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| Personal Best for 100KM road running |
Assalamualaikum and Salam 1 Malaysia,
This entry is not suitable for those newbie who just wanna
start running. I will create a special entry for those who are new in running
long distance soon. But, still you are
encourage to read this if you like to gain some knowledge.
First of all I would like to apologize to all fella readers
who have, and will read my blog. I’m not good in writing a story in a blog
especially about updating every single thing i did. I wrote this because I was
called to share experience and something I did in my running field.
As for this time, I would like to share my running
experience with those runners out there. You might be more season runners than
me or i might be senior than you or maybe I’m younger than you. But it doesn’t
matter as long as we shared the same hobbies. =)
This entry might be the longest entry I will post in my life
because I wanted to share a lot of things. So, please be patience with all the
story and experience + tips that im gonna share with you guys.
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| Some of the runners and Volunteers |
Recently, I’ve entered two main big events. That were TNF
THAILAND 100KM solo and Twilight Ultra Challenge Singapore organize by my
friend Ben Swee (running guild). Some people might ask me, how dare you run
100km? Have you train? Have you run a lot of marathons? Half marathon?
Endurance run? And so forth… For me, training is no 2, what is the most
important is your passion on running field. If you love to run, just give a
try, I love to try and if I tried, I will push myself to the limits.
FYI, I did my 1st ultra in 2011, which was the
Super Marathon 55km in Kedah. I ran this event after I’ve completed only 2
marathons. Some people said that I’m crazy. Yes!!! Crazy doing healthy
activities. LOL. I manage to survive that race even though it was really tough
for me. But, let’s just don’t talk about the past. It’s already happened.
Let’s talk about now. My previous success was the TUC
(Twilight ultra challenge). I did my PERSONAL BEST of 14:38:01 hours for 100KM.
I did my PB before this was 15:33hours at SUNDOWN ULTRA 2013. So I shaved about
55mins from my previous record. What a great achievement for me actually but
the most unbelievable thing for people to believe me was, the Training!!!. I
get my PB in TUC without lots of training and other word, less or maybe some
people say, that is no training at all. =D. I don’t know why after I entered
the ULTRA field, I can say honestly, I rarely train like before when I were
about to attempt the Full Marathon event. Is Ultra easier than Marathon????
It’s depending on people actually. For me, both are challenging and both got
its’ own challenges.
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| My suunto watch records these. =) |
How do I train to run an ULTRAMARATHON?
Basically, I have to tell the really and exact method first,
then I will tell how I myself train for my own ultra. Based on the book and
website, they will tell you that you have to at least run 2-5 marathon before
you can run an ultra. It is because; they want you to be ready for your first
ultra marathon. Taking a good nutrition, rest well, do a proper training and so
forth.
For me, that is just based on THEIR research and THEIR own
body. OURS and THEIRS are different. So, please guys do be too rigid about that
particular part. Some people may say, it is true, and I didn’t say it is not.
=). Training is virtue. But the number of training or the distance of training
is not as important as it supposed to be.
Before I continue mumbling here and there, I would like to
share my training schedule before I ran an ultra.
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| my training records |
There you go. I’m not showing off or trying to talk big. But
I just want you guys who read this, know about the importance of training and
mileage. As for me who have already completed 15 marathon and 8 ultramarathon,
training is still important. But I don’t have plenty time to spare to run
because of several reason which really didn’t allow me to run frequently.
So, my advice to those runners out there who doesn’t have
plenty time to train like me. Maybe you can try my method.
1: Set in mind that you are going to run an ULTRA next
month. (Prepare a least 4weeks.)
2: Rest well and weighing yourself so that you will know
that you are not too heavy before the race. If you think u have a heavy body
mass, then start to control your diet with proper meal. Eat whatever you want
and control it. Avoid Ice from that moment as possible.
3: Start to run when you are free. At least 3-6km. Then,
find a day to do your Long Slow Distance (LSD).. more than 15km is considered
LSD for me.. HEHE!!! =D. If possible, do a daily run of 10km. rest whenever you
want. Don’t pressure yourself. Pace and run with your soul. In between your
training. Find a hilly road, speed up when running hill route. Push your heart
rate to the limit. (Use a heart rate watch to observe ur heart performance.)
Pushing to the limit is a key of my training. At least 2weeks I will force it
until I cannot handle it anymore.
**NOTE!!!! A proper training for ultra is, you have to cover
at least 50-120km weekly. You can google it if you like.
4: Training to walk fast by swinging your arm fast. I can
hit a 7.45mins pace while walking. So, you use it when you are tired in an
ultra run later on.
That’s all. Just go with the flow and wait for your day to
come. Rest 3 days before your event day.
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| tired... |
DURING the Event day.
Before the race.
Come earlier to the race place. Have a good Carboloading
before the race. Eat carbohydrate like rice and avoid spicy food a day before
the race. Prepare yourself with you own food, (solid food) to be carry with
while you run your race. **I will buy
sneakers, M&M, skittles sour flavor and some Asamboi. Drink plenty of plain
water and some sweet drink, (sugar based drink). As for me, I will drink 100
plus, or coke before the race. I will also buy cans of Nescafe latte or
original and coke for me to put it on the special need luggage place at certain
check point.
