Of Learned Pigs, Fireproof Women & One Psychic Octopus Called Paul

Ricky Jay is an accomplished actor, author, and sleight-of-hand magician. You may recognize him as Gupta in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Die.

Jay, who is an expert card thrower and magic historian, wrote several books including ‘Cards As Weapons’ and ‘Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women’. He also wrote ‘Jay's Journal of Anomalies: Conjurers, Cheats, Hustlers, Hoaxsters, Pranksters, Jokesters, Imposters, Pretenders, Side-Show Showmen, Armless Calligraphers, Mechanical Marvels, Popular Entertainments’. Jay is seriously passionate about these pointlessly talented, almost forgotten, entertainers in history over the last two centuries. The facts he includes may be anecdotal (from playbills and posters), yet if Jay did not write about these people, we would not have known about them. His action of writing the books and having them published, led to our knowledge about these people.

So, the psychic octopus Paul predicted that Spain would win, and he was spot on! How did he do it? Pure fluke? Statistical odds? Probability? It is, after, all either/or: Fifty, fifty. Or, was it weighted in favour of one prediction over the other?

I just watched the film ‘21’ (with the talented but straight-faced, actor Kevin Spacy) that is about card-counting students from MIT taking on Las Vegas casinos. Their actions are not without consequences, as there are rules for playing with money in that town. Their system of gambling is based on cheating the system, so as to gain advantage play (in gambling parlance) over the house. The house, eventually, wins and ‘things are not what they seem to be’.

As leaders, it is relevant that we explore systems thinking - one of five pillars proposed by Peter Senge in his book The Fifth Discipline. Systems thinking allow us to access our predictions. When you determine the connections, implication and relationships between things then we can extrapolate possibilities. When you use cause and effect, we can attribute a nexus between action and result. Decision-making, whether via a decision-making tree or algorithm, determines your outcome. There is systemic impact for our actions and inactions. When Shakespeare wrote in his case study, Hamlet 'To be, or not be - that is the question' he may have alluded to systems.

I watched the first half of the World Cup Final, and decided that it would head nowhere until later this morning. Spain won at extra time. I know a few of my friends will cash in on their bets today. Good on them. I wonder how they made their accurate prediction? By influence, intuition or through their own systemic thinking…


*6th in my age group, and 26th overall at yesterday's Tri-Factor RUN. My run splits were fading. Note to self: pace and be patient.

Going TRIbal

Marketing author, Seth Godin proposed the concept of Tribes. And his concept has attracted interest in the field of branding, marketing, charity and causes.

Three-time Ironman triathlon world champion, Chrissy Wellington blogged about GOTRIbal, a worldwide movement for women doing endurance sports.

Tribes of Twitter and Facebook may feel that it is their right to post tweets and blogs based on their opinions, yet there are implications for rampant rants and raves. In the Six Degree of Separation, your tribes may inform you of indiscriminate and unfair propagation of messages. Sure we have little control; we can claim it is a free market enterprise, capitalism or consumer rights. Amazon.com works on word of mouth and reviewers rank their degree of product satisfaction by their written reviews and scores. Like a beauty pageant, subjectivity (based on likes and dislikes) needs to be factored. A sporting event is more straightforward and objective: who finishes first, or lifts most, or jumps the highest. The Olympic ideals of faster, stronger and highest are empirical and exact measures and evaluations.

Evaluation is useful and powerful. An upset student can score a trainer/teacher low, and cite their preferences as a cause for qualification. Yet, some fail to appreciate the process, specific content and approach. It is too easy to succumb to familiarity and comfort. We have our paradigms, yet how often do we evaluate and review our paradigms. It is akin to reviewing who your true friends are, and who we value the most in our relationships.

This morning, at the TRI-Run held at Sengkang I experienced many moments of leadership in action. I witnessed the winner in the Men’s Open category, Mok Ying Ren (2007 SEA Games Triathlon gold medalist) run back to the run-course to encourage the finishing runners on. Now, that reflects well on his character and role as race ambassador! He also surrendered his top prize to the runner-up.

Tribes are essential for pushing forward our cause. All it takes is one supporter of your cause, and we are up and running.

I enjoy writing and reporting for you. Even if I have one reader, I am rewarded on so many levels of personal satisfaction. Thank you, John for introducing yourself to me as one of my readers. I am inspired by your actions – congratulations on your achievement! It was a hot and tough race – however we will cherish this experience for it tested our mettle.

