I’ve been running the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) for three years. Each time running SCSM, I understand this slogan more.

Due to this year work/study/travel, my training for this year SCSM was barely enough. Starting only 8 weeks before the race, on average 20KM/week, peaked 45KM/week. As a result, my strategy was to run at 4:00 pace until 25KM and decide to maintain the pace or slow down for a safer speed. I was also monitoring my heart rate from the start. By the time I reached 25KM, I was still running @ 11Km/h. But my heart rate monitor reading showed that my heart rate over 90% of the max. If continued running at this speed, there is a risk I may cramp or exhaust before reaching the ending point. However tempted by sub 4 result, I tried to maintain the speed till around 28KM and decided to let it be and enjoy my race.

For the rest distance, I used it as an examining of my hydration/dehydration process. At 35KM point, I stopped by the road to help stretch runner who had cramp. Accelerated again at 40 KM, I finally reached the end point as fast/slow as my maiden marathon in 2006 and much slower than last year. This was also my first full marathon without cramp.

After the race and the massage, met with a few friends from SGrunners for group photo and joined other friends for lunch. When finally retured home and had a rest, I heard the shocking news one of my fellow runners, who runs regularly and  participated the half marathon, collapsed at 18KM and was sent to hospital by ambulance. Luckily, not too serious after receiving treatment. This is the first time such accident happens to someone close to me. Following last year’s fatal accident in SBR2007, I always tell all friends training with me to run safe and train enough before race. For people like us, who has no chance (or a chance smaller than winning a Toto) winning a top place in such running events, finishing safe is always the first priority. "Impossible is nothing" "Just do it", dun be fooled by such slogans. One thing you must keep in mind: the cost for breaking the limit might be your own life and happiness to your entire family and circle. "Run Your Own Race", there is nothing more precise than this.

TIME: 4h:25m:14s (gun) / 4h:24m:40s (net)

Result in Gender (Male) – 988th place, 9552 finishers behind. About 9% of finishers ahead

Standard Charted Singapore Marathon 2008 (Dec 7th)
R u ready?
如果你打算参加两周后的SCSM2008或者希望开始跑步健身
本周末Sports@NLone将再次举办跑聚，欢迎新老朋友
时间：11月30日 周日 下午5点30分 (视天气情况)
地点：NTU SRC
Dress code:运动装/运动鞋/最好是跑鞋
跑步入门知识分享交流，装备选择，训练注意事项
长跑比赛技巧、注意事项
(典型问题: 两周后比赛，我还没怎么开始训练怎么办?^_^
热身后，训练路线先后为
1.SRC跑道跑圈热身 400M * 10圈
2.绕NTU一圈(6KM)

1.适合入门
1+2.适合准备下月SCSM比赛
可选参加1，2，两项我都将负责领跑，同时保证每个人都能跟上。
因周末无locker可用，建议不要带贵重物品
(在NTU跑一般只随身带门卡和手机，包就放运动场旁)

SBR = Singapore Bay Run (formerly known as Sheares Bridge Run)

The biggest run in Singapore in terms of number of participants. In fact, I found it took too more participants than it can handle… The result, if you didn’t join the start fast enough, you will find a huge difference between your gun time and net time….

My race day experience started with mystery. My runner friends and I queued for toilets 30mins before the run. When there’s four people ahead of us, the queue stopped. Both toilets (a queue for two toilets, and there were more than 20 mobile toilets.) side by side were locked. The mystery thing is no one since then came out of the two toilets. The guy in front of us knocked both doors and shoot. No one answered. We quit the queue and queued for another one. I called up two army staffs to check the two toilets. Didn’t know what happen thereafter.By the time I reached the starting ppl, it’s 2 mins before the start.My race starded with a huge crowd…For the first 10KM, was impossible to enjoy my own pace. My first 21KM ended with a poor timing. But luckily still not too late to catch the 6km fun run. The next 6KM was very enjoyable, and memorable, with my dear running beside me.
My SBR2008 ended with us holding hands together running through the finishing line: )

