All it took was a Twitch

It is a rare occasion that I suffer cramps in my calf muscles when I sleep; all through this year, I can only remember it happening once before, and last night was the second time.  On the first occasion, it was a result of a very hard run and last night was no different.

The Fastwitch got its second outing yesterday evening.  The glamour and excitement of the shoe had gone and it was all business last night.  The first thing I felt was that there was a distinct lack of cushioning, with the leg muscles having to provide support and absorption of the running impact forces.  This in turn meant there could not be any slippage in form, as least for me.  No such problems with the Asics because the cushioning in those shoes is so much more superior that even with poor form, the legs are having a good time.

The upside to all of this (for me) is that my normal stride is so much more easier to make, and I ran much faster than I normally would.  A shorter recovery stride now felt lazy on the Fastwitch because I felt there was no problem, no effort even, in making the normal stride.  To cut a long story short, I went 8k last night fast and I am aching all over now.  Too much, too soon after the fasting month.

The only consolation is that not many running people are out tonight because there is the haze that has descended over all of Singapore.  Walking back into the home from the car park just now, I could already tell there was the smell of burnt wood in the air, and that meant the haze was back and bad.

Anyway, here's a picture of the shoes that did me in last night

Boomz!

Oh my word..what sort of word is that..?

Boomz!

Boomz!  That's the word that has been making the rounds in Singapore currently

Boomz!

So where the (bloody) hell am I...?

I woke up just a while ago feeling lost.  The surroundings seemed new because there was noisy traffic sounds outside, the sun was shining in, the day was starting and it was getting hot, the bed was uncomfortable etc.. and after rolling around a little deciding whether to get back to sleep or not, I asked myself where the (bloody) hell am I...

I was not home in KL waking up with my family.

I have just woken up in my room in Singapore; this is the very room that I grew up in, lived at for some 30yrs now and yet I felt lost without my family and the comfort of familiar surroundings.  Opening the morning Sunday paper also felt different because the paper in Singapore features different things from the KL paper.

Like Nisa, I too have been struggling a little (for Nisa, exponentially more) with the transition from KL to Spore.  I will miss waking up there on a weekend, the shopping, the space and the places to run, and even the traffic and the roads.  I will miss my psychological attempt to extend my weekend by staving off the bluesy Sunday afternoon feeling of having to return to work Monday because here in Singapore, I am already feeling this bluesy feeling on Sunday morning.  The hustle and bustle of Jamie's cousins will also be absent soon, until they visit our flat in Singapore.

Food will also be another new vista.  We can almost literally walk into any restaurant or makan place over in KL without any thought but we need to really scout around and about here in Singapore.  But I know God will provide and we will do just fine over here, insya-Allah.

  

The annual Hari Raya expedition

Hari Raya over the past few years have yielded many constants.  There is the last minute rush to spring clean the house, no doubt a tradition that will be imported over to our new home in Singapore. There is the trip down to Singapore for a round of visits to Mom (in-law)'s Singapore folks.

And finally, there is the trip to Muar, Johor - Dad (in-law)'s home town.

We just completed the Muar trip today and this leg of the annual Hari Raya expedition is no different from the rest.  Whilst Dad never makes a big deal of the trip down to Muar, I can see he is in a visibly better mood, cheery and boyish! I still recall clearly his excitement during my first trip to Muar; sitting in my car as we entered town, his boyhood memories came flooding back.  He pointed out where he went swimming along the river, where the book-shop he used to patronise, the small law firm that was still there, the primary school he went to, and the field he played in after school.  Through the recollection, he re-lived his earlier life.

Its a return to his hometown and many a times, Nisa and I wish we could do this trip with Dad more often during the year.  I don't have to look far to imagine my being away from Singapore for the entire year, only to return once.  And seeing that I have now regarded KL as my home as well, when we live in Singapore, vice versa.

Dad and Najat arrived at Muar earlier than us today.  Nisa, Jamie and I, together with the rest of the family, travelling from Singapore and arriving some 2hrs+ after them.  Nonetheless, Dad was in his usual high spirits and I was glad.

