26th Thaiquain 10k

Hong Kong had a tropical depression on Friday which moved the thick smog out but cleared in blazzing, hot and humid weather for Sunday's hilly race. Thaiquain starting point is the same as Oxfam Trailwalker 100km which I will participate in November.

Morning Start:
Sai Kung is not the easiest to go. But it only required 2 transfer from mini-bus to the double decker bus. Another note about early starts - make sure you eat at home otherwise, it's egg salad sandwich from 7/11. The bus ride took 1.5 hours with about an hour to spare to collect my packet

From 26th Thaiquain 10k

I recently bought a few gadgets which I would like to share with my viewers before I begin:
1. Vibram Five Fingers KSO

From 26th Thaiquain 10k

This is the first race that I ran with VFFs. In training I've ran with them less than 6 times varying between 1km to 10km. It's hard to say if I would have had a better time. I notice a little heat building up and my forefoot feeling ready to start blistering. I wouldn't recommend running anything more than 10k in the hot, humid Hong Kong with them because the sweat runs down your legs and into the shoes making it quite wet; hence the start of a blister? Some people report very sore calves running in VFF. I don't seem to have that problem; however the following morning I feel a little sore all over.







2. Action Camera:


26thThaiquain10k "OntheRun" Pictures

3. Cyling jersey














I find that runners like to run in baggy outfits. I am not sure why this is the case especially in Hong Kong. I would think that this would create more rash. For myself, since I having began to cycle more; I am wearing cycling jersey. The zipper provides open access to the chest when it gets hot. The tight jersey is "aerodynamic" for the speedy downhills :) Also, for longer runs; there are pockets in the back to provide easy access to energy GU.

4. 2XU Compression short pants
















Now for the race route:


Race Split:
1 00:04:10 1.00 04:10 <--- I need to get to the front... too much congestion!
2 00:04:56 1.00 04:56 <--- What happened? Oh right - gravity and hill
3 00:04:30 1.00 04:30
4 00:04:26 1.00 04:26
5 00:04:38 1.00 04:38

6 00:04:31 1.00 04:31
7 00:04:42 1.00 04:42
8 00:04:42 1.00 04:42
9 00:04:45 1.00 04:45
10 00:04:10 1.00 04:10
11 00:00:34 0.13 04:16

A semi-decent beginning to the race season..

1 1 1 MB 2005 FELBABEL, Erich 0:37:11 0:37:06 0:18:47 0:18:25

2 2 1 MC 3039 NG Kam Tai 吳金帶 0:38:05 0:38:02 0:19:49 0:18:16
3 3 1 MD 4023 KAM Wing Keung 金永強 0:38:46 0:38:44 0:19:50 0:18:57
4 4 1 MA 1007 CHAN Hon Man Alfred 陳翰文 0:38:54 0:38:50 0:20:13 0:18:41
5 5 2 MB 2018 CHAN Ka Chun, Eric 陳家俊 0:38:59 0:38:57 0:20:12 0:18:47
...
67 66 14 MD 4037 Dwyfor EVANS 0:45:01 0:44:56 0:22:36 0:22:25

70 69 17 ME 5089 CHAN Chau 陳 就 0:45:12 0:44:58 0:23:07 0:22:05
68 67 5 MF 6054 CHEUNG Kwok Ming 張國明 0:45:03 0:44:59 0:23:03 0:22:01
69 68 16 ME 5091 LEE Chau Ning 利就寧 0:45:09 0:44:59 0:23:26 0:21:44
74 73 15 MC 3018 LEE Kin Wai 李健偉 0:45:26 0:45:05 0:22:58 0:22:29
71 70 13 MC 3042 WONG Pui Yuen 黃沛源 0:45:22 0:45:07 0:23:37 0:21:46
81 80 21 MB 2057 FONG Chun Wing 方俊穎 0:45:41 0:45:09 0:23:49 0:21:53
73 72 14 MC 3104 CHOY Kai Man Tenny 蔡啟文 0:45:25 0:45:14 0:23:22 0:22:04
78 77 18 ME 5084 CHUI Chi Lap 徐自立 0:45:36 0:45:15 0:23:20 0:22:16
72 71 6 MF 6163 POON Pak Sun 潘百新 0:45:24 0:45:21 0:22:47 0:22:37
79 78 16 MC 3075 LEUNG Tsz Kong 梁子江 0:45:36 0:45:22 0:23:13 0:22:23
76 75 7 MF 6052 CHAU Yun Tung 周潤桐 0:45:33 0:45:25 0:23:33 0:22:00
77 76 8 MF 6031 WONG Chi Kuen Johnson 黃志權 0:45:34 0:45:26 0:23:11 0:22:24
75 74 20 MB 2085 LEE Siu Hong 李紹康 0:45:32 0:45:27 0:23:16 0:22:17
83 82 16 MD 4009 CHAN Hon Man 陳漢文 0:45:44 0:45:31 0:23:19 0:22:25
80 79 19 ME 5048 TAM Ping Hung Simon 譚炳雄 0:45:39 0:45:34 0:23:04 0:22:35
82 81 15 MD 4063 LEE Ying Ho 李英豪 0:45:43 0:45:34 0:23:09 0:22:35
84 83 1 MG 7009 CHAN Kwai Tim 陳貴添 0:45:46 0:45:39 0:23:14 0:22:32
90 87 22 MB 2060 NGAN Chiu Wik 顏昭域 0:46:11 0:45:40 0:24:07 0:22:05
86 84 20 ME 5122 Victor YUEN 0:45:51 0:45:44 0:23:45 0:22:07
85 2 2 WC 331 CHEUNG Chui Fong Kitty 張翠芳 0:45:50 0:45:46 0:23:04 0:22:47
88 85 9 MF 6029 YIP Kei Fu 葉基虎 0:45:58 0:45:53 0:23:18 0:22:41
87 3 1 WD 440 CHONG Miu Ying May 咗 莊妙英 0:45:58 0:45:54 0:23:43 0:22:15
89 86 17 MC 3066 KUT Yip Ming 吉業明 0:46:05 0:45:57 0:23:13 0:22:53
93 90 19 MC 3052 Joel LABELLE 0:46:18 0:46:03 0:23:07 0:23:12
...
690 601 167 MF 6112 TANG Siu Hung 鄧肇雄 1:28:57 1:28:32 0:42:06 0:46:51