书接前文。大概老天爷感觉上集不够震撼，很快给安排了续集。。人生如戏，story writer是上帝，我们是screenplay，争取能让生命更精采。

周日下午我再次组织北纬Sports版跑聚。因为准备24号的SBR我提前绕NTU跑了2圈，快5点半在SRC和其他几人汇合。我简单brief了一下跑步训练的注意事项，热身后开始绕NTU。考虑到顺时针跑回在Hall 7 至 SBS 段连续两个上坡，我领大家逆时针从SRC出发。事后证明这还是很明智的。

待我们跑到S2 179车站一路下坡，震撼的一幕上演了，一名骑山地车正在爬坡的男子直绷绷的摔在路中间，后脑着地。此时他老婆还有旁边一名骑车的外教也停下来。我立刻加速跑过去，恰巧这时旁边一辆出租路过。男子的老婆当时就不知所措了，只是一边拍打一边说“你一定要出来，我才和你出来的”。我立刻拨打了999，打了一半意识到打错了，幸好旁边还有人打了急救995。接下来从手机里翻出急救手册，按照上面的步骤和外教把该男子体位摆好，解开裤带，检查口腔内是否有东西，检查是否有流血。外教在周围人帮助下作了几下人工呼吸，我们帮忙压胸腔。接下来我继续察看急救手册，在周围人帮助下，将其上臂朝上弯曲成90度，意识到这时能做的只能是等救护车。

大概2分钟，该男子眼睛开始有转动，呼吸也强些。周围人也都小舒一口气，至少希望还在。大约10分钟，救护车到达，该男子妻子说他丈夫有心脏病，出门前刚吃了药。急救人员立刻先做了个现场心电图，然后在我们帮忙下用担架把人抬上救护车送往医院。情况貌似还是比较严重，急救人员对他老婆说:" He’s unresponsive. We are taking him to the nearest hospital NUH." 随后我们将自行车交给他们的子女，祝福并身心俱疲的回了家。

续集的故事告诉我们：

珍惜生命。趁健康，多运动，尤其有氧运动，增强心肺功能，减小意外发生可能。

运动时，要量力而行。Listen to your body (跟着感觉走)。减少意外发生可能，并不能杜绝，超越自己极限就有可能就会发生悲剧。包括长跑在内的大部分运动比赛项目Terms & conditions里都有伤亡自负的条款。千万别被各种运动品牌广告冲昏了头脑，听起来超有感觉，但后半句你肯定听不到。Just do it (on your own risk); Impossible is nothing (if dead, everything to you is nothing)。

如果自己本身健康状况就不好，运动时更要十分注意，做好各种准备。

外出锻炼，尤其比较剧烈的运动，最好有朋友同行，互相有个照应。(如果不是周围热心人多，真不知会发生什么，男子的妻子当时就不知所措，只是边哭边喊，无任何急救措施也未拨打急救电话。。)

最近连续参加了两个跑步比赛，一个是adidas Sundown Marathon全程42KM (6月1日儿童节)，另一个是PAssion Run 15K (6月8日)。这前一个是号称新加坡第一个夜间马拉松，本来我膝盖ITBS还没好，而且又不喜欢大半夜跑步，再加上打算参加原定一个月后的LionCity Marathon，所以一开始earlybird没报名。

闲着也是闲着，于是我打算报一周之后的Passion Run 10KM，之所以报10KM组是因为我看了下去年的成绩，我居然能名列男子公开组top10 (去年竞赛组只有10KM)。

结果，周围人朋友都报了15KM的，我也就配合大家报了15KM (报名费都一样，多跑5K赚啊)。又过了几周LionCity Marathon没消息了，估计是取消了，而且我的ITBS经过30KM的检测后证实基本恢复了，再加上老板拉我陪跑。就这么稀里糊涂的又报了adidas Sundown Marathon，也是我头一次非earlybird报比赛。前些日子还一不小心掉沟里摔伤了，所以也是头一次没怎么LSD训练就跑全程。

