You Are Sorry - Because You Got Caught (Part 1)

The truth is out!  A press statement by leading sports-shoe manufacturer Nike on CNN: 'Due to the seemingly insurmountable evidence that Lance Armstrong participated in doping and misled Nike for more than a decade, it is with great sadness that we terminated our contract with him.' This was released yesterday. Just this morning, Anheuser-Busch (brewers of Budweiser beer) just dropped Armstrong from their contract. With a reported $12.5 million earnings from sponsorship earnings last year, the uber-biker associated with the Livestrong brand/charity has much to lose for one simple reason.
The prolonged process of systematic doping (parlance for cheating), and coercive tactics on professional cyclists led to the cyclist's eventual downfall. When the whistle-blowers confessed, in gradual numbers (both fellow competitors and ex-team-mates), this once sturdy and stable house-of-cards toppled over. The snitches's role in this cheating scandal will be the proverbial 'straw that broke the camel's back'. Plus, with the obsessive witch-hunter, the United States Anti-Diping Association (USADA) backed by mounting (mountain?) and irrefutable evidence, Armstrong is now a lone wolf backed into his corner. It will be time he will chew off his hand.
Mind you, I am not intentional bashing Mr Armstrong for his systematic doping program. He has been successful in evading the radar of scrutiny by the watchful eyes of the national watchdogs for years. Sure, his weekly ordeal of being tested before and after races seemed unfair and discriminating, however was this a case of 'a matter of time'? Do the wrong deed for a long time, and eventually one slips up. Plus, people may forgive but not forget.
What will this landmark case do for fans, charity (Livestrong), and the sport of cycling? As is, the landfill of secrets will reveal the goings-on in time to come. Live and let live? Meanwhile, wait and see. Be strong. For our sake.

Writers Rediscovered

The films ‘Finding Forrester’ and, recently, ‘The Magic of Belle Island’ portray writers who have lost their motivations, and eventually finding it. Both feature seasoned film and theatre actors (Sean Connery & Morgan Freeman respectively), at their matured best, who become unwilling mentors. They are influenced by their students to regain their passion for writing.

The key messages in each film are ‘First write with your heart, then with your head.’ And, ‘Imagine what is not there.’ Each slogan is a useful strategy by itself. If you want to be a better writer, you will have to write constantly – however good or bad the writing is. Just keeping the words flowing is vital to the writing process. The NanoWriMo Challenge, which takes place in November, is about inciting writers to write at least 100,000 words over 30 days. I managed to complete this colossal task over a heavy work schedule inn 2009, yet learnt much about discipline and time management. If you want something done, give it to a busy person. You can achieve so much.

Just today, my friend Clifford Lee (multiple-Ironman finisher) completed his personal challenge in Kona, Hawaii. He successfully completed the 226K Ironman World Championships after qualifying for the Legacy Lottery. He wrote his report a day after, which drew much praise for his honesty, passion, humour and naturalness. Sometimes, the best pieces of literature come deep from one’s heart, which is what endurance athletes do, when they ‘dig deep’ to finish their long-distance tests. Clifford’s piece continues to draw congratulatory messages as well as kudos for his narrative style of reporting. His piece is inspirational, as he drew inspiration from his fellow competitors during his 16-hour feat in the heat.

We will be doing an interview with this 14-time Ironman finisher shortly, so stay tuned.

The Last Moments Matter

When I play the online word games of ‘Scrambled’ and ‘Word Hero’ on my android phone, I notice that I can squeeze out up to three words in the last five seconds. What leads to these last ‘bursts of fire’? How do I manage to wring out words at whirlwind speed at the eleventh hour?

Perhaps it is the adrenaline pumping, as I compete against the timeline. Being an endurance athlete, I am familiar with working against the clock when I aim for personal best (PB) timing. The watch gives you a sense of your timing, speediness and ability to work within a self-created crisis. It is like our ability to sprint over the finishing-line despite being fatigued or cramped.

It could also be attributed it to my sense of competitiveness. Not so much against a friend, or an unknown adversary – more about beating myself against a benchmarked score. The limits determine your limitation. Either you believe you can beat the score by associating words from the random assortment of alphabets. Sometimes, it takes us almost the duration of the game to realize new words. The confusion makes way for clarity.

