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Hello everyone,
I am back in Singapore. Thoughts of the DECA are still with me. But hours and hours of sleep later, I am feeling fresh again. My left knee is also getting better by the days. I am touched by all the well wishes streaming in from my ultra friends and supporters from Austria, Italy, Hungary, Slovenia, USA and, of course, Singapore.
Unable to fly back to Singapore earlier to start treatment of my knee (due to over-booked flights), I stayed in Mexico until the end of the DECA. Since I wasn't able to race, I tried to make myself useful by cheering my fellow ultra triathletes on during their run. After resting for 5 days in the sport village, I was able to walk without pain again. I put this to good use, by walking with Eileen (from USA), Pete (from USA), Marcel (from Germany) and Carlos (from Spain) during their DECA quest. In 2 1/2 days, I was able to walk a marathon! This means I theoretically covered an Ironman-worth of distances in this DECA :), thus bringing my Ironman finish count this year to 10. Good effort.
KNEE STORY
I had the sore knee checked on by race doctors on the final day of the DECA. They diagnosed a minor tear in the Hoffa's fat pad, and they believe it will heal pretty quickly if I rest it totally. In fact, on the day I stopped the race, I was given a letter by the race doctor to advise me to stop and go home. When I was in Mexico, I spoke with Dr Benedict Tan over the phone about my conditions and he advised me to pay him a visit ASAP to get a more thorough exmaination. Judging from my current conditions, the knee should heal very soon :)
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Thank you very much for your belief in me and my support crew!
Hey there. I finally have enough energy to start writing again. Thank you very much for your many well wishes and support out there. Yeap, I DNF-ed (i.e. did not finish) the DECA. Only a few of my close friends know the full details. Here they are...
The race started well for me. I was assigned the same lane as ultra veteran Kari Martens (who would emerge 2nd overall) and American lady Eileen Steil. We worked well together and even managed to finish the first two Iron swims in well under 3 hours (2h40min!). We then slowed down into another rhythm but soon, Kari and Eileen overtook me to create their own little team. My shoulders held up pretty well throughout but posted a slowish 17h18min for the 38km swim. My aim was a 16+h. Not bad for a section that usually doesn't count much toward the final timing.
After an hour nap in my little tent, I hit the road and started clocking serious cycling miles. My original target was to get in 450km for the first 24 hours. However, I sank into a personal rhythm of 360km for that day and decided to stuck to it. I slept for 3 hours, before waking up in the early next morning to clock in another 370km. These were VERY relaxed and steady effort. I was going at an average of 24km/h the whole day and being the 'spinner' that I am, I could easily have left the big chainring at home! I was confident that this will get me to finish the bike in slightly under 5 days, giving me alot of time to finish the 10 marathons to beat the Asian record of 12d13h55min.
Then, trouble struck me. On the third day, I started to feel slight discomfort on the inside of my left knee just before the 1000km mark. It was the same spot that flared up during the Double IM World Championship in Levis in July. This time, I had my old shoes on and I was very sure they were not the cause of the problem. The strain came and went, and so I wasn't the least concerned about it actually. However, one relapse just did not go off after 1 hour and I knew I had to do something fast. A quick visit to the medic tent did not help. And soon, the further I went, the more intense the pain became, to the extent that I could not even bend my left leg anymore. It did not take long for it to swell up.
The race doc gave me painkillers. I also iced it. It did not help abit. Soon, I knew I had to change my plan a little. I decided to stop for half a day to receive some physiotherapy at a nearby clinic. The doctor performed an ultrasound on it and also applied electricity to stimulate the muscle. It didn't help either.
My support crew - Sanjeev Gathani - arrived on the fourth day when I decided to rest up for one more day and see if the knee gets better. It didn't get any better... In one last attempt to gain some mileage as well as give the Asian record my last go, I re-mounted the bike last Fri (21 Nov) evening, and pedaled with one leg for 4 hours, just to cover only 50km. I was going at an average of 12.5km/h only; worse, there was a little hill on the 2km loop where I needed to use both my legs and several times I could feel my knee ligament tug when I pedaled up. If I only had 100km or even 200km to go, I could manage with one leg. But I had more than 700km to go and to be realistic, as determined as I was, it was tall order for my over-pumped right leg. Since going on this way might mess up my right leg and worsen my left knee without changing my final world ranking, I stopped and quit the race.
Quitting is NEVER easy for a DECA-man! It was sad for me, since the whole year was planned around this DECA. But my knee is more important. There is always another race, another year. DNF-ing this DECA means that I would miss the opportunity to set a new Asian record, and so miss the bonus points to put me into first place in the world ranking (and win the 2008 Ultra TriathlonWorld Cup).The consolation is that, thanks to all the points I chalked up from the previous 4 races, I still manage to hang on to my 2 nd place world cup ranking for 2008. This is my greatest sporting achievement yet!
What Went Wrong?
I have enough time at the sport village to reflect on the year that had gone by. Some people questioned the wisdom to do all the races in the ultra triathlon world series this year, prior to the DECA. Of course it is hard on the body and mind. But it is both a challenge for my personal athletic achievement and to raise funds for NUS Alumni House. I know the risks involved in this pursuit - the possibility of injury and burning out. But I take whatever precautions I can to avoid them. I exercise judgment throughout the world cup races. Quitting the DECA is one example and a very, very tough decision.
So, what went wrong? Well, let's just say that there were a couple of things I should have done a bit differently in the race and my training. Rather, I would concentrate on what went right!
What went right was the intention to pursue my dreams as an ultra triathlete and as a person. Often times, we succumb to the temptation to shun what really matters to us as individuals. We put things off to the next year and so on, never to see traces of them in our mind and heart ever again. We change. When one puts things off to the future, the person who initially makes that very decision is also given time to change the way one looks at things, including what one considers to be important. As time passes, these changes may well pull one further and further away from what has been put off, and eventually misses totally the opportunity to do something really special and unique to one’s life.
Competing in this world cup series gives me a chance to make use of ultra triathlon to help my beloved alma mater. It allows me to experience the life of a scholar athlete, striving to be the best in my chosen fields. That pursuit is the RIGHT choice. No doubts about it!
Sacrifices
Many people ask me what kinds of sacrifices I have made to be who I am today? My usual answer is: nothing! Well, you see, whatever I do now as a person falls naturally into place without me having to drastically change the way I live. I seem to be able to find a place for everything I need to do on a daily basis.
However, I must admit that this DECA DNF forces me to face that question again, internally. I reflect on the road I have traveled so far to get to this DECA (my second; the first was in 2006), the money I spent, the time spent running loops in West Coast Park and the time/money of my support crew Sanjeev. Just today, I learnt that there are people who have made even greater sacrifices than I. A young couple sacrificed their vacation times for the past few years doing multiple-day races around the world (it can be boring for the support crew, believe me). One fellow participant even quit his job as a teacher so that he could compete in the DECA to realize his dreams (and give the world record a shot). Unfortunately, he injured his shin in the process and could run no more. Nonetheless, he was determined to finish the run section by walking the remaining marathons. This IS what I call sacrifice. And in comparison, what I have lost is nothing at all. This kind of sacrifice is what I truly respect - it represents commitment, passion, dedication and accountability to oneself.
A New Season Ahead?
As 2008 draws to a close, my ultra season is complete without being completed. Although this has been my most successful season yet - in terms of world ranking - I can't help but feel that something is missing. I am not a perfectionist. My expectations of myself are always grounded in logical practicality. I can't help but ask myself: will there be another world cup series run for me again?
Right now, the answer is "no". It is demanding on my work and at times, I feel like I am on the road all the time. I just want to rest up and enjoy a great Christmas and New Year holidays coming our way with the people who matter the most to me!
