Facebook, To-be or Not-to-be

Since the early day of inter-networking, in particular, the now ubiquitous Internet, virtual "social networks" have gone a long way.

I, and most of the 60s and 70s boys and girls, are the privileged bunch who are fortunate enough to experienced the following transition from the industrial-era to IT-era.

1970s
When we were kids, we experience the "kampung-style" life.  We played 'masak-masak', we climbed trees, catched fishes, topless and bear-foot.  There were no "personal computer".  Computers were still fiction to the layman on the street.

1980s
When we were at teen, we touched the true "personal computer" for the first time.  A true "personal computer" with "monitor", keyboard and CPU all situated at the same place.  For me, I still can remember very vividly the moment I turned on a "personal computer", for the first time, when I was in Form-2.  The first computer that I turned on was an Apple computer running the then Motorola 68000 microprocessor.  Operating system was, if I am not wrong, some very early version of Apply's proprietary OS.  At that time, the battle between Apple and IBM had just began.  IBM engaged Microsoft for their OS and opened up their interface standard for the so-called "clone".  Suddenly, there were so many Taiwanese "IBM clones", and DOS operating system was package free of charge for the computer user... and the rest are history.

During my secondary day, "personal computer" has no internal hard-disk.  "Mouse" was rodent running in the smelly longkang at night.  Forget about window-based user interface.  Forget about 'multi-tasking'.  Internet was still a research subject.

1991 to 1994
Then I went to college.  IBM and its clone had finally won the PC marketing warfare.  OS was Microsoft-based text-based DOS-5.  PC started to be shipped with 4M RAM and 80M hard-disk.  Yes, it was 80M hard-disk!  For the more adventurous user, you might choose to install Windows-3 that has to be "launched" by typing "win" at the C:\ prompt.  If you did that, your hard-disk would start blinking non-stop as your pathetic RAM has ran low.  Windows or PC crashed was part of our life.  Printer printed through 25-pin printer port.  "Mouse" was finally 'roller-ball' gadget with a tail hooked to the then COM port.

Back in the early days of college in 1991, I finally came across the term "The Internet".  That was about the time "The Internet" has defined what "inter-networking" should look like in Singapore.  I still can remember that, in one afternoon, my lecturer excitedly told us that the college had received the first email from a lecturer in UK... and it was 'free'!  We have no idea of what email was... and how it could change our life at that time.  All we know it was a passage of text received from UK almost instantly, 'free-of-charge'.

1994, 1995
1994, uni-day.  Internet started to change our life.  Every student was given one (or more) email account upon enrolment to college.  There were no hotmail nor yahoo nor WorldWideWeb.  It was the FIRST TIME I joined a social network in the virtual world.  No... it wasn't 'facebook' nor 'msn'... there wasn't www yet.  Windows still hang frequently.  The first social network I joined and got "addicted to" was known as IRC (Internet Relay Chat).  As there were no www and Windows was not stable, IRC was a 'text' based virtual chat room running on UNIX, very much like the later ICQ and MSN.  I remembered that I got so addicted that I could spent more than 5 hours chatting using 'text based' screen and keyboard.  That was when I practice 10-finger typing to the fullest!

Then, it was Windows 95, obviously, in 1995.  Now, PC came with harddisk of >120M, with 64M RAM.  Branded as the most-tested Windows ever, Windows 95 had created such a hype at that time... very much like the i-series product now.  It was a "must have" if you want to 'looked cool and advanced' at that time.  I still remember I did a small study on the marketing strategy of Windows 95 for my short 15-minute presentation for the "communication skill" class.  Unfortunately, Windows 95 still caused the PC to hang, now, in a different way.  When Windows 95 hang, we started to see "blue screen".  We do still see "blue screen" now.

At about the same time, WWW started to rule.  It was Netscape v.s. Microsoft for the web-browser battle.  The "in" social network was ICQ.  I used it oftenly for pass-time... but didn't get addicted.

Second half of 1990s
Then, we got our first job.  Netscape disappeared.  Social network of the time was MSN... the Microsoft-based social net.  At that time, due to the busy schedule of an young working adult, I started to feel that social network was such a waste of time.

2000s
It is the age of Facebook.  Having gone through the age of IRC, ICQ, MSN across 2 decades, I was reluctant to participate in Facebook.  I reckon Facebook is just another form of social network that will go down-hill one day, when there is a newer application in future.  I have been "diving" (instead of surfing) in the Facebook-sphere for the past few years.

Imagine what would Facebook be if:
- email was invented AFTER Facebook?
- telephone was invented AFTER Facebook?

However, recently, due to the lack of active Facebook exposure, I have missed out a few important events that can change my life for the pass few months.  The most "stupid" one being... I didn't know that Sundown Ultra's finishing time had been changed from 16 hours to 18 hours until almost the last moment!  This was, indeed, indirectly push me further in my training... but I had to endure unnecessary fear and pressure along the way.

