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2015
Women’s Edition
Mar-Apr
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WIN ON!
Running the World Neo Jieshi & Ong Kai Fen
Bikes n Bites Pte Ltd +65 6469 9964 sales@bikesnbites.com www.bikesnbites.com www.gokiso.jp
GOKISO official South East Asia distributor
COnTRIBuTORS Fabian Williams is the head
Scott Larsen is the founder
Wilson Low is a lead coach/ outdoor squad leader at Athlete Lab. He is a Triathlon Australia certified triathlon coach and Australia Mountain Bike Instructors Association certified mountain bike instructor.
Derrick Ong is the founder
Deborah Wong is owner and Pilates instructor at Breathe. After graduating with a Bachelor in Medicine and a Bachelor in Surgery (MBBS) from the National University of Singapore, Deborah decided to pursue her passion in Pilates by undergoing the instructor certification with STOTT PILATES.
Edgar Tham is the Chief
Bevan Colless has a degree in
Dr Chong Weng Wah Roland is an Orthopaedic
coach of Fabian Williams Coaching Concepts (FWCC). His qualifications include the International Association of Athletes Federation (IAAF) Level 1, Australian Track & Field Coaches Association Level I, II, III & IV coaching certifications.
Sports Science from the University of Technology Sydney and a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy) from the University of Sydney. He is an elite age group athlete.
and co-director of Tri Edge. His coaching qualifications include Triathlon New Zealand High Performance Coach (Accredited Level 2), SwimSafe New Zealand (Accredited Level 1), Triathlon New Zealand Technical Official (Accredited Level 2), Triathlon New Zealand Youth Development Manager (2006 – 2008).
and Director of Eat Right Nutrition Consultancy. He holds a Bachelor’s degree (Honours) in Nutrition & Dietetics from Deakin University, Melbourne and is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD) in both Australia and Singapore.
Sport & Performance Psychologist at SportPsych Consulting. He was the founding Head of the Sport Psychology Unit of the Singapore Sports Council in 1996. He was team consultant and traveling psychologist to numerous national teams at competitions, from SEA Games to Olympic Games.
Surgeon with a main interest in Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. Currently at JL Shoulder Clinic, he is also a visiting consultant to Changi General Hospital for complex cases.
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Dr Dylan Altfeld is a chiropractic physician at Concierge Chiropractic and Rehabilitation. He has been in practice for over 15 years, after graduating from the renowned Palmer College of Chiropractic.
Dr. Mok Ying Ren is a medical doctor and a national marathoner. He is a 2 times SEA Games Champion, striking gold first in Triathlon in 2007 and then in the Marathon in 2013. His personal bests for the marathon and half marathon are 2:26:30 and 1:07:30 respectively.
Timothy Lim is a bikefitter and engineer at LOUE Bicycles. He is an advanced certified S.I.C.I and RETÜL bike fitter and NCAP certified cycling coach. He also holds a B.Eng (Hons) in Mech. Engineering from the National University of Singapore, specializing in precision engineering.
Shuwie Chang is as national triathlete and a swim coach. She graduated with Bachelor Of Science (Exercise And Sports Science) from Edith Cowan University and has won multiple triathlons and duathlons regionally.
Lemuel Lee is a coach at
Sara Ng is a lawyer
CrankSmart Fitness & Performance. He holds a diploma (with merit) in Sports and Exercise Sciences and is currently pursuing a Bachelor in Sports Science and Management at National Technological University. His achievements include being the 2011 National Road Champion (Men’s Elite). He is NCAP Theory Level 2 and NCAP Technical Level 1 certified.”
Editorial Board Editor K M Chua Shuwie Chang Photo Soon Tong, Calibre Pictures Richard Tan
Publisher Second Wind Magazine 29 Leonie Hill #05-05 Singapore 239228 contact@seconwindmagazine.com
by practice and a national triathlete. She is an qualified Altitude Trainer and a certified Personal Trainer. She is also a certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist and TRX Group Suspension Training Instructor.
Publishing Consultant & Creative Design
Managing Director Arvind Pasricha Mobile: +65 9189 9672 arvind@paulandmarigold.com www.paulandmarigold.com
Views expressed are not necessarily those of Second Wind Magazine. The magazine, consultants and writers take no responsibility for the consequences of any action taken based on any information published in Second Wind and neither shall they be held liable for any product or service advertised in the same. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. Second Wind is printed by Atlas Cetak (M) Sdn Bhd (97608-x) MCI P 110/02/2015
COnTenTS Women’s edition Mar-Apr 2015 Gear 12 14
Gear Guide The Right Fit
Feature 18
Singapore Top Marathoners Neo Jieshi & Ong Kai Fen
22
Specialized Women Special
24
Lure of the Mountains
Training
28 Run 30 Cycle 32 Triathlon 35 XTerrain 36 Performance 38 Q&A With The Experts 42 Where to Eat 43 Where to Chill
Racing
46 Pride of Lions 48 Race Calendar 51 Race Highlights 52 Team Feature 54 Sara’s Column
Get your FRee copy here Athlete’s Lab 71 Amoy St Singapore 069890 Power Up Express One Stadium Place Kallang Wave #01-57 Singapore 397628
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eDITORIAl Women In Endurance Sports The 1984 Summer Olympics was held in Los Angeles. It was the first year that the women’s marathon was introduced, and the winner, Joan Benoit SamuelsonIn naturally became the first female to win an Olympic marathon. It has been 31 years since, and the female marathon has come a long way, seeing the likes of legends Ingrid Kristiansen and Paula Radcliff, whose world record of 2:15:25 at the 2003 London Marathon still stands today, more than a decade later. And then we have amazing female athletes who runs the marathon after swimming 3.8km and cycling 180km. Year after year, we have seen the gap between genders narrowing, as the Ironman World Championship run record is repeatedly broken by first Chrissie Wellington and recently, Mirinda Carfrae. Closer to home, we catch up on the journeys of our top female marathoners as well as their counterparts in this issue, which is themed ‘Women’s Edition.’ In an edition specially dedicated to women, we also touch on issues pertinent to women, and seek advice from the professionals on them.
Being part of the movement, we are also glad that in the recent years, we have seen many events promoting women’s participation in sports coming up, namely Venus run and Rapha Women’s Prestige Ride, on top of the inaugural Great Eastern Women’s Run. We hope that this will be the start of more to come, and that more women will be on the roads soon. Before I end, I want to take the opportunity to thank the contributors for once again delivering an outstanding issue, this time round addressing many topics of concerns as well as providing invaluable perspectives on women endurance sports. As SEA Games 2015 draws nearer, and as we see dreams bound to it unfold into reality, I leave you with words from the first female Olympic Marathon Champion Joan Benoit Samelsonln: “Love yourself, for who and what you are; protect your dream and develop your talent to the fullest extent.” Enjoy your second wind, win on.
THE EVERYDAY
WARRIOR Aileen Ho By Second Wind Editorial Team Photos Aileen Ho
The highlight of 2015 was the completion of my 100th marathon. The journey to my 100th marathon took me almost 11 years to complete. Since 2009, I completed more than 12 marathons in 10 different countries every year. This is an incredible accomplishment for me as I used to dislike running. What kickstarted my Travelthon (i.e. marathon & travel) was an online contest organised by New Balance Singapore in 2008, which I won for myself a ticket to a 10km race in Shonan, Japan. That was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me as I got to make friends with several overseas marathon lovers. They told me about popular and well-known marathons held in the Asia region. Also, they offered to host me if I were to compete in marathons that are held in their hometowns. What got me hooked onto Travelthon was the exposure I gain from each country. The different culture, rich history, locals, sceneries and most importantly, the freedom to explore certain part of the country in my running shoes during the marathon are what I am always looking forward to. Korea has been my top pick and I went on to pick up Korean language and completed 9 marathons in Korea. Nonetheless, I am always open to running marathons that are held in other countries because every race is different and unique in their own way.
BIOGRAPHY Age 38 Profession Educator and Entrepreneur Personal Single Accomplishments Finisher of 100 Marathons
One of the most memorable races is the Nagoya women’s marathon in Japan as there were over 30 000 women participating. It is different from the usual marathon where 70 – 80% of the participants are men. The well organised race is specially catered to women and this can be seen by the pink cones as well as the finishing line, which was positioned in a beautifully decorated Dome. The local runners who all dolled up for the race made it even more special. I was really impressed and I will definitely sign up for it again.
I managed to complete 100 marathons across different countries while holding on to a full time job and did part time lecturing at several institutions. My frequent travels have attracted many of my friends’ attention. They always wonder how I could manage my schedule and finances without burning a hole in my pockets.With an increasing list of frequently-asked-questions from my friends, I was inspired to document my Travelthon experiences to share with everyone. Hence, I am writing a book on my quest to my 100th marathon. It will be releasing later this year.
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind
9
Inside
Gear Guide. The Right Fit.
GeAR We introduce some of the newest gears in the market in our guide, as well as advice you on how to get the right bike and shoe ďŹ t, something crucial for consistent performances.
GEAR
Gear Guide
FOR GIRLS
Tyr Special Ops 2.0 Polarized Goggles TYR’s best triathlon/open water goggle, now with vision enhancing polarized lenses! The TYR Special Ops 2.0 Polarized Goggle delivers an excellent range of vision, integrated anti-fog protection, as well as comfort enhancing Durafit silicone gaskets.
TackOnz TackOnzTM is the newest and latest way to adhere your race number to your bike jersey, runner singlet/ shirt or triathlon top. They do not damage your favourite expensive sports attire. They are easy to use, do not rust and stain your shirt, and lighter than safety pins.
Garmin Vívoactive A ultra-thin GPS smartwatch with a sunlight-readable, high-resolution colour touchscreen, it has built-in sports apps, including GPSenabled running, biking and golfing plus swimming and activity tracking. It pairs with your smartphone to gently vibrate and display alerts for incoming calls, texts, emails and calendar items plus notifications from social media and other mobile apps. Battery charge lasts through all your activities with up to 3 weeks, 5 in watch/activity tracking mode.
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Second Wind / Mar-Apr 2015
Compressport Pro Racing Arm Sleeves Wearing your Proracing Armsleeves after exercising will improve your recovery by reducing muscle soreness and eliminating lactic acid. The 360 degrees SEAMLESS construction will guarantee a perfect fit. The elbow area has a specific non-compressive fabric for enhanced comfort.
S-Works Amira SL4 Ridden by the most successful women’s cycling team in the world, Specialized-lululemon, the S-Works Amira SL4 is the lightest, stiffest, and fastest women’s bike around, featuring a FACT 11r carbon frame with women’s-tuned geometry, tapered headtube, and internal cable routing; plus Pro Tour-proven Shimano Dura-Ace components, and our feather-light Roval Rapide CLX 40 wheels.
