No that’s not a picture of me shitting in my pants, but had abit of the runner’s trot yesterday (therefore the article in my previous blog entry). Now I finally come to realize that my previous past sudden flatulence and diarrhea problems which strangely always comes and go occasionally or every 3 months or so, was due to the wrong diet pre and prior my long runs, particularly eating Papayas in my case (your case may be different from mine, some can’t drink milk for instance).

If people say runner’s are farter, it’s quite partially true. It’s also true that long distance runners have one of the most healthy gastrointestinal tracts in society, which encourages the healthy movement of bowels, but if we over do it everything will just wanna flow out, fast!

If I knew that earlier I wouldn’t have gone to SGH like what I did earlier this year only to be suspected of a bad case of diarrhea only to be suspected bladder stones only to be suspected of kidney problems and be referred to the urology department only to find out that there is completely nothing wrong with me- only after few hundreds of wasted dollars, few yucky urine tests, few X-rays and 2 CT scans, I think I am green and have radioactive gamma vision now.

Well, at least they did had a top to toe checkup, including a full investigation of what’s inside me, not to mention me personally ooglling at how interesting my innards look like on a CT scan (it’s like a work of art, only more real). The Docs said I am more than ok to take on a marathon this year too, so I am safe from being a statistic in this year’s race. Yippee!

The Swissotel Vertical Marathon is on tomorrow, wishing all the best to those running the event too!

With alot more people being ore active these days and considering that most Asians, particularly Singaporeans have a high percentage of people with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), this bowel related problem might be of particular interest.

Ever went for a long run only to find lots of flatulence thereafter? Or worse, a strong urge to visit the toilet quite occasionally? This is largely due to the forces of running- Take an analogy of a sieve with sand & water, after continued shaking (running) the water and fine sand will be separated & filtered from the coarser sand, this is similar to the trapped gas & the bowels in your intestines, therefore the strong urge to pass lots of flatulence or increased bowel movements. This problem is actually quite common in long distance runners & is called the Runner’s Trots.

It’s a fact that running is good for maintaining regular bowel movements. This is one theory on why there is a decreased incidence of colon cancer among those who partake in running. BUT, it can also be said that it may be too much of a good thing.

Runner’s Trots is actually quite common: An estimated 20-50% of distance runners have “runner’s trots” with a range of symptoms from cramping and nausea to bouts of flatulence and diarrhea. This can occur during or after their exercise.

Why: The reasons are not known for sure, and may be due to factors affecting people differently. One reason considered, is that the up and down motion of running stirs the bowels. The flow of blood to the intestines is diverted to your legs and which may ‘trigger’ the cramping and/or diarrhea. The underlying possibility of irritable bowel disease may be brought to light by the additional stress of the exercise. The added chance of dehydration on long training runs may also cause diarrhea. Lactose intolerance effects enhanced by the exercise.

Symptoms: Cramping, nausea, flatulence, diarrhea during or after exercise. This may produce painful cramping and the compulsory need to defecate.

Credit: Source
Preventing Runner’s Trots
Controlling runners trots

It’s raining cats and dogs here now in southern Singapore. Got about some coding for a portal together with finishing up some other miscellaneous flash presentation for another client, been busy even in the weekends. Tomorrow is Monday already, and week 7 (halfway mark) of our final project semester. Time do pass very fast!

The evening run today is very cool and relaxing, a good thing with pacing and fitness level with just 4 weeks left to tackle the year end marathon. Despite a minor flu yesterday, everything went well for today’s planned run and things looks set for race day! My running route is exceptionally packed today, especially along Prince Charles road the cooler weather could have attracted more runners. Got about running with my usual trusty RS400sd for distance.

The wonder of a running computer is the ability to run anywhere your wish without having to plan your route. It also beats having to measure the distance later on Google earth, (which I used to do previously). The need to do so reduces the error greatly in your estimates- park connector distance markers are not always accurate, and if you cut some corners, your actual running distance won’t be the one you thought to be.

Crossed the 900km mark for runs this year too! It will be less than 2 more months to hit my target of 1000km this year and beyond!