I am now, seriously, thinking that Facebook (or whatever it will be replaced in future) could make-or-break certain decisions we made in life... big or small.

Sundown Ultra 2011, Preparation for the "Barely Made-It"

(picture from the cover page of June,2011 issue of Capital Asia)

My preparation for Sundown 100k started in November,2010.  The training log for my runs can be found at the following links:

2010 running log:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ais_Qk03pThcdG8wcC15MjR2TWFGSFdpV0F1aHJsQlE&hl=en_US

2011 running log:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ais_Qk03pThcdGlnZkM2VFhNQzBTUTRxZnIyUmEySFE&hl=en_US

The running logs might be too detail to digest... here are the summaries, and probably, some "mythbustings".

Facts (or Myths)

Longest run: 46.07km in 5hr 42mins 35s, on 6,Feb,2011.  This is probably the most "daring" run of my life.  I did the solo run in Klang during a short Chinese New Year visit to my in-law's house.  The route that I had never travelled (both on foot and by car) before, a totally "strange" route to me.

First-half of the route is at:
http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/27292424

and the second-half is at:
http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/27430768

I ran through Kesas Highway, Klang town, and a very long stretch of kampung road with a lot of canines.  I did not carry water bottles nor hydration belt.  I did not take energy gel nor other form of food.  All I had with me was cash of 30 bucks and ID.  I was totally relying on the accuracy of Google Maps that I consulted the day before.  According to the Google Map, there should be enough of petrol stations along the route for re-fueling... my finger crossed.

Finally, I completed the crazy run with 6 bottles of Gatorade and 1 "Picnic" chocolate bar.  (My wife and parents-in-law did not know what I had done after missing for 6 hours since 4am that day... that's the fun of it!).

So, I didn't do the gruelling 70k minimum LSD like some suggested.  However, I did plan to do the 70k during Energizer Night Run... but work schedule defeated me.  I believe I could have been better prepared, both mentally and physically, if I did that gruesome distance.

Back-to-Back LSD (>20k): 4 times.  I did not do many back-to-back LSDs during my preparation.  I had health scare in March.  I suspected my un-prepared body could not cope with the back-to-back LSD runs and regular week-day 4am rise-from-bed.  With continuous lack of sleep and heavy physical activity, my blood pressure shot up to 150 at rest with lower than "normal" heart-beat rate, what a confusing scenerio!

The lower heart-beat rate is good news to me... but NOT for the high blood pressure.

I started to have doubt about my decision to sign up for ultra, and regret my over-confidence.  My fear grew.  I stopped running weekend back-to-back LSD with a lot of uncertainties and confusions.

Longest weekly distance: 82.68km in week-4 of 2011, 21 weeks to race-day.  In fact, I completed the distance in 4 days.  I did a 23.16km, one day rest, then another 23.16k and 36.36k back-to-back.  I think that was when my body started to get confused... really confused... and screamed for help!

Shortest weekly distance: 0km in week-21 of 2011, 4 weeks to the race-day.  My "engine broke-down".

Shortest distance: 13.2km.  I ran the distance twice during the tapering week leading to the race-day.  For all other runs, I managed to do minimum of 15km for each run.  I believe this is important for the conditioning of body and time-saving.

Longest missing from running: 12 days, from 21/5 to 1/6.  Reason: engine broke-down.  Very scare!

Total distance covered since signing up: 1394.58km, from 20/11/2010 to 24/06/2011.  Less than 200km per month, or 50km per week.  Two thumbs down!

Night run: Once, during Energizer Night Run.  I think the ability to run at night is not something that we can "train" for it.  It is really what one does 24 or 48 hours leading to the race day that matters.  As I am relatively inexperience... I might be wrong.  I might be able to do better if I ran more often at night.

Injury: Once, in February,2011.  I twisted my left ankle, AGAIN!  This time was not due to canine... but my clumsiness.  That led to 6 days of missing run and bandaged ankle.  Two thumbs down and scare!

Besides, I did "feel" the early symptom of "plantar fasciitis".  Luckily, the symptom does disappear if I stopped running for a few days.  Anyway, am switching myself into cautious mode knowing that "plantar fasciitis" is extremely difficult to be cured permanently.

Re-fuel:  To maximize the benefit of training runs, I tried to do all the training runs with empty stomach, without energy gel/bar intake in the middle of run... with the exception of the 46k run of which I took 1 "Picnic" chocolate bar.  That includes the Energizer Night Run.  I think my body did adapt to longer distance run in "starvation".  I felt like "super-charged up" when I "re-fueled" on the race-day.

Nutrition and Diet
As am relatively new to long distance running... I did not experiment enough into this area.  I did not try too many supplements for the fear of going nowhere in the end, and I cannot afford the side-effect of making mistake.