GEAR
Reebok Z Pump Fusion The Pump technology is an air-filled cage that pumps up and molds to any runners foot for a locked-in custom fit. The shoes feature a lightweight fusion sleeve and seamless compression sleeve that fuses The Pump technology to any runner’s foot.
GRID Mini Foam Roller The GRID Mini foam roller is designed with proprietary Distrodensity zones. This three dimensional surface has a variety of widths to mobilize tissue and aid in recovery. The three-dimensional surface allows tissue to aerate while you roll, promoting the flow of blood and oxygen— the nutrients needed to repair muscles.
Rudy Project Ergomask Ergomask has been scientifically conceived to provide unparalleled comfort and perfect fit at all times; it features an ergonomic brow bar to keep lens off the skin preventing sweat or smudges to disturb vision. The bar incorporates vent channels to maximize vertical air circulation and heat dissipation.
Puma IGNITE Puma IGNITE features a superior cushioning material that disperses impact forces while providing optimal responsiveness and energy return to make you faster. The unique PU foam formula offers high rebound and ultimate comfort where you need it the most. ForEverFoam is integrated in the heel to provide durability for long-lasting performance.
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind
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GEAR
The Right Fit
Contributed by Timothy Lim, Bikefitter & Engineer at Loue Bicycles louebicycles.com
Bike Fit For Her
As a bikefitter, I often get asked if women are more challenging to fit as compared to men. When I first started fitting, the lack of women-specific products in the market did make it more challenging. In fact, my wife was (and still is!) one of my most demanding fit clients.
Some saddles that we have had success with includes:
Thankfully, the bike industry and technology have since evolved - and we can now quite confidently solve some of the key fit issues for female cyclists.
Astute Skylite VT ‘BUS DRIVING’. I often see many women cycling as though they were driving ‘buses’, as their handlebars are too wide for their narrow shoulder widths. This may put strain on the shoulders, and may affect steering and control of the bike. Petite women should use handlebars with width of about 34-36cm, which are not widely available in shops. Handlebar width is usually selected with reference to the distance between the acromium of the cyclist (shoulder width).
FRAME SIZING. Petite women sometimes make the mistake of getting the “smallest” frame by default. When selecting your frame size, consider the effective top tube length and seat tube angle relative to your saddle position. A bike with a short top tube may have a very steep seat tube angle. If you are required to sit with your saddle a certain distance behind the bottom bracket, that effective top tube length will lengthen. As women usually have proportionally shorter torso and longer legs than men, low stack and long reach frames do not always work. Pay attention to the head tube length of the bike as well, as you will not want to end up with a huge stack of spacers in the front.
The reach and drop of the bars are also important. Having a shorter reach bars for an already long frame (long reach) allows one to use a longer stem which may improve the steering and handling of the bike. Having a shorter drop would also mean that the drops is more accessible and that makes reaching the brake levers on the drops easier.
For the 14
mfort, addle co
Second Wind / Mar-Apr 2015
Specialized OURA The slight curve on the saddle provide good sit bone contact.
SADDLE COMFORT. Saddle discomfort is the most common complaint I get from my female clients, even with more women-specific saddles today. A comfortable saddle should provide adequate firmness to support the pelvis. Depending on how you sit, and where your pelvis contacts the saddle, select a saddle that has good support at the area.
Brands/Models that have smaller sizes: Specialized Women, Salsa PRS 2, Controltech FUEGO HMS
le on s full artic
For a more aggressive position, riding style.
h
. zine.com
indmaga
econdw ead to s
COBB Cycling JOF 55 Long distance/ touring cycling.
GEAR
The Right Fit By Second Wind Editorial Team
Power Up Express
When it comes to running, it cannot be emphasized enough the importance of a right shoe fit. A bad fit can not only result in discomfort, but also long term injuries that are hard to recover from.
A
For the first time in Singapore, Athletes are able to consult a professional podiatrist (by appointment basis) at a retail store. Podiatrist are able to look at a person’s foot and leg conditions, ranging from musculoskeletal injuries, skin and nail conditions and foot wounds.
On top of that, she also gave additional tips, “Don’t buy shoes that feel too tight and expect them to stretch to fit, and that your heel should fit comfortably in the shoe with a minimum amount of slipping - the shoes should not ride up and down on your heel when you walk.”
What makes their service stand out from other shops is their effort to go the extra mile, beyond sales of a pair of shoes. Not only are they the only sports retailer that offers sports massage, they are also the only retailer of Alterex walking shoes, which has customizable insoles, so as to cater to your day to day activities besides running.
Despite being a new establishment, Power Up Express has already been making an impact in the running scene, organizing sessions with running groups as well as holding corporate events to educate how to choose the right footwear, as well as to demonstrate ways one can take care of our own body and improve our performance through sport massage.
Shirlyn Tay, owner the Power Up Express, is a Master Fit Technician herself, certified in Conservative Footcare Management as well as Shoe & Orthotic Fittings. She has the following to say about the importance of getting a right fit and her experience with customers.
Power Up Express’ friendly and knowledgeable employees will also help you select from a large variety of quality products they have in store, like Brooks footwear & apparels, Ultimate Direction hydration gear, and 2XU compression wear.
“The size of your feet changes as you grow older so always have your feet measured before buying shoes. The best time to measure your feet is at the end of the day when your feet are largest. Also, Most of us have one foot that is larger than the other, so fit your shoe to your larger foot.”
LOCATION Kallang Wave, #01-57, One Stadium Place Singapore 397628 TELEPHONE 6337 1572
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind
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Inside Cover Story. Specialized Women. Jacq Tours.
FeA
ATuReS Running and cycling, local and overseas, recreational and donning national colours, the individuals we feature in this women’s edition are a special bunch.
FEATURES
Cover Story
Singapore
Top Marathoners Neo Jieshi & Ong Kai Fen
By Second Wind Editorial Team Photos Soon Tong
Like many of us, Jieshi Neo and Ong Kai Fen holds full time jobs. But unlike us, the two ladies who are part of the ASICS team are Singapore’s elite marathoners as well. With numerous podium finishes between both of them, they have come a long way since they first started running. We check in with them to find out about their journey.
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Second Wind / Mar-Apr 2015
FEATURES
Share with us your family and upbringing. JS: I grew up in a humble family with an elder and younger brother, supported by my mom and dad, who is a lorry driver. I played a lot as a kid and was blessed to grow up in a stress-free environment. However, my family does nag that I run too much and eat too little. And though they have not been to any of my race, they have been supportive of my running career in their own ways. KF: My mom passed away 10 years ago, and though my dad is not an athlete, my brother was. We did triathlons together till 2006, when he stopped and I transited to running marathons. Like many parents, my dad nags when I race. But like Jieshi’s parents, he supports me in his own way, like checking my race bib to buy 4D for my race number.
How many years have you been running? JS: I have been running, on and off, for 8-10 years. I first started competitive running during my days in Junior College, where my first CCA was basketball. To improve our stamina, my team mates and I joined the cross-country team. I continued to run recreationally in my university days, and completed my first half marathon then, finishing it in 2 hours. When I started work, I stopped running. But recently, I picked it up again. KF: I started running when I was with the army, for I had to join the Army Half Marathon every year. In 2007, I had a bike accident, and stopped racing completely. However, I was still training, and so when I had to take part in a 50km sports school running event in 2013, I started racing again.
How did your first overseas run go? JS: My first run was the Kuala Lumpur Half Marathon in 2011 with Jurong SAFRA running club. The experience was a memorable one and a breakthrough performance for me. I have been running just below two hours for quite some time, and after training seriously, I aimed to complete the race under 1:40. Not paying attention to my splits, I ran the race based on feel, and managed a finishing time of 1:38, which was good enough for 9th placing. KF: My first overseas experience was Kobe 2013 marathon, which I completed with a personal best of 3:32. The support was great, and I was shocked that with a different environment and climate, running could be so effortless. Since that, I have been working towards a sub 3 hour marathon. On the whole, the experience was a confident booster.
Share a running experience you’ll never forget. JS: Standard Chartered Marathon Hong Kong 2015 was especially meaningful because I finally met my target, sub 3:10. For the first 15km I thought I would not be able to do so. Then my fiancée caught up with me and for quite a while we ran together, before he pushed ahead. I had no idea what my pace was for the last few kilometres as the GPS lost reception and went haywire in the tunnel section, which made things more exciting. I then saw my teammate Rachel ahead a while later, and gave my all. In the end, my effort was just enough to go below 3:10 by a mere second. KF: For me it was Standard Chartered Marathon Hong Kong 2014, when we ran together. For the last kilometre I was starting to struggle. Jieshi came along and pushed me to finish together. It was the first sub 3:15 marathon for both of us, which made it all the more memorable.
How do you push through ‘the wall’ during a marathon? JS: When I get tired I lose my running form. So when I hit the wall I will do a quick body check on my form, and think of my hard work and effort of many months, as well as friends and family who supports me. KF: I distract myself by look around. Sights like old people who can run faster than me pushes me on. Thinking of friends with stories of inspiration, as well as people who supports me, helps as well. Also, one can take caffeinated gels to numb the pain and get the feel good effect for a while.
What were the toughest obstacles you had to overcome in your running career, and how did you cope with it? JS: The hardest part remains juggling and finding a balance between running and other facets of my life. In 2013 I learnt the lesson the hard way and burnt out towards the end of my season. I had a good start to the year, and early in the season, I already managed a podium finish and a new personal best. But towards the end, as I ramped up my volume and intensity to build upon the good results, I became burnt out and could not finish many of my workouts, which became increasingly demoralising. For the final race of the year, Standard Chartered Marathon
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind
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FEATURES
Singapore, I cramped up at the 37km mark and dropped from 2nd position to 6th position. I quickly moved on from the bad experience and reflected upon in. As a result, I cut down on my mileage for my next training phase, and focused more on enjoying the training process. KF: The toughest challenge has to be juggling work, training, and finding time for yourself and friends. With a strict diet, I find finding friends that eat the same diet as me difficult as well. My toughest period was after Boston Marathon 2014. 800m into the race, I started had cramps, and I considered DNF-ing (did not finish) it. I eventually finished the race battling dizziness, cramps and vomiting, and it left me in a poor mental state. It was the first time something of that sort happened and the period after the race, it kept playing on my mind if it will happen again. I eventually concluded that it was a result of jet lag and overcame the experience by learning that every race is different, and every race brings different lessons and memories to learn from and build on for future races.
