Activities

The Big Race: Getting Fit For UTKC 2015

Koh Chang Trail Race

Koh Chang Trail Race

I mentioned this when the inaugural Ultra & Trail Koh Chang 2015 was announced last October.  This is Koh Chang’s first adventure race and is being organised by Go Adventures Asia, an event planner that specializes in organizing races, triathlons etc across SE Asia.  So it’s a professionally organised and managed event – i.e. not one with any real involvement by the local tourist authority or interest groups based on Koh Chang.

There are three events – 13Km, 35Km and 66Km.  The event will take place in the southeast of the island on routes laid out around the Salakphet area. This is a quiet area, very little traffic plus plenty of dirt roads . For the 35Km & 66Km you’ll obviously need to be very fit. The 35Km also includes a stretch through the jungle which looks interesting to say the least. The 66Km takes you down to both Long Beach and Wai Check beach – the two least visited beaches on the island.

For anyone who just wants a challenge and isn’t a hardcore runner, the 13Km race, which takes runners along an abandoned road to Wai Check beach and back is an interesting route. A few hills plus an uneven, potholed road surface and dirt track through grassland – so you won’t be setting any personal bests.

I’m pretty fit but never run.  Last time I tried to get into running I managed to knacker my Achilles tendon and the end result was that I spent a few months limping.  It still hurts now from time to time. So, there isn’t going to be any intensive training, I’m too old for that. I’ll leave that to people who are posting records of their runs on the UKTC Facebook page

I decided to enter the 13Km – that’s far enough.  And as a surprise birthday present, I also entered my partner ‘Mam’ in it as well.   She doesn’t run either. We entered back in late November and the plan was to start doing some training in early December.  That didn’t happen. So, now in a bid not to finish last and look a compete dick, I decided it’s better to start getting into the habit of jogging, which is like running only slower.

< Cue the ‘Rocky’ theme music >

So this page is just to keep me accountable and make sure I do something most days up until the end of February.

This isn’t going to be the most scientific training plan ever devised.  It’s based around the theory of doing a bit more each week until I’ve got to around 10Km walking & jogging.  Then having an easier week before the big day.

22 January: My version of ‘Couch to 5Km’ took 19 Days.  Now the aim is to get as near as possible to being able to do 10Km without stopping, & without dying, within the next 4 weeks.

Date Distance (Km) Time Comments
1 Jan Start tomorrow – feeling rough
2 Jan Nope – still coming off a Fererro Rocher induced high
3 Jan  2.5 20 Mins Early morning walk & slow jog. Surprisingly feel good afterwards.
4 Jan  2.5  19 Mins  Early morning walk & slow jog
5 Jan  2.5  18 Mins  Early morning walk & slow jog.  More jogging than walking.
 6 Jan  2.5  18 Mins  Early morning walk & slow jog.  More jogging than walking.
 7 Jan  2.5  17 Mins  Mostly jogging now.
 8 Jan  —  —  Unplanned break as maid back to hometown for family emergency.
 9 Jan  —  —  Unplanned break as maid back to hometown for family emergency.
10 Jan  2.5 16 Mins Mostly jogging.
11 Jan  3.4  22 Mins  Early morning walk & slow jog
12 Jan  3.4  21 Mins  Mostly jogging
13 Jan Maid day off.  So not time to run early morning
14 Jan 3.35 20 Mins 90% jogging :-)
15 Jan 3.64  23 Mins  90% jogging again
16 Jan  —  —  No time
17 Jan 3.73 22 Mins  Little further, little faster
18 Jan Too tired after busy day yesterday
19 Jan 2.47 14 Mins All jogging
 20 Jan  4.04  23 Mins  No walking now
 21 Jan  4.0  23 Mins  No walking
22 Jan 5.06 29 Mins First time run for 5Km for over 25 years!
23 Jan Well earned rest :-)
24 Jan 5.0 28 Mins Was hoping to be about the same speed as two days ago but 30 sec faster.
25 Jan 4.07 23 Mins Bit tired now
26 Jan 6.00 38 mins Slow & now have a blister
27 Jan Figured out I probably need a day off every 3 days
28 Jan 6.19 37 Mins Feel OK, apart from the blister.
29 Jan 6.34 38 Mins Feel OK, apart from the blisters – plural, now one on each foot.
30 Jan 6.66 40 Mins I think need to get my hips used to running.
31 Jan Planned to run but ended up being too busy
1 Feb 7.0 41 Mins  Not bad. :-)
2 Feb Feeling rough,decided to have a day off
3 Feb 7.2 41 mins  Aim was just to do a little more than last time.  Did so and at a slightly faster pace
4 Feb Maid’s Day Off – no time to run
5 Feb 8.02 45 Mins  Different route today. Also ran later than normal.  And further. But faster average pace. :-)
6 Feb 8.07 46 Mins Back to early morning. Bit slower but muscles tired from yesterday.
7 Feb Need a day off after two days.  Legs not used to running yet.
8 Feb 9.00 53 Mins Decided to push on and get up to 9km
9 Feb 9.00 53 mins Aching legs. But exactly the same time 53’18” as yesterday.   Did something to right calf so limping a bit after running this morning.
10 Feb Looks like whatever I did to my calf muscle needs time to heal
11 Feb Hopping on one leg
12 Feb Not hurting as much
13 Feb Tried running, gave up after 100 metres.  Looks like I’ll have to wait & hope muscle gets better within the next week or two.

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Koh Chang Island Guide For Independent Travellers