*I completed the TRI-Factor 21km (3 loops of 7km) run course in 1:44:50. It is my personal best in a 21km race, yet I ran a split-time PB last year during the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon at 1:41. As this is my tune up for the Berlin Marathon, I will use this data to design my training, specifically, for a 3:19 qualification on 26 September. I am not an elite runner, and I perform on hard work and expert advice. Thankfully, my legs are holding well and I am responding to my recent running gait. Thank you Matthew for suggesting that pool session after our run, as it seems to have helped my recovery.

**Coaching Points: Through our short discussion this morning, these are what a neophyte runner racing would need:

1)    Race-belt/race tag

2)    Energy gels (one packet per 20-30 minutes) as most races do not carry it at aid-station

3)    Medium-cut socks (sandy trails and routes can encourage abrasion, even if it one grain)

4)    Vaseline, or any lubricant that minimizes friction at your seams (racing attire)

5)    Wear what you normally train in; never introduce new things on race-day

6)    It is essential to fuel up with simple and complex carbohydrates immediately after intense exercise, and protein and carbohydrates within an hour of cessation of exercise (Dean Karnazes recommends this strongly when he raced 50 marathons over 50 days).

7)    Do post-race cool-down and recovery methods such as ice-baths, swimming, sports massage and stretching

8)    Read Matt’s commentary on this morning’s race. Select a race, plan it and race it.

The Language of Commentaries

This morning, I heard a sports commentator on television use fascinating words in his narrative of the Pro Tour ITIF Table Tennis match in Japan. He said: ‘She ran out of real estate!’ after the ball was hit off the table. It was a sweet application of analogy. ‘She used the entire table and regained control!’

Have you ever listened to sports commentaries on ESPN channel? The better professionals are highly energetic, animated and voluminous in description. The enthused announcer may wax lyrical and spout lines like a creative and aggressive underground rapper in battle for a title. Recall Eminem’s The Eighth Mile where he puts an antagonistic rapper in his place, after the latter hits below the belt (pardon me for using boxing terminology) with personal attacks. Eminem reclaims his turf by returning verbal blows, with intelligent hooks and deep undercuts.

In the wonderfully cheerful film, Music and Lyrics (starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore) poetry is married to melody to create a hit song. A music writer seeks the partnership of a gardener-natural lyricist to create a potential pop hit. Although words are only 7 percent of face-to-face communication, it still matters when we make that verbal and intellectual connection.

Professor Tim Gunn (of Project Runway fame) uses an astounding vocabulary that sits well when he describes fashion (on his program, Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style). Although it may sound exaggerated at times, it is nonetheless enticing as it makes creative sense. On occasions, the adjectives used in the series may be a bit over-the-top it delivers the punches (home).

‘You can do much better!’

‘You can’t do any worse!’

Ever picked up a call when overseas and wonder what the caller was going on about? Tone (38 percent, according to Albert Mehrabian’s much misunderstood model) although important, matters only when we speak the same language.

In a commentary, the gist of the event has to be captured such that a fan listening in still enjoys a sense of the experience. Recall how years ago, before the advent of the television (let’s pretend…a line from M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense) that we used to listen to soccer on radio? It was just as exciting to listen in to the World Cup as it was watching it.

Leaders spread the word. Make a commentary at times. Your timing is important. Make it real-time. Communicate elegantly and exquisitely, and deliver with ease. Relish the meaning behind each word. Your emotions will help you present your tone with emphasis, poignancy and purpose.

Rock on! Roar on! Relish the moment…

Converts to the Endurance Game

Today, I had a student in class (all subject leaders in schools) who runs ultramarathons. She teaches language, and ran the Sundown Marathon in about 10:45. I asked if she would be doing the 21km races this year, and she looked on in disbelief; apparently, anything less than a marathon was not a priority to her. She ran and completed the NF100 with a partner last year (which I qualified for, but did not intend to do).

Years ago, I held the welded belief that running more than 5km per session was crazy. When I ran my first 10km in training, I was a mental mess but it did me wonders to unfasten my resistance to longer distance – it was my paradigm shift. When you do not know how to pace yourself, and are vastly under-trained to meet the demands of longer races, you will experience a blowout. And I did, enough to walk ashamedly back home and deny myself any such humiliation in the future.

