Dear All,
Please note that Soccer Fellowship today is cancelled as Sports Council has cancelled our booking due to the rain.
Soccer Fellowship will resume again next Saturday, same time, same place. See you all then!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Thinking of completing a marathon?
A number of folks have asked about what it takes to complete a marathon, training program, nutrition, hydration, preparation, etc.
As I am fond of saying: "If I can do it, so can you!"
Here are some thoughts on what you can do:
Marathoning should be a longer term goal, and many people go from 5ks to 10ks to half marathons before attempting the full. So start modestly, build up your mileage consistently over time. It is important to have a strong aerobic/cardio base that may take 12 months or more to build up.
How do people run? The elite runners - they run fast all the way, not even stopping for water! That's a different story, of course. For me and many other people I know, we find that we have to take short walk breaks, especially after running for more than 2 hours. Some of us use a deliberate walk-run approach, made famous by Galloway. The idea is to run say 5 min and walk 1 min (5:1 ratio), and to do this right from the start of the run (rather than only when one is tired). The idea is to allow the muscles to rest so that they can work longer and to limit cardiac drift so that we don't go anaerobic (i.e. maintain heart rate in aerobic / fat burning zone). Many friends use this approach for their first marathons, even though they are strong runners.
You can find more information about walk-run here: http://bfgmidliferunning.blogspot.com/2008/07/walk-breaks_29.html
Most people don't appreciate how important nutrition is and they hit the wall or bonk in the later part of the marathon. Usually we carry our own hydration and nutrition during training runs of more than 15 km, but on race day, water stations provide isotonic drinks and water, usually about 2 km apart. There's usually one station that provides gel and bananas/fruits. Gels are liquid carbohydrates (about 100 cal) to help us sustain our energy levels. We expend about 500 cal per hour in running. So a marathon that takes up to 5 hours would expend 2,500 cal. This is higher than our daily intake of calories! I ingest about 4 to 5 gels for 42 km.
For race day preparation, what we advise is to build in a taper. So for the week before your race, don't do long runs. Keep your runs short, say up to 5 km (for a 10k race), but maintain the intensity/pace that you would like to run during the race. Take a rest day the day before the race to keep the legs fresh. There's the race expo / collection of race pack. Usually I pin my bib on the running tee the night before, pack all the necessary run gear and have an early night's sleep. Go early so as not to rush. There's the bag deposit and porties that may see long queues.
The keys to successfully completing a marathon are commitment, discipline and a good training program!
The PMC running community has two successful running programs that helped our friends complete the full marathons at last year's SCSM and the more recent Sundown marathon.
To find out more about running, please drop an email to:
SE Ong (seong350@gmail.com)
Ong Peng Kiat (opk.alpha@yahoo.com.sg)
Teo Teck Hui (teo_t_h@yahoo.com.sg)
As I am fond of saying: "If I can do it, so can you!"
Here are some thoughts on what you can do:
Marathoning should be a longer term goal, and many people go from 5ks to 10ks to half marathons before attempting the full. So start modestly, build up your mileage consistently over time. It is important to have a strong aerobic/cardio base that may take 12 months or more to build up.
How do people run? The elite runners - they run fast all the way, not even stopping for water! That's a different story, of course. For me and many other people I know, we find that we have to take short walk breaks, especially after running for more than 2 hours. Some of us use a deliberate walk-run approach, made famous by Galloway. The idea is to run say 5 min and walk 1 min (5:1 ratio), and to do this right from the start of the run (rather than only when one is tired). The idea is to allow the muscles to rest so that they can work longer and to limit cardiac drift so that we don't go anaerobic (i.e. maintain heart rate in aerobic / fat burning zone). Many friends use this approach for their first marathons, even though they are strong runners.
You can find more information about walk-run here: http://bfgmidliferunning.blogspot.com/2008/07/walk-breaks_29.html
Most people don't appreciate how important nutrition is and they hit the wall or bonk in the later part of the marathon. Usually we carry our own hydration and nutrition during training runs of more than 15 km, but on race day, water stations provide isotonic drinks and water, usually about 2 km apart. There's usually one station that provides gel and bananas/fruits. Gels are liquid carbohydrates (about 100 cal) to help us sustain our energy levels. We expend about 500 cal per hour in running. So a marathon that takes up to 5 hours would expend 2,500 cal. This is higher than our daily intake of calories! I ingest about 4 to 5 gels for 42 km.
For race day preparation, what we advise is to build in a taper. So for the week before your race, don't do long runs. Keep your runs short, say up to 5 km (for a 10k race), but maintain the intensity/pace that you would like to run during the race. Take a rest day the day before the race to keep the legs fresh. There's the race expo / collection of race pack. Usually I pin my bib on the running tee the night before, pack all the necessary run gear and have an early night's sleep. Go early so as not to rush. There's the bag deposit and porties that may see long queues.
The keys to successfully completing a marathon are commitment, discipline and a good training program!
The PMC running community has two successful running programs that helped our friends complete the full marathons at last year's SCSM and the more recent Sundown marathon.
To find out more about running, please drop an email to:
SE Ong (seong350@gmail.com)
Ong Peng Kiat (opk.alpha@yahoo.com.sg)
Teo Teck Hui (teo_t_h@yahoo.com.sg)
PMC RC: Sundown Marathon
Congratulations to our friends who completed their respective events at the Sundown marathon on 29/30 May!
Ruf completed her first half marathon in spite of ITB!
Desmond completed 42 km in a blistering 5:30! This is his first marathon since 20 years ago.... and he said that one marathon every 20 years is about right...
Boon Pin - our veteran marathoner - my guess is 4:30 or faster.
Joan - her second full marathon! Well done!
