Training Log Archive: hkleaf

Event: HKOC Champ
 

warm up for Squad training

Hill intervals

cool down jog back to Hammer Hill

Event: Color-coded #3
 

Yuen Long XC Run, aka "盆菜跑"

Squad X-Country run @A Kai Shan, Yuen Long.
Still not feeling all that well, but didn't want to lay around at home again. So took it relatively easy on the course. Energy level just wasn't there, plus I noticed my hands are shaking a lot. Wonder if that's side effects from the medicine?
Did the course forward and backward once each, then called it quit.

No work today... zonked out at home due to drowsiness from the drugs.

Still sick. Had to miss tonight's squad 5km test and visited the Doctor for more medicine instead. :(
Hopefully, body will respond to the drugs better this time...

Another rest day, though not all that restful as I had lots to do in the office. Not much appetite, and no energy whatsoever to do much either.

Forced rest day. Sick in bed all day and slept like 20hrs.

Ugh! Sick with fever, runny nose, cough, .... you name it. :(

Pick-up game with old classmates at DBS.

Pick-up game with old classmates at DBS.

Walk/jog in the neighbourhood. 1st to get a haircut, then over to the blood centre in a failed attempt to donate blood before heading home for dinner.

Core

Walking around the neighbourhood of Kowloon City after work.

Arms and core.

Scheduled rest day recovering from the Marathon. So skipped squad training and went to support the HK 40th Arts Festival - watch June Lovers, a musical play created/composed by my cousin! And what do you know, one of the lead men cast in the show was a DBS old boy!

Continue active resting by walking lots. Happy to note that all muscle soreness have disappeared.

Abs

After 2 days' rest, it's time to move around a bit. A brisk walk to lunch in Jordan was a good start.

Out for a little jaunt along the Sai Kung Town waterfront before the company's Annual Spring Dinner. Legs are feeling surprisingly normal.

Continue resting the legs.

Some core exercises.

Scheduled rest day. Legs are sore, but better than expected.

Event: Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon
 

Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon
96th overall, 84th male, 44th in my category.

C • How did you do? 3

After the race.
I had to visit the first aid tent due to some dizziness and numbness in the face and extremities after finishing. The doctor said I probably just had a hyperventilation as I pushed too hard in the final stretches to the finish. Both my legs cramped up pretty badly and I couldn't move my fingers very well. But after taking in some electrolytes, chocolates, and rest, I was released.

A bit of a warm up jog from the bag-drop to the pre-start area. Light drizzle.

Staying loose before the start. Actually didn't have much room to move around.

Woke up at 4am to have a substantial breakfast, then took MTR to the start. It's such a nice service by the public transit company to provide extra-early train services for the event, and such a weird scene on the train when it's jammed pack with runners!

The goal coming in was to run a steady 4:15/km pace for a sub-3 finish. As the course is almost entirely run on highways, I never had the chance to test it out beforehand. Looking at it on paper, it appears most of the climbs happen in the first half with 3 bridge crossings (Stone-cutter's Island, Tsing Ma, and Ting Kau), then gradually descends to the Western Cross-Harbour Tunnel. The climb out of the tunnel at ~35km has the potential to screw up my race plan.

We waited in light rain for the start, but luckily it stopped in time for the race. I positioned myself in a good spot near the front, so didn't have to do a lot of stuttering or zig-zagging in the beginning. I tried to hold back my pace but still went out faster than planned @4:00/km. As the roads are wide, it's easy to find room and run my own pace.

Things were rolling along quite well through the first big climb (Stonecutter's Island Bridge), then I had to make a pit-stop! Drank too much before the race! This took ~45sec. After that I picked up my pace trying to catch up on lost time.

Saw the leading group of Elites coming down Tsing Ma Bridge just as I enter the climb. From this point onwards, it seems I was running against the wind a lot, plus having to deal with the sun beaming down without any shades. Crossed the half-way mark at 1:29:12, slightly ahead of intended pace, but everything was feeling okay.

The section after Tsing Yi (Kwai Chung to Olympic) was quite boring. There's not much scenery to enjoy and besides the aid stations virtually no spectators to speak of. As my legs started to show signs of tiredness ~30km mark, I had to work harder to keep pace.

After 2hr+ I made it to the Western Harbour Tunnel. I've heard stories from friends about their races getting derailed here, and I can see why. It's more than 2km long, air circulation isn't very good, and a climb that feels steeper at this late stage of the race. I just ran a steady pace and came out just fine.

It was the following section that caused trouble for me. I was happy to have survived the gruesome tunnel and still on pace for my goal finish when the L-hamstring had a sudden cramp right at the 37km marker! I limped along for a minute before it loosen up, but couldn't keep up with my target pace anymore. A check of my watch and little calculation tells me that I need to keep a 4:30/km pace to break 3hr.

Originally I had thought this final stretch of the race would be relatively flat and easy, but it feels more rolling (with short bridges and underpasses) than expected. Plus, that darn headwind is blowing once again! I pushed hard, taking frequent glances at my watch. Thankfully, some enthusiastic locals came out to cheer us on in Wanchai and Causeway Bay near the finish, so that boosted my spirits.

After one last turn into Victoria Park, I could see the big official clock hanging above the finish line. It read 2:59:1x .... I breathed a sigh of relief. :)


Route
Splits: (from timing chip)
2:59:42 (clock) 2:59:35 (chip) 0:42:54 (10km) 1:29:12 (half) 2:06:40 (30km)

Splits: (per km)
1. 4:03.17
2. 3:57.60
3. 4:36.25
4. 4:17.72
5. 4:10.73
6. 4:08.60
7. 4:28.20
8. 4:21.90
9. 4:07.82
10. 4:36.88
11. 4:03.52
12. 4:09.63
13. 4:13.85
14. 4:13.30
15. 4:01.67
16. 4:14.38
17. 4:07.85
18. 4:14.92
19. 4:06.60
20. 4:08.23
21. 4:21.83
22. 4:12.74
23. 4:11.23
24. 4:11.07
25. 4:00.93
26. 4:16.17
27. 4:05.35
28. 4:19.97
29. 4:11.96
30. 4:21.22
31. 4:15.15
32. 4:11.15
33. 4:07.88
34. 4:11.90
35. 4:14.37
36. 4:36.70
37. 4:37.17
38. 4:38.98
39. 4:25.08
40. 4:07.20
41. 4:25.52

A short easy jog outside just to loosen up the legs.

Scheduled rest day.

Squad Physical Training @Po Kong Village Road Park
Instead of the usual laps around the football pitch, coach took us over to Fung Lai Road for some hill intervals.
As I arrived late due to work, I didn't actually do any intervals tonight. But it's okay as I had to rest my legs for Sunday's marathon anyway.

8:41 - Hammer Hill up to Po Kong Village Road Park
14:13 - Around the park to the gathering point for the intervals, then jogged back to Hammer Hill.

After getting back to Hammer Hill S.G., finally had the chance to do my final tune up for the marathon. I ran 2km @race pace in order to dial-in on my pacing.

Splits:
1:37.26
1:44.08
1:42.23
1:42.57
1:43.00

Feeling fairly good about the effort. Now all the hard work is done. I just have to rest and eat well the next couple of days, and hope for the best on Sunday.

小圈子 Training at Hammer Hill.
Easy run up Jat's Incline, just to get the legs moving a bit after a few days of inactivity.

10:47 - Turn @Jat's Incline
17:47 - @Gazebo

Downhill portion, really easy jog until we reached Shatin Pass Estate. Then gradually picked up the pace. Chatted with Pacino and Alan along the way.

2-lap cool down around the track.