Sundown Marathon (Almost Over)

It's isn't over just yet. Ezan, Shariff's swimming coach fetched me after I had collected the Medal and then I went to change into my slippers. My journey was done, but many of the people out there were still going through their journeys. Arafat, Ezan, Leeza and I went to Nicoll Highway, sat on top of the railings and started cheering all the runners on! The cheering was very memorable and certainly every time I run past that place again, it will bring back great memories.

Ezan, Leeza, Arafat, Me, My Dad (Ali), Khadeeja and Shariff! :-)

Leeza, was banging on the railings loudly, bringing up the mood. Arafat, Ezan and I were screaming out hearts out, motivating every single runner that runs past, offered high-fives too! :-)
We shouted phrases like "You can do it, and you will do it!" "You're a CHAMPION!" "100m more to go" and some 'personalized' messages too. It was all great fun, losing our voices was certainly a good trade for all the smiling faces and the new-found energy the runners felt.
I was joking with Arafat telling him that she should give out name cards instead of high-fives,

Haha, after about 20 minutes of trio screamo. The skies opened up it's mouth too, but I guess it was drooling a little too much. Sundown marathon officially became the Raindown Marathon, I feared the safety of the runners as there was lighting present, but I was very sure it was going to take much more than lighting to stop these zombified pavement pounders! At about 3.50, my father arrived, he suffered from some cramps and was forced to walk most of the way. I know he can do much better, but I guess everyone of us has a bad day once in a while, something that can't be helped at times. But I'm sure he'll bounce back! I'm proud of him!

We saw the top 3 men and women finishing the marathon too, there was one Sub 3 from the Masters Division too, highly impressive! Then as we reached the saturation point, it was time for us to zoom back into the tent age too as it was filling up quickly with many runners seeking shelter after their race. Shariff was tired and already sleeping soundly, he did an excellent job. :-)

There was plenty of laughter, fun and joy despite the downpour, we met many new friends too. When the skies were tamed, we quickly made our move home. It was an amazing night in all aspects, and I believe all of us had great fun lighting up the city, so much fun that it got light up, literally. (CAT 1)

The Freaks and IMD had many PBs broken during the race, but in terms of running for a reason and experience, they had a great run too. Special shout out to our one and only KING, who ran in a road-erupting time of 3:40!

Well done to one and all, you are a champion!

Thank you for reading!

Sundown Marathon (The Final Countdown)

14km
Up till now, I haven't been paying much attention to the route as there was nothing new, same old roads I've seen for U RUN, 2XU Compression Run and recently, RUN 350. Then as we emerged out an underpass, the most retarded thing happened. Two road marshals, who were about 500m ahead of us, suddenly stretched a rope made of reflective vests tied up together to block the road, to let some vehicles past. It was all so sudden and we had to stop for one minute.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me! Singapore's the only country who does this shit in races." An angry Caucasian exclaimed, many agreed with him, but after that one minute, we took off again. 14km - for my fellow team members of the EXCO. And just as I realized who this 2km was for, we entered Marina Barrage, it wasn't well lit, but the perimeters were clearly marked out. It was a first time for me, as I usually run on the opposite side, the new route was a plus! I whispered each EXCO's name once and dedicated about 2 minutes to keep them in my mind and relive some memories, just then I heard a some human voices over a speaker.

Shanmugan, the head coach of Team RunFanatics

21km runners go straight ahead, 42km runners turn right! This message was repeatedly played over three speakers, and it was time. I think there was 6km more to go at this point, I don't know how or why, I started to pull away from the 2:00 HM Pacers and went ahead, I was telling myself to go all the way till the end and not regret this decision later on. So slightly ahead was the gel station, I took it and drank it on the go, as Maxifuel Gels are highly water based.

16km
Yes, I was feeling tired. Then I did something I always did when I was tired, motivate others, when you motivate others you just get the extra push to keep going. I can swear that every single volunteer I saw in the last 6km, I shouted and motivated them, and thanked them. It's just like a boomerang, these volunteers have great spirit, if you shout at them, you get a shout back instantly, it's very encouraging, and even if you wanted to, you won't be able to stop. I drafted this Caucasian couple for a couple of KM then overtook them, was gunning for a strong finish! I kept the concourse in sight, the 20km distance marker flashed past, this was it!
I gave it all I got, and powered up the last incline up Nicoll Highway and sprinted downhill for a last burst. While running down, I high-fived every single supporter I saw, it felt ust like the Boston Marathon in SBR's video. Simply overwhelming. As I crossed the finish line, I jumped and punched the air in delight. :-)

I crossed the finishing line at 1:53:34

The HM 2:00 Pacers arrived at about 1:56, I owe a big thanks to all of them for helping me achieve my target. I was elated, and now it was time for me and the rest of Team SBR to cheer the rest of the runners on!

