Banalun at Chip Bee Gardens

Organic cuisine so well presented and tastes even better. Its one of those eating establishments you can wake up in the middle of the night telling yourself you need to go there again soon. If I need to stuff my face for a marathon I might as well stuff it with the best I can find.

6 days to Sundown

I am supposed to be loading up.

I have to admit my appetite still hasnt been particularly ravenous and I am still pretty stick like. I dont know what happened to my arms. They're like skeleton, with minimal muscle definition. I'm pretty sure I looked healthier before, or at least look like I cannot be bullied. I feel somewhat weaker. because I kept hitting low energy days and struggled to keep up with the thursday runs. today I found myself unable to go beyond 6km. well I could have, but tiredness just swept me over.

I guess I'm quite tired of all that running. I mean I dont hate it, but when its all about logging mileages, the fun wears out because it starts to become a little stressful when you keep failing to meet the target. Right now I really wish for a time when I can just train for a better time at 10 km. And yes I am too tired to eat most times. When I get home I just want to crawl into bed, thinking I'd make up for it at breakfast. Do I take breakfast? No.

I decided the answer is really in my own cooking. when I hit 40-50 km a week, there was just no energy for my pasta dishes and I was eating hawker rubbish, or rather not eating them because I'd be pecking at the food. With just a week to figure out what I can do right, I decided I should go back to my carb rich pasta diet. Post workout is a plate of pasta, just before bed a glass of milk with a 10% yoghurt and a dash of tumeric. it was a frequent ritual when I still had arms. it cant be wrong. and of course I have the energy to do that now. I should, because I'm not doing more than 5km each time.

My songlist is done; has been for some weeks, though I should pepper it more with Pinks "'Cuz I can". I like. B***ch but inspirational. I bought a new running belt for a small water bottle, money and to clip my ipod. This way I can run with my hot pants instead of my tennis shorts with the pockets. I dont do running shorts FBT style. They flap like anything, and somehow I tend to look like a bell waist down. Espeically now because my thighs' concave is more obvious. Those that dont flap come in pink or yellow, I mean come on, I'm seriously into this.

For some reason when a minah wears hot pants for running she looks like a dangdut queen, I suppose so, judging from the whistles I get along the satay stalls. I mean I dont even have much meat, satay man.

The small water bottle that comes with the belt, is handy because after certain mileages, 2 km feels like 5. The hydration helps make the journey less painful.

So whats the plan, I dont really have one except to try to hit 1hr for the first 10 km. The rest depends on my energy levels, sort of, I mean based on my last 21 km time I thought I can manage. But once I sat down and did the sums, 5 hours seems overly ambitious. That and the fact that the good runners in my training group did more than 5 hours the last time they ran. But they claim they werent "prepared" or it was their first try.

I dont have butterflies yet. I think the week will pass and I'll be at the start before I know it.

Adidas monthly women's run

The Adidas women's run is a monthly affair for women to run together. This morning's run was apparently an overwhelming turnout, probably due to the email blast sent out recently about it. I was unaware of this event until the email I got. Runners can choose anything from 2km to 10km. The run starts at Vivo City. If you run 8 or 10, you'll get to Labrador Park and then run back from there.

Its inspiring to know some of the women came from all over the island, by bus, to get there at 8 am.

Its well organised, there are drink stations at the 6km and 8km marks. isotonic drinks mind. there are marshalls to warn you of the traffic and there are sign boards telling you how far you've run. I think they were probably secondary school kids who have to log in time for community work. And there are stretching sessions at the start and end.

I ran from 945 to 1045. It was HOT. Scorching. There were short stretches with no shade. Pure torture. i saw it positively because I tried to run faster to spend less time under the sun, using the shade as a motivation. Labrador Park is pleasant and I'd think about running there again.

At the end there are drinks and bananas provided. Cool eh? and of course, to the benefit of the organisers, you get 20% of running apparel at the store.

This season the shorts have designs that try too hard to be unique yet serve no functionality. The tops? Blah. Sports bras dont come under "running apparel". Why buy running Ts when you get them for free at each race? I mean these free Ts are good stuff; climacool or drifit.

I like to reward myself after long outdoor runs. Today it was high tea at the Furama. And sports massage with Joey. I've carb reloaded and ready for another week.