I m Boru! From Couch to IM, Boru shows you the how

Nov

2009

Ingenuity Saves $$

Sometimes, if you think a bit, you don’t need to get sucked into the buy-buy-buy world of triathlon.

I wanted to get a proper “cover” for my bike fork so it doesn’t scratch itself and the car. But the free ones I got didnt fit well, and the ones that did were…. $10 too expensive.

So, I went to a hardware store and got myself some table/chair leg ends. I spent a while trying to figure out which ones would fit <too big and they drop off, too small and the soft carbon might be compromised>.

Behold…. the booties the fork fit into.

Nov

2009

Garmin Forerunner 310 XT

I found the holy grail combining HRM with wrist GPS and great logbook interface. Can also be used on the swim and bike too!

Now, to wait for the price to drop… its $600 to $seven00 now. =s

Or sell more of the stuff I don’t use….

Nov

2009

How to Use CO2

1. Buy threaded canisters

2. Buy nozzle with flow control lever

3. Screw the nozzle onto the tire valve BEFORE screwing in the canister

4. Inflate the inner tube a bit by blowing air with mouth. Use tongue to depress presta valve. Then put the tube into the bead.

Nov

2009

The Best Fuel on the Run

Coca Cola. I am so trying that in my next race. Hmmmm… maybe I try that for Feb’s Aquathon. Swim/Run.

posted 2 weeks ago

Nov

2009

Re-Focus

Focus

10 Aug 2009

There are many things I desire to be, have and own… but one needs to focus, if not, everything will be done half heartedly, incomplete.

To narrow things down, I have decided to focus on the following things for the next 6 mths:

0. -

1. I will complete a Sprint and OD Tri, and a half marathon.

- done the sprint, and come 6 Dec, will have done a half marathon.

2. Make Running my strongest discipline.

- Getting there. I’ve progressed from walking around the block to 3km to 6km today. Not too shabby. No plantar or shin splints so far, with the slow running progression. I was so stupid last 6 months for pia-ing and then getting injured.

Bonus: I have been slowing building mileage for the bike. Want to do more cycling and lose more weight before I run full on.

3. To make some sort of action towards home ownership.

- This is on the backburner for a bit. Have to increase $$ before attempting it again.

4. To do loops 3x a week.

- I walk around the block 3x. So, good.

- At this point, I tell myself to build the consistency and <try to> not hate running, rather than worry abt the mileage or the speed.

5. Go to work everyday.

- I have been. But this one needs a lot more focus.

6. Drastically change the discontent at work.

- Have been offered some postgrad support, build a retail shop, build my own photo biz and fully take charge of the spindle.

All in all: I say, very good progress have been made. So my next set of goals should be more specific.

Every single tiny part of the bike explained

Nov

2009

Bike Glossary

Fit Calculator

Where to ride torturous hills?

… and finally, where to buy that magical bike.

Nov

2009

Before

After

Deconstructing the Cycling Jersey

Because I wanted to have easy access to camera, I decided to wear the foc jersey I got from OCBC cycle. But it doesnt fit me well. Too tight ard the arms, too tight ard the waist. Felt like wearing saran wrap likedat.

So, I decided to snip off the sleeves by cutting a straight line up from the armpits to the shoulders. Result: capped sleeves. Simple right? I do it all the time.

Goddamnit! Boru should have left it like that.

But I wanted more! I wanted SLEEVELESS!

Unfortunately, a tailor I am not. The lack of info on Instructibles and youtube didn’t deter me. I like digging deep deep holes.

Let me count the ways it went wrong:

1. 4 boobs better than 2?

I marked the point where my shoulders ended… and cut from the armpit to that point. Logical right? Instant sleeveless right? NO!

Result: I ended up with some extra cloth coming from my armpit which makes me look I got a boob hanging from my armpit.

2. Nobody notices small boobs.

I then decided to trim more of the “extra” cloth to make it less “extra” - you know what I mean?

Result: Armhole so big, my ENTIRE real boob can be seen.