Will there be another DECA on my way? Of course!! This is unfinished business and I am going to do my best to avoid the little mistakes I spotted along the way en route to this DECA. Will it be next year? 2010? I don't know. Let my body speaks to me and tell me what to do.
So, my friends, till the next update. Ciao!
After my 'cold treatment' in Lake Anna State Park, Virginia, I rested for 8 days before beginning my last run of training for the grand finale - the Deca. However, 8 days proved to be too short for a proper recovery after this double ironman; afterall, my body was stressed in ways unfamiliar to me from previous ultra races. I took a few more days off and this appeared to be the right decision to take. By day 14, I was fully ready to go again!
3 weeks ago, I put in 2 weeks of massive build-up in preparation for the demand of the Deca (at least I tried to do so as best as I can!). Over these weeks, I averaged around 43 hours of training per week, mostly at Deca target race pace and with several nights of sleep deprivation training. To make things a bit more challenging, I did not fuel up as much as I would and should; however, my body was able to function reasonably well even so. These sessions allowed me to figure out the format of my strategy - pace on the swim, bike and run, the work-to-rest ratios, the lengths of the main and secondary breaks, the state of the mind during these rest periods etc. I tried to be as exact as I could in terms of pace calculations going into this 2-week training camp but when I came out from this camp, I managed to simplify everything to a set of general rules-of-thumb, which is always more practical in the thick of actions :-). That is when a science transforms into an art, I suppose!
Now, typing away on my laptop in the new Villa Deportiva Olympic - a newly completed athlete village just next to the bike/run circuit - I am still in the relaxed mode of a visitor. Soon, my fellow athletes will arrive one by one, and I will feel more like a triathlete with a mission...ha!
Did a short 20min spin on the bike this afternoon to check all gears and orientate myself to an old route that is now flanked by many new constructions, including a subway station. How things change in just two years!? A few of the rougher patches that I still remembered from two years back are still around. Other than these, holding my target cycling pace seems possible; I feel good about it. My confidence level is pretty high now. I will be doing my test run this evening after sunset, just to get a feel of the temperature and test out my target race pace. Things should be just as good, if not better.
Anyway, the beauty of an ultra triathlon is that this feeling will change along the way - either for the better or worse. This is life. Then, what is the beauty? Uncertainty itself is a beauty, I feel. The way we deal with uncertainty can either make it even more beautiful or otherwise :-)
Stay tuned. Thanks for reading!
Now is the right time to slow down a little, look back and reflect on at how far I have travelled down the road of the 2008 IUTA World Series. 9 Ironmans in 14 weeks. Loads of stories to tell. Many great times catching up with good old pals and making new buddies.
Training and recovery
I now have a much clearer picture of how much recovery and training I need in between key races. Although I set certain races as the key ones - e.g. Lensahn Triple and Hungary Double. Two others are low key season- or pace-testers, so to speak; They are the double World Championship in Levis, Quebec City and the double in Virginia. So far so good, I must say. :-) My gradual shift in focus to speed and power toward the end of the season (before the Deca) seems to have worked well for me. My inability to handle cold weather in Virginia has potentially sabotaged my chance to pull off a PB in the Virginia race but based on my pace during the swim, first part of the bike and the run, and the rate of recovery, I am happy with the overall outcome.
Soon, training will begin for the grand-daddy of all ultra triathlons - the Mexican Deca, conventional format.
Deca, once more!
The entire season has been devoted to this one and only race - the pinnacle of any ultra triathlete's achievement. I completed the 10-in-10 (10 Ironman in 10 days) in 2006, but without finishing the conventional Deca at least once, my list is never complete. By "conventional" I mean you need to finish the entire 38-km swim, followed by the entire 1800-km bike, before topping it off with the 422-km run.
I have worked out my target pace and achieving that requires a fair balance between rest and work, as well as an acute sense of self at the moment in the race (which will allow me to adjust myself according to how the days will unfold). Come Monday, I will put these target pace numbers into motion. I am actually very much looking forward to it. Nothing beats the excitement that I am gearing up, once again, for the greatest ultra triathlon of all times!
Asian Ultra Triathlete
This is a special year for Asian ultra triathletes. Commandoes Jack and Leon join the worldwide community of ultra triathlete by finishing their triple in Lensahn very strongly. They showed consistency in their preps and were very motivated throughout their races! I can see more and more Asian triathletes venturing into ultra triathlons in the years to come, especially those from Singapore. But completing an ultra takes alot more than many people would expect. The process is necessarily going to be very tough, and the races tougher; but with humility and a wicked sense of humor, anyone can enjoy their maiden ultra triathlon (and still alot left in them to want to return for more, I guarantee!!)
I have to admit that when I started out planning for this world series, I never took one thing too seriously - the stress constant travelling can place on one's body. An ultra - the training for and racing of it - is already tough. Travelling stress can throw even the best prepared athlete off track. Most of the races in the calendar are in Europe and they are an average of 13 hours of flying away. As if fighting jetlags is not tough enough, the cramped seats and general environment in an aircraft are not conducive to full recovery after a race. This is further compounded by the fact that I need to travel overseas quite oftenly this half of the year for conferences and invited talks on my research on climate change and sustainable development. Having a full time job also means that I need to cramp my work schedules during the days leading up to departure and, oftenly, jump right back to work after returning from an oversea race (with jetlag still in the system). In this sense, I would fairly say, Asian ultra triathletes are at a wee bit of disadvantage when doing the world series. But, hey, this world can be rather fair in many things - Asian triathletes are at an advantage in other ways in this sport! So, guys and gals, heads up! This is life and there is always a silver lining in everything. Go...find it and live it! :-D
Hi everyone. It has been a long time since I last updated my blog. It has been a crazy few weeks for me, with plenty of travelling to do. I was away in India, New Delhi, for a week of conference on sustainable development. In case you ever wonder what kind of work I do at NUS (no, I don’t teach PE, as the cleaner-lady once asked me when she saw me walk around in PE attire!), I teach courses related to sustainable building and environmental sciences of the built environment. One of my research areas is in developing a technology to help mitigate climate change. In many ways, I am still living my childhood dream – that with science (and policy), I can help save the world :-).
We all need dreams to keep us motivated and relevant in our lives. I think the main difference between a dream (I am referring to the kind that really, really means a lot to someone) and a fad is that the greater the barrier, the greater the urge to achieve a dream. When the going gets tough, more wood seems to be fed into the fire – the fire to break through all the odds that may be piled up against you. As a result, the flame simply burns brighter, in a way not even the cold nights and winds in Virginia can extinguish or even diminish…
Race 4. I am back in the USA! There are many things about America that I like. However, food is not really one of them :-) ; but still, I always manage to find some consolation in Americanized Chinese food. This trip to America was my longest stay after I returned from Boston over two and one half years ago. As America geared up for the Halloween and the much-anticipated Presidential election, I could once again feel the memory of Boston and MIT.
OK, back to business :-). The race director is Steve Kirby. I first met Steve and his wife Cindy when I participated in the US Navy SEAL Adventure Challenge. This was a 24-hour Navy SEAL hell-week treatment type of ‘adventure racing’, sanctioned and supported by the US Navy SEAL team. Although military activities were nothing new to us Singaporean NS boys, getting my butt kick by instructors who were ex-Navy SEAL and Green Beret was quite an experience to remember. I topped my age-group and came in 2nd overall in that event – something that would be impossible without the help from my evolution buddy and team-mates.
When I signed up for the double in Virginia, I have a rather clear idea what I am getting myself into. I still remembered the trickiness of the weather patterns of the East coast. For sure it is going to be a challenge; how much of a challenge it will be, I cannot know for sure. But, as an ultra-triathlete, you pretty much go in with your mind open and stay flexible to deal with ANY situation anything may throw at you. And you will finish a race, regardless, as long as it is within safety limits.
