more comfortable than 2XU so I gave it a try. It arrived in the mail on Thursday and I  gave it a test run  when Iwent out for a quick run of 10km on Sunday. They are not cheap and cost approx USD 45. I slip it on and it felt pretty snug but not too snug that it bothers me. There were so many colours to choose from but I went for black because it will look clean longer!

Although I have only used them once but I have to say it was pretty comfortable. I like the grey bits where it stays on well but not leaving marks and cutting off blood supply to my legs. I can feel that I am wearing them when I run but it wasn't restricting or uncomfortable. It's very breathable and gave my calves a little support and I am pretty happy. 10km for the first try, I think that's a pretty good amount of time to test it out. I like the length too. It's not too long for my 5'1 frame. I was worried that it would go up to my knees. I am thinking of wearing them on Sunday for my first half marathon race of the year. Excited!!

After the run, S and I went over to Pah Homestead in Monte Cecilia Park,Hillsborough. It's crazily beautiful and relatively unknown. The homestead was built in the 19th century and houses an art gallery and a cafe. It's just 5 minutes drive for us and we are so coming back for regular cuppa.You can sit on the veranda and soak in the beautiful views of the Manukau  Harbour.

We got a table on the veranda and soak in the beautiful views and weather. It's a great place to relax and feel revived by the surroundings and forget that you are in busy central Auckland.

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I've been tagged :11 Shades of Randomness

I'm so honoured to be tagged by Jen from Run It My Way because I've been reading her blog since months and it's one of my favourite running blog. When I found out this morning that I have been tagged by her to list 11 random things about me, I was ecstatic. I hope that I still come across as "normal" after you've finished reading my random 11.


1. At 32 I still can't ride a bicycle and my husband is a very strong cyclist. I have always wanted to learn how to but never got past my shyness of falling off a bike and we don't have a backyard for me to learn. My goal is to borrow an old disowned bicycle from a 10 year old daughter of my colleague and learn how to ride.

2. I have always been a couch potato until 4 years ago when I quit smoking because I just don't want to any more. Before that, I could barely walk 100m uphill without feeling dizzy and sick.

3. My all time favourite sitcom is FRIENDS and I have watched it so many times that I can almost   remember the lines from every episode. My favourite character is Ross.

4.I didn't speak much English (and not much of anything) until I went to primary school at 7 in Kuala Lumpur and it has since become my first language. I just didn't like talking when I was very young but became a motormouth after primary school.

5. I am utterly uncoordinated and have given up on going to STEP classes because my feet can agree on what to do.

6. I love spring and winter and hate days that are above 20 degree celsius . Summer is the worst time to run for me and I usually take January off running because it's the hottest month in Auckland.
 

My 'First Aid" cap

7. On race day, I love to tape blister pack, nurofen and plasters under my cap for emergency. If you are need a plaster on race day, flag me down!

8. I love painting my nails and love to have my nails painted the night before my long run so I can stare at my nails when I run. They also give me great motivation when I do push-ups because I am too busy staring at the colour and not realise how gruelling it gets. Win-win.

9. I have Ailurophobia - a persistent and irrational fear of cats. I don't know the exact cause of this but I found out in my teens that I have a fear for this tiny harmless animal. I am not afraid that it will hurt me but just the sheer thought of the fur and long tail scares me and sometimes I can't even look at a photo of a toby cat (tobies are my most feared cat).

10. I love dogs, a lot. The best part of my Sunday run is running through a popular park where I get to see lots of dogs and it makes my day.

11. I eat too much cheese and there's no cure and I am happy with that.


Hmm...I'm beginning to understand myself more after finishing this post. If I need a flatmate someday I will reuse these questions. If you think you had enough of me, not yet.

Here's my answers to Jen's questions:

1. What is the one race/ athletic event you would most like to do? (cost, travel and logistics aren't factors!)  Disney Princess Half Marathon. And if ability is not a factor either it would be a triathlon.

2. What food tempts you most when you're trying to eat healthy? Ice-cream and french fries. Always.

3.Biggest pet peeve at the gym or races? Equipment hoggers who holds you up using a machine because they are busy facebooking or tweeting.