Sundown Marathon 2012 (Halfway through)

As the air horn sounded off, we took off at almost a 4 minute pace for the first 500 meters, as we were sucked in by the elites near the start line, then me and the 2:00HM Pacer and new friend, Ganesh, slowed down and re-grouped with the rest of the group's pacers.

Looking at the HM 2:00 Pacers at the start of the race, I was doubting if I could keep up with them till the end.

The HM 2:00 Pacers

Front Row: Eddy Teo, Benjamin Chan, Roy Foo

Back Row: Patrick Koh, Ganesh Sivaraj

2km

So we settled in at a 5.30 pace, I looked at my left hand, my first 2km was dedicated to my Father, who was a very fast runner himself. He got back to pavement pounding when I started running too, and he has come a long way, one of the biggest support since I started running, and it was apt as it was the start of the Half Marathon too. Saw many familiar faces whiz pass me, including Mr Poon and his Wife, wished him all the very best for his run. It was very motivating to see Mr Poon as it was because of his advice to 'run off'my asthma that I took up running in the first place. My legs were in sync with Ganesh, matching his every stride. I focused on my breathing to not dehydrate myself this early in the race, breathing in and out through the nose.

4km

The pacers were constantly checking their watches and shouting out the current pace, we were doing slightly below 5.30, still cruising along comfortably. Ganesh constantly checked on me to see if I was fine. The pacers were doing a very fine job on their part, alerting runners about upcoming water points and turns so that they could prepare early, in terms of position or fueling. This 4km was for my family, particularly to my grandmother who has been in and out of hospital very often recently, although most of them don't know much about my running, I hope to one day make them proud. 

All smiles at the start, with Ganesh to my left!

6km

For the great one, Allah. I first started running in May 2011, I started praying at that time too. And my whole life has come such a long way from then, many things have changed for the better and countless new doors have opened. And it was all due to him. Around this time, I started feeling great pain in my shoulders, maybe it was due to stiffness, wrong body posture or not warming up. I tried to troubleshoot the problem by swinging my arms but it seem to worsen the problem, maybe I was swinging my arms too much, so I focused on minimizing my shoulder movement during running and it seemed to do the trick! 

8km

The Freedom Freaks, since my first run with them during Chinese New Year (From Woodlands to East Coast Park), I met many great running friends, they are a great bunch to be with, always learning from one another and sharing great moments together. It has been a great honor to know them, they are a bunch of fun-loving speedy demons, and I'm sure you'll see the freaks on podiums really soon. (Some of them already are!) So this 8km, I ran with them in mind, 5 months of great fun with them. I love their motto which they adhere to sincerely, Leave No One Behind, the Sundown Pacers seemed to be following that motto too.

The Freedom Freaks @ Sundown Marathon 2012

10km 

My goal was to break the 50 minute barrier for my 10km, I hope to achieve the goal soon, perhaps at the upcoming Punggol Waterway Run? I have a good feeling about it. Well a quick check on my watch, we passed the 11km mark at exactly 1 hour, going strong and I was more than halfway there. I ate my Shotz Wild Berry Gel there too, it was pretty cool to be ripping off the gel with my teeth, first timer. 10km for the ever expanding Team SBR. We started off with only 4 members, now we have expanded to more than 10 members with a huge fan base, and under the leadership of Sir Arafat, have been learning many new things, making great progress and insipiring the world too. I hope Shariff and Hafsah were doing well after their run too. Viva La Team SBR! 

12km

For my fellow brother who was probably sleeping comfortably in a farm in Taiwan as I was runninng. He has been with me since May 2011 and has been running with me too, he has came a long way. We used to be the worst enemies, but I guess it help us understand one another better. He has lost a shitload of weight too, but that's not the only thing, it was a bonus in addition to his new found positiveness and joy too. More than halfway through now, I was going to give my best. I am sure Lenney would want me to do my best too.

Sundown Marathon 2012 (Pre- Race)

Lenney and I signed up for the Sundown Marathon in the first few days of the new year, catching the early bird before it flew off. It was going to be our virgin half-marathon, and it was going to mark my first year of running too. But in February, Lenney's parents had made plans to go on a family vacation to Taiwan, and the date of the vacation unfortunately clashes with Sundown, so he handed his bib over to my Dad, who will be running his first half marathon too.