Starry, starry night; starry, starry eyes
The day started well. The beautiful Lake Anna was calm, at least until about half way through the swim. We all knew that everyone swims slower in Lake Anna’s double/triple Ironman; but no one seems to give me a good explanation. But now, I think I know why. The fog obscured sighting of the buoys and the low air temperature causes goggles to fog up as well. This caused me to swim off course quite a bit. I was 5th out of the water, in a slow time of 2:48-ish. This was around 30-35min behind the leader – the eventual winner and my room-mate Matej Markovic of Slovenia (NOT Slovakia, as Matej will keep emphasizing .. haha). I handled the bike course conservatively, knowing that although it was not as tough as the one in Bonyhad, the run was going to be a lot tougher. I needed to make sure I have enough steam left in the legs to pull off a good run split. Up to the 8-hour point on the bike, my average speed was on target – around 28km/h. Well, at least the sun was still up in the sky at that point. But soon, it was a totally different story…
I knew that when night fall upon Lake Anna Park, it was going to be PITCH DARK – as in you could see nothing at all, not even your own fingers in front of you. So, I was equipped with three headlamps, which did their jobs pretty well even though one of them decided to go and sleep instead. When the night fell, the temperature dropped pretty drastically. That was when I discovered something I never quite expected – the temperature in the air dropped so far below dew point temperature that even without rain, I was wet underneath my sweater and windbreaker. My warm clothing at the transition/support tentage was also wet due to this. Coupled with the low temperature, very soon, the tropical creature from Singapore began to encounter major problems. Although my level of hydration and nutrition were high (I kept eating and even needed to release some excess fluids along the way – which was a good sign of adequate hydration), I could feel that my blood was ''thickening into mucus''. Soon, the funnel of light that my headlamps threw on to the road began to blur and my head was literally spinning! I began to cycle like a snake. After many little stops along the way to re-group, I never seemed to be able to solve the problem. My average speed dropped dramatically at that point; but that was the least important thing in my mind, honestly speaking. For the first time ever, I started to doubt if I can even finish a double Ironman…
After about 312km on the bike, I had to stop. I basically collapsed in my support tentage but remained conscious throughout. It must have been a minor hypothermia. The race doctor came to examine me and I was kept for observation for the next 7 hours or so, within which I was all wrapped up in layers of blanket. My very capable support crew let me sip warm soup and water just to get the body temperature up. I think my state worry a few of my closer ultra-tri friends, who came by to see me. 7 hours later, the race doctor gave me the greenlight and gave me the option to continue or quit. Then, I found out from Michel – the race-director of the Double Ironman World Championship in Quebec, who also won the team event here with his girlfriend – that I only had 14-plus hours to complete the remaining 48km of biking and then the double marathon. There was a chance that I won’t make it, but, hey, you simply don’t go down without a fight. Certainly not me! ‘OK, go for it. Fail trying but not quitting!’
I re-mounted the bike like a dead man given a second life and started chasing the clock again. I did this before in Lensahn, Germany, when I set a new Asian Triple Ironman Record. This time, it was different of course; if I could not maintain that required pace for the run, I would not be able to make it for the cut-off time of 36 hours. The remaining of the bike was not smooth-sailing either. Even though I was pretty much recovered, after only 32km into the cold, wet air, I could feel the “starry-eyed” sensation returning. I also noticed that I was not letting out fluid as before and so I downed much more water and sport drinks than before. This worked well to keep me straight on the bike :-). About 2 hours later, the bike shoes were off and there was not a trace of doubt that I would continue with the run. The question was: can I run at least a 12:20 to make it across the line within the 36-hour limit. I did an agonizing 12:30-ish double marathon in Hungary last month. But that was caused by the "little pyramid" in my right quads. I must not let any past memory get into the way of present. Every race is a different race.
Since my heart rate monitor boycotted me right after the swim, I had no sense how fast/slow I was running and had to depend on random splits given by my support crew along the way. I did around 26-28 minutes per lap of 2 miles (or, 3.2km); and we had to cover 26 laps in total. I felt really comfortable at this cruising pace. I could go slightly faster but I would rather ensure that I could at least stay with this pace to the end of the run than suffered the infamous morale-busting positive time splitting later in the run.
Along the way, I met my room-mate Matej who was looking really fast and finishing his final laps. As it turned out later, he broke the course record by 1 minute by coming in 24h3min. Well done! This race was not smooth-sailing for Matej either; his baggage of gear did not arrive and he had to shop last minute for cycling shoes and borrow a pair of running shoes from Wayne Kurt. But, regardless, nothing can stop him from tearing the field, all thanks to his very even strength in all three sports. Matej is certainly a race favorite in the upcoming deca in Mexico! Watch out for Matej!
After he crossed the finish-line, Matej passed me his watch and from that point onward, it became easier to monitor my speed. To my relief, without stressing my legs too much, my pace was dead consistent. Besides, as the sun rose higher and blazed down on us, I ran faster and stronger (hey, Singaporeans are sun-creatures, aren't we?). I knew that finishing within the time limit would not be a problem at all. It was a rather conservative pace, for an eventual 12:13h double marathon over some rolling terrain. I crossed the line in 35h27min and became the last official finisher of the race (12th out of 16th). What a relief. It goes to show the value of NOT giving up easily. Being persistence, yet consistent, will win the day :-).
***************************************
Now, 3 days after the race, I could feel that my legs are in better state than I was after the race in Hungary. This is a good sign ahead of the deca next month. Although this had been my slowest race so far in my ultra tri career, it is easily one of my proudest as well. It is difficult to say how fast I could have done without that starry-eyed experience – maybe a low 28h, or a high 27h. Or, perhaps, I may have gone slower than 35:27h. The point is, it is difficult to predict the 'what if'. It is more important to learn more about my body and mind through this unusual experience - a knowledge that will help me a great deal in 6 weeks’ time in Mexico, and beyond.
There is something about ultra triathlons that not every Ironman triathlete, let alone O.D triathlete, can appreciate and understand - the fact that a triathlon is NOT an individual sport! As mentioned before, in an ultra tri, there are no aid stations prepared by the race organizers. You need to prepare the food and drinks you need and hand them over to a support crew who will assist you throughout the race. No one makes it alone in ultra tris! Support crew members are allowed to pace the triathletes on the run but usually not during the bicycle leg. These crew members are the unsung heroes of ultra triathlons!!
Globe-traversing athletes like yours truly cannot afford to pull along tri kakis as support crew for every single ultra race. Therefore, race organizers usually arrange for me to meet up with local youngsters or families before the race so that we can work out a crewing strategy together. Given that many of these races occur in countries that do not have English or Chinese as their first languages, communication is always a challenge. To facilitate communication, I always simplify my nutrition plan so that the chance of confusion is minimized. Most importantly, this is how I met some of the most amazing friends in my life as an ultra triathlete!
In Quebec, Jean Fortier and his family helped me through the cold nights and sunny day by showing alot of initiative in implementing my nutrition plan. Their words of encouragement kept me going; the look of assurance in their eyes gave me the psychological support to push through the tougher moments in the 28+ hours.
In Lensahn, Germany, the maestro Friedhelm Ehlers and his family helped me get my logistic plan ready so that I can focus solely on racing. Given that he is easily the most experienced crew in the lot, he is rather accurate in his anticipation of our needs throughout race week, even though we may not articulate them verbally. Ina supported me throughout the triple marathon. She is a very composed lady who doesn't seem to know what panic is about! She kept track of my pace and gave me time splits throughout the run to help me stay focused. Try doing so for almost 19 hours (not including the times she stayed awake in the night before), and you will understand why I would take my hats off to her!
