Farrer Park Sports Challenge 2006

Took part in the Farrer Park Sport Challenge - Swim Run Aquathlon. My very first multi-discipline sports event. A bit apprehensive about signing up since my swimming really sucks but this was too good an opportunity to pass up since I had wanted to test myself in a swim/run event since seeing the others doing the NUS Biathlon at Sentosa.

This one is in the pool so should be quite okay 800m only and a short 6.6km run.. or so I thought.

Reached there at 8.00 am for the registration. Alamak.. only 10 people participating in the Veteran category. Like that sure last! Some more got number 164 ('Yat Low Say' meaning all the way die in cantonese). This time sure die lah! Hmm on a brighter side.. that means a top 10 finish?

Run3 was there with her boyfriend(?) Ken. She like me also doing this for the first time. At least she gets to start off first. Swimming breaststroke, she swam strongly and finished in quite a good time. Ken was next and he swam freestyle. Unlucky me kena last wave and sure enough I was the last swimmer up. Damm malu man!

Took a long time to transit before going out for the run. The run is basically 3 loops round the Farrer Park Sports area covering a distance of 6.6km. Started off slowly unsure of the route and terrain. 10 minutes into the run, it started to pour. That was good as the front runners slowed down and I managed to catch up with at least 5 other runners crossing the finish line in 35:02 min.

Met Sukami and Penguin (meeting her for the first time). They are taking part in the International team event and assured of a top 2 finish cos there are only 2 teams taking part!

Ben came with 2 of the VRG. He's doing the mixed relay with Bambi. On the way back bumped into Bambi doing a very spirited run despite the rain. Keep it up Bambi!

The goodie bag came in an Osim paperbag..Unfortunately no OSIM product inside.


Now time to see the doc for the inflamed knee. Hopefully, it will heal before all the races in July.

Tampines SAFRA

Went Tampines Safra for a swim last evening. Wanted to time myself for the 800m. Finished the 16 laps breaststroke in 23.15. Is that good or bad? Wrapped up with 4 laps of freestyle. After third lap, this guy came up to me and asked me why I never see where I going and he had to dodge me several times? Huh? He old man see him for what? I only got eyes for young ladies in bikini and sadly those were missing last evening:) Anyway, he gave me some tips on how to swim straight so as not to waste strenght. Thank you whoever you are:)

Now can anyone tell me why they have half door in the showers there? Last time public swimming pool shower got no door, I suppose this is an improvement - half door just like China. Scare people go inside do hanky panky?

Went to the front desk to make some enquiries about the AHM. The lady there was busy calculating something - thought I wait for her to finish before disturbing her. When she finished, she didn't even look up and simply turn and walked away. Wei - I invisible or she blind? I had to call her back. Felt like telling her off. The services there certainly haven't change since the last time I was there:(

Running Lab Sale

Just got this yesterday:-

Running Lab Sales from 18 May 2006 to 31 May 2006. Up to 50% discount on off-seasons shoes and apparels.

Printout this brochure to qualify for the discount:

MacRitchie 20km Run

Ring…ring… the bladdy alarm clock screams and OMG is it dawn already? Sigh, another Sunday another early *&^#% run! Still don’t know why I put myself through this torture every Sunday morning? After a quick shower, ate a piece of expired bread (the tag said best by 12 May) with peanut butter, changed and got ready to move off. Oh shit... stomach ache – got to go toilet first. Never happen before on morning run. Bad omen? Already running late. Cosmic smsed – ‘are you on the way?’ Beat 1 red light to pick him up and charged down to MR in 15 minutes. If only can run so fast!

Wah.. MR people mountain people sea! There are some events on. 1 carpark closed. No choice got to park at Westlake Ave and walk over. No time to warm up. Everybody already very kancheong to chiong. Those cannot wait one already started!

The run started at a fast and furious pace with Brokie leading the pack. Me goodnu goodnu followed. Too fast - can die like that. These people rushing to catch train or got monkeys chasing them? Run so fast go where! Slowed down to run with Cosmic and Roengten but still at 5.30 pace. Damn shiong.

Alamak, now got arrows in my right knee. The stupid knee already swollen for few days. Now got pain. Really die. Already smell no smoke from Realrunner, Cheow and the front runners. No choice slowed down some more. This time starts to tailgate Cosmic and Roengten.

Out to Venus Road – the *&^% slopes look damn intimidating. Somemore got to run back same way. Cleared the stupid slopes reached Upp Pierce and stopped for a toilet break. Finished my pack of expired since January Hammergel. Hopefully, won’t LS.

