The morning sky was so clear when the 9 of us headed up to Punggol East. Each steps carried us further away, one foot leaps in front of the other and we carefully surveyed the landscape for sudden twists and turns when we passed thru the deserted 'small road' and sandy trail leading us to Punggol Beach. We were away from the road when most runners put their mileage, away from the city noise and traffics. Hearing only the rythm of our breath and our occassional chatters, we reached the end of the trail, looking far into the Punggol Strait and we were swept away in the scent of rich fresh dewy morning mixed with the aroma of the sea. We scouted along Punggol Beach until we reached the Jetty and finally we ran thru hilly Punggol Road down to Sengkang with final anticipation to explore the other side of Punggol Beach thru the Track 24 where only a single foot-trail available.
We are a happy - simple - family oriented running group, we do not have back up of logistic nor administration, hence we advise all runners to have always the following:
1. ID BAND or any form of identification - in case of emergency
2. COMMUNICATION - Handphone is a must - in case of getting lost or in need to bet in touch with each other.
3. HYDRATION
4. PROGRESSIVE TRAINING RUN especially for those who are doing the long steady MAXIMUM distance.
5. ATTENDANCE - your support means alot to keep us going -thank you.)
6. MEDICAL CHECK UP
HAPPY RUNNING!!!!
WHY DON'T YOU RUN???
It costs almost nothing, you can do it almost anywhere, anytime and best of all it is the top calorie burner. Running makes you look better, feel better and live longer .... all of these at the same time.
We, the running people, we run for our heart, our head, our health and most of all...our vanity. We run to push our limits and to challenge who we are, to become both mentally and physically stronger with each step, each kilometre and with each new goal achieved.
We love running thru' places like punggol central, east, Singapore last $33 million dollars kampung at Lorong Buangkok, etc. There are some more interesting places yet explored by us, i.e. the 10km route to Marina Country Club at 17th Avenue, where's there this nice seafood restaurant and a yacht marina and ferry service to chalets at Pulau Ubin. It's the sense of camaraderie, esprit de corps, passion for running that brings us together every week. Ever since Punggol Central Running Club was officially born on July 8th 2007, it's been heartening to see most die-hard runners turning up so early to run as we are " travelling far and wide ", reaching places like Yishun, Upper Thomson, Mandai and other places as well as our 'gonna be' 1 or 2 trial runs along the SCSM route once route details are finalised. Our birth certificate has been issued. Name is already there. We are making it happen to have our very own club logo very soon.
Cramps: lack of fitness, lack sodium, too fast workout (glycogen depletion) that resulting in lactic acid build-up - we call it Hitting the Wall. running without any fuel belt( from 10 km to 38 km ) risks dehydration, fast pace running without proper training. For endurance runs more than 10km, hydration is of upmost importance.To quote one story - there's this runner who ran 15 km without drinking isotonic drinks and ended up taking a taxi back to his starting point.
Arm Swing:Keep close by side of chest. Never swing out too much or wildly.
Breathing: Nose & Mouth or nose and/or mouth, it varies (full breathing using the abdomen always best) - use whatever is most comfortable.
Foot Landing: Mid foot strike is always the best, allowing easier toe-off. Heel strikers will land heavily - heel soles wear even faster.
Socks: No to normal cotton socks. Best to use customised LEFT/RIGHT anti-abrasion, technical dri-fit socks.
Apparel: Dri Fit Running tights work best. Ladies to have good quality technical sport bras
Shoes:Always have extra pair for training (21 km & 42 km). Anoother pair for race. Wash periodically using Johnson baby lotion. Rinse thoroughly with water and air-dry. Never store in car boot due build-up heat in boot will melt the foam and cushioning. Never place new shoes in shoe carton box either, it promotes bacteria growth.
Fuel Belt:equal quantity of sports fluids on either side for proper balance. Wash with mild lotion and rinse thoroughly and air dry after every run to prevent corrosive action on the zipper pouches.
Training: Condition the physical muscle and mental preparation by doing distance training run similar to the actual race distance, you'll be quaranteed to achieve a good finishing and race completion well.