The Race Pack Entry Collection was held at the RunBikeSwim Expo from 11 - 13 May, there were many great deals there too. After collecting our race bibs, and stocking up on race fuel, we were ready to go!

The Sundown Running Singlet and my Race Bib

Following their 21km fueling strategy, I got this from Shanmugam!

26 MAY 2012 - Race Day!

For the first time in any race, I was pretty nervous. It was going to be my first time at a big scale running event, and I wasn't sure what to expect. In terms of training, I have not been doing too well either as I didn't watch my diet and train regularly. The last time I ran was during MR25's Tuesday Track Session. I told myself that as soon as I am over with this race, I would start doing proper training, with things like long runs at race pace. But first, I had to clear my virgin half-marathon.

I made my way to the race village 4 hours before flag off, in the bus and along the route, I focused myself and tried to visualize my experience. Confusion got the better off me, in the end I decided that I would follow the 2:00 HM Pacers all the way and maintain an easy pace, this decision was probably due to my lack of confidence in maintaining a faster pace as I didn't train at a targeted race pace. And anyway, since it was going to mark my plus/minus one year of running, I wanted to dedicate this run, or rather parts of the run to some very special people. This was also a form of motivation for myself to keep me motivated through the race. I wrote the dedications on my hand. 

2km - Dad

4km - Family

6km - Allah

8km - The Freedom Freaks

10km - Team SBR (Shariff Blade Runner)

12km - Lenney Leong

14km - Student Council EXCO

16km - Eagle

20km - Sundown Crew (Anyone who made Sundown possible)

I was quite nervous so I might have left out some people who played a great role in my running journey, I didn't mean to do that.

Well, at about 9pm, the extended Team SBR (Now known as Shariff Blade Runner) arrived at the Race Village, we got ourselves a table near the photo booth, enjoyed the movie Tower Heist together for about 30 minutes, then Shariff and Hafsah who were doing the 10km which begun at 2230 headed out to do their warm-ups and secure a good starting position. We snapped a picture of Team SBR before heading out! 

Shariff will be running with his new Ossur Flex Run with Nike sole and the Nike Lunarglide+3 on the good leg. He is capable of running at a sub 1:05 pace as he had done in his training run, but due to poor race management by HiVelocity, he was denied a PB, but nontheless his spirit spurred many runners on!

Soon it was time for me and my Dad to go for our race, I met up with the 2:00 HM Pacers and we made our way to the starting line, the Freedom Freaks and I we were just in front of the start line, as we had about one hour to go, we sat down and shared tips and also took some photos! I forgot the fueling strategy provided by Maxifuel, so I made out what I did remember, 60 minutes before the start I ate the ViperBoost Bar and 30 minutes from the start I ate the ViperBoost Gel. Checking against the strategy now, it was actually wrong. I also had a last minute change as I noticed that the ViperActive Gels were too big to fit into the back pocket of my shorts, so I used my shots gel instead, will get a fuel belt before the SCKLM! 

T-minus 10 minutes to flag off, the star-studded front line was filled with elite runners. I got up and did some loosening up, not much space for warming up. I had a chat with Ganesh Sivaraj, one of the HM 2:00 pacers, will be seeing him again soon at the Punggol Waterway Run in about 14 days time. With a couple of minutes to go, I took my place beside the pacers and wished the Freaks and other familiar faces the best of luck! 

Took a quick check on my hand, first two 2km was going to be for my Dad. He was probably with the second or third wave, after snapping pictures of the 10km runners and cheering them on together with Arafat. Well, as the MC counted down the last 10 seconds, and the air horns sounded off, all of our engines took off at full speed, it was time to light up the city!

Fuel Your Performance #2

Now that you already know the three different recommended fueling strategies, here's a look at the updated race routes, which also contain the hydration points! These hydration points contain water and 100 Plus Edge, some contain Maxifuel Viper Gels and Bananas too.

10km


21km


42km



HYDRATION STATIONS
Ice Mountain Water and 100PLUS Isotonic drinks will be provided during the race for all categories. The following is the flow of support
stations for each race category. Each hydration station is about 2km apart. Outdo Yourself!

