Doing Loops

Yesterday, the Triathlon Family Singapore committee and volunteers met to discuss our roles in the coming Triathlon Sprint. This is an annual event that attracts new and seasoned triathletes. All participants will complete on loop of the swim, ride and run.

Some of the best roller-coaster rides include loops, and these are heart-stopping, adrenaline-infused, portions of the short but intense ride. The G-forces offered by these cleverly design rides increase at certain rises in the crest of the tracks. The sharp turns can also shake you into submission, and surrender to the moment and momentum. The screams are testimony of how fearfully thrilling it can be.

In conversations, some are fond (and skillful) of running in circles. They give others the runaround, evading and deflecting the questions. It appears to be a skill of politicians and celebrities. It is certainly the opposite of stating ‘No comment!’ It would be better to attend to most of the questions instead of avoiding them. This annoys journalists, colleagues and customers. Get to the point quickly!

Leadership Lessons: How straightforward are you when answering questions? How open, transparent and honest are you when cornered for answers? How fast do you connect the dots between request and delivery?

*****

Last night I completed a 10K run at 4:59 minutes/K, as I had the meeting to attend. Tonight is my swim drill night with about 3K of pool buoy strokes. Despite a sore left pectoral (probably, a strain from my bike crash about 10 days ago), I hope to be able to swim comfortably and complete the last two intense and longest training weeks before my taper to Taupo. I hope to bypass sub-optimal conditions and be in my best shape of my Ironman life. A heavy working week poses significant challenges to preparing for a race, however it is focus that brings it all back to relevance and reality. Live within each moment ad do what you can do. Train safe.

Loops, Actually!

This morning, I completed 15 loops of the infamously boring Selarang Loop. It was a simple circuit of about 4K, with a few rolls thrown in on what is known as the Selarang Hill. Not too far away, is a renowned rehabilitation centre that organizes the annual Yellow Ribbon Run.

Prior to my first attempt at Ironman Lanzarote, I worked up to 23 loops (I started with 6, then 13, then 23). When done as a continuous series of loops, it is akin to a hilly course. Singapore is a fairly flat country where the tallest hill is less than 200 metres high! This morning, as part of my preparation for Lanzarote 2011, I was aiming for 30 loops, however mild distractions led me to decide on an alternate course of action. I am recovering from my head cold, yet I still have the occasional nasal dribble that makes it inconvenient to discharge when there are riders or vehicles behind me.

It may sound insane to do a series of boredom-inducing loops, yet that is the very essence of a multiple-Ironman event. The reason why the Triple-, Quadruple- and Deca-Ironman races are held on a closed circuit is to ensure safety of the riders and runners. The ultra-swim is held in a pool as laps can be counted and the participants are always in complete view of technical and safety officials.

Yesterday’s run clinic (organised through Core Concepts & Back2Sports) was fun. I walked the small group through pre-race training, pre-race preparation, and race-day tactics. This was a precursor to a larger clinic I will present, one day before I fly off to Lanzarote. I am looking forward to the clinic, as there is much to share on running your first half-marathon. 21K is not something you will balk at, as it is a long endurance activity. Kudos to those who signed up and started training for your first half-marathon!

I will sleep early tonight, as I will be leading a run with two other runners tomorrow at 7.30am. Sleep is under-rated, but it is, probably, the most important element that keeps us healthy and fit. Compromise sleep, and we risk all the hard work we have put in for a race.