Suunto's New Toys - Part 2

Suunto Foot POD now available in bright colours
Measure your distance and speed in an easy, accurate and stylish manner using the Suunto Foot POD running sensor.

Suunto is bringing to market a special batch of easy-to-use and colourful Suunto Foot POD units, matching the look of the Suunto heart rate monitors. The accurate speed and distance meter brings new life to your training.

Training kilometres and average speed are important information when training for spring and summer running events. Even if you are exercising just for fun, it is nice to keep track of the distance ran. When using the Suunto Foot POD, your heart rate monitor gives you even more information on your progress in fitness training.

The Foot POD is easy to use. You simply stick it in the holder strapped to your shoelaces. The Foot POD automatically starts to measure distance and speed when you take your first step. The device turns itself off automatically when it is not used for half an hour. The lightweight Foot POD only weighs 27 grams.

The Suunto Foot POD measures speed and distance with extreme accuracy, even if stride length varies. The device monitors the movement of the foot when running, walking, or doing uphill training with sticks – indoors or outdoors. Unlike traditional pedometers or the GPS POD, the Foot POD models the movement and counts each step separately. The accurate Foot POD is best suited for running or walking. GPS POD, on the other hand, is better for more versatile outdoor activities, such as roller blading.

”According to our user studies, women doing outdoor exercise are interested in measuring speed and distance, in addition to calorie consumption,” explains Tia Hänninen, Product Manager at Suunto. ”The Suunto Foot POD is easy to use and provides additional motivation for runners of all levels.”

The wireless Foot POD has an easily replaceable, long-lasting and ecological lithium battery. The device also indicates when it is time to replace the battery.
Thanks to the encoded transmission technology, the Foot POD gives you speed and distance data reliably, even at large-scale sporting events where many other heart rate monitors are being used nearby.

The Suunto Foot POD is compatible with the Suunto t3c, t4c, and t6c heart rate monitors.
The heart rate monitor sales packages include also the Suunto Comfort Belt, the Suunto Foot POD is sold in a separate sales package.

Suunto's New Toys - Part 1

The Suunto Triathlon Collection
Train Smarter with Suunto t6c Red Arrow and t3c Black Arrow heart rate monitors

To mark its co-operation with the ITU (International Triathlon Union), Suunto, a leading designer and manufacturer of sports precision instruments, introduces its Triathlon collection – the Suunto t6c Red Arrow and the Suunto t3c Black Arrow heart rate monitors. The devices feature the tried and tested features of their forerunners Suunto t3c and Suunto t6c.
Frodeno


The Suunto t6c Red Arrow is like a portable sports laboratory on the wrist for athletes with a professional attitude. It measures the time interval between heartbeats and its variations to produce seven different body parameters. By utilizing the accompanying software, an athlete can interpret this data to achieve a deeper analysis of their training sessions.

The Suunto t6c Red Arrow shows many of these measurement results directly on the display. For example Training Effect (the aerobic benefit of a training session on a one-to-five scale), EPOC (Excess Post-exercise oxygen consumption), and calories burned can all be seen at a glance. The user can also freely customize the display and choose which data they need most for their current training program. The sport-specific attachment PODs – Foot POD, Bike POD, GPS POD, Cadence POD and PC POD – also enable speed and distance data to be shown on the display of this wrist top computer.

For active sports participants and sports enthusiasts, the Suunto t3c Black Arrow
offers the opportunity to train more effectively and get real results.
In addition to the heart rate monitor, the device features a real-time Training Effect
display. The Training Effect (TE) value notes not only heart rate but also heart rate variation and so provides reliable information on workout intensity and its effect on fitness. Monitoring the TE value also reduces the risk of overtraining.

“I love the versatility of Suunto heart rate monitors”, says Jan Frodeno, German Triathlon Winner of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. “I can use one monitor for all the sports I practice and combine it with any Suunto speed and distance POD. The new Comfort Belt molds to my chest and goes unnoticed on my long runs. With my Suunto heart rate monitor, I can quickly and easily get the vital information I need to help me train smarter direct from my wrist – and get the most out of every session.” Jan Frodeno Olympic Gold Medalist ‘08, Triathlon.

Suunto serves as the official timing and data partner for the Dextro Energy Triathlon – ITU World Championships Series. The thrilling new series consists of eight triathlon events held in some of the world’s most well known cities, beginning on May 2nd in South Korea and ending with the Grand Final in Australia on September 13th, and reaching 100s of millions TV-viewers. The aim is to offer something for every type of triathlete – from the elite to the novice.

Suunto t6c Red Arrow and t3c Black Arrow will be available in late summer.