10KM RACE
Hydration Station 1: Water
Hydration Station 2: Water and 100PLUS
Hydration Station 3: Water
Hydration Station 4: Water and 100PLUS
Hydration Station 5: Water
Athlete’s Welfare Area at Finish Point

21KM RACE
Hydration Station 1: Water
Hydration Station 2: Water and 100PLUS
Hydration Station 3: Water
Hydration Station 4: Water and 100PLUS
Hydration Station 5: Water
Hydration Station 6: Water and 100PLUS
Hydration Station 7: Water
Hydration Station 8: Water, 100PLUS and Maxifuel Viper Gels
Hydration Station 9: Water and Bananas
Hydration Station 10: Water and 100PLUS
Athlete’s Welfare Area at Finish Point
Half Marathon and Full Marathon participants are entitled to one Maxifuel Viper Gel each.
 • Half Marathon - between 15km and 16km mark
 • Full Marathon - between 25km and 26km mark

42.195KM RACE
Hydration Station 1: Water
Hydration Station 2: Water and 100PLUS
Hydration Station 3: Water
Hydration Station 4: Water and 100PLUS
Hydration Station 5: Water
Hydration Station 6: Water and 100PLUS
Hydration Station 7: Water
Hydration Station 8: Water and 100PLUS
Hydration Station 9: Water
Hydration Station 10: Water and 100PLUS
Hydration Station 11: Water
Hydration Station 12: Water
Hydration Station 13: Water and Maxifuel Viper Gels
Hydration Station 14: Water
Hydration Station 15: Water and 100PLUS
Hydration Station 16: Water
Hydration Station 17: Water, 100PLUS and Bananas
Hydration Station 18: Water
Hydration Station 19: Water and 100PLUS
Hydration Station 20: Water and Bananas
Hydration Station 21: Water and 100PLUS
Athlete’s Welfare Area at Finish Point

Hardwork

Today's MR25 Track Session


4 x (1200m + 400m)
75 secs after 1200m and 2 mins between sets
1200s at 10k pace, 400s at 3k pace

06:15 warm up (3km)
06:30 start

As usual, we meet on the track, close the seating area. The track is on Evans Rd, just off Bukit Timah Rd

Met a new friend after a MR25 Track Session today, his name is Tommy. He's a very friendly and encouraging guy, a former teacher at both MGS and RJC, had a good chat with him today after training. He told me that when he was at MGS, Renuka Santhianathan (National Runner and MR25 Member) used to be slightly out of shape and her father used to drop her at the track every morning at 0615. And she will run, she kept going add it, and she studied as hard or if not, even harder and she succeeded in life. Look where she is now, it's really inspiring. He also told me of a student he remembers very fondly, he has a lot of talent but due to complacency, he didn't score well. But students surrounding him who weren't ass smart as him, worked their asses off and they are doctors now. Tommy has two children himself, and he brings them off to Hike often. He has been with MR25 for almost 7 years now, he is a very fast runner himself. He told me to run and study hard, only then you will be able to succeed in life. Tommy himself is an example, during his time at MGS he was the only teacher around who didn't have a degree, despite that he shone because of his attitude and passion for learning.

Renuka and Singapore Blade Runner are featured in this video!

Running shapes your life in all ways, I had to agree with him on that! Due to running, be it a co-incidence or not, many new doors have been open for me in my life, today my brother Lenney received great news that he was ranked first in his class! I am very proud of him. As for me, I am guilty of being complacent and I got what I deserved, it's time for me to catch up during these holidays.

Tommy introduced me to another training session, not an interval but rather a sustained session. A group of speedy veterans will run for one hour straight at Bukit Gombak Stadium every Thursday at 0630 sharp. They will run slow for the first 15 minutes to kick things off, gradually increase their pace and then slow down towards the 60 minute mark. Tommy being a fast runner himself said he was the slowest runner there. But I still will go for it, as surrounding myself with a group of people who are faster than me, and at the same time highly encouraging will be beneficial for me. I am certainly looking forward to the Bukit Gombak Sessions, wish to go with Lenney but he will be going to Taiwan for a well deserved vacation.


Another thing Tommy learnt from these running groups, "In running, or anything that you do, it's the company that either breaks you down or lifts you up. So surround yourself with the best, you will be the best."
He admitted that he was guilty of falling into the wrong company, which caused him to perform below par for his A Level examinations. Well he did have a lot of fun, but a lot of time was wasted in the process too.

