Meeting Your Marathon Mark

It is five days out from the Big Dance; the remaining time is crucial if you want to earn a decent showing for your 42.195K. Start thinking about what will go right on race day. Rehearse the plot for your big day out. Focus on images and sensations of how your ideal day will turn out. Here are some reminder and visualisation tips for preparing smartly and effectively for your long-distance endurance race:

1)    Decide on a pace and religiously stick to it.

2)    Your second 21K may be slower, so make allowance for it. A negative-split is possible if you are disciplined.

3)    Be mindful of how you feel. Use measurements like RPE, heart-monitor, the official-pacers, and your intuition to guide you.

4)    Drink from every aid-station, whether you are thirsty or not.

5)    Stop and walk at the aid-station. There is no shame. Better to slow down and ensure proper nutrition, then to miss each mouthful in style.

6)    Keep to the left when not over-taking. Give a gentle verbal warning if you need to over-take; never show your frustration.

7)    Break your race goals into smaller, manageable bits. Every kilometre covered is an achievement.

8)    Derive and seek inspiration from around you. Draw upon the positive energy of the supporters, cheer-team, official-pacers, and fellow athletes (including the physically-challenged).

9)    Focus on the finisher-medal and t-shirt. These will be your badges of honour. You will wear it with pride after you cross the finishing-line.

10) Write a list of mantras that you respond positively to. Avoid ‘Don’t’ and rule-driven words. Focus on purpose-driven self-talk.

Whatever the results, have an amazing out there. You are already a champion for training and showing up on race morning!

The Fitness and Finesse of Feedback & Feeding Back

How well do you give feedback? In my years of interviewing, reading and watching interviews, I conclude that local sportspeople have a moderate competency in handling the media. Youth athletes smell of angst and teen spirit. They are comfortable expressing themselves with less regard for consequences.

These were the rants of an upset elite age-grouper. Do you empathise with him? How do you relate to his feedback?

Another two reporters for RedSports also wrote a piece on unfair categorization of runners, and subsequent disappointment of runners who did not podium. Interestingly, both reporters were affected runners themselves. From a journalistic point of view, the piece was more of a social media observation rather than objective reporting.

The missing link of communication and feedback is feed forward. What we feed forward to another will be fodder for feeding back. Feedback is obvious when you position a ‘live’ microphone next to a speaker. It gives a shrill scream of a banshee! Feedback made at the moment of emotional outbursts may be irrational and unreasonable. Having said that, serious racers take their results seriously since they have different expectations and measurements of their performance.

In my analysis, only Garmin watch-users filed the complaint of ‘inaccurate distance’; there was no mention of other types of brands and instruments. Koh Yong Jin, a sports science consultant suggested, ‘Firstly, Garmin watches do not measure elevation well, provided the watch measures 3D profiles. There might be an apparent loss of distance. Secondly, each watch has a tolerance built in, to the tune of plus/minus 100-200 metres. Lastly, since it is an IAAF-sanctioned race, the distance had to be verified and approved according to international standards.’ IAAF is the International Association of Athletics Federations that provides the rules for large-scale international races.

Feedback is just that - feed back. That does not mean that decisions can be overturned immediately as there are consequences to stasis and dynamics. Change involves sensibility and sense. Things must make sense. Results merely captured a point in time, a snapshot of progress and performance. We can shift our focus from unfair rankings to actual timing, pace, intensity, tactical execution, nutrition, and confidence. Feed these data into another race in the near future, so as to change our training program, or stick with it.

Leadership Lessons: We will be judged from the way we communicate with others. How often do you give deeper and broader thought to how you speak and write? How often do you give the excuse of ignorance? How do you deal with severe criticism? How often do you seek refuge behind free media or a person when crisis emerges? How you deal with disappointment reflects on your ability to manage your relationships. 

10 Things I Learnt in My Run Up to the Real Race

Racing keeps us sharp – mentally and physically. Training hard can be challenging if you do not have an upcoming race; it is the impetus and motivation for having more focus and doing more. We train hard and work harder so that we do not become soft or sloth-like. These strategically-placed races are intended to be my measurements of my progress. My upcoming races in the next three months will be:

Tri-Factor Run 21km 11 July 2010 (21km)

Yellow Ribbon Project Run 5 September 2010 (10km)

Singapore Bay Run 12 September 2010 (21km)

REAL Berlin Marathon 26 September 2010* (Boston qualifier)

Ironman Western Australia (5 December 2010)


My key indicators so far has been:

Passion Run 25km Men’s Solo (22 May 2010): 56th out of 2410 = top-2%, 5th in my age group

Sundown Ultra-Marathon 84km (29 May 2010): 49th out of 600 (top-12%); 3^rd in age group; 13^th overall Veteran Men’s Open

Mizuno Mount Faber Run Men’s Open June 2010 (13 June 2010): 67^th overall


What did I learn so far from my strategically positioned races?

1)    Take the start point with the elite runners (so I do not have to be blocked by less ambitious runners)

2)    Ensure proper rest and recuperation (recovery)

3)    Be mindful of changes in running posture, potential injuries and weak muscle groups

4)    Have at least 8 hours of sleep a night when I am training and racing hard

5)    Build my speed alongside my endurance maintenance

6)    Nutritional assistance for races longer than 10km is necessary

7)    Speed training and threshold-level training is necessary for running faster and holding the race pace

8)    My commitment to a 3-month cycle before the next A-marathon begins now

9)    Review my plan for a sub-3 hour 20 minute marathon finish in a cooler racing climate

10) Enjoy the process, and celebrate the small wins (personal best timings)

Photographs of adidas Sundown Marathon: from Marathon Photos.