The house at Muar is huge by Singapore standards.  More significant is the fact that it had something that I could only dream about, whilst living in Singapore.  The backyard area is enormous, and this is where the family dining table is situated, next to the kitchen which is entirely opened.  The entire family is able to sit together, behind the house, in covered airy space.  The catching up of the year's going-ons would be conducted here, out of sight from the causal passer-by on the road.  I had always looked longingly at this part of the house, hoping that one day, our home would be able to accommodate something like this.   This will never be because I asked Dad if he realised that the entire backyard is the size of our (soon to be) flat in Singapore - he didn't but no matter.

Dad herded all of us into the cars at c 8.30pm for the return trip home.  

Responsiveness and ride (Part 2)

I have actually been giving this thing some serious thought over the last few weeks and have come to the conclusion that my current Asics Cumulus is lacking in this area.  They are somehow too stiff to encourage and support an adequate toe-off (at least for me) and I have been looking at performance trainers seriously.

My plan was to have a trainer and a racing flat, for alternate wear during the course of the week.  This is what started me off on the Cumulus and the Lunars.  The Lunars are great in cushioning but are way too minimalist for me because they do not wrap the mid-foot adequately; I think this is because my feet do not sit into the shoe deep enough.

Enter the Brooks Launch, as the replacement for the racing flat.

The Launch is skwishy to the point that it is able to function as the trainer.  Which means I had to now go hunting around for a racing flat again.  Guess what??!!  We have just returned from Queensway with the Saucony Fastwitch...responsiveness and ride to the max.

The Launch and the Fastwitch will be the shoes that will close the 2009 season.  With the Mizuno and the SCSM coming up, my shoes and I will have a fine time.

AIP received!

After a detailed session on the directions from Yishun to the East Coast, travelling along the major expressways of Singapore, the Malaysian side of the family arrived at the flat Nisa, Jamie and I will make our new home at the end of the year.

The flat was chosen after we having viewed many many other premises, from landed property all through to condominiums.  It is absolutely true that when you see something that fits your eye, it becomes apparent almost immediately.  I remember Nisa having first viewed the flat, telling me about it in the evening and my looking at the flat the next day.  We decided over a weekend and the offer was accepted a few days later.

It is important that the Malaysian side of the family like the flat and location as well.  They will not be spending as much time in the flat as the Singapore side, simply because there is travelling involved for them. I am also keen to make them welcomed, and ensure everyone has, and finds, their own space in the flat.  This is not to say they complain every time they come to Singapore, which is far from the truth; the reality is that they enjoy coming to visit and having to get everyone into a Singapore sized flat is always over-looked as compared to the good times together.

The entire Malaysian clan came to see the flat.  This is the full compliment of persons that will live and sleep over when they visit - 5 adults, 3 kids.  Mom and Dad (in-law) gave their approval, saying it was modern and spacious, Farah and Najat thought the place nice and like the indoor garden, and the fact everything was opened-up. The kids had a whale of the time running all around the flat, which says a lot for the design and of the space since Singapore flats are smallish.  Nisa and I were busy measuring the spaces so that we would be able to shop for furniture, TV and the like.

And through it all, gentle breezes blew through the flat, putting us all in a pleasant disposition on a hot afternoon.

I guess we got AIP today.  So our journey starts..

Back seat driver

I felt like a back seat driver today.

Over the course of the year, my runs have been all done at night. There is really not much to see because everything is dark and to be honest, many things I noticed are things that come to me from memory.  I would run past something and remember that a shop/fitness corner/barbeque pits used to be here and I'll look to see .. some times it is still there and what with constantly changing Singapore, some times it is not.

I completed my 2nd morning run today.  I almost never get to run in the early mornings in Singapore and I deliberately wanted to go out before the sun came out, just so I could enjoy the sun peeping over the horizon, and shining across the sea.. it turned out to be another fine morning.  As I ran, I kept my eyes opened, just like a back-seat driver who observers a lot more than the driver.  I noticed the underpass that we will take to get across to East Coast Park when Nisa, Jamie and I live together, needing a new coat of paint.  I noticed the path around the bird sanctuary area.  I found out what is the "F2" carpark - its the same one that I thought it was all along.  I had a good look at the Outward Bound School and the Sailing Centre and thought of all the fun that goes on in there.  The Sailing Centre is where our sailing champions come from, I could not help thinking there are champions in the making when the sailors arrive later in the day to train; right now, the only people around are the cleaning crew and they do a superb job because it is a big area to manage.