"A man's growth is seen in the successive choirs of his friends." - Arafat Maverick

I'm glad to have met a new friend in Tommy, and I will attend the Bukit Gombak training session next week, as I have IMT for NCC this Thursday and will not be able to make it in time for it. Will see how my legs feel, may attend SICK Training!

I hope I will recover in time tough.. ;-)

Seeya

MH Runners Hit The Trails!

Men's Health Magazine, or MH for short, organizes monthly runs for the running community to run together and have a great time together.
I first joined the MH Runners during their Labrador Park Run last year in October, it was my first group run. You can read my review of the run here!

I had a great time running with them at Labrador!

After the run, my Dad won two dining vouchers in a mini-lucky draw which was
customary after all MH Runs!

The runs are usually led by Leonard and Din and the sweeper would be Sherwin, the MH staff. They are very friendly and encouraging and ensure everyone has a very fun and safe running experience.


The composition of the MH Runners is very diverse, from the experienced veteran runners to young novices. All differences would be set aside as everyone would enjoy the run together! The MH Runners welcome new runners to join them with open arms, every month new faces join the runs, and they will keep coming back as they certainly did have a lot of fun running with the MH Runners.


I have joined 3 MH Runs thus far, together with Lenney and my Father. And next Saturday on the 19th of March, I'll be joining them for their next run! We're going to be ripping up the trails of MacRitchie!

Here are the details:
Date: May 19, 2012 (Sat)

Time: 1545 hrs. We'll begin the run at 1600 hrs.

Meeting Point: At the MacRitchie Amenities Centre, near Mushroom Cafe. You’ll find us in our Men's Health Urbanathlon 2012 black T-shirts.

Distance: 10 km, MR amenities centre to the northern trail, then to Venus loop, and back to the start point. 

Things to note:

We will be running at an easy pace – runners of all standards welcomed! But do come prepared for a fun workout!

You’ll be able to store your belongings at the lockers, located in the washrooms of the Amenities Centre. Alternatively, just leave your stuff in one of our colleague’s car. Do travel light!

Also stand a chance to win attractive prizes in the post-run lucky draw! :-)

See you on the 19th, do come on down to run with the MH Runners, you'll certainly have a lot of fun and a good workout in the company of great people!

I will be bringing some of my schoolmates along for the run too, it'll be their first time and I hope they'll have a great experience running in the trails!

This was taken at the last the MH HPB Healthy Coffee-shop Run on the 17th of March. It's my personal favorite among all the MH Runs. You can read Leonard's great review of the run here.

I met Lance at this run too, he is in the black Urbanathalon singlet!

See you on the 19th!

Zombie Running

Last night, I joined the freedom freaks for a 25km slow and easy run at East Coast Park! It was my first time running at about 12am, I had doubts whether I would be able to fight the Z Monster, as I dozed off in the bus before the run. To my surprise, I wasn't so sleepy during the run and managed to stay awake, but my sleep couldn't wait much more once the run was over.






Yesterday, See Too (First from the left, back row) joined the Freaks for the first time since he started running in February this year! I accompanied him from start to finish and we enjoyed each other's company greatly along the way! ;-) For a person who has only started running recently, he was able to run 17km non-stop, a great job. Your target to run the Full Marathon at SCMS this year, you will achieve it bro! He is also on the Atkin's Diet, a zero-card diet from July 2011, he has lost almost 25kg so far, a very significant loss. It was an awesome run with the freaks! I look forward to more LSDs with them!

Leave No One Behind!

Sundown Confirmation!

After many changes and confusion, Sundown has finally released the official news.
And yes, we will be running at East Coast Park again, almost seemed too good to be true to not run there.

May 10, 2012

The team at HiVelocity has been working closely with the relevant agencies the past few months to produce a memorable city night race for the Sundown Marathon 2012. As a result, the routes for the various categories have been updated as we continue to provide an enhanced race experience for Sundown Marathoners.

With safety of the participants as our utmost priority, we have ensured the execution of the best possible routes and flag off timings to provide our participants with an unforgettable race experience.

10km Route*

Click on image to enlarge




21km Route*

Click on image to enlarge




42km Route*

Click on image to enlarge

Running on the Sun

Today was the last day of our examinations, and what better way to celebrate then to rip up the trails!
And that's what we did, immediately after school Lenney and I went to MacRitchie Reservoir at about 1145 for a run. We originally planned to do 10km, but since the sun was boiling down on us and Lenney was feeling dizzy, we gave ourselves a discount and did a 5km run. It was also in preparation for our school's 4.8km cross country in October, but for now we did 5km, following the MR25 Time Trail Route. Where you start running from the Zig-Zag Bridge untill Fitness Corner B, run 100m towards the Lornie Road exit, then U-Turn.

