as D-Day looms...

as a prequel to my standard chartered marathon in 7days' time, i shall do a special entry on my running gear on the big day! =)

i always thought that running is one of the cheapest sports to pursue, afterall, all you need is a pair of trainers right? but i soon realised how wrong i have been..

i've been running "seriously" (and i'm taking the liberty to use this word loosely) for about half a year now and i've amass quite a good set of running gear! here's a sneak to my arsenal on the race day... =)

1. shades

OAKLEYS radar

since i'm not a big fan of suffocating my head with a cap, shades are crucial to protect my eyes from the harmful UV shits. my oakleys have a psychological effect on me in a way that i don't feel as hot though the sun is pouring molten lava down on me.

and i have never seen anyone look bad in oakleys before! ;)

2. apparels

ADIDAS formation top and SKINS compression tights

i was deciding between nike or adidas but, oh well, the marathon is adidas-sponsored so might as well. i know how obscene tights can be on men, but the benefits far outweighs the obscene part(s). i swear by SKINS compressions tights, (though many have raved about 2XU tights but i've tried and don't like them) love the roomy groin area (HEH) and the way it hold my quads and hamstrings in place. i really hope this pair of tights will make the difference this year. =)

3. Marathon belts and PowerGels

ULTIMATE DIRECTION and POWERBAR

UD have constantly produced outstanding running gears like hydration belts and bottles. but i really love this as i'm able to store all 7 packets of PowerGels within the 2 side pouches and it holds well in place! i'll be carrying 7 packets of Gels this time around; 3 Green apple 3 Tangerine 1 Double Latte. i know i will not be consuming them all but better be prepared for any emergencies! oh yes, for the uninitiated, the Gels are packed with energy, carbs, sugar and sodium to give us the boost to carry on! =)

4. Race Bib Belt.

ZOOT

Zoot race belt looks sleek and i prefer the toggle system rather than the recently popularised clip system. (that's my last year's race number btw..)

5. Socks

WIGWAM Ironman

i sincerely believed that Wigwam Ironman socks are one of the best money can buy. weel have raved to me about how good injinji toe socks are (they're rather ex!) but i think i'm comfortable sticking to the good old conventional ones! if they're good for Ironman, they're certainly good enough for me!

6. Shoes

ASICS

more elite and professional runners in the world uses and trusts Asics more than any other brands. and if you ask me, there has got to be a reason for it. a fan of them since my JC days, they've cemented their place as my running staple. this year, i'll be using the GT2130. the best and most expensive pair i've used in my life thus far.

 

7. Running Computer

POLAR

yes, the umbrella company i work under owns the distribution rights of POLAR heart rate monitors in singapore but i shall be impartial in this assessment. while Garmin stands tall in the arena of GPS running systems and mio/sportsline in the "touch-and-measure" heart rate trainings. POLAR is, by far and large, the best and most established Heart Rate Monitor in, not only Singapore, but the World. 

i'll be wearing my HRM this race not to assess if i'm going to collapse anytime soon (which i have no intentions of), but to give me the estimated amount of calories burnt. i'm expecting to burn around 4000kcal for the whole marathon depending on how long i'll take. that's about the amount of calories you consume in 3.5 days. or 6.5days if your name is veronica neo. 

the little funky device (to be attached on your shoes) with orange reflective stickers is my footpod that gives me my running speed and total distance i've covered. since i'll be running the whole 42km on my own this year, i'll need my polar to let me know if i'm going too fast or too slow in order to hit within my target of 4.5hours.

quality comes with a hefty price tag. in this case, it's SGD$929.00. 

good thing, in adrian's words, i'm "sponsored".

8. Sports Drink

POWERBAR Endurance

aside from the mandatory 100plus throughout the race course, i'll be consuming gallons of Powerbar Endurance on the day and 1.5 hours before the race. apparently, thet's what adrian mok did when he achieve his marathon PB! 

9. Lubricants

BODYGLIDE

yes, this is the triathlete's and runner's version of the all-powerful lube! its primary role will be for application to hotspots which are prone to abrasion and chafing, which for me will be my hairy manly arm pits. its secondary role.. well... you never know...

10. Communication

NIKE handphone pouch and W910i

ok, this is one of my biggest headache as i want to remain focused throughout the run and i've never like the idea of carrying a handphone on my runs. but i have 2 good reasons to carry it. one, gene is running the last 10km with me and i guess we might need to link up a meet-up location and to notify him when i'm reaching.

two, i want to call yueshan after the race. =)

sidenote:

wish me luck! =)

and sorry if you dont understand some parts of this entry! =s