Sweat and blood marathon

The Singapore marathon 2007 featured 12,000 full marathoner. The total participation is 40,000 strong. I anticipated that the race venue is gonna be packed and so left my house at about 4.10am. When I reached the Raffles City Car Park, there are about slightly less than 400 lots remaining. Not too bad.Reached the start point at around 5.15am... The atmosphere was electrifying... I quickly slotted myself at the back of Pen 4 (for sub 5hr finishers). Race started at about 5.30am sharp... The crowd started to slowly inch forward... Once I past the official start-point I started my jog...

Over the course of the next 21km, I had no trouble as my pace was comfortable. I only had to make one stop into the bushes mid-way to answer to nature's call. At the 25km, I can feel a little chafing in the nipples and soreness in the legs. Whilst these are tolerable, I decided to slow down. At the 26km, saw the power gel station and promptly asked for a tangerine flavoured gel. At 30km, started feeling a little pain in my left knee (may have twisted or sprained something) so I commence the jog walk strategy.

At 38km, stopped jogging completely and was walking for long stretches. Think I hit the wall!! After the 41km mark and with about 700m to go, I summoned all my energy to start jogging again. The pace was slow but at least it was better than walking. Crossed the finished line with a gun-time of 5 hour 08 mins :( (chiptime of 5 hour 06 mins).

I had wanted to do below 5 hours but I guess the last 6km killed my hopes...Overall it was an enjoyable run. No cramps as I kept myself well hydrated. Just lots of sweat and blood from the chaffed nipples (see below)...

(above: SGrunners group photo)

Singapore Marathon here I come!!!

Collection of the StanChart Singapore Marathon kit started yesterday. Like the previous years, I expected a huge human jam during the first day. Somehow a friend managed to convince me to go with her during lunch time against my better judgement :( She said last year when she collected the kit there was no traffic!

As expected, when we reached there, there were about 20 lines of people in front of us! Each line with about 15 people in the queue!! I quickly chastised her for it...

After 15mins in the queue, we moved 2 lines.... We decided to give up and go for lunch instead. During lunch I told her that my experience is that the human traffic actually dies down in the evening.

After work, the first thing I did was to quickly rush to Suntec Convention Centre to collect the kit again and hopefully avoid the evening crowd. I must say I got lucky, the journey there was pretty smooth and I got there about 6.25pm. Even luckier, there were only about 4 lines of queue. The queue was fast moving and before I knew it, I got my kit... I'm a happy man!

Review: Asics Gel Nimbus 9, on cloud 9?

Review: Asics Gel Nimbus 9, on cloud 9?
The Gel Nimbus series is Asic's premium range of running shoes in the cushioning category. As the word Nimbus, which is defined by http://www.dictionary.com/ as "a shining cloud sometimes surrounding a deity when on earth" suggest, the shoe is ostensibly able to provide one with a feeling of being on clouds. In other words, great cushioning! The Gel Nimbus has always been touted as a great cushioning shoes by serious athletes and in the runners' circle. The 9th generation of the Gel Nimbus also received the Editor's Choice award by Runner's World not so long ago.

So when the Gel Nimbus hits the local shores about 2 months ago, I went out to get a good look at the shoes. The shoes certainly looked beautifully designed and featured with perhaps the most amount of visible gel compared to all previous Nimbus. Suffice to say that I was sold just on designed alone. Here's my review of the Gel Nimbus 9.

Weight 4/5
The Gel Nimbus 9 is built lighter than other shoes in Asics' cushioning range, i.e. Landreth and Cumulus. Out of the box, the weight is pretty decent. However, it is not a light shoe and there are certainly shoes from other manufacturers in the cushioning range that are lighter. Its upper had quite a number of overlays, providing a magnificent visual treat. As mentioned earlier, the Gel Nimbus is beautiful to look at. Of course, it being in my favourite colourway, i.e. red, silver and black, helps too. The downside of the visual treat is that the shoes are not very breathable. In fact, it actually felt a little hot after about 5km or so running in the shoes.