Got quite a few calls from few reputable banks over the last week asking to apply for their credit and platinum credit cards. Do not know where do they get my contacts from. But I always have the heck of getting such calls and most people would usually simply slam down on them.

For me, knowing that these poor peeps have to put up with so much negatively during their daily cold call sessions, I’ve tested and devised a new technique to evade them and them, not you will be the one trying hurriedly to end the call. Listen to their intro speech and simply go “uh-huh”, “yes” and let them flare out all the benefits like their lives depend on it (you need not listen), just keep going uh-huh uh-huh, no matter how catchy they can get with their sales pitch. At the end, if they belong to any bank you do not have any credit cards from, say any of these:

• Ask for their income requirements and say you earn less than it
• Tell them you are a student (which I am!)
• Tell them you are unemployed/jobless (Suggestion from my dad)

All these, particularly the last one will end the call fast and easy within 5 seconds. Then you will simply go laughing at the end of the call when they go “Huh? but the records? umm…. nevermind… Thank you for your time.”

Works everytime.

Swissotel Vertical Marathon
Collected my pack today at the Raffles City Fullerton Room. Participants get quite a lot of goodies this year compared to the last. In a a black event shoe bag, we have:

At least the polo tee this year is more descent than previous Vertical Marathonss, it’s at least something I can wear without being a walking billboard for the sponsors!

The New Balance real run 2007 had just ended and this puts one more race this year being held in the East (and so to the dismay of my people living in the west but to the joy for those in the east). It’s so given the usual centralised Realrun event venue (gateway carpark in Sentosa) being permanently closed for redevelopment by Genting Resorts World, so technically speaking we are looking at a whole new place to run and possibility areas where the organizers can afford to mess up, how do they fair in this year’s race?

Pre-race management & Transport Options
First off, Having an event in such a remote part of Singapore requires some serious thought into getting the horde over, that was well planned with multiple direct shuttle bus locations all around the island (AMK, Jurong, Kallang, Outram, Tanah Merah & Woodlands) for a modest fee of $3, similar to that used by SCM as well. There was ample parking space for those who drive, with a whole aviation carpark worth of space, only that you have to be in by 7am or you have to park at the nearby Changi Beach carpark and make your way to the start line by foot.

There was free direct shuttle bus service from pasir-ris MRT itself for those who prefer to commute themselves and forgo the $3 direct shuttle. The interesting and commendable thing was that shuttle services was even extended to 7am, contrary to the last bus at 6.45am, which came very much as a welcome and relief who thought they “missed the last bus” and had to take public transport. Similarly for those who drove in late, the drawback for shuttle buses arriving after 6.45am was the need for the runners to make their way 3km towards the startline due to the roads already being closed at 7, further making them late and missing the start. Buses can’t go in either for safety reasons, despite them being all clear and being serviced by SCDP trucks as well.

Recognized was the organisers effort was for this category, but they would score top marks for transport if they could take up one lane for last minute service buses, so runners do not need to rush their way to the start in order to begin the race.

Other noticeable pre-race events would include the usual preludes and race pack collection were on for runners. Which all served their purpose and went on well.

The Route View Lonely Runner’s GPS Route Map
The route started with runners all set to conquer the long runway stretch. To my disbelief we actually had 6 full running lanes which was really spectacular for a flag off, though the obvious bulk and horde of runners, space was very adequate and there was plenty of room for overtaking. The runway kept on for slightly above 2km to space and distribute the crowd up to take on the bottleneck into a one way tarmac pavement on the first left bend along Changi Coast Road, which many transition in quite smoothly only that overtaking became more of a feat and space greatly reduced.

The return trip after the U-turn along Changi Coast road was sufficiently big and open again, very good running route with good shelter from the rising sun. Most of the trail area was covered and shady as well, except for some areas around the sand route where it gets really seawater musty and hot. But that will not beat the last 2km runway stretch being the ultimate runner’s mental test back to the finishing line without any shelter at all.

The organisers took effort into ensuring that the race route was fully understood by runners with maps and information besides the training run, with distinctively marked start and finish gantries so there won’t be last minutes shocks and changes to the route like the Mizuno wave run this year.

