What you expected for your first ultra!

Since i am not an elite runner, nor i am a veteran runner who have complete dozen of ultras, this will only be my point of views.

1. Everybody fall the first jump

It doesn't mean that you will definitely DNF the first time (but the DNF possibility is really really high!). It mean most of us overestimate what we can perform after the marathon distance. We may decide to run with marathon pace or easy pace but in reality you may walk for the rest of the race.

2. Food for thought....

Can you eat the same food for the whole ultra? Can you consume solid food for the whole ultra? Can you consume gel for the whole ultra? You will soon find out (some also expect to puke)

3. Are you injured?

You feel like crap. You feel like want to puke. You can’t feel your leg. You may also make a story so that you feel better after DNF. Most of the time, sleep deprive and fatigue make you think that you are injury. Stop for a while, take a deep breath, talk to the competitors pass by (if some one willing to, see point no. 6). Anyway, if you really think u r injury, better tell other competitors. Most experience runner know when it is time to stop.

4. Calling someone. Make sure they will say "Continue and Finish it!"

During one of my race I call my wife and she ask me to continue which lead me finish my race. So next time be sure to tell someone you may call during your race that, no matter what happen, encourage you to continue your journey.

5. Use your fear of dark to keep you moving.

A headlamp in the far front will keep you motivated to go after (along with dog bark from far behind!).

6.  Not all people willing to talk to you.

During this long and tiring journey, most of the people want to save some energy from even moving lips. So learn to talk to yourself during long run. These are the reason pacer allowed in some of the race. It is not because they are too arrogant to talk to you. They are also fighting to finish the race.

7. Don't over drink fluids.

You will crave for sweet water. But beware, sweet drink make you want to drink much often. If you fill your bottle with sweet drink, you may finish the whole bottle before reaching the next check points. Unless you can resist such temptation, fill your bottle with plain water!

8. Toilet, toilet, where are you?

You are in the middle between check points and you think of want to poop. 

1. hold your poop until the next check point 
2. go back to the previous check point 
3. Poop beside the road....choose wisely! 

9. Don't sit!

Relentless Forward Progress

10.  Learn from other people's experience. And contribute back!

It is good to read other’s people experience for the race, such as race reports. You will get to know what to expect, some good to have equipment, complaints, etc. Remember to contribute by writing your own reports after the race!

These are all the point for the moment. Will update the list if i have some other thought! 

How was your weekend running?

Last week have done some short distance run. It can be call a reverse taper. Weekend do hill repeat (240m elevation x 2), instead of hill run (600m elevation x 1). The largest elevation gain in my next 100km (TITI 100) race is 340m. Total elevation gain is around 1932m, as per last year Garmin recorded. Therefore the plan is to progressively increase to 400m x 5, or some other combination to add up the elevation gain for TITI.

This week will start my ultra training. I increase my weekday mileage (3 day) to at least 10KM for each run. 

Next week I shall finalize strength training sets as well.

As for push up challenge, i reach 20 push up last week. Start from 21th push up, i will do interval instead, where i will do half of the push up and rest for a minute before the next set of push up. Two sets should add up to the total push up assign for the day. The reason behind it is to avoid injury from doing "too hard too early"!

How was your weekend running?

Intended to do my first run after Penang Ultra 2015 but have to cancel it due to haze. Malaysia suffer from haze every year due to burning in Indonesia. This time haze stay for a much longer duration than last year. Today the SCKLM 2015 have to be cancel due to the unhealthy API reading (>100).

Anyway, i spent most of the time reading about running, planning for the strength training, looking for strength training equipment, etc. Strength and stability is my biggest weakness as i have nearly zero cross training. I also spent some of the time to learn how to do foam rolling.

Recently i have create challenge to do push up everyday, with increment of one push up per day. Frankly speaking the most repetitive i done was 30 times, and it was 18 years ago!! So good luck to me!
















Hopefully next week i can blog about some mileage. Before saying good night, i will leave you an interesting video.

Good Night!

Penang Ultra 2015 - Lesson Learned, Race Report (sort of), etc.

There is no one in front, there is no one behind. 

I am all alone running in the dark. 

Puffing is the only music accompanies me. 

Don’t let me music stop!- Yap Seng Kuang

Start to CP1:

1. Flat road. Run along traffic and bike road.

2. Follow ladies runner to keep the pace within target. I try to remind myself that I won’t able to finish strong if I keep my pace faster than 7min/km.

3. Fall down before CP1 due to focus too much on the watches at dark bike road.

4. Decide not to fill up water as I still have 1 and a half bottle of water.

CP1 to CP2:

1. Flat road. Run along traffic. Only one short uphill. I walk up the hill and run downhill.

2. The water station is an old style coffee shop. There was a nice uncle manning the toilet, so I can use toilet fairly quickly.

3. I refill water and also put in ORS and Glucolin. Continue to consume Oreo at 2 pieces/30minute

CP2 to CP3:

1. Flat at first few km. An uphill toward a bridge. I walk up the hill and run downhill.

2. The water station is a school.

3. I refill water and also put in ORS and Glucolin. Continue to consume Oreo at 2 pieces/30minute

4. Drink isotonic using a cup.

CP3 to CP4:

1. Very flat road.

2. Start to feel tired and start to slow down, not able to keep my intended pace (7min/km).

3. Use walk run strategy, 900m run-100m walk, 800m run-200m walk, etc.

4. The water station is a school.

5. I spray Perskindol on my quad, before sit down.

6. I change my shoe. No changing my attire. Drink a tin of coffee. Carry a tin of coffee at my back (I shouldn’t bring this with me. As I didn’t consume it at all until I finish).