Since the sun was boiling down, I went for a bare-bodied run. And I was wearing my Bikilas too, didn't face much problems with it, but it did get submerged in the mud and gunk at times, but it dried up fast and didn't enter the shoe. The run was a good one, took advantage of the downhills on the return leg and finished with a time of 23:27, about half a minute faster than my Time Trial in February, a good run! My calves were aching too, after my 30 minute anaerobic stair climbing workout followed by 30 minutes of conditioning yesterday. But nonetheless, I felt good after the run despite the sun boiling down. I think once you get accustomed to running in hot weather, you can use it to your advantage too.

Lenney, went for a 5km recovery run with a slow and steady pace. He got familiar with the cross country route too. The heat got the better of him as he felt dizzy towards the end, but being the fighter he was he did complete his recovery run in a steady 42 minutes.

After a warm-down, we headed back to the Amenities Center. It was supposed to be a walk back, but I ended up sprinting there as I was barefooted and the black asphalt roads were boiling! I wonder how barefoot runners cope with the heat, it'll be interesting to find out.'

So yes, now I have washed up and later at 1830, my friends and I will be catching the Avengers! It's gonna be kickass! I can't wait. Oh yes, and if you're catching it, do remember to stay after the credits to watch something special! :-)

Have a great evening guys! The weekend's coming real soon.

Run Safe, Run Strong, Run Free

Sundown Updates #2

I just checked the Sundown Marathon 2012 website a couple of minutes ago, and I was surprised as there has been yet another change in the flag-off timings. I don't know what's going through the organizer, Hi-Velocity's minds, no official word yet, but they better confirm the timings soon as many runners are confused.

Time 10KM 9:30pm (26 May) 21KM 11:30pm (26 May) 42KM 12:45am (27 May)

*Race start times are subject to change

Run Safe, Run Strong!

Fuel Your Performance!

maxifuel, the official Spots Nutrition Sponsor of Sundown has released 3 different fueling strategies for the Sundown Marathon. Check it out! If the images are kinda small, so  here is the link to the Facebook album.

10km (60 minutes)

21km (2 hours)

42km (4 hours)

You can purchase these race packs at the Run Bike Swim Expo this weekend!


10km/21km Race Pack at $15 (UP $25.80)

• 2 Viper Active Sachets
• 1 Viper Boost Gel
• 1 Viper Boost Bar
• 1 Viper Active Gel
• 1 Maxifuel 750ml Water Bottle

42km Race Pack at $20 (UP $32.80)

• 2 Viper Active Sachets
• 1 Viper Boost Gel
• 1 Viper Boost Bar
• 3 Viper Active Gel
• 1 Maxifuel 750ml Water Bottle

Whatever your fueling strategy is, make sure you are well nourished and hydrated during the race to maximize your performance! Don't hit the wall, crush the wall!

Lastly, check this video out of two Maxifuel Singapore Ambassadors B. Shanmugam (Sham), Coach/Owner of Runner's Gait, and Goh J-Ing, Student/Full Time Triathlete.

Sham and J-Ing share with us their hydration secrets for running and how they recover so they're ready to go the distance everytime. 

Hope the sharing was useful to you guys! Have a great day ahead!

Sundown Updates!

Hey! Hope you guys an awesome Tuesday!
This is a short post to update on the new start times for the Sundown Marathon 2012.

Time

10KM	10:30pm (26 May)
21KM	12:30am (27 May)
42KM	12:30am (27 May)

Do take note that the flag off times for both the 10km and 21km have been pushed forward.
The 21km and 42km will be flagging off together, hope this does not cause much human congestion and bottlenecks.
The organizer probably wants to create a true 'night' experience, but I hope this does not backfire on them.
The runners will finish their races in the wee hours of the morning, and since there will be no public transport available, they have to make their own arrangements or use the shuttle bus service provided by the organizers.
Some runners welcomed the change, but most didn't as the change was late and also they did not see the purpose of the organizers doing so.

But I believe it will be a unique experience for everyone there. Fighting off the humidity, Z monster and lighting up the city is certainly an attractive mixture! ;)

Well, besides that, do not forget to go for the Sundown Race Entry Pack Collection this week too!