Sundown的头10KM还好，我速度基本控制在sub4范围内，天气也凉快，边跑边yy创造新个人纪录。10KM以后路线立刻显示出非IAAF认证的问题，不但上坡下坡，左拐右拐，居然还有爬桥过河过高速的。过了18KM更是变本加厉。于是我就转向保守策略，能不受伤完赛就行。如同每个全程马拉松一样，前面21KM都是热身，真正的比赛从25KM开始，要是真想作成绩，这就是考验的时候。不过这次我是自暴自弃了，反正无法作成绩，干脆悠着点，上下坡也不迈大步，防止一切膝盖再受伤的可能。还好这是夜里跑，要是大白天，新加坡的太阳想想都折磨人。。就这样最后还是跑完了全程，创造了个人最烂成绩。(还是一向建议要参加全程的，一定要训练过35KM以上的距离，而且半程最好能很轻松的跑在2小时30分内，否则全程肯定不是享受而是折磨，要么就是顶烈日走马拉松。。汗，等我老了肯定不跑全程，21KM应该是最健康的距离)

跑完Sundown，按说1-2周内最好不要跑步，更不要长跑。所以PassionRun 15KM我只能理性的选择recovery run pace。 中间一周完全用来恢复，就游了次泳用放松放松。PasionRun比较搞，15KM居然还分了三波起跑，我被分在第一波起跑Wave one 6: 30am。多亏Dante, YF 以及abacus提前share cab一起去起点。

Passion Run我是完全准备去enjoy the run的，前10KM确实也是这么跑的，不过到了10KM的时候，我发现居然有个female runner跟上来了。。倒不是说竞赛组女子冠军不会比我快，问题是这次女子组最早在wave 2起跑，也就是15分钟以后，而我身边这位就应该是wave 2里的女子组的暂列第一了。金发碧眼，身材也不错，就是年龄大了点。于是我开始调整速度，"追"就一个字。从10KM -14KM，我一直保持Pacesetter陪跑。我琢磨着，反正我夺冠没戏，能帮别人夺冠也不错。过了14KM，这位大姐开始加速冲刺，我也可以歇歇了。最终我1小时23分跑完全程，列男子组301名(ft)，总共大概两千多一点。这也是我头一次在比赛中做出Negative Split，也就是后半程比前半程快，呵呵。

跑完正在cool down做stretch，刚才那位老大姐看见我，感谢我作Pacesetter提高她的成绩，最终获得亚军(冠军还是Vivian Tang，在Wave 3?)。原来她叫Trudy Fawcett，澳洲来的。又逛荡一会，喝喝水，做做foot massage，然后到SGRunners.com的据点。碰见不少SGRunners的朋友，还有些也是跑完Sundown来Passion的。一起照了张超赞的大合照：D (大家来找X，能找到yakman么? 友情提示在第二排)

公元2008年6月，先是午夜瞎奔，再接激情之奔(引用自abacus blog中文翻译)，敢问下一站路在何方？

4月6日更新

[有怪出没，请注意]

下午5点30分许，NTU SRC运动场
此怪身着浅蓝色长跑背心，深蓝色长跑短裤，身背黑色运动水袋，头系橙色汗带
过往路人请小心避让，如遇长跑同好者，可共同切磋

==========================================

为帮助大家一起更好训练参加 Passion Run， 详见http://www.singaporepassionrun.com/

Sports版@bbs.NLone.net将于下周末举办跑步入门活动，欢迎各位有兴趣跑步健身的朋友参加，当然包括Passion Run报名的同好

Passion Run training session 1

时间：4月6日 周日 下午5点30 (如下雨则另行通知)
地点：NTU SRC
Dress code: 运动装/运动鞋/最好是跑鞋

首次活动，将有基本的跑步入门知识分享交流，装备选购，训练注意事项

热身后，训练路线初定分2组(请关注更新)
1. SRC跑道跑圈
2. 绕NTU一圈，我负责领跑(4-6KM)

报名请email我，或登陆北纬一度论坛Sports版回复原文，再或站内信笺yakman@NLone

(据可靠消息来源，已有美女帅哥报名本次活动: )

This’s my second time full marathon. How time flies. I can still remember my maiden marathon like yesterday once more..