I had a beautiful experience in Bonyhad, Hungary. My first impression of the Berg family was one of warmth and gratitude. My friend Tamas Zsolt - the 2007 Ultra Triathlon World Cup Champion and the race director of this inaugural event - introduced me to Agnes (mother), Szilvi (daughter) and Szbolcs (younger son) on the first day of my arrival. From then onward, I was invited to their home for meals and discussions everyday leading up to the race. The head of the household - a very kind-hearted and magnanimous Gyula Berg - led his family into this project to support the world-ranking leader throughout his second double Ironman of the 2008 world series. I can sense that the fact that I am the leader at that point did give them some pressure. The Berg family and Tamas (Szilvi's boyfriend) had no experience supporting a triathlete. It touched me very, very much when I found out that the whole family would meet together many times to run through my nutrition plan over and over again. I saw sincerity, friendship and generosity in their every action... Let me give you 3 examples to show how kind and thoughtful they have been to me. 1) After the race, my right quad was strained. It was almost 11pm then and they invited the massage therapist to come over to their house (where I was invited for dinner again) to give me a good treatment after dinner; they offered the therapist a yummy BBQ dinner. 2) After much rest, I was getting ready to attend the award ceremony in the town center. Gyula drove his car to my apartment and passed me my Saucony shoes and NUS track suit, which I left in his car during the race. I was astonished when he explained that I may need to wear these for my sponsors at teh ceremony! I was truly impressed with Gyula's thoughtfulness. 3) The morning I took a ride from Bonyhad to Budapest airport to catch a flight back to Singapore, the entire Berg family showed up in front of my apartment with a paper bag of home-made sandwiches, soup and fresh fruits from their garden. As we bade farewell, I could see tears rolling down Gyula's and Agnes' cheeks.... I choked on my words. My emotion took over and I was lost for words.....I could feel the connection that this race has helped build between the Berg family and I. I feel truly honored to be at the receiving end of such hospitality and devotion. To all of you, I would like to express my utmost heartfelt GRATITUDE! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
Singapore, can we measure up?
Ultra triathletes are an adventurous bunch. When Yves Beauchamp - the present Vice President of the IUTA and an avid ultra triathlete himself - approached me to organize a double ultra in Singapore, I was practically surrounded by fellow ultra triathletes wanting to find out more about this future race...hahaha. Hawaii Ultraman veteran Roland Patzina was most keen to sign up :-D. But after much reflection on what I have been bestowed upon in the few years in the ultra tri circuit, I wonder if we - as a community and country - can provide these inspiring individuals with the same depth of cultural experience and athletic camaraderie that has almost become synonymous with ultra triathlons around the world. Are our volunteers willing to look after their guest athletes the way I have been well taken care of in all my races so far?
I believe I can speak for many fellow triathletes that support crews add a crucial human touch to a sport that can be rather cold and unforgiving. It is this type of interaction that constantly reminds us of the beauty of our sport and how the mismatch of language can only be as much a barrier to quality communication as we are willing to be bothered by brief moments of inconvenience and misunderstanding. Oftenly, the true essence of a message needs no words at all...
I flash back to the year 1998, when I travelled from Lake Taupo to Auckland after my IM in NZ - my second IM after Kona'97. On the bus, I sat next to a fit-looking young lady with a piercing but confident glare in her eyes. Before boarding the bus, I saw her hugging and kissing an old lady goodbye - someone I presumed to be her homestay hostess. I wondered why anyone would choose to stay in someone's home during a serious race. Now I can fully understand why :-).
Oh, that lady was none other than the awesome Lisa Bentley of Canada - one of the best female ironman triathletes the sport has ever produced.
Singapore, can we measure up?
OK, this is what we had to do: after a 7.6km swim in a unique 33m-pool in Dombovar, we biked a distance of around 57km to Bonyhad (where the rest of biking and running were done). Total elevation is about 450m. The longest climb lasted 10km, with the steepest part equivalent to Mt Faber (church side, but more than twice as long...about 15min of sustained effort). Once in Bonyhad, we had MORE climbing to do! We had to do 121 loops round the town. Every loop has a slope about 300m long, gradient is exactly like the one in front of NUS central library. This actually was good for me as it is 'home ground' condition for me and I ever cycled 80 times of that slope during training. For the 2 weeks before this race, I did alot of hill climbing too - all within the compound of NUS, many of the routes are very technical; so, I actually enjoyed this bike course :). In fact, I overtook many cyclists on that slope.
Off the bike, I was in 7th position. I felt great. In fact, this was the first time in a double that I do not need to break for a nap yet manage to stay upright on the bike. The average velocity is not as fast as I expected. My timing was 14h45min or so. OK for this course, I guess. It took me around 8km to get into my running pace. I also ate half a bowl of rice and chicken while walking half of the first run lap. Soon, I found myself running with loose legs and bigger strides. I averaged a comfortable 9:30-10h double marathon pace at a heart rate of only 120bpm. I knew if I were to keep it that way, cracking top 5 is possible. But things changed after only 25-30km. What happened was a bit strange...
A lump suddenly developed in my right quad - vastus lateralis to be exact. The area there was extremely tight. I stopped to stretch a few times but the lump just did not go away. OK, picture this: when I flexed my right quad, I can see a little muscle pyramid portruding out of my flesh. From the outside, it is as if my bone has broken and pushing against the skin from the inside. Quite an interesting sight...never seen before....one of the wonders of the world I guess :-D. Fortunately, it was not painful. I thought my muscle must have torn but later doubted it because even though I have a very high tolerance for pain, I don't think I can feel no pain when my muscle tear. Since I have two more races to complete this season - the gruelling Double Iron in Virginia and the famous Deca in Mexico - I knew I had to slow down to preserve my leg. The last thing I want is to pick up an injury here and mess up the rest of my season. The result was a 12:35h 84.4km run - not impressive but enough for me to hold on to a respectable 12th. That run timing was a full 2 to 21/2 hours slower than what I could be running that day :-P. Anyway, I am very happy to be able to finish this challenging race.
Now, 6 days after the race and many hours of stretching and massage sessions later, the lump in my right quad is 95% gone. There is still no pain. I will wait for a few more days before resuming specialized training for the Virginia double.
The star of the race is definitely Andy Karall from Austria. He completed 2008 IM Langkawi in 10:01h and earned a slot for Kona this year. He has a IM PB of 9:15h in Austria. Like Marcel and I, Andy completed the Canada double and Lensahn triple. He turned up for this race treating it as an over-distance training for Kona IM. Man, Andy really tore the field apart with his cycling (the way he danced up the slopes make them look like flat terrain to us) and running! His run timing was 8h15min or so. Excellent. I am sure he can hit a PB in the lava field in October! :-)
With this fantastic win, Andy took over the world number 1 ranking from me with a total of 283 pts. Congrats Andy! You deserve it! I am currently 2nd with 270 pts, with Marcel in 3rd with 250 pts.
I knew Marcel - a 27 year-young big-framed German ultra-triathlete - from the deca world challenge in Mexico in 2006. He is one with an infectious laughter and nice personality. And he is one hell of a rider. Uber-biker, to be exact! He is one of the best cyclists in the ultra circuit now and consistently clocked one of the top cycling splits in ultra triathlons. His power-to-weight ratio is off the chart and the climbs in this course did not seem to slow him down by too much. And his vast experience in ultra-distance running endows him with the one-two punch that makes him a formidable force in the circuit. His track record of three 3rd places in 3 races is great stuff. He definitely has the stuff that defines multiple world champions such as Guy Rossi, Pascal Jolly and Emmanuel Conraux. Keep it up!