691 90 18 WE 510 LEUNG Oi Yee 梁靄儀 1:31:50 1:31:27 0:44:09 0:47:42




At the end of the race, there was RedBull. Here is a tip: Don't drink it without plenty after race hydration. Your pee will turn dark red for about 2-3 restroom stops.

HKTriA Sprint Triathlon 750/20/5

My First Sprint Triathlon... :)


I started the day really early by waking up at 4:00AM. This wasn't necessary I feel since my race wouldn't start for another 3:45 hours. Since it was my first triathlon, I took several days off without much biking or running. The last two weeks, I pounded the trails and ran up mileage on the bike. My goal was to be fresh and reduce the inflamation that I caused by twisting my left foot twice in a row. I took a cab at 5:15AM to arrive early to get my numbers placed.

The race basically was the same as the Aquathon I did previously the month before with an additional bike run. My swim was better but I seem to go off course a lot which took a lot of time out. One time I thought I was last, but then an official shouted at me stating that I was off course. I was heading for the starting bouy and not the third. Throughout the swim, I was fighting space and continuously hitting a breast stroke swimmer. I'm sure he hated me... Even the end, I went off course and had to swim to the right for about 20m to get on the pier steps. My time in the water stood at 28:43. Next time, I will look up every 6th stroke.
The transition for the swim2bike was very long. You had to run to your bike which seemed more than 100m. I used rubber bands for the shoes, but my right shoe hit the ground and came off before I mounted the bike. So, I had to retrace my steps with the bike and pick up my shoe and put it on.

The bike required 5 laps and the fast cyclists passed me twice. Although, I felt I trained sufficiently for my first triathlon, I obviously see that I can improve in all areas. My time on the bike were very inconsistent and I felt sluggish as well. I took a gel while in the transition and drank fluid right after the corner.

T1 - 1 min 57 seconds
2 00:02:37 1.00 22.8 - includes my mishap with wardrobe(shoe) malfunction

3 00:01:44 1.00 34.3
4 00:02:02 1.00 29.4
5 00:01:55 1.00 31.3
6 00:01:55 1.00 31.1
7 00:01:50 1.00 32.6
8 00:02:05 1.00 28.6
9 00:01:50 1.00 32.5
10 00:01:57 1.00 30.7
11 00:01:52 1.00 31.9
12 00:01:52 1.00 32.0
13 00:01:57 1.00 30.7
14 00:01:44 1.00 34.3
15 00:01:52 1.00 32.0
16 00:01:56 1.00 30.8
17 00:01:53 1.00 31.7
18 00:01:43 1.00 34.7
19 00:01:57 1.00 30.7
20 00:02:03 1.00 29.2
21 00:02:09 1.00 27.8

T2 - 2 min 25 seconds

Run - 5k, My time on the run is a bit weird and very inaccurate. I gathered both armbands, but this is my times:

Garmin
22 00:02:52 0.81 16.9

23 00:02:18 0.49 12.8
24 00:04:37 1.00 13.0
25 00:04:46 1.00 12.6
26 00:04:45 1.00 12.6
27 00:02:20 0.50 12.8

Polar
A23 - 3:52 - transition?
Manual Split - 2:13
A24 - 4:34
A25 - 4:47
A26 - 4:50
Stop - 3:33

I will work harder for the 1500m/40km/10km in October...