Chinese New Year Goodies Vs Ironman Traininig

This is the time of the year when everyone will be guilt-free and indulge in the Chinese New Year Goodies, Bak Kwa, Pineapple Tarts, Almond Cookies, and all the scrumptious food at the reunion dinner table. Its a tough position for me this year as I am exactly one month away for the Ironman Langkawi. I will have to be really careful with my junk food intake for once.

The training must go on. No matter what. I will still have to train to bring my power to weight ratio to the highest possible. So here is my plan:



Chinese New Year Eve (Sunday): 60km bike ride in the morning before reunion dinner (Steam Boat) at night

Chinese New Year Day 1 (Monday): Slot in a 30mins run in the morning and a 1hour spin on the bike in the evening

Chinese New Year Day 2 (Tuesday): Rest (Control the junk food day)

Chinese New Year Day 3 (Wednesday): 160km Bike Ride

Chinese New Year Day 4 (Thursday): Bike/Run Brick with Girlfriend

Chinese New Year Day 5 (Friday): Bike to work and back (est. 100km)

Chinese New Year Day 6 (Saturday): Swim/Run Brick

Chinese New Year Day 7 (Sunday): Team Bandung Ride

Chinese New Year Day 8 (Monday): Resume Synergy Swim Class

Chinese New Year Day 9 (Tuesday): Rest

Chinese New Year Day 10 (Wednesday): Swim Class With Synergy

Chinese New Year Day 11 (Thursday): Rest

Chinese New Year Day 12 (Friday): Rest

Chinese New Year Day 13 (Saturday): 25km run

Chinese New Year Day 14 (Sunday): Team Bandung Ride

Chinese New Year Day 15 (Monday): Aquathlon Training with Synergy

Training Updates

Well,

Last week supposed to be a hard hard week to build up for the Chinese New Year week of torture where everything will be super duper long (like 220km bike ride....4 hrs run and the tonnes of brick training).

Of course, with all the ambitious plans, the body will response differently. While typing this I am nursing a sore left shoulder and neck. But I am still optimistic about the weeks ahead...anyway, I did not went out as hard as the previous week but I did complete majority of my training. Pool work is ok....managed t complete most of it. The only thing is I missed my thursday 10km run, so I have to make it up on Saturday with a run at MacRichite Trail which I has looking forward too as I am more of a offroader (Mountain Biking and Trail Running) and then finished off with a Sunday Ride with Team Bandung....

And of course, I am very happy about the fact that my weight is coming down and I need to get my power to weight ratio as high as possible. Well, one new week and more training ahead.

Week One heading to Week Two

After a Lovely dinner with Love One on friday at El Toro Paradiso and a nice chilling walk by the beach, its time to kick in the hard brick weekend. Saturday was a swim at Katong Swimming Complex with the Team Bandung guys...not bad, just that I am the slowest one in terms of freestyle, told myself to hang in there and then after 3 x 500m swim and a 3 x 200m swim, I zipped off towards Suntec and Singapore Flyer for a 10km run. Managed to clock in a really hard and fast 50plus minutes 10km. Felt that I will probably subject myself to blood blister on my feet and true enough it happens...arghhh...not again...silly me trying to run without sock.

Anyway, I was supposed to do a 120km bike on sunday and guess what, I body decided to boycott with a indigestion by sending me a heartburn....darned! oh well, so today is monday, decided to try another brick with a bike and then attending the swim class with Synergy and then bike home....totally satisfying.

Training...Updates....

Its been 3 days since I embarked on the training to prepare for the Ironman Training. Well, its not absolutely a smooth training phase because beside following the training plan, I have to realize the physiological part of me. I am not made of Iron though I am trying my hands on the Ironman for the first time.

Day 1: 2km pool swim (complete 50min - feeling fresh after the swim)

Day 2: Synergy Training (completed 1 x 500m warm up swim, 1 x 500m base swim)
(Uncompleted 1 x 400m - 6 beat kick swimming, only finished 3oom)

Day 3: 10km run (complete in 1hr Flat)

Day 4: Rest (dinner with love one)

Road To IM Langkawi

For the last 2 months or so I was really in my Slacker, Lazy-bone mode though I told everyone that I need to train hard for the Ironman Langkawi. What a joke it was and it takes someone who is very very important to me to tell me of my attitude towards training. I used to be so focus in my training, I remembered the time when I quit my job, unplucked myself from my comfort zone and head out to Sabah for one solid month, just to train hard for the Ironman 70.3. And now, I am easing myself into my unforgiving Slacker attitude hoping that by doing less I will still get good results. It is definitely not the time to do that mate!

