Well, it’s time of the year again where we just look back on the year and reflect what we’ve done in turn for the light of the new year.

2008 saw many firsts, the first US black president. The first Formula 1 night race in Singapore which in turn yielded the first and youngest black Formula 1 world champion (Lewis) as well. 2008 was rather eventful as well, with the Beijing Olympics, the melamine scare, unearthly fuel prices, the fall of financial institutions, ponzi schemes in action as well as the global economic crisis, not to mention the escape of Mas Selamat and the opening and breakdown of the Singapore Flyer within the same year as well.

My year in recap
2008 was a rather eventful year in a long time to come for me. A rather life changing one in fact as well and very much set the pace and outlook for what I will be doing in the next 4 to 5 years or so. Notable ones will definitely be the early part of the year saw my final year project clinching the Gold award in the 2008 Spinnovex exhibition, and of course graduating from SP this year, commendably with the Lee Kuan Yew award of mathematics and sciences and an overseas scholarship by the Defence sciences community. I was featured in quite a substantial number of publications in both print, TV and the internet. Other notable achievements for 2008 will include the NYAA gold award presented by SR Nathan for my community commitments and projects as well as bagging the Best Blog Design for this blog in the 2008 SPH Singapore blog awards.

Academia
A graduating year will mean a time at the crossroads again, with so many choices in hand and decisions to make. Sometimes in the midst of all the frenzy I just wonder am I always making the right choices. Though I have yet to confirm which overseas university I will be studying in, I will be largely based overseas for next year onwards where the university term starts around mid year onwards.

Running
On the sporting front, 2008 saw me running half of the mileage I did for 2007 (about 1000km+). I had not been running much, but I managed to keep up with most of the running activities round the calendar for the year as well, including Singapore Polytechnic Poly 50 which all my track alumni teams coming up as winners. I guess when health an fitness come into the picture, it will be worth noting that “getting fitter” or “losing more weight” are often popular “no-brainers” for many (which too results in surge of gym signups in the beginning of the year). This year saw me running at least a half-marathon for endurance events, forgoing my annual marathon due to year-end commitments. Maybe I can look forward to more overseas sporting events next year which will definitely be a new twist compared to running events in Singapore.

Snippets of 2008

Track Team & Runs!

Special Awards Ceremony

Prize presentation by SR Nathan

In Closing
2009 will another challenging year, otherwise a transition year for the economy to take it’s paces into recovery and of course a year of challenges ahead. We will close 2008 very soon, together with the year of the Rat, welcoming 2009 and the year of the Ox. 2008 was a year of achievements, 2009 will be a living out those achievements.

Resolutions for 2009

• Spend more time with my family
• Regain back my running fitness
• Survive my first year in college
• Pick up a new hobby
• Participate a major overseas running event

Welcome 2009!

With 2009 drawing to a near, one cannot help but reflect on the year’s achievements and set targets on for the next. There is no surprise too that “keeping fit” or “losing weight” are one of the top 3 resolutions anyone can make, with almost everybody looking for a fitter and leaner lifestyle for the coming year. The bad is that, well, not everyone like us is disciplined enough to keep to our plans, but seems there is help.

Popping by Nike+, you will be greeted by an array of neat new features, it seems that the flash-laden site is now very much more community based and runner orientated now. A neat feature is the running resolution feature which you can tie down with a nike+ sportsband to track your runs and targets.

Ho Ho Ho, it is the time of the year to be joyful and merry. It’s the period of festive goodies, Christmas trees, presents and rain deers, it’s all about the spirit of giving and sharing, not to mention Christmas dinners with your friends or family.

Yes, it’s time of the year again which just gives you that warm fuzzy feeling despite all the downs this year- a rather “throw it aside way” to escape the torrent year with this period of festivities. After all, it’s the season to be jolly.

Merry Christmas everybody!

Its time of the year again and Christmas is around the corner. Thank god I’ve managed to get all those gifts, chocolate and greeting cards sent already, so I can very much relax for the week towards Christmas and manage a blog entry here as well, man it had been ages!

Some of my little indulges I made before Christmas will have to be this revolutionary sports bands a few of my track mates recommended me to use. Based on what they claim, it genuinely help in the aiding of muscle recovery and blood circulation to injured areas through a titanium ion resonance theory which originated from Japan. So what other better way than to pamper myself than to get few myself to try out. Lol, even if all those health benefits claims are bullshit, after all these necklaces look damn freaking sleek by themselves as a fashion accessory.

