Adidas Sundown Marathon - Part 4 Tonight we dine in Hell!

A video clip from 300 for some motivation

“Our arrows will blot out the Sun”
“Then we shall fight in the shade”

Ironic words to apply to a Marathon conducted at night. Tonight will be the big run.
Looks like it will rain.
That would be fun.

42KM (Starts at midnight)
老爷has overcame his illness and will be coming after all.
Kelvin will be running
Jing Wei will be running
Waynee has signed up, but attendance unconfirmed


10KM Corporate relay (Starts at 8pm)
Wei Khyuan, Deguchi, 夫人, and her Uncle has formed a team

Let 'em rip boys!

Marathon Route

Discworld - Small Gods

Taken from the earlier Discworld Novel I read, could never quite forget this story. Fans like Terry Pratchett for his odd sense of humor. Meaningless yet thought provoking, the world is portrayed in a completely different perspective through the fictional discworld.

SMALL GODS(Discworld 13)

By Terry Pratchett

NOW CONSIDER THE TORTOISE AND the eagle.

The tortoise is a ground-living creature. It is impossible to live nearer the ground without being under it. Its horizons are a few inches away. It has about as good a turn of speed as you need to hunt down a lettuce. It has survived while the rest of evolution flowed past it by being, on the whole, no threat to anyone and too much trouble to eat.

And then there is the eagle. A creature of the air and high places, whose horizons go all the way to the edge of the world. Eyesight keen enough to spot the rustle of some small and squeaky creature half a mile away. All power, all control. Lightning death on wings. Talons and claws enough to make a meal of anything smaller than it is and at least take a hurried snack out of anything bigger.

And yet the eagle will sit for hours on the crag and survey the kingdoms of the world until it spots a distant movement and then it will focus, focus, focus on the small shell wobbling among the bushes down there on the desert. And it will leap . . .

And a minute later the tortoise finds the world dropping away from it. And it sees the world for the first time, no longer one inch from the ground but five hundred feet above it, and it thinks: what a great friend I have in the eagle.

And then the eagle lets go.

And almost always the tortoise plunges to its death. Everyone knows why the tortoise does this. Gravity is a habit that is hard to shake off. No one knows why the eagle does this. There's good eating on a tortoise but, considering the effort involved, there's much better eating on practically anything else. It's simply the delight of eagles to torment tortoises.

But of course, what the eagle does not realize is that it is participating in a very crude form of natural selection.

One day a tortoise will learn how to fly.
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Somehow, I find myself relating to the Turtle in this story. Surviving in the politicorporate environment by being 'too much trouble to eat' Thankfully the eagles have not got me yet, and just maybe, someday I'll be able to fly too....

Warren Buffett - How to Grow Wealth in a Responsible and Sustainable Manner

http://www.lioninvestor.com/how-to-grow-wealth-in-a-responsible-and-sustainable-manner/

I like the following lines:

- Never trade reputation for money

- People self select themselves

- The standard of living does not equate with the cost of living. Up to a point it does, and then you leave that point. I want to be around my friends; to be able to do what I love to do. Fortunately, I’m able to

- I told my children what my dad told me. “Anything you do (as long as it’s legal), I’m behind you. I’ll back you. You don’t have to be me. You have to be you.” What they do is more important than what I do. They have to follow their own passion.

Adidas Sundown Marathon - Part 3 Five days to go

Five more days before the big event. Doubt my training was adequate, but am grateful to have recovered enough from the injured state, to be able to put in a good run.

Have been resting my body well this whole week, with minor exercises to maintain readiness, but nothing heavy at this time, in order to preserve the best possible condition in anticipation for the massive beating to bear on the marathon.

Can't wait for it to happen now, its going to be fun. And really look forward to lifting my personal alcohol ban* and gulping down that ice cold tower! Truely motivating!

*Had stopped drinking since they day I agreed to join the marathon. Not that moderate alcohol would impact performance, I did it as a personal expression of discipline and commitment.