Of course, something needs to be down to address this situation, so I was up the other and came out with my Training Plan, give it to my dearest and beloved. Did my first regime and guess what I completed my regime without a problem and here I am now on my computer in a coffee place in Anchorpoint writing this and preparing to go for the second day of my training. Woohoo!!! I am beginning to get the drive, the hunger, the momentum.

I am pretty much re-aligning to Peter Reid training philosophy again. You need to be hungry and motivated to do the Ironman and I am just doing that.

Stepping Up! Training

Training for 2008 is over and of course with the coming races in 2009, I realised that its time to step up the training plan.

So this is how it will look like in January:

6th Jan (Tuesday – 7pm to 9pm) - Light swim (mileage 2km)

7th Jan (Wednesday – 7pm to 9.30pm) - Pool Session with Synergy

8th Jan (Thursday – 7pm to 8.30pm) - 1hr Run

9th Jan (Friday) - Rest

10th Jan (Saturday – 9am to 2pm) - Bike and Run Brick

11th Jan (Sunday – 4am to 12nn) - Bandung Ride

12th Jan (Monday – 7pm to 9.30pm) - Pool Session with Synergy

13th Jan (Tuesday) - Rest

14th Jan (Wednesday – 7pm to 9.30pm) - Pool Session with Synergy

15th Jan (Thursday – 7pm to 9pm) - Run

16th Jan (Friday) - Rest

17th Jan (Saturday – 9am to 2pm) - Swim and Bike Brick

18th Jan (Sunday – 4pm to 7pm) - Speedwork (if no Bandung ride)

19th Jan (Monday) - Rest

20th Jan (Tuesday – 7pm to 8.30pm) - Run

21st Jan (Wednesday – 7pm to 9.30pm) - swim with Synergy

22nd Jan (Thursday) - Rest

23rd Jan (Friday) - Run

24th Jan ( Saturday) - Bike and Run Brick (Short)

25th Jan (Sunday) - CNY Eve

Ironman (Remembrance of Hero) - Part 2

Love of the Father is the key word to this person who will do everything just to give his son the quality of life his son deserve. He is none other than Dick Hoyt and together with his son Rick, they are fondly known on the Queen K highway as Team Hoyt.

This video speaks louder than anything that I have mention. Be Inspired!

Ironman (Remembrance of Heroes) - Part 1

In the spirit of the Ironman, I decided to take us through some of the heroes who has raced the Ironman over the last few years that brought many of us to tears and inspire us to be strong the chase our dreams.



First stop is none other than Jon "Blazeman" Blais. The Warrior Poet that fought strongly with ALS. Though he was gone last year but his Will and his Spirit lives on and had spurred us on to keep fighting and to have action against ALS. The famous roll to the finish line still can be seen at all the Ironman race and Chrissie Wellington did just that during this years race.

Blazeman, we salute you!

This is just one of the famous poem written by Jon Blais and it can be found on his website:

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your hearts longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams or for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your sorrow. If you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and close from fear of further pain. I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it or fit it. I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with the wildness and let the "Meatheadedness" fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, or to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you're telling is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself, if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. I want to know if you can be faithful and trustworthy. I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not there everyday, and if you can source your life from its presence. I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still shout stand on the edges of a lake, river or mountain and shout to the silver of the full moon. Yes! I'm a Meathead...

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after a night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done for someone you love.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself, and truly like the company you keep in the empty moments of your life and still remember me...

Your friend, Blazeman - King of all "Meatheads" 2004.

Ironman World Championship 08 Race Day Report

The results of the Ironman World Championship is out. Just like every Ironman race, one person misfortune is another person blessing. And yes, Ironman has a new World Champion. Craig "Crowie" Alexander is the new World Champion for the Men's Pro Field. Eneko Llanos second and my favourite and mos respected athlete Rutger Beke is third.

Not to mention Andy Potts attempting his first ironman after many years of short course and ITU triathlon came in an impressive 7th. Chris McCormack has to settle for a DNF due to a snap cable that the official says that it will take about 20mins to repair. So, he decided to call it a day. Timo Bracht was stripped off his 5th placing due to a bike course infraction.

On the women's side, Chrissie Wellington, the defending champion fenced off all comments about her last year win with a solid 15mins ahead of Yvonne Van Vlerken of The Netherlands. To top this off, she has a 10min deficit due to a tyre puncture that she has problem inflating a spare tyre. 3 catridges of CO2 cannisters and nothing works. Rebecca Keat threw a forth catridge to save the day.

This is truely the mark of a true champion. Triathlete Magazine press clipping is attached below for those who wants more insight.