PROFIle Ong Kai Fen AGE 34 OCCUPATION Head of Rehabilitation and Analysis / Sports physiotherapist at Singapore Sports School CAREER HIGHLIGHTS • 2014 Macau Galaxy Entertainment International Marathon (Represented Singapore) • 2014 & 2015 Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon (Represented Singapore) • 2014 W’s Shape Run 5k (3rd position) • 2014 CSC W’s 10k (2nd position) • 2014 North East Passion Run (4th Open) • Singapore Duathlon 2013 (1st) • Tri-Factor 31.5KM Run (1st) RUNNING PHILOSOPHY Train hard and smart
20 Second Wind / Mar-Apr 2015
So how do you juggle your time between working full time and training? JS: I start work 830am end at 6pm. As I generally do not have to work late, I do my trainings in the evening. On days that I have to, I’ll treat them as enforced rest days. I train 4-5 times a week. KF: The environment I work in, Singapore Sports School, is supportive of my training. I get to train during lunch, and training also includes running to work and from work (either a 14 or a 16km loop). Furthermore, athletes in school inspire me, and in return I hope to inspire them as well. I usually run 4-5 times a week on top cycling and other forms of training.
Share with readers an important running tip. JS: A mistake runners usually make is to run through pain. A few years ago I had a strain but ran through it, and it developed into a swell. I went to see seek medical attention but after that I went to do long runs again. Then, I found out that giving yourself a short break is good. It does not have as great a drop in performance as many expect. KF: Prevention of injuries is important. There are many methods to do this: foam rolling, changing shoes regularly, and not ramping training up too fast and too quick, which is a regular cause of injuries.
FEATURES
If there is one workout you would recommend to all marathoners regardless of ability, what will it be and why. JS: Tempo run broken up in to sets - 3x3k or 3x4k, with 2-3 mins rest in between. This is a useful set for me as I get to focus better to run at my marathon pace with the rests in between. KF: Lactate threshold workouts - 6 to 10 sets of 400m-1k, with amount of rest depending on fitness. It’s a good workout because you get to experience the same kind of pain during marathon. Speed workout also allows you to find and work on your running form.
What are your plans for 2015?
PROFIle Jieshi Neo AGE 30 OCCUPATION Assistant manager, HR and administration, GP Batteries CAREER HIGHLIGHTS • Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore W’s closed (2nd Local) • Newton Challenge 32k (3rd Local) • Great Eastern W’s Run 21k (3rd Local Elite and 7th Open Elite) • W’s Shape Run 10k (6th Position) • Jurong Lake Run 10k (4th Position) RUNNING PHILOSOPHY Be consistent and enjoying the training process
JS: I’ve already done 2 Marathon, one in Hong Kong and the other in Tokyo, Japan. It’s time for me to take a break now, and go back to do shorter races and improve on my 10km and 21km timings. I’ll be treating them as a lead up for the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore at the end of the year. KF: It’s the same for me. I’ve done the same two races, and am now going back to base work and building base speed. As for upcoming marathons, I’ll be doing one in Korea in October and then perhaps the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore as well. And maybe I’ll go back to triathlon.
Any long term running goals? JS: Running to me is as lifetime sport. I just hope to continue to run injury-free for as long as possible. KF: It’s the same for me. I want to run till 80+ years old.
lastly, tell us a fun fact about yourself. JS: I welcomed 2015 by running 20.15km with a few friends. KF: I do almost all my runs treadmills, even my long runs which are 32-36km. I don’t like the sun and don’t want to get too tanned.
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind
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FEATURES Mountain biking is still slowly gaining popularity in Singapore, a country where places to train are limited. However, that did not stop Raquel, a civil servant, from pursuing her passion. We caught up with her to find out more about her viewpoints of women in mountain biking.
SPECIALIZED
Women Special
How do you find the local women’s riding scene compared to other places you have been to? Women mountain bikers are low in number, anywhere in the world. Most women riders are still pegged to a male-dominant group, particularly in the Asian context whereby high female participation is still a developing trend.
By Second Wind Editorial Team Photos Raquel Gan
Mountain
Biking Raquel Gan
However, Asians have grown more receptive towards the sports through the years. The main difference between local (Asian) and western countries is that Asian sporting communities still lack the community support and encouragement to be in the scene. This culture is changing but probably still far from ideal.
Do you see a trend of increasing numbers of women mountain bikers? Personally I do not feel that there has been an obvious increase in the number of women interested in mountain biking but there are more women who are willing to express that they would like to try mountain biking.
I feel that many female friends around me are not intimidated by mountain biking but feel relieved to find out I do mountain biking because they can express their wish to try the sport too. Therefore, the numbers is definitely increasing as more women are more willing to take the first step to try riding.
How does your collaboration with Specialized feel and what are some of the benefits you have gained? Firstly, not only do I feel that Specialized care about female mountain bikers, but also that the company gives us a sense of empowerment. Specialized built a female specific bike and engaged a couple of us to ride it. But they did not just tell me it’s a female specific bike and it’s good for me. Their representatives in Singapore educated me on why the bike is good for me. Of course, I did not ride better miraculously on the bike, but I am able to share with my friends how the geometry of the frame assisted me in overcoming various trail features. Before Specialized approached me, I have always feared that a 29er will not fit me, who stands at 1.58m. However, the Specialized Rumour really blew me away on the fit. I can achieve comfortable standover on the frame, and the short chainstays allowed me to exert heaps of control around every corner. And even though the bike looks huge with the big wheels, it unexpectedly offers me a comfortable reach to my handlebar. Last but not least, the bike is a beast on technical descents – it boosted my confidence to go faster than I ever dared to. It’s a bike that empowers women in the trails.
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Second Wind / Mar-Apr 2015
FEATURES It is an exciting time for women road cycling right now in Singapore. The scene is heated up by more and more women of all ages discovering the passion, joy and benefits of road cycling. We caught up with Veronika Deffner from the Specialized road cycling team for a quick chat for her views on women road cycling.
How do you find the local women’s riding scene compared to other places you lived in previously?
By Second Wind Editorial Team Photos Wei Yuet Wong
Road
Cycling
I started riding 13 years ago in Europe, in the South of Germany, and went into racing in the Euregio, which is the cross-border region of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. It is considered as the mecca for ambitious cycling, fantastic cycling environments with all sorts of terrain, tiny little roads in empty, car-less areas; furthermore bearing the spirit of Eddy Merckx as it is his home region, and is known for its immense scene of very decent riders of all ages, counting numerous cycling clubs and events all over the places.
Veronika Deffner
However, the number of women on road bikes you meet on a regular training evening out on the streets there is barely reaching 5% of the number of men you encounter. Compared to this, I was honestly surprised about the impressively high share of women with even a sportive, ambitious passion for road cycling out here in Singapore. It was something I did not expect, as very little is known about the Asian cycling scene in Europe. In general, the largely broadcasted events are tours for the men’s pro cyclists.
How does your collaboration with Specialized feels and what are some of the benefits you gain from the product? We all feel very privileged and honoured in our team of being sponsored by such a generous great sponsor, providing us highly sophisticated products and equipment. A very great blessing are the women specific geometries and features they provide as well. I just can’t emphasize the Specialized women shoes enough, which are definitely the best shoes I have ever worn, given that it is also extremely difficult to find well suiting shoes with all the lightness and stiffness that guarantees an excellent power transmission on exactly the point where it is the most important: between legs/feet and pedals. I used to ride Italian brand men’s saddles, until I discovered last year the women specific saddle. I won’t change it any more. Likewise their cycling gear, which is finally recognising that women have a similar serious interest in good functional cycling gear, i.e. jerseys with back pockets andfull-lengths zips and bibshorts that cover the whole upper-limb. Lastly, they provide very cool recognition of women on a bike, who don’t need bikes called model “lipstick” or “butterfly” ;-)
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind
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FEATURES
Lure of the Mountains By Jacq Photo by Wei Yuet Wong
If you are anything like me, you started off cycling and hating climbs. So painful. So torturous. Can’t climb. Hate climbs. Yup that was me. Lo & behold, fast forward nine years after buying my first entry level Trek bicycle, and I just can’t get enough of those mountains.
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I’m not talking about Mt Faber, our highest “Mount” in Singapore at 100m elevation (the mention of which is guaranteed to send folks overseas into amazement/ snide giggles) I mean real mountains, the likes of Mt Wuling in Taiwan, site of the famed King of Mountain (KOM) race. Standing at 3,275m, Mt Wuling is formidable even by European standards, offering a worthy challenge even to the pros who ride Mt Ventoux for breakfast. What makes this mountain so tough is the sheer length of the 107km climb
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from sea level, and its profile which kicks up into 18% or more 5km to the summit. It’s mountains like this I’ve come to love. But when I first started cycling, I was convinced that I “can’t climb”. Content with riding Singapore’s flat roads (Mandai’s rolling slopes were a necessary evil and Mt Faber was best avoided), I even picked my triathlon races to ensure the bike leg mirrored our local rides. (Needless to say my choices were limited).
“Mountain climbing injected a whole new meaning to cycling.”
FEATURES
So how to imbibe a love for climbs? Apart from simply taking the plunge and just trying it, there were several things I also did to “seal the deal”.
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Get a road bike. For newbie triathletes with budget constraints, consider getting a road bike instead of a tri bike. Road bikes are set up to allow more dexterity & maneuverability. Tri bikes are not made for climbs, definitely not if you are a newbie. Even pros race up to half ironman distance in road bikes with clip-on aero bars, especially on hilly courses.
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Get a bike fit. It might be as slight as adjusting your saddle by a couple of centimeters, but it could make all the difference in comfort. I got my bike fit precisely at Fitskuul by Choon Wei. It was the defining moment in my climbing “career” because the comfort it ensured allowed me to climb longer, more effectively, avoiding searing back pain & totally enhanced my ride experience.
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Get a compact & climbing gears! If you are really serious about tackling the big mountains (not Mt Faber) consider a compact crank and a gearing ratio of minimum 1228. This set up will allow you to spin up the steep gradients and avoid injuring your knees from grinding heavy gears for prolonged periods. There’s nothing more depressing than running out of gears mid-climb… And nobody’s complained about having too many gears before.
My first ironman race didn’t convince me otherwise. The race was Langkawi 2009. It was hot. Windy. And the hills were pure torture. At one point, I discovered the village kids pestering for “Bottle! Bottle!” walking faster than I was riding! I got off to push my bike. What a disaster. Then came one of my early check-out rides in Taiwan. Straight off a red eye flight and into Yangmingshan, a national park area accessible from Taipei city. Many many hills. You have no idea what a bad mood it put me in. Climbing up those never ending steep slopes, I descended into an increasingly foul mood. My back hurt and so did everything else, including my pride. On that same trip, we also rode Mt Wuling from Puli, and that was a revelation. Perhaps it was the breathtaking scenery, the wide expansive vistas, the challenge of pushing oneself and conquering the summit & one’s own preconceptions. Buoyed by the encouragement of the friendly Taiwanese – little aunties & uncles and passing motorists gustily cheered us on with heartfelt “加油! 加油!” cheers, salutes and even offers of a drink - I reached the summit, and struck my victory pose. I was a Wuling convert! Mountain climbing injected a whole new meaning to cycling. Alongside feelings of having acquired superhuman ability - which were sadly false - I discovered an unexpected love for bike climbing. It is thrilling, exhilarating and addictive! Love & passion is all important, because if you love doing something, you will most likely continue at it. And in endurance sports – cycling, triathlon, running… - consistency is key. And if course, it helps to train. If you’ve ridden long enough in Singapore, and you need a break from the traffic and endless traffic lights, consider the rolling hills of Bintan & Batam in Indonesia and Kulai & Desaru in Malaysia. These rides are accessible as day trips and offer great training for your big ride overseas. Happy riding & see you at the top!
