Strive to achieve that mileage

An entry by our new member Ronald! Congratulation for achieving a PB in the 5000m time trial @ CCAB on 5 Oct 2011! It is an impressive performance to achieve a 2min improvement within a month!

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I never competed a 5km race before. Usually when I didn't exceed 30mins at 5km mark, I would be happy to say that I am still within target.

My personnel best at 5km is 26mins all along, until 5 October 2011.

"2 laps to go Ronald!"

I huffed and I puffed during last 2 laps of the Time Trail, it was not easy, as I was supposed to pace the 3 ladies behind me, but they were already ahead of me. Coach was shouting at the finishing line with his stop-watch "Two zero four, two zero five, two zero six!" counting my pace when I was approaching.

At least I could really understand what is meant by Pace after I joined Mileage, a running workshop to train myself for the grandest Marathon at the end of the year. I couldn't figure how to calculate the paces when I read them from the magazines. Even some basic theory of leg exercises, I would have keep on doing the wrong ways if not for the running workshop.

My 12 and a half laps of running at the stadium produce this result:

Dist      Lap Split
0200m 0:54
0600m 1:50 2:44
1000m 1:55 4:39
1400m 1.57 6:36
1800m 2:01 8:38
2200m 1:59 10:37
2600m 1:56 12:33
3000m 2:00 14:33
3400m 1:58 16:32
3800m 2:07 18:40
4200m 2:06 20:46
4600m 2:06 22:53
5000m 1:43 24:36

I tried to sprint at the last lap, but alas, "not enough gas" when I have run ahead of the 3 ladies.

The time was 24 minutes. Alamak! I broke my PB for 5km by 2 minutes! I have never dreamt that I could make it in the first place, told coach I would try my best when he set the time at 24 minutes before my run.

Congratulations and encouragements poured in from my fellow team mates after that. I was so touched to receive so many compliments from everyone.

I even got the prized tee shirt given by coach tonight. I believe it will boost me to another level of faster running soon. Set to perform better in future races. Cheers!

By Ronald Quek

An entry from our friend Marsha~

An entry from our friend Marsha~

Happy 3rd Anniversary Mileage! I was with Mileage for a brief three weeks during a business trip to Singapore. While my experience was short, it was VERY rewarding. The group is small, which allows for close-knit relationships and personalized training.

Everyone in the group was accommodating and friendly. The coach customized my workouts based on my pace and goals, and helped me work through the injuries and pains I was feeling. The workouts were more challenging than what I was used to, but I never regretted a single workout. The feeling of accomplishment after finishing one of coach's workouts is indescribable! The other runners in the group kept me motivated to do my best, no matter how lazy I was feeling. I highly recommend Mileage, and would return to the group if I am ever in Singapore again!

Thank you to Gary (for introducing me to the group), Jan and Jac (for running with me and keeping me motivated), Michelle and Joe (for inspiring me to push harder when I was feeling tired), Evelyn (for bringing fruit and always being so happy), and Kien Mau (for being a supportive coach)!

Marsha

Fubon Taipei Marathon 2010

A Race Report by Michelle~ (Sorry for late update!)


There is only one word to describe Taipei Half Marathon- Unexpected. No, let’s make that 2 words- Totally Unexpected.


Ever since missing out on Gold Coast Half Marathon in July 2010 due to a bad bout of infection, I have been falling sick every other month and for that I’ve missed 2 other races and 1 time trial. Not forgetting missing out on trainings every other week. I did not train specifically for Taipei half marathon because according to Coach’s words, “You can’t complete the training anyway”. How encouraging. My intervals were mostly 5k volume and my long runs never more than 21km (ok, once I hit 25 and that was it). I did have some breakthroughs in training so I was trying to spur myself on by convincing myself that I was still fitter now than in end 2009.

[Coach's note, Sorry Michelle! I must be joking when i said that and did i say that? Oops. So sorry!)


Soon came 15th Dec 2010 where we departed for Taipei. When I woke up on that morning of departure, my throat was as scratchy as sandpaper. Not a good sign. I hurriedly took Pi Pa Gao (Chinese medicine) and down vitamin C water. In my carry-on bag were packs of pills for sore throat, cough, fever, cold and diarrhea. I kept sneezing en route to Taipei and I was silently begging my body “Please please, please “dong” (endure) for 4 more days”. Alas, my condition worsened day by day. Every day, I was buying more medicine for myself- cough syrup, more Pi Pa Gao and stronger flu tablets. The day before the race, I asked Coach “will I die if I run?”


Miraculously, on race day morning, my nose has cleared (everyone, try Zyrtac-D!) save for a little sniffle. The phlegm in my lungs have also cleared somewhat though I was still wheezing when I breathe. Judging from the temperature the day before, I settled for T-shirt, shorts, a pair of arm warmer and hope and pray that my legs and fingers won’t freeze.


