Run Home #???

It's been a long time since I ran home from work. The last time was sometime in August last year, a run which came to an premature end at Bedok Food Centre, just 3 km from home in Simei.

This time round, we are now staying in Pasir Ris. A further distance. My original plan was to run via Sims Ave and link up to the Siglap PCN before going by Bedok Reservoir. But the sidekick decided in her usual style to run via ECP cos less traffic and less people even though I told her not to join me since the foot was still giving her some problems. So in the end, to keep peace, agreed to do it her way.

But as things turned out, we both didn't get to run our way. We started off late and took the usual Esplanade, Marina Promenade route. It was tough weaving in and out of the crowd with so many people blocking here and there taking photos. The pace became a little bit easier as the crowd thins out after the Helix Bridge but it was also construction time for the F1 and certain stretch of the pavement were reduced to single lane. At Nicoll Highway, we climbed up the stairs and down again over the river intending to go into the Stadium area to cut across to Tanjong Rhu via the Indoor Stadium. But this was where we met our first obstacle. The work for the new Sports Hub was in full stream and we couldn't go in. So in the end, it was the full distance along Nicoll Highway until the junction of Mountbatten Road.

That was when the sidekick finally realised that her intended route via ECP would means an extra 4km. So she chickened out and we continued into Guillemard Road. More traffic fumes. I think we inhale more toxic in the run than smoking a pack of cigarettes! From Guillemard Road, it was across the road to Sims Ave. More traffic but eventually we reached Kembagan MRT where we turned into the Siglap PCN for a slight respite from the fumes.

Our run took us through the HDB estates of Bedok Reservoir fronting the PIE and to Bedok North Rd where we crossed the road via an overhead bridge only to find our way into Bedok Town Park blocked - by another construction! So it was along Bedok North Rd and Tampines Ave 10 for more cancer inducing fumes but that also means a discount of at least 1 km. We turned into Bedok Reservoir Park and came straight into the tentage for the next day Sundown Ultra Marathon. Too bad only the tents were up. No drinks or food, otherwise.... Also, we didn't manage to spot the upper body of the poor chap who got half his body eaten up by the fishes there!

From Bedok Reservoir, back on to Tampines Ave 10 and then Ave 9 before we finally hit the Tampines PCN which means another 1.5km to go to Pasir Ris. Total time taken, 2 hours 18 minutes including various breaks for traffic. Total distance 19.8km according to the Garmin. So a total discount of almost 5 km from the initial planned 24km. Maybe I should do this more often?