hot in the park

reis, poh, MJ, bobby, francis & myself were present for the run
HT & HC were not able to join us but HT was there to see us off despite his busy work schedule

was a terrific day at UPR
weather was extremely good and we also noticed the monkey population seems to have increased :)

poh & MJ decided to do a 9km route covering the entire distance from carpark till seletar range and then traverse to prata place, finally head back to carpark

rest of us chose the gradual route within the reservoir

we decided to do a individual photo shoot after the run since there were only 6 of us
(pardon us for our vainity)
we had a great time posing...

runners look good..
hot-runners are just... simply....hot

Run with a Passion... at UPR

Today, Bobby was ready with his new Motorola T-shirt when I met him at the carpark. It was a good fit for him and goes well with his black running shorts.
At UPR, 6 hotrunners assembled and decide to make it fun by doing classy pose for the picture given that there were less persons to squeeze into the photo. Looks like the ladies are more game for this, guys will have to do better next time. We did our first jump short for the year and off we go at 6:40pm.

Poh was running steady and comfortably alongside. We talked a bit on the way out to the gate. This is a good way to start a relaxing run... must be able to talk comfortably while jogging. Since the pace was comfortable, I decided to proceed beyond the gate at the same pace (8.8km/hr) and did the 6.7km instead of the earlier planned 3.2km.

Bobby did 6.7km as well and enjoyed the run. He will be running his first 10km event via Sundown. "It may seemed difficult at first but after a while, you do a few more 6.5km, doing 10km seems doable," Bobby said.

"I used to jog with my father when younger. My father did a Marathon. I wished to do one too just like my father. That motivated me to pick up running longer distances," Poh said. She did her first Marathon 2 years ago and did a few more thereafter.

Margerat, Tay and Bokz did a quick relaxing run together prefering to spend more time to catch up with each other. Friends indeed. When are met eventually, MacRitchie was brought up again. Earlier, Poh caution about the tough track while CS thought being early is important not to end up running in the dark. Hence back to the drawing board with CS Chan to study a worthy route. He may come up with something as he runs there at 6am on Sundays. The plan is to do 100th run there sometime in Feb or Mar.

We left at 7:08pm. Sure to meet again.

Last week, met CS Chan and was happy to take the shot of him together with his Chicago Marathon certificate. The run photo and certificate embodied a precious memory for CS. He was modest and will only want to share his joy with his running close friends. Well done. CS is also giving very good tips to runner is very simple form... "listen to your heart".

Listen to This to Lose Weight

article taken from RealAge

You could lose those holiday pounds -- and then some -- in just 12 weeks with help from your ears.

In a study, listening to podcasts that emphasized why achieving a healthful weight is important, how proper nutrition and exercise help shed pounds, and what obstacles to expect on the weight loss journey helped people drop half a pound each week of the 12-week study.

Let Your Ears Lead the Way
Weight loss books, online aides, and face-to-face weight loss education and support can help you on your way to weight loss. And add podcasts to that list, because when a group of overweight or obese people listened to enhanced weight loss podcasts twice a week for 12 weeks, each participant lost an average of 6.4 pounds. The podcasts inspired them to eat more fruit and veggies and exercise more. So listen up and your body will follow your ears! (Stay motivated to shed pounds with help from this free online Weight Loss Tracker.)

Losing weight is sort of like quitting smoking -- the more you try the greater your chances of success. Here are more tips on making your diet stick:

• Look for great information. Nothing beats practical "how-to" diet and exercise tips that you can easily apply. Also, find out what weight loss pitfalls to expect and how to overcome them. Let the YOU Docs, Drs. Roizen and Oz, show you what to eat and how to move off the weight.
  
  
• Be in charge. You're likely to absorb and retain more weight loss info when you absorb it at your own pace. Let the messages sink in, and revisit the important points often.

Fwd: Dawn Leng invited you to the event "RUN 350"...

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Facebook <notification+z90yzat9@facebookmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 10:25 PM
Subject: Dawn Leng invited you to the event "RUN 350"...
To: Hc Gan <hcgan2288@gmail.com>

Dawn invited you to "RUN 350" on Saturday, March 20 at 3:30pm.