Alexander and Wellington run away with Ironman World Championship

Mechanical mishap takes Macca out of the race; Wellington rebounds from a 10-minute flat-tire stop to dominate the women's race

Story and Photos by Brad Culp & Courtney Johnson

Oct. 11, 2008 -- In only his second attempt at the Hawaii Ironman World Championship, Australia's Craig Alexander used a blistering run to win by three minutes over Spaniard Eneko Llanos. In a field full of strong cyclists, "Crowie", as Alexander is known, remained patient on the bike and took over the race on the run. Alexander was 13th out of the water, 11th off the bike and first at the finish after a 2:45:00 marathon.

In the women's race, undefeated Iron-woman Chrissie Wellington of Great Britain battled back from a 10-minute stop to fix a flat tire to go on to win by 14:57 over Yvonne Van Vlerken of the Netherlands. Wellington's run-split of 2:57:44 was a new course record. Sandra Wallenhorst of Germany also ran under three hours (2:58:35) to finish third.

How the men's race unfolded

Few were surprised to see American Andy Potts, Frenchman Benjamin Sanson and Aussie Pete Jacobs smoke the rest of the field on the swim. Potts was first to exit the water, with Sanson three seconds back and Jacobs another three seconds behind. The group had three minutes on the next pack, which included Kiwi Bryan Rhodes and Spaniard Eneko Llanos.

Twenty miles into the bike Sanson still led and Potts was on the side of the road serving a drafting penalty. Super-bikers Chris Lieto (USA) and Torbjorn Sindballe (DEN) were less than half a mile behind Sanson and making up ground—fast. Also playing catch-up were defending champion Chris McCormack (AUS) and two-time champ Normann Stadler (GER), who were both about two minutes behind.

Flash-forward to the bike turnaround at Hawi and the leaderboard had changed entirely. Lieto Sindballe set the pace, with 2005 champ Faris Al-Sultan (GER) one minute back and Llanos two minutes behind. Shortly after the top athletes made their turn for home, McCormack snapped his front derailieur cable and was in serious trouble. Macca was told by tech support that it would take up to 20 minutes to repair and he decided to drop out of the race.

As the leaders stormed back toward Kailua-Kona, Sindballe dropped the hammer and began to pull away from everyone. Shortly after mile 70, we clocked Torbjorn at 28 mph, pedaling at 70 rpm. Needless to say, he was really grinding.

Sindballe hit T2 with a lead of almost five minutes (after a 4:27 bike-split) over Lieto and six minutes over Stadler. Next off the bike were Eneko Llanos and Al-Sultan, two of the strongest runners in the field.

Sindballe looked strong as he charged out of transition and onto Alii Drive, but Llanos and Stadler looked even better. The Great Dane’s lead quickly diminished and the pair of Llanos and Stadler made quick work of the two leaders (Lieto and Sindballe). At the 10-mile mark, Stadler was in the lead with Llanos only a few seconds behind. Lieto and Sindballe dropped well off the pace and Aussie Craig Alexander surged into third position, 2:30 behind the leaders.

Alexander took over the lead around the 17-mile mark, after running 6:20 per mile to that point. He opened up a small gap on Llanos and easily grew his lead with each passing stride. Shortly after Crowie moved into first, Brown passed Stadler to assume third position.

At the 22-mile mark the race was all but over. Alexander’s lead was at three minutes and growing fast, as Llanos battled to hang onto second over a surging Rutger Beke (BEL).

Alexander crossed the line in 8:17:45 after running a 2:45:00 marathon. Three minutes later, Llanos finished second, barely hold off Beke, who was only 33 seconds back of the runner-up. Two of the biggest surprises of the day came from the fourth and fifth place finishers. Ronnie Schildknecht (SUI), who won Ironman Switzerland earlier this year, finished in fourth today, only 23 seconds behind Beke. Fifth place was German Timo Bracht, who may be disqualified pending review of a bike-course infraction. The second, third and fourth place finishers (Llanos, Beke and Schildknecht) were separated by only 56 seconds.

In his first-ever Ironman Potts finished as the top American, in eighth place, after an 8:33:50 effort. Michael Lovato was the next American to finish – 57 seconds behind Potts – in tenth.

How the women's race unfolded

Team TBB athlete Hillary Biscay was out of the water first for the women in 54:35, followed closely by a pack of Gina Ferguson, Gina Kehr and Nina Kraft ten seconds back.

Onto the bike, Kraft made an early move in town and through the ten-mile mark had three seconds on Dede Grisebauer and Kehr, with Chrissie Wellington in fourth at only forty seconds back.

