Singapore Biathlon 2007

Event: Singapore Biathlon
Date: 17 March 07
Time: 9:30am(my wave)
Venue: East Coast F2 carpark
Distance: 1.5km swim + 10km run

I have a disappointing debut last year and this year should be better. I can't possible do worst than last year(report here) anyway minus injury/mishap.

I didn't have a proper training going into the event. This week, i didn't have much exercise neither. This is making the event more daunting!

I have to take the event easy. The aim is to complete each "leg" within 1hr. No pressure and maybe it will not be that painful for me!

I woke up at 6:40am and do my usual pre-race ritual. Hey no prerace atmosphere! The feeling of excitement no longer there. I do not know whether it is a good thing or not? No pressure, just treat it as a normal day? I left home at 7:30am. Reach E2(East Coast Food Centre) carpark at 8:00am and surprised that i can find a carpark lot. I guess nobody want to use the paid carpark!

It was a long walk to F2 carpark. Along the way, many participants are around. I can see the familiar anxiety on some of the faces. Somehow competition excitement just didn't sank in. Maybe i have lost it! It was during this junction that i realised that i FORGET to bring something for the event. GOGGLE was left in the office! Not to panic, i am sure i can borrow it somewhere!

I was on wave 5 according to the reporting card. There are only 4 waves when i reached the registration booth. So i will be in wave 4, the last wave. I proceed to register, get my arms/legs numbered and proceed to meet the rest of the Sgrunners.

Meet up with many familiar faces. Most important of all, i meet Eng Chuan. He called up to myself. I was thinking hard, who the hell is he? Oh, he is my NCC mate in Secondary school. He has put on alot of weights and i couldn't recognise him! Fortunately he recognise me, as i didn't changed much! Is it? Coincidentally, he is a friend of Cheow as well. The world can be so small isn't?

I managed to get hold of Penguin's goggle. Alamak, her goggle have power! Fortunately, i meet Poh! How come it just slip my mind Poh and Simon will be taking part in the event as well. Thanks to Poh, i have a good swim! Phew!

The race started off on 9:30am sharp. As usual the normal shoving, kicking and pulling occur during the swim. I was pretty relax and let the swimmers go and avoid confrontation as much as possible. I decide just before the start i will be using froggie style at the beginning to see/look how the situation is . No point using freestyle and waste energy fighting with so many arms/legs around. When the front portion is clear, i will switch to freestyle.

There is some current throughout the entire race as i swim. I keep aiming at the buoy and balloon (attach to the buoy) in front together with the floats(with line) that show the path. I am able to minimise wasted energy going the extra distance this time round. I keep having to make adjustment on the direction of advance, to make sure i am not drifting out. It is a good experience for me this time as i learned more compare to the first Biathlon.

I notice the current drifting in my first Biathlon, but adjustment was like swim 10 to 20 strokes then make adjustment since i am using freestyle! To make matter worst, last year the current was much stronger. This year i am able to make adjustment almost every stroke!

Also last year, being the first Biathlon, instead of following my judgement on the shortest path to reach the buoy, i followed the mass and get drift away. This time round, i believe in myself and save valuable time and effort on the swim.

I swarm on breast stroke throughout the race. Seldom do i go into front crawl as i feel very comfortable with breast and i didn't lose much distance compare to the race of the swimmers.

The front portion of the swim is much easier than the 2nd portion, as the current is pretty strong on the return leg. Things get much worse on the last stretch to reach the exit point. I was fighting hard with the current.

I came out of the water in 36mins+ to my surprised! I was thinking of around the timing of 45mins! I guess using breast stroke and good strategy does pay off. Haha.

I took my time in the transition. I think i use about 1 min+. I ran out of the transition in 37mins+. I started off with baby steps on the run and try to get my muscles warm up. Saw many familiar faces on the run and surprised to see so many behind me! I know they are much faster runners which should have no problem overtaking me later.

I didn't have enough brick training(swim follow by run) and it is showing up as i struggle on the run. Not really that bad, as i am use to this kind of "pain"! The feeling today on run, is much better than i experienced last year. It was painful last year, this year it is still bearable but utterly slow pace though. I maintain a 6km/hr pace. I stop at most of the water points to take a breather. There are water points at every 1.5km which is very generous.

I start to feel my legs have recovered after 3-4km, but somehow i am still struggling with a slow pace! I didn't know why, but i guess more brick training is a MUST in future Swim/Run races. Hopefully i have the discipline to go for it!

I hit the first 5km in 30mins. That is good as my intent is to go below 60mins for the run.

Alot of familiar faces have overtaken myself and everyone is wandering why i am slacking! Haha. Although i want to run faster, but somehow something is pulling me back! Legs are getting heavy and the breathing seems to get a bit difficult. I am glad that i manage to run all the way except for the short water breaks. Hehe....i finished the event at 1:36hr++ haha...that means i ran under 60mins for this leg. Both targets completed. Let wait for the official results.

After race

I was surprised when i went back to pick up my stuffs from transition point that SV have just came out of the swim leg! He is the last swimmer out from the water! Wow, something is not right! He couldn't be so slow! Kudos to him, he finished the run and complete the race.

I picked up the goodie bag, chit chatting with a few sgrunners. Wash up and went over to East Coast food centre for lunch. Give a lift to Sxuanjing and Eunice to Woodlands before heading over to Yishun's home.