Don't outlive your muscles How to keep muscles healthy

Extracted from Straits Times - FITNESS May 24, 2008
Don't outlive your muscles How to keep muscles healthy
How to keep muscles healthy
ARE your muscles healthy? It is not the kind of question most people ask themselves.

But muscle researchers say it is important because muscle health is emerging as an important part of overall health.

# When it comes to muscles, bulk does not matter.

# What matters for health is whether you use them.

# Healthy muscles are those that have been worked, stressed and pushed to their limit, so that they have enough power and strength to get you through life, especially as you grow older.

# Keeping muscles fit takes effort, which means regular training with weightlifting and cardiovascular exercise, even if the results are not a sculptured look.

Full Article as follows:
If you don't work, stress and push them, they will atrophy as you grow older
NEW YORK - DR PAUL D.THOMPSON, a 60-year-old marathoner and chief of cardiology at Hartford Hospital, stood before a medical audience recently and talked about himself.

'I've been lifting weights since I was 12 years old and look at me,' he said.

Dr Thompson is small and wiry with not a bulging muscle on him. He speculated that he must have a genetic inability to build muscles, no matter how hard he works at it.

But are his muscles healthy?

It is not the kind of question most people ask themselves.

But muscle researchers say it is important because muscle health is emerging as an important part of overall health.
They say, when it comes to muscles, bulk does not matter. How big they are depends on your sex as well as genetics.

What matters for health is whether, like DrThompson, you use them.

Healthy muscles, researchers say, are those that have been worked, stressed and pushed to their limit. They will then have enough power and strength to get you through life, especially as you grow older.

Keeping muscles fit takes effort, which means regular training with weightlifting and cardiovascular exercise even if the results are not a sculptured look, these experts add.

If you do not work your muscles, they will atrophy, especially as you grow older.

Older people often fall because they are too weak to brace themselves. They have trouble with steps and opening jars because their muscles have lost so much strength.

Much of that loss can be avoided, muscle researchers say.

Even elderly people can gain muscle strength if they work at it.

There are two aspects to healthy muscles: endurance and strength, said Robert H. Fitts, an exercise physiologist at Marquette University and chairman of the biology department there.

To maintain endurance, you should engage in activities that pump blood to the muscles, like walking.

For strength, you need to lift weights, concentrating on what Professor Fitts calls the anti-gravity muscles, those of the back and legs.

And you should also maintain arm strength.

While many people walk, fewer lift weights. Those who do often use incorrect techniques, said William J. Kraemer, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut.

Some try to do it on their own, but tend to buy weights that are too light and may not know the well-researched methods that get results.

Others go to gyms, where they may be intimidated when they venture into weight rooms filled with people grunting and straining and machines that can seem daunting.

Those who do try to lift at the gym can end up using weights that are not heavy enough to fully stimulate their muscles.

That is especially true of women, Dr Kraemer said, even those who work with personal trainers.

While women often say they are afraid to bulk up, this fear is unfounded. Acquiring muscle mass requires testosterone levels that women do not have.

The most effective way to stimulate muscles is progressive resistance. This approach can take about three hours a week and includes days, once a week or so, when you lift weights so heavy that you can do only three to five repetitions before your muscles are too tired to lift again.

Other days are devoted to moderate resistance, with weights you can lift eight to 10 times. You should also have some light days, with weights you can lift 12 to 15 times before your muscles tire.

Said Dr Thompson: 'Some folks outlive their muscles, meaning they are fine mentally and cardiac-wise, but have so little muscle strength that they can't catch themselves with their other leg when they start to fall. And if they fall, they cannot get up.'

He does not want to be one of those people, so he continues to lift weights.

NEW YORK TIMES

'Some folks outlive their muscles. They are fine mentally and cardiac-wise, but have so little muscle strength that they can't catch themselves with their other leg when they start to fall. If they fall, they cannot get up.'

