Road To New York City Marathon

I've Moved!

2009-10-02T00:50:00.002+08:00

Hi everyone, I've moved this blog over to jamiepang.com, where I've consolidated my 2 running blogs. The new site provides your with more info at one place, and all my past postings can be found there as well. The tags and categories of the blogposts are very extensive over there and you search using the tags. I wanna say thank you for following this humble blog and the new site does allow us to take our relationship to the next level. Don't forget to bookmark jamiepang.com!

Jamie Pang Photography by Jamie Pang is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

2009-04-10T00:05:00.003+08:00

I’ve been meaning to share with you portions of the NYC Marathon ’08 Results Magazine for some time, having received it sometime January. It’s interesting what went into a marathon of this scale. While one can appreciate the grandeur of a major city marathon of NYC’s vintage, this doesn’t mean that small town marathons can’t be crowd pleasers. By focusing on the runners, some neighbourhood races do have their own charm, case in point the Bidor Half Marathon where bib collection is from a quaint tailoring shop. Then there’s Bidor being a foodie paradise of its own. Well, you get my drift.

Where I’m getting at is events need not be large to be successful. It’s relatively easier to organize a fantastic small event than it is for a mega-hyped one. When you’re as large as the NYCM, it becomes exponentially more difficult to maintain that touch of personalization in your dealings with the participants. You’ll need to invest not only in people but also technology to carry it through. It’ll become harder to a point where you can no longer please everyone. Do it wrong, folks will say you’re only in it for monetary or political reasons. Do it right, there are still bound to be voices of dissatisfaction. Then it will be pragmatic to apply the 80:20 rule – as long as 80% of the participants are happy, you’ve done a good job. I’m not advocating that with such challenges, organizers of small races should discard their dreams of turning theirs into a huge outing (that is, if they have intentions to grow it big).

Please do continue to work towards that but know what you’re getting yourselves into. Observe, talk and seek out information. Get in touch with the runners’ psyche and know what they look for. Deliver as hyped and promised and proven track records will speak for themselves. Good or bad, you can be sure the blogs and forums will be too.

Anyway, on to some interesting trivia from the magazine.

Consumption at the start: 1,800 gallons of Gatorade Endurance formula 40,000 cups of Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee

Course: 32,040 gallons of Gatorade Endurance formula 2,250,000 paper cups (collected for recycling) 42,000 Powergel packets

Finish: 38,096 finishers (66% men) 98.1% finisher rate

Charities: USD18.6 Million raised by 5,000 runners.

For more of these, click on each thumbnail to view the full page.

The Economic Crises Hits Even The Biggest Event

2009-02-25T23:35:00.003+08:00

There you have it. Proof that no one goes unaffected by the present economic turmoil - though I wonder if the perpetrators of the sub-prime problems are exempted - the participants for this year's race is going to be paying more for the entry fees. No change to the USD11 lottery processing fee but instead of the RM700 that I paid for the 2008 race, this year's fees nudged close to the RM800 mark.

Like I informed my running buddies, if there's a time to try your luck at the lottery, this is the year. Many will be putting off travels and large expenses, thus the lottery pool should be smaller. So if you've a budget for it, go for it!

To read the NY Times' report on the rise in race fees, click here.

It's All Engineered, Baby

2009-02-20T00:30:00.007+08:00

I’ve mentioned before that through the years’ of experience and continuous improvement attitude of the NYRR, the entire NYCM experience you go through as a participant is engineered. Things don't happen by chance, especially key areas relating to runner welfare and experience. It's just too risky for a race like this to hedge its success on luck.

Take for example my experience. The race was last November – 2nd to be specific – but over the last 2 months, I’ve been receiving materials over the post. It started with the Brightroom pamphlet, then the congratulatory letter and certificate in January, and now the official results book. Twice the thickness of your typical Runners World magazine, with better paper quality and chockful of photos and reports and congratulatory messages by the sponsors, plus all the participants’ results, the timing in which this was sent out makes me wonder if this is yet another engineered experience item. Don’t believe me? Why wait till February to send us this book? ¾ of the results were already published in the New York Times’ special edition (granted, not all would have got a copy, nor everyone listed) on the Monday after the marathon, so it’s not for lack of timely data. All FA and reports would’ve been written and photos collated and DTP activities done. So why February? They could’ve sent this out in January itself. Here’s why: Applications are OPEN NOW.

The feeding over the past few months were to ensure that you’re reminded of the race and memories – sorta like keeping the interest and excitement alive. Then wham, February comes, with all the subtle messages you’ve been fed, you'll hopefully make that mouseclick to the official website and submit your lottery entry. If there's any year that may make the chances of your lottery more successful than usually does, this is the year. With the financial crises, less will be making that expensive trip to NYC. Like what the Millennium Group fellas say, "The Time Is Now". If you've the budget for it, go for it!

Here are some of the scanned pages of the book. To view the enlarged version, visit the same entry here.

Look What The Postman Delivered!

2009-02-06T23:27:00.001+08:00

Even the envelope is nice

Congratulatory letter from Mary Wittenberg, President & CEO of the NYRR, Race Director of the NYCM (click to read)

Cert signed by Wittenberg and NYC Mayor Bloomberg

Brings Back Memories

2008-12-25T21:38:00.001+08:00

Race Day

2008-11-19T01:22:00.001+08:00

We set the buzzer for 3:30am but we had no problems waking up earlier! Our bags and race paraphernalia was laid out the evening before, so we geared up quite quickly. As courtesy, I'd informed our Dutch roomies a day before to expect some noise from the 3 of us on Sunday morning. We'd set our watches backwards by an hour due to daylight savings, and thus we had a extra hour of buffer. I made sure my feet was double protected from blistering by applying Bodyglide on top of shaking anti-chafing powder into my socks.

Since we were on time and only meeting Mohan and Hazel at the South Ferry Terminal at 7am, we could still relax in the comfort of the hostel lounge. While munching on an unconsumed cereal bar provided by the airline, I updated my Facebook status and checked some emails on SP's notebook while the 2 ladies went out to get coffee. It wasn't from the corner Starbucks since they "only" open at 5am, but diluted black coffee would have to do. Other than the three of us, there were several other marathoners who also stayed at the hostel, among them a wheelchair participant and 3 very fast runners (we identified them from their low bib numbers). They were catching the earlier bus ride to Fort Wadsworth, and so had to leave earlier. Given the 4 celcius biting temperature on race morning, plus the longer waiting period, that couldn't have been good!

The roads were wet when we left the hostel and it was still dark. As we stayed very close to the 103rd St station, we could still find seats on the train. A few more stops and the whole train was filled. 90% of the riders in our car were runners and it was an exciting experience. It felt like we were going into battle together and the energy were palpable as conversations centered around the race. I got round to chatting with a sweet woman next to me who was going to run her 3rd NYCM. 30 minutes later, the train reached its destination (the South Ferry terminal was the end of the line). 4 escalators moved us to the Level 1 waiting lounge where a line had already formed leading to the only coffee and sandwich stall. I sat on the floor as with many others while munching on a Powerbar and sipping Gatorade, to wait for the arrival of Mohan and Hazel. I tried to catch some shut eye but failed miserably.

I had to get in more food as the race would not be starting for another 2.5 hours. I remembered hitting the wall prematurely at the 27K mark of the 2007 Penang Marathon due to poor eating. Just as I took the last bite of the bar, Mohan and Hazel arrived, and there were more photo ops. I discovered to my annoyance then that the Olympus had ran out of juice suddenly without warning. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise so that I could concentrate on the race. The volunteers informed us that we didn't have to wait for our scheduled ferry timing, and so we joined the hordes of runners to board the vessel.

The ferry ride was nice and we got reasonably near to Liberty Island to get some shots of Lady Liberty - we were afterall tourists! Other runners were contented to sit quietly keeping to themselves or chatting quietly. We reached Staten Island's St. George Ferry Terminal in 30 minutes and the experienced ones among us - namely Mohan and Hazel - adviced that we needn't hurry to the shuttle buses and should stay in the comfort of the terminal.

Sagely advice. The place resembled a refugee camp as nearly every square foot was occupied by runners. Some slept or pretended to while most just sat there reading or listening to their iPods. Others, like me, stretched. I had enough time to empty my bladder before we left the shelter of the terminal close to 8am. It was very cold out and I pulled the wool hat down to cover my ears which was an exercise in futility. The thin running gloves offered no more protection than the hat. Luckily there was no waiting for the buses and we were whisked away very quickly. The ride to Fort Wadsworth took about 20 minutes and when we disembarked and walked to the Village security checkpoint, the wind was blowing even more. It was miserable and took away quite a bit of my excitement. Perhaps the senses had been numbed by the cold. I had to dump my non-transparent bag at the checkpoint and retained only the official clear UPS bag.

There were already many runners in the Village and directional signboards to the various areas were plentiful. I mentally noted the directions to the 3 starts (Orange, Green and Blue) and decided to deposit my bag with the UPS truck before the crowd got bigger. It took me less than 3 minutes to accomplish that. Of course with my ACG jacket off, it became much colder for me.

On my body were already 4 layers of clothing, arm warmers, woollen hat, 2 garbage bags on top of my disposable light jacket. And it was still cold! Any more layers and I'd be looking like the Michelin Man. I saw people hiding in between trucks and leaning on the hoods of vehicles to stay warm and out of the wind. I even contemplated standing behind a tree but realized how ridiculous that idea was. Where possible we turned our backs to the sun in a vain attempt to get some warmth. Desperately needing some comfort, we got into the line for Dunkin' Donuts coffee. I also topped up my bottle with Gatorade, which the volunteer gladly and politely did for me. Then I picked up a plain bagel and dipped it into the coffee to make it easier to eat - otherwise the bun was a little dry. That done, the 5 of us had a group huddle for good luck before splitting up into the various start locations. Seow Ping and I were in the Blue Start but her's was the 2nd Wave. Mine was Wave 3 and so had to wait just a little longer.

The PA announcements in English, Spanish and Japanese were very regular and clear as there were many speakers positioned in the Village. The announcer repeated that the baggage check for a certain start was closing and called for the runners in certain waves to start making their way to the holding area. I tried to stay calm and warm (failed miserably on this) by laying down on the grass and totally covered myself up like a human cocoon in a garbage bag. And munched on another Powerbar Triple Threat.

Not long after, my wave was called. I slowly drained my drink, headed to the porta-potties for the last time before taking my time to shed my cotton track pants. I kept my tops on until the holding area. My corral was the first one, so I had a distance to walk. Once Wave 2 cleared the holding area, we were allowed in. Our bibs were checked as we entered to ensure we were in the correct corral. There weren't many runners in my corral and each corral was separated by volunteers holding a line of rope. My head was aching either from the cold or lack of sleep and strangely felt a little woozy but I tried to stay as calm as I could. I didn't have any race expectations, other than to enjoy the occassion. But at that time I was finding it hard to even enjoy it. I took in deeper breaths to get oxygen into my lungs and brain and was glad to spot a diversion in a guy dressed up like Superman but instead of the "S" on his chest, it was "Marathon Man". I thought I saw a group of English women in bras featuring the Union Jack, flowers and other adornments. They were apparently there to spread awareness on breast cancer. At the head of my corral, a volunteer held up a round sign which showed "Stop". it reminded me of the sign flashed to the F1 driver in the pitstop. A boom sounded in the distant to indicate the start of Wave 2 and some runners clapped and cheered.

Our turn would come next as we then followed the volunteer (he flipped sign over to show "Walk") on a short walk to the base of the bridge. Everything was planned so smoothly. Volunteers even told us to watch out for tree roots as we walked out. We were getting more and more excited and some let out shouts and hoots. The walk was surreal to me. No words could describe it - I was walking to the same starting point that the world record holders had stood earlier, and was about to run the very marathon that I'd read, researched and dreamt about since the early '90s. I was finally about to run my 10th in perhaps the greatest marathon in the world that a Joe Ordinary could possibly run in. Unbelievable. The veil of discomfort lifted momentarily when the public services personnel (NYPD, DOT, and other workers and volunteers) applauded and wished us good luck as we neared the start. We were made to feel really good. If there was ever to be another NYCM for me, it's to experience this level of support again. It's really about the people making the event fantastic.

A short speech was given and a dedication was held to Victor J. Navarra, the retired NYFD lieutenant who served as the start coordinator for the marathon for 25 years. Navarra died last December at the age of 55, having suffered for more than two years with sinus cancer said to be brought about by his work at Ground Zero during 9/11. I found myself in the 6th row from the start and with the open road ahead, felt immediately like an elite. The wave start concept seemed to be working in easing congestion so far. Hazel however, reported that there were some confusion and congestion in the corrals further behind. Finally the song America was sung by someone and with the media helicopters whirring above, the cannon was fired. Almost immediately Sinatra sang "New York, New York" and we cheered as we raced off! Gosh, I have goose pimple just thinking back to that moment.

The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (VNB) is 1 mile up and 1 mile down but with the training that I've put in, it wasn't a problem. The REAL problem was the headwind and crosswind bringing down the temperature even lower. Don't take my word for it - check this report out too. If an Englishman complained about the cold, what more an Asian who trains in 32C?! I found that I had to breathe harder and I was pumping my arms more in an automatic response to generate more heat. The woollen hat was no help as it had little thermal properties. My nose was just a little snotty, which was a relief. In fact save for this little discharge, my breathing and nose irritability that periodically bothered me (blockage and sinus) had been non-events ever since leaving KL. I ran a distance with a girl with a sign "I'm running the marathon on my birthday" sign pinned on her back - she received plenty of wishes from fellow runners. I also spotted a bib which said "I'm proposing to my fiance after this race".I passed a few participants with disabilities from the Archilles Track Club in their trademark top, and there was a particular one who stood out – he was tackling the course backwards! I also spotted a blind runner tethered to a buddy running at a brisk pace.

The issue with the wind went away as soon as I got off the bridge and into Brooklyn. The runners on the upper deck veered to the right into Brooklyn, while the those on the lower deck veered left. I don't remember much of the route specifics except that this borough was probably, the best in terms of crowd support. Some stretches bordered on maniacal - in a good way! Afterall, nothing less is befitting the largest marathon in the world (since 2003). By the 5th K I observed that I'd been hitting steady splits and running comfortably, so I ditched monitoring my splits on my watch so frequently and went with effort-based approach. Other than the headache, I was really running well. The flats of the early miles allowed runners to settle into a consistent pacing. While the fans were doing the best in cheering for us, I tried to limit my interaction with them to periodic waves so that I could focus on my running. Not only did they lend their voices to move us, but ordinary Brooklyn folks came out to provide us with anything they can think of - be it orange slices, bananas or tissue paper to wipe our sweaty faces! We were being pampered! There were bands every half a mile and from what I read, there were about 100 of them out there on race day. Support for the Italian and Mexican runners were plentiful and vociferous. Larry the Lighthouse got his fair share of cheers too. The world's only running lighthouse were there for Camp Sunshine, a retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. I stayed in the middle of the road for the most part as I skipped the first 3 stops and relied on my own Gatorade supply. I knew of the false sense of being hydrated when running in cool weather so I ensured that I drink regularly, even if in hindsight, it wasn't enough. I didn't want to be waylaid by a loo stop.

Congestion was at an acceptable level at the drink stations and tables were available on both sides of the road. The first stations were always the plain water (water temperature was always naturally chilled!) followed by Gatorade. The last table was marked with a balloon. At each table, paper cups were stacked 3 high and runners were kept away from them (there were security) to prevent the cups from being knocked over.

You can imagine the efficiency of the volunteers in managing the incoming runners, which was constant. Besides handing out the drinks, they cheered and nearly always put in a good word of encouragement for us.

The next bridge we had to pass was the Pulaski Bridge at about the halfway mark in the Polish part of Brooklyn. This bridge offered a fantastic view of Manhattan to the left, with the Empire State Building clearly visible. But there was still some distance to go before we would reach the island. Pulaski was a short bridge with medium steepness but there wasn't any problems on this one too, and my timing at the halfway point was 1:58. I remained spot on for a 4-hour finish. The temperature rose to a level where I could throw away the woollen hat but I kept the gloves on as it was still chilly. Cheering was consistent throughout Brooklyn and only subsided just a little when we passed the Jewish section. I enjoyed the short but fun section of the fans who sang "Y-M-C-A"! Almost instantly we runners raised our arms to mimic the lyrics. There were several climbs that I passed that needed more focus and I switched my target to getting to the Queensboro Bridge (QB) at the 25K mark. Before that, I had to ask for Tylenol at one of the aid stations before the QB to relieve the headache. The woozy feeling had gone away but the pounding in the head was made worse by the many rock bands along the way.

The QB was where many runners struggled. Some complained loudly, some walked. Once again all the running on the Solaris route allowed me to stay on pace. I gained confidence passing the runners, while looking forward to the notoriously loud 5-deep spectators of First Avenue after exiting the bridge. The atmosphere was exactly like that up the crowded road. I remembered wondering how I could possibly navigate past the thousands of runners who were in front. The First Avenue stretch is no less than 6K in length and it took a bit out of me with the long gradual climb (see photo). The roads were wet from all the spillages of fluids from the runners in front of me and it was sticky as a result of the sugary mix. Volunteers were raking the excess crushed cups from the street so that we have an easier passage.

My condition at this stage was still reasonably comfortable. I was breathing normally - no huffing or puffing. I'd been taking gels consistently - 12K, 22K, and at 30K when Powerbar handed me a pack. I'd not yet hit the wall and save for some twitching on the quads, all systems were good. In terms of timing, I'd slipped by 4 minutes (I guess I just slowed down bit by bit over the last few miles) but I wasn't too beat up about that. Things turned a little more difficult when I reached the yellow carpeted over the steel-grated 4th bridge, the Willis Avenue Bridge leading to Da Bronx. It was a little surreal that a group of bagpipers were playing on the opposite side of the bridge as we crossed it.

An enthusiastic DJ welcomed us into their domain. I was too embroiled in my personal battle that I didn't hear nor see the Bronx's famed Gospel Choir. Neither did I see the kids from the pediatric ward of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center earlier although I spotted many of their cheer teams along the way. Sighting the kids would've been ultra inspiring. I picked up pace a bit and fought back to reclaim 2 minutes off my deficit and held on to that until just before entering Central Park on the Upper East Side next to the Guggenheim Museum (which wasn't that large as compared to the photos I've seen). I'd thankfully passed the now-famous Borat guy (to see how he looked like, read Marci's report) who were being butt slapped by cheeky runners. A participant in the RW forums reported that when asked how he was doing, "Borat" replied that he was chafing (duh!) and at that point of being asked, he still had 10 miles to go!

