OF INSPIRATIONAL AND INSPIRING PEOPLE

Wow! 

I watched the Ironman World Championships today, and was stoked not only by the winners and professionals, bu also with the age-groupers. Each age-grouper - all amateurs - earned their spot to participant by some form of qualification. It is one thing to qualify, it is another to complete the entire 226km of swimming, riding and running within 17 hours. There are also wonderful stories of these age-group athletes who brave many trials and tribulations to take their spot at the deep-water start-line of the race.

Queen of Kona - Paula Newby-Fraser - who dominated Kona in the Ironman eight times. 

Having completed my dream of finishing this same race in 2013, I was assisted in reliving my own memories vividly. I recall most of the details, mostly of emotional upheavals and suffering. However, indelibly etched in my brain are my personal experiences. Again, these involve inspirational people - competitors, champions, volunteers, and supporters. 

My friend's father, Kor Hong Fatt - octogenarian Boston Marathon finisher encouraged me to qualify for this race, and I did.

 

Soonchul - Sydney-based friend who is a Ironman finisher and consistent sub-3 hour marathoner.

I love inspirational people! They inspire me to get off my seat. I assure you, I spend a lot of time sitting with my notebook or paperback book - so these people help me kick my ass from the comfortable throne of procrastination and Sloth. 

It is so easy to conjure excuses. It is much harder to do what we are supposed to do: choose, duties, errands, paperwork, cleaning up, organising, and the like. Sometimes, part of the process of achievement involves doing what is necessary and needful. Inspiring people have fewer excuses, and they inspire and motivate us indirectly by doing the seemingly impossible.

Dr Hannes Koeppen - World Champion in the Ironman triathlon (Physically-Challenged). Strong and fiercely determined. I appreciate that - as a corporate trainer and speaker - that my profession allows me to stand 95 percent of the time, and that hobbies also engage my mobility. Thus, I have been busy writing, interviewing and researching actively these past few days. My fellow blogger and former-corporate leader, Khairil Annuar has stimulated my mind with attractive conversations. Of course, our mutual interest in India Pale Ale (IPA) beer and craft-beers lubricate our dynamic arguments.

And, of course, when training with other athletes I have to work harder. Plus, the people who nominate me for physical challenges. I am glad you know I would likely complete my task. 

Once, I blogged everyday for three years - thanks to a challenge suggested by marketing-guru Seth Godin.

Thank you, to all my connections on Twitter, Facebook, as well as face-to-face friendships and acquaintances.

How To Earn A BQ For Boston Marathon

With an upcoming running clinic, I would like to share some of my thoughts about how you may qualify for a Boston Qualifier (BQ). Be warned: My approach may not be aligned with yours. Although sound, it is non-conventional, perhaps because of my age and background in multi-discipline, endurance, sports.

The Boston Marathon, is the holy grail for serious marathoners, and it sits parallel with Ironman triathletes for a dream-ticket or podium-slot for the Ironman World Championships in Kailua, Kona. These events and many others in the endurance sports, including ultra-marathons and desert-runs, and Mount Everest represent the zenith in one's training/racing history.

I have earned three BQs, in 2011, 2013, and 2015

I completed my first Boston Marathon in 2014 in 'Boston Strong', and hope to earn another slot amongst the 30,000 on Patriot's Day 2016. My approach for all three BQs were similar and minimalist.