4.Running skirts. Love 'em or leave 'em? Haven't worn one before but I could imagine liking it.

5.What are your thoughts on makeup at the gym? As long as it doesn't melt and no one is wearing fake lashes it's okay.

6. What blog post that you've read in the past week week or so that has inspired you? I have not come across a significant in the last week but have come across many outstanding motivational posts in the past.

7.  3 things you cannot live without? Sleep, husband, internet.

8. Do you have a post race tradition? Eat a big calorific meal that I wouldn't normally allow myself   to.

9. Do you spend more on work attire or athletic attire? I don't have specific work attire so I have to say street attire.But the gap between athletic and work attire spending is closing.

10. What's the best costume you have worn or seen another runner wear at a race? Not sure it was the best, but definitely most uncomfortable was a man dressed as Darth Vader to run a marathon! For myself, it's being dressed as a Santa for a Santa Run.

I wonder if the lobster will stay put if I go race in this headgear 

11. What's the best running book you've ever read? Hmm.. I have only read 2 so far and it's not a fair comparison - Run Less Run Faster and  The Runner's Body.

I'm tagging the following bloggers because they have been inspirational to my running:

1.Emz from If I can't convince you at least I can confuse you 

2.Katie from Msfitrunner

3.Alli from See Alli Run

4.Becky from Run Fun Done

5. Susan from Nurse On The Run

6. Janae from Hungry Runner Girl

7. Julie from ROJ Running

8. Whitney from Live Run Love Yoga

9. Sarah from Once Upon A Lime 

10. Christy from My Dirt Road Anthem

11. Rachel from Running Rachel


Your questions are:

1. Jogging on the spot at the red lights - good or pathetic?

2. What is your best running moment?

3.What gets you into blogging? Do you get inspired to run more by other bloggers?

4. What is your favourite running blog and why?

5.What do you carry on you when you run?

6. If time is not an issue,would you prefer to run in hot or cold weather? Rain or shine? Day or

7. What is your favourite dessert?

8. What are your short-term running goals?

9. How do you reward yourself after a long hard run?

10. Do you try to eat healthy most of the week and how do you do it?

11. Name one really good movie you have watched recently and why?

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Overdose of London 2012 and the best moments so far

Thank goodness that the Olympics happens only once in every 4 years because it's so intense. I have been watching almost everything - athletics, swimming,diving, rowing, badminton, heptathlon, marathon, triathlon, gymnastics, weightlifting,track cycling and the list goes on. My favourite event so far? The men's badminton singles final between Lee Chong Wei from Malaysia and Lin Dan from China. It was a spectacular nail-biting and adrenalin-pumping affair down the the very last second when the winner emerges! Such a good fight between two of the world's best players. I was so looking forward to Lee Chong Wei to win the first gold medal for Malaysia but Lin Dan was such a strong opponent and both played their best game for the night. A little disappointed that Lee didn't win but it was such an awesome game and for that, it was a gold medal performance.

      

I will  use this post a a log book of all the London Olympic 2012 events that was very memorable so far and this is most epic with the QE2 and James Bond. The Queen was such a good sport and this will always be remembered for many years to come.

Then there's the Women's Marathon where Tatyana Petrova Arkhipova made a dashing final bid to win the bronze medal and was the only non African runner in the top 5.

 One of the many highlights of London 2012 was if Usain Bolt can retain his "Fastest man in the world" title after some rough patches and with many critics saying that Yohan Blake will take over his title. Lightning Bolt defended his title fiercely and let his critics know he is still the fastest the world has seen at 9.63 seconds! Blink and you'll miss him in action. Seriously.

 Jessica Ennis- the British golden girl with a smile that melts your heart and a stellar performance to take home the gold medal in heptathlon. She is such a joy to watch; fast, strong, talented and can't look happier doing what she does. Such a sweetheart and I am looking forward to watch her in
 Rio 2016.
 