Having run up the never-ending Harlem to Fifth Avenue stretch to find that we still needed to negotiate the winding and undulating Central Park was a bit demoralizing. There were signs that a nasty cramp was imminent on the quads. I knew hiting 4-hours would be near impossible since I needed to cover the last 2K in 10 minutes flat. However I wanted to give the race and clock a good fight and steeled myself not to walk which would otherwise had marked the end of my race. I even thought if I landed myself in the hospital with my effort, so be it. I'd simply come too far to end this race like a wimp. In fact I picked up pace whenever the cramping receded momentarily a few times. The cramps were like toying with me. The fans were getting thick here and they could easily have reached out and touched me - I had images of Lance Armstrong climbing up the Alps. Yeah, like real! Where I blocked them out earlier, I was finally embracing their cheers. Next to Brooklyn, this section had to be the next best. They never let up and thoughts of both my kids cheering me from home carried me to mile 25 and into the short Central Park South stretch and then round Columbus Circle. A little bit up was the beautiful "26 mile" sign and all the crowd support got me a bit emotional as I pushed the final climb toward the finish gantry. I lifted my Oakleys to my forehead and savored crossing the finish line. I thought to myself, "I'd done it, I'd done it!". A check on the watch showed 4:03.49 which meant this was my 2nd PR (an improvement of 13 minutes or so) in the marathon this year and my 6th PR this year for distances from 10K, 15K, 21K, 30K and the marathon. If I take my 30K timing from the marathon into consideration, I'd broken my 30K PR by 6 minutes, for a 7th PR. Given my other aspects of life which take away much of my running, I couldn't have asked for more. And I believe I can go faster as I age. This 4:03 somehow felt like a barrier had been broken. I'd previously thought that it's very very difficult to dip below 4:10 but with this, a sub-4 race is certainly in the near future. And other than the quads and headache, I felt really good!

In the heat of the battle, I'd totally pushed aside my headache but now it returned with a vengeance. And nausea was beginning to hit home. We weren't allowed to stop, but I was like the leaning tower tilted to the right. The first group of volunteers greeted us with congratulatory words - "You guys were awesome!", "Fantastic jobs everyone!", "You're all heroes". Let me tell you that after running 26.2 miles, those were nicest things you could possibly hear. We all needed affirmation for our effort, and justification that what we did was something to be proud of. Next was the Grete Waitz medal and an opportunity to be photographed on the event board. We were moved along and the photographers worked really fast in snapping runners - everything seemed like a conveyor belt.

Then I was handed my HeatSheet, the volunteer said, "Hope to see you again next year". Then another taped my sheet together so I needn't bother to hold it. It was details like these that runners felt appreciated. But I was still nauseous and burdened with a throbbing head, so I stopped a medic captain to report my state. After a few probing questions, he asked that I wet the back of my hand so that he could empty a salt packet. He said, "Like when drinking tequila except that you need to get that tequila much later". I licked the salt off and drank from the Gatorade bottle provided in the food bag given out, thanked him and went my way. The symptoms didn't go away but I needed firstly to get my bag from the UPS truck. I guessed I must've walked about 400m to reach my truck after which I quickly changed out of my wet top, put on my thicker jacket and made my way back to the medical area I spotted. I was again asked some questions about my condition and was given 2 more salt packs and 2 Tylenols.

The second administration of the painkillers did its job and the headache subsided and the salt steadied the nerves as I looked for the exit from the Central Park. I stopped by to have my timing chip cut - yes we needn't bend down. Just rest your shoe on a bench and a volunteer will snip it off. I made sure I thanked the cherubic lady enough and she was very happy to be appreciated. Outside the park were signages of bib ranges where family members can wait for the runners. A long stretch of Central Park West was blocked off for this Reunion Area and the atmosphere there was quite amazing as runners met up with their family and friends after their accomplishments. I walked a few streets westward to the 79th St station to catch the subway back to the hostel. My legs felt quite alright and the quads had pretty much eased up. I liked the fact that I finished the race in gear that were just moist and not soaked and dripping sweat. I reckoned it was due to dehydration that led to the cramps and nausea - a lesson learned. The next time I run in cold weather, I'd be sure to drink more and carry salt. The folks in the subway looked at my HeatSheet and medal which I wore proudly. I found it hard to believe that the marathon was over - it felt too short. The crowd made the journey that much quicker and I went through the miles not realizing how far I'd covered. Unlike the sparse and unforgiving local marathons in Malaysia where no one cheered the runner on in the late miles making proceedings tough and seemed much longer. Good for building mental toughness but culture shock for those accustomed to well supported events.

When I reached the dorm, SP was already there, showered! I quickly did likewise and appreciated the warm shower - even though cold water would've been better to minimise soreness. Changed into fresh clothes and while sipping on a large bottle of Powerbar Recovery and munching on yet another Triple Threat bar, I was wondering where G was when she walked right in. We would be meeting with my friend Mitch for dinner at Tony's at 8pm, but there was plenty of time. In fact we chose to get off the subway at Columbus Circle and walked to down to the Hudson, Mohan's hotel and then down to Times Square. My legs were surprisingly fine probably because I'd refuelled with 2 bars and 2 recovery drinks. It was very nice to have finally met Mitch after staying in touch over emails the past 2 years, or more. Mitch played the perfect host and food was great. The dinner came to a close 2 hours later and we said our goodbyes. Everyone had a great time and many new friendships were established.

In fact so many marathoners wore their medals out that evening and the next day.

Congratulations to all of the finishers of the ING New York City Marathon. And thank you from the bottom of my heart, to all the race organizers, the NYRR, volunteers who welcomed and treated me like a hero from first interaction to post-race. To New Yorkers who came out in droves to support all of us - you have every reason to feel proud of your city and the marathon. The NYRR blog mentioned that the runners inspire them to improve upon the event every year. In actual fact the club and its volunteers inspire us runners. And so we need each other!

Pluses

Unbelievable fans, volunteers and organizers
Wave starts
Plenty of porta-potties, food at the start, and drinks all the way
Best way to see NYC in half a day, or lesser
Energetic just like the city
Nice sized expo - not too mega, not too small
Technically first class, attention to details
The weekend when the entire city came together
It's THE marathon to experience

Negatives

Point to point course meant long commute to the start and wait time.
Weather
Expensive entry
Difficult lottery system (though a necessity, given the popularity of the race)
NYC is located on the other side of the world, which meant a killer flight time for those from Asia

More race reports to check out!

Marci | Frank | Alex | Susan |

Awesome race day and IFR photos from Frank's blog and also at the official website.

Next | Back to blog postings

D Minus 1

2008-11-15T14:44:00.001+08:00

With 1 day to the big day, we had to slow things down and tried to relax and kept our feet up at any opportunity. Since Seow Ping, Mohan and Hazel were still separated from us - Geraldine and I returned to the hostel to drop off our bags back at the hostel while the trio were still out for the IFR - we took the chance to rest a bit on our bunks. All of us will only rendevous for pre-race dinner. Our roomies were out, so we had the whole place to ourselves. That presented the perfect opportunity to get ourselves organized with the shopping goodies and prepping the race gear. This involved getting the racing shoes out - G's choice was the ST Racers while mine was the Lunaracer. While we laced up the timing chip for races in MY and SG, the method in the US is to secure the chip to the shoe laces using the provided plastic ties (the thin version of what the security of hypermarts use here). After the race, a volunteer will snip it off for you, so you don't have to bend your stiff body and struggle with the laces. I'd to adjust it a few times to ensure that the yellow chip didn't flop around.

I'd more or less decided on my race apparels or what the US Army call the Army Combat Uniform (ACU). A race is, afterall, a form of battle in which we put ourselves through. Don't we constantly fight our own doubts and physical limits during a race? My dressing for the commute to the Fort Wadsworth staging area, on top of my Nike ACG jacket, will be:

Disposable

Bin bag
Light thermal jacket courtesy of Dan, our friend from Connecticut
Light wool top
Knitted head warmer
Cotton gym pants

Retain

Nike Pro base layer
Nike FIT-Dri short top
Nike thin running gloves
Oakleys
Arm warmers fashioned from cutoff football tube socks
Injinji toe socks
Forerunner 205
Paris Marathon 4-Hour silicone pace band
Nike small running pouch (to carry 2 gels, $10 and the Metrocard)
Brooks long tights, since Nike long weren't available in MY and I didn't want to try new and untested apparels purchased at the expo

I also pinned 2 Powergels to my long tights on top of the 2 in my running pouch, stuck the name bib on my running tee and pinned the bib on. The name bib will ensure that my name will be shouted out at least a hundred times along the course. OK, that was an exaggeration. It turned out to be much less than that!

That done, we rested a bit and at about noon, headed out for lunch. Since we were meeting Mohan's entourage between the 66th to 79th St area, we hopped off the subway at the Lincoln Center and walked eastwards, hoping to find an eatery. Unfortunately there weren't much choices and I decided to just be a little adventurous and headed into Le Pain Quotidien, a French boulangerie. I ordered a split pea quiche to share, and tartines (open-faced sandwich, a supposedly trendy lunch staple in Parisian cafes) - G's was made with organic wheat bread with roasted turkey, diced tomatoes, scallions and herb dressing that looked too beautiful to eat but too dry to chew and finish. It tasted a little odd, if I may say so, having not been exposed to such food. The pea quiche nevertheless provided plenty of protein and carbs and the serving was so big that we couldn't finish. I washed everything down with iced water. Americans seem to have thing for iced water even in cold weather. It was warm in the bistro so it was OK for me but I found it a strange preference.

We landed at Central Park after another short walk to check out the last 400 meters of the race route and to soak in the atmosphere at the park. As with the IFR in the morning, the place was alive with activity. It was hard not to be caught up in the energy of the people there. Crews, suppliers, media and broadcast teams and volunteers were really busy putting up the final touches to the finish area. Barricades had been erected all the way, scaffolding and stages were in place and the expensive reserved spectator seating were up on the left and right of the road. Team leaders were briefing and walking through their crews on what to do and what-if scenarios. Nations' flags lined up both sides of the road up to the finish line. Cartons of bottled water were being unloaded from the Poland Spring trucks. Despite all the congestion and action, there were many who were out running and biking or simply walking their dogs.

There was a fun run for the kids further south of the park and the macho NYFD men were there giving hi-fives and encouragement to the kids. Looking at the size of some of the kids, they really need to run more! So the McD sponsored ("run, so you can eat more of our burgers or you better run more since you eat our burgers?!") fun run was definitely a good move.

Tavern On The Green was being prepped to receive thousands of runners for the night's pasta party with the first batch of runners expected to arrive at 5pm. Fred Lebow's bronze statue had been traditionally moved from its original spot to just before the finish line. Fred Lebow, the star of a newly released documentary Run For Your Life, was of course the late founder, promoter and race director of the modern NYCM taking it from a run around Central Park to a 5-borough spectacle. In a poignant way, it appeared that Fred was still watching over the marathon from his strategic spot.

The whole affair was impressive and I closed my eyes picturing how it would feel running up that stretch the very next day. We still had time to kill so we strolled over to the Sheep's Meadow to take in the view. Weather was mild and just nice to laze around. While kids were playing ball, I ended up napping on the lawn! More leisurely strolling until we ended up in front of the Museum Of Natural History, made even more famous by the Ben Stiller movie "Night At The Museum".

Dinner with Mohan, Hazel and Seow Ping was at Niko's Mediterranean-Greek Grill and Bistro along Broadway at W76th Street. I was still full so food was on a shared basis, at least for me. I ordered Pasta Fagiole (soup with carrots, celery, parsley, beans, and pasta) and a plate of tomato and basil pasta. Again, both orders came extra large. I was amazed that Seow Ping could finish her monster plate of rice. The waiter even served us complimentary sweet Greek white wine (more like an aperitif) which had no kick. I was counting on it providing some warmth and knock-out power to get me to sleep. The party split an hour later while the fireworks were exploding in Central Park as part of the pre-marathon celebrations.

Before retiring I made one last check on my race packing, set the alarms, put on my eyeshades and tried hard to sleep in anticipation of the race of my life.

The Arrival, Expo and IFR

2008-11-14T01:06:00.002+08:00

JFK is one heckuva busy airport. Taxiing took 20 minutes while immigration clearing took another 40 minutes. By the time we were directed to the respective processing officers by a supervisor who looked like Robert De Niro. I was processed by a Erik Estrada lookalike while Geraldine a Cuba Gooding body double. Erik commented in a resigned manner that it was going to be another long night and when I asked on the sparse manpower, he replied that it's always been the case. Erik was very friendly and posed just a couple of obligatory questions to be before taking my fingerprint and mug shot. All International visitors to the U.S have to go through this procedure.

Once off the checkpoints we had to pass another gruff Asian-looking officer who growled "Go" after giving us a once over. Like Erik nearly every officer there carried a sidearm. The arrival area was spartan, with only a Subway stand. We didn't hang around and promptly got into line for a mad cab ride to the hostel. Ride cost $55 including tips, expensive if converted to Ringgit but I've since ditched the conversion mindset. If there's any chance of enjoying the travel experience, you need to do away with the depressing thought of the currency conversion. The cab was equipped with a small LCD TV with a GPS showing our travel route in realtime. We could either pay by credit card or cash.

The air was chilly but not uncomfortably cold. The most obvious feeling was the lower humidity and you instantly feel lighter. 40 minutes later, after a nausea inducing ride we arrived at the hostel in one piece. I paid the elderly Indian or Pakistani driver and got ourselves checked in. Seow Ping was already under the sheets when we entered the dorm and we sorted out our things quickly before calling it a day. Finding myself in an unfamiliar room with unfamiliar sleeping partners (we shared the room with 2 other Dutch men and another guy of unknown origin - a snorer) didn't help and I tossed and turned the many days I was there. Snorer didn't stay long, thank goodness and he checked out the very next day. The other 2 Dutch guys were cool dudes, friendly and didn't mind our early rise and rustling about. They're the night owls while we're the early birds.

As it turned out, the Hostelling International (HI) was a neat place to stay (see photos). Residents range from young teens on their school trip to old folks but we only see them in the lobby or outside the building. It wasn't noisy and our room was just 2 doors from the toilets, bathrooms and water cooler. The place was clean enough even though we found a few of our food packs were chewed through by small mice and there was a dank smell either on the carpet or the room mates' clothing, but it wasn't as bad as it sounded. We always left the window slightly ajar to air out the room. Each of us had a locker large enough to stow our bags and we came prepared with padlocks.

The first order of the next day was to head out for breakfast and then to the expo to collect our goodie bags, shop and meet Mohan and Hazel. I had coffee with a toasted cinnamon bagel with cream cheese and committed the mistake of taking photos with the proprietor in them. You see, many New Yorkers don't like to be photographed. This was only one of two incidences I encountered, but I had my wits about and there were no further problems. I supposed they knew I was a tourist and cut me some slack but I thought they should really chill out.

After buying the $25 7-day unlimited ride Metrocard, we took the A Train from the 103rd St to 34th St Penn Station and took a short walk to the Javits Center (JC). It was quite easy to get around the subway system despite looking quite imposing on the map. All you need to be sure is to orientate yourself correctly once you exit the station to get your bearings right. Manhattan was clearly geared for the marathon. Marathon buntings were everywhere - on the street posts, buildings, buses, even subway cars. Asics, being the main sponsor, were very visible with pictures of Ryan Hall and Deena Kastor. Nike wasn't to be left out and Paula Radcliffe images were plentiful too and their taglines "Keep Up Or Shut Up" and "Limits Lie" were quite catchy. Everywhere we walked, we came across marathoners. You'll know they're runners by the knowing nod you exchange with them. It was like gunslingers exchanging glances before a high noon confrontation minus the animosity and suspicion.

We got to the glass and steel structure of the JC within 20 minutes and the place was already bursting with people. The amount of energy and excitement was palpable. I paused for awhile to take the whole set up in but almost immediately, we were greeted by volunteers who ushered us to our correct lines. "International runners proceed this way" and "This way in" were frequently heard. They were all very polite, warm and I observed, never curt even though I can't imagine the number of people they had to handle the 3 days of the expo. The flow of the collection were very very structured. International runners will firstly approach the International Friendship Run (IFR) booth (manned by 3 volunteers) to collect the free bibs and goodie bags - time spent 20 seconds. If you didn't receive the registration card, you can stop by the Service Desk to get a pickup slip - time spent 20 seconds, but if you've the card or email printout, you can skip this step. Next would be a short walk to your respective bib range to pick up your Marathon Goodie Bag - 20 seconds (my booth was manned by 2 volunteers). I immediately tried on the long sleeved Asics technical tee for size but found that M was just too large, so I made my way to the Exchange counter (3 volunteers) to swap for an S size - another 20 seconds. They were so fast with the exchange process because there were always people exchanging shirts and they just basically swap the sizes on the spot. I was lucky in that I received an untried shirt. At every touchpoint, we were greeted with smiles and wishes of "Have a great race". It was apparent that regardless of where they're stationed, the volunteers take pride in their job.

That out of the way, it was time to check my chip. Just pass your chip (a 1 second job) over the sensor and verify that your name is flashed on the screen. This table was manned by a single volunteer. Up until this point, the total time spent was about 7 minutes (a PR for bib collection!), as I did spend some time gawking at the whole setup. Geraldine and I then settled in a corner inspecting our goodie bags while waiting for Seow Ping. In the clear coloured UPS goodie bag, which doubled up as a deposit bag, were the race bib, yellow timing chip, pasta dinner ticket, post-marathon party ticket, event book, a long sleeved Asics event tee and some coupons and snacks.

Next on the agenda was, well, spend some money. Asics being a main sponsor had the largest floor space. The shelves were full of merchandise and most were not available in this part of the world. Asics even had anti-chafing powder which I admit worked quite well for me on race day. Everyone had to pass through the Asics section and pay before getting to the other exhibitors. The major exhibitors were all the major sporting brands and stores covering apparels, shoes, accessories and timepieces (Timex, Garmin, Polar, Suunto). Of course charity organizations and nutrition companies were also there. Gatorade, Powerbar, Gu, Clif, Snickers all provided product sampling from their full product range as well as value buys.

