I remember a time when running 5km was a drag, a slow motion of heavy legs complaining of fatigue even before the halfway mark. I remember a time when completing 11km was considered a milestone. I remember that just attempting to achieve that distance meant getting an extra good rest the night before and rising early on a weekend morning just so I can huff and puff my way up ... Read More »
About 6 months ago, I didn’t even have a pair of proper running shoes. Now, I have the Asics Kayano 16 in every colour edition that’s ever been produced. How did we get to this?!! Oh I remember. I first went out to buy a pair, wore it down during the 84km ultra marathon, bought two new pairs (one for training, another larger one for the actual race), then got ... Read More »
In an ideal world, each day would start with a 10k run with a bunch of awesome people colour coordinated in red and white, which would then be followed up with a fantabulous brunch at P.S. Cafe complete with shoestring fries, then finished with a reunion with a childhood friend who’s in town all the way from Korea. But since we do not live in an ideal world, I’d be ... Read More »
Alriiiight! Here’s some exciting news that deserves a good shout out: Loof (that awesome rooftop bar just across from Raffles Hotel), World Vision and I are teaming up to bring you a night of merry drinking all in the name of a great cause. In line with my mission to raise S$60,000 (US$40,000) for VisionFund, World Vision’s microfinance subsidiary that provides micro loans and education to help needy families escape the poverty cycle, we’re hosting ... Read More »
Just 9 weeks until the race! It’s all getting very real. Gear is rapidly coming together with the help of some hard core time management and amazing sponsors. The biggest challenge is weight efficiency, as most backpacks for the race will come up to 9 or 10 kg. Add on the water they give you and you’re pushing 12kg on sand dunes. All that is to say, I’ve become unhealthily obsessed with how ... Read More »
Got a little feature in Business Times today: see last paragraph and photo. For the record, some of the reported information is wrong. It’s a 7-day race, not 10 days :) Also, the sponsored amount from Pan Pacific Hotel Groups is different from reported. Pan Pacific is the title sponsor and they’re doing a tremendous job, but there are other sponsors making this possible too – Canon, Singapura Finance, GNC, ... Read More »
It’s amazing how quickly the body adapts. Less than 6 months ago, I couldn’t even imagine running the 11km loop around the reservoir; the 4-5 km weekend runs were already a bit of a stretch even though the only thing I was holding was a mini water bottle. Yesterday was half slushy/ half raining. One foot got completely dunked into a deep pool of muddy water early in the run ... Read More »
I watched this movie back in 2007, and remember being blown away by the script. Based on the true story of a gymnast who recovered from an automobile accident to take the world championship, this film is filled with nuggets of wisdom, often whispered in the quietest of scenes. Very inspiring and much to keep in mind during limit-testing moments like ultra marathons and desert races. Watch this superbly edited ... Read More »
Good golly. Been browsing through the list of Sahara 2010 competitors and … is the list of competitors always this illustrious and crazy, or is it just me who has lost all bearings on what constitutes reality??! Amongst them: a 75 year-old who has run the 3-day, 215 km (135 miles) aptly named Death Valley Badwater Ultra Marathon 12 times, the founder and CEO of RacingThePlanet who basically started these 4Desert races, ... Read More »
Yaaaaaaaaayyyyy! A huge thank you to GNC for agreeing to be the Official Health Supplement Sponsor of my Sahara trip! I remember growing up with a lot of GNC bottles around the house, thanks to my super health-conscious mother who stuffed us kids with their vitamin products (A for healthy eyes, C for strong immune system, and E for good skin!! I still remember hahaha). I take their stuff these ... Read More »
J.J. Pedersen let’s go see the world