Training Log Archive: hkleaf

Warm up jog to Start

Colour-coded Event

5km Test - Splits

Squad 5km Test at Hammer Hill SG

Family dinner. Val came back from SF for a business trip while Mom & Dad spend their last day in HK before finally flying back to the US.

Health update:
Exhausted from being in meeting all day. Cough lingers, but back seems better.

Forced rest day. OT in office.

Health update:
Lingering cough and mucus.
Lower back sore (mostly on left side), but not painful.

Health update:
Still a bit of lingering cough and mucus. As for the lower back pain, the muscle seems much looser today, and no noticeable pain during the run. Just a little sore afterwards.

Mr. Birney Memorial Event, Tsing Yi
1:5000 (ISOM 2000), 5m (updated 2013) [map]
The annual season opener in Hong Kong - a 2-person team score-o event - with the Birney Shield going to the winning club. Top 5 team scores per club counts, women teams get a 1.25 multiplier in the scoring formula.

With our club's lack of able bodies, I teamed up with an outsider (a good trail runner) this year. This meant that I had to do all the navigation. Luckily, Dr. Man's team also ran with us for the most part, so there were an extra pair of eyes to look for controls.

The 1:5000 map made for a small competition area, so a lot of teams were able to sweep the course within the 60min time limit. My team did as well, finishing 3rd overall. Had a short-sighted planning in the beginning, thinking that we won't get all the controls. Therefore decided to skip 26 to save time. Most of the controls were in easy locations, so didn't have much trouble at all. Slightly overran 13. Stopped short at 4. Then had the most problem at 5. Either the earthbank wasn't mapped correctly, or the open area on the ridge as mapped was much larger. Anyhow, with my early planning mistake of skipping 26, 3rd place behind KK/Ricky and Siu Tung/Aby was the best I could do.

Control Order:
S> 23> 24> 25> 10> 11> 33> 34> 35> 2> 3> 12> 13> 36> 32> 31> 9> 27> 28> 14> 22> 18> 29> 30> 19> 7> 6> 17> 43> 4> 15> 5> 37> 38> 8> 26> 16> 20> 21> 39> 40> 41> 42> F

Back still stiff and painful, plus the lingering cough, so decided it was better to skip the squad xc run at Tai Lam. Got some much needed rest instead.

Flu is getting better, but still coughing up stuff. Worse yet, I somehow hurt my back while coughing!!! What a week this has been, ugh!

Finished with the prescription, but still not totally recovered yet. May have to go see the doctor again.
Just a spectator at tonight's squad training at Hammer Hill Sportsground.

Still sick, ugh!

Continue to be sick, but conditions improving with the meds.
2014 HK Elite Training Squad meeting @AYP Headquarters.

Legs are sore but not terrible today. But it seems though I caught a cold yesterday. The coughing got worse and with the added sore throat and sinus issue, finally gave in to go see the doctor. :(

Mizuno HK Half Marathon Championships 2014

Warm up before the race along bike path. Also testing the new toy - Garmin FR620

Mizuno HK Half Marathon Championships 2014
Tai Mei Tuk, Taipo, N.T.
13C, 38%, Sunny & Calm

Third year in a row running this race. The goal is the same - run under 85min to get that 40% off Mizuno coupon! Thanks to Aby lending me the elite runner jersey, I was able to start near the front to avoid much weaving through traffic out of the start.

With Tuesday's tempo run fresh in my mind, I tried to maintain a relax, steady effort. Mostly tugged behind a pack including the leading female (Yiu Kit Ching) on the way out, then picked up the effort a bit on the return. I felt strong on the climbs, but had trouble keeping up with the pack on the downhills. Nevertheless, it was the last 2 climbs that allowed me to finally move in front of the pack for the final stretch, a 4km out-n-back portion along the Plover Clove Reservoir dam. From there, I just tried to hang on and maintain a good pace. With 1k to go, Yiu caught up to me, which gave me extra incentives to push hard to the finish.

Quite happy with my time, which is a new PB by 2min+ on this course. :) What's more, is that it earned me 10th place in my new Masters age group - my first in 2014 and first as a "master." :P

Splits (w/ HRavg/max):
1k - 4:13.5 (155/165)
2k - 3:42.6 (168/171)
3k - 3:47.2 (171/175)
4k - 4:22.6 (176/179)
5k - 4:12.0 (177/180) [20:17.9]
6k - 3:44.9 (174/178)
7k - 3:20.5 (172/174)
8k - 3:49.4 (173/178)
9k - 4:34.4 (180/182)
10k - 4:13.3 (176/180) [19:42.5] [40:00.4]
11k - 3:47.0 (174/177)
12k - 3:45.9 (177/179)
13k - 3:17.5 (176/179)
14k - 3:42.0 (176/179)
15k - 3:51.8 (177/180) [18:24.2] [58:24.6]
16k - 3:53.4 (181/186)
17k - 3:40.8 (180/185)
18k - 3:50.4 (180/185)
19k - 3:50.4 (179/181)
20k - 3:47.5 (179/183) [19:02.5] [1:17:27.1]
21k - 3:32.5 (187/191)
21.1k - 32.5 (191/192)

Cool down along dam

Core exercises

15C, Sunny

New Year's Day long run with Siu Tung, Aby, and Ivan.
Mei Foo-->Kam Shan-->Shing Mun Reservoir-->Kam Shan-->Mei Foo

Moving rather slow with some muscle tiredness from yesterday's run.