There is a different crowd in the morning.  When I started on the out-ward bound leg of my run, there were a few younger runners ahead of me, no doubt putting in the miles for the upcoming marathon.  On the homeward leg, it was a decidedly older crowd doing their morning walks and exercises.  There was a fair number of non-locals (ie ang-mohs), all kitted or togged out in the latest, no less dedicated.

Before I knew it, the 8k flew by and I completed my run for the day.  I am now wondering if the last 2 days had been a transition of sorts, that 7k to 8k runs are now the norm to get me ready for longer distances next year.  Let's do a few more before we mark it down as such.

My short runs used to be my long runs!

Mushroom

Jamie and I have been talking about our bike helmets.  He has one for his kiddie bike in KL and he was excited when I told him Daddy had one as well.  He immediately wanted to see my helmet and kept wanting all through the trip down from KL.

Here's what he looks like:

Of course nothing is complete without Nisa because Jamie is so attached to her.  In fact, just to ensure Nisa is beside him when he is asleep, Jamie puts his hand on her face all through the night!!  Jamie was obviously pleased he got a photo in his new helmet with his favourite person:

And to crown it all, when I wore the helmet, he said Daddy looked like a mushroom.

Raya 2009

Here's what has been happening at Raya 2009 so far

Went for a 7.7k run this morning.  The day started off on a beautiful note; and in fact, it started off last night.  I was so much looking forward to the morning run that I could not sleep at all.  This is not my normal weekend morning run because I was determined to start off whilst it was dark and watch the sunrise along the way.  Must have left the house at 6.40am and during the first 2k or so, the sky lighted up, the day starting.  Beautiful.  Could even hear birds chirping.

It was Raya prayers after that.  The same thing happened in Singapore as always in Malaysia.  If I did not get to the mosque early for Raya prayers, I will not get into the prayer hall.  On other days, I'm at the mosque some 10-15min before the prayer call and could still find my place.  Not during Raya.  I had to wait outside for a space to open up before I managed to inch my way in today.  I think an ex-member of parliament spoke with me as we walked to the mosque together; I should have uttered some form of recognition but I was unsure and too shy to say anything.

Back home after that to wear the full regalia.  Along the way, I exchanged banter with MKL via sms.  This is almost a daily occurrence and I think it keeps the both of us light in spirit, seeing how life can weigh us all down.

Arrived at A. Jah's in Yishun.  This is the highlight of Raya morning because Mom (in-law) always, always, cooks up a storm (whether she's in KL or Spore).  No different (in standard of fare as well) this year.  And here's when the next phrase of Raya day starts..the snooze-a-rama........ 

But not this time.  After 2 rounds of visitors, which equates to more eating for all, Nisa, Jamie and I are now about to travel home to East Coast.  In-between, I watched (and am still following) the Berlin marathon on the web - live!

As I come to a close..

As Ramadan draws to a close, I started thinking last night about what has happened over the holy month and how I fared. Like some of the endeavours I have undertaken in the past, I started Ramadan off by looking to when it would end, no different from others in the past. As I went into the month, I wondered how long it will take, how I would make it through and the hardships along the way.

As a father and husband, I am duty bound (from a religious standpoint) to know the meaning of Ramadan and the values it seeks to teach; these lessons are not only intended for the holy month but indeed a lifetime (with a renewal lesson every year). I am also human and the food and drink restraints during Ramadan are trying; and it is in this trial that the lessons of Ramadan come through.

Now that I am near the end, I look back and am glad I was blessed with significantly improved health from all the running throughout the year which was the key to Ramadan this year. No longer do I eat a double meal at break fast, eating smaller portions over a spread of time. No longer do I struggle to get up for the morning meal. No longer do I need (crave!) a big meal in the morning. No longer do I feel poorly during the fasting day. No longer do I feel tired after physical activity during the fasting day (I even managed to retain some semblance of a running routine, with a decrease in some 20% in weekly milage)

What’s the synonym of No longer?  It is restraint…the lesson of Ramadan..

