Tuesday 13th Jan 2009, 14km Hill Run

It was our last MF hill run training and good for those who will be going up for the KL Pace Setter race whereby approx 80% is hill and rolling hill running. I recalled I did badly last year with timing 3hr 43 min for the 30km due to lack of training and caution by Doctor for hybertenson. This year I am determine to better my timing with a target of 3hr 15min, thus I have followed the last few hill training quite deligently and seriously.

The route was:-
Clubhouse -> Kampung Bahru -> MF steep slope -> Henderson waves -> Telok Blangah Hill -> Forest Walk -> Alexrandra Arch -> HortPark -> Kent Ridge (1 rd) -> Canterbury -> Depot Rd -> Clubhouse.

Aw, my colleague who started long run recently, joined me in this hill run. This was his 2nd time with MF but first time for hill. He might not be quite prepared for this hill run but anyhow I was sure he could do it, after all he had "tasted" the 3 loops MR25 Ultra 2 weeks ago. Having rested my strain and pain muscle well which I got it on Sunday brick training, I looked forward to this run but would not cycle after the run.

We started the run heading to Mt Faber to tackle the first steep slop. I noticed Aw was little too fast, approx. 10.5 to 11km/hr for the start and has pushing himself very hard by maintaining this speed through out MF steep slop, he should have reserved energy I thought, anyway he was doing well and running ahead of me through out the MF hill and then the Henderson wave. I felt the wave was tough (perhaps after the steep hill slop) as it resembled long gradual slop rolling hill. As we approached the Telok Blangah hill Aw slowed down and I overtook him with my speed of 9 to 9.5km/hr which covered the first 3 slopes. Next was the down slop Forest Trail which was my favorite, not only it was down slop from this point, we were running high above ground.

After Hort park was the zig zac slop run which I informed Aw while approaching it, and he sighed "another one" and with this remark I knew he was struggling with these hills but he stayed positive and I told him to relax while ascending the slope and run with smaller step. (I was thinking of sharing with him some tips in running hill, not that I am trainer but have some knowledge through reading books and MF runners.) I was amazed he ran strongly ahead of me again in the zig zac slop and persevering. He could be thinking that this should be the hill run for tonight, not until I told him that we would be running 1 lap in Kent Ridge consist of another slop and later I noticed he struggled with the Kent Ridge slope. I overtook Aw in the slope and raised my speed up to waiting point before descending zig zac slop.

We ran pass Hort Park again and from the Alexandre Junction I raced back to MF clubhouse increasing my speed to 12-12.5 km/hr along Depot Road (approx 1 .5 km) with the anaerobic heart rate and trying to pace up Trevor and Melvin Jr, but they were too fast for me. By then Aw was far behind me. Through out the run, Ong made a few stops to wait and regroup the runners as this was a new route to some thus we indeed has chance for some breather.

After the run I felt the sharp pain and strain on right Achilles tendon again. This, I knew I have run too hard on the hill and too fast on the last stretch and immediately I warned myself not to run but rest on Thursday as I wanted to be at my tip top condition for Sunday pace setter where I have a "Mission to accomplish". My timing tonight was 1hr 30min and the distance covered was 14km.

As for Aw I believed he has enjoyed the run although he would have muscle ach for the next few days. He will come back for more run as he also has a "Mission to accomplish", the 42 km Sundown.
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