Saucony 100Plus Passion Run

Another week another race. Seems like there are so many races nowadays. So far I have done the Mizuno Mt Faber, the Real Run Terrain Race, Penang half marathon and today the Saucony 100Plus Passion 10Km race at East Coast Park. 2 weeks later there will be the Mizuno Wave Run and than next month the Army Half Marathon.

This is the first 10km race where they issued timing chip (other than the NB Real Run) and I was looking forward to it very much. I am still doubtful of my recovery and even though I had during training went below 60 minutes for 10km, I wasn't really sure of the distance and I wanted to use this race to confirm once and for all my 10km pace. The earlier 10 k race at Mt Faber didn't count - it was the first race after the operation and it was done at a very relaxed pace together with M.

The race was pretty well organised. In view of the constraint of the route, the race was split into 5 wave - 2 for the men's open, 1 for the lady's open and 1 combined for the veteran and junior. The last was the fun category. The running route was also well separated and there was no worry of running into each other. 100 plus was freely available and there was marshals all over. They also managed to keep out most of the roller bladers and cyclists.

My target was to run it under 1 hour at a comfortable pace. I still remember the 2005 NB Real Run where I did my best official 10km and promptly vomited at the end. That is what sifu Sebas called 'vomit' pace, the type of race where at the end, you are left heaving and breathing so hard that after the first sip of water, everything will come out.

By the time my wave started at 8.15 am, it was pretty hot. I was standing with DO, Dream and a few other sgrunners (I think) almost at the front. M was somewhere behind. Also saw Gary in front. When the race started, all of them disappeared from sight within seconds. Wah so fast. I ran at a slightly faster than normal pace and found it hard to breathe. Still, reach the u-turn point in 26.50 mins and I knew that I was on target for a under 60 minutes finish if I can continue at the same pace. Having run there so many times, I know the return journey alongside the chalet and the lagoon was going to be hot. Somewhere along the chalet, Charles the barebodied Hongkonger caught up with me. That guy has already ran 47 full marathons in 10 years from 1995 until 2005 and that is including 3 operations on both his knees! At the finishing point, saw Bee and Ronnie in front of me, running side by side. Looks like she has fully recovered from her fall some time ago. I crossed the line in 54:46mins which makes me very happy. I have achieved my target. M finished slightly behind in 58:43 mins, a PB for her - in fact the first time she has finished under 1 hour for a 10km run.

Now the big question for me - dare I take the challenge and go for the full distance this year end!