Great Eastern Women's Run 2014

This should have been a year-end post. A post to reflect on all that I have been through in 2014.

2014 was definitely a milestone for me.

- Participated in my first overseas cycling event
- Progressed from Mini to Sprint distance in Triathlon
- Participated in 10 sports events, out of which 4 from TRI-Factor series were racing slots I won from a contest.

1) OCBC Cycle Malaysia 2014: 30 January 2014
2) Aquathlon: 16 February 2014
3) MetaSprint Duathlon: 16 March 2014
4) OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014: 30 March 2014
5) MetaSprint Triathlon: 13 April 2014
6) TYR TRI-Factor Swim : 11 May 2014
7) TRI-Factor Bike : 8 June 2014
8) TRI-Factor Run : 3 August 2014
9) ZOOT TRI-Factor Tri : 7 September 2014
10) Ride for Rainbow: 3-4 October 2014

But the greatest achievement had to be the No.11 and last event for the year... Great Eastern Women's Run 2014!

I have always wanted to participate in a women's run but Shape run clashed with my schedule. When GEWR came along, I got excited. But the next question was to decide whether to run 10km or 21.1km half-marathon....

Well, to begin with, I shunned running during my basketball training days. Coach would get the team to run round Pandan Reservior, which is 6.3km. I would always cook up excuses like not well, stitches, or I would volunteer to walk with the last person :p

To cut the long story short, I signed up for 21.1km :)

Prior to that, I ran 10.5km in TRI-Factor Run. I did a 21.1km training run with my training buddies. I did frequent short distance runs like, 3km, 5km and 7km... The week leading towards the GEWR, I had my usual trainings and I was doing 100 storeys of stairs from Monday to Sunday! Yes!! The morning of the GEWR, I woke up at 3 a.m. to walk up and down my block. Purpose? To kill the legs before I run...

Anyway, the run was great! The early rain made the weather cooling. The hydration points were adequate. There were water, isotonic drink, gel and tiger balm rub given at 17km mark...

And most of all, it's WOMEN's run :)

Post race was totally awesome. Massage, hotdogs, Nando chicken, apples, banana, 100 plus, ice-cream, muffins.... all FREE!!

I totally love the Finisher Tee :) What's sweeter? It's ADIDAS :)

What surprised me even more was... I ran throughout the whole 21.1km :) 2h35min for my first half-marathon. I am HAPPY. Definitely a milestone for me. At 20km, I was still smiling :)

2014 was great! 2015; I will be embarking on a new journey :)

Ride for Rainbow 2014

Ride for Rainbow is a fundraising event organized by Club Rainbow (Singapore). Club Rainbow (Singapore) was set up in 1992 to provide a range of comprehensive support services for the families of children who suffer from major chronic and potentially life-threatening illnesses. By working closely with KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), the National University Hospital (NUH) and the neonatal ward of the Singapore General Hospital (SGH), Club Rainbow presently helps more than 600 children and their families.

Children in Club Rainbow range from newborn babies and youths up to the age of 20 years. They require frequent visits to hospitals for treatment, complicated therapy and long-term medication. On the recommendation of their respective doctors, these children are referred to Club Rainbow for follow-up support. As a mother of 2 young children, I wanted to do my part for these children.

With a pledge of riding 100km, I managed to raise $2,870!! Thanks to all my generous friends :)

On 3 October 2014, Children's Day, more than 300 riders set out from Asia Square. Some were riding 60km, some 100km and some 140km. It was one of the most well-organized and sponsors supporter event I have participated.

There were free flow of Starbuck coffee to keep us awake. Bananas to keep us energized. Mineral water for hydration. Pizzas to fill us up before the ride. After the ride, there were Macdonald Sausage McMuffin as breakfast. Ice bath for muscle recovery. On the spot massage station to relieve the muscle aches...

The routes were well-planned. As it was not a race, every rider was riding responsibly and everyone doing their part for the charity event.

Did I mention that the jersey was very comfy and came in women's cut? Finishers received a New Balance sponsored jersey :)

Before we left Asia Square, my friends and I were already discussing about signing up for this event again next year.

Kudos to Club Rainbow for a well-organized fundraising event!