Where you train your mind

When I have built up my base level of fitness to tackle the 15k races next year, this is where I will go to train my mind:

Long straight stretch of road, some 8km long.  Changi airport is on the right; it can't be seen in the photo because it was just taken on my bike ride but it (the road, not the airport) looks worse in the day.

I shouldn't be having a problem running it one way, and maybe in time to come and God willing, return. What is mentally very draining is the long straight stretch.  No rest stops, no water points.  At the end, its industrial buildings supporting the aerospace industry.  Running down this road is like running on the track but worse.  I can see where my run will end but it is in the horizon; when I start, the horizon is infinitely a long ways off.  Every step gets me closer but optically, this does not seem true.  Even the old adage of counting lamp-posts will probably not work because each one looks the same.

This is the famed Changi Coastal Rd.  Back when I started cycling, myself and other small pockets of cyclists had already discovered this road and we would go up and down, building speed, training endurance.  Cyclists continue to ply this road but I seldom see runners.  The problem is that Changi Coastal Rd moats around the airport and I guess for security reasons, there are no parking spaces because you don't want to encourage people to be stopping and staring at planes taking off.  There are 2 golf clubs at one end of the road and that is where the cyclists park their cars and mount their bikes.  Runners do not do that because the road is probably too long to run, and mentally draining.

Just looking down this road makes me tired.

Dumb running technique

Here's my running discovery for the day.

Some weeks back, I tried to dis-engage my lower torso from my upper torso when running; meaning, let the legs do all the world whilst everything from the waist up remains utterly relaxed.  What better occasion to prove this wrong than on a LSD - after 2k, I realised the arms play such an important role in maintaining forward momentum with the legs that I totally gave this running technique up.

I tried a variation tonight.  Everything from the shoulder up is disengaged from everything below.  The legs work in unison with the arms but the shoulders and head are totally relaxed.  No clenched teeth, and let my thoughts wonder.  It worked - my breathing was not laboured, I did not feel the burn in my legs and I actually focused on a proper toe-off and heel lift; but its too early to call success until the next run.

Haircut

No..not the financial kind..the real kind!!

I went to my regular barber for my haircut today.  Nisa likes me to keep my hair long, with my salt and pepper look and white bangs but unfortunately, this is hardly the acceptable business look; so its neat and tidy until we give it all up.

The New Star barber is along East Coast Road, directly opposite Woo Mon Chew Rd and just outside where I currently live.  It is probably apt to say it has seen its share of better days, what with it likely being the first in the 1950s to have complete air-condition and offer warm towels to massage your face.  And here lies its story.  Whilst I have never had a proper conversation with the proprietor (because for some reason he thinks I'm Malay and always speaks in Malay to me..and I don't), I gather he came from India in the 1950s and started the barbershop along East Coast Rd at that time.

I've been going there for some 30+ yrs now.  The shop is in a rent-controlled building, which means the landlord is not allowed to increase the rent beyond a paltry amount.  This rent-control thingy is a throw back to the post colonial days of Singapore where laws were enacted to prevent landlords from taking advantage of poor tenants by jacking up the rent periodically.  The social evil (to be stopped) then was to prevent the masses from being dumped into the streets, with fat cat landlords looking upon.  The barbershop hardly benefitted because in all the years I have been there, it has never been renovated.  Along the years, I have developed a warm nostalgic feeling every time I visit, lying down in the comfort of familiar surroundings.

Only recently was the rent-control lifted and the poor barbershop was forced to leave.  Seems the landlord wanted to charge back rent and the barbershop resisted.  For a moment I was afraid I would lose my favourite barbershop until the proprietor told me confidently there was nothing to fear.

Seems the industry and the street-smarts of our migrant fore-fathers shone through.  He always knew the day would come where he would be forced to vacate his premises and he had been quietly saving, finally enough to buy the modern shop lot across the street - he is now a land owner!!  He explained he never wanted to move because all his customers (ie people like me) knew where he was and the best thing to do was to go across the street.