Cushioning, Stability, Responsiveness 4/5

The Gel Nimbus has perhaps one of the most technologies from Asics built into it. Just on the midsole alone, it featured the "Solyte" foam, Impact Guidance System or "IGS" that guides the foot from heel strike to toe-off, Space Trusstic System providing mid-foot and torsional support, Dynamic Cradle providing support and guiding the foot for efficient toe off, and of course generous application of Gel in both forefoot and rearfoot. Whew, what a mouthful...

My experience with the shoes is that the shoes provide decent cushioning. However, with all those above-mentioned technologies built into the shoes, the cushioning is somewhat a little below my expectation. The shoes also offered only decent stability and responsiveness. Given that this is Asics top of the range cushioning shoe, I was rather disappointed by the cushioning, stability and responsiveness.

Fit, flexibility, traction 3.5/5

The fit of the Gel Nimbus is true to size and good. Once again, Asics deployed a gamut of technologies to ensure that the fit and flexibility is good. In this department, Asics incorporated Biomorphic Fit in high buckling areas to reduce the effect of material bunching that can cause discomfort and blistering. There's also the Personal Heel Fit or "PHF", which is a layer of high-density or memory foam which wraps around the heel and archilles tendon.

Now in theory, the PHF is supposed to decrease slippage in the heel whilst increasing comfort and fit. However in reality, I found the fit of the shoes a lot left to be desired. Somehow, I was never able to get a nice snug fit in the heel area. And although the shoes never felt like falling out during the run, the feeling of the shoes being unable to provide a lock-down feel is rather annoying.

Traction of the shoes are very good here. Asics uses its signature Ahar material which provides good grip.

Durability 5/5

After taking the Gel Nimbus 9 for about 90km (with the longest run being 25km), I can savely say that the shoes felt the same as the time I took it for the first run. In other words, the shoes don't require any break-in. Ironically, I had hoped that the shoes' cushioning and fit (particularly in the heel) could have improved. Having said that, it also means that the shoes are highly durable. In particular, the out-sole showed minimum wear. I am confident that this shoe can last in excess of 800km for me.

Overall 4.125/5
Like my last review (the Adidas MegaBounce+), the Asics Gel Nimbus 9 does not quite live up to its billing as a top cushioining shoe for me. The cushioning and fit was sadly disappointing and I have certainly had other much better cushioining shoes with better fit at a cheaper price!! The breathability of the shoes is also an issue to me. Having said that, the durability of the Gel Nimbus 9 is unbelieveable. And that may be the only consolation for shelling S$190 for the shoes.

Disclaimer: The opinion rendered is strictly my own, based on my personal experience whilst running in the shoes. It is not intended to act as any technical or professional advice. Please do not rely or infer on this when deciding which shoes to buy as every runner's profile is different.

Review: Adidas MegaBounce+, bounce bounce bounce

Review: Adidas MegaBounce+, bounce bounce bounce
Not so long ago, Adidas came up with a new product range called the A3 series. Unlike the Supernovas, Adistars and Adizeros, the midsole of the A3 series is molded and fabricated entirely from Thermo-Plastic Urethane (TPU), no foam, no eva, just plastic. In a sense, it is sort of like Adidas' answer to Nike's shox technology.

Being skeptical about how a shoe with hard plastic as midsole will perform, I tested its latest model, the MegaBounce+, touted to be the model that provides the maximum bounce amongst the A3 series, and is pleasantly surprised and impressed by it. Here's my review on the Adidas MegaBounce+...

Weight 3.5/5
Out of the box, the weight is surprisingly descent despite the generous employment of plastics. Having said that, it cannot be compared against shoes in the light weight category of course. Its upper had few overlays and is highly breathable. The cutting of the shoe is well-designed, providing a snug feel in the heel. The shoes came with 2 removable in-soles, which sort of add to the overall aura of this new technology! From the design of the shoes, I will put it in the stability cushioning range.