Leadership Lessons: How often do you challenge yourself against the clock? How much can you squeeze out of your packets of time? What was the most that you produced within a short period of time? How did it feel to accomplish a lot more than you imagined?

Ironman Triathlon World Championships 2012

The Ironman triathlon World Championships ended a few hours ago. Held in Kona, Hawaii this race began in 1977 on the Big Island before moving to its present location. About 2,000 athletes competed in almost all categories from the young to aged, and physically-abled to physically-challenged - but with one major goal on their mind - to complete the 226K triathlon within 17 hours. 
The salient feature of these year's edition were determining the new Ironman king and queen of Kona. Four-time 'Queen' Chrissie Wellington appeared as a spectator to cheer her boyfriend Tom Lowe on. She was also interviewed by Greg 'Welchie' Welch on 'Ironman Live'. Crowie was dethroned after putting up a splendid lead in the 180K ride leg. He placed outside of the money after he was overtaken by a tough pack, the sidewinds of Kona, and the hot lava fields. 30-year-old, Australian Pete Jacobs (who was runner-up in 2011), finally, earned his place in Ironman history for winning today's race. He was 'high-fiving' the spectators on as he held on to his wide lead, in the last 2 miles of the marathon. 
The female professionals were flagged off five minutes after the male professionals - a new change in rules. The Legacy Lottery opened doors for those everyday triathletes who may not contend with a podium qualifier, to earn an opportunity to race in Kona. The new M-Dot/Ironman Corporation criteria is opened to triathletes who have completed at least 12 M-Dot sanctioned full Ironman-distance races.
Leanda Cave of the UK, deservedly fought off the leading two female professional triathletes to become the  Queen of Kona. Former, multiple-Queen of Kona, Natascha Badmann (46-years-young) placed 6th with a strong finishing time. 

Lots of drama, inspirational stories, and Clifford Lee (first Singaporean to win a slot in the Legacy Lottery) completed his 14th Ironman in 'Gangnam Style'. 

70.3 Ironman World Championship finisher, Tomoya Tsuruta (Singapore-based Japanese) completed his first Ironman in a very good time. Congratulations to all finishers in Kona!

Six, over-80, veterans were featured in the oldest category with three of them completing the tough race. Certainly very inspirational and amazing efforts by these fit athletes.

New National Record in Charity Mass Swim

Part of the record-breaking swim team. Thanks to Dennis and Dr Jolene for organising this event through SAFRA.

Gary Pryke, secretary of TriFam swam 302 laps (in total; seen with certificate by Singapore Book of Records) to bag top prize for most distance covered; Han Low (tallest) wins third place.

Lessons Learnt From Berlin Marathon 2012

1)    Ensure that you are injury-free before racing. I raced with eight weeks of non-running activities after I was diagnosed with a stress fracture to my left foot. A few short test-runs gave me the confidence to race in Berlin.

2)    Check for symptoms, and the emergence of symptoms before, during, and after your race

3)    Post-race injuries can take 2-3 days to show. After the adrenaline and endorphins fade, the pains surface. Bruised toes, chaffing and blisters take about 24 hours to fully express themselves.

4)    Race with adequately cushioned shoes, but never brand-new ones. Alternate between two pairs, just in case one pair is wet or deteriorates.

5)    Be vigilant about your position, relative to others. Misplaced steps can lead to injury.

6)    If you need to walk, drink to the side of the road (away from runners), or stay in the middle of the road.

7)    Stick to your training plan: nutrition (as you trained with), hydration (avoid the sports drink if have GI sensitivity), electrolytes (bring your own salt tablets), pacing, heart-rate limits.

8)    Enjoy the last few kilometres of the race, as you put in your last ‘bursts’. Remember to do your post-recovery upon crossing the line: water, carbohydrates (simple), mild stretching, lymphatic draining (lie on your back with legs raised), and ingest more liquids. Keep walking until you reach home.

9)    Always have travel insurance. My luggage was misplaced in Berlin when I arrived in London. It is unpleasant to have to wear yesterday’s clothes.

10) Carry an extra set of clothes, including a sweater. It can get chilly onboard. Dress to avoid windchill during a cold race. I wore a hoodie (to keep my head warm), compression top and bottom, added a long-sleeved riding top, and running-shorts (for modesty reasons). A wind-breaker or sweater after the event helps ward off any risk of hypothermia.