One could've easily got carried away, which was what happened to me when I totally lost track of time and missed the Fdipper meeting at the Team Boomer charity booth. Paragon Sports were giving away tokens for free pasta lunch at their outlet. Having picked up some socks and event t-shirts, I hit the Runners World booth to pick up Bart Yasso's book (Bart, RW's Chief Running Officer, autographed the following words in my copy: "A marathon is like life - it's not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters") and got Peter Reid to sign a postcard for me. Next was the Asics promo booth where I got my photo taken and uploaded to a hosting server. The novelty was that I could have my photo displayed on the giant electronic wallboard at Times Square when I send an SMS to a preset number at a certain time. I also picked up several pace bands at the ING booth but I was disappointed that there wasn't a 4-hour pace group in my wave. The fastest was the 4:30 group. Besides ING, Nike also gave away customizable velcroed pace bands. Here are some videos of the expo.

The 3 of us finally linked up with Mohan and Hazel when they arrived close to noon but we couldn't hang out that long as we had to make our way up to Danbury, Connecticut for an evening of Halloween with a friend. The experience made the 1-hour trip worthwhile. It was unfortunate we couldn't stay longer. A good night's sleep awaited me and I managed a full 5-hour sleep, which was an improvement over the previous night's 4. After a hearty breakfast, it was back to Manhattan and just in time too since we caught the IFR runners running down 42nd St. The IFR is a free fun run the day before the race organized so that overseas runners can mingle. The run is also open for Americans but they need to pay. In line with the global theme, the run starts from the UN Building after the presentation of the Abebe Bikila Award to Lornah Kiplagat of the Netherlands (check my previous posting here). There was such an air of festivity when the runners ran by that all my tiredness from lugging the expo bags was instantly lifted. Runners were from all over the world, many of whom ran in costumes or carried their countries' flags. Fine weather and mild temperature brought out the crowds and traffic stopped in busy Manhattan for the runners. There were no impatient honks from the stranded motorists and New Yorkers came out to applaud the runners and they ran by singing songs.

So far NYC has lived up to its billing. It was apparent that Marathon week is when the city unites and puts on the best show for visitors. And being tourists we were on the receiving end of all these good vibes.

Before Oct 30th

2008-11-13T04:19:00.002+08:00

Realizing that chronicling my experiences could potentially be taking too much of my resources, I've decided to keep things in check by covering the aspects of my training and racing very broadly to just 2 or 3 "episodes". The first of which is the title of this post, and that would be generally my training and preparations up to the day I boarded the Cathay Pacific flight to NYC.

I eased into the marathon training mindset sometime end May and as usual plotted a 4.5 to 5-month training program. In retrospect it was a long program, and something which I know that I'll never be able to realize given my many commitments. My future marathons will most likely be based on a 3-month training window. A 5-month window allows too much distractions to creep in be it from work or health perspective.

My training was supported by the generous gestures of Nike and Powerbar and I logged all my workouts into the Buckeyeoutdoor.com training log.

The later stages of my training leaned heavily towards quality long runs, many of which were done back to back to simulate the stresses of marathon running and midweek shorter runs of up to 10K. I didn't do any interval training, and relied on tempos and effort based long runs to get my fitness level up. Once again I was blessed with no injuries when my training volume went up, at one stage 114K in 7 days, 160K in 9. Prior to the self-labelled Hell Week, my weekly mileage fluctuated between 45 and 65K. Hell Week was a milestone in my running life. Never have I run so much in my 20 years of running. I kept the runs mostly between an easy to steady pace, and the goal was to get the miles in. I figured that if I can survive the stress, I should be able to run at my targeted 5:42 marathon pace. There is really no point in running fast when the body isn't conditioned to take the stress of pounding. By "body" I mean the whole works - from the neuro-muscular to mental toughness. That's why longevity in the sport of running requires patience, lots of hard work and months if not years of base building - something Arthur Lydiard preached, not that I'm a disciple 100% (it's quite impossible to log that kind of mileage for one) but his doctrine is what I believe in. In the last 2 months of training especially, what I did mirrored what he prescribed. There's not much ground to be made nor continuous improvement realized if one jumps directly into speedwork. Speed is addictive and races can detract a runner from his or her ultimate goals whatever they may be. I've seen many fledglings succumbing to injuries within the same running season in the hasty pursuit of fast times. Or plateauing or burning out. But these lessons are not heeded and the mistakes continue to be committed.

After the final long run

Throughout the rollercoaster regimen, a consistent feature has been Geraldine whom I could count on as a fellow long run junkie. She would be the only rose among the thorns. As the months wore on, I had Frank and during the critical later stages, Luc, along for the ride. Lawrence and Loke were also regulars with 1 month to race day. Most of our long runs started at 5am, just so that we could return to our non-running commitments, which in my case included a session with the Beginners Group and a trip to the wet market for my weekly shopping.

Running the same route were boring after the umpteenth time, and in searching for new routes to charter, the Solaris route was established. Even hillier than the traditional Bukit Aman-Hartamas way, running the Solaris way build strength, something which came in beneficial when tackling a challenging course such as New York's. The extra distance also meant that we needed to do less looping around the Petronas station. Tapering was somewhat an anticlimax and I couldn't get in as many short runs as I wanted to due to inclement weather. However I'd purchased a spinning bike which I'd been hopping on a few times a week which helped maintain some aerobic fitness and leg strength. I credit my newly acquired strength to these workouts as I didn't increase my core workouts by much. So it had to be due to the spinning and the hilly runs.

I've been preparing for New York a year ago ever since of the bungled offer of the previous "sponsor". I'd researched about the place, the event and participated in the RW NYCM forums and read up past year reports in the many blogs. I'd even kept the Empire State Building ticket I bought online, which was a good thing, since it was still valid. Nevertheless having not travelled to a colder climate before meant that I'd to invest in a couple of suitable apparels. Some thought had to go into the packing since I'd be staying for a week. Race packing was equally complicated since the NYC course is a point to point. There would be many throwaway clothing due to the cold start and I didn't have any idea on what I should be wearing for top - Long sleeve or short? Any base layer? Will conditions be too cold? Will I overheat? I've the hard data on the predicted weather but how does 10C really feel like? In the end I packed both long and short technical shirts and the Nike Pro base layer. The choice for the bottoms was easier as with the shoes.

All packed!

The other thing was I had plans to head upstate New York to experience Halloween in the suburbs and had to consider bringing a change of clothes. What's a visit to a foreign land without experiencing some American culture right? So I hopped on the chance as it was presented to me, thanks to Geraldine.

Other than the confirmation of race entry, the NYRR was supposed to send us our registration card with which we could pick up our race bibs and goodie bags among other things. Both Geraldine and I were checking our mailboxes like maniacs the week before we left and having seen no signs of it, we emailed NYRR and received our electronic confirmation the very same day. At this point I should compliment the NYRR for doing an excellent job from day 1 when I applied via the lottery to the acceptance of my entry and to how much I'm welcome to the city. They even went so far as to say that it's their honour to sacrifice their time just so that we runners have the ultimate running experience. We would be lavished similar attention through many of our interactions there be it the volunteers or officials. More on that later.

Finally all the waiting was over and it was time to head on to KLIA. Both Geraldine and I arrived within 5 minutes of each other and since we've checked-in online we needn't rush. Our ride to Hong Kong was on the 777-300 which is a large plane and I looked enviously at the First and Business Class seats as I headed towards the Economy seats. The 4-hour flight was uneventful, which was good, during which I watched Get Smart and The Hulk on the monitor.

The HKG - JFK flight. Check out the new clam shell seats

The Hong Kong Airport was stupendous. Very well maintained and a hive of activity. We had 3 hours of layover and we leisurely covered the shops, did some product sampling and had lunch. It had to be pasta you see. I'd gained 1 kilo over my 2 week tapering period but it's normal and I wasn't concerned about it. In fact I was glad to finally hit 60 kgs!

Lunch in HKG Airport

Before long it was time to hit the second leg of our journey - a 15-hour flight over the edges of the Arctic Circle en route to New York. On board I switched over to the EST time zone which NYC is on and tried to catch some sleep which I failed miserably. My travel partner on the right had no problems. She tucked in her legs and was happily shipped away to dreamland with nary a sound. Me with the long legs were shifting around like crazy. Furthermore, the Singaporean on the left kept her reading lights on! To make a long story short, I got all of 40 minutes sleep on the 15-hour flight. Crazy! How was I to stay on my feet at the expo and Halloween night and to race?!

2008 ING New York City Marathon Alert Notification

2008-11-03T03:38:00.000+08:00

Event Information:

Event:

The ING New York City Marathon

Runner:

Jamie Pang

Before The 23-Hour Flight

2008-10-30T05:00:00.000+08:00

I’m already on leave and packing up for NYC. NYCM will most likely be my last marathon for the next 1 year due to work reasons. To run a good marathon takes too much time commitment. With that statement I hope I’ve not put a damper on the distance. I love the marathon for all the preparations that one needs to put in, the history and tradition of it, the legends who have mastered the race, the chance to tread the same paths as these masters, its challenges that parallels Life, and the heroism of mortals in rising above their limitations to conquer the distance. When I sign up for one, I always try to train my best even though most of the time the training will be patchy. I paid dearly for treating Sundown Marathon as a walk in the park. Moral of the story: Treating the marathon with respect means according it a proper training regimen.

Next year will see the completion (hopefully!) of a 3-year mega project that I’ve been part of and I’ll basically be neck deep in it. As much as I’d like to be pursuing my marathon goals, it will not be realistic of me achieving it. I’ll probably miss StanChart’s inaugural sponsorship of the KLIM in May but that’s life. I may still be able to "bluff" my way through selected shorter races and record PRs too!

I digress. Before I hop on the plane, let me just record my thanks and appreciation to all of you - Luc, Frank, Choi, Lawrence, Loke, Kit, Anil, the Younglings - for being there at one time or another during my training for my 10th. I remember clearly just after completing my 2nd Penang Bridge Run (the 22.3K category) during my school days, I couldn’t imagine doing another round of the bridge to complete a marathon distance. 10 isn’t many by others' standards but making NYCM as the 10th is a dream come true ever since following the race annually in Runners World during the ‘80s. Who knows, after watching the race live on Eurosport this Sunday (9:30pm), it could be your race destination too. Even after last year’s no-go, I’ve never doubted it that I’ll make it there. I'd like to thank Nike Sales Malaysia for the gear support and wear-test opportunities and Powerbar for taking care of my sports nutrition needs.

Having Geraldine along for the adventure is a bonus – just watch out for her bursting off Wave 2! The experience is so much more richer and memorable with a fellow runner tagging along. So thank you for coming along for the wild B2B and Hell Week runs with me. Train well for your upcoming races and I’ll see you on the roads when I come back. The next posting should be on the trip and race report!

Ps. Justin, if you’re reading this, make sure we stick to our dream of doing the running pilgrimage of Coos Bay, Portland, Hayward Field, Boulder, and run the infamous 22-mile Waitakere Mountains course that once reduced Snell to tears. Even if it’s only after our retirement, we WILL do it! Hopefully the exchange rate will be more forgiving then.

All My Bags Are Packed

2008-10-29T22:39:00.003+08:00

Notables: Nike ACG reversible jacket (green thing on my Deuter backpack). Orange plastic bag contains all my race gear including race fuel, like Powerbar and gels. Some items will be disposed once the race starts while others will be checked into the UPS baggage deposit. I loaded 2 sets of top to suit the weather conditions. Chances are I'll be racing in a short sleeved shirt and long tights. The clear bag next to the orange one contains my post-race dinner apparel and mini toiletries to be deposited in Mohan's hotel where we will be showering. What you don't see is the Lunaracer in the backpack!

In the backpack are stuff which may be used in-flight (inhaler, toiletries, lens lube) and immediately after arrival. Also in the backpack are stuff that I can't afford to lose such as the 205, gloves and other basic needs.

Even till late today, I was still rushing this and that and I'm quite tired actually. Before I knock off for the day, I'd like to thank everyone for the wishes. While there's no time target, I will certainly do my best!

Best Day Ever

2008-10-24T06:00:00.001+08:00

The Abebe Bikila Award 2008 Goes To...

2008-10-22T23:21:00.002+08:00

I read in the NYRR website that a blog has been setup for the marathon. You can check out the fantastic postings here.

The Abebe Bikila Award is given annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of distance running. Past winners include Fred Lebow, Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Tegla Loroupe, and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

And this year, Lornah Kiplagat joins the honor roll of past winners for her charity work with children in Kenya. The award will be presented to her before the start of the International Friendship Run on Nov 1st outside the United Nations building. Kiplagat is a Kenya-born Dutch whose versatility saw her win races ranging from 5,000m to the marathon. Her amazing charity work, realized through the Lornah Kiplagat Foundation, focuses on a variety of causes for the Kenyan children, specifically girls and women from education to health.

Nike Lunaracer+ Review

2008-10-18T17:54:00.003+08:00

My love affair with the Lunar series continue with the trialing of the Lunaracer+. Being one half of the 2 models released by Nike which feature the space age Lunarlite foam, the racer took my running experience to another level.

When Wong (EKIN with Nike Sales Malaysia) handed me the shoebox, I had to shake it to ensure that the shoes were inside and when I opened the package to reveal the shoes, my colleagues were astounded by its lightness. One remarked that if thrown at someone across the room, the shoes may not reach their destination and if used to smack someone, it may not cause any pain! While I won't try out the latter theory, I certainly want to test them out as quickly as I can. I made a visual inspection of the shoes and saw that the midsole construction looks that of the Trainer [review]. The main difference is on the upper. Instead of the Trainer's white mesh, the racers sport a grey white translucent paper-like material. No visible stitching are seen. In their place, certain stress points had additional strips of yellow suede "welded" or crimped to the upper. Threads of Flywire interlaced the upper material providing just enough structure to support the shoe shape and the wearer. The sockliner is a thin foam and under the left piece is the spot for the Nike+ sensor. The outsole difference is less apparent. What's obvious are the more liberal application of the BRS1000 and solid rubber plugs for better durability.

I made the right call by opting for 1/2 a size larger for the racer. The shoe fits like a glove and here's where the next difference lies - their lack of weight. At 5.5oz, they are nearly half the weight of the already lightweight Trainers. The racers are low profile (see Notes section) and you'll feel your calves walking around in them. With a planned 21K the next day, I limited my first run to a 5K and try as hard as I might, I had a hard time slowing down! I didn't know if it's the build, weight or material I just automatically ran in a light and efficient manner. Tap and go, tap and go. More mid to forefoot landing than on the heel. I simply went faster and couldn't wait for the tougher run the next morning. 21K later, I was astounded. My calves and shins were just a bit sore but that was the legs adjusting to the lower ride. Since the first 2 runs, I've put the pair to some really hardcore workouts which included back to back long runs at different pace. The racers defy logic - mad science at work.

Consider the following facts:
1) I've not worn any kind of shoes below 9oz. I'm just not biomechanically efficient enough. Yet I was happily running in these 5.5oz babies chewing up the miles.

2) The legs didn't feel trashed. I managed 166K mileage over 9 days which included 3 back to back long runs and several shorter workouts with only a day's rest. The longest run completed so far in them was a 32K done at marathon pace.

3) Durability is top-notch. After over 100Ks in them, even the "nipples" on the outsoles are still there. Pulling on the racers give you a boost of confidence. You run lighter and faster. I saw my running form improved and ran faster in training than in race. They totally eclipse my hitherto favorite, the Lunar Trainer and that's saying a lot, since the Trainers can certainly hold their own. The Trainers are better ventilated. It felt warmer in the racer. I spoke to Wong and he confirmed that said that this could be due to the upper material used to support the utilization of the Flywire. The typical mesh won't hold the fibers, so a stronger material was used. In conclusion, all I can say is that I'm completely bowled over by the racers. Prior to them, there is no way on earth that I can wear shoes this light but they have everything a weekend warrior needs. I'm all the more efficient and faster runner because of it. If you think the Trainers are good, wait till you try the racers. It dispels the notion that a shoe this minimum and light can't be worn by non-elites. But you've got to wait just a wee bit. Both the Lunar Trainer and Lunaracer are now available at the Nike stores.

Notes
As you can see from the photos on the left and bottom, the shoe is really holding up with the mileage work. I’ve since logged over 170K in them and the outsole looks just a little worn, which is really good for a racing shoe. Needless to say the shoe is Nike+ enabled, so you can wear it with a Nike+ Sportband.

The Lunaracer is definitely built like a racer. According to a shoe techie, the racer’s heel is 6mm higher than the forefoot. The racer’s forefoot is 16mm while the rear is 22mm. The forefoot-heel ratio of 6mm is half of a typical training shoe’s build. The Nike Free 3.0 is 19/23 (4), Free 4.0 is 17.5/23.5 (6), Vaporfly 21/33 (12).

For: Efficient, lightweight runner seeking an ultralight, responsive yet stable cushioned shoe for speedwork and racing.

Not for: Runners seeking more stability should look to Nike’s stability models such as Structure Triax and Equalon. A bit of pinching on the right shoe when toeing off. Some may encounter rubbing as well.

Bottomline: Wear socks that protect the heel and instep area, especially where the shoe flexes. Experiment with various lacing configuration. The Lunaracer is the shoe you’ll want to wear if you’re gunning for a personal best.

For more photos, check out the published review here.

37519

2008-10-16T22:16:00.001+08:00

NYRR has released the bib numbers for the participants and mine's 37519. Besides being an identity on the roads, bib numbers play a significant role on how you'll be started on Nov 2. The bib is color coded (every colour means something) and you can tell a lot by just the colours of the bib background and number. I imagine my bib to look something like this. Let's see if the actual one comes anywhere close to my imagination.

37519 means that:

- I'm assigned to a Wave 3 Blue Start. From the corral chart, I'll be in the first block (otherwise known as "A" Corral) of Wave 3. I hope that there's a suitable pace team in the same start.

- my staging area will be at the Alberto Salazar Village (ASV). This is the first "village" that you'll get to once the bus drops you off. It appears to be the largest but then that means it will also have the biggest crowd.

- there is a chance that at least for the first 2K (up and down the bridge), I'll have an easier passage. A good thing that the NYRR will be enforcing the wave and corral queues. My start is 10:20am, so I reckon they will start calling for runners from 45 (9:40am) to 50 minutes (9:30am) before then to make their way to the start.

- I'm going to be on the upper deck of the bridge and therefore have a more spectacular view. Maybe some eagle-eyed friends can spot me on TV?

- I should be checking in my baggage with the UPS truck # 37. Trucks are sorted in incremental of 1000 according to bib numbers.

- I'm exiting the park at the finish at the 77th Street of Central Park West. This is the first exit. The next exit is 4 streets northward meaning more walking.

I'm really not too concerned about which one I'm in, just terribly curious. I'm hoping that detailed information will allow first timers to feel less intimidated.