The most heart-warming moment so far was the Men's 400m final with the much anticipated run by South African "Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius because he had made history becoming the first double amputee to compete. No one has looked so happy coming in last but you can see the satisfaction and pride in his face to have beaten the odds and made it to the finals.The cherry on the cake moment was when winner Kirani James approached Pistorius to swap name tags. It was just a brief moment to remember what sports is all about.

Have you been watching much of London 2012?

What is your favourite moment so far?

Who are you looking forward to watch in Rio 2016?

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Positivity Friday & Jalapeno Mexican Grill on O'Connell St

All the running and extra spinning sessions that I have been doing these days call for a carbo loading and I had this huge craving for mexican food the other day and headed down to Jalapeno Mexican Grill on O'Connor Street. The food are cheap and cheerful and the choices are pretty good.

                                   

I love how creative they are with the bar space.

Here is my share of great finds to share for a positive Friday! Have a good weekend everyone !

Source: shes-fine.tumblr.com via Korina on Pinterest

Source: en.fishki.net via Henry on Pinterest

Source: cook-pray-love.com via Penny on Pinterest

Source: fitisthenewbeautiful.tumblr.com via Shiree on Pinterest

Source: fitnessandfaithfulness.tumblr.com via Shiree on Pinterest

What are your running plans for the week? 

What motivates you to go for your long weekend run??

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Runmeter GPS craziness

Of late, I am really getting tired of Runmeter because the GPS has been so unreliable and although I like the results on the screen of my iphone I have serious doubts that I ran that pace. Someone else may, but not me, not yet. After 2 upgrades Runmeter still can't get it right and it's getting very frustrating because on some days it really kills your enthusiasm. After pounding the streets for 2 hours on a dreadful wet day, all you hear is " Average Pace- 12:00/km". It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that it's not accurate. 12 minutes per km is walking pace. 

As part of my training program, I have to do two non-weight bearing cardio sessions to complement my running and have been enjoy them quite a bit. There a couple of easy sessions on the bike where I can read while waiting for my alarm to tick off after 30 minutes. Keeping myself on the stationary bike for more than 15 minutes is very ambitious feat. I get really bored unless I am in a spin class or someone starts pedalling competitively next to me. I am reading the Runner's Body now and it's a very good read to understand how each part of your body works together to generate the running motion. Yeah, that's my layman's term. If you are into the scientific terms, go grab one and it's a really interesting read. It makes think of all the blood cells making its rounds in your body etc.

I am really digging these Wattbikes they have at the gym now. It's a lot tougher than a spinning bike as it's got quite a bit of resistance.The harder you pedal, the harder it gets and you can really work out some sweat here. I am close to my 8th week of FIRST training program and I can really feel that I am getting fitter and legs are getting stronger by the week. These are all good signs because I can push myself a little harder each week. In terms of speed, I am not so sure if I am faster. I presume I am because of my overall improved cardio fitness but I am keen to find out when I run my first half marathon end of this month. It will give me a snapshot of my overall performance and improvement. The most significant change is that my legs especially my knees are not as often sore as they were last year. Really looking forward to the half marathon race to see how far I have come.

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Positivity Friday : The rise of half marathon and How to Foam Roll

 This month's edition of Runner's World had a special feature on the Half Marathon and I thought it would be great to share it as my Positivity Friday post. Apparently half marathon became a popular trend from 2009 onwards with 65% people in the USA who made their running debut in the category. I personally started in 2010 after catching the running bug and signed up for my first half marathon as a motivation.I have loved it ever since with the hope of achieving a sub 2 half marathon in the near future. So far I have only ran 3 half marathon and 1 10k races and I am looking forward to do 2 more half marathons before the year ends. There are so many great races across USA that I could be keen to do. I shall reconsider it next April if my financial situation allows me to hop onto a plane to do a running trip. That would be absolutely fantastic.

If you run often, one of your BFF would be the foam roller or the stick and this is one loyal friend who will always be there to hear you moan about all the soreness after the hard work. I try to foam roll after each run and I have found a good foam rolling guide. I have done almost everything in the guide except rolling my chest.