Talents in ultra triathlon
As ultra triathlon becomes more and more popular, we are beginning to see more and more talents entering the sport. This is good for the sport. This year alone, we see new faces clocking very fast times. However, none of the timings we produced so far is closed to setting any world record yet. Things may change this November. I know of a few people who are determined to give the Deca world record a challenge. In Ironman, we know that the 8-hour mark is the coveted goal for many a serious triathlete. Luc van Lierde's 7:50:27 is still eluding the most talented of our time. The equivalence of this is the 8-day mark in Deca triathlon. Fabrice Lucas set this in Monterrey, Mexico, in 1997. The great Emmanuel Conraux - someone I consider as my mentor - has been training with this in mind the whole year. I won't be surprised if my friend Beto Villa from Mexico - yet another uber-biker in the circuit - wants to give it a shot too. Just like Marcel, Beto is highly talented and I won't be surprised if he can do it. Let's not forget about dark horses! A glance at the projected startlist of deca this year reveals many new faces and any of them can very well spring a surprise by the end of November.
So, all I can say is: sit tight for a great spectacle of human endurance and remarkable willpower. This promises to be a very exciting year for ultra triathlon :-)!
Stepping out of one's comfort zone
Do you know what that means? Many people I know would interpret that as running faster reps on the track or/and clocking longer mileage on the bicycle. Is that really true? Not too long ago, I learnt one of the most important lessons for an endurance athlete while training a group of physically-challenged athletes for the 2007 Singapore Ironman 70.3. To cut the long story short, I learnt another way of pacing on the bicycle; all I need to do is to press a certain button on my speedometer and use the figure to guide my pace. It is so obvious yet so elusive - so elusive that for more than 10 years, I completely neglect its usefulness!
I apply this method with much success in my triple IMs in Germany in 2007 and 2008. And now, I literally swear by this method!
What a ride out of the comfort zone! It is out of my comfort zone because initially I have serious doubt about the effectiveness of this approach. Fortunately, I gave myself the opportunity to try something NEW. This method does not require me to whack harder or ride further. It requires me to look at pacing from another angle. This method has a very strong philosophical appeal to me as well - as it requires me to pay more attention to the "yin" of cycling, rather than focusing on the "yang", as a way of generating power.
Where were you when you run?
Next time you run, or ride or swim, ask yourself - where were you during the training session? Where do you WANT to be?
I wrote about how I would alternate between being a self-conscious triathlete and an integral element of the pursuit at hand. When I am self-awared, I want to be objective with the things that I do as an athlete. I play the role of a third person looking at myself running, riding and swimming. That frame of being is where I like to be, because it allows me to really evaluate myself from a third person perspective. From within this frame, I notice how I run and keep mental notes that can help me improve my performance in the future.
As such, every race is a lesson. And every trip brings home a load of notes for me to chew on in preparation for the next. Afterall, I am a science researcher; my approach is that of a curious kid yearning for knowledge and the coveted spark that may one day open the door to the next level in performance!
Training begins!
I started training last Thursday. Love it. At that time, my left leg was still a wee bit tight. But most of the snap in my legs had returned! Two weeks after the triple, I could feel that 95% of my strength (and 100% of my motivation) is restored!This is faster than I expected - good news ahead of my next race in Hungary.
Based on my timings in the last two races and mirror images of myself running (which I saw from the reflection in the windows of a motor store along the run route in Lensahn), I devised a series of training that SPECIFICALLY addresses my weaknesses. Besides, I came up with a new pacing strategy for the bike leg for the upcoming double Ironman and I practised that very successfully over a much shorter distance (only about 93km) last Sunday. I noticed a few things that top Olympic swimmers do underwater; I am now practising these technique and will be applying them in Hungary. I will soon know whether these training modifications are indeed effective.
In order to improve, you need to stay on your toes all the time. Be alert toward stagnancy in performance. Keep challenging yourselves and don't be afraid to change your routine. Only by doing so will you have the hope of erasing your weaknesses, or even turning them into your strengths!
Train hard, train safe and train smart!
Of course, this is no reason to pop the champaign. It is akin to one is wearing the yellow jersey after the first few flat stages of the Tour de France. The season ahead is long. Very long. Very, very long. Our version of the Alpe d'Huez is awaiting. The tough races are ahead. The Double IM in Hungary will be filled with top local long-distance triathletes, including a few who are clocking low 9h over the Ironman distance. The elements will show us absolutely NO mercy in October, during the upcoming Virginia, USA, double IM - a race with notoriously challenging conditions. The finale of the year will be the conventional deca IM (yeap, again, 10 times the ironman distance). Although it will once again be held in the Park of the Little Heroes in Mexico, it won't be a walk in the park for sure. Anything can happen. I tell myself to take it a step at a time; above all, feel the power and truth that ultra triathlon has introduced into my life.
I learn a couple more lessons from ultra tri racing. One, respect the distance. There is NO such thing as an easy double IM (or, triple IM etc). "7.6-360-84.4" is "7.6-360-84.4", and it is a tough combo, no matter where it is run.
Two, respect the fellow ultra triathletes, helpers and race organizers. Help one another. It is tough getting by the races; friendship and camaderie will make things manyfold bearable. Encourage one another. Thank the helpers, for they sacrifice their sleep and leisure to realize our dreams. Without the unwavering dedication of race organizers, some of the greatest episodes of human endurance and willpower would have found no stage.
Number 1 ranking or otherwise, it doesn't matter. It shouldn't. A race is a race, a foot step is a foot step, regardless of the color of jersey you wear. "Number 1" and the rainbow jersey are but a label; while it is a rightful reward, it is not meant to be a label one wears around the neck and be reminded of all the time. Truth and beauty are the things that one should be reminded of - even if they are derived from places and moments that few can ever imagine.
To me, THAT is the draw of ultra triathlons...
There is this thing about me that you have to know: I am a day-dreamer! I remembered Jack catch me daydream on a few occasions after the race and asked me amicably, "Harn Wei, how come you are always in deep thoughts?". Ha! Jack, I am a dreamer!
Perhaps this explains why I am a researcher/scientist. When I daydream, I enter a special world of my own in which I am at one with whatever is in my mind. Anything - my scientific subjects or, simply, swim-bike-run :-). I am momentarily lost. Such daydreaming has given me many an inspiration in my scientific research.
During an ultra triathlon, given the sheer length of the event, I usually find myself alternating between two states - one in which I am a self-awared triathlete and one in which I am 'lost' in the moment.
Being self-awared means that I am motivated by external reasons and I am constantly reminded that I am just a triathlete negotiating the course, trying to move from point A to point B in the shortest time possible. During the run leg, especially the final miles, I was motivated by the Asian record and used it as a target to push my pace. However, from my modest experience, this can drive a person crazy with pressure. The candle of enthusiasm will burn out very quickly. Therefore, most of the time, I would retreat myself into a second state - in which "nothing exists" anymore.
By "nothing exists", I mean that the timing, record, rivalry and even the race itself vanishes. They don't matter no more :-). What exists at the moment is just the consciousness of a connection between my being and Nature. In fact, that very connection is a reflection of me expressing Nature. This expression is that of a dynamic state, the state of motion and of beauty in motion. That was how I managed to become aware of the way I run, appreciating the pure beauty of motion - a personal romance with the laws of Nature!
In the swim, for example, as I bend my forearms to initiate a catch, I feel as though my arms becomes part of the wave. In fact, I always imagine my limbs as flagella of a cell (instead of sharks or other cool, fast-moving creatures in the marine world!!) manoeuvring with the water molecules. In Chinese, this state can be described as the state of forgetting oneself, or "忘我"! So, I seem to draw energy from within and 'flow' along. It is as if I am doing without conscious labor nor intention; a state of inaction, or, "无为".