17 more days! I'm so freaking excited now!

A Near Miss

2008-10-12T17:09:00.004+08:00

If not for Lawrence's SMS, I'd have missed this morning's planned 35K. Alas I somehow slept through 2 alarms! I'd not time for coffee, just enough to pack up the drinks and go. Time taken to reach Bukit Aman from Puchong? 30 minutes! A new record for me. Both Lawrence and I got in at the same time.

Up to 22K, I felt OK. It must have been due to chasing down Geraldine that I probably lost steam not long after. Since I was running the World Wide Half Marathon (WWHM) as part of my workout, I didn't go all out for the WWHM. My timing of 2:06.47 was quite slow, but I'm OK for it.

With 4Ks to go, Lionel and a boxer put up a hilarious show when the mutt, thinking that Lionel wanted to play, chased his a good 500meters. The sight was so funny with beast losing out to the runner eventually. When I drew near, I saw that the poor mutt's tongue were hanging out obviously exhausted. Lesson learnt for the mutt: Pick the correct runner to chase!

Finishing was tough and I decided not to pursue the last 5K. I'm convinced that I needed to slow down and take it easier. I noted that there was some slight swelling on the right archilles when I had a bad blister a couple of weeks back. This area needs some icing and massaging tonight.

I'll lay off running the next 2 days and will hop onto the spinning bike instead.

I received the hardcopy NYCM Official Handbook today in the mail and it looks beautiful!

I look very beat in the photo. Photo courtesy of Frank.

What I Did On Raya Week (aka 10 Things I Learnt Hitting 110K)

2008-10-06T15:10:00.002+08:00

Disclaimer: What I've done is not for everyone. In fact, it's downright discouraged for 80% of local runners out there. Doing so will risk injuries and burnout. Although I didn't feel it, it can be physically and emotionally draining to log so many miles. You need to have been regularly running, preferably in a training program logging averagely 50K every week to carry it off. You'll be basically, like what another hardcore runner Justin "Nurotevil" Lee said, "jumping in and out of your running clothes.".

Despite emerging quite fresh from the tough week (I actually logged 166K over a 9-day period), I don't think it'll be anytime soon when I embark on another such streak (see point 4 below).

1) Eat More

If there's one thing that saw me through the adventure, it's food. I'm one who don't particularly pay attention to what I eat. Broadly I just stay away from oily and too much fried stuff, and eat more carbs and lean meat. Before starting those runs, I will drink a cup of black coffee before I leave home and consume a cereal bar and a Powerbar Triple Threat en route to the meeting spot. I found that by doing so prevented me from bonking on the run. Even without the usage of gels, I could still cope with the pace. Getting food into the system after a long run is equally important. I chew on a Powerbar and a tumbler of Powerbar Recovery drink on the drive back from my workout. Carbs and protein are both required not only to ensure fuelling and recovery but also for the prevention of illness too. The Hartamas-Solaris route is never easy to run, as many newcomers and long absentees will attest, and you'll need fuel to cover it.

2) Having A Support Team Helps

Runners who are parents thinking of pushing their mileage need to know that they can only do so if their household folks are willing to bear with your lifestyle. If you're a parent, the kids need to be taken care of. If you're "maid-less", there are household chores that need to be done. If you're both a parent and "maid-less", like me, you've got to be prepared to forego the post-run afternoon nap. Don't worry, you'll get used to it after awhile. Of course, 3 cups of strong coffee help. If you can find pockets of time, nap. Sleep is very important for recovery and staving off illness. Sleep is something I need to get in more.

3) It's Good To Have Other Friends Who Are Crazy

It makes it easier if you've some friends to tag along be it part of the way or all the way. I've been fortunate to have Luc (2:50 PR) who had been with running with me for all the long runs as well as Geraldine, Frank, Choi, Loke, Lawrence for most of the runs. Not many are willing to wake up at 5am on weekends and only these guys are hardcore enough. As a group, there are greater motivation to crest the tough hills or through the tough last third of the long run. And yes, we have priority parking at the meeting point - think of us as Platinum status members! Hats off to them!

4) You Need Time

Let's face it. Most of us are busy professionals with day jobs and other commitments after work. You'll need at least an hour for workouts up to 10K (depending on your speed) and 4 hours for each long run (including travelling to and from home). It was only due to having the long Raya holidays smack in the middle of the week that I managed to put in the back to back runs.

5) Stretching

I stretch throughout the day. In the showers, on the floor while playing with my kids, while doing the dishes, vacuuming and mopping, on the bed before I sleep.

6) Cross-Train

I'm stronger due to the spinning sessions. You can probably reap the same benefits through other low impact exercises like swimming too. But spinning are much more convenient, can be done indoors at any time (with the TV on) and mimics the running action more closely. I'm still a newbie at spinning but over time, I should be able to put up with more punishing and longer rides.

7) There Will Be Aches

Of course there will! You'll wake up with tight legs and a tired body. But get moving and they will loosen up. Though these kinks are normal muscular aches, you should also pay attention to any pain that seems out of place and sharp, for which you should seek rest and treatment.

8) Shoe Rotation

I’m thankful to have the support of Nike, so shoe rotation has never been an issue. I've rotated between the Vomero 2+, Triax 11+, Lunar Trainer+ and Lunaracer+. The principle behind shoe rotation is to allow the shoes to recover from the previous workout. The shoes' midsole go through many cycles of compression and "bounce back" during a run. I read from the Running Times magazine that shoes regain their protective and cushioning properties 24 hours after the previous run, so it helps to have a fresh pair ready to go the next day. And you wouldn't want to be wearing a pair of squishy shoes wet from yesterday's downpour, right?

9) Mixing It Up

In order to "survive" the week, you can't possibly run every workout hard. It doesn't make sense from a training perspective nor do your body any good. My century week comprised of 10K spinning (M), 5.2K run (T), 25.8K run (W), 27.9K run (T), 7.9K run (F), 10.5K run (S) and 31.7K run (S). The Tuesday and Friday sessions were done at easy effort with the iPod while the Saturday run were in very hot conditions at 11am at moderate pace. The long runs were a mix of easy to threshold and tempo pace. All of the long runs were done on undulating to very hilly routes and were usually on negative splits.

10) Enjoy

It's hard to understand this but I enjoyed racking up the miles. To be sure, it was tiring on some days but there were less "Oh, do I have to do this?" than ever before. There was certainly some element of motivation for me as I see my training log (yes, it's a good idea to keep a training log) edged nearer the century mark. Once past the first few Ks the tightness in the legs and the doubts of completing the long run dissipated to be replaced by elation in the end for having nailed another long one. During interviews, the pros often said that they enjoy their training, and that if one day the fun is gone from the workouts and races, they will quit. It's true. It has to be fun and enjoyable to be doing that kind of volume. And part of the fun comes from working out in a group.

The following are key moments that I faced in the week.

There were 2 days when I failed to hit the targeted mileage. The first was on the 2nd day of Raya holidays, when my carelessness of not bringing my socks resulted in blisters in a few spots of my right foot. The skin at the heel were rubbed off while 2 watery blisters developed on the instep. I was fortunate to have Geraldine as company as I limped towards the finish, cutting through a shortcut. Prior to that happening, I'd been compensating too much by running on the forefoot, causing some degree of soreness on my right calf. At one stage I even went barefoot to try to relieve the pain. In the end I had to settle for a 27.9K instead of the planned 30K.

The marathon gang with Ronnie’s 21K group

The next day despite the calf soreness, I jogged close to 8K in the evening to loosen the muscles up. There was a light drizzle but it was a nice relaxing outing despite the slight discomfort.

Saturday's plan for a 15K was derailed by an early morning thunderstorm. It was frustrating and short of shaking my fists at the heavens, I vowed that the weather was not going to deter me from achieving my week's mileage. So after clearing up the chores and making sure that the kids are attended to, I headed out for a run in the sun. It was hot and sunny, but I had my shades on and made sure that I hydrated well. In the end I managed to cover 10.5K, which wasn't too bad. Bonus was the sexy tan lines I ended up with.

The pinnacle of the week was capped with a 31.7K with the group. I ran some parts with Choi and Frank, some parts with Luc - who was struggling with his squishy shoes - and Geraldine. Mostly I was alone, even though there were many other runners plying the Hartamas route that morning. With the kids at my brother's place, the wife and I went for a foot reflexology a short drive away.

After yesterday’s 31K, with Ronnie’s 21K group again

My legs are fine today and I had a big lunch of Cantonese noodles, fried rice and McD milkshake. Nevertheless I'm taking the day off running. If I don't get home late from work, I'll put in a spinning session. A celebratory can of Heineken awaits tonight.

What Wave Are You In?

2008-10-04T15:31:00.003+08:00

As the countdown begins, the NYRR are releasing more and more information regarding the start assignments. The wave assignments are now posted if you sign in to your runner profile (the info is not in the entrant database).

I've been assigned to Wave 3 which is the last wave. The start time is 10:20am. While I'm not 100% happy when I learnt about this (they take the last marathon timing instead of projected time when assigning), I decided to put my trust in the NYRR to ensure that regardless of which start one is assigned, the runners will be spaced out sufficiently enough to ensure a smooth running. Afterall, the difference in timing between Wave 2 and 3 are just 20 minutes. The plus side is that Wave 3 runners will have the shortest distance to cover. We will exit to the West 77th Street. We can then choose to wait for our posse to finish before taking the 1 train at the 79th St & Broadway to the hotel for a shower. What will ultimately count on race day after training is the ability to run according to pace. Obviously if the wave starts allow the runners to be spaced out, it can only help all the runners. There were some feedback that the Boston Marathon organizers implemented this process quite well.

If you take a look at the chart below, Wave 3 will put me in the largest range of bib numbers, from 37000 to 54999. They're just numbers but I can't help to be in awe of the sheer size of the number. In local races, my bib numbers are nearly always below the 100 range.

Then comes the question of which start line - Orange (designated Grete Waitz Village), Blue (Alberto Salazar Village) or Green (Tegla Loroupe Village). From the layout map of the Fort Wadsworth holding area, the Orange and Blue starts will run on the upper deck of the Verrazano, while the Green runners will hit the lower deck. Upper deck accords a more spectacular view but the runners have to contend with a steeper start. Runners on the lower deck will encounter a lesser climb, poorer view and are advised to stay away from the sides to avoid being peed on from above! It also appears that toilets are in abundance. Runners for the Orange and Blue starts also need to walk less from the shuttle drop off and UPS trucks.

Click to enlarge

Finally within each start are the corrals - A to F - from the fastest to the slowest. I suspect runners will be arranged according to their estimated finishing times. Depending on how the corral is segregated, I believe one can still seek out the correct pace group. I'll need to keep a look out for the orange balloon for the ING pacers. Specific corral assignment and bib numbers are still not released and I suspect will only be published with the race pack pickup postcard.

NB. I consulted with several forums and it appears that Wave 3 is the preferred section as you don't have to be at Staten Island so early and also enjoy the shorter walk to the exit at Central Park West.

Paula Radcliffe's Running '08

2008-10-03T16:18:00.001+08:00

Well, it's official. The women's marathon world record (2:15.25) holder and NYCM defending champion will be back this year! I'm hoping that she turns in another thrilling performance this year following her "poor" 23rd placing in Beijing, ensuring that in Beijing both the men's and women's marathon world record holders ended up with no medals. Haile bounced back with an out of this world performance by breaking his own world record at Berlin and now I'm wondering if Paula is ready for a great performance after her string of injuries. Obviously New York isn't a fast course but if she can dig in for a battle with Kara Goucher (whom she lost to in London earlier this year), it should make a good race. With 2nd placed Gete Wami and barely-out-of-her-teens Dire Tune also in the mix, who knows?

For a recent interview with this fierce competitor please head on to Runners World.

The foursome join Olympians Abdi Abdirahman, Magdalena Lewy Boulet, and Katie McGregor, upcoming youngsters Jason Lehmkuhle, James Carney, and Josh Rohatinsky in the elite category to toe the line on Nov 2nd. Then there's former champions - Hendrick Ramaala (2004), Paul Tergat (2005) and Marilson Gomes (2006). Even after losing Lance Armstrong to Chicago, this year's NYCM will still pack a hefty star power.

Back To Backs

2008-09-30T22:26:00.004+08:00

Strip away all the technical aspects, training is all about systematically stressing the body and mental systems over a period of time. Build up and sustain the stress-load on the body, breaking it down, recover and repeat.

I came up with the Back to Back (B2B) approach at this stage of my career as I can no longer maintain an end to end 4 month marathon training program. I will either lose focus halfway through the period, peak too early as a result of poor management or fall sick. Since I've been quite blessed at staying injury free over the years, I thought I can compress the period of serious training down to 2 months by incorporating 2 days of high quality (LTs and Tempos) workouts on weekdays and hitting the long runs on weekends. More recently I invested in a spinning bike to ensure that I not only prevent cardio and strength loss but to build them up.

The benefits of these adjustments are lower running mileage (and thus reducing overuse risk), increase in quality workouts, reduction of training period, while maintaining fitness. I'm also hoping that all that spinning will bring about quicker leg turnover. All good but this approach is not for everyone. You need to have about 40K weekly mileage and have tackled distances of up to 30K a few times. It's not recommended for beginning runners and non-marathoners, simply because it places too much stress on the unconditioned body and mind. In view of that I've been fortunate to have like minded running mates to tag along. Training in a group can and will pull you through tough patches.

We own the night. OK, morning! As you can see the camera just don't cut it.

For my NYCM training, I put together a series of B2Bs. B2Bs are essentially medium-long to long runs done on Saturday and Sunday. With 5 weeks to raceday, the workouts were 25K and 31K. With me were Luc, Frank and Lawrence. I decided to carry a loaned Olympus SW850 to get a feel of it and the unit felt quite good in my hands. It also fits snugly into the Nike slim running pouch. Barring any change of mind, the camera will be coming along with me on the 5-borough journey.

After the Saturday's 25K

The 31K started an easy pace. We decided to take the new Solaris route. I was running in and out of pace testing the camera at various spots. It was only near Desa Hartamas that Luc turned the power on and disappeared. Frank and I stopped over at the 7-Eleven for drinks and quickly resumed. By the time we neared the Petronas station after a loop, Luc came storming from behind. He'd gone around loop while waiting for us.

The run to the IRB office was with Luc as Frank had dropped back a bit. I raised my pace to MP and managed to stick close to Luc. Of course it was his easy pace. I was comfortable throughout and the Lunaracers were holding up very very well. We took another loop before stopping at the station to replenish. Frank arrived soon after but indicated he had to relieve himself. So Luc and I went our way, this time taking the reverse Solaris route. And boy was I in for a hard run. The reverse was even worse than coming. But with the construction workers streaming to their site at the killer hill, there was no way I could stop. I hung on as long as I could as we hammered the ascent.

After we cleared the Duta crossing, Luc jestfully suggested we detoured to Double Hill. I'm sure he could've but there was no way I'd make it back. Sure, NYCM isn't flat but it isn't even as hilly as the regular Hartamas route (just several well-placed bridges to knock your pace off). Hopefully Luc wasn't frustrated with my non-interest for he zoomed down Kenny Hills and wasn't seen again until back at the car park. I maintained pace and was clipping along fairly fast back to the car park to conclude a good week of running and spinning.

This week with the Aidil Fitri celebrations, I have opportunity to log the highest mileage - just about right timing too with just 3 weeks to tapering. It calls for 2 midweek runs of 21K and 30K followed by 15K and 25K on the weekends. In between will be some spinning and a couple of short runs. I've been eating and snacking more the last 3 days and I've found the extra calories to be extremely helpful. I've also found that I've energy on my long runs even while maintaining my policy of no gel intakes during training. My snacks have been a mixture of oats, fruit and cereal bars, and Powerbar Triple Threat. I also eat normal food, just more frequently. Mondays are treat days after the hard weekends, so it's usually McDonald's Milkshake for me.

The next 2 weeks leading up to the taper period, I will reduce the distance to be covered on Saturday but increase Sunday's long run to 35K. Overall mileage will still remain decent.

Training Updates: Spinnin' and Runnin'

2008-09-26T10:44:00.001+08:00

It was already 9pm when I reached home Wednesday night. Hungry and tired, I just wanted to quickly eat my dinner, get the chores done and put in a workout. So there was the bike in the kitchen just waiting for me. Carbokid 2 was the more curious between the 2 and he was fiddling with the pedals and any parts he could reach. I made sure that the flywheel is locked as that would be a fun (but dangerous) thing for him to play.

A short while later with everyone upstairs, I promptly started with a 10-min warmup. Star Wars Episode 3 was in the DVD player and that certainly helped to pass time, even if I was irritated with the corny script and plank-like expressions of Hayden Christiansen.

I ended the session an hour later, soaked and thirsty but satisfied. A quick shower and cool down before hitting the sack at 12:30am.

5 hours later, it was another 50-min spin. I'd left the bike where it was so there was no time lost in setting up. Movie of the hour was Luc Besson's The Fifth Element. Leeloo was certainly more appealing than Anakin. It must have been the babe factor, coz I was pedaling harder and more furiously than last night, well earlier that morning. Sweat beaded up on my upper arms and momentarily I thought of the sprayed faux sweat on the cover models on fitness magazines. There was sweat all over the placement mat. Evening was an easy run of approximately 8K with Loke. Weather was just perfect and even with a sub-6 pace, it felt comfortable. The legs were relatively OK but I was awakened in the middle of the night with a horrible calf cramp. I’ve been fortunate to be cramped-free all these while in my running and racing so it came as a shock to me. It lasted about 15 seconds but was it painful – ok, aren’t all cramps painful?

I woke up this morning with tight adductors and hamstrings and decided to skip the 1 hour ride to save my legs for the B2B weekend runs. Just to be on the safe side, I’ll run easy to prevent any aggravation to my left calf.

Sneak Peek Of The '08 NYCM Finishers Medal

2008-09-25T17:17:00.002+08:00

Want to take a look at the medal that will be adorning your necks when you cross the finish line on Nov 2? A short in RW Online featured the honoring of perhaps the greatest woman runner (and cancer survivor) ever, Grete Waitz.