I had regular consumption of multivitamin, calsium, glucosamine and chondroitin.  Comparing to my preparation for the first marathon, I think glucosamine and chondroitin helps my joints, espeicially the knee, tremendously.

I did not take iron supplement, no protein supplement, nothing else.

I experiemented on "Endurox R4", for the first time, during Energizer Night Run.  For the run, I skipped regular dinner.  Instead I had 2 cups of "Endurox R4" mixed with oat for dinner, about 1.5 hours before the run.  Despite of zero re-fuel, I did not hit the wall until about 35km.  I tried it again during one of my LSD.  Again, my body liked it.  So, the supplement was in my packing list (will share this in the coming post) for race-day.  However, personally, if it is not for the race-day, I think I would not take anything that is un-natural on normal training day.  Anyway, what is the use of training if we feed our body with all the "energy boaster" for training run.

I used to take two half-boiled eggs for breakfast after every run for protein... but stopped the practice after the "health-scare".

I avoided "mamak" food.  Don't "hantam" me if you are a supporter of the place.  Why I don't like "mamak" store: try ordering "kopi kurang manis" or "xxx kurang manis" or "kopi kosong" or "xyz kosong"... see what would you get.  I don't think we can get "xyz kosong" at "mamak."

For family reason, social reason and "free Wifi" when on-the-move, I did visit fast food outlet occasionally.

My favorite curry laksa, nasi lemak... yes but moderately (once or twice a week).

Plenty of fishes.

Conclusions
What "Runner's World" said was true: to prepare for an ultra (or for my version, a "barely-made-it" ultra) we do not need to run day and night, we do not need to turn "anti-social".  As can be seen from my log, to "barely-made-it", the training is not much different from marathon.

Next, I will share my actual "encounter" with the top 5 enemies of ultra running:
1.  nausea,
2.  drowsiness,
3.  bristle and scuffing,
4.  cramp,
5.  wall-hitting.

Sundown Ultra 2011, How It Began

(picture by Yang)

Rewinding back to 7+ months ago... 'ultra' was never in my list of goals to achieve... not until the occurrence of the following sequence of events.

Sunday, 8,August,2010
(Eve of Singapore's National Day)... my usual passtime of surfing the net and runner's blog.  Saw Dr. Foo of http://www.lifeisxtragreat.blogspot.com/ posted a new blog posting at his blog titled "Goodbye Sundown 2011" at http://lifeisxtragreat.blogspot.com/2010/08/goodbye-sundown-2011.html.

Was thinking that Foo could really plan way way ahead of schedule... it is just August,2010 and he had already started to plan for mid-2011 run!  Why did he have to plan so advanced in time?  Little that I knew he was aiming for something much bigger than I thought... the catch-phrase was at the end of his post: "intended maiden ultra marathon".

That was the first time my running-itch-nerve was tickled... mmm... Foo was probably true that: i think one should try ultramarathon at least ONCE in a running life time.  Was thinking, may be, just may be, I should try it 2012.

Sunday, 14,November,2010
While on my way to Mid Valley Megamall for a family outing, I received a sms from Foo informing me that Sundown 2011 is opened for registration... and it is a good opportunity to train for Oxfam as the distance is up from 84k to 100k.  The sms instantly clicked!

Came to think about it again, I was quite illogical at that time... Oxfam is a 48-hour team-based trail-walking but Sundown Ultra is a solo 16-hour city 100k... the two don't really mix.  Or I should say, Oxfam is a non-runner's charity event, while Sundown Ultra is a money-making running event for elite (or "idiot")... definitely not for 1-time marathon-finisher.

Friday, 19,November,2010, 2pm
Got home early from work.  It's been about 1 week since Sundown Ultra was opened for registration.  Out of curiousity, went to the website and took a peep on the number of registrations so far.  To my surprised, more than 100 out of 600 "seats" had already been grabbed and it was just November,2010!

I started to get "panic" (was in fact "kiasu" when I recalled), fearing that the "seats" would be sold out like hot cake just like Sundown Marathon.  Losing my conciousness and logic-thinking capability... I spent less than five minutes to decide and to register... followed by credit card payment and I was done, not knowing what laid ahead could potentially get myself injured, or even killed.

The only picture I had in my mind was probably I should visit the beautiful island country where I studied 20 years ago... and then worked more than 10 years ago... time flies.

That's how the journey started.  I signed up one expensive and tough race.  I had no idea how to train for it. Zero.

I blogged about my madness at http://ys-electrical.blogspot.com/2010_11_01_archive.html.

I had no fear at that time... thinking that time was on my side.  I was ignorant.

Like Alan Cabelly said (copied from Sundown's facebook page): "Any idiot can run a marathon, but it takes a special kind of idiot to run an ultra."  I think I am qualified to be that "special one."

Not knowing that what followed was such a lifetime experience.

The illusive journey started on 20,Nov,2010.