My exercise journey

I have never been a fit child when I was young. When I thought of dismissing the idea of me liking physical education, I fall back to stereotype that any "smart" kid will likely have weakness and weakness is often a weak fragile body. Well, I am only an average person. which means if I want be fit and strong I need to train.

In my twenties, I discovered yoga, yoga and pilates and started joining the courses of yoga and improved my posture. I discovered I could train my body and withstand the poses from yoga, starting from gentle yoga, progressing to hatha, and asthanga. It is generally easier to go to class regularly, although I have proven that you can cycle through classes and you don't have to stick to a practice. That might have taken a longer route with my method, but I found something that work for me. I found that building classes progressively, you have to work it out for every class. That means stretch and find that pain in the poses, and rest throughout the week. Your body will indeed respond and become progressively limber and fitter.

Yoga works to improve flexibility, which means you will often improve your range of movement as your yoga practice progress. I also found pilates. Pilates is the class you take if you want to exercise your core and you become stronger through pilates practice and have a beautiful abs.

I also learnt how to swim in my twenties. Then I started swimming regularly in early thirties, especially breaststroke. I have naturally small hip compared to the rest of my body, (it's apple body type - voluptous but with slimmer hip). Swimming once a week 20 laps, helped me achieve more proportional body shape. My chin is slimmer and my hip wider, so as a result my body is now even much more proportional. Of course if you swim regularly, here is a couple of tips.

1. Swim outdoor if you can
Swimming indoor means better protection from sun, winds, and rain. You can always swim regardless of weather. That means no excuse to skip too. However, indoor pool is often saturated with chlorine which is harsh to your body and hair. Chemical from outdoor swimming pool has the chance to evaporate and oxidise with natural sun light. Plus, if you swim in the sea it is natural.

2. SPF protection is important
Protect your skin regardless of whether you swim in sea or in the pool. Always wear waterproof Sun Protection skin. For beach and outdoor sport, SPF 50 is the minimum recommended factor. Appy and reapply often and with enough coverage.

3. Shower or rinse before swimming
If you saturate your hair and skin with fresh water, your body has less chance of absorbing the chlorine water.

4. Wear swim cap
Protect your hair from regular soak of pool water. It is more hygiene too. Your hair might become brittle and dry from regular exposure to chlorine. You can apply oil or chlorine naturalizer too to help protect your hair underneath the cap.

5. Shower immediately after swim
Wash your face, body, and hair. Rinse with fresh water including your suit and googles. If your swim suit and googles can be damaged easily from regular use in the water, imagine the damage to your hair.

Body Fat Percentage

According to this article, the ideal body fat for healthy/normal women should be 21-24% (athlete), or 24-31% (acceptable). My weight today 59kg. Body Fat 20.9%

According to that: my body fat is 12.33kg with lean body mass of 59 minus 12.33 = 46.67kg. With my goal to achieve ideal weight, I should aim for 18% (let say) = 57kg. I think my weighing machine is broken. There's no way I have body fat of only 21%.

How to measure body fat? A link here has 5 ways to measure.
Adult body fat % = (1.20 × BMI) + (0.23 × Age) − (10.8 × sex) − 5.4
Sex = 0 for man, 1 for female
BMI = body weight (kg) divide into height (in m) square. So 59kg / 1.62m = 36.4 / 1.62m = equals 22.48

I did it!

I completed my first half-marathon. Timing 3 hours 3 mins - is okay average considering my lack of training. I am so elated and am donning my nice finisher's tee.

Final week to 21KM

I'm in kind of trouble because of my lack of training for my first marathon.

My original plan heading to the week of March 18th is 5KM (Tue) + 7KM (Thurs) + 12KM (weekend). What I did was 2KM (tues night) + 5.5KM (Friday night) + 7KM (Sunday night).

What I did to track marathon progress of my friends

Standard Chartered

I was motivated. Tired. Energized. Not trained. Lazy. Glutton. Pasta party. Strategy. Pace.

Well I didn't train at all this time. Got to say do better than even my expectation - which was very low. Was hoping it would rain, so I could skip the run. Woke up at 545 - warmed up. Watched the marathoner running on the road below my house. Then got ready with my bro - got banana, gu tri-berry, and some strategy. Keep my heart beat slow and steady.

The results: 1:21 not that bad, we got into the first wave. Based on net timing I was doing worse. But I am contended - I got what I deserve except slightly better coz of the pacing.