Terrain
The relief is generally all flat throughout, except for some minor gradient visible on the runway straights, all other parts of the course are perfectly flat, even the beach had some flat sandy areas on the bank tops where all the runners ended up running along too. With the exception of weather, the Sentosa course was very much more difficult to run than at Changi, especially being faced with hillys ups and down, not to mention large open beaches on the sand part- the Changi route was simply much more “soft” to be called an “ultimate cross terrain challenge”.

10km runners flagged off

The Start Line

The vast spaces

Post-race management
The post race was excellent, the whole changi exhibition center was booked for the event and air-conditioning was turned on all round – a perfect and open place for all runners to cool down after the scorching finish. There were lots of outdoor shelters and 100-plus umbrellas for those who wanted to acclimatize for awhile after finishing before entering the air-conditioned environment.

Race carnival
All the race carnivals and race booths are all situated in the exhibition center itself, with ample space for crowds without any congestion, and was space not an issue here – with the total floor area of few aircraft hangers, need more space and head to the back of the center where you will be greeted by a long big empty air-conditioned space to your hearts delight. No nearby food hawkers? Hungry? everything is cater for, all you need to do is to show the greens.

The lucky draw was held a the the central stage and 91.3 DJS Suzanne walker and Joe from the Morning show were there to keep the crowd chirpy and entertained, though being DJs they tend to talk more than what they usually should do, but that didn’t stop the crowd from staying till the end of the lucky draw with all prizes drawn out on the day itself to the crowd content, contrary to the rather disappointing “single draw or direct donation to charity if no takers” during the 2005 event. Glad they didn’t do this this year.

Collection Points
I finally came to understand why the 10km start time is pushed to 7.30am instead of 7.45am – having the 15km at 7.30am and the 10km 7.45am as opposed previously will only add to the congestion at the finish and possible large surge in crowds for the 2 events possibly converging and finishing together, (since only with a lag time of only about 10-15mins for the top runners). Having the 10km starting safely earlier will ensure all these runners clearing their league of the race first so there won’t be bottlenecks at the finishing line and bag collection points, and since that 15km runners will definitely come later than their 10km counterparts, everything will be clear and ready for the next 15km wave to be accommodated when they arrive.

I personally did not deposit any baggage, but heard baggage collection was fast and breezy having the need to pay $1 to deposit your bag, so it’s very much like having an ERP charge which definitely kept the numbers of bags down.

Goodie bag collection was a great breeze too and just like every year there were no long queues at all, it’s like dash and go, no matter when you finish. Maybe Mizuno waverun can learn a thing or two from the Realrun too, also given the fact that this is a new venue with lots of opportunities for things to go wrong, glad the organizing committee saw that through.

Exhibition Center

Our Prize winners!

My SGRunners Achievement Certificate!

Prizes
Top timings go to “superman” a Malaysian for 15km in just 52min. And for 10km opens, it was like 32mins. Results wise, 4 of our SP track and field runners came in within the top 20 of the Men’s Junior category and Brokie from the SGrunners presented me with my events certificate of achievement today as well! Cheers to the SGrunners, Yoke Thye and GuetPing who were there too.

Heading Back
The roads only open up after 10am, this is a technical and safety limitation so anyone who wants out before that have to make their way out by foot which quite a few runners were seen doing, otherwise the carparks and shuttle bus services towards Pasir-Ris will start at 10am sharp when the roads are re-opened. While those who drove will only be greeted by an oven hot car to head back home, there was a healthy flow of air-conditioned shuttle buses for those who needs a free lift back to Pasir-Ris. The buses kept up pretty well with the horde of crowds heading back, even at the end of the event- waiting time for buses never went past 5mins on a single wait, not only people were queuing up for buses, the buses were also queuing up to be boarded as well, well done!

Overall 8.5/10 (Highly Satisfying Race)
Good race! The Realrun team never disappoint with this year’s run, despite all the challenges with a new route and venue. Logistics to transport were all thought through. Commendable!