Category Archives: training updates

It’s a week since I last took the bus and I almost forgot what it feels like. Having to constantly shuffle from place to place on my 2-wheeler, it’s been quite a while since I have had any zone-out time. It’s at least 3, sometimes 4 trips a day, across the island: from home to the shed in the west, to the office which is in the east, sometimes back to the shed in the west, then home which is quiet central. And I don’t particularly love taking the trains. Takes me longer to get anywhere now, and it feels like a quarter of the population are on the trains at every single hour in the day.

So a much appreciated and quiet bus ride, gave me some time to reflect on things going on around me. It somehow feels I no longer have a place in sport in Singapore. People applaud for the sacrifice and discipline but are they really mocking me behind my back. The politically correct attitude can sometimes do more harm than good. And in this situation, it’s driving me down the gutter. From the way I see it, if there’s no wish to support, just kill the program. If I get rewarded for making the leap to greener pastures, who then should I credit it to. I’d be lying in my pants if I said it is because of the local sports system, the same system that refuse to provide any help at all?

I enjoy every bit of rowing, heaps. But I don’t enjoy doing it here. I have had more bad experience than I have good ones. 630 am OTW on my own for most of my time here. Caught in a sudden massive thunderstorm while out rowing and had sit it out at the pontoon, holding onto the boat for dear life. A coach who camped out at the 1000m mark to fish during training. A coach who demanded prize money from me 2 months before a major regatta. People who have tried to back stab me. People who simply just don’t want me to succeed. I’ll just stop it there.

At the end of the day, like one of the great Muhammad Ali quotes: “The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses – behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”

Extremely stoked as I have just signed with Maximuscle, Britain’s No.1 Sports Nutrition company. Huge thanks to Jonathan and Alex of Status Sports Pte Ltd, who is responsible for Maximuscle – Singapore. The combination of the Maximuscle and Maxifuel range is the perfect combination to help support my nutritional needs.

Maxinutrition, which is responsible for Maximuscle, Maxifuel and Maxitone, is also working together with UK Sport.  Read about it here. Definitely helps to assure me that I’ve chosen the best.

If you’re keen to know more about their products, feel free to check out their website and visit their facebook page for information and updates. Alternatively, contact me and I’ll be glad to share my experiences.

Feels really good to get in a 22 hour training week. As it’s a recovery week for weights sessions, subsequently when i’m back to full weights training load, fit in a second morning outing on saturday and lengthen a couple of weekday outings, i’ll be on a 25 hour training week, and over 100km mileage. I’m just shy at 91km. But everything’s picking up.

Tried out my new polar G3 gps and i must say i’m loving it so far. I still believe nothing can replace a good coach. But when you don’t have that, or any coach for that matter of fact, you find ways and means to substitutes. I turn to gadgets. The ease at which it overlays my boat speed and hr data, helps me look at my sessions with a clearer prespective.

It’s been a good start to the week. Kicked off with the usual Monday powerstrokes session that went really well, followed by the last of my tests, the 30min capped rate 20 in the arvo. Determined to finish off on a high, after the rather disappointing 2k, and I broke new milestones. Purposeful strokes is what Al taught me. Being able to sit there for the next 30mins, churning out big ones every single stroke, is quite a remarkable feeling. Moving forward, to start working more on rating pieces, to get my 2k up to speed, and continue building my mileage. Everything seems to be in place, only in the training department that is.

What could be more refreshing than to start a ride, gradually ride into a drizzle, followed by rain, then a massive downpour. It certainly was worth it though. Absolutely brilliant water conditions afterwards to finish off another day with 16k of work, inclusive of rhythm pieces with rate work. Weight sessions are slightly shorter with only an hour and a half of work. Focusing on ramping up the maximal strength during this early part of the season. Translating this into the boat in key.

First erg battery tests for the year. In fact, this is where all the erg work happens. There’s only so much earphones and a mirror can do. I just have to battle on alone.

Sitting at home nursing a fever is not the preparation I was looking to have going into my battery tests week. And it sucks to feel crappy over the holiday period. You just don’t get as much out of a conversation when half the time you’re either stoning or zoning out. It did give me plenty of time to reflect on my further plans. After all the discussions on training and plans, supposedly to move forward, it was made quite clear to me that the emphasis will not be on high performance. Yes, it was rather disheartening to hear. 4 years of self perseverance and hard work have been turned a blind eye. I gave my word and committed to compete in rowing and I am just starting to make some head waves. Now these crownies want to ride on my sweat and blood, hoping to juice out some funds for their own plans, which to me based on plenty of years of statistics, have failed. So what makes this time different? None of who they have ‘groomed’ have gone this far. Or should I say, all they have ‘groomed’ are dropouts. Probably found the going too tough to handle.

All the fiasco did not stop me in the past, and it isn’t going to stop me now. The ideas of rowing are way beyond them and I am going to show everyone how it should be done. And this time, I’m not going to keep quiet about it. Asian Games was a milestone I set myself and achieved with the determination and help of my dedicated mates and I think people should know the truth about it. I chose to continue to train by myself at the end of 2008, all the way through 2009. D.Plews was there to kick my butt in the lab, Gay was the guiding light that brought me through one of my toughest times. It got me to the Games. Though I didn’t come back with silverware, it was testament that perseverance and hard work does have its rewards. If I wanted to scrutinize the support given, I can say how none came to see me off at the airport, none asked if I needed help with transporting oars to/fro from the airport and the icing on the cake would be a boat request rental form was not even submitted. So that means, I entered the regatta without having a boat. You paint the rest of the picture yourself.

The next step up is going to be a much bigger and harder climb. It is probably going to seem drastic to those who think small, but I think the situation calls for it. The best thing is, technically speaking, there is really nothing wrong with it. Unfortunately for some, this isn’t going to be done hush hush. I just hope I’ll be able to pull it off this time.

There’s an informal dinner held at Mercantile Rowing Club, to help Queensland rowers get to Nationals.

Quote from the facebook event info: “One of the best parts about becoming a rower is that not only do you get involved in a fantastic sport but you become a part of an amazing community.”

Here’s the link

If you happen to be in Melbourne, please do join them.

Just in case you don’t happen to have facebook, here’s some information as well as the right people to contact about the event.

“Although the rowers only make up a small part of Queensland they are a massive part of our rowing community! So let’s get behind them as they not only try to rebuild their lives and their city but rebuild the sport that we all love.

Come and join us at 6:30pm on the 5th of February for an informal dinner at Mercantile Rowing Club. Family and friends MORE than welcome!!! (More details to come very soon)

If you are unable to attend please donate to help a great cause!

Contact Kat – 0424 633 474 or Emma – 0413 697 263  for more details”

It’s great to now have the support of Ankaa Rowing Shoes. High quality, handmade rowing shoes. After I started using them in 2007, I’ve never looked elsewhere. The shoes are made with excellent workmanship, fits perfectly, and I did not experience any abrasion on sessions where I forgot my socks. Pretty amazing stuff. And you don’t have to worry that it wouldn’t fit your boat, because all you need to do is just indicate to them whether you are using a European boat or other international boats, and they can configure the holes accordingly! Check out their website at www.ankaarowingshoes.com and try them for yourself.

Thanks Ankaa Rowing Shoes for the wonderful shoes!