Poh Kiang and I also completed the grueling 84km. Some of you may know that PK sustained a shoulder injury some months ago, and remarkably he took only 6 weeks to train and complete the ultra! Folks, don't try this unless you have a strong running base like PK!
It has been a long journey for many of us, and it's time to take a well deserved break for June.
Looking forward: Some of you have registered for the Singapore Bay Run / Army Half Marathon on September 12, and some of our ladies have signed up for the Shape Run on July 25. If you wish to participate in a running event, please consider the SBR/AHM. It's well organized and there are various distances - 5km, 10km and of course, 21km.
For more information, please see:
http://www.safra.sg/page.aspx?pageid=300
If you are keen to participate in a race and wish more information, please drop me an email.
We'll start our running sessions again in July! In the meantime, continue running, keep fit and have fun!
Ruf completed her first half marathon in spite of ITB!
Desmond completed 42 km in a blistering 5:30! This is his first marathon since 20 years ago.... and he said that one marathon every 20 years is about right...
Boon Pin - our veteran marathoner - my guess is 4:30 or faster.
Joan - her second full marathon! Well done!
Poh Kiang and I also completed the grueling 84km. Some of you may know that PK sustained a shoulder injury some months ago, and remarkably he took only 6 weeks to train and complete the ultra! Folks, don't try this unless you have a strong running base like PK!
It has been a long journey for many of us, and it's time to take a well deserved break for June.
Looking forward: Some of you have registered for the Singapore Bay Run / Army Half Marathon on September 12, and some of our ladies have signed up for the Shape Run on July 25. If you wish to participate in a running event, please consider the SBR/AHM. It's well organized and there are various distances - 5km, 10km and of course, 21km.
For more information, please see:
http://www.safra.sg/page.aspx?pageid=300
If you are keen to participate in a race and wish more information, please drop me an email.
We'll start our running sessions again in July! In the meantime, continue running, keep fit and have fun!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
My First Marathon, A Journey about Patience
Like many ‘normal’ human beings, running a marathon is an inhuman thing, and is probably the last thing I want to do, since I hardly ever do more than a 2.4km run. In 2008, I completed my first half-marathon, with the lack of preparation then, and the painful experience, I was convinced that a full marathon is not possible!!
However, my perception changed, after joining PMC running community since it started in 2009. In the many jogs that we had, SE will always tell me, a marathon is possible with preparation, training and rest. For me, my marathon started in June 2009, the day I signed up and started training for it. Overall, in my training, I did a 10km, 15km, 22km and a 29km run.
On 6th Dec 2009, like everyone else, my marathon started at 0530hrs. Daniel was my only jogging buddy for that day. Like most runners, I have set goal for myself, to complete the race within 6 hours. Bearing the distances in mind, Daniel and I kept a pace of 8min/km. After the route around the CDB area, we came to Fort Road, toward East Coast Park. At this point, I saw the professional runners on their way back, giving me the impression that the end is near, little do I know, East Coast Park is a real long and tedious journey.
The consistence pacing fell apart at about the 27 km point. My muscles could not hold the strain and was giving me bad cramp. Honestly, whatever 6-hour goal and completion thoughts were gone as fatigue and pain kicks in. Thank God for sending Daniel to run with me, who did not leave me behind (obviously he is fitter and can probably go ahead of me). At the point of intense tiredness, all other things did not matter, much less the goals, but it was a jogging companion that kept me going. After every few hundred meters, we would move to the side and stretch. Each time we took a break, Daniel would say, “Ok? Let’s go”. With this, I managed to finish the race running, and not walking.
God brought to my mind this verse through this experience, “…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…” Heb 12:1-2. God did not say, fix our eyes on the goals, for He knows, when pain and fatigue kicks in, what keep us going is not a goal, but a ‘running companion’.
At 6 hours and 22 mins, Daniel and I ran past the finishing line together. Though it was not within the targeted timing, but there was still great satisfaction in the completion. Lastly, doing a marathon is doable, especially if you do it and train within a community.
Teck Hui
PMC Running Community
However, my perception changed, after joining PMC running community since it started in 2009. In the many jogs that we had, SE will always tell me, a marathon is possible with preparation, training and rest. For me, my marathon started in June 2009, the day I signed up and started training for it. Overall, in my training, I did a 10km, 15km, 22km and a 29km run.
On 6th Dec 2009, like everyone else, my marathon started at 0530hrs. Daniel was my only jogging buddy for that day. Like most runners, I have set goal for myself, to complete the race within 6 hours. Bearing the distances in mind, Daniel and I kept a pace of 8min/km. After the route around the CDB area, we came to Fort Road, toward East Coast Park. At this point, I saw the professional runners on their way back, giving me the impression that the end is near, little do I know, East Coast Park is a real long and tedious journey.
The consistence pacing fell apart at about the 27 km point. My muscles could not hold the strain and was giving me bad cramp. Honestly, whatever 6-hour goal and completion thoughts were gone as fatigue and pain kicks in. Thank God for sending Daniel to run with me, who did not leave me behind (obviously he is fitter and can probably go ahead of me). At the point of intense tiredness, all other things did not matter, much less the goals, but it was a jogging companion that kept me going. After every few hundred meters, we would move to the side and stretch. Each time we took a break, Daniel would say, “Ok? Let’s go”. With this, I managed to finish the race running, and not walking.
God brought to my mind this verse through this experience, “…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…” Heb 12:1-2. God did not say, fix our eyes on the goals, for He knows, when pain and fatigue kicks in, what keep us going is not a goal, but a ‘running companion’.
At 6 hours and 22 mins, Daniel and I ran past the finishing line together. Though it was not within the targeted timing, but there was still great satisfaction in the completion. Lastly, doing a marathon is doable, especially if you do it and train within a community.
Teck Hui
PMC Running Community
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