Jacq Tan is an avid cyclist and
competitive triathlete who has come a long way from being scared of bikes & hills. She is founder/ owner of Jacqtours, a Singapore registered company & fully licensed travel agent offering bespoke cycling holidays, race travel and training rides. Check out Jacqtours upcoming tours to Wuling, Taiwan, Hokkaido, Japan and the Philippine Highlands. Monthly training rides start 4 April to Batam & Bintan. All tour details at www.jacqtours.com and www.facebook.com/jacqtours Jacq is contactable at jacq@ jacqtours.com or 9645 4825.
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind
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Inside Run. Cycle. Triathlon. Tri. XTerrain. Performance. Q&A. Where to Eat. Where to Chill.
Photo ActiveSG-TAS Kids Aquathlon Camp
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RAInInG Professionals from many ďŹ elds related to running, cycling and triathlon has come together to provide you information to better understand the female athlete. Also ďŹ nd out our recommendations on where to eat and chill.
TRAINING
Run Run With Mok
Sibling Power
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By Dr Mok Ying Ren Photos Eye See Eye Shoot
Having a sister who runs is a very interesting experience especially if its my sister, Ying Rong, you are talking about. Even though she insists that her picking up running is entirely up to her, I silently think that it is definitely me who has influenced her the most. Come on, just by looking at our sports history it will be pretty obvious. We both started off as swimmers then triathletes for a while and then now settling in the sport of pure running. It has been quite a journey and we both faced our own fair share of challenges. But having said these, despite coming from the same parents, we do have different perceptions of what running means to us. Firstly, she seems to run for enjoyment. I can still remember there was once when I discussed with her which Mp3 player I should purchase for running. She mocked me for being a “fake runner”. She claims that a true runner does not require entertainment to run but rely solely on the sound of the footsteps along the lonely roads. Indeed, this has got me thinking if our motivation to run is entirely different. For me, my purpose of running is to see how far and how fast I can push myself against my own physical limits and of course, the occasional wins do add on to the adrenaline to keep on training and racing. So to me, training can sometimes be so arduous that only music can get me out of the door and take the first few steps. This does not mean that I do not enjoy running but sometimes training at a high level day in day out can definitely sap the soul. Interestingly my sister on the other hand, seems to really enjoy running. She is able to head out of the door
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and come back after hours, looking refreshed from the run. Secondly, I think many runners like myself are suckers for technology. Garmin watches, TomTom GPS watches, Polar heart rate monitors. You name it, we have it. But my sister – she runs with a $10 casio watch. Yes those that army boys buy from Beach Road before they enlist for the army. In addition, our medical backgrounds is mutually beneficial – she as a physiotherapist and myself as a doctor. I have treated her when she was sick and given her advice on health issues. On the other hand, she is my go-to physiotherapist when I have mild musculoskeletal issues that I need help with (of course for the more complicated ones I head down to my experienced ones in the Singapore Sports Medicine Network). As a physiotherapist she is trained very differently from me and that’s where sharing of knowledge takes place. My experience interacting with her made me realize that even though doctors seem to be at the top in the medical hierarchy but in truth, we merely just have different skill sets that when put together, provides patients with holistic and effective treatment. As a Sports Physiotherapist, my sister is also highly interested in getting runners to run injuryfree as part of her RunFree initiative. I am always intrigued by how random runners from all walks of life come to our house on the weekends to have free assessments and suggestions by her on rehabilitation exercises to do. Her passion and big heart in sports physiotherapy has been a source of inspiration to me to impart my knowledge on health and running to the general public. Having said these, we do enjoy going out on runs together. For this to work, we had to compromise a little – she runs a little faster, while I run a little slower to match our paces. It’s great to be able to chat about anything – from school, work and even relationships. I think the challenge that she faces is stepping out of my shadow and pave her own way in her running career. She is indeed making waves and I am very proud of her. For instance she recently headed up to Taipei Standard Chartered Marathon where she won her age group of 20-29 women’s 20-29 years old for the half marathon event in a best time of 1hr 25min 37 seconds. So let’s stop calling her Mok Ying Ren’s sister? I guess, in all, this is what #SiblingPower is about.
TRAINING
Run Coaching The
Female Athlete Contributed by: Fabian Williams, Head Coach at Fabian Williams Coaching Concept Photos Fabian William
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If it is the one thing that I have learnt without a doubt after all these years of coaching athletes of varying degrees of performance is that no two athletes are alike, let alone two genders of athletes. This might be a bold statement to make, but my personal take is that male athletes are predominantly driven by their ego, whilst the fairer sex, their emotions. As this is a rather controversial topic to discuss, I have to state a disclaimer that its sole purpose is meant to share personal reflections on varying approaches to coaching rather than to derogate either gender. Needless to say, every athlete has an ego that fuels their performance, likewise every athlete has emotions and are somewhat affected by it, but the female of the species are comparatively greatly in tuned with their emotions and are easily swayed by any slight change in any given emotionally attuned circumstance such as body language, tone of voice, facial expression and such. In general, female athletes want and need more reasons to do what they do. They need to be able to add a certain value to what you want them to do so as to justify the level of dedication they dispense and commit. Once they can validate the value of your coaching and the training protocols you
prescribe, they will work extremely hard to achieve the goals you set out for them. Athletes of both genders work hard to achieve their goals. On top of that they like to have fun while doing so. But unlike male athletes, females don’t objectify their performance goals on a singular plane. Simply put, female athletes like to LIVE, LAUGH & LOVE much. Rather than being treated like automaton athletes who only execute on command, female athletes like to be engaged in constant constructive feedback. They like to be given a positive reinforcement coupled with being told what they are doing wrong. Video analysis works well with female athletes as they can visually connect and correlate to what the coach is trying to correct or prescribe without any frustration or emotional setback of feeling “picked on�. Lastly, another big difference between male and female athletes is competition. Female athletes have significantly raised the bar in terms of being equally competitive, if not, more competitive than males. But unlike male athletes who usually categorize sport in the terms of wins or losses, women see extended value to competitions. They forge relationships, are genuinely concerned about rivals, leave the fury of competition on the tracks and leave with friendships formed. They are very much concerned about their individual improvements, and whether they had done justice to their coach and loved ones on the side lines. In all, different approaches have to be taken to coach a female athlete well.
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TRAINING
Cycle
What Women Cyclists
Contributed by Lemuel Lee Coach at Cranksmart Fitness and Performance www.cranksmart.com
Should Look Out For
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Throughout history, females have been regarded as the ‘weaker gender’ and were not seen to be as capable as men. They were not officially allowed to compete on a scale similar to men, and it was not until the middle of the twentieth century that women started to challenge the restrictions and social stigma emplaced on them by society, especially when it came to sports. Likewise, the UCI has made a big push for women’s cycling in recent years, calling for bigger stage races and one–day races for women, like the Giro Donne, the recently-held Strade Bianche, and the Ronde Van Vlaanderen, as well as for a greater media coverage of women’s racing. But what are the differences between cyclists of the two genders? Females tend to have a lower amount of muscle mass and higher body fat percentage than males, due to higher levels of estrogen and lower levels of testosterone. This also means that women can generally expect a lower power-to-weight ratio compared to men, a key determinant in cycling performance. The distribution of strength in a women’s body is also different from that of men, being stronger in the legs and weaker in the core and upper body area. However, a good core strength is a hallmark of any good cyclist as it makes power transfer and movement more efficient.
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Upper body strength is especially required when riding out of the saddle to stabilize the body and bike against the torque applied by the legs. As such, it is even more important that women do not neglect strength training. This should be done year-round with varied frequency, intensity, and exercises, working on core strength and using multi-joint exercises for a more functional approach. Do not worry about bulking up! From a biological perspective, females have a lower V02max due to their lower levels of testosterone, which is also partly responsible for the production of red blood cells that transport oxygen. But despite having key differences between both genders, research has shown that women have the same metabolic processes and are able to respond similarly to training. While it is true that women tend to have a lower absolute magnitude of workload, the same principles of training and becoming a fitter and more efficient cyclist apply across both genders. In conclusion, females need to have a good understanding of their key differences and build up a good strength training program in order to ensure healthy participation and long term enjoyment of the sport.
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TRAINING
Basic Things
You Should Know About
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By Altitude Gym
Altitude Gym
Altitude Gym is Singapore’s only hypoxic chamber that you can simulate high altitude training. In the chamber, the oxygen conditions of 14% at 3500m altitude can be simulated. The oxygen level is lower than what we experience in our everyday environment. As a comparison, oxygen level at sea level is at 21%. This effect of lower percentage of oxygen is achieved by pumping in air with a higher nitrogen content into the altitude chamber and displacing the oxygen. What Happens When You Train At Altitude When training at altitude, the body triggers the production of erythropoietin(EPO), which makes the oxygen-carrying and utilisation systems within our bodies more efficient. This means that at the usual 21% oxygen level, your muscles will have increased performance, allowing you to go longer, harder and/or faster. What are the Benefits Of Training At Altitude Training at altitude is scientifically proven to trigger a range of physiological responses not achievable in normal training regimens. The main response of the human body in a hypoxic environment is to adapt to cope with the reduction of oxygen taken into the lungs These adaptations enable: • • • • •
Enhanced power output and speed Improved strength and endurance Increased exercise-till-exhaustion (ETE) time Reduced recovery time after exertion Maintenance of cardiovascular fi tness when injured
What Altitude Training Is Best For In January 2013, a study carried out by PhD student Raphael Faiss with lead altitude researchers showed that altitude training led to 8% improvement in power, and 38% improvement in repeated sprint to exhaustion. Altitude training is proven effective when training for speed and power is an important objective. Who Trains At Altitude Athletes of different calibres have been training at the Altitude Gym. From those who seek a new experience and a refreshing jolt to their training, to world class athletes, Altitude Gym has assisted them all. Many top athletes seeking their top performances train at altitude. To put things into perspective, 80% of the winners at London Olympics went through altitude training. Lastly, those seeking to partake in activities in mountainous regions should train in altitude to get acclimatisation to altitude before travelling. Altitude Gym has been the home of the Singapore Everest Team who are attempting to summit in May as part of the SG50 celebrations. Where It Is At As much as Jalan Bingka sounds like a faraway place, Altitude Gym is a mere stone’s throw away (less than 5 minutes walk) from the nearest bus stop, which is opposite Bukit Timah Plaza.