The whole gang (Coach, Sze Uei, Wei An, Evelyn and I, together with Uncle Lim and Uncle Roy, both from MR25) took a nice and slow 15 mins warm up to race start venue. We reached at around 45 mins to race start and the crowd was already thick with participants from all categories. Wei an wasn’t exaggerating indeed when he said that the year before, the crowd was so huge that he was left with no choice but to climb over the barrier in an effort to get closer to the start point. After a short stretching session and the mandatory toilet visit, I was good to go line up in the start pen. In the most unglamorous fashion, I clambered over the barricade, aided by friendly Taiwanese runners who made a clearing for me to jump into. Race atmosphere was quite electrifying with music blaring in the background but the runners around me were deathly quiet and serious. Pre-race anxiety I suppose.


Race start for the masses was exactly 3 mins after the elite start. Roads were wide with about 5 lanes so after 1km thereabouts of turf fighting, one could run with ample space. Given my condition, my target was to just equal or slightly better my last PB of 1:45 set at Angkor Wat Half Marathon a year ago. My legs felt quite good for the 1st 5km but I had no idea what pace I was running. There were supposedly distance marker at every km but I reckon I was busier with sightseeing than spotting the markers. That’s what I love about racing overseas- there are new sights to distract you along the way.


The 1st marker I saw was at the 7th km and a glance on my polar showed that I was quite ahead of a 5 min/km pace. At that point, I was still feeling quite alright except for the occasional hacking and itchy throat. At the 10km, I clocked 48mins. “Not bad!” I thought. It has been proven that the 3rd quarter of any race is always the hardest mentally. I comforted and entertained myself by spotting full marathon runners around me and pitied them for they are only ¼ way through. Ha ha!


There were 2 sponge stations for the half marathon route and I absolutely think every Singapore races should adopt this idea. Even during temperatures of 15 deg Celsius in Taipei I found sponges a cool relief! Not knowing when the next drink station was going to be, I sucked on the soaked sponge, much to the disgusted look of the volunteer at the sponge station.


As usual, when I hit the 12th km mark, I would be thinking “just a northern route to go!” (Explanation: To me, a half marathon race is taken as 20km-just a deceitful way to make it easier on the mind) I’m pretty sure I’ve glanced at my watch now and then and knew I was doing well below a 5 min/km pace, but as to exactly what kind of timing I was running I have absolutely no idea. My CPU usage was already at saturation trying to tackle kilometer after kilometer so there wasn’t any more RAM for mental sums.


At probably 17km or so, I heard a “clap clap” from behind and to my surprise (or maybe it was horror, I can’t remember now) it was Wei An! In my mind I was thinking he’s going to get it from Coach again.


Up to this point, I was really enjoying myself so far. The supporters were evenly spread out and they were amazing- amazingly good looking. Either I was already delirious with fatigue or Taiwanese are a real handsome and pretty bunch, but I sure had an eyeful ogling at the hunks and babes. How did I feel physically up to this point? Well, my legs weren’t as fresh definitely but I enticed them with a pampering massage if they could hold up right till the end. Nose was dripping but nothing a wipe on my T-shirt and arm warmer couldn’t handle. Coughed up phlegm which went back the same way it came up.


After the last right turn, the finish arc was in sight. The feeling of seeing the finish was mixed. Knowing that I was on my way to complete another race was a delightful feeling but seeing the finish and still having to run at least 400m more towards it was torture. Of course, the latter feeling diminished in proportion to the distance to finish. When I finally stepped on the mat, it was 1:39:08 on my watch. It took a little while to sink in that I’ve not only done a PB but also hit my delayed goal of a 1:39:59 (was aiming this timing way back in July). My body, as if knowing that it has done its part in holding up for this race, gave up almost immediately and I was nursing a fever for the rest of the day.


Everyone else did well and special mention goes to Sze Uei. This guy either has talented genes or secret boot camp training for he did his maiden 21.1km in 1:44! It was only a couple of months ago that he was struggling to pass his 2.4km test. Perhaps, it was simply Mileage’s training philosophy of quality over quantity.


I would highly recommend Fubon Taipei Marathon for a half marathon race. There were altogether 3 climbs for the race but nothing lung and leg breaking. Good organization, perfect weather and coupled with a pretty fast route and decent scenery, this makes quite an ideal race. But the greatest enjoyment for me? The great company whom I travelled with and the hordes of decadent food that we savored on the pretext of carbo-loading. It was a no wonder that everyone returned with a PB on the weighing scale as well.

Michelle finished the half marathon with a PB of 1:39:08

 Uncle Lim & Roy Finishing

Wei ann finish the half marathon with a PB of 1:33:05

Sze Uei finished his first half marathon with a PB of 1:44:24

Group photo, post run celebration with local beer!

Mileage group photo after the race at finishing point, small group but it was fun!