Cushioning, Stability, Responsiveness 4/5
The MegaBounce features a TPU (A3) midsole that runs the entire length of the shoes. At the forefoot area, Adidas also employed adiprene+ foam to improve cushioning. Being molded from plastics, the shoes is understandably stable. The cushioning comes from 2 factors. No. 1, the construction or structure of the A3 and No. 2, the 2 different types of in-soles supplied with the shoes.

The TPU is molded in the shape of a ball which compresses at impact and "bounces" back to provide cushioning and energy return. The MegaBounce+ also came with 2 in-soles, one orange and one blue. The material or composition of foam used for the in-soles appeared to be different, as one is called "DuraCushion" while the other is called "MegaCushion". From the name, it would suggest that DuraCushion would provide a firmer ride while MegaCushion will provide a much more cushy ride.

The A3 technology, coupled with the interchangeable in-soles, certainly sounds wonderful theorically. Practically however, I'm unable to feel any difference between the 2 in-soles during my runs. The cushioning is also much firmer and does not offer a lot of "bounce"! Having said that, the shoe is very responsive and heel-to-toe transition is excellent.

Fit, flexibility, traction 4/5
The fit of the MegaBounce+ is true to size and generally good with the heel providing a snug fit. My only contention is that the toebox is a little narrow. Whilst I can wriggle my toes freely, the width of the shoes is an issue to me. Taking it for a short 6km run, the shoe does its task commendingly. Push it beyond 12km and I will start to feel a little pain from abrasion at the lateral side of my last toes. To get around this, I have switched to thinner socks at the expense of cushioning which thicker socks usually provide. The shoe is understandably stiff given its thick TPU midsoles. Traction of the shoes are very good. Here, Adidas uses its signature Adiwear material. The grip of the shoe is good on concrete and asphalt.

Durability 3.5/5
After about 80km, the upper holds up commendingly and still looked in good condition. The outsole, which is made of Adiwear material, however is very thin and alreay looked to be wearing off quite a fair bit at the heel. In my opinion, the Megabounce+ is not suitable as a long distance running shoe should durability be a concern. If it is used as a training shoe for long distance running, the outsole will wear out very fast. In my case, as I have an issue with the narrow toe-box, it is now more of a mid-distance shoe (< 10km) as well as a "fashion" shoe to me. Hence, the outsole should last a little longer.

Overall 3.75/5

The MegaBounce+ does not quite live up to its billing as a shoe that provides great cushioning. The 2 in-soles supplied appear more gimicky than useful. Having said that, the MegaBounce is still a very decent shoe, which is very well-built and looked very futuristic. The shoe is perfectly capable of handling mid-distance running but certainly not a speedwork trainer and in my case, not suitable for long distance running due to its narrow toe-box.

Disclaimer: The opinion rendered is strictly my own, based on my personal experience whilst running in the shoes. It is not intended to act as any technical or professional advice. Please do not rely or infer on this when deciding which shoes to buy as every runner's profile is different.

Real Run 2007

Went to the Real Run on Sunday morning. Wow, so early (reached there at 6.15am) and already so many cars liao... Quickly park car liao and go pee.


Race started at about 7.50am for the 15km run... So crowded but it is to be expected given close to 10,000 people participated! The run was good but hot! This time I was more prepared as I brought my running cap and MP3 so the run was much more enjoyable. Finished the run in 1hr 30min and 22sec (chip timing). Placed no. 746 out of 2,530 male runners doing the 15km or top 29%.




(see link: http://www.realrun.sg/results/15Km_MensOpen.htm for all results). Felt that I can still go on for more. Should have run at a faster pace! Overall I thought the race was well organised.


Kudos to the organisers!!

Review: Mizuno Wave Rider 10 (WR10), Rider time

Review: Mizuno Wave Rider 10 (WR10), Rider time

Mizuno has been around for many years. However, it is not until recently that I notice Mizuno making a genuine marketing effort to promote their shoes. To back their claim of having great running shoes, they say that their "wave" technology is award winning, although not much details were provided on what the award and who the body giving the award is. Still, their latest range of running shoes certainly look decent enough to be considered as high end performance athletic shoes.