Shortly after fifteen miles Wellington took the lead, pushing a big gear and within thirty miles already was 1:10 up on second-place Leanda Cave and almost two minutes up on a third-place Grisebauer.

Similar to the changing winds blowing the field all over the place, the women’s standings on the bike were all over as Granger moved into second at forty miles, 2:40 back of Wellington. Cave and Grisebauer were only a few seconds back of Granger.

At 55 miles, Wellington flatted and had trouble inflating her spare tube. After going through three cartridges, Rebekah Keat threw another to her and rode off. The Britt, who typically takes the first bike of the bike easy, found herself having to play catch up. Wellington had a lead of five minutes when she flatted and afterward was six minutes behind the new leaders of Cave, Grisebauer and Granger.

Taking no time, Wellington started working through the field of women who passed her while she was stuck on the side of the road. At 59 miles she was only 5:20 back of Granger and at 75 miles she was only 1:17 behind Granger and already ahead of Cave and Grisebauer. Soon after 85 miles, she passed Granger and quickly started gaining time on her.

Into T2, Wellington had over seven minutes on Granger and eight on Yvonne Van Vlerken, who quickly plowed through the field coming back from Hawi.

At a speed as blazing as the heat out on the course, Wellington continued to gain more time on the run, and had 9:34 on Van Vlerken at mile four. Granger was now sitting in third at 11:36 back.

On pace to beat the run record set by Lori Bowden in 1999, Wellington ran 6:30 per mile through the first 8 miles, faster then every male except Craig Alexander, who was happy to know she was running 10-20 seconds per mile slower than him.

The searing temperatures in the Energy Lab didn’t slow the thirty one year old’s pace as she ran a 6:37 mile into the turnaround. Back on the Queen K and through twenty miles, Van Vlerken was over 13 minutes behind and Wallenhorst holding onto third another three minutes.

Onto Alii Drive, Wellington's lead continued as Wallenhorst gained time on Van Vlerken, making a close race for second.

Racing in honor of her grandmother who died of breast cancer six weeks ago and coming across the line doing the “Blazeman Roll”, Wellington won her second Ironman World Championship in 9:06:23, setting a new run course record by almost two minutes. In second in 9:21:20 was Quelle Challenge Roth winner Van Vlerken and in third was Ironman Austria winner Sandra Wallenhorst at 9:22:52.

Ford Ironman World Championship
Kona, Hawaii
October 11, 2008
2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run

Men
1. Craig Alexander (AUS) 8:17:45
2. Eneko Llanos (ESP) 8:20:50
3. Rutger Beke (BEL) 8:21:23
4. Ronnie Schildknecht (SUI) 8:21:46
5. Timo Bracht (GER) 8:23:04*
*pending disqualification ruling
6. Cameron Brown (NZL) 8:26:17

Women
1. Chrissie Wellington (GBR) 9:06:23
2. Yvonne Van Vlerken (NED) 9:21:20
3. Sandra Wallenhorst (GER) 9:22:52
4. Erika Csomor (HUN) 9:24:49
5. Linsey Corbin (USA) 9:28:51

Pro Athlete Interview for Kona 2008

This is the updates of some of the interview of the pro athletes for Kona.

Women's Pro

Interview with Chrissie Wellington


Interview with Yvonne Van Vlerken


Interview with Kate Major


Interview with Joanna Lawn


Interview with Natasha Badmann

Men's Pro

Interview with Chris McCormack


Interview with Faris Al-Sultan


Interview with Andy Potts


Interview with Luke Bell


Interview with Normann Stadler


Interview with Torbjorn Sinballe


Interview with Craig Alexander

Ironman World Championship

This is it. All the training and racing for the last one year and it will boil down to this weekend. Welcome to Ironman World Championship 2008. This is the 30th Anniversary for the M-Dot and as usual the race will start at the bay of Kailua Kona, Hawaii exactly at 7.00am on this coming saturday 11 Ocotber 2008.

30 years of Ironman

I am personally excited as I count down to the next 28 plus hours. Well, this years race you will see the showdown of the Elite Men Athlete like, the defending champion Chris McCormack (aka Macca), last year first runner-up Craig Alexander (aka Crowie) and Norminator - Norman Stadler and of course the Giant SUV, Torbjorn Sinaballe who say on yesterday's press conference that he is ready to stick on to the Norminator in the bike leg.



Macca talking to the press

On the Women's, Chrissie is set and poise to defend her title but with all humility and grace, she was telling the press that she is strong and trained well, but there are many girls out there that can still put a equally good race. Watch out for Rebecca Keat, Rebecca Preston, and Natasha Badmann and of course, Miss Consistency, Kate Major.



Chrissie, as always showing her sunshine laughter