Diary of Tropical Runner

Sunday morning long easy run . Fairly quiet as most runners were at Singapore Marathon but as I'm still coming off the back of the New York Marathon then I'm not up for anything too strenuous.

Ian turned up with a monster hangover which can be good or bad........it was good as he wasn't feeling frisky.

Route was out along Old Upper Thomson Rd until the sun came up and then we looped back into Macritchie via Upper Pierce Reservoir.

Felt fine in the end and followed it up in the afternoon with an easy 40km on the bike.

Holiday Monday (Hari Raya) and bucketing down with fairly hefty storm.Had to forsake a long bike ride as the weather was too rough and elected to do a "half marathon" on our traditional route up to the toilets at Mandai Rd and back.Fairly fine run which was only spoiled by letting my daughter pick my ipod songs and getting landed with Avril Lavigne.Try running for an hour and a half listening to that !

Weather never improved at all so didn't get a bike ride in at any time.Shame as I really fancied a couple of hours on the roads today. 

Easy run at lunchtime around the work area.For once no wild dogs chased me so I didn't have to detour.

Track night which was a "combo" session.Very tough but as distances got shorter for each rep it was an OK workout.Final 400 and 200 meter reps have certainly found a new muscle group today (Wed) and I feel a touch sore.

Well last nights fast track session really hurt . Legs were (are) as stiff as a board . Lunchtime run was an easy canter about the neighbourhood but it was a bit hot today (95F) so my head got a slightly burned.Mind you my incredibly bad haircut doesn't help much as it makes my forehead the size of Southport Beach.

Back in time for Pat's birthday pizza which I can burn off on tonights run.Curry Pizza.....what on earth is that about ?

Evening run was rather good.Wasn't much up for it and first 5k was a bit ponderous but I'd changed my music and the legs began to loosen off . Temperature was down a bit (probably about 82F) and a nice breeze so I picked things up. Ran a long MacRitchie Loop including both boarwalks and home again which can't be a kick in the arse off 10 miles .

Tomorrow.......tempo run........aaaarrggghhh.

If anything my legs were stiffer this morning than yesterday.Clearly the last few reps on Tuesday were new frontiers for me.

Got the lunch run in OK with the bold Colin.He'd been on the sauce in Jakarta over previous few days so wasn't feeling too ambitious.Also wearing an all black kit in this heat isn't going to help much.However we had a nice easy 7k run and got away from the desk for a while.

Afternoon being a nice guy I let the squad off early to get ready for our Christmas Party . This meant I got the chance to do the tempo run early and handily James was OK about this (the credit crunch leaves him free to run when he wants so every cloud .....).

Had a short warm up and then did two hard laps of the Graveyard.Time was 1 minute 30 faster than previous over the 6k circuit so the fitness levels are rising.We were talking about beginning to push the effort out maybe by an extra km every few weeks......we shall see.

Christmas bash was good.Very empty ship this morning.A few casualties who thought that they could drink till 4am . Still those of us who are here are having good fun getting the fax machine to constantly dial up their home numbers.

Well the morning after the night before . Having laid off the foaming brew I only felt tired from the late night . The various reprobates staggered in from about 8 am till noon which considering most were drunk as skunks at 4 am was a good effort.

Persuaded Colin to do a 5k on proviso I ran recovery pace.So I did.Mind you I thought he was still going to barf.

Evening run was better.Nice and steady around the reservoir and decent weather . Quite a few monkeys on the way.They really are viscious little sods but I've got them sussed . Now I'm currently debating tomorrow . Do I lie in till 8 am and do a 20 k run followed by an afternoon cycle or go the full monty on the bike for 100k and then an easy 10k run at night ? Decisions,decisions.I'll see if we get an overnight storm and if not I'll try and do the big bike ride first.

Well not going out on Friday night meant I felt fairly positive about going for a cycle.No hangover,no thunderstorms overnight and a decent kip so its all systems go.

Joined the Longhouse Group (www.joyriders.sg) for a "Changi".Initially the idea was I'd go slow and easy but as usual it turned into a Saturday morning race and (pleading guilty) I did my fair share of dumb riding.Lots of surges particularly away from lights and off corners as well as a few doughballs jumping reds.It'll all end in tears.

