KLIM Training Report

Report a bit about my training for KLIM. Currently I’m still working on some base building of my running muscle. I found out that my muscle can’t support for long distance running (>30km). This situation occur long time ago, since my first marathon until now.

I realize that my strong field is half marathon, 21km. Because I manage to control my running pace and breathing constantly for the whole journey. For 10km run, although I still can make it with not too lousy timing, but my heart beat and breathing will become very heavy due to speeding. For full marathon, I always face problem about clamp after 30km mark, even I jog the distance with slow pace.

Before KLIM 2005, I did a lot of quadriceps and calf muscle training to overcome this weakness. Well, it brings effect that my leg can withstand the whole race without clamping. However, due to laziness and lots of nonsense reason. I quit this training schedule and shift to more relax workout.

However, after few race in the end of 2005, it come out a clear situation about my stamina. With my current training style, I can maintain a healthy lifestyle with no sport injury. But, my stamina will drop from racing condition to recreational type. Well, due to previous training leave over, I still am able to finish any race distance but it’s close to impossible for timing improvement again. This situation floats out clearly after 4 different types of races in past 2 months: KL triathlon (multiple races), Singapore marathon (42km), Mizuno wave run (10km) and the recently new year run (21km).

So, in order to make changes, I must shift my training schedule to higher level again. But different from my previous schedule, I draft out a long term plan this time.

From my past experience in training schedule planning, when we want to achieve a goal, we will give all our best to make it happen. This including double or triple or even multiple our training strength within short period, push more pressure to our timing and hit the race with “kamikaze” spirit (Japanese term in world war 2, it’s mean die with honour in self-killing). Well, yes, we will certainly come out with better timing. But most likely accompany by injury and tiredness, due to over burn ourselves.

Is that what we want at the end? A single race with honour and that’ all?

Different people may have different point of view about sport. But mine is definitely not like this. I will prefer to have a constantly improvement rather a short push up. The improvement effect of this training is much slower but earn back is more stable. Another main point is; the possibility of sport injury also can be reduced too.

According to my current schedule, I will still join Pacesetter 30km and KLIM. But I won’t trigger any special training for these two races. The time is too short for me in showing improvement. So, I will take it as dessert in my running life as finisher medal collection. Still, I will stick back to my training schedule, which is trying to improve my muscle strength in long distance run and adjusting my running style to better performance in 3 month time, before I proceed to breathing and pacing control.

Additional point to share, training time is always a major factor for those in working life. Heavy workload may easily affect our planed schedule. So, we must take this factor as considerable during our schedule planning. For stable improvement, training must not affected by this kind of sudden working pressure.

Happy reading.