Preparing the run:
Left ankle injured when playing football Jan this year. Thereafter I didn’t take any run except Chinese new year hometown runs and Mt. Faber run. Resumed running in July. Sept, I ran the Sheares Bridge Run half marathon. From Oct, I did a few LSDs, weekly mileage from 20K to 45K. Running from 10K to half marathon is generally progressive. But from 21K to a full marathon is a big jump. One full is like running three 21K. I think I’m fool enough, so I run the full. But I’ll never recommend my friends to run a full without adequate training. Finishing a full in more than 6 hours is definitely a torture under the Sun…

One week before this race, I collected the race pack. There was again the "adidas reason to run bib". This year I was somehow out of idea what’s my reason to run. Maybe there are too many that I can’t put on such a small piece of paper. Anyway I still wrote "Good for both body and mind!" at the bottom I added "looking for 4 hr pacers".

Hours before the run:
00am Back from esplanade. Got to bed..
3 am Woke up.
3:15 Breakfast: one "powerbar", one "Timeout", half bottle of "100plus", one bottle of "Gatorade".
3:30 Jogging from home to shuttle bus point, suddenly someone called my name! I figured out it’s my collegemate Yang and his girl friend. Woh, it’s 3:40 am in the morning and walking in my reverse direction!..
3:55 Met Mr. Yeo and we boarded the bus.
4:30 Reached cityhall. I returned 5 hours after Sat’s Messiah concert in esplanade.
5:00 Deposited the baggage, applied some vaseline.
5:10 Released the "inner liquid baggage"
5:15 Walked to the starting line.
5:20 At the starting line, I squeezed to the pent just behind those elite runners. Actually I was looking for the 4 hr adidas pacers as I heard they would start just behind those elite runners. But I saw none, maybe I was too in front…
5:25 All the runners were ready for the race.In the elite runners I spotted some national runners from China. More were the African top runners.
5:30 The fun started:

0 – 21KM  Pure enjoyment
I started with a peaceful pace, searching and waiting for 4:00 adidas pacers. But I didn’t see any in the first 1K. Instead there were a few Nike sponsored pacers, but I knew none of them, so no credit on either. Around 1K, suddenly someone asked me:"Are you yakman?". I smiled back "Hi". It’s TLR (thelonelyrunner, founder of sgrunner.com) in a black sexy running tight. Suprised he still remembers my ID. I asked what’s his target timing. TLR relied 3:45. He was running fast. I think he must have finished around 3:30. So I realised I was running overpaced and decided to slow down a bit. At 13K drink point I took my first powergel with 100plus, 19K the second.
Generally, I felt very comfortable running the first 21K. All the way I gave my thumb ups for every runspirators. It didn’t take my breath at all.

21 – 27KM  Heavier and heavier
At 21K mark, I glimpsed my watch a timing of 1hr47mins. Warm up session over, the real starting point here. Whether the enjoyment would continue or torture begin shall be seen soon. My breath was still peaceful but thighs and legs heavier and heavier. 27K, I took the third powergel.

27 – 36KM  Earth and hell
Every kilometer was like three to five kilometers long in the first 21K. 3:45 pacers overtook me around 31K. Fourth powergel around 33K. The tendence of cramp showed up on my right thigh just above the knee. Sucks…I stopped for some stretch and applied some heat rub paste. My mind was on Earth while my body starting entering hell.