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| Assam.. =) |
Question people will ask. Why do you bring those food and
drink? Where is your gel? Energy bar? Salt stick? Nah… you guys have been
fooled by those company who just wanna sell their product. Based on what I’ve
my studied in Sport Science and Coaching certified by USSA, United State Sport
Academy. Those gels sold in the market were just a product. Not as good as you
thought. So please guys, don’t waste your money. Find something that much more
natural like chocolate rather than gels. i will talk a bit only about that because I will
write a special entry regarding that next time. Just be informed that gels isn't
help much. That’s all. =)
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| Yeahh!!!! |
BOOM!! Preett!!! Priittt.. Flag off time. Now you are in
your own to run that race. Strategies, techniques, and tactic that you have
will be practically use now.
I want to share my strategies and plans to finish my ultra
with you guys..
1: First, what I did is I run with my own pace. I will set
in mind that I want to finish my marathon distance first event though I knew
that I am running an ultra.
Reason why?
As I’ve told you before, I got less training for the run, so
I choose not to be too ambitious by dreaming to finish it, but I have the
desire to finish it. So for me, my previous LSD was 17.8km. I will try to hit
my LSD first, without any problems.
Touched the 20km mark. I will check my engine and leg. Is it
in a normal condition or having problem? If okay, than I will continue with
that pace to complete my FM distance. Bare in mind, I got a mental game here
where I choose to do my FM below 5hours or maybe below 6 hours. But please not
more than 6hours. I know, some people said, running ultra is different. Yes,
they are right. But, that is my strategy. So, that is what I do. WHY??? As for
me, I will spare at least minimum of 10 hours for my second half (50km).
So I will continue and push until I reached 42km mark. Look
at your watch. Doing great with sub 6hours? If yes, then you are great. Sub 6
hours means that you are running with 8mins pace. It is consider slow actually,
but okay because you got another 58km to go. As I told you, complete your FM
sub 6 or sub 5 if possible. (Advantage if you get sub 5). You will have 8km to
go before you reach half of the road. Push again by aiming to complete your 8km
within 1hours. Than you will find out that you have covered 50km already within
7hours or less.
Now, you can have a break at 50km mark. Do take your solid
food here. As for me, I will drink my nescafe and coke a bit and some fruits
provided by the organizer and M&M that I brought it before.
**please make sure you
take your isotonic drink n plain water at every water station in order to
balance your body temperature and body electrostatic. Or else you will end up
cramp!! Stop a while or walk if you feel like you going to have cramp.
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| Rest a bit before continuing the second half |
2nd 50KM
Don’t take rest more than 30minutes as you will loss lots of
valuable time.. To start again is a bit difficult, so walk first. Then slowly
jog back. For this time I will change my game to 10km only.. I will push mu
self to get my 10km in less than 1hours 35 minutes. =). I will slow jog and
struggle this time. If you manage to get that timing, that you are great. You
have a spare of 5 hours plus (if your cut of for 100km is 16hours, but usually,
100km will provide 18hrs or more, so you will have plenty time)for the next
40KM. At this moment your leg will keep telling you to stop and walk. Don’t
give up as you still have lots of time to finish your race. Pursue your legs
and fool your brain by keep telling that we are going to do another FM with
leisure pace. From now, start to play your mind by counting down or counting up
the mileage. As for me, I will count up because I love small number. =D. Less
pressure. LOL
40KM!!!! are you crazy? Hahaha.. At this part, please find
something inspirational or something that can be your benchmark. For me, I will
tell myself, if Uncle Oliver can finish his FM just by walking all the way,
then why don’t we do it too? I admired uncle oliver very much because he is
totally awesome senior runner out there which I respect very much. Hat off to
Uncle Oliver. (Search in FB if you want to know him closer)
From this moment, I will do a Run-walk-run technique. Brisk
walk is the best method to use. For the first 10km, I will try my best again to
do it in 1:30hours as fast as possible. Less walking and more running.
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| My running buddy@ sifu (YIM HENG FATT) |
Pass the 70KM markers. Now your mental will tell you
everything and everything that happens around you will plays it roles too. From
now, I will start my counting method. I will find something to be a marker for
me to run to. It can be anything like bins, gazebo, lights and many more. Try
to run at least between 5.55-6.30mins pace in between that marker. After a
while when you reach that marker, you will have to walk. So, you can cover
minutes of walking before you start back to run.
Do that until 90KM marks. Every KM you run, please make sure
you don’t take more than 1:45hours or else you will not success. By run walk
pace, you can do that. I usually will self-talk to myself that I can finish
this event even anything happen. =D. I will eat my Asam and skittles during the
walking part and I will enjoy that moment. =). Please don’t forget to drink
your water. Hydrate yourself sufficiently.
Finally, it is your last 10km. Look back at your watch, you
will spare 2 hours at least for the last 10km. Believe me, if you walk all the
way also you can finish it., So why don’t you push a bit to get a better result
soon.
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| Lastly.. pose whatever you want at the finishing line.. LOL!! |
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| Finisher items.. =D |
Please be noted that if you going to do a run walk strategy,
please don’t run over than 500m in the last 20KM because your leg won’t recover
between minutes of walking. So, take it easy. 100m or 300m is just nice for you
to run.. walk for 100m.. then do it again and again. =) So called as Fartlek
modified edition. LOL!!!
You can also try the 1k run and 1k walk method, but this
method requires you to walk at the 7:45 mins pace which for me, it is not
suitable for those who have short leg. =). But it still can be you if you have
a GPS watch. =P
Enough for now I think, it is too much already. So, I will
be posting about the nutrition later on. I will share Why I choose to drink
Nescafe rather than coke or other isotonic drink and why I eat M&M,
sneakers, skittles and Asam. =). Wait for that entry ya!!!!
See you guys again, Happy running. Enjoy your race soon.
Bye!!!! Feel free to leave a comments. I will accept any comments. =)
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