Friday's swim was great after the day's break. 400m warm up, 400m kicks, 1x400m, 2x200m, 4x100m and 20x50m on the 55s, 200m warm down. The kicks are getting better. I remember I use to do 2:45 to 3min for EVERY 50m last year when I first started. Then it dropped to 2:20 beginning of this year. Just before June, I was doing about 2:10 and on Friday, I was getting home under 1:52. Kicks are the worse form of torture for me. Slow, tiring and embarrassing. The laps per 100m I was clocking up about 1:52 and the best part for the 20x50m? I was hitting home under 55s and leaving on the 55s for 16 laps. The other 4 laps peppered throughout the session, I took a 5s breather. It was tiring and I was gliding away, as much as possible to ensure that I can get under the 55s. Mental barrier was really high because 20x50m is really very testing for me. So it is a good thing I managed to complete it. Perhaps, the Monday's sessions had been beneficial. And without a doubt, the ample rest in the week also gave me the extra boost. Plus the shorter mileage before the 20 laps gave me the extra arm power?
Today's ride was great! Anything better than Wednesday's ride has to make it great? After all, it cant get any worse! 150km, with 10km big HR push on the 50th, 80th and 110th km marks. Weather was the usual hot, despite the rain on Friday afternoon and the drizzle at night. Suppose to do 5km run after the ride but only did 4km. The 1130am heat really got into me. Slow 4km run in 23:23. Darn!
Not sure what was the reason, maybe its the heat, maybe its the 2 weeks of low training in preparation for the half marathon - 1 week before and this week of recovery. I was really fatigued out after today's session. What I have observed is this: everytime I lay off, the first few big hits will always wear me down. But as I continue the big sessions thereafter, the body seem to recover better and the fatigue is not so overpowering. Perhaps, it is the age thing? With this, I think I will try not to lay off after WA's race. I should continue training.
Somehow there is a parallel with the habits we have in our lives. If we continue on discipline-less lifestyle, it will remain so and until we overcome the initial hurdle of getting out of bed to train/exercise, the sedated lifestyle will remain highly attractive. A friend of mine did the OSIM OD this year and had not gone back to serious training since, plagued by illnesses, fatigue and all. Probably more lack of discipline more than anything else. The same goes with studying. Garner the momentum and thereafter all the pieces in the jigsaw will fall into place.
This is also very prevalent in business? If the orientation of the business is not geared towards customer service, this will somehow translate down to the sales people. Take for example, Running Lab has got great guys who knew how to wait on customers. But for our local distributor of 2XU and Ceepo bikes are not knowledgeable unless you speak to the main blokes. And to top it off, not exactly very customer oriented. I had a recent frustrating encounter with them, while Matt and another ex schoolmate of mine who had problems with their bike purchases. It is no wonder then that so many people choose to buy from overseas, besides the cost being low, but also the fact that since customer service are not present in both cases, why pay the higher price? As much as I want to believe in helping our local businesses, I think the local businesses need to relook at themselves as well. It should not always be looked upon as a bottom line strategy. Or should it?
Today's ride was great! Anything better than Wednesday's ride has to make it great? After all, it cant get any worse! 150km, with 10km big HR push on the 50th, 80th and 110th km marks. Weather was the usual hot, despite the rain on Friday afternoon and the drizzle at night. Suppose to do 5km run after the ride but only did 4km. The 1130am heat really got into me. Slow 4km run in 23:23. Darn!
Not sure what was the reason, maybe its the heat, maybe its the 2 weeks of low training in preparation for the half marathon - 1 week before and this week of recovery. I was really fatigued out after today's session. What I have observed is this: everytime I lay off, the first few big hits will always wear me down. But as I continue the big sessions thereafter, the body seem to recover better and the fatigue is not so overpowering. Perhaps, it is the age thing? With this, I think I will try not to lay off after WA's race. I should continue training.
Somehow there is a parallel with the habits we have in our lives. If we continue on discipline-less lifestyle, it will remain so and until we overcome the initial hurdle of getting out of bed to train/exercise, the sedated lifestyle will remain highly attractive. A friend of mine did the OSIM OD this year and had not gone back to serious training since, plagued by illnesses, fatigue and all. Probably more lack of discipline more than anything else. The same goes with studying. Garner the momentum and thereafter all the pieces in the jigsaw will fall into place.
This is also very prevalent in business? If the orientation of the business is not geared towards customer service, this will somehow translate down to the sales people. Take for example, Running Lab has got great guys who knew how to wait on customers. But for our local distributor of 2XU and Ceepo bikes are not knowledgeable unless you speak to the main blokes. And to top it off, not exactly very customer oriented. I had a recent frustrating encounter with them, while Matt and another ex schoolmate of mine who had problems with their bike purchases. It is no wonder then that so many people choose to buy from overseas, besides the cost being low, but also the fact that since customer service are not present in both cases, why pay the higher price? As much as I want to believe in helping our local businesses, I think the local businesses need to relook at themselves as well. It should not always be looked upon as a bottom line strategy. Or should it?
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