A mixed bag of exercises

Did a couple of short exercises and x-training over the past few days. My butt muscles still ached from Saturday's Animiles run....must have been a hard run for me :).

Sunday 13/08: Did a short 10.5km around the estate with Bev. My breathing was bad this evening, mainly because of the humid weather and the many incense-burning spots all over the place...hmm, something to do with the Hungry Ghosts festival offerings. I felt quite weak midway, but recovered later on to catch up with Bev. Ended the run in 1hr flat, but feeling quite tired...bad form, considering the slow pace I was going at.

Monday 14/08: Went to Toa Payoh 40-storey block for MK stairs-climbing training. Met the usual team-mates who have started to do their own training. I did an even-paced 7 sets of 40floors in 1hr10min, averaging 10min per set (it takes about 7.5min to climb the 40floors, with 2.5min waiting for the lift and going down). Stairs climbing training is really mental, and to me one of the more boring, but necessary training for trekking and hill running.....but, but, I prefer running up slopes, even steep ones anytime!

Tuesday 15/08: Made it for the SAFRA MF interval training at Queenstown Stadium. This will be the last 'hard' training prior to the AHM next Sunday. The turnout was surprisingly huge, 40 in all...wow, for speedwork leh. We slow jogged 4km to Queenstown Stadium...along the way, spoke with Ironman Chua about Kona and the history of the ironman, and also a bit about Ironman Korea....interesting stuff. Chatted a bit with Phei Sunn about Bukit Timah training for MK, and K2 for next year. Took about 20min+ to reach the stadium. The plan for us was to do 2 x 1.6km and 4 x 800m sets. I wanted to do the sets at a steady pace to build up a good 'hearty' workout, and also not to push too hard ahead of the race next week. I completed all the sets this time round, in the following times:
4km warm-up to QS Stadium: 22min
1st set 1.6km: 6min40sec
2nd set 1.6km: 6min43sec
3rd set 800m: 3min07sec
4th set 800m: 3min13sec
5th set 800m: 3min20sec
6th set 800m: 3min05sec
I was quite satisfied to keep my 1.6km at below 6:45 and 800m below 3:30 on average. Didn't feel too drained this evening, but was still tired. Did a good 4km run back to ClubHouse, and had late dinner with the gang. Was an enjoyable workout for me.


Wednesday 15/08: May do a recovery run with Bev in the evening, subject to her availability. I heard from the SAFRA MF folks about ordering CW-X running thights from the US, and was pointed to the site for a review. Some of the feedback given in the Retailer's website goes like:

Description of CW-X Conditioning Tight Shorts -Men's:

CW-X Men's Conditioning Shorts belong to a new class of high-performance equipment known as conditioning wear—clothing engineered to provide a host of benefits to your body, including key muscle group support, increased endurance, shorter recovery times after exercise, and lactic acid buildup prevention. Don't confuse them with technically simple compression shorts. Established in Japan in 1991, CW-X based its designs on the human body's unique motion during exercise. Perfect for running, cycling, and climbing, Conditioning Shorts work by combining two unique zones of stretch material. The body is constructed from a Coolmax and 4-way stretch Lycra blend, providing targeted muscle support and impressive moisture-wicking properties. The key to the Conditioning Shorts, however, lies in the 2-way stretch Conditioning Web that encircles your leg's key muscle groups. While stretching longitudinally, this web holds muscles securely in place laterally, reducing vibration and increasing comfort. Flat seam stitching throughout ensures chafing is never a problem.

Description of CW-X Pro Shorts - Men's:

The CW-X Pro Shorts are perfect for trail running, adventure racing, or any endurance sport where you've gotta have maximum performance. Normal running shorts do little more than give you coverage. The Pro shorts give your muscles added support through various fabrics that are anatomically aligned. This in turn helps to increase your muscle speed, while decreasing fatigue. By distributing your muscles' workload and keeping them properly aligned, the Pro Shorts not only keep your muscles warm, but also supported. Reduce stress on joints and get more from your workouts and races with CW-X's Pro Shorts.

Comments from a Pro Runner:
I have been a pro runner for 5 years now and have used every type of sneaker and clothing out on the market. Cost really is not priority to me, performance is. I started using CWX a year after I turned pro and have been in them ever since. The support you get in the hamstring and quad is awesome. The abs and lower back even get some support. Before I started using them, I would really have to be careful of my hams and or quads when running up or down steep hills, as to not pull anything. Now with the support, I am at full speed and have improved my times. For the everyday user they would be ideal to keep injuries and spasms to a min. T-man.

Hmm...I am tempted to try a CW-X Running Shorts, maybe even the Pro version...just hoping to get a good price from it.