36 – 40KM  Heaven and hell
Finally I met 4:00 pacers David Tay at 36K, DreamRunner and DO at 37K. I managed to keep my pace with them from 37K to 38K. But my cramping legs were even heavier and out of control. I saw them disapearing in front like chariot crunching my little dream T_T. The Sun rose up and shone. Only a few kilometers to finish, I still held a little chance to complete in 4 hours. I took the last powergel 38K and kept running. My mind was close to heaven but my body was like in hell.

40- 42.195KM  The last charge
I decided to take the last charge. However it didn’t last long. Cramp was more severe. The last hope in Pandora’s box gone at 41K point. I switched to a safer pace for my "old" heart to enjoy the run and sprinted for the last 195 meters. Finished the race 9:35am, with 4 hrs 5 mins 18 secs. 703rd out of approx.12000 runners.

Post race  Back on Earth
9:40 Collected my finisher medal and shirt. Drank two tins of 100plus, ate two bananas.
10:20 Went for massage sponsored by tiger club. Thank you so much.
11:00 Took group photo at the cenotaph with Sgrunners.
11:10 Met Mr. Yeo who just finished and his family.
11:30 Collected our bags and took some photos around.
12:00 Wash up and lunch at Suntec
13:00 Took train back home..

Acknowlegements
Thank SCSM organizers and sponsors for such a world class race!
My friends from NTU, Sgrunners for your support and accompany.
Xi’an, where all these stories began.

See you next year! 五环迎奥运( 再次声明，本人不反对2008奥运，反对的是中国办奥运的方式)

11月11日注定是个不平凡的日子。89年前的这一天，地球上第一次世界大战停火了。我猜可能是怕留下太多女光棍会造成地球村生态系统崩溃。于是为了避免当年恐龙灭绝的历史一幕再次上演，男光棍们决定放下手中抢，No War, Only Love.

这个世界变化快，89年后的今天，魍魉继续可耻的孤独着，继续反历史反人类。
早晨7点多起床，洗漱完毕换好衣服，下楼去早餐。
红牛一罐，Cadbury Dark Gold半块(根本不dark，下次坚决不买，味如嚼蜡)，全麦面包两片
吃这些可不是为了庆祝节日，因为朋友约我今天LSD。这个LSD不是传说中的致幻剂, 而是Long Slow Distance，简单说就是全程马拉松中的长距离训练。
去年的11月11日是个周六，我还清楚的记得也是在LSD中度过上午的11点11分。。这也不完全是巧合，因为每年12月的第一个周日是新加坡马拉松，而这倒数第三个周末应该是LSD中距离最长的一次。这么说来，我要感谢一下新加坡马拉松的组织者，选这么个好日子让我来挥洒那无处安放的青春和汗水，还有脂肪。。

快8点和Mr. Yeo在SRC碰面，灌了两口100+后绕NTU开跑。每圈加上往返SRC，以及上下坡，折合7KM+，按计划要来5圈。第一圈热身。第二圈刚跑没多远，旁边开过一辆奔驰。一般我也就和179彪下速度超个车，奔驰就算了，今天LSD。?!这辆奔驰怎么还彩带飘扬鲜花置前，后面还跟两辆。。。婚车，昏，这太发指了。NTU里我还头一次见婚车，居然还选这日子，该不会冤家派来整我的吧。我啥时结了冤家？以德报怨，边跑边bless一个。
第三圈，太阳出来了，无妨，自来新我已经被晒黑几圈了。这圈跑完后Mr. Yeo回去接娃了。
第四圈，我意识到，11点11分时我将独自奔跑。开始有点饿了，路边也没有正赛时的补给点，更没有Cheering girls。于是这圈结束后立马吃掉火星半个(Mars choca bar)。
第五圈，为了避免膝盖劳损，没选最大圈，挑了条平坦的路线，终于完成LSD. 这时我的NOKIA5500Sports显示34.1KM。