These bands are cool man, it’s like a must have for any runner out there. The thing is that though Phiten have their branches here in Singapore, namely their boutiques in Changi General Hospital, Marina Square as well as Taka, the price of these babies is a major turn off for me, about $60 to $70 each for the high end X30 to X45 ranges. I’ve got my Rakuwa X30 Red checkered (a rather rare colour) as well as the limited X45 black necklace ordered through a store on Ebay (thanks for the tip Elrick!) at only half the price you can get them in Singapore including shipping! One week later it was delivered straight to my door step! Whoa! It’s the real deal, made in Japan and shipped from Hong Kong (that’s a hint for ya).

Man! I know buying books off Amazon is cheap, but these at half price woot!

It’s time of the year again- running season with the Singapore Marathon this coming Sunday. I won’t be running this year’s race, so I won’t be able to do much of a pep and review of the race. Nevertheless, here are some notables for this year’s race as well as some tips I have in pacing.

Looks like this year’s race will be rather interesting as well. For starter’s this year’s event is the largest to date. Singapore’s Muhammad Shad Feroz will be running tied as Kenya’s Henry Wanyoike’s running guide in this year’s race, as Joseph Kibunja is down with injuries. I remembered seeing them as they pass me on the return journey after marina bay on the esplanade bridge in last year’s race, in their relative speed, they were like almost literally sprinting throughout their half marathon. You can really see the bond, trust and soul in their run- and I guess that is what the race is all about.

Tips in pacing
The pacers to look out for this year will be the official Team Adidas pacers (in light blue Adidas wear) as well as Team Fatbird (in Nike dark blue running attire). Trifam is not the officially pacing this guess I believe. Remember, if you are sticking to pacers, try not to run in front of the pacing group and keep your pace constant (i.e don’t speed up or slow suddenly), this will be beneficial to all the runners within the group. If you have the capacity to jump a notch up in the pacing group (say from 5.30hrs to 5.00 and so on), break free from the group and run at a constant pace till you meet the other pacing group in front, then stick with them. Once you are accustomed, then go on for the 4.30 or 4.00 using the pacing groups as “slingshots”. Do note and make you have the capacity to do so before attempting the next bar as doing so will burn you out earlier in the marathon compared to sticking to a group.

Waterpoint tips
Stand Chart races are known for their excellent race management, not to mention waterpoints as well. A 100 plus umbrella at a waterpoint do really mean that there is 100 plus dispensed there and they are usually located at the front and end of the waterpoint, unless stated “water only”, so do make full use of the length of the waterpoints and take a cup near the end, where the crowd is usually thinner or even, non-existent. this will help in clearing the congestion, particularly from the 30km mark onwards, where many runners will start to “hit the wall”.

Also, take sips and watch for spills- a wet shoe accelerates abrasion in your shoe- it’s like asking for foot-full of blisters within 5km, so take precautions not to spill your drinks, particularly watching where you throw your cup as well, do you not want a cup full of 100 plus being splashed onto you as you are overtaking near the bins right?

Some other tips

• Deep heat is good, but don’t go for every opportunity there is. It more of a mental placebo after multiple applications as it won’t be effective then.
• Do not open and gobble up your power gel the moment you get your hands on one, only to have to deal with a sticky mouth and hands for the almost a few kilometers before the next water point. Instead grab one and only down it once you see a water point or those signs indicating one coming up.
• The dusk time is a popular time where “ninjas” will run into the bushes for business, especially round the popular marina bay area, despite portable potty stationed at water points (which usually have at least 3-4 people queuing at any given time). Instead, time your toilet urges properly, clear yourself before the start of the race at home (not at the event toilets) and time a break in between at toilets along the route (e.g petrol kiosks, etc), avoiding popular areas like the East Coast toilet unless you really need to. From experience unless you have a bad bowel urge, a pre-race toilet break will usually see you toilet-free even until the end of the marathon- you will sweat everything out and your urine will be dark and minimal post-race, which is completely normal.
• For clothing abrasions, Vaseline is far better than anything, including plasters. Look for the medical points and the staff there will be more than willing to supply you with some.
• You can take passive and active means to counter blisters. Besides taping up your blister prone areas before the race, if you feet is prone to blistering (or if you know it will after a certain distance). Tear off some spare duct tape (aka black tape) and row say a good 20cm of it into a small row and stow it say, in your running pocket or a running pouch. Make an impromptu pit stop (or when there is no medical point nearby) and wrap your toes up mid-race if need be, it’s a real life saver.

For those running your first marathon, it will be an eye opener for you, and a personal record in the making as well, remember- finishing it no matter what timing you have it what that matters.

Take care and have a great race come Sunday!