1) I ran, predominantly, on-road: My chosen races were all road-races, thus, I raced specifically, on tar/tarmac.
2) I raced both on-road and off-road/trail (ultra-marathon, 52.5km) to engage different muscles and responses. In my last BQ at Gold Coast Marathon, I integrated off-road sections and some slopes/bridges, which seemed to help me finish strong (although I ran much less).
3) I trained 3-4 days per week, mostly single sessions. Additional aerobic stimulus came from riding indoors or outdoors (2-3 hours per session). My total training mileage per week has been about 40-50km per week.
4) My run training was based, mainly, on one long/two short sessions - all at tempo/time-trial pace. I eliminated 'Junk Miles'. [I subscribe to 'Run Less, Run Faster' philosophy, although I intuitively applied that since 2010 after my biking accident.]
5) My workouts include 2 X 10km, plus one long 21-24km, all done at Tempo or Fartlek (. I did no track intervals, hill-work, and very few group-running. Consistency and discipline is key! A short run is better than no run. However, skip runs if you are feeling unwell, as illness sabotages your training plan.
6) I included one more run/race before my marathon preparation block (12-week). The race could be a 10km, 21km or 32km. A 32km race or run would be done 2-3 weeks before race-day.
7) I cross-trained (cycling and swimming) all-year-round, as required of a triathlete. I race two Ironman triathlons annually since 2006, so that included two in-race, marathons already. 
8) I did some strength and conditioning workout, using bodyweight (circuit), kettle-bells, or free-weights. I relearnt my gait, focused on mid-sole (as forefoot running may have led to my first hairline toe fracture in 2012, and a dismal Berlin Marathon timing of 4:00 hours).
9) As racing is a personal event based on tactics and strategy, I raced regularly to accustom myself to race-pace (or faster, over-10km and 21km) and earn my confidence to race uncomfortably (including Zone 4/panting zone).
10) I learnt to eat well, using the 80:20 Rule, focused on more essential fats (including coconut oil, butter, extra-virgin olive oil, and nuts).

Why Do The Ironman? Part 1

Where's Whally? My name on my Finisher's tee-shirt for Ironman Lanzarote 2011.

I have been asked this question many times; and I am always enthusiastic about answering, as my responses are mildly different each time.

There is really no simple answer to this persistent question.

Some of my listeners (from the laiety) may think I am crazy; I am sure some may even question my sanity (or lack of it). After all, it is perceived as a grueling, physical challenge comprising 3.8K of swimming, 180K of riding, and then completing a full 42.195K marathon. Now, what would possess a sane and normal person ‘to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortunes’? As my wise mother stated, time and again, to me: 'Isn't there a better to rest your weary bones?' Later, I would realise fully what she meant - such is the allure of wisdom and insight.

I recall that in the early 1980’s, when I was in secondary school, I was tuned in to my favourite sports program ‘The ABC Wide World of Sports’. What I saw changed my paradigm about sports, my life, and my perception about humankind (okay, in those days, I thought about ‘mankind’). The image was powerful and dense, albeit subtle and almost meaningless. The short report was about the Ironman triathlon in Hawaii. The most vivid image was during the marathon where people jogged into the night, some walking, and some limping. The sight of struggling athletes braving to beat the deadline was immensely powerful, and emotional for me. I daresay I shed a few tears, as the imagery I saw was painful, poignant and possessing. I let this experience simmer in my mind for several decades. I would never have thought of attempting this challenge, let alone a full marathon or a 2.4-mile swim in the open-sea (God forbid, I saw ‘Jaws’ and would never commit to swimming in the ocean at any time in deep waters) or ride four times the widest length of Singapore.

I spent the early part of my adulthood, participating in the ‘sport’ of bodybuilding. I was risking my life, heaving chunks of iron-plates, and listening to heavy-metal music to hype myself up for my next set of bench-press or full-squats. I was surrounded by self-indulgent, narcissistic, body-worshipping bodybuilders who posed their muscles before spit-polished mirrors in gymnasiums with strategically-positioned lighting. In spite of anabolic-steroid induced muscle-heads around me, I managed to earn three bronzes and one silver medal on the national level, qualify for the national B-squad, and be utterly disappointed by the level of pharmaceutical-dependent cheats that held top-rostrum. I may have been naïve when I took up the sport as a natural bodybuilder, so after four futile attempts at the first-place, I decided to retire and seek new pastures for my creative outlets.

