Monday, December 6

Post SCMS recovery - Running goals 2011

Took 2 days of leave for the post SCMS recovery as per my normal practice. I must said that the recovery so far is rather good. Through my left ITB flared up rather early in the run, but I have not been limping so much as compared to last night. Oh received a rather late notification that there is a dinner with my extended family last night. At first, I declined as I was doing the very important "body maintenance" when he called, but after I woke up at almost 6pm, I changed my mind and went over to Bedok. But oh man it was rather challenging, the normal walk to the MRT station which normally takes me at most 10 mins is now taking me at least 20 mins, the same walk from Bedok to his flat also same same. So it took me almost 1hr 20 mins to reach. But I guess that the walk that I forced myself to do last evening was rather useful in my fast recovery and of coz down to the fact that this year round, my legs are more seasoned.

Back to the dinner, no no it was not with my elder sister, I do not think that I would have endured so much pain to be present. But the dinner was with my uncles and aunties, and my tang meis and biao meis who are now enjoying their school holidays. Being the midway point of my generation, there was already a huge age gap, i think is a decade, between me and my tang meis and biao meis, and it doesn't help when I sometimes dun get notification to go for family functions from my tang jies and tang ge. So I better showed up before they forget my existance.

The place was at the coffeeshop at my father's place, which i thought was a nice gesture, my father whom dun drive after his retirement; it was a company lorry that he was driving. And being driving/riding for many many years, he is actually quite a noob when it comes to bus and smrt services. The dinner went well i guess, nice chance for every one to catch up a bit.

Well the SCMS half marathon is my last race of the year. So it's time to reflect on the past year. All in all, I think it was still a great year in terms of running. It starts with a really bad and sour note with a DNF for my Passion Run 2010 when I missed the cut off timing to run the full race. Of coz I was doing the run with a big beer belly which I brought back from the 3 months stint in Germany. Then came the training runs which I totally changed my training method from what I was doing in the past 2, 3 years. And we can see vast improvement gradually from the Milk Run in July to the subsequent 3 x 10km races in Oct, which saw 10km personal best reduced to just over 1 hr. That was already pre-operation fitness level in 2006. Even the run yesterday morning which didn't went so well, it was almost 2007 level... For me to roll back the years, despite the additional weight that I am now carrying, was not something that I have expected in 2010 race calendar especially after the way I started it..

My 2011 running resolution was to finish the unfinished business that I have left yesterday morning. It would be a welcome bonus if I go under 1 hr for 10km. But I have set my mind on improving my half marathon timing. I would not be going for a full definitely. The 2nd full would come eventually one day, but I believe if I cannot run a couple half marathon with a decent timing and comfortably, i would not make the leap. Yesterday was close in a way, I was really cruising in the first half, I have hardly reach for the next gear of my engine except for the portion when I was running in the carpark of Resort World Singapore. But well the stage for 2011 is set, it would be the same as 2010, a few short races - 10km races or a bit more, with one or two half marathon.

Am really tempted to do my next half marathon at Sundown, but haha I dunno man, I should be in Taiwan by then. But then again, I could still be in Singapore. I have a gut feeling that something is brewing over my posting. Maybe I would just secure a slot and see how later. But Sundown has the elements I want, less heat and a rather flat course which should aids me in my goal.

Is going to be pay day soon, haha quite amazed to see a little bit of money left in my salary bank account, that is after deducting the short term savings amount. The sum is small and quite insignificant to some, but as compared to my spending in the past few months, or maybe years when I need to tap on funds from my emergency savings and bonus. I think this was a good start.

All this must attributed to the class that I attended almost a month ago. Maybe I am overdoing it but I am recording down almost every transactions and purchases that I am making. It made me to think twice in making certain purchases and provide a good avenue to analysis my spending habits. And I have cut my taxi rides to work to just two in 3 weeks, when it was almost everyday at its peak.

And I have identified my next target to cut for the month: I am spending quite a significant amount of my personal expenses on coloured drinks - be it in camp or outside camp. Hmmm ya I believe that it would be a welcome news to my weight also.

Haha I would need some determination on this... I always have the habit to drink the cold drinks since young. And I believe the habit got quite bad ever since my fridge is spoilt after switching it off 3 months in Germany. Been spending on Big Gulps quite often. So yeah it's time to cut the habit. And I am considering to use part of my bonus on a new, but smaller and cheap fridge so I can use it for chilled drinks. Haha I have been KIVing the fridge decision for quite a few months as I am awaiting the decision of my rental flat tenancy issue. Probably it's about time.

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