Event: RUN 350
      "The first and only mass run held in the natural surroundings of Pulau Ubin..."
What: Sporting Event
Start Time: Saturday, March 20 at 3:30pm
End Time: Saturday, March 20 at 7:00pm
Where: Pulau Ubin

To see more details and RSVP, follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=290118247176&mid=1b9269eG474f4ec4G1762a1dG7

Run 12 Jan 2010

After a long break since the Singapore Marathon and festive season
hot runners were back to our fav haunt...UPR..
With rain beckoning at abt 4pm, we were hoping the sky will clear in time for the run
Our prayers were answered and by the time we gathered at our usual meeting point..not a rain cloud was in sight...
We got francis, will, george, HT, reis, edmund, bobby,MJ, CN, CS & myself from moto..HC & yanto also came back to join in the fun
Our customary pre-run photoshoot was taken using the latest android-powered Motorola Milestone..equipped with 5MP camera with auto-focus and zooming, you can see the quality of the pictures here :). HC & Yanto were very impressed with the look and feel and were looking forward for it to hit the stores...ok..so much on phones...more details can be found at www.motorola.com

MJ sped off immediately after the run started and was galloping down the road like a wild mustang

rest of us were just leisurely trudging on, hoping to pick up speed after our muscles have warm up.
The group took 3 routes: the scenic route to the pump station, the hilly route to the main entrance and the outside route to seletar rifle range.

No run is complete without a cup of ice-cold isotonic...we had 100+ this time, orange flavoured...
prefer the original..but its gd to have a change..
More talks and catching while recovering from the run...topics varied on the runs that we are going for 2010, new gadgets and back on the milestone phone again...
all with the beautiful backdrop of a beautiful sunset scene...

life is good...runners' life is better :)

Quote

From: PETER LAUTE

"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be." Lao Tzu

Quote

"Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your
life." - Confucius

Gadget Review - Hydration Belt

For short distances (e.g. up to 10km or 15km) most of us regular runners can do without drinking. But it is a healthier to hydrate yourself even for those shorter distances.

As for longer distance beyond 15km or 20km, most of us definitely will start to think of how and where to drink to stay hydrated. When I decided to join a full 42km marathon, I started to think about how and where to stay hydrate along my long distance training routes.

I started my long distance training runs with a 750ml Adidas bottle (about S$10) , carrying it with my hand while running. It worked ok for distance of up to about 20km. Beyond that distance I find that I will need more than 750ml of fluid in-take. And I wanted to concentrate on the run and the surroundings, not having to carry water bottle on my hand.

At the end I bought the NATHAN Speed-4 hydration belt (about S$69) that can carry 4 bottles of 10oz (295ml) each. It has a small pouch in front which is good enough to carry your car/home keys or a packet of energy gel. It also has a larger pouch at the back which can carry your handphone and up to 4 to 5 packs of energy gel.

During my first trial with it for 20km training run, I felt slight pain on both my left and right waist area near the front. It was due to the 2 bottles at the front bouncing up and down and hitting those areas. But no pain at the back of my waist. Was a little regret after that first trial and thought I should have bought one that carry just 2 bottles at the back instead. On my 2nd use and beyond, I do not feel any pain around the waist area. My guess is probably my body has adjusted and get used to it. And having 4 bottles are definitely better than 2 during long distance runs of more than 20km. You will need that.

During my first 42km marathon race I carried the belt with me but with just 2 bottles as there are hydration points along the racing route. I used the belt mainly to carry my car key, handphone and 4 packs of energy gel.

The bottle has tilted neck to make the drinking easier while running. The belt that I bought uses velco attachment which I preferred as it is still adjustable for changing waist size.

For those who are interested in getting a hydration belt, the popular ones are Nathan and FuelBelt.

Last 2 weeks

After coming back from travel, I was jet lagged and felt weighty (put on some weight while travelling without exercise). Last week, my son ran 3.4km of Christmas lighted road with me from Orchard road to Marina Bay. Took some beautiful shots along the way. You may be able to identify some of the locations of the place in the photos. Looks scintillatingly beautiful. This week, ran 6km on Tuesday around the circuit behind. Good choice for me as I wasn't sure about my condition after a long layoff from exercise. Today, I decided to run 9km one way towards my wife's office in Yishun. Ran smoothly at 9km/hr for an hour (best personal time for that route). The key motivation for me to pick up running quickly again )among many other reasons.... I have signed up for Biathlon on 13 Mar. It is about 8 weeks away. Have to be in good form to to enjoy the race and also not risk life or limb. I will be keeping record of my runs and hope to cover 70km before the event along with some weekend swim practices. Looking forward to have jogging buddies back in numbers to enjoy together.