I was a middle-distance runner, thanks to my form-teacher Mr S K Cheong who encouraged me to run. I discovered my talent late, and won my first sports day medals for the 1,500m and 3,000m Steeplechase. I studied the works of Dr George Sheehan and devoured re-reads of Jim Fixx’s Complete Book of Running.

Tonight, I spoke to a taxi driver about health matters. Interestingly enough, I observed that her language patterns revolved around ‘benefits in the long run’, stress management, and jogging. Later this evening, I spoke to a friend about sports supplements that he could use for both running and strength building. He lost an amazing 21kg over the last few months. He has been running and aspires to run the Chiangmai Marathon. We discussed that when mixing aerobic and strength training, the muscular development is limited, as the body tends to be in ‘over-trained’ state.

Having iced my ankles and knees twice last night, I walk much better tonight. The prevailing Asian belief is that ice and cold may cause rheumatism in the long run. However, with the first aid approach called RICES for injury, ice therapy can spell wonders for relieving pain and reducing swelling in joints and muscles. RICES is an acronym for Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation and Support.

Here is an article on going long at Running Times.

Running an ultramarathon requires a different mindset. It goes beyond the standard 42.195km distance. Training for such a distance requires more mileage (upwards of the 70-100 miles required for a marathon). Most of these races take place in off-road terrain (water, sand dunes, hills), or in extreme conditions such as heat (in canyons and deserts). Local races with such enduring challenges are the NorthFace 100, MR25 Ultramarathon and the adidas Sundown Marathon.

Doing Without Surrogates

I watched Bruce Willis’ film Surrogates last night. The concept is a scary yet sensible one: You stay at home, and your surrogate (robot) goes to work. Essentially, you are doing virtual role-playing in a near-perfect body. Like in The Matrix, you lie on a reclining barbershop chair as you are connected (and issuing long-distance commands) via an Internet-like network to your alternate self. And, you can look as attractive as you would like without resorting to cosmetic surgery, as everyone is wrinkle and crinkle free.

I wonder in this current world of ours, how many surrogates are used? In filmmaking, actors may use stand-ins to perform dangerous stunts. Stunt-people are surrogates. A body-double is a surrogate. A bodyguard is a surrogate of sorts. A chauffeur is a surrogate who stands in for the driver in the backseat. There are a significant number of healthy surrogate mothers, who rent their body for the biologically disadvantaged. An understudy is a potential surrogate who replaces the actor in the event of illness.

When we delegate our team members to perform tasks, aren’t we (in a expanded way) using surrogates to complete our tasks? We delegate to those on our team who can do the task, even if it means stretching them somewhat. For instance, several members can make a sales presentation on your behalf. You merely direct them with your expectations and standards of excellence. When Steve Jobs personally introduces the iPad and iPhone, isn’t he a surrogate for the digital giant known as Apple?

In most cases, we have to play our own surrogates. When we race at triathlons, marathons and other endurance sports – aren’t we our surrogates in a different context? We just dress up differently and appropriately, take on a multiplicity of physical disciplines and environments, and aim to complete the race within a stipulated time. We have to deliver by a shorter dateline.

Or, do we decide to be who we truly are? Just present your personality, energy and intentions to your audience. You need not abrogate to your surrogate. Be true. Be real.

There Is No Shame…

…In dropping out from a race! This is especially so when you have covered a wide expanse of space and distance. It is a painful experience and choice, yet we may have to consider it sometimes.

I recall having a conversation with a respectable age-group triathlete, where he accused a professional triathlete of dropping out of a race deliberately. He reasoned that the professional knew that he had no chance, so decided to call it a day. The pro lives to race another event, where he/she stands a better chance of earning the purse.

When do you call it a day? Have you ever done that? Leaders may be called to task, since their competencies and experience will be questioned often.

Personally, I have not in a race although I have done so during training. I reckon that I could always continue with training the next day; and split-training workouts are not unusual.

If you risk injury or your safety, it would be wise to stop your activity. Where there is smoke, there must be fire. If you more than suspect that your body is in trouble with the heat, physical damage, or illness – slow down or immediately cease all activity! To finish the race, while risking potential and imminent bodily damage, would have meant losing your focus. Your mental focus will shift many times throughout the race or training session, yet we need to be mindful when this happens.

