Sunday, November 29, 2015

Ops FINALE: The Sunbirds Graduate


After 11 weeks of base building and pace training, the Sunbirds arrived to Week 12's training in good shape and raring to put in one final long run before the big day.


The slight drizzle earlier in the morning brought about a nice, cool weather for this tapering session.  As the run distances planned were short, there was time for some tips and advice for race day, including a few graduating group photos.
The Sunbirds were in high spirits as they ran along the length of ECP in their respective pace groups, looking very smart in their Sunbird running top.  There were visibly less runners at ECP this morning, most probably due to other run events happening at about the same time, and also many runners are tapering for next weekend's SCMS.


The Sunbirds completed the final training requirements with strength and full of confidence.The remaining few days will have them do active recovery and a few tempo runs to maintain the sharpness and speed.


Going into SCMS with a good foundation, Team FatBird and our trainers are looking forward to a good showing by the Sunbird trainees, with many possibilities of PBs and Seasons' Bests (SBs).

The Sunbirds Graduate With Flying Colours

Photos & Collages By FatBird Ronnie

Monday, November 23, 2015

Week #11: Sunbirds in tip-top condition for SCMS


With less than 3 weeks to Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS15), the Sunbirds gathered at The Sports Hub for Optimal Pace long runs to prepare for race day.  A short talk on the importance of recovery and muscle activation with mysofascial massage was conducted to bring across to all Sunbirds the importance of keeping an injury-free physical condition for optimal race performance.



The Sunbirds started off the run with steady Optimal Pace in their respective timing groups, moving along Geylang PCN, Tanjong Rhu waterway and onto Gardens By The Bay all the way to the Marina Promontory.  There was a hive of activity in the area as there was the YOLO Run and a race-walking competition happening the the morning.


The cool morning weather was enhanced when the rains came midway in our training run, adding on to an even nicer weather for sustaining our paces.  Many of the Sunbirds were able to break away and move to the front of the packs to test out their race readiness.



It was quite interesting when we ran alongside the YOLO runners, picking out targets to pace and overtake, providing a good simulation of race day scenarios.  The Sunbird trainees and their trainers were enjoying the long run, chatting and exchanging pointers during the run.



The Sunbirds completed the whole training run by 10:30am in high spirits, and feeling very strong.   The cool weather if replicated on Dec 6 would provide the impetus for some solid performances from our runners.  



What remains now in the lead up for race day would be to clear any minor injuries and prime up our physical and mental conditions in the next 2 weeks.  We look forward to the finale run in Week #12 for a final rehearsal before the Sunbird's performance at SCMS 2016.

The Sunbirds Are In Tip-Top Shape!

Photos & Collages By FatBird Ronnie

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Week #10: The Longest Flight


After a good buildup from last week's 20km (HM) and 32km (FM), the Sunbirds gathered at Parkland Green for our longest training run distances of 21km and 35km at Marathon Pace.  This was a time trials of sorts to see where we stand in terms of maintaining race pace for 80-100% of the required race distances.


The briefing was kept short so we could maximize our time on the road.  The weather was great after the the past weeks of lousy air caused by Haze.  The respective pace groups proceeded steadily towards Gardens By The Bay and then Marina Promontory in high spirits.


The sun's rays beat down on us by 8am, something which we have to prepared for on SCMS race day.  The Sunbirds, much stronger than when they first joined FatBird's training 10 weeks ago, kept up with their form and pace to run strongly as a group.


The Gatorade hydration points (at the 15km mark) to support the Sunbirds was a welcomed sight for the marathoners.  The iced cold taste of Cherry-flavoured isotonic drinks was just great refuel for the tiring runners, who wasted no time to keep up with the target pace after the refreshment.


Bananas were provided at the 17km mark to boost the energy reserves of the Sunbirds, who made it all the way back for a good training run.  The Full Marathoners headed towards NSRCC along with their respective Sunbird trainers who provided good motivation and advice for race day preparations.


By the time the Sunbirds U-turned back to Gatorade hydration point at F2, the signs of satisfaction and relief could be seen in their faces as there was just 5-6km remaining to the end of the longest run training.  The Gatorade isotonic mix provided the additional boost for the runners to continue to sustain Marathon Pace all the way to Parkland Green for 35km.



Although visibly tired, the Sunbirds still held out strong after 35km of hard running, evidence of their preparedness for good HM and FM at SCMS.  A number of Sunbirds stayed behind to get additional tips and sharing on injury prevention and resting and recovery in the Tapering phase we are entering.


Thanks to the clear skies, good support from Gatorade, along with the great attitude of the Sunbirds, Week 10's training was a good success with many aspects of training objectives met.  The physical endurance and mental strength of the Sunbirds have gone up a few notches, which will put them in good stead as we enter the Tapering segment of training from next week.

The Sunbirds are maxing their potential

Photos & Collages by FatBird Ronnie

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Week #8: Double Hills Delight


Blessed with the haze reprieve this weekend, the Sunbirds were happy to gather at SAFRA Mt. Faber for one of the most challenging workouts in the Sunbird Program - the double hills repeats of Mt. Faber & Labrador Park Hills.


The run started off in the opposite direction from our usual Mt. Faber (MF) route, proceeding to MF Hills loop for the first set of 1.6km hills repeats.  The HM Sunbirds did 2 repeats while the FM Sunbirds completed 5 repeats with an allocated time of 50min.


The weather was rather humid with the thick cloud cover, and by the time we left the Mt. Faber hills for Labrador Park, the sun had started to peek through the skies.  Marathon Pace (MP) was averaged for all the timing groups.


The Sunbirds looked strong in spite of the few weeks of training disruptions due to the haze menace, pointing to the fact that the trainees did their own 'Ninja' workouts to maintain their cardiovascular fitness as well as their marathon 'physique'.


The 2.4km Figure-Of-8 loops incorporating a challenging hill up the Labrador Tunnels served to tax the Sunbirds who had expended much of their reserves at the Mt. Faber Hills.  That was the time that the runners would be stressing their legs and drawing upon fuel and hydration reserves for them to sustain the target paces.


A small group of runners did the 6km scenic Keppel Marina route to avoid incurring any risk to injury, especially with the few who were having niggles in their ankles and knees.  The Sunbirds kept up with their target paces and at the end, 90% of them completed 90% of the training requirements for the morning.


It was evident that a number of Sunbird trainees, especially the newer ones who have joined us recently, have shed some excess weight, lessening the effort required normally for such a tough workout.  With the dedication and commitment put into training, it is always satisfying to achieve the results set out earlier before the start of the program.


All Sunbirds returned back to the training area by 10:45am, well ahead of the maximum time allocated.  There was a good post-run stretching for the HM trainees and also getting tips from the Sunbird trainers regarding injury prevention and running form.

The Sunbirds Achieved Double Happiness At The Hills

Photos by FatBird Onin