Sports & Health

"Good health and good sense are two of life's greatest blessings" - Publilius Syrus (1st Century BC Roman Author)



My Next Race

Posted: 20 June 2007

James Cunningham Seawall Race

Check out the Seawall Race at Stanley Park
So we with the Longest Day 10K Run behind me, and the half marathon several months into next year, I've set some intermediate short term goals. I will need to run several more races before I'll be ready for the half marathon, and I have my sights set for the Seawall Race at Stanley Park. It's a shorter 9.5K Run, but should keep me on my toes...

I forgot to mention, in preparation for the last run, I read an excellent book by Frank Shorter entitled "Running for Peak Performance". I wrote a book review on it, and if you're thinking of racing long distance, it's a good book to start with.


WE DID IT!!!

Posted: 17 June 2007

Longest Day Run

FRIDAY, 15 June 2007: I finished the Longest Day 10K race at UBC in 55 minutes and 29.9 seconds. That's below the 1 hour goal I set for myself. I finished 177th in the Overall 10K Race, out of 314 participants in the category. Here are the Official 10K Overall Results.

Ayu finished in 36 minutes and 59.2 seconds in the 5K division. That's below her personal 40-minute goal she set for herself. That translates to number 159 out of 191 people in the Female 5K division. Here are the Official 5K Female Results. You see her happily running towards the finish line on the right.

The race was very enjoyable. We were both so happy and psyched to have completed the race, and in the time we accomplished. We'll definitely be entering more events. There was food and music, and lots of prizes. We didn't win any of the 100 lucky draws for the day. Just our luck. But we did purchase hoodies as souvenirs for the event, which we'll wear proudly. What do you think?

Roy's Hoody Ayu's Hoody
Longest Day Run

So what's next? I think I'll be trying for the half marathon next year. I'll be targeting the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon which starts at UBC and ends at Stanley Park. This will be for June 2008. I'll need to run a few more 10K races before then. Wish me luck!


Longest Day Run

Posted: 10 May 2007

Longest Day Run

Check out the Longest Day Run at UBC
SUNDAY, 6 May 2007: So we finally did it! My wife and I have registered for the Longest Day Run scheduled for 15 June 2007. I have signed up for the 10K Run, while my wife will do the 5K. I'm looking forward to it. Finally... scheduling it means I'm committed to doing it. I'll be able to strike off another goal for 2007. Wish me luck!


First Day at Gold's Gym

Posted: 11 February 2007

SATURDAY, 10 February 2007: So my wife and I enrolled to Gold's Gym located on UBC campus. It's really close to our house at Acadia Park, so hopefully we'll be able to go often. Our package comes with 4 half-hour sessions with a personal trainer. And today was my first session.

It was a good session. We basically went over my history, my diet, and my health goals (which is what this page is all about). Here's a summary of goals we established:
  • Short Term: Go to the Gym twice a week for 4 weeks
  • Mid Term: Run the Longest Day 10K Run at UBC
  • Long Term: Meet a General Fitness Goal as measured against national averages.
The long term goal is actually TBD (to be determined). I'll be doing a series of tests to measure my current fitness level. I'll then set some goals for the end of the year. And finally, I'll re-measure at the end of the year to see how I did. Throughout the next 3 sessions, my trainer and I will design a fitness regime to improve my general fitness level. I'm really looking forward to it!
Gold's Gym at UBC

This is Gold's Gym at UBC


Strength Training Improves Bone Density


I found out recently that Strength Training actually improves bone density. I enjoy competitive sports, and have always thought that competitive sports was enough to keep me fit and healthy. And though this may be true for the most part, adding Strength Training to my routine will vastly improve my general health. And so... I've decided to go to the gym and work some weights. I'm also comtemplating getting a personal trainer, at least for the short term, to educate myself on proper weight training. After all, I'm no expert.. And if you want to be a master, you have to learn from somewhere.

Out of my original 10 resolutions for 2007, I have only ONE goal for this section, Goal #9: Participate in a public sports event or competition. I have 2 such events / competitions in mind which will accomplish this goal:

- Badminton with Malaysian in BC
- Longest Day 5K run at UBC

I'll keep you posted of my developments.


Run for it!!!


Copyright Azroy Kandan 2007

Last Updated: 2 July 2007