As with all my other Positivity Friday posts, I will like to share with you all my favourite photos and quotes I have found this week.

Source: inspiringchickpic.tumblr.com via Konstantin on Pinterest

Source: fitblackwomen.tumblr.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

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Grass fed beef patty sliders with Havarti, Portobello and rocket

I found some slider buns at my quick stop at Nosh to get milk and bread and I can't resist them. Pasta dinner can wait. It's sliders for dinner. Also bought some lean beef mince for making the patties. I love homemade patties. It's so simple and taste so much better than the stuff you get from the supermarket which I suspect is made out of cardboard.

 You might think that I was munching on these crackers while preparing my dinner. Yes I did. I also use them as a substitute for breadcrumb as I didn't have any at home. I actually don't buy breadcrumbs. I found this opened pack of italian rosemary flavored crackers in the cupboard. Perfecto! I crushed these crackers in a ziplock bag using a mortar so it's really quick and simple.

Chopped some spanish onions, cracked 2 eggs and add the crushed crackers into the mince. Add a little salt & pepper and chilli flakes for added flavour. I rolled the mince into a small ball and pressed it with a spoon and fry them for about 2 minutes each side. While  meat were resting, I sliced some havarti cheese on top to melt it. Lastly, I assembled the slider buns with patty, havarti, portobello, rocket fuel sauce and rocket leaves , secure it with a toothpick and put it back on the frying pan to give a nice crunch the bottom of the buns.

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Week 5 on FRST program and Sunday brunch at Selera Newmarket

This is going to be a long post. If you don't really want to read about how I haul my ass through 18km of sweatiness, you still have a chance to stop reading now. If not, I hope you will enjoy my random rambling of what I do on a Sunday morning.

I am into my fifth week on the FRST 3+2 program and this week's long run is 18km!! I have never managed to convince myself to get out of bed on a chilly morning and run alone for 2 hour and 23minutes!! This is a new first for me and I am glad I did it although I am not entirely sure how I talked myself into it. How was it? Great. I had the biggest smile on my face running and singing as I pound the pavement and run up some hills. Must be something in the water or maybe I'm just a nutter. I felt light on my feet and not huffing and puffing when I run uphill which is great. I also notice that my knees haven't been throwing tantrums from the higher mileage I am running now.

I am enjoying my training and and feeling really fit now. My Runmeter tells me that my average pace was 7:52 but I felt faster than that. I need to buy a Garmin as soon as I can afford it as I am getting fed up with Runmeter's randomness!

What made my run really pleasant was my cheap handheld water bottle. I have had it for ages but never used it because I wasn't sure if I like holding onto something when I run. I must it didn't bother me at all and I would rather hold a bottle than wearing as a belt. I have used a Camelbak before and hated it because it was so warm and heavy on my back but I had to so that I can stay hydrated. I was planning on getting the Lululemon +Amphipod bottle but now I not so sure if I really need it any more. This one is cheap and if I lose it I am not really bothered because it only cost me $3. I think it's only 300ml but I got a refill at the park's water fountain so it's all good. I think I will bring this with me for a race so I don't have to stop at as many water stops.

I got this Rucanor drinking bottle via Wiggle and it's awesome. Easy to drink and doesn't leak! 

He didn't look too happy that I woke him up from his Sunday morning slumber. 

 When I came home after being on the road for close to 2 hour 30 minutes I was exhausted. I don't know how I coaxed myself into running alone for such a long time. Maybe I already have the mental potential to run a marathon, just need to work on my fitness. Overall, I feel strong and not running out of breath which is really encouraging. My lower back was a little sore when I got home but legs were not too bad. I also drank lots of Nuun diluted in water to rehydrate. I ate some toasts with orange juice although I wasn't hungry but I was craving badly for salty food so I went to Selera in Newmarket to have my sinful Char Koay Teow ( Stir-fried rice noodles). It's got loads of carbs, some protein, salt and some fibre. Balanced meal ! 

My running motivation: A big plate of Char Koay Teow from Selera Newmarket as refuel.

Lunch was followed by a trip to Queenie's Lunchroom in Freeman's Bay. The coffee was really good and they have lots of magazines to read.