Details
Date:	11 – 13 May 2012 (Friday – Sunday)
Time:	11.00am – 8.00pm
Venue:	Singapore Expo, Hall 4B 1 Expo Drive (S) 486150
Admission:	Free
	Check out www.runbikeswimexpo.com for more details!

There will be many irresistible deals and offers at the runbikeswim expo, so do pay the booths a visit!
Lenney, My Father and I will be visiting the expo this Friday afternoon too. :-)
Hope everyone has a smooth experience at the REPC!

Beat the Sunrise, Light Up the City, Sleep Can Wait

MR25 Progressive Run Series 2012 - 15km

Last sunday which is 6 May, the MR25 Runners organized held the second run in series of four progressive runs. The total distance was 15km, which consists of route through Macritchie Reservoir and along the Lornie Road. Me and my friend Ariffin Sha, which is one of the contributors to this blog, ran 15km along with me too. He did not achieve his target timing, but I believe one day he could make it as he is a determined guy.

(The route)

The flag-off was held at 7am sharp. Everyone was anxious to run except for me. I didn't had a good time since that following morning, as I had a bad stomachache and things did not go as well as expected even after I reach  Macritchie. However, that did not stop me. I told myself to run and complete the race even if my timing was bad.

Everyone started to run fast after the word 'go', but I told myself not to run the same pace as them as I might end up dying since the whole route is 15km and it is not a simple task for someone who is having a bad stomachache. I died out during the first 3km even though I did warm-ups the night before and before the flag-off. I guess the warm-ups weren't a solid one for me.

I stopped at a Ranger station at the 2.5km mark and went to drink some water. I was almost going to give up and is aware of my timing as I was walking instead of running at some places. However, I always tell myself one thing which is to continue and don't give up. As long as I reach the finish line, even if I am the last, I still completed something a young 14 years old cannot do.

So I started running and when I reach the 3km mark, I started to enjoy running. I enjoyed the breeze, nature and trail. I managed to maintain a steady pace until 12.5km, which is the last water checkpoint for this run.

The adult volunteer shouted at me: 'Young man, cmon!'. I went to drink 3 cups of water to quench my thirst after 6km+ without drinking any water. The guy then talk to me, saying that I am really slow at this age and that I was the last runner. I felt sad and demoralized at that point of time because everyone will definitely feel the same way like me if they are called last. I told myself not to listen to his nonsense and start running like a real man, a hero. I brought my feet up and start running again. 

Along the last 2.5km, I had muscle cramps and fell down in the middle of the trail. All in my mind was to complete the run but still, I got to run slow and steady to prevent often cramps. And finally, I completed the race with a timing of 2:20. Like what I've said, it did not turn out as expected because my timing could have been lesser than that and might be because of the slopes that caused me to be tired.

The moment I crossed the finish line, I told myself that I did it. That's why we should never underestimate or look down on anyone who tries to give their best because those who are willingly to cross the starting point already won compared to those who do not even wants to try at all.

I am a winner.

MR25 Progressive Run Series 2012 - 15km

This morning, the MR25 Runners held the second run in the series of four progressive runs. The 15km ran began at 7am sharp.

I joined the progressive run series as the Freedom Freaks were sending two teams in and also the race had a small number of participants. Creating a friendly 'kampung' spirit without compromising a well organized race. There were many elites in the race, like Gen Lim, Renuka and also some of our own very own elite demons. Anyway it was free for MR25 members, so why not? It was going to be a fun race, although I did not train up properly before this run, I still went ahead. A 1h 25mins finish would be good enough, although I was secretly hoping for a 1h 20 finish. The previous 10km, I finished with a time of 53minutes, still waiting to break that 50min barrier! Lenney joined the run this morning too, his first progressive series run, he signed up on the spot.

The pre-race brefing, the two demons in the center of the picture in blue. ('Chong' Izat and the Unicorn Yao Ming!)

I tried to split the race into two portions, 10km and 5km and was gunning for a strong finish. But my plans backfired within the first 5km, I started to walk, was feeling immense pains in my thighs. I guess it's because it was the first time I wore heavily cushioned shoes again after almost 3 months. I am trying to transition to barefoot running, switching between my Bikilas and naked feet. I wanted to wear Bikilas this morning, but I haven't tried running with them in the trails before, I didn't want to try something out on race day that I haven't tried during training. My muscles really cramped up big time after all that heel striking during the run. I will start hitting the trails with Bikilas soon. Okay, now back to the race!

