EVarella

Athletes enjoy earning their badges of honour after each race. The finisher t-shirt and medal are evidence of their achievement. It recognizes the runner, swimmer, cyclist or triathlete of what they have accomplished. Thus, you may see a new wave of fashion comprising finisher-tees flooding the malls on weekends. Few people would dare ask you if you ran the marathon, or walked part of it when you wear a t-shirt that boldly states: ‘Finisher of 42.195km’. It’s your shirt, and you earned it... Read Full Story

With 3 more weeks to go to my 12 th Ironman, I feel I am beginning to gain momentum in my progress. The grind through the long sessions was particularly hard on both my body and mind. My upper body strength during my swim sessions is improving. My riding speed is holding steady, especially with a road-bike and narrow-rimmed wheels. My run off the ride is more certain, sure and studied. My running cadence is nearing 90rpm consistently, with the heightened possibility of a negative split (I... Read Full Story

I just returned from an overseas trip. I conducted two sessions of branding workshops, focused on demonstrating brand values and delivering on the brand promise. What is your brand promise? That is your mission statement to yourself, your customers and business partners. By boldly stating my cause, I have positioned my interests and intentions to others. My brand promise to my sponsors and donors of my charity, Cystic Fibrosis for Kids (of New Zealand) is threefold: 1)     Commit to training... Read Full Story

Last week, I completed almost 15 hours of training for Ironman: a rare and unprecedented achievement. In the past, I found it hard to complete most of Fox’s recommended program. I was glad to get back to swimming, opting to do multiple sets with the pool-buoy. I avoided swim-paddles as I got injured years ago from the strenuous impact afforded by my right shoulder joint. My left chest is still sore when I breathe deeply, however the discomfort s subsiding. I still suspect either a strain or a... Read Full Story

What is the difference between a world-class photographer and an amateur photographer? Answer: Both know how to take good photographs, but the professional knows when. I have often heard colleagues and clients mutter: ‘I rather work with professionals!’ What do they mean? Professionals are people in occupations (professions) who profess to do something, or one thing very well. They may not be the ‘jack of all trades’ yet they may be a master of one skill or expertise. With a strong... Read Full Story

Under the leadership of our new president, Andy Ng we successfully delivered this year’s edition of the Triathlon Family Singapore (TriFam) short-course triathlon. With the use of social media (mainly Facebook) and the $30 registration fee, about 130 enthusiastic participants showed up for the short-hand triathlon comprising 750m swim, 18K ride and 5K run. This multi-sport race is suitable for triathletes of all levels – whether you are a beginner or seasoned triathlete. Organisers ensured... Read Full Story

Long-distance athletes appreciate the term ‘going long’. It describes the extended mileage of runners and triathletes who need to train at/near the duration of their intended races. Going long requires a string aerobic base so completing double-digits (on the run) and triple-digits (on the ride) in kilometres is not unusual. Firstly, a big shout out to the Singaporean team doing the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon tomorrow. Special mention goes out to Uncle Kor (who turned 80 this week... Read Full Story

Last night, as I was about to plunge into my solo strength-training sessions on my bike, I met Marco , my TriFam friend. I asked to join him, and we did one large 30K-plus loop of Selarang Hill. I felt that it was the safer thing to do, than to ride alone on a busy road and to break way from a monotonous circuit I normally ride on. I combined two strength sessions in one: one on the heaviest gear, and the other a lighter one. I was to test my fitness on two separate time-trial sessions. I... Read Full Story

After almost two weeks out of the water, I was glad to return to swimming. Last night, I attempted to swim with a pool buoy in the public pool. It started smoothly and unimpeded, until the after-hours crowd decided to exceed their personal boundaries into mine. I managed about 2.3K worth of 100m sets before my left chest started feeling sore. I suspect either a hairline crack on my rib/s, or strained inter-coastal muscles. When I slammed onto the back of a truck while riding two weekends ago... Read Full Story

Yesterday, the Triathlon Family Singapore committee and volunteers met to discuss our roles in the coming Triathlon Sprint . This is an annual event that attracts new and seasoned triathletes. All participants will complete on loop of the swim, ride and run. Some of the best roller-coaster rides include loops, and these are heart-stopping, adrenaline-infused, portions of the short but intense ride. The G-forces offered by these cleverly design rides increase at certain rises in the crest of... Read Full Story