Tamarillo tart from Queenie's Lunchroom 

I was really exhausted after the run and I just want to go home after all the food. I had a little nap too because I was spent. Other than the fatigue and sore lower back I was doing quite well. Last year when I was training for my half marathon I had so many injuries that stopped me from training properly and the longest run I did was only a mere 10km and it got me really nervous. I just hope I will be able to keep training for the next 11 weeks and enjoy the results of my hardwork. Maybe not a sub 2 half marathon but shaving off  10 minutes of my previous race would be really sweet. I am enjoying my training this year way more than last year because I am feeling great and I understand the purpose of each run and the benefits. Knowing why you are doing something really puts a perspective into one's training. It keeps you motivated and focused.

If you are also training on the FRST aka Run Less Run Faster, please let me know how you are going with your training.

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Update on my 4th week on 3+2 FRST running program

Let's talk about running.

I am into my fourth week following the Half Marathon training program from Run Less Run Faster aka FRST 3+2. The program advocates 3 keys runs a week complemented by 2 cross-training sessions to increase your cardiovascular fitness without the extra strain on your legs to prevent injuries and overuse. My aim is to someday achieve my goal of a sub 2hr half marathon. To do this, I have to be fitter and faster through a more structured training program and not just go out and run like a monkey. Ok, more of like a turtle because I am slow and steady :P

So how do I feel? Am I faster? I don't feel like I am faster yet but I do feel stronger and that I can push myself a little more. There are times when I fun a 4" per km for a short stretch of my run and that is an improvement. What I need to improve on is to be able to run a consistent pace because I suck at it. I will go all out for 5 minutes and bong the next 10 minutes and it's not good. I need to pace myself out better. I know that a lot of seasoned runners are very good at it even without using a Garmin, they have a feel for it. I have to start to learn how to feel for it until I get a Garmin. I am still all broke after replacing my car and multiple stops at Lululemon.

Here is a peep of the running program:

Basically Key Run #1 are track repeats, Key Run #2 are Tempo runs and Key Run#3 are your good old weekend Long Run which is also the most important of the three runs. My calves were really sore after a sports massage last week and I skipped Key Run #1. The book also emphasized that it's ok to miss a run or even a week's worth of running and not to worry about replacing it but if you have to miss more than a week's worth of running, you may have to revise your goal time.

The key is to stay healthy by not over-training. In the past, I would have tried to make up for the lost run but I took the advise and just twice last week but complemented it with a gentle spin on the stationary bike.

 I love my Saucony Fastwitch 5 to bits. I am going to get another pair but not in the same colour because I can't find it anymore. I did my long run in Cornwall Park which is really wonderful family park to run in especially on a Sunday morning when I feel I have the track to myself.

After lunch, I went to the local store to window shop for shoes. I was keen on trying the Kinvara 3 but they don't have it yet so I've tried the Kinvara 2 just to get a feel of the shoe. I like how light the shoes are but they are only available in pink!! Nope, I'll just wait for the Kinvara 3. I have also spotted the Brooks Pureflow and Pureconnect. I like the Pureconnect but it's a very minimalist shoe and needs a little bit of getting used to before I can imagine running in them. The Brooks Pureflow looks a little more solid and supporting but it looks very geeky. Sorry, I can't get past the looks of running shoes look sometimes unless they make me fly through a race and get a sub 2 half marathon.

This is the only time I have walked out of the store without buying any running shoes. The sales assistant looked a little pissed off with me when I told him that I will come back another day. In the past I feel that it is fair to pay a little extra for the service at a brick and mortar store versus buying it from a faceless website overseas but I don't think I will feel the same next time. Personally, I find that buying a pair of running shoes needs more consideration than other shoes because if you pick the wrong pair, you may end up with an injury that may force you out of training for a while.Anyway, I went over to Burger Fuel to have a treat of spud fries with aioli...so good!!

What is your favourite running shoes?

Do you prefer buying your running shoes online or from a store?

Do you like your fries with ketchup / aioli/ mayo?

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