Given the unbelievable view of the farmland and wind-farms along the bike course, it is easy to get into this stage of inner peace! It is a state so pure, exclusive and beautiful. It is a journey to my daydream land!
Then again, being engrossed in this frame of mind for too long and one will lose the competitive edge. Henceforth, the ability to alternate between both states at will is a way of achieving balance - in the state of mind and behavior. I personally find that this desirable balanced state can very oftenly produce results that even surprise myself. The reason is probably as I enter, and later exit, my daydream land, I am free from the traditional constraints. These constraints breed doubts and develop into physical barriers that may stop you on the spot. What I am experiencing at the moment is no longer a triathlon, but my co-existence with Nature, where normal limits do not exist anymore.
Now, about 1 week after the Lensahn triple, I am 80-85% recovered. At least, my muscles are not aching anymore and all the swelling from edema and over-strain is pretty much gone. All thanks to my protein-heavy diet after the race and the sport massage session last Friday (which smoothened out many a tight muscle fiber!). There is still a little knot in my left Archilles tendon and I need to keep stretching it gingerly to smoothen it out in a few days.
How do you actually train for so many ultra races packed so close to one another? Frankly speaking, I don't know for sure!! Ha! This is the first season I am doing this and so far, whatever I have been doing seems to work quite well for me. Treating each race as a training for the next and hence allowing me to recover FULLY after each race makes a lot of sense to me. Going down from a triple to a double - as will be the case end of this month - is not as difficult as the reverse. In the remaining weeks, my focus will be on building strength and power in all three disciplines, instead of logging long miles. Miles - I already have plenty of those in me. I need to be faster and pack more power even toward the end of the run. On the bike, specifically, I need to get used to my planned average speed, as well as doing high-intensity 'power' sets in the hills.
As far as the run goes, I know I have not run to my full potential yet. I believe I am capable of much faster run splits. In the first race in Quebec, my run was affected by my knee that was strained as a result of the misalignment of the left cycling cleat. I was pretty much running 'well enough' for the triple but I was observing myself every minute of the 126.6km run and noticed that I need to work on a particular phase of my leg cycle. It has to do with how I exert my power from the hip. I have some work to do to strengthen that part and I am sure once I get that right, my speed will go up considerably.
All in all, I already have a very clear idea what kinds of training to do for the swim, bike and run between now and the next race in Hungary :). I am looking forward to this next race very, very much, as it is once again a chance for me to test out my theories. My whole approach to this endeavour is very much that of a curious scientist, conducting experiments on the various training technique and legal nutritional strategies.
Reflections on Peer Pacing
Recently, we are beginning to see a little trend developing in ultra tri racing, which I personally don't really like. It is the use of peer-pacing. Last year, during the Double Ultra World Championship in Neulengbach, Austria, there were quite a few triathletes who brought their triathlon club members to pace them throughout the cycle and run leg. This invited much criticism and so this year, at the Lensahn triple, the race director specifically mentioned that while peer-pacing is allowed, triathletes are to use it only sparingly. Yet, along the route we still see one or two triathletes enlisting the help of friends and crew ALL through the cycling leg. Many more enlisted peer pacing on the run. I had no one to pace me on the bike and other than running with Jack and Leon - my two commando friends - for a few rounds, I was pretty much alone on the run. I do so because I feel that this is the right thing to do - facing the course, you and the elements yourself. This is what makes finishing an ultra tri even more fulfilling. I hope ultra triathletes can be more self-restrained in this respect and stick to the rules, instead of taking advantage of the kindness and goodwill of the race director and staff.
We just returned from the Triple Ultra triathlon in the north of Germany, in a beautiful, peaceful called Lensahn. Yes, 'we'; this time, I have the pleasure of having two friends from the SAF Commandoes travelling AND competing with me in their first ever ultra triathlon! It feels good not to be the only Asian triathlete out there competing!
We arrived 5 days ahead of the race to acclimatize to the local time and weather. The living conditions were very spartan :-). We slept on judo mat for the entire trip. In fact, many European competitors arrived in their own caravans. Others choose to arrive late to have better sleep before the race. For us, there isn't much choice. But we all took it with an attitude of adventure and fun!
We went through the usual ritual of recce of routes, packing of gear into separate bags (for the swim, cycle and run) and buying food for the race. In ultra triathlons, you need to prepare your own food and coordinate with your support crew on what, when and how to give you these items during the race.
The race was a triple Ironman, meaning 11.4km swim, 540km cycle and then 126.6km run (yes! Three marathons back-to-back). The swim went as planned and for the first time this yaer, I managed to swim past the 6km mark without feeling any noticeable strain in my shoulders. It was over in 3h39min.- 2 minutes slower than my time last year. Given that I trained only 40% of what I did last year, this result is definitely passable.
My game plan was to reach an average speed of 26km/h before nightfall (i.e. around 12 hours of cycling) and then allow for slowing down in the night to a 23.5km/h average. I surprised myself for being able to cut down the slowing down and achieved an average of 24.5km/h for the entire bike. I slept for 10min and spent another 17-odd minutes on toilet breaks. After the swim and bike, I used up 26 hours 22minutes - a personal best by 25 minutes! All I needed to do then was to run the three marathons in under 19 hours and 11 minutes and I would have equalled the long-standing Asian record held by Japanese triathlete Nakayama.
'Go for it, son!', the voice in my mind whispered. I walked for 400m and ate a plate of rice with miso soup and chicken, before starting to jog along. My experience over ultra distance and observation of how the fast runners run in an ultra triathlon taught me the correct style of doing so. I applied the style consistently throughout this run. I used up 5 hours 54 minutes for the first marathon and another 6 hours for the second one. The race for record began from that point onward! As night fell, so did my speed. Keeping awake became extremely difficult, especially since I only slept for 10 minutes in the last 38 hours! But the possibility that I would miss the Asian record after coming so far and training so hard just didn't sit well in me. I kept going, without even walking a single step. I just kept pushing my legs ahead of the other, on and on...
You know, in ultra triathlons, I learn something very valuable. There is no discount! Let me explain. In many occasions, when the going gets very very tough, we tend to ask whether there is an easier way of doing things and ending the pain/anguish. We even begin to justify why we should be kinder to ourselves and treat outselves a little less demanding. We cut ourselves some slack. At the end of the day, we only need to give ourselves an explanation and that is it. We give ourselves a 'discount'. There is the danger that perpetually giving ourselves 'discount' will short change our true potential to achieve things beyond our imagination. Look, those guys who will finish ahead of us did so one stride at a time. They don't discount themselves; so, why should I! What I have done to this point, just keep doing it - one stride at a time. Don't stop until I cross the finish line. Simple :).
At the 42nd hour, my support crew made a mistake in the lap counting. Instead of instructing me that I have to run another 15 rounds (of 1.32km each), they told me I have 10 more to go. So you can imagine how I felt when they finally said to me 'sorry, after this, you have 15 more to go'!! I was disappointed but collected. In an ultra, anything can happen. I taught myself to deal with these in a cool manner, without flaring up. I looked at the official clock. To beat the Asian record, I need to be able to run an average of 6.6km per hour for 3 hours. Usually, this will be chicken feet; but if you have been moving for the past 42 hours and that your current pace is no faster than a fast march, this pace is something to work on. I put the hammer down and told myself 'go for it! if I fail, let me fail trying!'. I quickened my shuffle and to my surprise, I was able to hit the target pace round after round. But it was getting tougher as time rolled on. Up the gentle slope, which had become Mount Everest after 90-odd times, I kept repeating to myself 'up, up, up, up...just go....up, up, up, up'. That is what happens when you run with your heart!