The actual run

GE 2011

Tiring, congested. Another example of good run is hard to organize, and taken for granted.
This year, the committee' complaints ranges from shirt that's too small (it bunches up when I ran among tummy), narrow sections, horrible water points, late flag-off time, and bad goodies bag.

Hot day, but I dashed off for my flight to Jkt soon after at 130 pm. Productive!

Busy Sunday

On Sunday night, I was telling myself "Yeah, keep it up. Fill those days!".

Feeling energized from the good exercise on Saturday, I filled my Sunday with:

Waking up refreshed at 11am
Breakfast/lunch at Yan Palace Hong Lim. (I love the porridge and my fave cheong fun).
Facebooking.
330pm Indo mass at St Bernie - it's 2nd Sunday of the month. Mother's Day
5pm Gym at GWC
615pm forgot my clothes! Express shopping
Meet M and dinner with Y and M at Parkway
After-dinner walk along East Coast with some sob sharing
Long taxi queue (note to self : never attempt calling nor queuing for cab at East Coast on a Sunday night)
Gave up and took bus home. Home sweet home at close to midnight

Nike 5KM Run

Saturday was Hot and Humid. The run was inaugural held by Nike, so we could see some hiccups. Marine Barrage was nice as venue, I could see the perfect blue sky at the bubble up near starting line. But it was hot and if 5,000 people (luckily all girls so not as sweat smelly :) crowding in a narrow area towards the line, it was pushing and a bit chaotic.

Nike gave out a dry-fit Orange running tee, love the shirt, the design was shucky. And a black shoebag that is functional.

As finisher, we have a table trophy and a stalk of Gerbera. Mine is red. Gerbera in flower talk means innocence, purity and beauty. I like its cheerful color.

Now, timing! 37mins over 5KM. Not bad considering how hot it was, not my best timing either :( despite having run my best in first 2KM before the true heat sets in.

Update on May 17:

Nike created a pretty cool, if impractical site to check the timing result of the last run. Hey I got rank 218, I guess not bad out of 1,135 runners in my category (303 out of 1,672). Net official timing 36:43.

Here to check your timing.

2XU RUN

My Run Today

My first run today carried 2XU and Pocari Sweat branding title.

http://www.2xucompressionrun.com.sg/

I did this for two small reasons and one big reason. 12KM is my first stretch target beyond the usual 10KM run, and that I love to try the compression Calf Guard. And it is on my brother's birthday - he loves running so we signed up together.

2XU (pronounced two-times-U) main products are claimed to be high-performance running/athlete for races and triathlons. They signed up offered runners with 2nd category of registration that comes with a pair of Calf Guard at $70, than $60 fee for just the race. I thought it is a good deal to try new runner's gadget :)

The Calf Guard comes as a pair. It is shaped like long socks with open ends at the ankles section. I tried twice when training on the treadmill. It holds very tightly the shape of the calf - actually the calves look very shapely and slim with that - it seemed to pull my lower legs together. My legs felt less sore than usual despite the heavy training.

Here is the official description:

2XU Calf Guard targeting the calf muscle - a major driver in venous return from your lower body, calf guards can be worn during competition or used simply as a recovery tool. With similar benefits to compression tights but in a smaller package, calf guards improve circulation and protect against leg fatigue and muscle soreness. Essential training and recovery tool for people who need extra support through their calf region.

One of saddest progress of my exercise "regime". It looks closer to adhoc spurs of gym-ing than regime actually.

After 1 full week of skipping my jogging, and 2 full weeks from my last body pump session (I have excuse of that multi-million deal we are negotiating in UK!), my arms felt flabby, my muffin handles are showing off left right and front, I am DOOMED.

Today: 4.5KM total - 35mins with 15 mins rest between 2 and 2.2. 2XU run 7 days away!

I am so happy to start my new exercise regime. I ran 2 blocks of 1.5KM today on treadmill. What an achievement (normally I can't stand the mundane-ness of staring at the digital clock ticking seconds by seconds).

My record: 3KM - 31mins - 250 cal.

My run result. Ran 10K race with Great Eastern Women last weekend in Singapore. My timing 01:15:08. Not bad at all considering I did not train the last month at all. Was busy priotizing work and business trip to China and Jakarta.

I remembered though giving my all at final 2KM when I glanced at my watch after a dissappointing slow starter and realized I could still come close to a decent finish. That final 500m was a real stretch and I am glad I made it.