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TRAINING
Triathlon By Shuwie Chang Photos Richard Tan
Lessons Learnt
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Preparing for My Sea Games Selections
General training could get me through most local races, but I had to brush up on many areas to hopefully bring on my ‘A’ game at the selection trials that took place recently on 3 March 2015. In the end, the race turned out great and I shaved some good 20 minutes off my personal best racing here. Looking back, I committed to making a few changes that I felt would work for my preparations leading up to the trials, and here’s a list of them. KEEPING PERSPECTIVE The single most important thing for me leading up to the selection trials this time was keeping the right perspective. Since I am self-coached, it is critical for me to be able to keep the right perspective when bad things come up. 3 weeks out from the selection race, I hurt my shoulder in a bicycle accident and could not swim. My initial reaction was to cry because I felt that all my effort put into the swim sessions would come to nothing. But thankfully I was surrounded with a great team of people that reminded me to focus on the things that I can do and how to approach the situation objectively.
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Second Wind / Mar-Apr 2015
Swapping out the swim sessions for rehab and taking extra days off, though not easy, was what I needed at that time, and it was what I did. In sport, it’s a lot about keeping the right perspective, ensuring that you are making good decisions, not emotional ones. BEING HONEST WITH MY TRAINING Every successful training plan began with an honest assessment of current fitness, training history, training goals, personality, and the amount of time I could afford to be training. Punching above my weight and letting ego take charge at training seemed great at first, but after a while, performance plateaued and I wondered what went wrong. Knowing my pace and keeping it in check during trainings (especially with endurance training) benefited me the most by training the right energy system. Humility, not ego, served my training better in the long run. So if it is a 4 hour, heart rate zone 2 ride, don’t wind up early with 3 hours at zone 4 and beat yourself up about it. Save your punches for race day!
TRAINING STICKING TO THE GAME PLAN
LOSE TO WIN
Making the transition between the longer half Ironmans and shorter Olympic distance triathlons back in 2013, I was rather lost and subscribed to many theories of training at the same time. 2 weeks I would be on high volume to build base, then 2 weeks later I would scape that for higher intensity interval trainings.
A friend recently shared with me an inspiring quote from the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, after his team lost an opening race of the season. Bolt said, ‘As long as I lose I’m always disappointed, but I always tell you guys you have to learn how to lose before you learn how to win, so I will just draw some experience from this one and move on.’
While I was training relatively hard, I wasn’t making any ground in terms of performance.
Making that leap from winning local races to finishing almost last at the Asian elite races around the world was a huge struggle, one that was hard to swallow. It took a huge hit on my confidence as an athlete but something told me that if I could iron this one out and remove that mental barrier, then only can I progress to bigger things.
Then midway through 2014, I stumbled upon a triathlon interview with super star coaches in triathlon, Siri Lindley and Matt Steinmetz, and got a clearer understanding of what went wrong at that time. In the interview, Siri Lindley says, ‘There are probably a hundred different ways to achieve the same success. But the best possible way is to choose one path and follow that path, to be committed to that path.’ From then on, I learnt a little more, and became a little more patient with myself. True enough, results eventually came. TRAINING SMART As athletes we tend to be very driven individuals, training day in day out, with the notion that more is better. But if more was really better, then you could carry out strenuous V02 max or threshold efforts every day, and have no difficulty in becoming maximally fit, and improvements will know no ends. But unfortunately that will not happen because highquantity is a double-edged sword. It can lead you to your highest-possible fitness, but it can also devastate your muscles, harass your hormonal system and wreck your immune system. Training hard will get you somewhere but training smart makes the difference between good and great. The best way to train smart is to understand the principles behind the work you are putting in, then simply do what you need to improve. It took a lot of discipline for me on this one because I am sometimes emotionally driven. But learning to discern the difference helped my training greatly.
When you discard the crippling fear of failure and make space for focusing on the positives, can you then turn the tables around and make greater moves in the grand scheme of things. That quote has stuck with me ever since. HAVING FUN There is always a risk of burn out when you train hard for an extended period for a major race, and results don’t come on as rapidly as they did before. Learning to let go of those expectations to improve at every training session was key in sustaining my motivation in training. The single most overlooked component in my own build up was the link between enjoyment and success in training. I was a high-achiever and I wanted to do well, so I took my training very seriously that I lost the fun in it for a while. But now, I am a strong believer that you train best when you are happy. It is tough to emulate the fun and eagerness in training like my very first triathlon, no doubt, but learning to cope with that and to enjoy what you do will allow you to come through a stronger and healthier athlete. Have fun and build a healthy relationship with sport, then it will be only a matter of time, but success will be inevitable.
LEARNING TO REST Learning to rest was a huge concept that I had to force myself to embrace ever since I started training for the selection trials. Hard sessions were hard, easy sessions were really easy, and rest days, well, are just rest days. And by that I mean complete rest. I used to sneak off for a light swim, an easy spin or even yoga, but three or four weeks on, I don’t feel quite as sharp and would need 2-3days to get my groove on again. I, like everyone else, have heard about the importance of rest but dismissed it. But it’s a little different when you’re training for something bigger; you need to think smarter and for the longer term. Rest days are the times when adaption occurs and you get stronger. Rest days remains as complete rests days ever since.
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind 33
TRAINING
Triathlon
Training A Triathlon Mummy Contributed by Scott Larsen, Head Coach at Tri Edge www.triathloncoachingsg.com
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Every athlete we coach represents a unique situation. One of the most challenging yet rewarding groups of athletes to train are mothers. Within the large category of mothers are three different sub categories - expecting mummies, mothers with youngsters (0-7 years of age) and mothers with able and active children (8+). Expecting mummies are a special group to be coaching. Of course, the priority is certainly not to be racing for personal best times. Rather, it is an important time for a mother to be to get some exercise done. As a general rule, through trimester one training can essentially continue as usual (cutting down on the very high intensity work only). In the mid to latter trimesters running may change to jogging and even walking. Swimming can remain a sanctuary whereby the weightlessness of the water can take pressure off a sore back and expanding belly. Overall it is safe to do very low intensity exercise through to birth. Of course, we always follow the doctor’s advice as well, as all pregnancies and situations are different. For mothers with young children aged (0-7), this is a very busy time, even though once a baby moves through the ‘little to no-sleep’ phase the new mummy is then able to get adequate rest. Assuming any scaring is healed, it is then safe to resume intense training slowly building up over the course of 3-6 months. We will look at the factors that apply to all mums a bit later however, being smart with equipment can really allow a mother at this stage to get quality exercise done. Using a running stroller, or a bike extension/ seat appropriate for the child’s age are excellent options. Also, training can be a quality bonding time, with post swimming
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training being a chance for mummy to have swim with a young baby, or for an older child who is capable for riding a bike to be a cycling support crew on long runs. Around 8 years old a child may either be able to join some sessions or if they have had swimming lessons, maybe even able to keep the mummy honest - especially in the pool! In general, the key barriers specific in coaching mothers are, on their part, time commitment, lack of sleep and unpredictability. However, there are training and racing benefits during and post pregnancy. A women’s hormones will drastically change through these phases. For the most part there are positive benefits to be had from these hormone changes. But perhaps the biggest benefits of training and racing a triathlon for a mother have to do with the wider perspective meanings and ‘take homes’ the sport offers. These include setting a good healthy living example for kids by being active, monitoring your diet, and having balance, as well as demonstrating excellent work ethic and learning skills, by having goals, sticking to a schedule and striving for ‘personal bests’. Finally, being a Tri Mummy demonstrates a women’s strength in mind and body. This is empowering and inspiring. The phycological benefits of which are incalculable. We wish all the mums out there the best for their training and racing!
TRAINING
XTerrain
Contributed by Wilson Low Lead coach / outdoor squad leader, Athlete Lab singapore.athlete-lab.com
Girls Get Dirty
Females Counterparts In Off-Road & Adventure Sports Shares Their Experiences
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The first thing I realized when I was tasked to write a piece about women and their relationship with adventure and off-road sports was: “I’m in trouble now”. Mainly because here I was - a male writer - trying to grapple with an aspect of familiar sports that now seemed somewhat unfamiliar, if not totally alien. How did women feel about ‘getting dirty’ off-road? What did women think of themselves, of each other, and of their male counterparts? What were their concerns, fears, and expectations? Undeterred, I sought the views and findings of several ladies whose wide-ranging backgrounds and experience would, I hope, provide some traction for this article. The first thing I realized was that the task of traversing terrain was what enticed them - posing both challenges as well as rewards. “Compared to indoor workouts - the scenery is interesting and ever changing, time passes by quicker, it doesn’t feel like training because it is enjoyable,” says adventure racer Tsalina Phang, a stay-at-home mum. To her, getting dirty is all part of the fun: “That feeling after tippy toeing all those muddy bits, then finally giving up and just smashing through the water and mud and enjoying splashing… is like letting go of a burden”. Climbing guide Kelly Khiew, who spends time training in artificial rock climbing gyms in preparation for her climbing trips and expeditions, explains how some conditions simply cannot be substituted for in an indoor setting: ”There are other aspects which cannot be recreated like weather, altitude, exposure from high winds & waves, and heights that affect climbing performance”. So, the appeal of a dynamic, adventurous setting appeared to be a key factor in getting these women ‘out
there’. But how about comparisons to other sports conducted outdoors, but ‘on-road’ – such as road running or cycling? “The off-road terrain provides the adrenaline,” according to adventure racer Yan Jiehui, a civil servant: “I could be running or riding slower than road warriors but the excitement is easily twice what they can experience”. Mountain biker Laura Liong, a retiree, highlights perceptions of safety as well as health benefits: “Mountain biking is much safer, compared to riding on road, and the injuries that result from accidents generally tend to be less severe. (The air quality) is healthier - breathing fresher, less polluted air when compared to road riding or when working out indoors in an air conditioned gym”. However, it is usually harder to quantify performance in a dynamic, off-road setting though, as triathlete and undergraduate student Dione Wang points out:” On the whole I prefer smooth roads / indoor environments to bumpy trails because the constancy of environmental factors is more conducive to data tracking, and I like to quantify my fitness gains”. Definitely, the elements of being outdoors and not entirely in control or comfortable - as well as being unkempt, dirty, or possibly injured. However, that adds a layer of appeal that sharpens the experience. However, many females have yet to experience offroad of themselves. As multiple-world champion mountain biker Jessica Douglas puts it “Often, a lot of us women wait until we’re 100% perfect, until we finally go ‘I’m ready to go mountain biking now!’” The truth is, you do not have to be 100% perfect to go off roads, and I hope these views by fellow females have encouraged you to try going off road for yourself one day. See you out there!
