Sundown-Ultra Time Management, Workable?

Meeting The Legend
Last Saturday (19/3/2011), I was privileged to do a mini-LSD run with one of the marathon legend, Choi (of http://seecube.blogspot.com/).  I have been following Choi's blog articles including his earlier posts in digging for tips on ultra-running.

I was really excited when he mentioned that he was going to do a 20k run to test out his new shoes and calves-guard (at blog post http://seecube.blogspot.com/2011/03/testing-out-my-new-race-kit.html).  Instantly, I thought that perhaps I could do a run with him (only if I can follow his pace) to see and know Choi in person... and hopefully, learn from him.

The run started at 5:45am following the famous route of Bukit Aman-->Hartamas-->Bukit Aman.  Though a famous route and am living quite near to it, I had never run the route before.  My biggest worry was that I might not be able to follow Choi and Loke (another new friend made)'s pace.

Was really lucky that Choi was such a kind and cheerful person.  Though total stranger before the run... we basically chatted our way for the first 12k run from Bukit Aman to Hartamas.  For the second part of the run from Hartamas back to Bukit Aman, Choi picked up pace... and I was chasing him huffing and puffing!

The LSD proven to be one of the best run of my life... both physically and in knowledge-gain!  Just wish to express my greatest appreciation to Choi here, for your tips and the great run!


A Useful Tip From Choi
During our run, Choi shared a lot of his experiences, particularly, on ultra-running.  One of the tips is:

to start the run/walk routine right from the beginning.

...instead of trying to run as much/long as possible!


The Time Management (Workable?)
Combining with Choi's earlier recommendation (duplicated followed),

‎1) Run first 45k in 6hrs ~ 8min/km
2) Run another 27k (total in the race) in 4hrs ~ 9min/km
3) Walking of 28k (total in the race) in 5hrs ~ 10min/km pace ~ 6km/hr
The total time is 15hrs. So u hv 1hr buffer to play around just in case u slow...... down in 2 & 3. In theory, it is doable. But u gotta make sure u TRAIN for it.

... I did a slight expansion/time-management to his recommendations.

Phase-1: Run/walk first 45k in 6hrs at 8min/km:
I planned to divide the 45k into 5x9km.
Each portion of 9km shall be completed in 72 minutes.  Time taken: 5x72mins = 360mins = 6hrs.
For each portion of 9km, we can either:
(a)  run 8km at 7.5min/km pace and walk 1km at 12min/km pace.  Time taken: (8x7.5mins)+(1x12mins) = 72mins, which is just nice.
(b)  run 4km (at 7.5min/km pace) and walk 0.5km at 12min/km pace... do this twice.

Phase-2: Run/walk 27k in 4hrs:
Again, I planned to divide the 27k into 6x4.5km.
Each portion of 4.5km shall be completed in 40 minutes.  Time taken: 6x40mins = 240mins = 4hrs.
For each portion of 4.5km, we can run 4km at 8.5min/km pace, and walk 0.5km at 12min/km pace.  Time taken: (4km x 8.5min/km) + (0.5km x 12min/km) = 40minutes, which is just nice.

Phase-3: Run/walk/crawl 28k in 5hrs:
I planned to divide the last 28k into 8x3.5km.
Each portion of 3.5km shall be completed in 37.5 minutes.  Time taken: 8x37.5mins = 300mins = 5hrs.
For each portion of 3.5km, we can run/walk 3km at 9.5min/km pace, and walk/crawl 0.5km at 18min/km pace.  Time taken: (3km x 9.5min/km) + (0.5km x 18min/km) = 37.5minutes, which is just nice.

The Formulae In Summary
In summary, can we do this for 100k in 15 hours (?):
Phase-1: (run 8k at 7.5min/km pace + walk 1k at 12min/km pace)... repeat 5 times.
Phase-2: (run 4k at 8.5min/km pace + walk 0.5k at 12min/km pace)... repeat 6 times.
Phase-3: (run/walk 3k at 9.5min/km pace + walk/crawl 0.5k at 18min/km pace)... repeat 8 times.

Normal To Be Abnormal?

The following few photos was taken from my "abnormal" ECG.  Though the plots do not make too much sense to a non-medical person (that's myself), I believe it might be quite common to either ill-heart (???) patient or person with "active-lifestyle"... am not very sure.

Anyway, I am really glad that I made the medical check-up especially on the ECG part.  I am now at least at peace of mind to continue my active lifestyle.

The "Negative T"...

The lower than "normal" heart-rate, though it is not low compared to the elites... elites can be as low as 30-something.

... the "Stress Test" is recommended...

... and the ECG graphs that do not make much sense to me... Part-1...

...and Part-2

Really like the science of medicine now...!

T(sunami)-Wave Scare, My Very Own Version

The past 3 days have been the most confusing days since I took up running as hobby...

Right after Japan was hitted by one of the most devastating Tsunami-wave on Friday, I was diagnosed with a "T-wave inversion" in the ECG plot of my heart.

The Scare
It all started after I was "highlighted" following the annual full medical check-up last Saturday.  With recent "active" life-style and "watch-ful" eyes on diet, I was anticipating the check-up with a hope for grade-A for my cardio.