“Grete Waitz is Feted in Oslo for Her NYC Marathon Accomplishments
It's been 30 years since a Norwegian schoolteacher best-known for running cross country and 3000-meter track races first tried a marathon in New York City, and set a world record while earning the first of her phenomenal nine victories in that event. Waitz and her husband Jack had a meeting with Oslo Mayor Fabian Stang before being greeted by a full room of friends, family, and journalists at Bislett Stadium - in front of which stands a full-sized statue of Waitz herself. The marathoning pioneer seemed deeply moved when New York Road Runners President and CEO Mary Wittenberg showed her the finisher's medal for this November 2's ING New York City Marathon; it features a likeness of Waitz on the front and the inscription, "Grete Waitz, the Greatest New York City Marathon Champion" on the back. "There are a few in sports who have been game changers and Grete changed the sport," observed Wittenberg. "There have been 52 winners of the New York City Marathon, all of them great and deserving winners, but Grete is a champion of champions. Years after she has put away her racing shoes, Grete is the gift that keeps on giving to all of us now." Waitz commented "on celebrating 30 years since my first victory, I am very happy that you have done this in my hometown with all of my friends and family. Looking back at that first win, it seems like it was just last week."”

To see the medal (only the front though), hit this link.

Upcoming B2B Long Runs

2008-09-22T21:58:00.003+08:00

As the year-end marathon season approaches, the frequency of long runs are on the rise. This will be the 2nd, 3rd and 4th back-to-backs (B2B) that we're looking at in the space of 2 weeks. Here's a look at the upcoming program. You're most welcome to join us.

This week:
Sat 27th – 25K (5am so that we can do easy pace, and we can join the RM folks for the balance 4.3K. PM1, pls join us coz we want to show you a new race route)
Sun 28th – 25K (same, so that we can go home and be with the family)

Next week aka Hell Week (goal: to complete the mileage, NOT SPEED)
Raya Day 1 Oct 1st – 21K (new route, 5am, so that can go jalan2 with family)
Raya Day 2 Oct 2nd - 30K (new route, 5am, so that can go chill out with family)
Sat 4th – 15K (5:50am, nor liap sua aka Double Hill)
Sun 5th – 21K (regular route, 5am)

Meeting Place: Lake Gardens Car Park (fronting the police HQ). These sessions are ideal to test out your marathon pace, tempos, new gear and shoes while building up your physical and mental toughness. Doing the workouts in a group will make it easier.

42 Days To Go

2008-09-20T16:23:00.003+08:00

A poor week mileage wise with no signs of changing. A consolation is that the quality runs were still there but that's not good enough - not by my standards. The level of excitement has been going steadily up to be sure, as the day draws near. So to address my lack of workout today and in the future (I've had for weeks observed the trend of work eating into my running routine), I made a decision to invest in a spinning bike. There were some resistance to be sure but I told my wife that either she agrees with my purchase or put up with a grouchy and totally unfit husband. With the money, I could've part financed the purchase of a plasma TV or a DSLR but health and fitness go above those 2 nice-to-haves. I just have to arrest the slide in my workout frequency. And the bike is a proven machine to ensure that my aerobic fitness and strength don't evaporate. It's much cheaper than a treadmill, requiring less space, generates less noise while providing low impact workouts. That's my machine below. I expect it to be delivered on Wednesday, allowing me to get back into the mileage groove very quickly at this critical stage.

I ran 8K on Thursday and 5K on Friday before this morning's 21K. The Thursday run was good but I encountered the annoying runner who literally brushed everyone as he passed. At first I thought that he intentionally run close to me just to brushed me but I observed that he did the same to everyone. He could've easily just run wide. So I decided to harassed him and give him back some of the medicine he dished out. I was already 5K into my run, so I took it as a tempo part of my workout. I picked up my pace and stuck to his butt. I made sure he knew of my presence by periodically scraping my shoes. I'd draw very near to him - to his side, then to his heels. I felt strong and in control and I had energy and speed on tap. Just when I could've passed him, I pulled back just to annoy him. When he picked up pace, I'd draw level with him. At that pace, he lasted only 1 lap while I went on for 2 more Ks. I may sound like a mean fellow but this runner is worst. He'd been spotted relieving himself at the park indiscretely. He also parks his 4x4 illegally and treated the other park users with disdain. In short this man is a brute.

I had a nice surprise on Friday as I finally got hold of a test pair of Nike's Lunaracer. Before that day, I'd never ran in a shoe that's this light. The Lunaracer weighs in at a measly 5.5 oz. The lightest shoe that I've ever worn was the Nike Pegasus Racer of the early '90s and the 9 oz cousin of the Lunaracer, the Lunar Trainer. 5.5 oz isn't the typical territory of daily trainers and even racers for middle of the packers, only for the elites. But the Lunaracer is not your typical shoe. To get a feel of it, I immediately took it for a 5K. I will leave the specifics to the review. Suffice to say that I kept checking myself not to go too fast as I logged the most consistent splits in months. To say that I was totally floored by the wear experience is an understatement. More was to come as I took it for a 21K this morning. The mere fact that I was able to wear a shoe this light over the distance is already an amazement. I'm already looking forward to take them for a series of hard back to backs over the next 2 weeks, and only then will I sit down to write the report.

Supersize Me!

2008-09-19T22:49:00.002+08:00

We’ve had the Mother of Official Handbooks. Now we have the Mother of Course Maps. It’s true that everything is mega when it comes to the US. From the skyscrapers of downtown Manhattan, cabs, people, currency, food servings, I’m going to feel like a pygmy (no offense to the Papua New Guinea natives). Just check out the Official Handbook and the Course Guide. To download a copy, hit the images below.

Name Tag

2008-09-17T23:52:00.003+08:00

Here's the name tag that I'll be sticking to my race tee. This way I don't have to worry about pinning or printing my name on the tech fabric and potentially spoiling it.

Having their names printed or written on their race shirt is a popular practice among runners in mega marathons where there are large crowds to cheer you on, by name. A friend who will be running NYCM the 2nd time commented that she was called out (and hi-fived) in support so many times that she got tired of acknowledging the cheers of supporters! Since she will be on her 2nd "tour", she has decided to forgo the sticker routine this time around.

But then it's an experience not to be missed for first timers, so I'll be wearing that sticker on top of my race bib and welcome all the cheers my "fans" will accord me! Makes me feel like a star on a red carpet. Woo hooo!

1st 30K Run

2008-09-14T21:38:00.004+08:00

With just 2 days of running this week, I headed into the 30K with trepidation. Having had 5 hours of sleep the last 2 nights didn't do my confidence level any good either. GL texted me that she needed to rest just as I was driving down. I thought I'd have only SP and her friend for company but to my surprise KK Oon was also part of the posse and he too brought a friend, a cool German dude, Rudy (if I remembered correctly) with a PR of 3:30. My thoughts immediately switched to a suffering mode. I was steeling myself for a tough tough run. There I was, way out of my league, even if this was a training run.

The plan was to try out a new route to Hartamas, so just after the Wilayah mosque, we headed straight at the traffic lights instead of veering to the left. The route took us past high-end condos and gated residences. The terrain was undulating and gave the legs a good workout. We'd been chugging at a steady pace and enjoying a conversation about Munich, beer and Oktoberfest with Rudy when we were joined by a Belgian gentleman whose PR is 2:50. Gosh, I swore I gulped hard when I heard that. I said a silent prayer that my legs and lungs will last.

The route turned out to be great and we ran past Solaris and SoHo KL (an upcoming hip area) but there was a quiet and dark spot just heading into Desa Hartamas, which are best undertaken in a group. We got over that quickly and took a loop around Petronas. The 2nd loop was also run as a variation where we took the short but steep climb left just after Plaza Damas past the school before linking with the usual Petronas loop. It's been all undulating and hilly thus far.

After refueling (I opted out of KK's Powergel offer), I decided to try for a fast 10K to finish the run off. Just to simulate late race conditions. Boy it was really tough, and I've some work to do the next few weeks. I nearly wanted to walk up the Tijani hill but somehow got over that. I astounded myself with a 5:20 split down Kenny Hills but both the elites and SP's friend were already nowhere in sight. They were so fast, possibly 5 to 8 minutes ahead of me.

When I stopped the watch back at the car park, I learnt that I'd just PR'd my 30K timing recorded early this year, even if this wasn't a race. Very satisfied, I spent some time chitchatting with John, who looked quite well (the scars were all there still, though) while I downed a bottle of Powerbar Recovery. Interesting trivia: Of the 5, Rudy will be running the Munich Marathon, KK the Florence Marathon, SP and I will be headed to NYC. Quite an international flavor huh?

My next 30K should be in 2 weeks' time. Who's coming?

SP's friend, Carboman, Belgian gentleman, SP, Rudy

Crunch Time

2008-09-13T11:41:00.002+08:00

Things are certainly heating up over here even as the season is heading for Fall in New York. Only 52 days to race day (49 days to my flight). I quiver with excitement at the prospect of visiting a faraway land, a melting pot of culture and ethnicity. At the same time, I'm apprehensive about the long flight. I'm livid about the training that needs to be done. When you put all of these emotions into the mix, you get high anxiety. Thankfully, Nike and Powerbar have alleviated part of my anxiety by taking care of my gear and nutrition. I've been rotating between the Vomero 2+, Structure Triax 11+ and Lunar Trainer+ for my runs and I've never had to worry about apparels either. After the successful stress test of the Lunars last weekend, I'm eager to take them for a couple of hard long runs. The first 2 weeks of October seem to be the perfect time for those workouts. My intention is to wear the Lunars for the race failing which I'll revert to the ever reliable Zoom Elite.

On the nutritional front, Powerbar has me covered. Tackling any distances longer than 20K would typically require some pre-run fueling for me or I’ll be risking some awkward stomach growling moments. And the common practice for me is to munch on an energy bar while driving down to the meeting spot at Lake Gardens. The bar of choice presently is the Powerbar Triple Threat. I find the Crisp version to be refreshingly light and tasty while still giving me the necessary carbs. It's got 10-11g of protein, 220-230 calories, 4g of fiber and 16 vitamins and minerals. For a more filling snack, it's the ProteinPlus Bar for me - yes I take the Protein Bar as a pre-run snack. Tomorrow will see my first 30K of the training and I'd certainly be needing a nice cool bottle of Powerbar Recovery drink. The drink contains 40g carbs, 6g protein and 500mg of electrolyte sodium per 16 fl. oz serving. If you're as soaked in sweat as I am after a run, you'll appreciate the orangy beverage. I keep my fluids cool in a Coleman tumbler, so that ramps up the taste factor even more. I don't take Powergels except during a race so that my body can get the extra boost at the appropriate time.

To download an informative Powerbar booklet, just hit the image below.

Since we're on the subject of nutrition, anyone would like to try out several pasta recipes as recommended by Barilla? Check them out here. Don't forget to invite me should you be making the yummy dishes.

Holy 55 Days, Carboman!

2008-09-08T23:19:00.001+08:00

Gosh! That's only just slightly more than 1.5 months to race day, and even lesser to my travelling date. There's so much to do in all areas, and I'm having a hard time juggling the tasks. I'm going to itemize them here as a form of reminder to myself. So let's see.

Training
Not good at all. I haven't been consistent in my workouts and haven't hit the 50s and yet I'm already jumping straight into the back-to-backs. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on

Travel & Itinerary
I've a rough plan but some research and thought needs to go into finalizing it. Visa document, passport and air ticket are all settled but I need to register with the Frequent Flyer Miles so that I can at least get something back from the airline. I'll also need to check with the travel agency on seat confirmation sometime early October.

To buys
All ready. But I need to run it by my packing list to ensure nothing's left out. And at the same time nothing extraneous is packed.

Money changing
I've progressively been changing some USD and the rates have been getting worse. At the time of writing this, it's at RM1 to USD3.45. Thankfully I've changed all that I needed to which isn't much - just enough to last the first couple of days. With a good ATM network in Manhattan, I can still withdraw cash over there - the interchange should be that exhorbitant considering I'm not taking out large sums. Credit card will be my main mode of payment.

NYRR
NYRR has yet to send out this year's Runners Handbook where all the details will be spelt out. Nearly all the information is already posted on their website but I believe plenty more will be passed on in the handout. NYRR will also be confirming which wave I'll be starting from sometime end of this month. Come the 2nd week of October I expect to receive my bib collection card.

Travelling mates
Once the itinerary and event handbook is out, the 5 of us travellers will probably meetup to discuss meeting points, arrangements, plans and so on.

It's all getting more and more exciting but quite worrying at the same time especially on the training part!

Prince Liam The Brave

2008-09-05T21:49:00.000+08:00

I admire my friend Marci Glotzer’s running of all her NYCM with Fred’s Team (named after the late NYCM founder Fred Lebow, who passed away of cancer) in support of The Aubrey (about Aubrey Barr) Fund for Pediatric Cancer Research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). It’ll be Marci’s 3rd NYCM this November and this time around she’s running it in support of a little boy. His name is Liam Witt and he was diagnosed with a type of cancer called Neuroblastoma. He has been bravely fighting this deadly cancer with the help of friends all over the world since February of 2007. Liam has gone through nearly a year of aggressive treatment that included chemotherapy, surgery to remove the tumor in his abdomen, radiation, and is currently receiving 3f8 antibody therapy at MSKCC in New York City.

Liam’s parents, Larry and Gretchen, maintain a blog to provide the latest status on Liam's health and progress. will be posting good news and any concerns related to Liam's battle with this disease. It’s difficult not to be moved by the bravery of the Witts in facing this very difficult challenge to a boy who is not even 5. It gave me an insight to how busy parents cope while maintaining a brave and positive front for their children (Liam has a younger sister Ella, who adores him). I can’t pretend to understand fully the complications, heartache that this disease brings but when it happens to kids, it digs even deeper into me. Liam may be 4 but in my books he towers in bravery. Here’s an excerpt of one of the postings by his Mom.

“Liam just finished throwing up for the third time in an hour. Chemo throw up for Liam is a total body experience…it sounds like his toes are throwing up and every vertebrae in his back. It comes out his nose. He makes an awful wretching sound. He spits frantically to clear the throw up from his mouth while whimpering “there’s more – don’t move the bucket!” And over and over he says, “I don’t like throwing up. I don’t like it at all.” But tonight, after his third throw up session and before I had even wiped away the combo of spit, he raised his head from the throw up bucket and said in a cautiously excited voice, “Mommy – One plus one is two! And two plus two is four!” And as soon as I had him cleaned up, he curled into me and started picking out the letters he recognized on the front page of the newspaper. “Mommy – There’s my letter – and L. And that letter is for dog it’s a, a, a, D! And that’s my other letter…a W. Over there is a snake letter. What’s it’s name again?” The effects of the anti-nausea pill are finally setting in and he’s asleep covered in a Batman blanket that arrived yesterday and surrounded by little puppy, big puppy, monkey puppy, duck puppy, super soft yellow blankie and pilly the pillow which has the ever-present magic rock attached to it and a new addition, a lucky stone passed along from Aunt Franny’s son Ben.”

Liam may be a world away but there are no boundaries for cancer. The disease can strike anywhere and anyone. Cancer is the global war. The doctors and researchers are doing a heroic job in the fight, but they also need our help. If you’re moved, you can contribute to Marci’s cause via MSKCC’s secure website here. You can donate any amount via credit card.

Changes to the NYCM Start Process

2008-08-18T22:01:00.002+08:00

Acting on feedback from runners, the NYRR will be implementing several changes to the start process this year. Chief among them are the Wave Start and the Baggage Handling. With these enhancements to the system, NYRR hope that runners can look forward to the following benefits:

1. Reduced crowding and wait time standing in corrals
2. Reduced crowding and wait time standing on the bridge, waiting for the race to start
3. Reduced time to cross the start line (NYRR hopes that runners can cross the starting line within 6 minutes)
4. Reduced crowding on the course and at the finish

So what’s the Wave Start all about? Instead of releasing a mass start of approximately 40,000 runners at one time, the field will first be organized into three separate start lines designated with blue, orange or green colors. Then each starting line will be broken down to 3 waves designated white, yellow or blue. There are 6 corrals within each wave – A to F. Each wave will have approximately 13,000 runners and will be released at 20-minute intervals. Wave 1 will begin at 9:40 am., followed by wave 2 at 10:00 am., and then wave 3 at 10:20 am. The runners will be allocated their “waves” according to their projected goal time. I’m so average that I’ll probably be placed in either the Wave 2 or 3. Wave 1 would probably be assigned to the elites and sub 3:30 finishers.

Runners fearing the loss of the unique starting experience – the firing of the starting cannon and Sinatra’s rendering of “New York, New York” – need not worry as each wave will still have the same ceremony. The cannon will just see more action and Sinatra will have to sing a few more times!

Baggage Handling is also revamped. The UPS trucks will be parked near the entrance (in the open zone) to the Staging Area to receive your checked in baggage (in case you’re wondering, only official clear goodie bags are accepted for deposits). From the alphabetically sorted manner of yesteryears, the organizers are sorting the trucks by bib number in increments of 1,000 this time around.

My plans for race morning as follows: Get up early at 5am (since there are bound to be some queues at the hostel toilets) and leave the hostel by 6:30am by subway. I sure hope that the other bed in our room is taken up by a fellow runner! At this juncture I’m not sure if we need to pack extra breakfast since a wide variety are available at the staging area from tea, Poland Spring Natural Spring Water, Gatorade Endurance Formula, bagels, PowerBars, and Dunkin’ Donuts coffee. The posse should arrive at the Battery Park ferry terminal at 7am and take the 30-minute ferry ride to Staten Island, in time to hop onto the 7:30am Staten Island shuttle to take us to the Fort Wadsworth staging area. While making new friends from all over the world are all part of the NYCM experience, it’ll be even better if my friends and I are assigned to the same starting line, wave and corral. At least if we’re within the same wave, we can still hop between corrals. Well, we’ll know in September.

Base Phase Week 3 & 4: 35.42K & 50.72K

2008-07-28T22:46:00.003+08:00

Week 3's training was a downer. Things were going well and I thought a 50K week was a clincher. Easy peasy. I caught some of my colleagues' flu and was out for a day (only) and managed a few very good midweek runs.

There was even a day of double workout, though in retrospect it might have come too early at this phase. I was quite tired because of it. Then Carbokid 2 fell ill, floored by cough, fever, flu with bouts of vomiting. The 3 adults at home were running around like headless chicken attending to him. And if you know C2, being a feisty character that he is, it's not easy getting him to cooperate. He's so different from C1 whom you can at least negotiate with. The couple of rough nights knocked me off and the targeted 19K on Saturday were busted. I managed to salvage a 13K on Saturday evening but couldn't recover on time for an early run on Sunday morning, and I ended the week on a low.

After such a seemingly discouraging week, the natural reaction would be to hammer the next week like crazy right? Then I thought about it and put everything in perspective. I've been running really well. I've not lost any of my speed - in fact I've been running faster, very near to marathon goal pace. I don't think I've problems hitting a sub-50 minute 10K. So I've taken slightly longer times to recover but that could be due to the generally faster pace I've been running. Perhaps I should take it easier so that I'm able to last through the week in better shape.