There was a whole lot of walking for me, at least 1km of walking I think. A few short seconds of walking then I'll be back running, but this happened too often and affected my tempo. I told myself, to enjoy the race and aim for a strong finish. The race had 3 water-points (we passed by the second one twice) which was sufficient. At the 7km point, it was Dejavu as I met the roots again, and struggled up them. A check on my watch, 42 minutes at 7km, a slow 6 mins pace. I tried to pick up the pace but always ended up slowing down. A 1.25 finish didn't seem possible, well it's okay, I pressed on. At the 12km point I me Lance Sum, who encouraged me and said 'Let's Go!', I drafted him for about 1.5km. Along Lornie Road, there was a fallen tree and runners had to bend under it, was kinda unique, although I am sure I did affect some runner's performances, no biggie. So with 1km left, I picked up the pace. I managed to get a quick look at the stopwatch, it showed 1.26 I think. Not exactly satisfied, but I did have fun and learn some things during this run! ;-) I will start training at the sacred training ground (MacRitchie Reservoir) more often now, those slopes can help can help me to become a stronger and faster runner, in VFFs of course. 

The Freaks after the Run! They all did well and ripped up the trails of MR.

Here are some of their results! :-)

1. Izat (1.04)
2. Yao Ming (1.06)
3. Meng Chai (1.09)
4. Asree (1.11)

I'll post up the rest of  the results after the official results have been released! Well done to all today, we certainly made our mark at the MR25 and the two teams are faring well in the Teams category. They are giving the MR25 Runners a good run for their money, literally. ;-)

After completing my run, I went back up to the zig-zag bridge to cheer the runners on and wait for Lenney, he arrived at about 2.15. He had an unfortunate fall as he muscles cramped up, but he soldiered on and finished the race at 2.20!

I am proud of him, although he wasn't feeling that good after the run, he should be very proud of himself for finishing the run, despite the circumstances. He is a champion, we all are champions. Well done buddy! And I'm sure he will come back stronger next time around, nonetheless a tough but good race experience for us.

He did have an unpleasant experience with the person who was manning the second water-point. It was a hot morning and the man was probably standing there for an hour or two, maybe he might have not been in the right mood. Let's forget about it bro.

Let me share something with you guys that Arafat (Singapore Blade Runner's Manager) said once.
Many times I have been doubted, but I believe proving those who have doubted you wrong is very satisfying! ;-)

small words never hurt a big dream or idea. Let those people say whatever they want.. Cos it won't do them any good anyway. It is only that they need to be careful on whose toes their stepping on today because they might be connected to the foot that kicks their own ass tomorrow.

Well at the end point, we met a familiar face! The man with the ever-present smile and camera, Tan Tick Hock.

Chatted with him and he told me that he had three marathons coming up in the next three months. Sundown, SCKLM and the Pattaya Marathon, then after that it would be the Craze Ultra! ;-)

My Dad who is getting back into running, made friends with Mr. Tan too.

It was a good end to a great day, and I look forward to the 20km Progessive Run on the 1st July, gotta train up for it too! 

Run Free! :-)

Guess who's back?

Hey, we're back! ;-)

Yes, itch2run is now thegreatescape! 
We've been pounding the pavements for almost a year now, met many people and had endless fun over the past 12 months.
And the journey is just getting started.
Running has opened many other doors in our lives too, leadership roles and its has molded us to become a better person overall.
So yes, so many things we have taken away from running, but we have just only untied the ribbon of the greatest present.
So to sum up running in one word, I'd say it is an escape.
An escape from reality, an escape from mainstream society, an escape from troubles.
You literally RUN your troubles away.
Same may not get what I am talking about, some do. It's okay.
It took me some time to realize that there was much more to running than just speed and timings.
I recently read a book from the library, it's called 'The Runners Guide to the Meaning of Life' It's a masterpiece by Amby Burfoot as he brilliantly illustrated in words on the lessons we can take away from running. 
You can get the book here. 


I can't explain it all in one post, so yes, Lenney and I have created this blog.
Not a new beginning, but a new sense of direction rather.
And we will never forget our roots..
This blog is our way of escaping, and sharing it with the world.
It's  not only about running, it's about 

• Trying New Things
• Being Adventurous
• Going Crazy (Not insane, there's a fine line)

We're gonna live our lives to the fullest and embrace the limitless possibilities with an open mind! And to share our journey with you!

In time, you'll get what we mean. ;-) 

Running is going to save humanity, I don't know how, but it will. 

Enjoy reading beautiful people,

Ariffin Iskandar Sha