However, I learnt yet another lesson of life... we don't know what we gonna get, by Forrest Gump, the most famous runner!

Despite all the running mileages, the items that I "failed" are the least expected on a person with "active" life-style.  I am "highlighted" (the entries in medical report are highlighted for abnormality) for:
1.  being overweight (after losing 3kgs, more works to be done), still;
2.  having unhealthy waist to hip ratio (after taking away 2 inches);
3.  having high cholesterol (food related, controllable);
4.  having high blood pressure (food and gene-related, controllable);
5.  abnormal ECG with T-wave inversion!

I am easy and cool with item-1 to item-4... but item-5 is really a big BOMB thrown to me!  I am scare out of my mind.  Oh no... I had been running ALONE out there hours and hours all these while... and what if?!  Was I just fortunate that I was not hit by the "un-fortunate" in the wee hour run?

I had little idea on the implication of T-wave inversion in ECG.  The consultant doctor did not elaborate further except asking me to see a cardiologist for a stress test.  I guessed there might be something beyond her in explaining the details to me.

Immediately, the Sunday long run... and in fact, all runs (short or long) are self-called-off until a green light is given by the pro.  I was disappointed and stressed-out even before the so-called "stress" test.  Confidence and optimism was washed clean by my version of Tsumani-wave.

A Little Hope
Sunday, long run called off... laid in bed till 9:30am, first time for the past six months.  Since had nothing more important to do, I decided to try my luck for some insights into this "T-wave inversion" thingy over the Internet.

Thanks or no-thank to Wiki, all information implied that the T(sunami)-wave-inversion thingy on ECG could be serious.  All activities that can cause huffing-and-puffing were avoided... and suddenly, I felt so weak... like a heart patient.

Information is negative and de-moralising, so far, until I came across this term... "athlete's heart" at the following links:
http://tritwins.blogspot.com/2009/12/do-you-have-athletes-heart-syndrome.html
and further into...
http://athletesheart.blogspot.com/2009/12/do-you-have-athletes-heart.html
I saw a little hope after reading the two articles and comments left by other readers.

So, with this T-wave-inversion thingy, I could be either in the sky or hell.

The Verdict
Monday, visited the local hospital the first moment.  Made an appointment with the cardiologist for "stress test" on Tuesday.

Tuesday, with worries... dress in cotton T-shirt and short, with running gear on feet preparing for "stress test", walked into the cardiologist clinic hoped for the best while prepared for the worse.

The doctor, in his friendly face, did a lengthy questioning session on my family and my own medical history, examined me using stethoscope at multiple places, started browsing through my medical reports... while counselling me on what to and what not to eat.

YS: But... wait, doctor, you have forgotten about the "T-wave inversion" issue... which is my main reason here.
Doc: No... no... I am not worry about the ECG abnormality.
YS: (huh???)

The doctor spent 5 seconds on the ECG before flipping to the next page... continued to lecture me on how to eat healthily.

YS: can I still run?
Doc: yes... you should.
YS: (phewwww!)

YS: okay, you said I must cut down my salt intake, can I take sport drink... they have lot of sodium.
Doc: after you sweat-out, you need to.
YS: (phewwww!)

Doc: Now, before I put you on medication, I give you 1 month to bring down your blood pressure... by changing your life-style.  You must eat at home as much as you can.  Try eating oat/cereal, the "kuai lou" oat, for breakfast.  Every time when you start eating, throw 1 spoonful of food away.  With that, you will consume 3x30=90 spoons less in a month.  Also, please reduce on salt and sugar.  Wan tan mee... ask them not to put soya souce (YS: can meh? err... maybe, will try Sarawak mee).  KFC, de-skin before you eat (YS: not difficult).  Burger, do not add tomato/chili souce (YS: easy).  Less peanut if you go karaoke (YS: I don't go karaoke)... etc.  Coffee and tea, no sugar or just artificial sweetener (YS: do-able).

YS: I drank 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day, is that bad for blood pressure?
Doc: in fact, that is good to calm yourself down.  Green tea is even better.
YS: (hurray!)

YS: is there such thing as "over-training"?
Doc: do you feel chest-pain?  Breathless going upstair?
YS: no.
Doc: then it is ok.  Listen to you body.
YS: (isn't that what we've been told? hehe...)

Doc: I will see you in 1 month.

... time is counting down...

The Lessons
The lessons learnt from my version of T(sunami)-wave:

1.  "Active" life-style is NOT a ticket for you to eat-like-pig!  I am fortunate that I found this out earlier.  Do not think that you can eat fried chicken, 'siew yok', and fatty-crapb as you wish after 30k run.

2.  "Active" life-style is NOT a ticket to skip medical check-up... please do your check-up!  THIS Friday night, stop eating at 8pm.  THIS Saturday, skip your long run, wake up at 7am, head to the clinic for a full medical check-up.  You just have to do this once a year.  You may have abnormal ECG too.

3.  You might have an "athlete's heart" that shows abnormality in ECG... good or bad... I don't know.

Now... with mostly good news... am into another battle field... a fight to bring down by blood pressure and to lost further weight.  The 1-month clock is ticking down...