He renovated the new premises exactly in the same look and style as the one I have been coming too all these years.  The floor had the same colour mosaic, the florescent lights were the same shade of blue, the barber chairs were faithfully shifted across and the stools where the young sit on, just so they can be propped up onto the adult barber chair, was recreated.  Even the gas heater and the sink for the towels were moved across.  Everything was position as it were in the old shop, down to the signage.  The only concession was the shop front was now floor to ceiling glass whereas the old shop front had big windows.

Here's what it looks like now (just exactly like it was then):

No - that's not me having my hair cut but this is exactly what it was 30yrs ago!!  See the no-smoking sign on the mirror, it was there at the old shop, right in the middle of the mirror then, as it is now!

The barbershop holds a lot of memories for me. This is where I would go to get my hair cut to Raffles Institution standard before the school term starts, always pleading to leave some hair.  This is where I would go for my hair cut prior to every reservist training session, this time pleading to cut more rather than less.  And in my professional life, I have come to cherish the hair cut he would give me - neat and tidy, not overly short, and always just right.

Well..see you in another 5 weeks, Mr barbershop.  I'll try and get Jamie to come too, when we live in East Coast.

A record..and a realisation

I did Kiara this evening just prior to break fast and achieve a record (of sorts)! Stopped once going up, and going round the loop, stopped once again; and it was downhill home to the car. I've done this once before but it was not in the midst of Ramadan and I was mightily pleased with myself for the accomplishment. Mark it down as a record!

The realisation is that I now know, pretty well, what its like to have crossed into the abyss, which begins when your body tells you it is out of food, water and energy. The abyss loomed right at the beginning of the run, because Kiara starts with a severe uphill and I felt it some 600m after I started. I have never looked into the abyss for a long time, the last being prior to boarding a helicopter for an exercise whilst on training. The tank was empty then, standing on a cold and windy field waiting for the helo to arrive, just like the tank was empty today. After that, it was all heart, focus, and whatever you need to do to get you through.

This is what my running is all about - the challenge of what's next and whether you can overcome it. It's always about going right to the limit and beyond; once I return (and as I am lying, resting, re-fueling), I am pretty glad I did not succumb and it's on to the next.

Bought me new shoes today. Here are the Brooks Launch:



I have never like Brooks, having not been excited at the least with the Defyance, notwithstanding its a shoe that has been rated by a popular running magazine. The Launch changed everything. It's billed as a performance racer because its less than 10oz but the cushioning is so skwishy its on par with the fabled Asics. If anything, it beats my Cumulus by just a crumb! Light, responsive but like all performance racers, lacking in support for the ankle (unlike the Cumulus) but only just slightly. If my running form is good, the lack in support ought not to be an issue. Its so skwishy that I think its going to double up as my trainers as well.

And to crown it all, its about a third cheaper than the Asics! The next 4-5 months with the Launch will be sweet. Like I need another reason to run...



When Jamie saw me take a picture of my new shoes, he insisted I took one of his new shoes as well; he actually said "put on Daddy's blog"!!  Here are the shoes he will wear for Raya 2009

Watch out..free publicity coming up

One of the best things of being able to continue living in the East Coast (of Singapore), when Nisa, Jamie and I move into our new home, is that I am close to my favourite satay stall.

I had finally decided that I am getting tired of feeling winded during and after my runs. This Ramadan is different from the rest from the eating standpoint; no longer would I devour hugh meals after break fast, and my meals have been fairly modest. Sometimes, the quantity is no different from the ordinary dinner that I would take. When you factor in the lack of lunch, and day long hydration, it is no wonder that the "winded" feeling is beginning to descend on my current runs.

I decided to visit my favourite satay stall at the East Coast hawker centre after tonight's run at Bedok Reservoir, just to I can top up on my regular dinner. I ordered my usual compliment of chicken and beef satay, asking for extra peanut sauce. As I sat waiting for the food to arrive, I could count no less than 9 satay stall within a 30 metre stretch, most of them being next to each other. The competition is stiff. Whenever anyone walks past, each stall would holler out to attract that person's attention, wanting his/her patronage. All the stalls would simply shout "satay" but my favourite need not - the stall is so well known amongst the crowd that it simply shouts out "Haron".