Berlin Marathon 2012: Race Day Report

I awoke at 6pm to get myself mentally and physically prepared for my race. It was important that I did not experience gastrointestinal upset during the race. ‘Runner’s stomach’ is a very unpleasant and uncomfortable condition. I enjoyed a light breakfast with a strong cup of coffee, before we departed for the flag-off point on foot. The 1.5K-walk was a chilly one, but I was wrapped up well in two layers (compression wear with a long-sleeved, riding-top). The walk served as a mild warm-up.

Upon reaching the Brandenburg Gate, it was packed with eager runners squeezing their way to their respective pens. I finally found my place in pen E (3:15-3:30 expected timing), and squatted there. I realized I earned my place there and no post-injury mindset would deny me my spot in a prestigious Big 5 Marathon with 1 million spectators, 40,000 runners, 80 ‘live’ bands, 8 world records and the one chance to complete a 42.195K run. Berlin Marathon, New York Marathon, London Marathon, Boston Marathon and Chicago Marathon are the Big Five ‘World Marathon Majors’ series, and ‘must-do’ races for marathoners.

The gun went off exactly at 9.00am, with the professionals leading the way. I inched my way forward and it took just over-5 minutes to cross the start-line. I engaged my Garmin 310XT to measure my own timing.

I set about running my own race at my predetermined pace of 6 minutes per kilometer. I vowed to conduct regular systems checks/self-assessment during my course: rate of Perceived Exertion, heart rate, pains and discomfort on injured area, cramping/tightness, fluid intake, and GI problems. These checkpoints were crucial to my main goal of completing the race in decent time, and with no risk of further injury.

I was doing well for the first 21K until I realized I could not hold the pace for too long. 1:53 was conservative pace for a half-marathon, if I were to earn a negative-split. However, I knew intuitively that today was not the day when I lost speed for the 3:30 pacer. If I could keep up with the 3:45 pacer, I could still earn a decent timing. Eight weeks of no running, except three short, test-runs the week before the marathon meant that I had to pay the price. I had lost precious fitness after Ironman Switzerland (15 July), and my swimming and riding merely maintained some degree of my aerobic fitness/endurance. My legs lacked the strength, stability and conditioning to run at a sustained pace for at least 30K.

My pace started to dwindle after the 25K, as I was not conditioned to hold the race-pace for longer. Once I lost sight of the 3:45 pacer, I knew I was on my own. Damage control and revision to my race-goals had to be made. My mental calculations and decision making was akin to taking the finals in my GCE A-Levels. Distance-running and racing is a stressful sport if you aspire to develop your excellence and personal mastery. I feel exhausted, mentally and physically, after all the mental arithmetic and physical gymnastics.

I was relieved to cross the line after a fast last kilometer (through the main shopping belt, akin to the Gangnam area in Korea), encouraged in a large part by the many fellow runners who were determined to break the tape. Buoyed by the many spectators, volunteers and runners I floated to a happy finish marked with many deliverables: a safe run, no symptoms of injury, no GI issues, achieved goals, and pleasant positive emotions at the end of this race. A mild disappointment may have been not to crack the 4-hour mark (missed by 57 seconds), and potential for a PB/BQ were I not injured. However, this became water under the bridge when a spectator hung my medal around my cold neck. Berlin and the marathon has a special place in  my heart for its energy and enthusiasm bestowed to athletes and tourists.

I received my preliminary results after my exit from the recovery area. 4:00:53 was not far off my expected mark of 4 hours. My original goal was 4:30, to which I revised a few times based on my recovery progress. To think that I almost threw in the towel for this race after I was properly diagnosed with a stress fracture of my metatarsal. I was pleased that no troubling symptoms manifested themselves throughout my race. My lack of race-specific fitness can be addressed in two months before the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (2 December). Thanks to Dr Roger Tien for treating me, and Dr Bao Ying (both of Changi Hospital Sports Medicine Centre) for keeping a close eye on my training exploits. I also appreciated my well-intentioned friends for helping me refocus on my goals. I was glad to have run the race than play frustrated ‘spectator’.