Everybody else has disappeared. I am all along with the monkeys. Turned into air con route and see Taz, Cookies and Alvo running out. Whoa! 2 km behind them. Then Bug (hope he didn’t squash any bug!), Realrunner, Lychee (no longan?), Cheow, Zhiwei flew past. 1km behind them. Finally closer towards the gate, DO, Brokie, Cosmic and Roengten went past. 500m behind them.

Arrggg.. 3 more slopes! Trudged up the slopes. So depressing see everybody ran past. Reached the gate – they said must touch the gate – why ar? maybe blessing can win 4D – so touched the gate and turn round :( more slopes. Stopped at the toilet for a drink break. Hey, DO, Cosmic and Roengten are waiting for Brokie. At last managed to join up with them! Ooops spoke too soon – once they start again, I can only smell smoke. Then walked the slope of SICC with Longan (er I meant Lye Chee). Both of us scare fall into the reservoir!

Reached back Venus Road and everybody seem to have charged ahead. These people really got a lot of power! Must find out what they eat. Maybe spinach? Reached the Ranger station. Surprise – everybody is there. Waited for my turn for a drink at the cooler. Finished and hey where is everybody? Alone again naturally!

Bashed through the landslide – nearly slipped and the knee flared up bad. Ouch! This time really have to run slow slow. Just before the broadwalk, overtook Cosmic who is walking. Found out later the poor guy got blister and sole pain probably from the impact on the different type of ground. Maybe next time we all should wear army boots!

Ran slowly back to the finish line. So many people from the Bank of India. Some Indian ladies wearing saris, 1 in skirt – like that how they going to run? Finish line in sight – a lot of people cheering – for me? No such luck… Some more chase me to one side – cannot cross under their banner! Their grandfather’s road is it?

Stopped the clock at 2:09:46. Still a pretty decent effort. Gave myself a pat on the bum (or is it back?) for a job well done!

Pasir Ris to Bedok Corner Run

TLR, Taz, Bee, Aichai and Benruth joined BC and myself for a Polling Day run from Pasir Ris town park to Bedok Corner. The plan was to run through all the park connectors.

BC true to his ex-PTI time shocked everybody by getting everybody to do a short stretch. From Pasir Town Park we ran down the Tampines Park Connector crossing the first overhead bridge over the TPE to Tampines and through Sun Plaza Park. The sky started to darken. At the junction of Bedok Reservoir and Tampines Ave 1, it started to rain. Luckily the rain did not get any heavier and we continued down to Bedok Reservoir Park Connector and than Bedok Town Park.

From there another overhead bridge over Bedok North Rd to Bedok Res neighbour park and the infamous haunted HDB block. It is now fully occupied by human so I supposed the human had managed to scare away the poor ghosts! Another hughmongous overhead bridge over the PIE to Siglap.

At the Upp East Coast Rd, Bee was given the honour of deciding whether to follow the original route to East Coast or turn left to Bedok Corner (reducing the distance by maybe 3km). She very gamely decided to carry on to East Coast.

Saw a group of ladies training for soccer.. wish I could join them. Snapped their photo and hear somebody calling me - Sam from Safra.

Down to Bayshore underpass and another 2.5km to the end. Bee is still going strongly even though she kept saying she cannot do it. Finally, we reached Bedok Corner in 2 hours 11 min 59 sec which gives it a 7.20min/km pace for the total distance of 18km.

Pasir Ris to Bedok Corner

Can't seem to get the jogging calculator on www.streetdirectory.com to work properly so unable to plot the entire route for this Saturday morning run. The best I can do is to show the start and end point

Start at Pasir Ris. Meet at Fitness Corner at Pasir Ris Town Park (directly opposite empty field fronting the bus interchange and White Sands shopping centre.


From Pasir Ris to Tampines Ave 1 via park connector - Bedok Reservoir Rd - Bedok Reservoir Park Connector - Bedok Town Park - Bedok Reservoir Neighbourhood Park - Siglap Park Connector - East Coast Park - Bayshore Rd - Upp East Coast Rd

End at Bedok Corner. Opposite the Bedok Army Camp.

Sentosa

First time went back to Sentosa for a run since last year Real Run. Managed to chio BC and Sebas. The Mrs also came along.

Met the rest of the sgrunners at Tanjong Beach. As usual, BC charged all the way at the front. I puayed M at the rear trailing everybody by more than 500 m at one stage. Sebas was doing his shake backside thing and also in front.

Saw the rest of the sgrunners at the Arrival Centre (they having ran from Botanic Garden). Alamak, we still last!

At the roundabout to Sentosa Cove, M decided to turn back to Tanjong Beach and I was finally able to let go a bit. Managed to catch up with Sebas, than some of the sgrunners to finish the 10k in a slightly respectable time.