Mid-Year Report

Swim - 12.65 km
Bike - 1730.4 km
Run - 174.4 km

Had hoped to start off the New Year with a bang.
Joined the New Year CBD Run and Northern Run and things starting grinding to a halt.
I could only muster a 6km solo run in the entire month of January.

In February, I did the Novena Velocity Run and NUS Hills Run on consecutive days (which is crazy) and earned my NUS Hills Certification.
This is followed by NUS Biathlon and Singapore Biathlon.

Completed both Biathlons comfortably, with Aerosolcan accompanying me throughout the entire NUS Biathlon run. Thanks, mate.

4 group runs, 2 solo runs and 2 Biathlons sums up my entire exercise log for the first quarter of 2008.

After Singapore Biathlon, I encountered post-race syndrome.
The feeling ain't fun. You are looking forward to your next race, but the next race is 3 months away.
After a month of sedentary lifestyle and a lot of thinking, I decided that I should not just try to complete my race.
I should put in some effort and try to getting achieve better timing each time.
Even if I failed, at least I know I tried.

Somehow it prompted a shopping spree for me and I bought ANT and K14 on a whim.
I thought that would have inspired me to do more runs.
How wrong can I be.
Taking the shoes for 2 test runs each was all I could muster.

I spent most of April cycling on weekends and during my non-working weekdays.

In May, I took part in 4 races - Tribob Sprint Duathlon, Trifam Sprint Triathlon, Bintan Triathlon, Sundown Marathon.

Tribob Sprint Duathlon is my first duathlon race, so I do not know what to expect.
I am treating it as a prelude to SAAB City Duathlon. As usual, I left the race a happy finisher.
I guess the most important in races is to enjoy it, no matter the circumstances.

Trifam Sprint Triathlon saw me drafting in my swim, hurting my butt on the Changi Coastal Road speed bumps and get cheered by a very enthusiastic volunteer on my run. Felt wonderful after the race, cos I do not suffer any muscle ache.
Hope that I can feel the same for Bintan Triathlon in a week's time. =)

Bintan Triathlon. My first overseas race. My first Olympic Distance Triathlon.
With my extended family in tow, the logistics isn't simple.
But it is always great to have your family with you for the races.
Suffered cramps during the run, but seeing my family on the race course raise my spirits and I finished the race happy and satisfied. =)

3rd race in 3 consecutive weeks. Sundown Marathon.
Without a visa to take part in the Full Marathon, I decided to jio my friends to do the Team Challenge.
Aerosolcan, Lala and Linla gladly obliged and we did the races. Once again, Aerosolcan accompany me on the run.
Thanks again, mate.

Sleep a little and brought Shannon to take part in her first race. Cold Storage Kids Run.
All of us enjoy the race. Tekko even took a nice finisher's photo for us. =) Thanks, Tekko!

June comes along.

4th race in a month. How crazy is this?
SAAB City Duathlon. The organisers foul up the race. But I still finish the race in high spirits.
No regrets giving up Saucony Passion Run for this. =)

5 days later... Friday , June 13.
Hit the 2nd lowest time of my life. I guess that is what your innermost circle of friends can do to you.
They are after all the people closest to you beyond your family.
Prompted a furry of rides. Weekday rides, which I never did for 2 main reasons become the norm for a week.
Thanks to the back-to-back rides and a broken cassette, I improved my cycling, which was a pleasant surprise.
Haha, but the by-products for all these riding is daily aching quads.

Punggol Central Run comes along.
The race is done in a slight drizzle which could have explained why I achieved a personal best for 5km. =)

Last race for the first half of the 2008 is the Pearl Izumi Pure Run - 12km.
Finish the race comfortably. =)

Pearl Izumi Pure Run is a trilogy of races, which prepares you for 3 crucial races ahead.
Pearl Izumi Pure Run 12km - OSIM Triathlon
Pearl Izumi Pure Run 20km - Army Half Marathon
Pearl Izumi Pure Run 30km - Singapore Marathon

I am confident that I will scale the first 2 races, but 30km will be a challenge for me.
I have completed one 30km so far, MR25 Ultra-Marathon 3 laps. But that ended in cramps after 25km.
So unless I really put in effort in my runs, I may leave Pearl Izumi Pure Run 30km disappointed.
Not only for the particular race , but for what lies ahead...