Anyhoo, I will wear it the next time we go cycling. And get somebody to take a pix of this monstrosity hanging off my bodacious frame.

Nov

2009

They put Takuya Kimura’s face onto David Elsewhere’s body. SHWEET!

I like Kimura but, he can’t dance ok. And this is so wrong at 00:02.

BTW, David Elsewhere is the “body” behind the shweet ipod ads.

Update:

A jap friend told me that “skinny ah chut-tehh” means “anyway you like it….”

Luckily he didn’t harangue me too much, cos the last time I asked him what “shaka-la” means in a train announcement.

Nov

2009

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

iiiii… can gib u gatsbeee… gatserbeee….. gatserbeeeh….

my all time fav song.

Nov

2009

Doing the PCN <Park Connector Network>

Hi ho a merry ho! Tomorrow, Lisa, PP and Sumo <Boru becomes Sumo when on 2 wheels> will be doing the 42km Eastern Park Connector tomorrow morning.

Hope it doesn’t rain, and sun shine many many. =D

Update:

1. The sun shined many many.

2. The route from ECP to Siglap to Bedok to Tampines WAS A BITCH! So many obstacles in the form of traffic lights, stairs, overhead bridges, bus stops, grilled drain covers, kerbs and pedestrians. Took 3 hrs to travel 10km! For every 1 min of cycling, there was five mins of obstacle clearing.

BUT, the Siglap park connector was surreal. It was a quiet path that takes you along the back of people’s houses. So close you can look in… heehee.

3. Route from Tampines to Loyang to Changi Village was very shiok. Long continuous climbs and descents on tarmac paths. It was about 12km. Took 1 hr to travel.

4. Route from Changi Village to Coastal Road back to ECP was smooth as usual. Took 1 hr and a bit to travel the last 20km.

Learnings:

1. Get a bento box or wear a cycling jersey to keep phone/camera. Wanted to whip it out to take photos but so leychey to stop and squeeze it out of saddlebag everytime. i.e. no photos taken. =<

2. Eat more often. Got a big heat/sugar/food headache after the ride.

Nov

2009

Sports Massage

This is what you get when you don’t go to the correct therapist.

My first sports massage with a sports massage studio at IRAS was an excruciating experience. Cheap tho. $30 for an hour.

Subsequent ones with Physio Solutions were good, to the point of great. Expensive tho, $80 per hr, But very very good. Went in with prolonged ache on the heel, left with no ache. Even better than foot reflexology because sometimes, the ache is not only localised, but is due to other muscles being tight, hence creating stress on the heel.

I also like the therapists at Physio Solutions. Besides having loads of current experience with sportspeople, they are also knowledgeable and fun to talk to. And very angmo pai also. There’s a therapist there that <I SWEAR> sounds and looks like Ah Ma from PCK.

My fav. thing about Physio Solutions is their one and only Physiotherapist Gino Ng. A SEA games triathlete, now retired, he never fails to answer my smses… and gave me very gd advice for the road bike. PLUS, he taught me how to run injury free.

Nov

2009

So cute this bike horn! I want this fatty sumo! I put on my mean roadie and ride it during the triathlons. Will also ride it during the IM, if somebody gets it for me! hee!

Google Interview Questions

Nov

2009

I tried to think through the one with the basketballs. It must somehow be like the one about the lightbulbs.

Lightbulbs:

There are 3 switches on the grd floor. There is a lightbulb on the first floor, and another on the 2nd floor. From where you are standing, you cannot see the 2nd floor. But you can only go upstairs ONCE. How do you tell which switch belongs to which lightbulb?

… and more google questions.

I’ve concluded that the universal answer to these google questions is right in our faces. GOOGLE THE ANSWER, dumbass.

Nov

2009

Note to Self

There are a couple of big upgrades I can make to the bike, for it to be lighter and go faster.

1. Lose weight - 15kg.

2. Get a stronger pair of legs.

3. Carbon race wheels. CKT similarly aero as Zipp, but costs half the price.