You are either aware, or not. Nobody can teach you to be aware; you choose to do it, and you focus on what matters at that time. Being aware is about being alert and decisive. When I raced in Ironman New Zealand in March, I went in with a clear agenda to finish, especially after the disappointing and disastrous swim cancellation in the weather-ruined 2006 race. My sports doctor encouraged me t thoroughly consider my options: I could race provided I did not swim and risk getting water in my cheek fractured face (fear of infection), keep my wounds dry, and pace myself carefully. With one frustrating month of compromised fitness and confidence, I completed my race just after dark with no personal best timing. I would not trade my completion for anything else for there was a personal and perverse sense of accomplishment. Like the Olympic Games it took me four years later to enjoy the full 226km distance! I never think of dropping out; giving my best performance is my goal and motivation. Being silly and myopic is not my criteria of doing well.

Congratulations to the Singapore team that attempted Ironman Austria and Ironman Frankfurt! For those who could not complete due to injury and GI issues, recover well. There’s always another opportunity to race.


Macca blogs about having no regrets. This is one of his finest pieces. It is his insight and hindsight about the Ironman Frankfurt. The future of Ironman triathlons seems secure. You can respect the Man!

Lighten Up…Will You?

I had a smirk the entire way back in my 11km run last night. I recalled what my coach said about smiling during endurance training and races, and how it lessened the severity of the discomfort. It worked astonishingly well tonight, as I did not experience any pain in my knees, ankles and feet.

I had a short spate of aches and pains during my runs over the past two weeks. This may have been due, mainly, to an unconscious shift in my running technique: unsteady gait, lazy foot drop, and a weakened core. I had avoided my core exercises and I think the trigger effect was that the discomfort domino led to a wave of soreness. It could also have been a reaction to the ultra-marathon I completed a month ago. Systematically, sometimes, it has to get worst before it gets better. My discoveries were:

1)    I also focused on keeping my feet closer to the ground, so as not to waste unnecessary effort.

2)    I focused deliberately on landing on the joint in my forefoot (ball of toes).

3)    I leaned forward more and looked about less than three metres forwards.

4)    I also increased my cadence (foot turnover) by taking more but smaller strides.

5)    I used an old pair of shoes that I raced my marathon PB with half a year ago. (Recall I said I would be experimenting with barefoot running and Vibram Five Fingers shoes)

6)    Overall, I felt my landing was lighter (as I almost shuffling my feet along).

In other words, I lightened my foot impact on the ground. Dr Ben Tan described in his book Fit For Life (2009) that the feet experiences anywhere from 3-7 times amplified bodyweight depending on whether you are gong uphill or downhill. Do be careful when you land as your sprint downhill. In fact, you would be safer if you take smaller strides and lean backwards, downhill, so that your centre of gravity stays behind you. Read Ben's book, as it is well written, highly researched, and inspiring. I am applying the wisdom in his book to prepare for Berlin in September.

When things go wrong, the gravity of the situation will sink in eventually. When people take themselves too seriously, their relationships become awkward. They limit creativity, openness and connectivity.

When you stop enjoying what you (and what’s wrong with enjoying yourself?) do, then it becomes a painful ordeal. As my dear friend and renowned magic creator Lewis Jones would offer whenever I visit him in his London home: ‘Do whatever you like!’

Be happy. Free your mind. Free your feet.

Breaking Away From Tradition

A few weeks ago, I shared my book review of Christopher McDougall’s Born To Run (2009). In his narrative, McDougall reports, both scientifically and anecdotally, how he discovered the incredible fitness of the Tarahumara tribe in Mexico who live privately, and run effortlessly – with no injuries.

Yesterday, after collecting my racekit at Velocity, I acquired my first pair of Vibram Five Fingers® Bikila (after the amazing Olympic champion, Abebe). These are thin-soled shoes that were modeled after barefoot running. When I posted on Facebook on who ran barefooted occasionally, I received a quite a few responses from my friends. Some were adamant about running with shoes; others were strong proponents and promoters of running naked.

Running without shoes, has been around for a long time. The top Kenyan runners used to run barefooted until they won races and got sponsored. There is a fascinating argument about whether running with thin-soled shoes and contemporary running shoes causes the most injuries. The question has emerged: Does running with running shoes cause more injuries than running without them? Shod or no shod? Injuries seem to prevail regardless of shoes, or not.