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind 35
TRAINING
Performance
Exercise, Pilates and Pregnancy
Contributed by Deborah Wong, owner and Pilates instructor at Breathe Pilates www.breathepilates.com.sg
Pregnancy is an important time in every woman’s life and should not be a state of confinement. Pregnant women with uncomplicated pregnancies should be encouraged to keep active and continue to engage in physical activity. However, it is important to note that exercise in pregnancy is to improve or maintain muscle tone and not to control weight gain or to correct posture.
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There are numerous physical changes happening during pregnancy, including the production of relaxin, a hormone that causes your ligaments and muscles to become more lax, resulting in unstable joints. In addition, the additional weight of the foetus can result in increased curvature of the spine, altered posture and maladaptive muscle patterns. If you have preexisting injuries or muscle imbalances, pregnancy can amplify these conditions. 3 Benefits of Pilates Pilates helps to manage these symptoms by strengthening the deep core muscles, hamstrings and deep gluteal muscles to provide muscular support. Having good muscular support will reduce the stress on the joints, resulting in less maladaptive muscle patterns, thereby helping to reduce or even completely eliminate pain. Stretching and mobilization exercises done in Pilates to release the overactive muscles will also help reduce soreness and discomfort.
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In addition, pelvic floor exercises, which are an important component of Pilates, will help reduce the additional pressure from the foetus on the pelvic floor. This will in turn reduce the occurrence of pre- and post-natal urinary incontinence. A developed pelvic floor and deep core control will also help during labour. Plus, strong muscles have a good blood supply which will also help to speed up post-delivery healing. Another common condition that occurs in pregnancy is distasis recti, which is the separation of the rectus abdominus (the six-pack muscle). This is due to excessive exertion of tummy muscles that are stretched during the natural course of pregnancy. In Pilates, the focus is on using the deep core muscles, which help to act as a corset to support the abdomen during pregnancy, thereby decreasing the separation of these muscles during and after pregnancy. Exercise Frequency and Intensity The next question many would have, especially new mums, would be the intensity and frequency of exercise. To answer that question it really depends on your pre pregnancy fitness level. If you were physically active before your pregnancy, you should be able to continue your activity in moderation. If you have never exercised regularly before, you can still safely begin an exercise program during pregnancy. While hard core crazy strenuous activities are probably not the best choice, exercises such as walking, swimming, yoga and Pilates are all great exercise programs to start during pregnancy. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise per day on most if not all days of the week, unless you have a medical or obstetric complication. All in all, exercise in moderation. After all, you’ll be the one thanking yourself when you experience easier labour and delivery, smoother bowel movements, increase in energy, faster return to pre-pregnancy weight, and most importantly for you as a mom, healthier babies.
TRAINING
Performance
Ironman vs Ironwoman Contributed by Bevan Colless Founder / Physiotherapist, Singapore Phsio singaporephysio.com
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One of the great things about triathlon is that men and women can do it together and often at a very similar level. Back in the day when I was playing soccer and rugby, my game on a Sunday would see me say goodbye head out the door in the morning and not return home until late. Now my wife and I get up early and head out for a long ride or run together. Having specialised in endurance sports injuries for several years we have noted that women and men tend to suffer from different injuries. First let’s take a look at what women do better and what injuries they rarely get. One of the reasons females compete well at triathlon is their lack of testosterone, and the stupidity that this hormone often is synonymous with. Females tend to graduate their training well, slowly increasing the new training stress to their body. Whereas guys sign up for a race and immediately head out for daily runs of the race distance. As increasing training loads to the body is the most common cause of injury, having some common sense in this area is a big help. Females also tend to pace their races and training much better, allowing them to finish strongly and complete more of their training with good for, rather the testosterone-charged chumps who head out way too fast and stagger home with terrible technique and get injured. Females also tend to run with better technique and over-stride less than men, which helps prevent injuries.
On the negative side females tend to get injuries related to their physical make up. The female pelvis is wider which causes the femur to come down to the knee at a wider angle (the Q angle) which predisposes girls to patella tracking issues (runner’s knee) and some other knee problems. Females tend to have less muscle bulk and strength which predisposes them to some tendon injuries and gluteal muscle injuries and pain. Neck pain and headache can be more common in female athletes as the heavier chest can lead to a more rounded posture and the muscles at the base of the neck have to work harder and the joints in the neck begin to become tight and painful. Females who are training a lot and not eating adequately frequently experience menstrual irregularities which predisposes them to stress fractures through reduced mineral density in bone, so they should be careful to avoid this by eating a higher fat and protein diet and increasing running training carefully. For girls complimenting a training program with a well-structured gym work out once or twice a week is a great idea to improve the strength and resilience. All in all females are definitely built for endurance and in triathlon it’s true there’s nothing a man can do that a women can’t.
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind
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TRAINING
Q&A
Got a question for our experts? Email it to us at contact@ secondwind magazine.com
With the Experts
Question What foods should I take, and in what proportion, when I’m going through my period?
Answer Menstrual blood losses necessitate a high dietary intake of iron since this is the key mineral component of haemoglobin, the molecule which helps to carry oxygen to the body cells. Dietary iron can be classified into two types: Heme form (from meat, chicken and fish) and non-heme form (from egg yolks and plant foods like dark green vegetables and legumes). Heme iron is much more readily absorbed by our bodies than non-heme iron due to chemical inhibitors which are present in the latter e.g. tannins in tea and polyphenols in coffee. However, you can increase the absorption of the iron in the non-heme foods by having foods which are high in Vitamin C e.g. citrus fruit at the same time as the non-heme foods. So for example, you can have dried fruit with nuts, or a glass of orange juice along with a peanut butter sandwich. Having heme and non-heme foods at the same time can enhance the absorption of the latter e.g. beef with kalian. Have your cuppa tea or coffee at least an hour after your meal. Menstruating females should aim for 19 mg of iron a day, preferably from heme foods. The following are examples of heme and non-heme foods and their iron content:
38 Second Wind / Mar-Apr 2015
Iron source Red Meat Beef, cooked & lean Lamb chop, lean White meat Pork, lean Chicken, cooked & lean Fish, cooked Sardines Tuna, canned Crabmeat*, cooked Oysters*, raw Offal & Deli meats Liver* Ham# Bacon# Sausages#, thin Meat alternatives Egg, whole Baked beans Lentils Beans, cooked Bean curd, firm Bean curd, soft Tempeh Miso Cereals Rice, white, cooked Rice, brown, cooked Breakfast cereals Bread, white Bread, wholemeal /multigrain Sunshine High Iron bread Dairy foods Milk, yoghurt, cheese Milk, iron fortified Broccoli, cooked Green beans, cooked Dark green leafy
Portion
Iron (mg)
100g 100g
3 2
100g 100g 100g 1 fish (35g) 100g 100g 6 medium (60g)
1 1 0.6 1 1.1 1 3.5
85g 2 slices (50g) 3 rashers 1 sausage (50g)
5.5 0.6 0.3 1
1 large ½ cup 30g 100g 1 large cake (100g) 1 large piece (100g) 100g ½ cup (150g)
0.7 2 1 2.5 1 0.4 2.2 4
1 medium bowl 1 medium bowl 1 bowl 2 slices 2 slices 2 slices
0.6 0.8 1–3 0.6 1.2 6.8
1 cup / 1 slice 1 cup
Trace 1–2 0.5 0.8 3.2
2 florets (45g) ½ cup (60g) 100g
Fruit All fresh fruit Prunes, dried Apricots, dried Figs, dried Raisins Prune juice
1 medium 3 – 4 prunes (30g) 5 – 6 pieces (30g) 3 medium (60) 30g ¾ cup (175ml)
0.5 0.7 1.3 1.3 0.6 2.5
Miscellaneous Milo Cashews Pistachio nuts Other nuts Peanut butter
3 heaped tsp 30g (12 – 16 nuts) 30g (47 kernels) 30g 1 tablespoon
3 1.5 4 0.5 – 1 0.5
Derrick Ong Founder and Director of Eat Right Nutrition Consultancy www.eatright.sg
TRAINING
Question I’m injured and its depressing at times. How can I overcome these mental obstacles?
Answer Injuries are associated with every sport. Not all athletes will experience severe injuries, but all individuals will get hurt at some time or other. How you deal with injuries, and how you recover from injury, requires mental toughness. The most important thing to note is that injuries can happen and that your recovery will take time. You will need to go through the rehabilitation process (or “rehab” for short) if you want to compete at your best again. Here are some practical tips to help you heal better...
1
Imagine yourself achieving your rehab or recovery goals. Imagery can help you practice your rehab assignments. Moreover, don’t forget that when you’re imagining yourself performing, you’re actually developing the brain-to-muscles connections that will help you to heal faster than you would if you didn’t use imagery.
2
Create appropriate self-talk or key words. Just like when you were performing in your sport, you’ll need to develop a new set of cues to reach your goals in rehab. Examples of rehab-relevant self-talk are “I am getting better every day,” “My injury is healing,” and “I follow my rehab program conscientiously.”
3
Learn to control your emotions and attention. You’ll need to develop new strategies for maintaining your composure
(e.g., staying calm and not worrying) and concentration (e.g., focusing on your rehab exercises dutifully instead of being distracted by wanting to return to sport too soon).
4
Think of new ways to maintain your confidence. Be confident that you can handle the rehab and that you’ll recover to compete at the highest possible level. Coping with being injured may be the hardest part of rehab. Keep reminding yourself that rehab is temporary, and that one day you’ll be back competing.
5
Get social support. It’s essential that you get help from others to reduce the amount of potential emotional distress experienced when injured. People you can go to for support include family members, friends, coaches, teammates, sport psychologists, physiotherapists, sports medicine professionals, and other athletes with injuries similar to yours (who may be able to understand your situation).
6
Learn from successful athletes. Like us, successful athletes deal with injuries as well. Sometimes, they even have to deal with injuries that are career threatening. Many of them blog or write about their perspectives when they are injured, and while some will go back to winning ways and some do not, their sharing will help you understand your situation better.
Edgar Tham Founder & Peak Performance Coach at SportPsych Consulting www.sportpsychconsulting.com
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind 39
TRAINING
Q&A With the Experts
Question Is chiro more for rehab or for performance?
Answer I was recently asked if chiropractic more viable for rehabilitation or for general performance; naturally, this is a very good question. In my previous article, I eluded to the various types of chiropractors and the model they may follow; as such, relative to the above mentioned question regarding performance or rehabilitation, put briefly, most chiropractors may not even focus on rehabilitation, leaving that aspect of treatment either for a physio or for “home/gym exercises” as prescribed by the patients doctor.
has “pain”, the doctor/chiropractor focuses on getting to the root cause of the problem in order for the patient to be able to better perform or perform in general again; again, totally depending on the initial goals we set out to achieve upon the initial consultation as each patient is vastly different and naturally, can’t be treated the same as another patient, who might be more focused on a “rehabilitation” related or core strengthening related approach.