Week 4 ended quite well. Other than hitting the 50K milestone for the NYCM training, the quality of workouts have been consistent. I'm getting more comfortable with steady-state runs and remained in control on the faster sessions. My stated goal for the Base Phase is 55K weeks and if I pace myself accordingly I should be able to hit it either this week or next. I plan to be consistent throughout this training even if the volume remains just so-so. My aim is to make sure that lower volume, with higher quality will bring about peaking at the correct time.

Certainly events, unplanned they may be such as C2's continued illness and my brushes with cold/flu, are making sure that I don't overdo things. I ran 5 days last week and due to some pre-planning, I knew that I could run in the evenings. That allowed me to sleep in on weekday mornings, even if that only meant an additional 10 minutes in bed. Tuesday's 11.8K was fantastic - 6:02 pace aerobically - while Saturday's stupendously hard hill workout with running partners, at first with Geraldine and Loke, then Geraldine (up the 2.4K Kiara Hill) and finally with the RunnersMalaysia group with last 2K with Chen. The trip up Kiara Hill deserves a special mention due to the hard work it brought about. It was a new route for me and I ran without knowing where the peak was. It was a series of curves and more curves that took its toll on the lungs (I maxed out my HR), quads, calves and glutes. On a couple of stretches I was even reduced to walk breaks. Sweat were dripping off the tip of my nose! And Geraldine couldn't be seen in front!

See the elevation spikes?

Despite the 2 days, the run that took the cake was yesterday's late evening 9K which I somehow cranked out at 6:06 pace despite the sore legs. I shall be returning to this hill a few more times before the main event. I'm thinking of this workout to simulate late stage hills - a 10K "warmup" incorporating 3K easy, 7K at LT pace around the lake before heading to the hill. There, do 6 repeats up the hill before a 2K easy warmdown around the lake.

Shoe Review: Nike Zoom Victory+

2008-07-20T21:46:00.002+08:00

The first reaction when I put on the black and white pair of Zoom Victory was “Whoa!” Then I asked Wong, "Are you sure this weighs 10 ounces?" I'd laced it up after returning to the car park following a 19K Saturday morning run and was eager to try on the hot looking shoes. It certainly felt lighter than 10 oz and several Internet searches later on the online shoe retailers site such as Holabird to RoadRunnerSports had the weight pegged from 9.3 to 10 oz. Personally it felt like 8 oz.

The next feeling that ran through my mind was the low profile ride. It's almost like your soles are in direct contact with the ground. This immediately gives the shoes a go-fast feel. The next impression I had was that the shoe very nearly completely moulds itself to your feet. The strategically positioned strands of Flywire cinch the uppers together and wraps the entire shoe around your foot. Every part of its construction is aimed at giving you what the designers call “The Naked Ride”. They want you to forget the shoe and concentrate on the task at hand – running fast.

To read the rest of the review please hit this link.

The New York Road Runners

2008-07-17T15:52:00.001+08:00

The NYCM, while branded as the premier New York Road Runners (NYRR) event, is just but one in a line of famous races that the NYRR organize every year. You may have heard about the NYC Half Marathon Presented by Nike, The Fifth Avenue Mile, and the Empire State Building Run-up. NYRR also play host to top feature events such as the US National XC Championship and more recently the US Men Olympic Marathon Trials. Helmed in the past by luminaries such as Ted Corbitt, Fred Lebow and presently led by Mary Wittenberg.

The NYRR celebrate its 50th Anniversary this year and the famous organization have put together a series of 50 video clips in 50 days highlighting the great moments and famous names associated with their events. If you've been captivated by the legendary marathoners such as Grete Waitz, Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter, Alberto Salazar, you'll be able to see them in action here. I personally found the clip of Lebow and Waitz finishing particularly moving. If you like the clips, you can download it by first clicking on the video title and then right-clicking the "Click To Play" to save it. To get to the video page, just click on the image link above.

Their clubhouse is located 9 East 89th Street (between Madison and Fifth Avenues), less than a block from Central Park, and is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It's a must visit for me but I'm not sure if I'll have the chance to join their organized runs at Central Park - perhaps a few days after the marathon. We'll see.

To learn more about the NYRR history, please click http://www.nyrr.org/about/this_week.asp

From the NYRR website:

50 Great Moments in New York Road Runners History

There have been many great moments in the first 50 years of New York Road Runners: World records have been set, champions have been crowned, and millions of runners of all fitness levels have crossed finish lines—while so many more have experienced the life-changing benefits of simply taking their first steps in running.

Beginning today, we celebrate 50 defining moments in NYRR’s 50-year history. Each day for the next 50 days, we will post a short video that commemorates one special moment in time. These fascinating glimpses into our history were created and produced by our longtime partner Salmini Films. We know that they will entertain and inspire viewers, and that’s why, at the end of the 50 days, we’ll be asking all of you to help us select the greatest of the great. First, a panel of industry and media experts will choose, from among the 50, the top 10 Great Moments in New York Road Runners History. Then, we’ll pass these selections along to you, the running public, to vote on the single greatest defining New York Road Runners moment.

Check back daily, and stay tuned for information on making your vote count for the Greatest Moments in NYRR History.

Base Phase Week 1: 44.88K

2008-07-13T22:58:00.002+08:00

The upwards movement of my mileage continues. I'm 3 weeks into my training and I've managed a very modest mileage. It's approximately half the volume that I'll be doing in 2 months' time and I'm glad to be getting in some quality runs. I've moved some runs to the morning and it wasn't too bad either. I just needed to ensure that I get to bed by 11pm. The earliest and longest run so far was a 19K with Geraldine and Loke at 5am Saturday morning. Going long was fantastic and I thought finishing strong at the end of long runs were important. We covered the final 2K in under 5:30/K splits.

I've been eating well too. Plenty of smaller meals and snacking, so that my energy level is on the level. My weight stands between 57-58kg.

Nike have been most generous with their support. I'm rotating between the Vomero 2, Structure 11 and Elite 3. And just 2 days ago, I laid my hands on the cutting edge Zoom Victory+. Wearing it is an experience. I'll just say for now that it'll see some action in speedwork and short races - definitely the pair for the Aug 31st Human Race.

Week 2 of Base will have me cross the 50K mark for the week and it's a mark that I plan to hold till the end of Base Phase. Time for bed now. Have a good running week ahead!

Nike Videos

2008-07-12T14:46:00.002+08:00

I'm taking time off from posting about my training to share with you the latest tech that Nike is bringing to the market. I get excited when it comes to technology - I'm partly a geek you see. Tech is my day job.

Flywire
You're going to be hearing a lot about Nike's Flywire technology, so why don't we find out what all the hype is about.

Distance Singlet
We've been calling them vests as singlet sounds too "Pagoda" brand-like. But Nike has brought back the cool to the "singlet" word. The result is a singlet that's 30% lighter than that which appeared at the Athens Olympics and "no-sew" seams (kinda like crimping). Aesthetics are heightened with zone vents disguised as Aerographics.

Zoom Victory Spike
A spike that was considered too light but created a storm at the World Championships.

Air Zoom Matumbo
This middle distance spike has only 4 "nails" (versus 6 on conventional spikes), a moulded arch section and a thicker midsole. Find out how the name came to be and what it means.

Luna Racer
Granted, not everyone can wear this 5oz+ flat but ...

Precool Vest
OK, so they use the "vest" word. Wearing it transforms you into a Batman lookalike. Just don't mistake it for a kevlar body armor!

Nike Lab

2008-07-10T23:54:00.001+08:00

You gotta check this site out! That's all I'll say, so just do it!

Conditions To Blow Piglet Away

2008-07-08T14:48:00.002+08:00

If you had watched one of the Pooh cartoons, there was one where piglet was blown away by the strong wind ("Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day"). This morning was just as blustery. I moved my training time to the mornings so that I can still get my runs in, in case I get held back by work. Mornings are cooler too, definitely better conditions to run than in the hot afternoons these days.

It was nice and cool as I headed off along the well-lit roads. Even so, I was garbed in gear with plenty of reflective strips - Triax Structure was the shoe of choice. The pleasant conditions made for a relaxing run even though I found myself battling headwind on certain stretches. The wind kept me dry for the first 2K and I estimated the temps to be around 23C.

At the about the 4K mark, it drizzled lightly and by the 5th K, the heavens had opened up. Folks leaving their homes for the office or to send their kids to school were surely dumbfounded to see a runner that early, more so in the rain! There aren't many runners living around my area. The rain were bothering my vision as I had no caps on. I finally wrapped up at 7K and the household was just stirring. Quickly showered, changed and had a couple of slices of carrot bread washed down with coffee. Played with Carbokid 2 awhile before leaving the house.

You know what happens after the rain - yup, a terrific traffic jam. I barely arrived on time for an appointment at the regulator's office. Other than the drive to work, it was a fantastic day.

Note to self: Remember to buy oats, coffee and creamer!

Periodization Week 2: 35.46K

2008-07-06T23:11:00.002+08:00

Today sees the completion of the 2-week Periodization Phase. Not much change to the weekly mileage and I ran without pressure. No chasing of splits, mileage or anything of that sort. Just go out there and run 4 times a week.

I noticed that the weather in the evenings have been very hot of late with temps hitting 34C even. Just like today. I'll never be able to run in temps close to NYC. So the feel of cold weather will be alien to me until Oct 30th when I arrive at The City. The sun was still blazing at 6:30pm but I had a run scheduled. After guzzling down copious amount of fluids, I put on my shades, changed into a lightweight NikeFIT vest and shorts and went into the kitchen filling up 2 bottles of iced isotonics. 10 minutes later after tying up the Vomero 2+, I was out of the door. I usually don't train with my sunglasses (Oakley Half Jacket) on - the fact that I did today pretty much tells you how glaring it was.

At the office, work has been holding steady but our Department has been rocked by 4 resignations of late. With replacement head counts difficult to get, expect more work heading my way.

Tomorrow will see that start of the 6-week Base Phase. It's a very important period where mileage will be gradually increased to the mid 50s per week. No matter how many times you've done it, it never gets easier. As you grow older, you'll need to monitor your recovery period and so on. Focus will be on quality not quantity... for now.

This is when real work begins.

Global Races

2008-07-06T11:54:00.000+08:00

There are 2 upcoming global races that you can participate.

Nike+ Human Race 10K

The first one is The Nike+ Human Race 10K happening on Aug 31st. Malaysians can run the race virtually on that day in this country, since only Singapore is selected in this region to be among the 25 cities around the world hosting this run. Participants will be treated to major concerts after the run lending an air of festivity to the day. I'll be setting up a blog early August to chronicle my training for the event. So chart your 10K course and register! Visit the official site here.

Phedippidations Worldwide Half Marathon Challenge

The 2nd event is the 3rd Annual Phedippidations Worldwide Half Marathon Challenge, which includes a Kick The Couch 5K distance. More info and registration on this completely fun, run-where-you-are, and free race can be found on the official website. As the race draws nearer you can even print out your race bib and upon completion of your run, log down your timing and print out your certificate. A podcast has even been setup to keep participants up to date. For this head on to The Extra Mile podcast.

So c'mon. Join me and be part of the worldwide running community and register yourselves for the runs!

Gear Review: Nike+ SportBand

2008-07-02T23:44:00.001+08:00

Confession: I'm having an affair. But don't tear your hair out! The fling - a second one at that - is with the Nike+ training tool. My first exposure to it was the Nike+ iPod combo [read the review here] where your iPod nano work together with the shoe sensor to provide you feedback while you workout. Key information like distance and pace are read (by customizable male or female voice) to you during your run accompanied by pumping tunes. Together, this virtual coach provide a mean motivational. Runners who run to music but aren't iPod users were left high and dry, nevertheless. To make sure that these non-iPod users are not alienated, Nike Sales Malaysia will be bringing in the Nike+ SportBand very soon. So fitness enthusiasts who don't want to purchase the iPod will soon be able to hop on the Nike+ platform.

Enter the SportBand
Thanks to Nike Sales Malaysia, I laid my hands on the hip looking SportBand in June. The packaging is compact. In the sturdy plastic case are the SportBand, a sensor and a pictorial and sparse user guide. It's very easy to set up, thus doing away with the need for a voluminous manual. Non-geeks will not complain on the usability.

Download and read the full review here.

Periodization Week 1: 35.79K

2008-06-29T20:02:00.005+08:00

Week 3 of light training is over. Am glad to report that it's been quite good thus far. Highlights of the week were the late afternoon tough runs at Lake Gardens on Tuesday (9.6K) and Wednesday (11.1K). Weather's been scorching of late and within the first K, my heart rate would have climbed to 70% MHR.

After being razed by the sun on Tuesday during which I did 3 lake loops and 1 Carcosa, I ran a shadier route on Wednesday. Started from the Bkt Aman Car Park then headed down to the National Mosque before hitting the lung-quad busting uphill at the Islamic Art Museum. Down past the Deer Park, hang left around the lake then the reverse Carcosa Hill, round the playground and back to the car park for a drink before heading the second loop.

I took Thursday and Friday off to rest and focus on clearing work. Saturday comprised of 11K and 4K, while poor weather waylaid my evening run plan. Fitness is pretty much still work in progress and I'm glad for it. I'd be concerned about getting through the workouts easily. It's not been easy, trust me, even if the volume and variety is standard stuff. I like it the way it is as this means that I've the luxury to slowly build the body up over the coming months and peak as close to the race as possible.

My goal for the Periodization Phase is max 30K weekly mileage. Ooops, looks like I busted it! Next week is the final periodization week before the start of 6 weeks of Base Phase. It's going to get more and more interesting!

Shoe Review: Nike Zoom Elite 3

2008-06-22T23:27:00.000+08:00

My only experience with the Elite was the previous Elite 1 and 2, both of which were not only lighter that the 3 but featured less forefoot cushioning. The first and second versions, while widely liked, had durability issues.

To solve it, Nike increased the outsole thickness and as a result the weight went up by half and ounce. Naturally you can’t please everyone but the opinions are quite evenly distributed in the online forums. There were many who panned the increased weight of the shoe, but many liked the upgrade too. The Elite 3 were worn in training by Nike elites like Dathan Ritzenhein and Adam Goucher.

Having retired 2 pairs of Pegasus 2005, I was on the lookout for a lighter pair of go-fast training shoes that will double up as my marathon racing shoes. Choices were limited if you’re in the market for a lightweight yet stable (with a small medial post) shoe that’s cushioned enough for the longer distances. I found the asics DS Trainer too firm and flat for the marathon while I didn’t quite adapt to my Brooks Axiom 2. I found the Elite 3 on a big discount and since then it has become my favorite racing shoe for longer distances of 30K and above.

To read the rest of the review, hit this link.

Pre-Periodization Week 2: 29.85K

2008-06-22T22:53:00.003+08:00

Still keeping to the light and easy theme, there was an increased in the weekly mileage even if the frequency of runs dropped.

The week's highlight was Saturday's first long run. I woke up at 4am and as usual the first thought that ran through my mind was "Here we go again!" but not with that kind of enthusiasm that precedes second helpings of ice-cream, mind you. Fueling was a slice of peanut butter bread with black coffee and after averaging 90km/h I reached the BA car park sharp at 5am. No other runners were there and while I got ready, Geraldine pulled up. 5 minutes later we were huffing off into the dark. I wore the blue-silver stability Nike Air Structure Triax 11+ (AST11+) as part of the breaking in process. On my right wrist was the Nike SportBand and the left wrist my Forerunner 205.

The effort were conversational and there wasn't much problem except for a spot of surprise at the Arabic School just before the Bukit Tunku hills. A dog which we didn't notice suddenly jumped out with a growl. We stood our ground and it didn't come any closer and reluctantly walked away still with some menace. That got the blood flowing a bit and we were definitely fully awaked after that! Kit's friend Fu Yee (hope I got his name right - thanks man!) generously provided us with some drinks at the Hartamas stop and we gulped down the H2O quickly and made our way back.

It got a bit chilly for me as we headed back - my shirt was soaked through. After crossing Jalan Duta and a road kill later, we ran into Ronnie and his band of runners (over 10 of them!) on their way to the 15K route. 30 minutes later I was back at the car park ready to take on another 4.5K with the RunnersMalaysia group. Now that second run was certainly tougher, indicative of my fitness level. But time is on my side and I'm glad to have maintained the slight momentum going into the actual 2-week Periodization Phase which starts tomorrow. Periodization Phase calls for more regular runs, with no single runs exceeding 20K. Weekly mileage peaks at 30K though I think I may not be able to stick to that number. We'll see.

I met with Wong, an EKIN with Nike, who was there to exchange the Pegasus 2007+ with the Zoom Elite 4+, which looks really great. Compared to the E3 (my PR shoe), the 4 has fewer overlays (good!), is Nike+ enabled (moving with times!) and reportedly lighter (great!). The most significant change is that there's no longer a full-length Zoom Air due to the accommodation of the Nike+ shoe sensor. I shall be reviewing the Elite 4 after the SportBand and AST 11+. I know there's quite a lot of cool gear to test out and that's certainly keeping my training very interesting indeed. Thanks once again to Nike for all the cool hardware. Check out my review of the Zoom Elite 3 here.

The Elite 3 (left) with the 4

Before I end this posting, I got the chance to test-run (OK only a few steps!) in the yet to be launched 9oz lime green Lunar Trainer (see image below). It felt like a pair of Frees with more cushioning. It's pillowy ride is different from Nike's super soft Vomero and all I can say for now is that it's revolutionary. The secret to achieving all that is via the use of Lunarlite foam which was developed by the aerospace industry. It's 30% lighter than Nike's Phylon (the company's hitherto lightweight midsole material). I'm really getting ahead of myself here but it's something to be really excited about in the later part of the year.

Pre-Periodization Week 1: 19.31K

2008-06-15T21:21:00.004+08:00

Ran 4 days this week. Not bad although I kept all the workouts short. Total mileage is just a shade under 20K. Tried out several Nike apparels and they were all quite nice and certainly comfortable. Best is the Nike Pro compression tee. Not only it looks really good, it provides a snug fit that I like in a pair of running tights. Don't let the looks deceive you - it's definitely not hot. Ventilation is good and I may just wear this as a base layer in New York.

Another cool gear I'd the privilege of trialling is the Nike+ SportBand. This hip looking band does away with the need of an iPod to keep track of your workouts. You'll still need the shoe transmitter to be sure but with the iPod out of the equation, you're virtually wireless now. A review is definitely forthcoming.