I was also surprised that the Vibram Five Fingers® cost just as much as normal running shoes. As I was fitting myself with a few pairs of the sock-like shoe in the relatively crowded shoe section, all of the patrons looked curiously on and even asked the shoe expert at the store questions about them.

I know that a pair of these well-moulded socks cost a fair bit. However, being scientific I need to test it on subjects. Anecdotal evidence is relevant to a certain point, until you test it out. My approach is Test-Operate-Test-Exit. Having experienced mild injury-like symptoms (having no history of major joint injuries at all for decades), I decided to re-educate my feet and entire musculoskeletal system. Having attended and practiced Chi Running for the last few years, I have learnt to focus on my core stability while in dynamic motion.

As strongly encouraged by my barefoot running friends, I will ease into the mileage gradually. No point being hurt during the transition; although I should expect a degree of soreness. I have a half-marathon race this weekend. I confirmed my accommodation in Berlin already, and look forward to some sustainable speed in my legs in the weeks to come. Hoo-Ah!

Recognising A Few People

All the best to Philip ‘TriGeek’ Koh for his Ironman Austria attempt! I am sure that he will complete it, as he has done with his last ten Ironmans. Philip and Clifford Lee are, perhaps, the first two Singaporeans to hit the double-digit achievement for the three-discipline, 226km distance. I hope to join them in this league by year-end.

Martin Parnell is a 55-year-old ultra-marathoner and Ironman who is attempting to raise $250,000’s for the Team Kids U Can fund. He has been running five times a week (resting on weekends) to complete his 250 marathons this year. That is in excess of a whopping 10,550km by time he is done! Please donate to his charity when you can. He does hard work and it is for a worthy cause.

Congratulations to Tobias Frenz on his 3:09 marathon finish as the Standard Chartered Marathon in Kula Lumpur! This ultra-Ironman champion has turned his attention to desert ultra-marathoner to free-diver to long-distance swimmer, and his sports resume keeps growing. The Singapore Marathon, a marquee event, is already sold out and should see an exciting new route that weaves through the pronounced shopping belt called Orchard Road.

Dr Benedict Tan, a prominent sorts medicine specialist is now the President of the Singapore Sailing Federation. A former Olympic sailor, a multiple gold-medalist on the Asian racing circuit (including SEA Games) and author (recently, with ‘Run For Your Life’), Ben is optimistic about raising the bar for sailing and sailors for Singapore. We wish him all the best! We interviewed Ben for our blog, and it was also picked up by Leslie Tan, founder of Red Sports. 


Straight out of the pages of laudable sports achievements is Shawn Ann Leong's road to Kona in 2009. I recall watching her receive her award in Ironman China 2009. She also appeared in the Ironman World Championships 2009 DVD - as she crossed the line!

Finally, the first woman weightlifter in Singapore to compete in Commonwealth Games! Helena Wong will lead Singapore into our weightlifting books at the coming high profile games. We look forward to her representing us at the prestigious games. Helena has improved tremendously as a lifter while doing her degree in the UK. [More on weightlifting.]

The Learned Language of Empathy

Ironman Triathlete blogger, Teo Hui Koon wrote that his students (Generation Y) expressed the term ‘emo-ing’ as displays of emotional outbursts. These expressions of our internal energy are a natural extension of our personality and attitude. How you feel at any one time determines how you will behave.

Emotions buoy our words; they lift our influence up. They give density to our words, and enhance it through our tonality. Tonality and words comprise 45% of total face-to-face communication. Shifting tones have a direct impact on our conscious and unconscious parts of our mind. You can test this out with the following exercise: recite the following question, several times with emphasis of a different word each time.

Who will help me?

As you focus on each word, the attention shifts to another dimension of the question. Influence with your tonality.

The language of empathy requires a feeling word (emotion) and the appropriate tone. Empathy involves the words feeling, feel, felt and emotional words.

Create a list with as many words describing various types of emotions: angry, sad, ecstatic, happy, enthusiastic, eager, anxious, excited, nervous, etc.

The next time you wish to relate to another person at the deeper level of emotions, include empathy and emotional words. Emote. Be emotional, yet in control.