Run Round Singapore Update

Is 168km consider a run? Can myself complete 25 stations that is 2 Marathon distance? Did i make a mistake in the strategy to run such a distance?

The run started off at 9am at NTU. There are alot of folks at the first station. All eager to run, non clever enough to know the true meaning of 168km. Well, all runners are expected to run 1 or a few stations, so it is okay. There are 8 of them suppose to know how to run 168km officially.

I met Amy...my previous colleague from ANS. Remember seeing her at New Balance Aquathlon, this time round we finally can catch up. In fact we ran together for the first 3 stations. hehe....Hope to catch up with her again soon....

I meet Sukami, Commando(peter), FD and Ironmandreamer at the first station. Apart from Amy, simon is there as well. I can't seem to locate shitole though. Anyway the run start off under the hot sun at 9am.

I was running with Amy and we just chitchat all the way. We ran a comfortable pace for the first 3 stations(10km) finished around 66mins. The first mistake i make or rather the majority of us have committed. Thinking back, i remember ultra running suppose to be using galloway method of walk and run from the start. 66mins is damn too fast for a 10km for a ultra unless you are some superman going to record breaking. As an amatuer i should just start even slower, maybe 90mins for every 10km. Thinking back there is this core runner start running from the start very slow. I am not suprised he is one of the runner that completed 168km. He must have come with a well-worked plan. Kudos to him.

First end point is 2nd station. No water point or rather not oblivous to every runner. Damn hot sia and no water point. 3rd station same thing, no water point again. I was thirsty and is abit annoy about it. Amy was saying she expected waterpoint at every 10km mark...i was like har? How can that be, it should be, i expected water point at every station leh !!! True enough 4th station, there is water point. I took a bottle from the floor(put in the cartoon box) & drink it. Damn jialat. After station 4, i don't know why, my legs already given up! and i start to walk and run. Sian lah....10km nia leh...how can? Is it the mind? Or is it the fustration bcos of organising member. I managed to endure to station 5. Sumiko also walk and run around myself to station 5. I was like har? Core runner pengsan like me at this stage? Wow, pity her sia have to go through the agony of what is to come.

The feeling is bad, i keep looking back to see any back runners, but i am the last runner! The ambulance even follow myself, I was like har? Last runner leh? Serious leh...I dont want to be the tail sia and malu myself, so i decided to stop at stage 5. No point to get myself injury or be the laughing stock leh. It was hot, even 1 bottle of water didnt relieve myself of the thirst. Station 5 is somewhere in New Teo Road, very remote. The bus journey suppose to bring me back to last stage(4), which is nowhere i can get a cab too. Sian. So i take the bus(shuttle) until 10miles junction. Cant get a cab, took a bus to bukit merah shopping centre to grab a cab home.

Reach home around noon, makan and bath. I wasnt satisfied with the run(too short), so i get pheck leng to bring me to Sembawang Shopping station(stage 16) and wait for sukami to start again. The aim is to run till station 25 as per plan. I was there earlier. I saw Adrain going past the stage about 1 hr before sukami trooped by with his colleague and YankeeII. Met Gentle, Sotong & Tiwazz at there before following Sukami onwards.

We do walk and run slowing towards station 17-25. Pheck Leng & Pheck Wee waited for myself at North Point(stage 18) and pass me the drinks and food. It was an interesting run with chitchat and joking. Tiwazz tailgate gers again. Gentle chase after him to take picture... Running inside Seletar around is interesting. Another path to run/drive in the future. Towards station 22, there are these 2 school gals which walk/run like us. Sotong "food" recommendation really make them motivated to run faster or edge them towards their check point. Haha.... Mythos join us along this route as well. Nice meeting the great man.

Brokenrunner join us at station 22. Poh meet up along the way to station 23. We jog together, but i encourage him to run with the relay team as he only going for short distance and he is full of energy. Along the way Brokenrunner did a strip tease for everyone. Everyone was shocked...haha.....

We finally reach station 24, where DO & yojanjan waited for us. FD, sukami's family is there as well. We took a longer break whereby Sukami makan and changed. By this time, we have already running behind the relay team. Anyway who care at this stage of time! Okay, we headed towards stage 25(my destination). Gentle, Sotong, Tiwazz and myself break off while they continue to surge forward.

Well, my journey ended. Pheck leng picked me up & headed home. Wash up, eaten and time for a sleep. haha...

Sukami proceed forward, but didnt make it till the end. He finished around 2am+ around East Coast. It is definitely tough especially the day portion. He have did remarkable well to come so far. Well done tlr....stay healthy, we shall try again in some other day.....




Stage 1 before the start of the run