I spent the rest of the evening having dinner (knuckles and beer) with Kum Tho and Derek: KT scored a 3:53 and Derek 3:57 (his PB). We cheerfully reminisced about our officer cadet days, and the untold stories we harbored. We noticed many of the patrons at Paulaner’s (a popular microbrewery/restaurant franchise) wore their finisher’s medal with pride. I believe that they valued this event at various depths of meaning and relevance. I was pleased for them. I wonder how I would look like with all my finisher’s medals around my neck. No point risking whiplash, I reasoned. I will have my proper shot at the Boston Marathon in 2014. 2 December – here I come!

Berlin Marathon 2012: The Expo

It is less than 24 hours away from the Berlin Marathon.

I enjoyed the 3-day race-fair, which is three stations from where I am domiciled while in this history-rich city in Germany. I spent 3 hours in total, discovering new products, making my purchases, drinking non-alcoholic beer (sampling was in abundance), and meeting race champions. My race-kit collection was smooth, fast, and fuss-free. There were enough volunteers and counters to not create any bottlenecks. I met many runners swathed in almost every marathon/half-marathon known to humankind. I saw skinny runners bedecked in sweaters from NYC Marathon, Boston Marathon, Tokyo Marathon, Rock & Roll Marathon, and Berlin Marathon.

I was very pleased to meet Normann Stadler, Ironman world champion in 2004 and 2006. He was working at the Woolf booth, and I thought he looked familiar. As I write this, Normann is well and healthy after his surgery a few ago, and he is fit to race. However, this family-man does not feel strongly compelled to race. The German, uber-biker, has proven himself twice over that he is one of the living legends of the 226K triathlon. It was a rare treat to meet this friendly champion and fiercely competitive triathlete.

I also saw the world-record setting shoes of champion marathoners, on display at the Adidas hall. Yes, Adidas owns a hall to itself with its huge display of running and triathlon-related products. I enjoyed playing with the large, interactive, panel that chronicled new shoes. The new Adi-Zero 2 is a very light, minimalist shoe that was featured at this gigantic race-fair.

I wish all runners and roller-blading athletes a safe race!

In-Transit & Transitions

I am now on a 6-hour transit in the airport. Thankfully, frequent-flyer status on Star Alliance has allowed me access to the lounge. This proves useful as I can do some work, while lounging around with free, wireless access. I have two more flights from London to Dusseldorf, then to Berlin for this weekend's Big Dance.
While here, I met a running-buddy team: Both from Hawaii, and enroute to a marathon in Portugal. Kamika Smith is a 150-marathoner finisher having done the 50-States and 100-States races! His friend Lisa Ledesma is a first-time Ironman finisher (Louisville, Kentucky - a hot and rolling race) and serial marathoner (35 and counting). We recognised each other by our finisher backpacks. We exchanged notes about racing, nutrition, and the races we had done. Of course, we would track our races through Facebook. I received a couple of race-related correspondence as well as well wishes on this social network this morning. Thank you, friends and I believe that my foot is holding up well.
How we spend our time is our prerogative and priority. We can waste or while it away, doing the mundane and meaningless. Yet we can create many experiences of worth, while respecting somebody's sense of time and territory. Transitions are shifts in time, not just punctuations in our time-lines. Make your moves and be aware of your movements, as you place and displace yourself through your travels ands travails in your life.

Drawing From Your Experiences

What does it mean when somebody says ‘learn from experience’ or ‘sharing your experience’?

Learning from your experience builds awareness, introspection, and wisdom. If we make an active and concerted effort to reflect on what when right or wrong, we may benefit when something similar occurs in our future. Otherwise, we haven’t really learnt the lessons from our failures or non-starters.

You can extract the abstracts (i.e. lessons) by constructing a framework of success. Find out what works, and test it out in your existing model of effectiveness. Even in intangible things, we can mine them for their relevance. Our abstracts can matter more than pure wealth. That is why many of us pursue our sporting passions and enjoy our sense of achievement and fulfillment. Each celebration, achieved goal, milestone, and award received raises our sense of personal importance, confidence and self-esteem. These abstractions do matter or else they become pointless.

Leadership Lessons: How can you share somebody’s experiences? Unless you were involved in a similar or the same experience, it is still subjective. If we are not careful, we may end up speaking in clichés – like spouting out-dated idioms and proverbs. When adopting best-in-class practices, do that which has worked and continues to work well. As long as you continue to benefit from a process, keep doing more of it until diminishing returns set in.