NTU - National Vertical Marathon

Event: NTU - National Vertical Marathon
Date: 12 March 06
Time: 7am
Distance: 43 storeys(instead of 45 max)
Venue: Suntec City Tower 4

Another vertical event and an opportunity to push a bit and see how it goes.

A short course event(compare to Swissotel Vertical Marathon) and a 7 mins distance to look forward to while recovery from the Marathon 7 days back. I have signed up without much thinking way back and even jio my colleagues to take part. Come on, 45 storeys compare to 72 storeys...miniature event.

Suntec was still in slumberland, when i entered the carpark. Security assistance is still pulling up the shuttles, carpark are almost ghostly pale in comparison even at 10pm at night. I reach Suntec around 6:40am.

Meet up with DO, Dreamrunner, Superboy and my colleague(Tommy). Tommy was encourage by myself to do the event. He is not particularly fit, but just wanna try. A very good effort from him. Hopefully he survive the 15mins target he set himself to complete.

Soon, we are greeted by other sgrunners, like Commando, thelonelyrunner, cookie, Bug, diverrunner, shauzer, shauzer friend(forget which nick), tiwazz, astrogal, laokayu. Much later Vorx, runrunrunaway, brokenrunner & kellylim. I do meet yulan, spyfish & charlotte. A few familiar faces, plus a few kaki from Mt KK teamates were there.

It was quite a wait as my event don't start until 8:56am(officially), in fact it start at 9:06am according to the official(timex) BIG clock.

The event shorter from 45 storeys to 43 storeys due to security reasons. Which make the screnary at the top practically ZERO - since we are looking at lift lobby and not open air. Not an ideal sunday morning news. Nevertheless the show have to go on. It goes by 5 persons per detail(i am in the 34) and 2 mins interval. No idea it is good or not, but last year was 30sec interval accordingly to hearsay.

Inside my detail there is this indian runner(veteran) which i saw many times and run pretty fast. Since he is in my detail, we should be running together and i can take him as hare.

At 9:06am sharp, we started off. As expected the Indian take the lead from the start, follow by another runner and myself. We ran 2 steps upwards. It was an ideal way forward according to the expert advice, but i wasn't train for this, but i wanna tryout how it feels and how long i can last. In fact we didnt last very long, we lost the "run" after 10 storeys or so. In fact, when i start to walk 2 steps upwards, i realised that the runners in front are doing the same. Pretty soon, the Indian chap has punchat and was overtaken my both of us from behind. I think around 15 storeys we have left him behind. In fact around this time, i overtook Tommy(a detail infront) and a few guys during this period around 15-25 storeys.

The runner infront have open a gap about 1/2 a storey and i have difficulties going along with his pace. No matter what, i just push on with what i am comfortable with. Slowly and steadily i narrowed the gap as he slow down until a complete stop around 30 storeys. I overtaken him and push on. With another 10 more stories to go, i just have to bite the bullet and push on. I know i
started off too fast leads by the Indian runner, nevertheless a lesson learned and the run have to go on.

I reached 43 storeys with a slight burning sensation on the thigh and an aching around the bootom of the heels. But i feel good and should be to push on to greater heights if required. Alas, distance is too short. Just when my engine is going at full throttle, it have to stop now.

The scene on the 43 storeys are no difference than normal floor. Pretty dissapointed. Throat is abit dried due to the air in the stairs. Pretty bad. No cold water at the top, runners practically sit on the lift lobby floor to rest, bad...very bad. I walk around, gaining my composure, bring out the camera, take a few snap shots and proceed to take the lift downstair.

The official drink(sportade) at the bottom, was a letdown as well. Not cold and pretty bad taste IMHO, even though it seems okay in Run Round Singapore 2005 event.

According to my watch, i finished around 7mins+. I forget to stop the watch reaching the top. Haha...silly me...realised it after walking for a while.

I stayed suntec for a while chatting with the rest before leavving before 10am as carpark going to expire leow...additional $$ again if stayed longer.

Another event completed.