With another week to the start of the Periodization Phase, I decided that it's time to break in the Air Structure Triax (AST) 11. The AST 11 is Nike+ enabled and is a big departure to the clunky ride of the 9, which I had a brief experience with. I tangoed with the 9 during the Nike+ preview last year. I'll also be writing more about this shoe in the near future.

Thank You!

2008-06-12T23:02:00.006+08:00

My training and racing for a marathon will never be as better supported as for my Nov 2 race. Nike is generously supporting my gear and apparels needs (it's going to be cold there thus requiring unique gearing at least for me, coming from a tropical country) while Powerbar is providing the sports nutrition part with Triple Threat bars, Powergels and Recovery drinks.

When I embark on the long and arduous training, I know that I'm well provided for and therefore hope that I'll be able to train my best. There are no goals to meet for these sponsors. It's now down to me. How well I'm able to run in 4.5 months' time is entirely up to my planning, training, and a large chunk of good luck.

I'd like to thank both Nike and Powerbar for their ready support in filling a large part of my training needs.

New York City Marathon Training Plan

2008-06-10T11:21:00.002+08:00

Through the detailed logging of my training for my last 3 marathons, I've noticed that I'm able to sustain the intensity and mileage for only 2 weeks at any one time, before the mileage and quality of the runs take a dip. This 2-week up and 1-week down (2:1) cycle is perhaps the way my body and mind are responding to the stress. It also proves the need for a period of recovery and lower intensity following every 2 weeks of hard work.

While I've not drilled down to the details, I've finally completed the high level training plan. For a change I've incorporated a Periodization phase to ease into the program rather than jumping right into it. I recognize that the training will be tough, and rightfully so since doing a sub-4 meant running an average of 5:40 pace for 42K. Time will tell if I can carry it through. One thing's for sure. No matter what happens, I intend to treasure the entire experience. I don't feel any pressure at all with regards to the goal time. And that's a good thing.

Goal: To run a sub-4 marathon in New York on November 2nd.
End to end: 19 weeks
Commencement: 6/23

Periodization
Duration: 2 weeks
6/23 to 7/6
Focus: 3 to 4 runs a week with focus on enjoyment and relaxation, core strength
Goal: To get into the training psyche

Peak weekly mileage: 30K

Base
Duration: 6 weeks
7/7 to 8/17
Focus: Aerobic stage workouts, core strength, 1 short race
Goal: To be able to run comfortably for up to 20K
Peak weekly mileage: 55K

Mileage
Duration: 6 weeks
8/18 to 9/28
Focus: Variety, building up the mileage, core strength, staying healthy and injury free, 1 race
Goal: To be able to sustain the stress of mileage
Peak weekly mileage: 90K

Sharpening
Duration: 3 weeks
9/28 to 10/19
Focus: Hills, tempos, repeats, sandwich, long runs, race specific workouts, 1 race
Goal: To be able to sustain the combined stress of mileage and intensity
Peak weekly mileage: 85K

Tapering
Duration: 2 weeks
10/20 to 11/1
Focus: Staying loose and relaxed, healthy and settling last minute travel plans
Goal: Recover, recover, recover
Peak weekly mileage: 20K

RACE DAY!

Assembling The Training Gear

2008-06-09T23:18:00.003+08:00

I was surprised when I checked the calendar just now. Suffice to say that working on a 4 and a half month training program, I won't have my 1-month sabbatical from training anymore. It's therefore timely to do a stock take on the apparel and gear department and design the training program. I'll leave the training program for a later post but here's what I'll be using for training and racing.

Shoes:
Nike Zoom Elite 3 (Racing)
Nike Air Structure Triax 11+
Nike Air Pegasus 2007+
Saucony Progrid Guide 5

Apparels:
Assorted

Socks:
Assorted. I also purchased a pair of Injinji toe socks in Singapore and will try them out in the later stages of my training

Timing:
Garmin Forerunner 205
Nike SportBand

Oh well, these couple of weeks off should still do me a world of good without turning me into a slob. Beware the Couch of Doom!

Check These Items As Done!

2008-06-09T19:23:00.002+08:00

I got quite a lot of things cleared up during my recent 1-week leave from work. The list included completing my 9th marathon, applying for the US Visitor Visa, and speaking to a few potential sponsors. Though my 9th was not a very memorable experience, I was eager to get it over with. Somehow running New York as my 10th appeals more than 9th, for sentimental reasons. Years down the road, you'd have remembered your 10th and not the 9th, don't you think so?

Unlike the Sundown Marathon experience, I cleared the Visa part quite smoothly. The interview was quite pleasant and when the the consular staff approved my application, she even wished me all the best and to also aim for Boston! I then decided to seek some sponsors for gear and nutritional supplementation to alleviate my personal expenses. Yes, it is an expensive affair! So far one has responded favourably while I'm awaiting another to revert.

Next task will hurt the pocket - paying for the air tickets. At RM4,400 (USD1,333), this payment will dent my savings quite a bit. I'll be posting more on this blog from now on, so do check back!

Feels Like I Just Won A Lottery

2008-05-13T23:33:00.004+08:00

Oh wait, I did! The International Lottery Draw was made and I'm IN!! And I thought that the results will only be out in June. After missing out last year, this makes it especially sweet. Out of 6 from MY who submitted, only 4 were successful (1 of whom is my regular running buddy, the other was unfortunately not successful).

I shall take a one-month break from running after the Sundown Marathon on May 31st. After which I'll be able to start working on base building.

Looks like this blog will be seeing some action again!

2008 International Lottery Entries Are Closed

2008-05-06T10:49:00.002+08:00

The 2008 International Lottery and the Guaranteed Entries are now closed effective May 1st. In the pool along with 100,000 others, are 4 men and 2 women from Malaysia vying for the limited slots to be among the 40,000 or so runners who will be partying on the streets of New York this November 2nd. We will know if our dreams will come true mid-May when the lottery drawing takes place. Here's hoping for the best!

Note: Lottery applications from individuals with a U.S. address are still accepted until 11:59 p.m. on June 1, 2008.

216895

2008-02-26T10:10:00.002+08:00

After waiting for a full day (KL is 15 hours ahead of NYC), I finally managed to submit my entry for the 2008 race online. The non-refundable processing fee is USD11 and if my application is successful - I'll know in June when the lottery results are announced - a further USD210 will be charged to my credit card. Ahhhh... that's not the end of it. There's also a USD35 deposit on the timing chip. Total charge will add up to USD256 or RM820 at the present conversion rate. Not cheap but it's going to be a once in a lifetime experience. Heck, I may even keep the yellow timing chip as a souvenir!

You might be interested in what RM820 gets you. According to the official website:

Included in Your Entry Fee

• Entry to the ING New York City Marathon 2008 including hydration and fuel stations, medical support, entertainment, baggage handling, security, the most enthusiastic spectators of any race anywhere, and more
• ING New York City Marathon Health and Fitness Expo
• Barilla Marathon Eve Dinner
• Fireworks Presented by Poland Spring
• Post-Race Party Presented by Clear Channel Radio
• Official Handbook
• Goody bag, including Official Program, souvenir shirt, race poster, snacks, and special offers
• Transportation to the Start
• Start festival: warm-ups, breakfast, entertainment, religious services
• Finisher materials: medal, food and beverages, and Continental Airlines/Foot Locker Heat Sheet™
• Finisher area where marathoners exit after the race
• Official finisher certificate
• Official Results Magazine published by New York Runner

To view a fantastic photo montage, check this out.

A Very Important Date!

2008-02-04T11:06:00.000+08:00

Mark February 25th on your PDA/phone/call/desk/Outlook/what-have-you-calendar! Coz that's when the NYC Marathon lottery registration opens! I'm gonna give it a shot! For more info, hit this link: http://www.ingnycmarathon.org/entrantinfo/applyfor2008.php

It Gets Even Better

2007-10-04T10:16:00.001+08:00

Both Paula Radcliffe and Lance Armstrong have confirmed their NYCM '07 entries. While it is too early to predict her performance, it's reasonable to suggest that Radcliffe, winner of the 2004 edition (see picture), may be trying to qualify for the British Olympic Trials. This is going to be her first marathon following a 2-year layoff and 8 months after the birth of her first child. Meanwhile Armstrong will be seeking to repeat his 2006 sub-3 effort. Carrying less baggage (read: weight) and doing more running, he's definitely poised to achieve that again. Looks like he's hooked!

Bandits Beware!

2007-10-03T22:45:00.000+08:00

If you're thinking of running NYCM or for that matter any of the Big-5 as a bandit, don't. Not only will you be enjoying the refreshments of paid participants, you're also depriving the legitimate runners from their moment of glory at the finish line. Mega marathons have designated "bandit police" to take out these "unpaid guests" who could be wearing fake or past bibs or no bibs at all. These eagle eyed volunteers will be waiting for you near the finish line to escort you off the route. And you may be banned from future races.

Find out the fascinating work these guys put in everytime the big one comes along by clicking on the picture below.

Where Will You Be On Nov 3rd & 4th?

2007-10-03T21:48:00.000+08:00

Double Header, Marathon Weekend. Whatever you call it, NYC is the place to be on Nov 3rd and 4th. The poster below, scanned from the Nov issue of RW says it all. With technology, we're seeing an unprecedented coverage of the Trials. A few sites feature videos of teams and athletes in training for the big event. From Youtube (search by ) to the NYRRC's Chasing Glory website to Runners World, you can watch such videos.

Applying For A Visa

2007-09-26T21:58:00.000+08:00

Since July 2007 the US Embassy has outsourced the Visa application to VFS Sdn. Bhd. To know more about this service and where the the office is click here. Per the VFS website:

VFS has operators on call during the day to answer all your questions about visas:

Do I need one?
Is my old one still good?
What kind of visa do I need?

VFS will also be there to answer your questions about applying for a visa and using the new on-line scheduling system. They can help you with questions like:

What forms do I need?
How do I fill out the electronic forms?
Where do I pay the fee?
When can I schedule an interview?
What happens at the interview?

You can contact VFS in several ways for general questions and for scheduling the interview:

By phone at (03) 2166-6550
By e-mail at infomalaysia@vfs-usa-my.com
At their homepage http://www.vfs-usa-my.com/
At their Application Center on the 19th floor of Wisma MCA, 163 Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur.

Application Centre is open from 8.00am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 3.00pm. Telephonic queries will be answered from 8.00am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 4.00pm . VFS operates Monday – Friday (except Malaysian and U.S. holidays).

General information is free. To schedule an appointment, you must pay RM27 to VFS at any branch of Alliance Bank. Your receipt from the bank will let you on-line to schedule the appointment. You can also go to VFS in person to book the appointment. The RM27 fee guarantees you:

a confirmed appointment time at your earliest possible convenience
a convenient system for cancelling or rescheduling appointments
a list of detailed instructions on what to bring for the appointment
electronic and phone support for on-line application questions
sample application forms for reference
personal assistance with the application process when necessary

2007-09-19T22:18:00.000+08:00

Things are starting to heat up just when the temps are dipping as NYC heads into late summer. The NYCM website has also seen frequent updates while the NYRRC has also launched a website dedicated to the U.S Olympic Trials for the Men's Marathon. It reports:

"On November 3, 2007, New York Road Runners will host the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Men’s Marathon in New York City. As part of an unprecedented promotional buildup to the race, which will select the U.S. men’s team for the 2008 Beijing Games, NYRR is proud to present “Chasing Glory,” a seven-week series of web videos and text-based commentary offering exclusive athlete and coach interviews and insight.

“Chasing Glory” is produced by NYRR with Matt Taylor, Tessa Olson, and Toni Reavis. New material will be posted daily, Monday through Friday, from September 17 through November 2."

The videos are in Flash Video (flv) format and downloadable. With the appropriate converters you can then view them using the Windows Media Player.

Currently Reading

2007-09-19T15:36:00.001+08:00

Ordered this via Amazon and it arrived in 1.5 weeks even with normal shipping. The costs add up to USD27.54. I'm hoping that this book is as fantastic as John Bryant's London Marathon. If you read the full titles of both books, you'll see that both races claim to be best in the world. I'm not in the position to comment not having run any race of this scale but suffice to say that having the opportunity to participate in both races are the dream of nearly all marathoners. To all marathoners out there applying to enter either or both races anytime soon, here's me wishing you all the best! I'm sure it'll be one heck of an experience!

Lance Having A Second Go For NYCM '07?

2007-09-19T09:53:00.001+08:00

(image from the TheFinalSprint.com)

TheFinalSprint.com quoted the Associated Press, THE man will be doing the race again this Nov 4th. However my interpretation of the report is that there's no specific commitment from Armstrong. I also agree with many Runners World forumites that should he run again, which is in fact a good thing for the sport, many of us are hoping that the accompanying circus (thanks to Nike) will be conspicuously missing. Last year he was accompanied by no less than 6 minders comprised of former WR holders Alberto Salazar, Hicham El Guerrouj and Joan Samuelson. His 3:59 debut was amazing but I believe he's capable of much faster. And for him to do it just like any other marathoners on race day, without the preferential (some say presidential) treatment, would be even sweeter.

Also read this article by Jim2 (one of my favourite writers).

Cold Weather Running (Spring/Fall)

2007-09-04T22:59:00.000+08:00

Having no clues to running in cold weather, I went across the globe to seek the help of my running friend, CP Waterman, for some insights. He hails from Malaysia but has been living in Paris for some years and so would certainly know a thing or two about this subject. Waterman himself is a fast runner and is aiming to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Here's his take.

"Weather forecast here in Paris for tomorrow morning is 11°C and that means COLD! The thought of going out for a run immediately sends chill down my spine. Being an equatorial creature, I detest running in the cold. There are just too many things that my body cries out in loudest protest.

Since most of the major Marathons in the world are run under similar weather condition ( 10°C to 14°C at the start) either in Spring (April - London, Paris, Boston etc) or in the Fall (October, November - Amsterdam, New York City etc), my thought of qualifying for Boston soon won over the battle. To stay in the game I must brave the storm, I mean the chill and the gale and whatever!

So it’s a question of how best to prepare ourselves for training runs and eventually how best to run in the race to mitigate all the possible discomforts associated with the cold weather.

Training runs
This is the easy part because if you don’t get it right you can always call it a day and head home for the warm cozy bed. But you can’t afford that if it is a race.

1) Head - Weather can be very erratic you may get a gale wind accompanying so it’s best you have something to cover your ears. So, I used an ear band to protect my ears from the cold and at the same time my earphone sits better and I get better sound effect from my MP3.

2) Hands – This is one that deters me from hitting the road because my palms freeze especially when it is windy. So don’t leave home without a pair of gloves!

3) Upper Body – A track top over your normal climacool T shirt will usually do the trick but you may want to consider a wind breaker especially when you have a strong ghastly wind to battle with.

4) Running shorts – At this stage you don’t normally need to wear a long winter tight unless you have extreme cold phobia.

5) Shoes and socks – wear your usual climacool socks and a good pair of running shoes.All well said and done but if you discover that mid way into your training the weather picks up and you are now cooking in your outfit, then its time to take off your ear band and gloves and put them into your track top or wind breaker. And if you like, remove your track top or wind breaker and tie it round your waist.

At 10°C and above you won’t have breathing problem inhaling the cold air instead you will feel a lot easier at these temperatures.Oh yes, don’t forget to drink just as often. You may not feel thirsty but believe me your body needs that fluid!

Racing
Like I mentioned earlier racing is altogether different in that you can’t afford too many mistakes. Below are just some of the practical aspects I found useful when I race in the cold.1) Wear an ear band if it is windy.

2) I always wear a pair of gloves. Period!

3) I wear a jumper which I will discard shortly after the start when my body has warmed up sufficiently. You don’t want to race with your track top round your waist because you will lose precious seconds!

4) On top of the jumper I wear a plastic bin bag (100L size) to break the morning pre race cold!

5) I bring along a milk bottle filled with energy drink (the cap is larger than that of the normal water bottle). I will do slight warm up to keep warm in the waiting line up (expect to find thousands upon thousands of runners in front of you and thousands upon thousands behind you!). By time I finish the drink the empty milk bottle will now serve a different important purpose under the cover of the dark color bin bag, if you catch my drift (strictly for guys!).

6) Then if the weather turns for the bad and ugly midway, sorry mate, I am afraid you will just have to put on your gloves and ear band and grind your teeth and fight the race like a MAN or WOMAN. Yeah!

7) You may want to bring along disposable wipes and tissue paper as waiting for the race start in the cold may induce a minor runny nose. The wipes and tissue will come in handy for toilet use as well.Voila, there you have it. Whether you are taking the Boston challenge or hunting down the NYC route, happy training and keep running!"

Waterman
Paris
3/9/2007

Inspiration Part 8: It's A Wrap!

2007-08-16T22:54:00.001+08:00

They've been called Space Blanket, Mylar sheets and Heat Sheets, and they mean the same thing. That's the silver foil thingy that you're wrapped in not long after you cross the finish line. The purpose of turning you into a walking baked potato is to keep you toasty as you trudge to collect your belongings from the UPS trucks some distance away. Fall in NYC is cold, especially to us from the tropics. We run in 33C temperatures! But in 10C NYC (it could drop to as low as 7C), we'll be freezing our digits off. By the time we finish the marathon, we'll be wet and losing a lot of heat (but hopefully very ecstatic!). Worry not, the volunteers care!

Well drilled in these sort of operations, these volunteers get the task of wrapping the thousands upon thousands of finishers down to a pat, in a display of efficiency that will have a Back-Office Operations Manager nodding in approval.

Check the article out here.

Inspiration Part 7: The People Manning The Booths

2007-08-16T22:25:00.000+08:00

This extract from the 1996 RW feature will give you an idea of what goes on behind the scenes. Click on them to read. Don't forget to check out the expo video.

Inspiration Part 6: Grete Waitz

2007-08-15T22:44:00.000+08:00

A model ambassador for the NYCM, this Norwegian school teacher dominated this marathon a total of 9 times! Prior to her first NYCM, she had never ran - be it trained or raced - a marathon distance before. In 1991, Waitz was named Female Runner of the Quarter Century by Runner's World magazine. She considers finishing the 1992 race with then Race Director Fred Lebow her 10th victory. Read her amazing story below and here too.

Inspiration Part 5: Stories & Pictures

2007-08-15T22:41:00.000+08:00

They say a picture tells a thousand words. Here are some - just click on them to read the story and narrations.

Wonderful photo collage on various aspects of the race

Dedicating the race to a loved one is often the motivation of marathoners. Why not do it on the biggest stage a lay runner can participate?