7. I go to toilet, before I start my journey to CP5.

CP4 to CP5:

1. Walk uphill for 6KM. Until i see the Guan Ying Mah statute. Run downhill. For another 6KM. See pack of dog during downhill. Pass them quietly and they just look at me.

2. I ran pass a dam on my left hand side.

3. I able to achieve target pace. Stop at hall next to masjid. Drink some isotonic drink with cup, refill water, ORS and Glucolin.

CP5 to CP6:

1. This run along coast of Ferringhi. It is a run along traffic. It is uphill and downhill. I walk all the uphill and run all the downhill. Quads feel pain and I stop several times to stretch it. I worried that it will cramp (but now I am sure that it is not the sign of cramp).

2. The water station is at the sport center. I sit down on a chair, apply Perskindol on my quad.

3. Friendly volunteer help me to fill my bottle. I have the bottle to fill with isotonic. Another bottle still with water, ORS and Glucolin (I yet to finish this since last CP).

CP6 to CP7:

1. City street road. Go through hotels, shop lot, longest Malaysia flag, high class living area jogging track, shopping complex. Mostly flat road. Some up and downs.

2. The water station is at a roundabout. Fill isotonic in one bottle. Another bottle still with water, ORS and Glucolin. Luckly I have both bottles full as it is a long way to Penang Hill Top!

CP7 to CP8:

1. It is a very challenging course. First 2KM is flat and bulk of the elevation gain rest on the last 5KM, where there are some 45deg incline roads.

2. It posts a great surprise to me. I am thinking of DNF halfway point, as I am concern with my pregnant wife who is with our 2.6 years old toddle; need to check out of hotel at 1pm.

3. My Garmin Fenix 2 die at the middle of the journey. I totally lost my sense on time as the hand phone I carry is not set to correct time. I give a call to my wife and she encourages me to continue.

4. The water station is at the top of Penang Hill. I fill up one bottle with water and one bottle with Isotonic.

5. The water station supply coconut water as well. I ate the meat as well.

6. I went to the toilet. And at that moment I am thinking whether I should DNF or continue. So I chat with Jason Thai and he encourage me to try to beat the cut-off.

CP8 to CP7:

1. Downhill is not less pain than uphill.

2. Able to reach the CP7 at 2pm. (cut off is 2:10pm). It is 1 hour before cut off at finish line!

3. I fill both bottles with isotonic drinks. It is another 5.7KM to finish line.

CP7 to Finish:

1. It is flat road. I run along the coast of Queensbay.

2. At the end of Queensbay, I was a bit consfuse where should I head as at this part of the road there was no marshall. I ask a uncle sit beside the road and he point me to the correct way.

3. It is another run along the traffic.

4. Have a happy finish. Take a shower. Have plate spaghetti.

Overall I felt a stronger finish then TITI100. Although it is 18Hours finish.  

Lesson learned:

1. Only take one roll of Oreo. After a roll I not able to consume solid food. I eat 2 piece of Oreo every half an hour.

2. Don't use double side tape on the arch supports. It will spoil it when you tear it up.

3. Quad pain, at least no cramp. Need to have more strength at quad.

4. A better way to store Glucolin. Now I just use plastic bag. It is troublesome to open and retie the plastic bag.

5. Must have a bag store at finish line, with tower, soap, shampoo, clean cloth, slippers, cell phone, power bank etc.

6. Becareful when running at dark bike road. Don't read your watches. It will make you fall down!

7. GPS watches die at 16h. Next time carry small power bank.

8. Soreness and pain at quad not mean cramp. Need to ignore this or treat this as usual.

9. More strength, core, massage, roller foam, etc. as well as cross training.

10. Maybe it is good to have a casio watches, as a backup for time.

Correctly done:

1. Rub Vecelline at rectum and toes to avoid chafing work for me.

2. Walk on all uphill, focus and get back time on downhill (not a too good strategy, need to work hard on quad to be able to tackle uphill)

3. Use arch support on both shoes, no pain in arch after the race (compare with Titi100, I use only left arch support. Very pain at right arch after the race)

4. Glucolin, ORS, gel is the way to go. No cramp during race.

5. No change cloths during drop bag station. Just change the shoe and socks.

6. No required to carry coffees with you on run.

7. Average 5 minute spent on each water station.

8. Reduce fibre (vegetable) intake 3 days before race. No poo during the race. ( I have to stop for poo during TITI100).

Something new:

1. Tie the torch to the vest. When want to use just pick it up.

Reason to get Garmin Fenix 2

Below is my reason on Garmin Fenix 2 which i brought on early August 2014. I own a unit of 310XT since June 2011 but it's outer rubber have degraded (it is a surprise!). In near future i plan to get another unit of 310XT from oversea (with great discount of cause!).

The reason i brought this are:

1. To use for ultramarathon. However I doesn't use Ultra Trac* function. It's have a firmer charging grip compare with 310xt charging grip and can be charge on the move! (never try this function before as i am yet to join trail ultra or ultra race longer than 20 hours)

2. It is an ABC watches. Altimeter, Barometer, Compass. A great tools for ultra trail!

3. It is much more cheaper than Suunto Ambit!

*Ultra Trac - You can use UltraTrac mode for extended activities. UltraTrac mode is a GPS setting that periodically turns off GPS to save battery power. When GPS is off, the device uses the accelerometer to calculate speed and distance. Speed, distance, and track data accuracy are reduced in UltraTrac mode. The accuracy of the data improves after a few outdoor runs using GPS.

The only con is that it very easy to loss GPS connection compare with 310xt.  Even at those area that i never encounter signal loss with 310xt. So if you plan to get a Garmin Fenix, please kindly google "Garmin Fenix Signal Loss" or something alike!