Most of my patients initially tend to come from an issue of some pain related ailment; as such, in order to increase or even get the patient performing again or even more ideally, the patients pain levels must be brought down if not totally cured in order for the patient to ideally function.
When a patient arrives for initial consultation; it is typically a pain related ailment. During the course of the evaluation and subsequent examination, I am better able to determine what will ideally help the patient, a goal of “performance enhancement” or a goal of rehabilitation. Thus, I can’t stress the importance of a patient communication with their health care provider of any type for that matter.
In our office, we tend to focus on both pain management, chiropractic, advanced/computer assisted rehabilitation as well as performance in the course of making goals with the patient.
I hope this helps to shed some light on the above question as again, each patient can vary dramatically, from the “weekend warrior” to the professional or advanced athlete.
Thus in the sense of providing you with a “shorter” answer, I would think since most chiropractors don’t even perform rehabilitation, especially in the matter that we do in our office, I would have to say performance may be a better idea of what some chiropractors do; a patient
Feel free to ask any additional questions and I will do my level best to get you an answer. Thus, in summary, it is best to get an initial consultation out of the way in order for us to determine what will be most ideal for the patient (and doctor) in the course of the patient improving.
40 Second Wind / Mar-Apr 2015
Dr. Dylan Altfeld, D.C. (USA) ccr.com.sg
TRAINING
Question Are females more prone to Injury?
Answer Looking at the scientific literature in running, we can see that women indeed do, on the whole, get injured more often than men do. But the difference is not quite as drastic as popular wisdom might hold — a 2002 study of around two thousand patients at a Vancouver, Canada sports injury clinic found that women represented 54% of injuries, with men taking up the other 46%. Having said that, among some specific injuries such as Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tears, women are at significantly higher risk. This is a result of three main differences exist between the male and female athlete: anatomical, physiological and training/ conditioning considerations. Let me further explain what I mean by training/ conditioning considerations. Until recent years, males are involved training actively for competitive sports at an early age compared to females. As such they are physically better conditioned to withstand sports injuries. Hence, there was a saying that boys were involved in ball games as compared to girls being involved in doll games at an earlier age. Nevertheless, there has been, in recent years, a dramatic increase in the number of sportswomen and hence injuries in females. Locally, increased emphasis in sports and fitness has also allowed us to witness a large increased in the number of females involved in recreational and competitive sports and consequently an increase in the number of injured females. A common overuse injury female athletes encounter is stress fracture. Although they are not exclusive to female athletes, females in general have a higher incidence of stress fractures and, second, distribution of stress fracture sites seems to differ between genders.
Stress fractures result from cumulative repetitive forces insufficient to cause an acute fracture. It has been noted previously that stress fractures occur more frequently in amenorrheic (nonmenstruating) than normally-menstruating females. The exact mechanism of the development of stress fractures in amenorrheic women is uncertain and may be partly related to low bone density. Lower-extremity bones are most commonly affected, but stress fractures also occur in non-weight-bearing bones such as upper extremities and ribs. The tibia (lower leg bone) is the most commonly involved site for both men and women, but the fractures of the neck of femur (thigh bone), foot bones, and pelvis are seen more commonly in the female athlete The athlete with stress fracture presents with gradual onset of pain, aggravated by exercise. The hallmark of stress fracture is localized tenderness at the fracture site. The main treatment of stress fractures is rest from the offending athletic activity, a concept known as “relative rest,� and it is usually conducted as a step by step treatment algorithm General conditioning is maintained by exercising other areas of body and partaking alternative training, such as water running, swimming, or cycling. When patients do not respond to conservative treatment, surgical procedure may be advised. In conclusion, the collective differences in anatomical, physiological and conditioning factors may pose a higher health risk to the female athlete but the gender gap is definitely closing. If the symptoms of overuse injury surfaces and persists during training or competition, early diagnosis and a multidisciplinary approach are the essential aspects of the treatment. With a holistic, intergrated and personalized approach to peak performance, injury prevention and treatment, female athletes can definitely swim bike run the world.
Dr Chong Weng Wah Roland Orthopaedic Surgeon at at JL Shoulder Clinic jlsports-jlgroup. rhcloud.com
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind
41
TRAINING
Where to
Eat
Istanbul Gourmet
By Shuwie Chang Photos Jeremy Teo
Kebabs, They’re Almost Health Food. Kebabs. They are delicious, but they are also accompanied with a mountain of food regret. The doner kebabs are hand-carved rotating roast that have been part of Turkish cuisine for nigh on a century. Fatty meat accompanied with thick yoghurt and tahini sauces, the caloric count sky rockets and the Doner gets its bad name with health enthusiasts with its stratospheric salt and fat levels. Yet at the face of it, Turkish cuisines can be a healthier choice. The key is to use lean cut meat and skip the extra creamy sauces. And that is great news because that’s exactly what Chef Henry Teo, owner of Istanbul Gourmet, has done! Hoping to restore the kebab’s good name and convince you skeptics otherwise, Chef Henry took 2 years to develop a healthier menu to suit the taste of Singaporeans today. The end result? Staff at Istanbul Gourmet only use lean cut meats, marinated with herbs and spices, then roasting it to a juicy-tender, and nutritionally enriching perfection. Aside from the meats, generous portions of herbed potatoes and salad are also thrown on the plate, and as a meal, it brings together lean meat, pita bread, and brings in vegetables in the form of salad, so nutritionally speaking, it’s great!
Recommendations We found it hard to choose a favourite since everything on the menu is really affordable, so we’ll give you three! We tried their Stuffed Chicken Roll, Beef Bomb and Chicken Doner Kebab and couldn’t stop singing their praises. The portion size that the restaurant serves up are also huge and they are also GST and service charge free. I assure you that the kebab meats and its constituent parts are drawn from the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, so go on, indulge! But moderately. Located at 314 Joo Chiat Road, Istanbul Gourmet have been said by many to have a cozy and homely atmosphere so do consider this place when planning gatherings for friends and family. They are closed on Mondays but are fully operational from 1130am to 10pm from Tuesday to Sunday. They also have another branch at Changi City Point (B1) that operates from 10am to 10pm daily but that branch is strictly for takeaways and all the cooking still come from the kitchen located here in Joo Chiat. We are storked to find that good healthy food at great prices still exists and cannot quite believe it. And if you would like to join us in restoring the kebab’s good name under Chef Henry’s healthier rendition, then head on down to Istanbul Gourmet and surprise yourself. We hope you’ll enjoy it.
42 Second Wind / Mar-Apr 2015
LOCATION 314 Joo Chiat Rd, Singapore 427565 OPENING HOURS Monday: Closed Tuesday–Sundays: 11:30 am – 10:00 pm TELEPHONE 6440 6026
TRAINING
Where to
Chill The Yoga Co
By Second Wind Editorial Team Photos Shawn Quek, SQ photography
Fresh, relaxing and rejuvenating. Those are the words I think about when I recall my experience at The Yoga Co. The first home based yoga studio in Singapore, The Yoga Co. is the creation of Pamela Yeo and Sandra Riley Tang. As students (and subsequently teachers) of yoga, they wanted not only a place where people can go to practice at, but also a sphere that people can feel at one with. First Impressions Stepping in, I wondered if I have arrived at the right place. I was greeted by a small kitchen area and a huge cosy sofa. And upon closer inspection, I realised that great efforts were put in to make the whole place feel homely. When being showed around, I noticed subconsciously that the considerations given to decorations on the wall, choice of floor tiles, as well as the spatial layout of the living room made little differences that added up to a positive housewarming experience. Uniquely The Yoga Co. Being a home based studio, The Yoga Co. has various distinct differences from other Yoga studios. Firstly, the size of each class is smaller and individuals gets more attention from yoga teachers. It is hence easier for the practitioner to focus on practice, and at the same time, easier for teachers to deliver a class catered to the small group’s needs. Secondly, the experience in the bathroom becomes a more personal one as well. With a wide range of toiletries and accessories for you to choose from, you will be spoilt for choices on how to treat yourself with love after each class.
And thirdly, there’s a cosy living room where one can hang out with friends, eat home-prepared food, or simply take mindful sips of tea before or after a workout. The Yoga Experience Although being in a small class was no eye opener for me, I thoroughly enjoyed the class. The customised pace of the class was easy to follow and minor adjustments for me to adopt the correct postures were pointed out and made. But perhaps what made the difference for me was that the nature of the environment made it easier for me to feel at ease with, allowing my underlying emotions and thoughts to surface through practise. At the end of the session, I was revitalised, glad, and thankful. Conclusion The Yoga Co. experience is one where you have to try for yourself to appreciate in its fullest. Currently on the schedule includes commonly offered classes like hatha yoga, ashtanga yoga, yin yoga, flow and core. Also on the schedule are not so commonly offered classes like yoga dance, arm balance/ inversions, back bending, and boot camps. Try one for yourself today!
LOCATION 73 Kim Yam Road Level 3 (Entrance at Tong Watt Road) WEBSITE www.theyoco.com INSTAGRAM @theyogaco PHONE 6334 3306
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind 43
Inside Pride of Lions. Calendar. Race Highlights. Team Feature. Sara’s Column.
Photo Metasprint Aquathlon
R
RACInG Race season is now in full swing. We feature the best performances so far, highlight races you should look out for, and hear the views of national triathlete Sara Ng.