45 hours 13 minutes. I broke the tape with 20 minutes to spare to equal Nakayama's record. My knees were stiff and my right foot partially numb. But I had arrived! Wolfy, the race director, and my support crew - Ina and Friedhelm - gave me a gigantic hug and they shared my joy in the new Asian record.
According to the rules of the International Ultra Triathlon Association - the governing body for the sport - anyone who broke a continental record will be awarded bonus point. For a triple Ironman record, he/she will be given a bonus of 75 points. Adding this bonus to the points I earned from these two races - in Canada and now in Germany - my current world ranking (which is based on these points) would be number one!! Wow! Unbelievable!
However, nothing is confirmed yet and I can only keep my fingers crossed for now. Let's hope for the best.
There are many more things I value in this trip than this new Asian record. I will talk more about them later. Cheers!
As another important objective of my trip to Canada, I made a point to contact and meet up with NUS alumni members based in Montreal and Quebec City. It is my pleasure to be able to spend a full day with Mr Arthur Yap - distinguished member of the NUS Alumni Advisory Council and the Chairman of the NUS Oversea Chapter in Canada - and Mr Louis Archembault who graduated with a Masters from the School of Business Administration in 1992.
Louis grew up in Quebec City and he showed Arthur and I around the city center. He even invited me to his uncle's farm house in the Mountains of Notre Dame for a day to relax before the race. Arthur also met up with the director of the Double Ironman World Championship, Mr Jean-Guy.
It always feels great interacting with NUS alumni and alumnae who are working and living oversea. Having stayed and studied in Boston for almost 6 years, I can easily relate to the warmth when NUS alumni/aumnae come together to talk about the 'good old days'. Hopefully, I will be able to meet up with more NUS alumni in Germany, Hungary, East Coast of USA and even Mexico for the remaining of my trips.
:-)
What exactly happened to my left knee in Canada, you may be wondering?
Well, the cyclists and traithletes among us should know that we don't just wear running sneakers for cycling; we wear hard-souled shoes that have special attachment at the bottom - known as cleat - that engage into the bicycle pedal so as to maximize power transfer from the legs to the pedals. There is a angle between the tip of the shoe and that of the cleat and everyone would have a preferred angle based on one's anatomcial makeup and pedallling style. I recently changed into a new pair of cycling shoes and this angle on the new pair of shoes is slightly different from the old pairs. I chose the LOOK red pedals which allow for some freeplay. I tried out the new shoes during two critical training sessions before the race and my legs felt OK.
Not during the race! 60km into the bike and my left knee was complaining. After being sure that it will not go away, at 90km, I changed into my old pair (luckily I brought extra shoes with me). My knee felt better but the strain still lingered. I intentionally slowed down from 100km onward in order to preserve my legs for the run. The cold rain at night further reduced my overall speed on the bike. There wasn't much pressure on me actually, as I knew at that point that my first priority was to finish the race and earn valuable points toward the IUTA ranking. So, it was a relief that my run was relatively pain-free. I even managed to run the second marathon a bit faster than the first one, and completed the 84.4km in around 11:20 hours. This is an OK timing but for that tough day but that was the best I could give :)
It was a great season-opener for me. A carefully-executed race without too much exertion mentally, which is very important! The season ahead is very long, with the toughest race - the conventional Deca triathlon - awaits me in November. The key for the first 3 races is to finish them comfortably, stay injury-free and log in some great times where possible. Minimal pressure but maximum focus on safety and growing the passion.
:-)
I am recovering pretty fast, but I won't be starting training until next week. I am just taking things easy for now.
This has been an interesting race for me, especialy since it highlighted a few important technical oversights on my part. I will be rectifying these for future races :). For that matter, it is good that the season opening race is a double and not a triple ironman triathlon.
Someone - one of the support crew members of a fellow participants - asked me why I want to put my body and mind into such 'torture'. Haha. I get this question alot!
I think I can at least speak for a few ultra athletes on this. There is a very strong attractiveness in planning for and completing an ultra race. In many instances during such a race, you will find walls that seem too high to be overcome. For example, after spending tremendous amount of energy on the swim and bike for over 20 hours non-stop, an ultra triathlete would do a mental calculation and find that he/she still needs to put in another 20 hours or so to run three marathons back-to-back. So, what comes to mind if it were you?
What I noticed is that with every step taken, there seems to be a key that can unlock more energy from within ourselves. This energy must be supplemented by the external support we receive from our supporters and crew, as well as the food we consume. If you really believe that it is more important to finish that race than not, then almost miraculously you will be able to find the motivation to take the next step and again and again. Literally, by taking one step at a time, you will reach the finish line. Achieving that requires us to adopt our own mental strategy. One popular method is to, as best as possible, 'forget' that we have done the swim and bike! This is to encourage ourselves to focus on the moment and discourage self-pity that will hamper the release of that desirable energy.
I don't believe we are junkies for pain. We merely have given ourselves the opportunity to experience the meaning of 'possibility' when things seem to be impossible. In that process, we give ourselves the opportunity to experience the power of belief and the beauty of passion.
The heaven decided to release its full ammunition on 30-odd gutsy ultra triathletes from all over the world. You name it, we had them all - BIG swell in the usually calm St Lawrence River, strong wind on the bike (that blew into our faces in the direction of the 8% 20m slope we had to climb 92 times!), cold rain in the middle of the night (that was the biggest challenge for me) and hot sun (relatively the easiest for us S'poreans, especially since the relative humidity is very low :)).
My timing was not fantastic. 28 hours 50-odd minutes. Much slower than my personal best achieved in Lithuania in 2003. But given these conditions, that was the best I could give....and that is all that matters.
I strained my left knee abit on the bike, due to some misalignment of the cycling cleat. I never have bad knees from all the training and so I took care not to push too hard on the bike. Luckily, on the run, no pain.
I am resting now and still have much to catch up on the sleep. The knee and the rest of the muslces should be back to normal in 10 days or so. Meanwhile, in preparing for the next stop - Triple Ironman in Lensahn, Germany - I shall focus on recovering fully from this race.This will be the smart thing to do, as opposed to going out and training some more.
I shall sign off for now. Stay tuned. And never lose sight of the cause :)!
Bonjour! Greetings from Levis, Quebec City, Canada. This is the first stop of my 5-race ultra triathlon challenge of this season, for the NUS Alumni House student and alumni program. As you may know by now, these 5 races are all the sanctioned ultra triathlons for 2008; they make up the IUTA (International Ultra Triathlon Association) World Series 2008. I aim to complete all of them and become one of the very few in the world who manage to do so. In the history of ultra triathlon, fewer than 20 men and women had ever achieved that. These races are:
1) Double Ironman (7.6km swim, 360km cycle and 84.4km run) in Levis, Canada. 4-6 July
2) Triple Ironman (11.4km swim, 540km cycle and 126.6km run) in Lensahn, Germany. 25-27 July
3) Double Ironman in Hungary. 28-30 August
4) Double Ironman in Virginia, USA. 4-6 October
5) Deca (38km swim, 1800km cycle and 422km run) Ironman in Monterrey, Mexico 16-30 November
I arrived at Levis on Sat night, allowing myself 5 days of acclimatization before the race on the 4 July. This is my first trip to North America since my return to Singapore from MIT two years ago. It is good to be back. I did my grocery shopping last night in a mall and as I wound my way among the shelves, I realized how much my almost-6 years in Boston had ingrained in me. Everything was still so familiar – grabbing the basket and topping it up with the usual goods (e.g. bananas, muffins, lean chicken breast, frozen vegetables, dried fruit, pasta, 1% low fat milk etc.). Certain things just stay in you for a long time.. as if they have grown into you. It was a moment of reuniting with something so very familiar.
And, I should not be too unfamiliar with Levis either!