However it was a very satisfying 75 km door to door and although I was fairly cream crackered it felt OK.

Late afternoon and I thought I'd go for a slow trot.Actually felt not too bad and although the report says 10 slow miles it was actually a fairly steady run.All in all a good day training and the best I've felt for many months in terms of the combination.

Only 4 months to London..............

Woke up to the sound of pounding rain and a pounding sore head.Must be Christmas so thats the first hangover of the season (and the way I felt the last too).Far too many Tiger Beers last night . A quick look out the window  told me that a cycle was a non starter and as the kids had parties in the afternoon I just rolled over knowing I could run when they were out.

So 3pm I head off for my run and did a nice 21km.Took in dog leg at Upper Pierce and the boardwalks to get the distance up but all in all it was a steady run.I think its the longest I've run since NYC marathon and I felt OK.The weather clearly helped . The storm had all but passed as I headed out and the temperature had plummeted to a cool 28C . Perfect.Got a bit steamy on the way back as the sun tried vainly to poke through the cloud but still better than roasting your nuts off in the usual 35C heat.

Trundled round to MacRitchie Reservoir to see who was doing the 5k time trial . Looked like a halkf decent turnout and Tony obviously meant business as he had his trail running shoes on.Ian actually wore a vest so I guess he was giving it his best shot.I'll pick up the results on Monday.

Lunch run was a bit tough.Rainy weather had cleared and it was definately getting hot and steamy.However a 5k trot got me sort of loosened off .

Evening and it was over to MacRitchie.Had planned a 10k loop but a massive storm was rolling in and I didn't fancy getting clobbered by lightning in the middle of a rainforest so I scuttled back at a fair old rate of knots.Put in a final 3km that was fairly brisk and good preparation for Tuesday track race.I actually just got in my driveway as the heavens opened.

At lunchtime  thought I'd try and get some stiffness from my legs doing alternate easy/fast loops around the block (1.6 km per loop).Didn't feel too bad and in fact could have kept going but :

(a) Had to get back to work.

(b) Race tonight at 6.30 pm.

(c) It was 92F !

By evening the weather was perfect.Cloudy but no rain.We had a half decent turnout with 24 final entrants on the 5k T/T (age adjusted andalso WEIGHT adjusted).Not having ran a 5k in earnest for years I had no real expectations although given my training volume could hardly expect anything earth shattering.

At the off it was quite funny as there was a fair bit of elbowing but we soon settled into a ryhthm.James,Myself and Tony gently pulled away from the pack.My mental strength began to wave on lap 6 but Tony was running steady so I just kept slightly ahead of him.James for his part picked up the speed a bit and I thought I'd not pursue in case I burnt out.

As we hit lap 10 Tony went in front of me and I thought he'd pull away but I still felt OK (not comfortable but certainly not dying) and as we came round the 300 metres to go mark I pushed and built up a small lead on Tony but James was WELL ahead.

Final time for me was 17.31 which I felt was OK.Age adjusted percentile was about 79.1 % and wait for this AGE and WEIGHT adjusted time was 15.46.I guess this means I am old fat bar steward.

Really good fun event and everyone got something out of it.Tony at 55 years old was the only guy to get over 90% but he's had a stunning week.I mean he just ran a 1.18 half marathon 10 days ago in Cambodia and rattled out a 5k PB on the X-country course.

Lunchtime was again hot so it was a gentle recovery from last nights exertions.

Evening I felt fairly frisky so had a good hammer at a long loop round MacRitchie including both boardwalks and out and back to my house.Felt very good.

Too the day off today and had a nice easy morning run out the 5k TT route and back .

Initially had planned a graveyard session with James in the evening but we decided to do a family Christmas night before leaving for UK so I squeezed in a 10k.Nothing too spectacular but just enough.

Well I got up at 4.15 am and as agreed with Mika I hoined her and the crew for  Kranji ride.It was a perfect morning and for some reason everyone wass sensible so we had a relatively easy 70km cycle .Weather was spot on.Dry and cool (for Singapore) and I got home and went for a short 4k run off the bike.Had planned further but forgot I still had to pack my bag for lunchtime flight to Scotland.