And so, after hearing rave reviews about Mizuno shoes in the local running community for a while now, in particular the wave rider 10 which is the 10th generation of the wave rider series (did I miss out on so much??), I promptly tried out a pair at the friendly sports store. It also helped that the colourway happened to be one of my favourite (White and Red). It immediately felt good and I thought that I have to give it a real workout in the park to find out whether it is really the smooth rider so many people claimed it to be. So here's my review on the Mizuno Wave Rider 10... Rider time!

Weight 4.5/5

Fresh out of the box, the shoes felt light and flexible. It had few overlays on the upper which contributed to its light weight. It is also extremely breathable with its employment of mesh for the upper. More importantly, it does not in anyway felt lacking in providing support as the heel provides a very snug feel. This shoe is housed under the cushioning category, initially I had doubts whether it is good enough for a full marathon. The weight is light but the upper does feel a little to plain to provide the support for a full marathon. As it turned out, my doubts were unfounded...

Cushioning, Stability, Responsiveness 4.5/5

The WR10 features a full length midsole foam callede AP, VS1 midsole material at the heel and of course an almost 3/4 length thermal-plastic plate molded in its signature wave shape called smooth-ride. Now most shoes these days employ thermal-plastic plate to provide torsional-rigidity and guide the feet to roll smoothly from heel strike to toe-off. So this is really nothing new right? Wrong! Running in the WR10 for the first time, I couldn't help but notice how comfortable and cushy the shoes are! No air, no gel, no adiprene, just a wave plate. But the shoes truly delivered! The ride is very well cushioned and the heel-strike toe-off transition is unbelieveably smooth, providing a nice feedback that makes me want to run faster.

Fit, flexibility, traction 4/5

The fit of the WR10 is true to size and good. The heel fits snugly and I did not feel any heel-slip whilst wearing the shoes. The toebox is roomy and allows my toes to wriggle freely, which I like a lot. I only have 2 complains about the fit. First, the shoe lace are too long. To solve the problem, I had to run the laces through the same eyelets twice to shorten the lace. Second, the tongue of the shoes are a little short and it tends to slip down halfway through the run. Traction of the shoes are very good. Although there is no blown rubber employed, the shoes provided a very good grip as I actually ran confidently in the rain once. Not that I purposely ran in the rain of course, instead the rain came down halfway through the run.

Durability 4/5

The WR10 is a very well-constructed shoe. After about one and a half month of purchase and running about 120km in it, the upper still looks good. It is rather resistant to dirt given that I was caught in a heavy rain once during a 10km run. The outsole is made from hard rubber material that Mizuno called X10. In my opinion, the X10 may not be as durable as some of the other outsole material used by other brands, as evidenced by the amount of wear as you can see from the photo below (part of the midsole which is exposed is worn off a bit at the back).

Overall 4.5/5
The WR10 in my opinion is a very nice shoes that gives me a "go fast" feeling. The Mizuno wave does a great job not only in absorbing impact but also provides wonderful cushioning. In my opinion, it may be good enough to run a marathon although the cushioning may be a little too soft to others' liking. Personally the shoes rank as one of the top few that I've ever worn. Of course, I must qualify that I've not worn a lot. Now if only they make the laces shorter and the tongue a little longer, it will almost be perfect...

Disclaimer: The opinion rendered is strictly my own, based on my personal experience whilst running in the shoes. It is not intended to act as any technical or professional advice. Please do not rely or infer on this when deciding which shoes to buy as every runner's profile is different.

Review: NB902, Trainer's trainer

Review: NB902, Trainer's trainer

I have always loved New Balance shoes. Except for the standard army-issued new balance trainers, my take on New Balance is that they make durable, comfortable and affordable shoes. Not so long ago I came across a shoe review on Runner's World, which gave the New Balance NB902 the coveted Editor's Choice award under the performance training shoes category. Now, the NB902 is one of the first models of the NBx range. The NBx range is basically the premier range of New Balance shoes made for the serious athlete. Needless to say, the NB902 features some of New Balance's more innovative and cutting-edge technologies.