After waiting for close to 4 hours, these runners are getting ready to take off. The Verazzano Bridge is in the background. Much of the clothes the runners have on will be discarded along the way - these will make it to various charities

Tension written on the face of the elites

Waiting for the start at the Athletes' Village while the wheelchair racers prep up

The elites have finished but the masses are still out there

I'd not only be very tired here but emotional too, having realized my dream!

Inspiration Part 4: The Expo

2007-08-15T21:57:00.000+08:00

Before the expo was held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center (located to the south-west direction of Central Park, by the Hudson River), it was at the New York Coliseum which has since been demolished. Unless you've been to mega-marathons overseas, it's unlikely that you've come across an expo this big. With over 100 exhibitors and over 120,000 visitors over 3 days, think "pasar malam" in the biggest sense. From free product samplings, gear, talks, autograph sessions, souvenirs, you will be tempted to spend too much time on your feet than necessary. Having said that try to collect your race packs on the first day (opens from 10am to 8pm) of the Expo.

Here are newer photos of some large booths you will be able to see there. Happening, isn't it? A side note is that the eateries in the center is expensive and not very nice. Some locals also call it the white elephant on the Hudson (also click that left link for eating tips)! I guess some things are the same elsewhere!

Collection Hall

asics Booth

Mizuno Booth

Powerbar Booth

Jacob Javits Convention Center
655 W 34th St New York, NY 10001
Phone: (212) 216-2000

Getting there:

Any train, subway or bus to Grand Central Terminal, Port Authority Bus Terminal or any stop along 42nd Street, then M42 bus west to Javits Center. Some M42 buses terminate at the Circle Line Pier; be sure to take one marked 'Javits Center'

Any train, subway or bus to Penn Station or any stop along 34th Street, then M34 bus west to Javits Center. Some M34 buses terminate at the Port Authority Bus Terminal; be sure to take one marked 'Javits Center'

Bus Stops for the M34 and M42 are located on the 2nd level at the south end of Javits Center, just past the overhang under the Crystal Palace, about where 35th Street would cross

Taxi Getting to the Javits Center by cab is easy, getting away in the late afternoon or early evening is very difficult -- there aren't any taxis dropping off arriving passengers, so there aren't any to pick up departing passengers

Inspiration Part 3: The Melting Pot

2007-08-14T22:50:00.000+08:00

One of the highlights for international participants of the marathon is the International Friendship Run. I briefly covered this in an earlier post. But here's the feature by RW back in 1993.

Inspiration Part 2: All Are Welcome

2007-08-13T22:37:00.000+08:00

Widely acknowledged as the pioneer event that transformed the marathon into an accessible event for the masses. The New York Road Runners (NYRR) and co-founder Fred Lebow literally created the marathon boom in the US and influenced the rise of other major marathons around the world.

Never had a running event bring 38,000 runners (check out the picture of the bridge below), 2 million spectators, media coverage, and the largest melting pot of a city together in a single day. The race has grown so big that many will agree that it's not as accessible in the true sense of the word. Every year nearly 100,000 entries are received but only 40,000 are accepted. It's high entry fee and other costs (NYC is an expensive place) also contributed to the negatives.

But that doesn't stop people from trying their luck in the annual lottery. Such is allure of NYCM. Below is a photo report of an Achilles Track Club (ATC) member who set off on the race at 6am (4 hours before the mass start). The ATC are allocated a certain number of slots for the marathon. The ATC was established by Dick Traum in 1983 to encourage disabled people to participate in long-distance running with the general public.

To read the articles, click on the thumbnails below.

Inspiration Part 1: If Not For Fred Lebow...

2007-08-13T22:06:00.000+08:00

...the NYCM would not be what is it today. The marathon is as old as I am. But only when Fred Lebow and the NYRRC moved it from the Central Park to the 5 boroughs of New York City, in 1976, did it become an Event. So it is fitting that the first retrospective posting from the result of my spring cleaning of past issues of Runners World magazine start with this inspirational person. The tribute is written no-less by George Hirsch, then publisher of the magazine, with a moving wrap-up by Amby Burfoot. To read and be inspired, just click on each image below. Enjoy...

How The Seed Was Planted

2007-08-13T15:48:00.001+08:00

Some of you may be wondering how my desire to run the NYCM came to be. It was planted way back in the mid-80s when the I was buying the Runners World (RW) magazine at regular intervals - long before they became the glossy, ad-infused prints. By this I'm not saying that it's something bad. Glossy, attractive and ad-laden magazines sell to the masses. It makes the sport more accessible and appeals in drawing more beginners wanting to find out more about running. The result was that serious and advance runners need to look at other sources (such as Running Times - RT - for example) for more hardcore stuff. I can live with losing a favourite magazine if more newbies can be brought into the sport. Hey, we're runners and so we're resourceful. If it's serious juice we want, we can still lay our sweaty hands on books by Daniels, Pfitzinger and Noakes. Incidentally RW recently acquired RT but that's another story.

Back then, RW had really good stuff, from George Sheehan's columns to Bob Wischnia's quarterly shoe reviews. The editions then too contain lots of full length features and reports on key races such at the US Marathon Trials, World Championships, Olympics and the major league marathons of the world. Indeed much of my race report writing "skills" were honed from reading many of such reports. I was also interested in the careers of many elites such as Bob Kempainen, Bill Reifsnyder, Gelindo Bordin, Douglas Wakiihuri, Juma Ikangaa, Ibrahim Hussein, Doug "Mr 2:20" Kurtis and many many more. But I digress.

All the magic of the big races come alive in the pages of the old issues and it never ceases to amaze me how many runners actually run these races every year. David Bedford, David McGillivray and Fred Lebow became legends for their success in directing the London, Boston and New York Marathons. I will share with you, starting with the next posting, the articles that planted the desire in me to one day run in these big races, specifically New York. Perhaps they will also ignite the flame in you.

Past Abebe Bikila Award Winners

2007-08-07T10:59:00.000+08:00

Check the list out. 2 big names are missing - Paul Tergat, Haile Gebrselassie - but I'm sure their recognition is very soon forthcoming.

1978 - Ted Corbitt (USA)
1979 - Emil Zatopek (Czechoslovakia)
1980 - Lasse Viren (Finland)
1981 - Frank Shorter (USA)
1982 - Mamo Wolde (Ethiopia)
1983 - Grete Waitz (Norway)
1984 - Derek Clayton (Australia)
1985 - John A. Kelley (USA)
1986 - Joan Samuelson (USA)
1987 - Kee Chung Sohn (South Korea)
1988 - Alberto Salazar (USA)
1989 - Bill Rodgers (USA)
1990 - Waldemar Cierpinski (Germany)
1991 - Alain Mimoun (France)
1992 - Ingrid Kristiansen (Norway)
1993 - Rod Dixon (New Zealand)
1994 - Juma Ikangaa (Tanzania)
1995 - Fred Lebow (USA)
1996 - Orlando Pizzolato (Italy)
1997 - Lisa Ondieki (Australia)
1998 - Rosa Mota (Portugal)
1999 - Tegla Loroupe (Kenya)
2000 - Khalid Khannouchi (USA)
2001 - Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (USA)
2002 - Allison Roe (New Zealand)
2003 - Kathrine Switzer (USA)
2004 - Stefano Baldini (Italy)
2005 - Mizuki Noguchi (Japan)
2006 - Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain)

Continental Airlines International Friendship Run

2007-08-07T09:48:00.000+08:00

While the main event takes place every first Sunday of November, there's a smaller but no less significant run that takes place at 9am the day before marathon Sunday. That's the Continental Airlines International Friendship Run (CAIFR). Flagged off at the United Nations HQ after the presentation of the Abebe Bikila Award (annual award to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of distance running), the fun run through the streets of Midtown Manhattan sees participation from marathon registrants the world over - international participants run for FREE! Friends and family members too can run if they'd purchased USD20 tickets at the Marathon Health and Fitness Expo.

The celebration of friendship and diversity is never more joyous than this run, a testament that running brings people together. It drives home the fact that runners can make a difference. Many participants wear their national colours or carry flags in joyful demonstration of international diversity. The experience in NYC will not be only about the marathon but also about making friends and soaking up the atmosphere. You can see more photos of the event here.

Note: Past winners of the Abebe Bikila Award include Fred Lebow, Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Tegla Loroupe and former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Learnings From NYC Vets

2007-07-30T21:58:00.001+08:00

Since establishing my intentions to run the NYCM, I've contacted several friends about it - all in the name of fact finding. One of them is my colleague in LA who is currently training for the Chicago Marathon. Besides the coming Chicago in October, he has also run LA, Singapore and New York before and so he's a great source of good info. I was pleasantly surprised to receive a call from him last week when he was in Singapore for a business trip. In the 20 minutes or so that we spoke he enlightened me on some very interesting points.

The atmosphere in New York simply has to be experienced. The crowd support were deafening to the point that my colleague was unable to hear the music via his earphones.
It's not necessary to get hotel rooms in Manhattan. Look instead for options in Brooklyn or Queens as it will half your accommodation expenses. The subway services run 24-hours so travelling to the shuttle pickup points are not so much an issue. My thought is that staying in Manhattan will let me be where the action is without travelling around so much. An important consideration unless I'm travelling in a group.
There are cheap disposable gloves and raincoats for sale at the Expo, so if you didn't bring any along or decide to throw them away as the race progresses, these are cheap alternatives. I don't know if I misheard him but my colleague mentioned that the gloves went for something like $1+.
It's easy to get dehydrated in colder weather as you can mistake your freshness for state of hydration. Another friend informed me that he cramped big time partially due to salt loss. I've also read in forums that some runners skipped the initial refreshment stations thinking they're fine except to suffer from cramps later.
Layering is strongly adviced. Either bring along scarves, sweatshirts, windbreakers and trackpants or whatever to keep you warm while waiting for the start. This can be up to 3 hours long. You can chuck your sweats once you're warmer or on the Verazzano Bridge for the volunteers to pick up. Personally I think the garbage liner makes for good windbreaker but it doesn't offer anything thermally. So an option would be to put on the bin liner on top of your sweatshirt.
It's advisable to bring along some light carbs to eat while on the bus. Once you reach the holding point at the Fort, you can grab the bagels, bars, coffee, tea and other refreshment setup. You should eat since it's still 3 hours away till the start.

Liep, if you're reading this, I wanna say thanks for all your feedback. If you think of anything else, please feel free to let me know. Will post something on layering the next round. Meanwhile I leave you something from Nike here.

Arriving at JFK

2007-07-27T11:33:00.001+08:00

Things starts to get exciting the moment you touch down. After collecting baggage and clearing customs, and because you'll be carrying your luggage and probably unfamiliar with the city goings-on, you'd want to get to your hotel as quickly and cheaply as possible. Jetlag will be quite common and you should be stiff and tired from the 21-hour flight (if like me, you're from Kuala Lumpur). You won't want to spend time and what's left of your energy learning the transportation system. Get to your hotel in the most direct manner. It's for this reason that I recommend Super Shuttle. They have services to most hotels and you can book 2-way rides easing your worries. The only drawback is that it serves only the Manhattan borough. Same limitations for the Airport Shuttle Service. So if you're staying in Brooklyn or Queens, the cab could be the alternative option on top of the buses.

NYC is blessed with a multitude of transportation options from buses, shuttle services, cabs, limos and car rentals. For purposes of scope I will not touch on limos and car rentals but if that's what you're looking for, visit Avis or National Car for more info.

The following portion was obtained from http://www.nycvisit.com/, an excellent trip-planning site.

John F Kennedy International Airport
Jamaica, Queens, New York, 718/244-4444
This airport is New York's largest, serving more than 110 primarily international airlines. And this is the one you'll most likely be landing at. It is approximately 15 miles from midtown Manhattan. Follow signs marked "Ground Transportation" as you exit the airport.

Taxi
$45 flat fee (non-metered) plus bridge and tunnel tolls and gratuity; 30-60 minutes to midtown Manhattan. 212/NYC-TAXI (212/692-8294)
One fare covers all passengers. Accept taxi ride offers only from uniformed airport agents and only in yellow medallion taxis. Do not accept rides from people who approach you in the airport if you have not booked a private car service in advance. Tipping is not mandatory, but a 15%-20% gratuity is expected.

AirTrain
$5 (children under 5 free); 60-90 minutes to midtown Manhattan
Operating 24 hours and every day, AirTrain JFK is the airport train service that takes you between John F. Kennedy International Airport and MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) trains, MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) subways and local buses. A trip from JFK to Jamaica or Howard Beach will average about 12 minutes; add 60-75 minutes for the subway to midtown Manhattan. You will need to purchase a MetroCard to pay for the trip. You will use the MetroCard entering and exiting AirTrain at the Howard Beach or Jamaica stations.

Subway
$7: $2 subway + $5 for AirTrain; 60-75 minutes to midtown Manhattan from the A subway line at the Howard Beach station or the E, J, Z subway lines at Jamaica station
It's about an hour on the A train to Howard Beach from Midtown; at the Howard Beach station, you will need to use a MetroCard vending machine to purchase a $5 card to ride the AirTrain, which connects the station to the airport's terminals. Allow 15-25 minutes for the AirTrain connection.

Public Bus
$2 (free transfer from subway); 60-75 minutes to midtown Manhattan. 718/330-1234; non-English, 718/330-4847; MTA bus information, 718/995-4700
Public bus transportation is offered by the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), which runs the Q10 bus (formerly the Green Line Q-10) at JFK. In front of each terminal at the airport, look for the Q10 bus stop. Buses run approximately every 20-25 minutes, 24 hours a day. Take the bus to the last stop: Kew Gardens/Union Turnpike. Directly in front of this stop is the connection to the E (Eighth Avenue) and F (Sixth Avenue) subway lines into midtown Manhattan.

Shuttle Bus

New York Airport Service
$10-13 to midtown; $17-23 for hotel shuttle service; 45-60 minutes to midtown Manhattan. 718/875-8200, 212/875-8200
Bus to Manhattan and shuttle to/from JFK and LaGuardia airports and midtown hotels.
From airports: At the airports, New York Airport Service bus stops are located outside the baggage claim area at every terminal; look for a bus stop sign that says New York Airport Service. Buses run approximately every 20-30 minutes and make stops at Grand Central Terminal, Penn Station and Port Authority Bus Station.

For transfer service to hotels: Take shuttle to Grand Central; transfer is available to midtown hotels for an additional fee.

From Midtown to airports: Service is available from Grand Central Terminal, Penn Station and Port Authority Bus Terminal.

From midtown hotels to airports: You can either make a round-trip reservation upon arrival at airport Ground Transportation area or call from Midtown; a 24-hour advance reservation for pick-up is required. Visit www.nyairportservice.com for more information.

SuperShuttle
$15-20 one-way fare; 45-60 minutes to midtown Manhattan. 800/258-3826, 212/315-3006
Door-to-door airport transfers. From airports: Go to Ground Transportation desk; use SuperShuttle courtesy phone to connect to dispatcher who will arrange for your pick- up directly outside the terminal. From midtown/hotel: Reservations are required 24 hours in advance of pick-up. Visit www.supershuttle.com for more information.

Sports Stores Worth Checking Out

2007-07-26T23:13:00.001+08:00

Niketown

Location: 6 E 57th St.

Directions: <coming. as soon as i map it out>

New York Road Runners Club (NYRRC)

Location: 9 East 89th Street (between Madison and Fifth Avenues), less than a block from Central Park,

Opening hours: Weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Facilities: Changing facilities, lockers, toilets, and water fountains.

Running Gallery/Store Hours: Wednesday– Friday 12:00 – 6:00

Super Runners Shop

Location: East 89th St. and Lexington Ave. Located 4 blocks east of the New York City Road Runners Club, on the south east corner of Lexington Ave. & East 89th street.

Opening hours: Monday-Friday 10:00am till 7:00pm, Thursday 10:00am-9:00pm, Saturday 10:00am till 6:00pm, Sunday 12:00noon till 5:00pm

Location: Grand Central Terminal Main Concourse

Opening hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am till 8:00pm, Saturday 10:00am till 6:00pm, Sunday 12:00noon till 5:00pm

The Running Company

Location: The Shops @ Columbus Circle, Time Warner Center, 2nd Floor
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10am – 9pm; Sunday 11am – 7pm

Urban Athletics

Location: 1291 Madison Avenue @ 92nd Street, New York, NY 10128 (160 meters from Central Park)
Directions: Located on the East Side of Madison Avenue, between 91st Street and 92nd Street. From #4, 5, or 6 subway line traveling uptown: Exit at 86th St. Station; walk north to 92nd St.; walk west to Madison Ave. (Urban Athletics is located on the southeast corner of Madison Ave and 92nsd St.). From #4, 5, or 6 subway line traveling downtown: Exit at 96th St. Station; walk south to 92nd St.; walk west to Madison Ave. (Urban Athletics is located on the southeast corner of Madison Ave and 92nsd St.)

An Average Guy's Road To New York City

2007-07-26T21:57:00.000+08:00

I'm just an average middle-class male approaching 40. The "average-ness" extends to my looks, my anatomy, my paycheck, my savings, the size of my family, my running PRs. You won't be able to pick me out from the crowd. I hold a full-time job at a financial institution, juggling my limited hours between family, commuting to/from work and running, though sometimes the order of things are pretty hazy and quite often something gives way for the other. I've 2 boys - a 4-year old and a 6-month old - and both give me different joys. My wife doesn't share my joy for running no matter how hard I try to convince her, but I'm not giving up.

What is not average however, is my passion for running. I've been involved in the sport from every angle - participant, volunteer and soon race directing. I'm also co-facilitating a weekly Beginner's Running Program and have contributed to a couple of shoe wear-test program as well as written for the Men's Health magazine. I also have a handful of dreams when it comes to running (but that doesn't mean I don't have dreams related to other aspect of my Life but let's not complicate matters, shall we?).

The reason I set up this blog is to document my preparations leading up to the race as well as to put in a single place all the resources that I've gathered in planning for the trip. I noticed that there's a lack of information on travelling to NYC and racing the big one there especially from the viewpoint of an Asian, specifically a Malaysian. What makes NYC such a vibrant metropolis also makes it a daunting prospect for the first-time visitor. I'm not an expert in NYC nor on any parts of the United States. NYC will be the furthest I've travelled to, probably in my life. But I hope to gather as much info and structure this blog the best I can to make this blog as informative and useful as possible.

Time will tell whether this blog will be the point of reference for runners from this part of Asia who also share a common dream of running the NYC Marathon someday.