We arrived at my mum and dads at just before 2am due to getting delayed at Heathrow.What a bloody airport that is ! Still the Singapore to London leg was fine although an aborted landing in a A380 certainly gets the blood pressure up.

Got up this morning and its not even cold............11C..........unbelievable.

So I got out and ran a nice 18k loop finishing at my dads work . Its so good getting out in the cool weather . Could (and probably should) have run much further.

Really good run.Started off into a chronic headwind but byt the time I reached the canal I was running north east with the wind in my tail.Ran very well and over last few miles pushed hard.For a training run a 1.31 half marathon isn't too bad and from checking my records I was 5 minutes up on my last few efforts.

Still a bit warm (11C again) but I'll not complain.Only problem is that it doesn't get light early enough to go offroad so I have to make do with road runs till daylight.Not good man :-)

Got up at 5 am and did a nice and simple 11k run.Still obviously dark but the wind from yesterday is gone and its still not cold.I was sweating buckets when I got back.

Lunchtime I was in Edinburgh and got a lovely 7k run in along the Union Canal.Really very nice and clear skies meant it was one of those runs to be savoured.However had to get back to the office to conduct interviews so couldn't keep going.

Got a steady 11k in first tging and as I am going out tonight decided an afternoon trot may be in order.Probably a good idea as it turned out to be a bit of a night.

I got home at midnight,fairly tired and emotional but some of the guys were out till 3 am. 

Well as it was Christmas Eve and I thought I'd be doing a power of eating tomorrow I went for a hangover clearing run with my brother.

Beautiful crisp winter day and after my sore head had gone I actually began to enjoy the hills in and around Baldernock and Milngavie. 

Christmas was a very early start on account of two very excited girls but as usual I squeezed in a run.Did same route as yesterday but maybe a combination of no hangover and a wonderful sunny Christmas morning meant I actually ran about 4 minutes faster.

Set me up nicely for a day of eating.

Guilt kicked in today..........sort of.

Ran a 15k hard one very early and when I got back my dad fancied a bit of mountain biking so we got the MTB's out and did a 25k trail through Mugdock.It really was good but the cold air may have done a bit of damage to my chest.

Rounded the day off with a brisk 6km loop round my parents place.Even ran past my old school which is being rebuilt.Felt very strange as it always seemed so far away and BIg.It was neither.

Still three sessions in one day can't be bad.I love being on holiday!

Morning run early in Glasgow then back to pack the bags to get No.1 duaghter off to Amsterdam and me,good lady and No.2 off to Dublin.

Afternoon run on treadmill at hotel while my wife and daughter enjoyed the pool .

Its really good to see Dublin after nearly 20 years since last visit.So much hasn't changed and yet so much has.There is a definite buzz about Dublin.Its just one of those positive vibe places.

Probably enjoyed too many pints of Irish hospitality at night but its just so easy to do.

Only one run today as we were visiting friends near Drogheda.The run itself was certainly one of those "I wish I'd not drunk so much last night" ones but it was such a treat running through Dublin early with hardly a soul around.Ran into the city past Grafton Street,Trinity Colege and onto Temple Bar.Got a bit lost but then headed along the Liffey out to the Port before coming back in again along the river and cutting off at Dublin Castle before heading back to the hotel.I guess I did a lot of sights in one run.

Two runs today.Fairly long morning run where I got lost a bit and ended up where I didn't want to be.That was Ok and eventaullay I just covered a lot of yesterdays route.

Late afternoon I had a treadmill session again while the ladies had a spa session.

Then it was  alate flight back to Glasgow............which is still very cold.

The weather continues to be perfect although my cold (probably caused by the cycle) has come on a treat.Got two runs in of just over 10k each but neither were very productive as I felt like crap.

Again what a beautiful day although my cold isn't helping much.Got a mediocre morning run in but the evening one was much better although it is getting very cold.

The Hogmanay celebrations start in earnest soon.........I hope I can stay awake.