So there you have it. My favourite satay stall is Haron's satay. Their servings are neither enormous nor lacking, the meat on one satay stick is sufficient to roll around on your tongue, letting all the marinate come out. Inbetween the marinate, you will bite down on the meat, which is grilled to perfection - not overly done, juicy and tender. Slap on the peanut sauce to complete. Each satay is wanting to be savour-ed and hence you chew on it patiently but at the same time, you are in a rush to mouth down on the next, to start the experience all over again.

I did rebel sometime back, wanting to see if the other 8 stalls were a sufficient match. It was disappointing and I returned to Haron.

I had not eaten there for sometime until just now and was dismayed to see prices had risen. The general economic situation must also have taken a toll on people eating out and the hawker centre was half full. Haron used to sell out by 10pm (with the others continuing to hawker their satay to 11-ish pm) but not tonight; it stayed open till about the same time as the others.

I hear they make a mean soto ayam as well but best to stick with what I know.

What's around here

I was determined to go out on my bike tonight, on the supposed reason that I had to deposit a cheque (ie run an errand) but in my heart, I wanted to do so to justify the purchase. After dropping the cheque off at what's left of the row of shophouses opposite Siglap centre, I went to where our new home would be to explore the area.

There is a private housing estate around and behind. I immediately had to switch to higher gears in order to get up the hills that made up the estate. This would definitely make for good hill work in our runs. Not really a match for Kiara but there are flats and hence providing a more balanced workout.

I rounded the corner into the Bedok South area..to discover..its been re-branded as Lucky Valley! Whatever the name is now, its no different from your new-ish type housing estate - sanitised! No rowdy coffee shops, no more cars parked hap-hazardly, just your row of nice coffee shops, with brightly lit stalls and plastic chairs all round. It even had a mounted flat screen TV showing soccer programs. And the clientele? No different from coffee shops all over Singapore this time of the night - old chaps drinking beer from bottles. It was discouraging to not find any stalls serving halal food but Nisa cooks so the family will never go hungry.

Apart from coffee shops, the other convenience stalls were shut, and no wonder given the time of the day. There was a 7-eleven though, which we will try to avoid because prices will no doubt be higher given it has to open 24/7. There was a laundry-mat cum alternation service which looked expensive but worth a 2nd look in the day. There was a Vet as well. What I really wanted to find was an old fashion convenience/provision shop, pre the days of the mini-marts. These are the shops where you can buy all sorts of knick-knacks to attend to the little things that need fixing at home - buy kitchen towels, a mop, pails, simple tools etc etc. None to be found in Lucky Valley.

I did discover the entrance to Temasek Primary School though. Its very close to our new home and God-willing, Jamie will be accepted there.

The next time I go exploring will be in the Chai Chee area. It seems more old world, with wet markets and all. I can't wait.

Sleep-o-rama

I really can't explain what happened.

I slept at my normal time last night, got up at my normal time for sahur, even slept in a little thereafter before leaving to meet Hakam and Aunt Jah for the trip up to KL. Uneventful drive but when I arrived at 1.30pm, I simply crashed out. All I had to do was lie down on the bed and in some 20min, it was total lights out. Even Jamie couldn't keep me up with his stories of the week.

The initial plan was to have a light snooze, about 45min worth, and its off to Kiara for a run, just so I can hit my quota of 30k a week.

I got up intermittently but could not drag myself off the bed. Before I knew it, it was 6-ish pm and time to get ready for break fast. The family was out by then and I was left alone, wondering where Jamie and Nisa were. It seems they went out to buy goodies for break fast, and did return with the traditional stuff.

At this moment, I am a little glad I did not tough out a run. In reality, my left ankle is slight swollen, because I think my Lunar are too minimalist to be giving proper support. The orthotics on the Lunars have raisen my feet and I am not sitting into the shoe deep enough to reap whatever little support the shoe was meant to provide. No knock on the shoe though - this is a performance type shoe, with emphasis on weight and cushioning, and not on support. I just hope the ankle gets well enough for my run tomorrow.

I'm definitely going to Brooks tomorrow morning to have one final look at the Launch before I commit. It is almost as light as the Lunars and from past trials, there is definitely enough "shoe" to qualify as a trainer. Then its off to the bike shop to buy a bike helmet and a lock. If the ankle does not improve, its cycling for the next few days then.