DR PAUL D. THOMPSON, a 60-year-old marathon runner and chief of cardiology at Hartford Hospital in the US

Completed 5th High Key ICT

Was a good ICT, with several familiar faces attending this call back, and also got to know a few other interesting people from earlier batches.
We narrowly averted a major exercise and only went through a one night + one day technical deployment. *** SENSITIVE DATA DELETED ***

After thoughts upon returning from the deployment:
This was more pleasant than what we went through last year. The worst part was dealing with biting insects. We brought along adequate safari beds this time, so at least some decent rest were possible*.

More and more I begun to appreciate how lucky we are, being allowed to stay out on all nights other than during an exercise. Must aim to finish all my ICTs before the unit gets disbanded**.

In the spirit of nostalgia, I've dug out the link to my old webpage article on Exercise Kujarra 1 refered to as K-1 the first Gun live fire conducted in Australia, in the Woomera desert. It was undoubtedly the most memorable time during our active days, and still fondly talked about among our mates today. (ed: When reading this featured link, preferably, read "Prologue" first , and then scroll straight to "Deployment", to avoid the boring segments) ,


*not that we can't deal with just one single night without sleep, however I can still remember how painful it was sleeping bare backed on the hard tarmac during the last ICT.

**This rumor had been circulating ever since the last decade, few believe it would really happen, but if it does, we might get transfered to the FDS which would be tough.

Chinese Girl's nasty remarks on Sichuan Earthquake

Saw a rather sadist video clip of a Chinese girl verbally bashing the Sichuan Earthquake.
The comments she made would have been funny if it was not actually referring to a real life disaster.
No comments on my part. See for yourself

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9Bf-lM9Oe4&feature=bz302


Some of the follow up viewer's commentary was even more colorful.

Funny Commercials - M1

M1 has got some of the funniest commercials recently

'Mumbai Dah!'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgxN6x-cIsA

You Deserve Better 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hayhKXu99iw

You Deserve Better 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow_joRU3sPM&feature=related

Your brain has a silicon partner

Extracted from Straits Times - Digital Life May 13 2008
Your brain has a silicon partner
Extracts:
According to recent research, we're remembering fewer and fewer basic facts these days.

And when he asked them their own phone number, fully one-third of the youngsters drew a blank. They have to whip out their handsets to look it up.
That reflexive gesture - reaching in to your pocket for the answer - tells the story in a nutshell.

Does an over reliance on machine-memory shut down otherimportant ways of understanding the world?

FULL ARTICLE AS FOLLOWS

Adidas Sundown Marathon - Part 2 Mechanical Man

Mechanical Man
Got better with some Glucosamine/Chondroitin combo drug from GNC. Started training again and with some gradual step up training, have managed to increase my MTBF*. For the update, my last run cleared approximately 18km before the left knee gave way.

My Take on Marathon Training:
The marathon experience is quite different from normal runs. In a normal run, timing is dependent on stamina and muscle strength. Not that stamina and strength isn't important. Strength/stamina could be stretched to amazing levels, just like fuel, they could also be replenished via pit stops and proper nutrition along the way. In runs that lasts hours, the benefits of periodic rests outweights the time difference of not stopping at all**.

Injuries however, with the possibility of permanent damage, can instantly put a runner out of the game. A long distance run therefore, requires careful management of speed and body mechanism. The aim is to minimize wear and tear. This is much harder than it sounds, the slightest improper footing, or placing more weight on either leg, eventually accumulates to incapacitating pains when amplified over a thousand steps.

Thus the MTCF description. To be ready for a marathon, it is necessary to condition one's joints to tolerate the prolonged pounding. Adopt the proper running posture to prevent premature injury failure. Proper equipment helps too.

That said, it's incredibly frustrating to have to stop a run before your stamina runs out.

*Mean time before failure
**Imortals are an exception to this fact.

How potato chips are made

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkqBbr7Ewsw