Prideof Lions
Selected For SEA Games
2015 Triathlon
PROFIle NAME Ethel Lin Zhiyun AGE 28 OCCUPATION Lawyer BLOG WEBSITE ethelslarder.wordpress.com
Photo by Richard Tan
46 Second Wind / Mar-Apr 2015
Prideof Lions
Selected For SEA Games
2015 Triathlon
PROFIle NAME Winona Howe AGE 20 BLOG WEBSITE http://winonahowe.blogspot.sg/ INSTAGRAM @hellowinona SPONSORS/AFFILIATIONS • Zoot • Merida • Visiontech Wheels
Photo by Richard Tan
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind 47
RACING
Race Calendar RUN
April 5 NTUC Income Run 350, SGP 5 Daegu International Marathon, KOR 11 The Music Run, SGP 12 Pyongyang Marathon, PRK 19 Compressport Penang City Run, MYS 19 3R International Marathon, MYS 19 Nagano Marathon, JPN 23 JP Morgan Corporate Challenge, SGP
Enduro, JPN 18 Jupiter-Tour of East Taiwan Challenge, TWN 18 Tour Of Hong Kong Stage 1, HKG
28 Kawasaki Marin Enduro, JPN
19 JCRC Second Leg Gunma, JPN
TRIATHLON
19 Jupiter-Tour of East Taiwan Challenge, TWN 19 Tour de Morikoro Park, JPN 26 Tour Of Hong Kong Stage 3, HKG 26 Melaka Governor’s Cup, MYS* May
26 Bidor Half Marathon, MYS
1-3 NRS Mersey Vally Tour (Womens), AUS
May
2 Kelantan Century Ride 2015, MYS (AR) 2 National Cycling Club Series Race 3 Siansui Criterium, TWN
3 Borneo Marathon, IDN
2 Monsters Climb Challenge, MYS
17 Cold Storage Kids Run, SGP
April
5 Ironman 70.3 Putrajaya, MYS 11 XTERRA Piti, GUM 11 XTERRA Rotorua, NZL 12 Ironman Taiwan, TWN 12 Gold Coast Triathlon, AUS 18 XTERRA Callala Beach, AUS 19 Metasprint Triathlon, SGP 19 Strongman Japan, JPN 25 Challenge Taiwan, TWN (Half IM Distance) 26 Phang Nga Triathlon, THA 26 TRI-Factor Swim, SGP
2-6 Tour of Friendship, THA 5 Tour de Ecopa, JPN
May
24 Pocari Sweat Run, SGP
6-9 International Tour d’Banyuwangi Ijen, IDN*
1-3 XTERRA Langkawi, MYS
31 Christchurch Marathon, NZL
6-10 Tour de Azerbaijan, AZE*
23 Meiji Run, SGP
June 7 Laguna Phuket International Marathon, THA 14 Compressport Penang Bridge Half Marathon, MYS 14 Perth Marathon, AUS 27 Surf Coast Trail Marathon, AUS
BIKE
April 1-6 The Maha Chackri Sirindhon’s Cup “Tour of Thailand”, THA* 4 Cossie Club Wellington Region Easter Tour, NZL
9 Auckland Cycling Centre Road Championships, NZL 10 Manfield 6 hour Challenge, NZL 16 Cycosports Batam Six Bridges, IDN 16 National Cycling Club Series Race 4 Yialn Niudou Road Race, TWN 17-24 Tour of Japan, JPN*
24 Hitachinaka Enduro, JPN 28 NRS Battle on the Border, AUS 28-31 Tour de Kumano, JPN*
5 Makuhari Bayside Enduro, JPN
June
16 Club Road National Championships, NZL 18 JCRC Club Tournament and
48 Second Wind / Mar-Apr 2015
10 Ironman 70.3 Vietnam, VNM 16 Taitung Flowing Lake 113, CHN 17 TRI-Factor Bike, SGP 17 Pattana Triathlon, THA
June
31 Perak Century Ride, MAS
11 Bromo Cycling 100km Challenge, IDN
3 Ironman Australia, AUS
24 HK Road Cycling Race Series Race 6, HKG
5 Cycosports Pasir Gudang Circuit Race, MAS
10-12 Cycle Singapore, SGP
3 Lake Kenyir Triathlon, MYS
23-24 Bintan Triathlon, IDN
31 OPA-RMC Gran Fondo, MYS
9 NRS Jayco-Adelaide Tour, AUS
3 Festival of Sport – Age Group Triathlon, HKG
21 NRS FKG Tour of Toowoomba, AUS
4-11 The Hanoi to Bangkok Mad Dog Challenge, THA
5 Shah Alam Enduride, MYS
2 Ironman 70.3 Busselton, AUS
31 JCRC Third Round Kabawa, JPN
5-7 X3 Challenges, MYS 7 Hong Kong Life Triathlon Championships, HKG 7 5150 Subic Bay, PHL 7 Coral Coast 5150 Triathlon, AUS 7 Ironman70.3 Centrair Chita Tokoname, JPN 13-14 113 Desaru, MYS
5-16 28th SEA games Criterium, TT and Road Race, SGP*
14 Goto Nagasaki International Triathlon, JPN 14 Bali Triathlon, IDN
6 Mars-Taipin Mountain Challenge, TWN
14 Ironman 70.3 Cairns, AUS
7-14 Tour De Korea, KOR*
14 Challenge Camsur, PHL (Half IM Distance)
14 JCRC 4th Round Shuzhenji, JPN 21 Hong Kong National Road Cycling Championships, HKG
14 Ironman Cairns, AUS
27 Milo Youth Triathlon, SGP
For full calendar visit secondwindmagazine.com
2 Energizer Night Race, SGP 16 Great Wall Marathon, CHN
28 Hong Kong National TT Cycling Championships, HKG
19 Tour Of Hong Kong Stage 2, HKG
25 Shangri-la Marathon, CHN
1 Great Wall China Marathon, CHN
27 National Cycling Club Series Race 5 Si Yuan Yakao Road Race, TWN
RACING
Race
Highlights Triathlon Desaru 13-14 June
113 Triathlon Desaru is part of the 113 Triathlon Series, and the biggest event in the series. It has 3 categories, mini, sprint, and half ironman distance. Like previous years, it will be held at Lotus Desaru Beach Resort this year.
Heart of Courage 20 June 2015
Heart of Courage is a cycling fundraiser organised by Teen Challenge Singapore with the aim to raise a sum of $200,000 to promote drug-free living and help defray the cost of running a 24-hour residential programme. More information can be found on the HOC Facebook Page.
Singapore International Triathlon 25-26 July
Singapore International Triathlon is organised by Metasport. This year’s edition will feature exciting new categories including the SuperSprint Relay and kids Scoot-athlonRelay and kids Scoot-athlon113.
Trifactor Run 26 July
The third part of four events, with the others being swim, bike and triathlon, Trifactor Run has 4 categories: 1KM, 5KM, 12KM and 24KM.
X Race Duathlon 8-9 August 2015
X Race Duathlon, also called X Race.123, is the 3rd in the series of 5 challenges organised by AsiaXtreme. It is held at outskirts of Kota Kinabalu.
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind
51
RACING
Team Feature
Running Department
By Terence Teo, founding member of Running Department Photos VOUX Photography
R
Running Department, known as RD in short, was founded in July 2013 by myself and a group of runners who believes in doing good things for the running community. We hope to build and foster a running community that supports one another through our “runtogether” and “train-together” initiatives, and to make running free and accessible to anyone and everyone. A point to note is that RD is neither a club nor an elite running team but a running community that welcomes anyone to join us. What makes RD special is that we are not-for-profit and is no-frills, thus there’s no membership or any requirements to join us. It is run by a group of people who are very passionate about running, people who want to help make a difference in the lives of many others through running. From time to time, RD organizes events, activities as well as volunteers as pacers for running events as a form of giving back to the community.
52
Second Wind / Mar-Apr 2015
RACING
Team Biography
FACEBOOK: • www.facebook.com/ runningdepartment.
The following are some of the initiatives that have been put together by RD since its founding:
We post our run details and activities on a weekly basis
a. Weekly Wednesday Run at UOB Plaza, Raffles Place 7pm
WEBSITE: • www.runningdept.com
b. Training Programs leading up to key races in Singapore such as
INSTAGRAM: • @runningdepartment HASHTAGS: • #runningdepartment #runwithrd
• Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2013 Training Program with Journey Fitness Company • Sundown Marathon Training Program 2014 with Journey Fitness Company • Army Half Training Program 2014 with Dr Mok Ying Ren • Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2014 Training Program with Journey Fitness Company • Upcoming Sundown Marathon Training Program 2015 / GCAM 2015 Training Program c. Holiday Programs for the Running Community such as • New Year Run / Chinese New Year Run • Vesak Day / May Day / National Day YOGA + Run Holiday Special One of the key community programs that RD embarks on is pacing and we have taken part in pacing programs for Great Eastern Women’s Run 2014, SCMS 2013 as well as SCMS 2014.
We also call ourselves the Feel Good People because we want to help others feel good. We have been participating actively in community projects that are not just for runners. Example of such projects includes Run For Cover 2014, in which we sent a team of 40 to participate, Hair for Hope 2013 and 2014, Run Program for CareRunners under SportCares in 2014 as well as an on-going monthly engagement with Willing Hearts, where the crew from RD will volunteer to help out in the kitchen and delivery. For the latest series of runs we explored different parts of Singapore, northern, southern, eastern, western, and central, and looking ahead, there will be many more opportunities to run happy with RD Things to note about Running Department • We are NOT-FOR-PROFIT. We don’t collect training fees or make profit from any sale of our merchandizes (such as our running singlets) • We are NO-FRILLS. We do offer drinks during our runs but runners are encouraged to also bring along their hydration and to have limited baggage with them. • We are a COMMUNITY. Not a club nor a team. There’s no membership required to join us. Just show up, say hi and get ready to have some fun in your run!
Mar-Apr 2015 / Second Wind 53
RACING
W
While sport is often seen as a uniter of differences, gender remains the biggest and most conspicuous divide in sport - for reasons such as “fairness”. In almost every sport, competitions are divided by gender. Sport is seen as a masculine activity by default because it usually involves physical exertion, and we have been socially conditioned to recognize that as the domain of males.
Sara’s Column Photo Running Shots
The corollary of this is that women who do sport, especially at a higher level, are often viewed quite differently from men who do the same. Sometimes they are told that they should not push themselves so hard; sometimes they are given more credit (because somehow people are of the opinion that it’s harder for women to do something so “physically demanding”); and sometimes it is simply so unthinkable that people simply cannot express an opinion on it. Now, I’m no hardcore feminist and I will not delve into the big issues of fighting for equal pay for female professional athletes, or for equal number of spots for professional women at the Ironman World Championships in Kona. But on the individual level, I think it is a big fallacy and misconception to think that women’s experience whilst doing sport is any different from that of men - women can and do enjoy pushing boundaries and breaking limits (or sweat) as much as men. The motivation for doing endurance sport (or any other sport for that matter), differs amongst individuals, but it is not a difference due to gender. I don’t think women should be given extra credit for doing sport and doing it well, nor should they be discouraged from “excessive exertion” or “physically demanding” activities. Physiological and biological differences aside, the social conditioning does creep into the subconscious of many women. They see that sport should just be a way of keeping fit, rather than something they should strive to be exceptionally good at. They shy away from training with the men, preferring instead to stay amongst the girls. While there is nothing wrong with that, I encourage all to stray out of your comfort zone a little. When you do, you realise that men and women share similar experiences in sport and enjoy it for what it is. I’ve been a mixed martial artist for many years, I learnt to fight even before I started doing triathlon. I learnt how to defend myself, how to hit and get hit, and how to keep fighting even after you get punched in the face. And the piece of advice that I received very early on in my training and which I carry with me till today, is this: always fight the boys, especially the ones who are bigger, because you have nothing to lose. If you lose the fight, it is to be expected. But if you win, you blow everyone’s minds. Being the “fairer sex” does have its advantages, but do realise that ultimately we all do sports for the experience. The experience of learning, growing and being a better version of yourself.
54 Second Wind / Mar-Apr 2015
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Photo Richard Tan
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