Following my reading of the review was a period of eager anticipation for the local release of the shoes. But alas, when it was finally released, somehow the conservative personality in me took over! I simply cannot agree with the colourway of the first release... Striking luminous Orange no less!!

It took a longer while before I finally made up my mind (when my old trainer is about to go) to just f**k the colourway and go buy the shoes. To my disappointment, the shoes had sold out at most places. This took me totally by surprise as I didn't know there are so many people out there daring enough to wear such a colourway. I was later told by a sales rep at the New Balance shop that a bunch of commandos had bulk-purchased the NB902, which could be the reason why the stocks ran out so fast. Damn those commandos....

So when the new white and red colourway is released, I wasted no time to requisite the shoes that so many raved about. Here's my review of the trainer of trainers.

Weight 4.5/5

Fresh out of the box, the first thing I notice was how light the shoes felt. Given that this shoe is housed under the performance training category, which means being capable of doing 1/2 marathon, the light weight of the shoes is certainly a welcomed factor. Contributing to this could be New Balance employment of minimum overlays to keep the weight low. The shoes are also extremely breathable. Once put on, the shoes felt like an extension of the feet. I certainly don't feel weighed down by it.

Cushioning, Stability, Responsiveness 4/5

The NB902 features a full length Ultralite Acteva midsole foam, abzorb material in the forefoot and heel and dual-density foam called TS2 on the medial side. There is also a torsional thermoplastic underfoot in the midfoot area to combat over-pronation. The shoes provide a feedback that's firm on heel strike yet at the same time provide a very quick bouncy feel through the heel-toe transition. To my delight, the harder I run the better the rebound I feel. This has a lot going for me. Overall the cushioning is excellent. The ride is firm but responsive.

Fit, flexibility, traction 4.5/5

The fit of the NB902 is excellent. The toe box is constructed wider to accommodate asian feet. The heel fits snugly and in no instances did I feel any heel-slip whilst wearing the shoes. The NB902 came with curly laces, which once fastern and secured, hardly come undone. The shoes feature a number of grooves in the forefoot which makes the shoes flexible. The flexibility is just right, not too overly flexible. The traction of the shoes are also very good. The blown rubber in the forefoot provides outstanding grip. I had ran on wet terrain after the rain once and never had the feeling that the grip of the shoes is going to let me down.

Durability 5/5

I must say the NB902 is a very well-constructed shoes. After one month of purchase and running about 100km with it, the upper looked as good as new, the heel outsole made from New Balance's Ndurance material also only show minor wear in the heel area. There is however a break-in period of around 10km for me. After that, it's all good.

Overall 4.5/5

The NB902 certainly lives up to its billing as a Runner's World editor's choice. As a trainer, it is good for my 25km to 30km runs. It is light weight, the cushioning is firm yet provides a nice quick bounce feedback. Personally, very few other shoes can match this one in terms of the overall quality and durability. However, I wouldn't not take it for a marathon as the firm midsole is more suitable for short quick runs in my opinion. The only set back is perhaps the price, which is slightly on the high side.

Disclaimer: The opinion rendered is strictly my own, based on my personal experience whilst running in the shoes. It is not intended to act as any technical or professional advice. Please do not rely or infer on this when deciding which shoes to buy as every runner's profile is different.

21km Saturday

Went to collect the Realrun kit at Velocity this afternoon... cool stuff!! They have the name on the tag number!! Nice number too.. O618..发啊!

Seems like they did not do a good job of measuring the distance! The map shown in the race kit was misleading. Was at the trial run last week and the last part after the sand is definitely more than 1km... more like 2.5km OR MORE :((

The silly runway 2.5km run was also facing the sun and upslope... It can be quite siong. Did not bring my cap and my cranium was burning after that!! I'll definitely be bringing my cap next week. Try to do it in 1hr 30mins :p

Went to Bishan park for a quick 21km whilst children are taking their evening nap. It was a good run...


Interchanging between my NB902 and Mizuno Wave Rider right now and I must say my Wave Rider has the edge right now..

Some other shoes that I am wearing includes...