回家，洗澡吃饭睡觉。起来已经快4点了，我决定去一下lab，让这个节日更加有意义。泡了杯咖啡，打开电脑。没看几分钟paper，就发现这个过节方式不大对头，还是累，大脑根本不运转。于是放弃research倾向，看了看新闻去吃晚饭。晚上和老妈QQ，她老人家居然还提醒我今天光棍节，还说要给我介绍.. 昏。。本科时您干嘛去了。。在该寻找爱情时选择回避，在应探索婚姻时寻找爱情，而至少两三年内我还不大可能结婚，所以现阶段还是不要出来吓人了，冬眠修养先。。

要说今天最令我惊讶的要数老妈说她开始跑步锻炼了，每天2.5K，赞。
顺手查了下，2008年11月11日是周二，看来明年我没法在LSD中过节了。。
而现在，我的大脑在咖啡因的作用下先总结下07光光节

书接前文。前阵跑比赛拿了张Running Lab的voucher，所有跑鞋7折。要说折扣，除了Asics稍好外，别的品牌其实和Queensway一样。不过抛开购物环境不说，queensway的店员根本不懂鞋，也没有相关测试工具。如果自己心里没底，很可能会买错鞋。所以我不推荐没作任何research就去queensway买鞋，就如同不推荐电脑菜鸟去Sim Lim Square买数码产品一样。

鉴于购买运动鞋尤其跑鞋，本怪已经属于"砖家"级的了，Running Lab吸引力就不那么大了，造福一下朋友们。恰好Robin要买跑鞋，朋友们一起去，也省得我再陪去queensway了。
本来周六还有别的安排，不过想想还是去看看专业人员的测试过程。检测下给自己以及朋友们的推荐是否准确。同时也打算试试New Balance 1223和Asics Kayano XIII，下双打算从这两双升级款里选。3点多在Funan Running Lab和Robin, Abacus碰头。

由于我周六还有重任在身，所以衬衣西裤领带皮鞋，一进Running Lab立刻引来了店员诧异的目光。还好有准备，立刻去试衣间换了身跑步的行头。给店员说明来意，先开始给我进行测试。过程很简单，和我常用的wet test不同，这里先目测脚形，然后在跑步机上行走鉴定pronation. 结果和自我用wet test鉴定完全相同，哈哈。我属于中等稍偏低角弓，既不overpronation也不underpronation，赞。接下来试跑NB1223和Kayano XIII，两者的前掌减震都比我现在的NB767要有提高，坚定了下双升级的计划。接着让店员给Robin测试。结果一只脚中角弓，另一只略偏高角弓略带underpronation。这样的话，我推荐了中端cushioning系的NB756和saucony，店员表示赞同(当然他更推荐高端的)。

因为还有别的事，我就先闪了。从abacus后来的反馈看来，根据Running Lab的检测结果，上次我在queensway给她推荐的cushioning系的NB755其实很适合。不过女生买鞋看样子先，俺完全理解；上次买了NB767，这下也计划下双换cushioning系了。还好只在塑胶道上跑，受伤机会小些。

说道买鞋尤其跑鞋，以前在国内一直到这里也都帮不少朋友们。不过从网上看，很多人觉得这些鞋都是忽悠人的，随便找双走几步舒服就行。。都是在中国产的，为啥卖这么贵？其实CPU主原料硅和沙子一样，为啥更贵。
要指望价格下降，还得靠国产品牌多努力. 可惜现在的国产鞋大部分还在抄袭，而且是只抄到样子和伪概念。
哎，吾泱泱大国(不是病怏怏吧)，诚信为本。可惜社会诚信没建立起来，忽悠倒是已经深入人心。

To conclude: If you are running more than 5KM per time, get a decent pair of running shoes. Or every cent you saved from shoes would contribute to part of your medical treatment fee.