Corporate life lured me soon after my stint as a trade journalist, so I swapped pen-and-notepad for whiteboard-markers-and-notebook (actually, we had laptops then). I was involved in my company’s sports and recreation club, ran track for them (would you believe in my non-pet event, 4X400m), assist in setting up their first in-house gym, and then synergistically collaborated to secure bronze and silver awards for the National Health Awards. Meanwhile, my blood-pressure was holding court at normal, while my cholesterol and triglycerides levels were accumulating.

It was in 2001, when I met my colleague (and, subsequently, triathlon coach) that he planted his idea of sporting lifestyle in me…

(To be continued tomorrow)

Aloha Days in Kona in October: The Ironman World Championships

Since it has been a day after the exciting World Triathlon Championships in Kona, Hawaii I decided to write about the energy of the Big Island. What attracts 25,000 spectators to line the streets and 5,000 volunteers to help out in what can be described as the ‘Toughest Day On Earth’?

In September, I met the elite runners of the US Armed Forces who were here for the Singapore Bay Run/Army Half-Marathon. I found out, intuitively, that denizens of Hawaii tend to have a glow about them. Perhaps, it is the magic of the Big Island that engulfs them, as intensely as the strong winds and stifling heat of the historically, luxuriant, volcanic island. The mystique of the island revived the popular television series ‘Hawaii Five-O’ and was the location for ‘Lost’. 6-time Ironman champion, Mark Allen was a convert to the ‘spiritual homeland of Ironman triathlon’ and works with a modern-day Shaman on a mind-body renewal retreat/workshop each year. Peter Reid used to live for weeks in Spartan conditions, training and winning his championship Ironman titles.

We interviewed Wilson Low late last year. Since he graduated from Australia with a degree in journalism, he has been busy with online reviews, active in coaching adventure-racing endurance athletes, and racing. I asked him about his experience competing with 1,800 other elite age-groupers a few years ago. Even as a wordsmith, he had difficulty describing it.

‘It is too easy to get lost in the hype of the Race Exposition, or the throng of the visor-Oakley-compression-clad crowds. It is a feel-good atmosphere where everyone sizes you up without a word being said. You feel small and unimportant, but you also feel that you have a point to prove to yourself, if not your friends, family, and fellow athletes back home - that you deserve to have that shot on the World Championship course. Everyone looks SUPER FIT; no one breaststrokes during swim practice off the pier; perfunctory 'hellos' inevitably drift to the topic of where/how/what position/race timing you achieved for qualification. Every visitor that week, it seems, worked their arse off to qualify to be there, and is not afraid to share the story of their Ironman journey with you - so you do the same.’

He added, ‘In spite of that, I feel that my Ironman journey was an introspective one; one that was purely focused on delivering the best I could give of myself on race day. I certainly made lots of friends and acquaintances during the trip, but as part of the itinerary of the tour group (I traveled with Tri-Travel, the Australian-based company for M-Dot athletes), there were times when I just had to break away and execute my own program.

‘No one expects you to know them or acknowledge them, least of all, the professional athletes. You know that everyone who is there is there on a mission - to race the biggest and most important race of their triathlon season, if not career. I rode behind a tapering Chris McCormack one day on Ali'i Drive on the way to get some snacks at the ABS Store, and did not even bat an eyelid.

‘The best focus is being unemotional during the race. I saved the gushing and adoration for post-race, where I managed to get Craig ‘Crowie’ Alexander at the finish-line to autograph a visor; I also ambushed Chrissie (Wellington) after midnight on Ali'i to autograph my Cervelo P2C (she was riding the same frame then). More photo opportunities the next day at the Oakley truck with Chrissie and Crowie again. During the race, I posted my PB timing for the Iron-distance, and really appreciated the fact that I could stay aware to achieve that.’

Ng Yong Feng was there as a spectator about two years ago. He was staying near the transition area, so was limited in his travel outside. He described his experience as: ‘The energy there was high! I will re-visit Kona again, just to view the race and take photographs. There were many awesome moments!’

There you have it. Two perspectives as to why we may consider visiting Kona, Hawaii in October each year.