My 2nd childhood starts again!

I finally settled on a Cannondale. Here's what it looks like:

Discovered a new running route on my new bike too. I always knew Bedok Reservoir somehow would connect to East Coast but for the life of me, I could not figure it out? With the bike, I went into the Siglap park connector, and right at the end, after some 8km of twists and turns together with crossing 2 overhead bridges, I arrived at Bedok Reservoir. To and fro would make this a 16k route - just about right for next year's LSD run.

Responsiveness and ride (Part 1)

I think I understand what this is about now..I think..err..

I boldly went where I had never gone in Ramadans past tonight. I went on a 10k run. It wasn't that bad because I was determine to do a LSD and stuck to the plan and went out slow. It must have been the lack of sustenance through the day because I stopped to walk (all 3 lamp posts) at the 7.5km mark, and again somewhere after the 9.5km mark. Pity to have stopped a little so close to the end but the tank was near empty. The homeward journey actually had me engaging all sorts of mental tricks and physical feats just to complete and this is where I think I learn what they say about the responsiveness and ride of the shoe.

Currently, I am on the Asics Cumulus 10. It is very good shoe and really skishy. Toe box roomy enough, plush at the collar. However, it takes quite a bit to actually toe off because it seems to always want to go in one straight piece, resisting flex. This is probably due to the mid-foot shank, which to the credit of the shoe, is doing exactly what it was designed to do. So whilst I should be using all of my energy to push myself forward running, I needed to use some of the energy to flex the shoe to toe-off. Because it kept wanting to stay in one straight piece, there wasn't must roll when I landed, ie the ride was not smooth for me. All of this is actually not notice-able on a normal day but when the tank is near empty and every step makes you conscious of how your body is reacting, it matters.

So what should I be doing about it?

Well....I've been eyeing the Brooks Launch for quite a while now. Even tried it twice. It's a lightweight trainer, a touch under 10oz and hence just slipping into the performance shoe category. It seems to curve upwards a little and hence, i gather the responsiveness and the ride would be better. Nisa tells me to be careful - our prior experience with Brooks was not the best and I had not like the Defyance, it being the shoe I wear to walk to the MRT station, and on the train. Am I looking for an excuse to buy a new pair of shoes? Probably. Do I deserve something new? Probably not. Are the Asics sufficiently worn out to merit replacement? Probably not (it needs another month or so).

Let's see what this weekend brings then but I suspect I will visit the Brooks shop at the Curve..

Maybe not so much a trek than a cool ride

I finally found the Cannondale shop along Frankel. No wonder I couldn't see it when I drove past the last few times. There was a big awning that hid the frontage (and signage); and what was left was all covered by bikes that were proudly and comprehensively covered the entrance. I had to stop the car, and got out to see. I vaguely remembered there was something there because I had been there in the past.

Anyway, Frankel Ave is practically my backyard, having lived in the East Coast area all my life so I would not be quick to concede defeat readily (or at all!).

Daniel was about to shut for the day when I went in but he nonetheless spent time telling me about the bikes he carries. I have practically no knowledge about bikes now and could not ask insightful questions; he was nice and shared his knowledge, and i am sure there was the sales pitch buried somewhere within. Seems he does not carry a wide range of hybrid bikes and he told be a mountain bike ought to do good enough. Truth be told, I have been having reservations about a hybrid - its neither here nor there, a cross between a road bike and a mountain bike. Incapable of top speeds and as Daniel pointed out, its thin tyres will get caught in drain gratings. Plus, the Cannondale colours were pretty cool looking too. I now know that at that point, I had made a sub-conscious decision to jettison the hybrid in favour of the mountain bike. Hybrids are (well...) sissy, mountain bikes are all brawn!!

Bikes have really come a long way since some 30 yrs ago when I first started getting keen. Gear shifters are now click shift (as compared to levers that needed to be fineness into shifting the right gears back then). The variety of saddles have increased, and braking systems are now more advanced. Needless to say, prices have risen dramatically as well.

I will go back to Trek and see what they have on offer for my budget but at this moment, I think Cannondale is in the lead - its got a nice looking one that is within my budget. Besides, the posters are way cooler than the Trek posters.