TRI-Factor Triathlon 2014

Finally did my last race for the TRI-Factor Series, which consisted of 4 races.

TRI-Factor Swim 1.5 km
TRI-Factor Bike 40 km
TRI-Factor Run 10.5 km
TRI-Factor Triathlon Swim 750 m, Bike 18 km, Run 5 km

Besides cycling for 40 km, there were many "first time" for me.

First time swimming 1.5 km in the open sea. And I did breaststroke... *faintz*
First time running 10.5 km. Good thing I had prior training to prepare for the run.
First time doing Sprint Distance in Triathlon.
First time swimming 750 m freestyle in open sea. Thanks to the open sea training from "Master G".

Part of the fun about triathlon was the setting up of your transition area. Even though there is a recommended way to place your gear, it always boil down to personal preference. Everything needs to be in proper order so that every transition runs like clock-work. I've seen cyclist wearing his helmet the wrong way during transition. This morning, I saw a runner, running with his cycling helmet in his hand. I think he must have forgotten to remove his helmet during the transition :)

I first met Abdul Alim in UBS Cycle the F1 Circuit last year. Met him again this morning at the Tri event. Such an inspiration! There's no reason not to "Tri" - (try)

A friend, who came to support to her husband, caught me at the finishing line. What a surprise to receive this picture after the race :)

Did my first triathlon in September last year. So much has changed in a year. I am glad I embarked on this journey to livestrong.livehealthy :) No regrets!

The race will not be complete without a posed pic in front of the finishing line :)

So TA-DA! The puzzle is now complete! Was told that the first 500 registrants for the series will receive a personalized round medal top fit into the middle. And the cyclists who have completed the Series will receive a cycling jersey from Quickspeed. Looking forward to receive them (if I qualify).

Gonna rest now... 2 more races to complete before the year end.

Ride for Rainbows in October (100 km charity bike ride)
Great Eastern Women's Run 2014 in November (21km half marathon)

Shopping - The Fun Part of Working Out

Ever since I started working out on a more serious note, the number of sports wear in my wardrobe had been accumulating. These are my favourites...

For SWIMMING:
TYR Swim wear
- I bought them during the twice-a-year Warehouse Clearance Sale. Usually the one-piece swim suit would go for $25-35 each; almost 50% off. I have 2. I leave one in the office for my occasional lunch time swim. Look out for the sale announcement on newspaper...

TYR Goggles
- I have a few pair of goggles. I bought them at the sale too... Usually they would go for $15 each. I am still contemplating if I should get one from Aqua Sphere.

Swimming Caps
- As for now, I am using free swimming caps that were given in races. Need to start looking for something bigger that can cover my ears for open sea swim.

Zoggs Pull Buoy
- I use this for my freestyle training.

 

For CYCLING:
Cycling Jerseys & Padded tights
- When I am out for my usual rides, I will wear cycling jerseys and padded tights. I bought my first cycling jersey from a Rodalink sale. The rest are events jerseys given during races like OCBC Cycle.

- I have a few padded tights. 1 is free and the other 3 are from Riposte, which I bought from TYR Sale :)

Cycling Shoes
- I am wearing Bontrager RXL Tri shoes. Bought them from Treknology3.

Tri Suit
- For trainings, I like to wear Tri Suit. I can easily jump from the bike to the sea without having to change my attire. I have 2; one from Pearl Izumi and another from 2XU. Love them both :)

For RUNNING:
Sports Bra
- Everyone needs some motivation to move their feet. For me, I like to have matching sports bra and running tees.
- My favourite are Nike Pro Sports Bra. They come in so many colours! My first pair in black was a birthday present. Now I owned a few :) And after knowing my size, I can easily get them online from international websites like Amazon or local online store like Zalora that sells sportswear for women.

 

Running Tee
- I like those racerback Dri Fit tees from Nike or Adidas. Again, the colours must be well-coordinated :) And I like them in looser fit for comfort.

Running Shoes
- I have a pair of Nike Vomero+ for my usual runs. Whenever I travel, I will bring my New Balance W730, which is much lighter.

So much to buy.... cycling helmet, shades, running cap, shoe laces, arm bands, water bottles, and the list goes on... :)