Double Ironman World Championship
In 2002, I chose this as the venue for my maiden ultra triathlon. I crashed on the bike leg and had to be sent to the hospital for 6 hours of treatment for cut wounds on my face. This year, I hope to sidestep the bad luck and finish this race. So far, the weather is windy, cold and it can get wet on race day. I am prepared for this but feel that I need to buy more clothing before the race.
This year, the race in Levis is designated the Double Ironman World Championship. This also coincides with the 400th anniversary of Quebec City.
I like the world championships, because I will be racing against the current best in the world in the sport over that particular distance. A race is ALWAYS an important lesson for me. I ask many questions about training and racing after the race and always return home with bag-full of ‘tricks’, eager to try them out for my next race.
Training and Injury-prevention for the IUTA World Series 2008
I need to learn new things about myself and triathlons to prepare well for this season. In my previous years, I focused only on one key race per season. This year’s agenda is a big leap forward for me. Since this will demand a lot from me – both physically, mentally and spiritually, having a total of 19 Ironman races to complete – I modified my training quite a bit. For one, I do everything I can not to over-train for any one of these 5 events. ‘Overtraining’ is signified by hitting a point in time when you tell yourself ‘I think I am not motivated to go out and train anymore. I am tired and I have enough…’ Every session are supposed to leave me hungry for more sessions in the future. Training therefore is now meant to light the fire inside my heart and mind, bit by bit. Given that the first 3 races – in Quebec City, Lensahn and Hungry – will be so close apart, overtraining for one will affect my performance in all 3 of them. In fact, I observed that past participants who were able to complete all these races in one calendar year actually got faster as the season proceeded. This is due to the “training effect” of the earlier races – that is, they used the earlier races to gear up for the later ones. This is a smart move and requires one to avoid training and racing injuries as much as possible. This requires me to stay focus and aim to finish strongly in each race; any records will be a bonus but not main priority.
So, ideally, after one race, I should be able to turn to myself and say ‘hey, that was a good one. OK, I am ready for the next race’. I need that A LOT, especially since my finale race is the conventional deca Iron World Challenge in Mexico. More on that in future updates.
To avoid injuries and complete a race, a triathlete must chalk up enough mileage before that race. How much is enough and how much is too much for an ultra triathlete? This is a popular question for me – either from news reporters or fellow triathletes. Well, after a few years of competing in ultra, you kind of know how much to do before a certain race. There are some key workouts you need to get in, and completing those will give you a good feedback of how well you can do in that target race.
I started gearing up for this season 6 months ago. During those months, I got in about 1600km of running, 4500km of cycling and 30km of swimming. Ha, the skimpy swim mileage is definitely nothing to boast about; but I ‘downplay’ my swim training to give more time to my cycling and running, and of course to my demanding work schedule. The semester from January to May 2008 had been hectic for me, as I was involved in teaching 4 courses. I also handle as many as 8 research projects – of various scales – and must find time and energy to be a ‘normal’ person with a family and friends! Not easy, I can tell you!
Fortunately, I can usually pick up my swim mileage pretty quickly without injuring myself. I also do what I would call a “V” or “inverted V” training method, in which at a strategic points in my training program, I would alternate a few weeks of high-mileage training weeks with a few of low-mileage (but high-intensity) weeks. I also do different types of weights-lifting exercises for the whole body – mixing hill training with gym sessions in a logical manner and sequence. I took the chance to carry my weights-lifting sessions into the last few weeks before the race. So far, tests show that my body is reacting very well to this method, and I am actually faster in all three disciplines. Well, we will see how that translate into actual race results in a few days’ time J.
THANK YOU SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS
The staff of the NUS Office of Alumni Relations – especially Beng Hwee, Adeline and Prof Teo – have been most supportive to my effort. They give me great encouragement along the way and it is definitely a morale booster knowing that there is a big group of friends rooting for you back home at NUS. Thank you to all of you!
Rosemary Chng from the Glenn Marine Group based in Singapore – a VERY enthusiastic NUS alumna herself – helped us to get her company into this partnership as well. So, other than the Singapore flag, you can see the NUS and Glenn Marine flags flying in Quebec City over the next weekend. Thank you Rose and Mr Francis!
I also would like to thank Gabriel (from Saucony)Adrian Mok (Hivelocity, for his Powerbars and Powergels), Jameson Koh (Jlite, for his Smith Optics), Tom (Titanflex, for his Titanflex), Will (ProMotion, for his service and ProMotion wetsuits) and the trustworthy guys at Team TriZEN (Sanjeev, JC, Don and Sharkie).
Last and definitely not least, my family back home who give me a lot of patience and support this season. Cayden and Janelle Lim (my nephew and niece), jiu-jiu will teach you how to swim after I return from this trip, OK? J
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES!
Cold, windy and wet one day, hot and humid another! This morning gave me the tropical creature a relief. The sun is out… finally. Heat and humidity are familiar elements to me. Anyway, a good ultra triathlete must be able to adapt to all kinds of condition. We will see how the weather will change again tomorrow.
I am now in Quebec City and getting a computer with internet connection is not as easy as I expected. But, hey, I am here. The past few days saw huge swings in temperature and humidity. ANyway, I am well prepared and I have everything I need for all kinds of weather.
This is the Double Ironman World Championship, in beautiful Quebec City, Canada. This is the first stop of my 5 races on the IUTA (Intl Ultra Triathlon Association) calendar and I am raring to go. Much training has gone into it, taking great care not to overtrain along the way.
I will explain more soon. Stay tuned and thanks for reading!
No one makes it alone.
This is especially true for an ultra triathlete who tries to use whatever he/she can find in his/her bag of resources on race day to cross the finish line. Every triathlete is assisted by a dedicated team of volunteer helpers, whom he/she may not have met before the race! These volunteers may not even be athletes themselves but they painstakingly take time to learn about the sport and learn to think like the ones they are going to support on race day. The fact that many of these races on the International Ultra Triathlon Association (IUTA) circuit are put together by community groups speak volumes about the power of passion and community cohesion.
"Community" is the theme of my triathlon pursuit this season. Besides having immersed in the "ultra culture" of the world ultra tri family, my 2-year involvement with TriZEN really makes me think about pursuing triathlon as part of a holistic community effort. Sport viewed as a community-empowering activity is never a new concept for me; afterall, I volunteered for many years as a sport instructor-cum-social worker for several organizations (including the Singapore Boys' Home). But I was never really involved in spearheading a social cause using triathlon as the platform for doing so. I have helped in several occasions Dr William Tan is his sensational efforts to raise funds using his bare hands. These are occasions that have planted the seed in my heart and mind about using what little light I can ignite to illuminate a worthy cause....a cause that celebrates the power of the community to benefit many, many more beyond itself.
Power comes from knowledge and motivation. And power can be imparted through inspirational education.
As an Assistant Professor at NUS, I value knowledge and imagination. The education that one receives from schools should never be seen as the end of and in itself. Education should enlighten one to the fact that true learning starts when the mind is opened. That also means not restricting oneself to any time frame within which learning happens. That is, true learning should be an ongoing process. There is much to be learnt...about oneself, about the world around us and about what we may be doing over and over again. Hence, when I found out that the Office of Alumni Relations is planning to establish a student and alumni program promoting lifelong learning, I decided to play a proactive role in it. This program will be supported by the donations to the Shaw Foundation Alumni House Donors' Wall.
This concept creates the much needed spark that aligns all the fragments of ideas I have been brewing all along. My appreciation for the source of power that makes all the ultra triathlons around the world possible in the first place seems to match exactly the main target for the lifelong learning program. This was when and how I come out with the idea of using the IUTA World Cup Series 2008 to create awareness for the Alumni House Donors' Wall.
What is the IUTA World Cup Series? More on that soon :-)
