TNF Sentinel Trail Shoe

As  part of the support given to the Run Leaders for the TNF Trail Run Series, Run Leaders were each given a pair of TNF shoes. I was given the TNF Sentinel. For the technical aspect and specification of this shoe, read here.

I took it out for the maiden run on 23 April 2011 during the TNF Trail Run #3. In a way, this run was very suitable for field testing this shoe as the route comprises of 30% road, 10% grass and balance soil and dirt. Part of the route was also wet and muddy. There were also many areas where there were roots, rocks, logs, wooden planks, broken asphalts etc. How did this pair of shoes fared in all these conditions?

TNF Trail Run Series #3 Quarry Catchment Run

In a blink of an eye, we have reached the half way run of the North Face Trail Run series. This time round we were back at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve but instead of starting at the overly congested Bukit Timah Visitor Centre, we choose to start off from Dairy Farm Car Park B. 

After a short briefing, the runners took off towards the Singapore Quarry. The distance we were supposed to cover was about 10km, kept short in view of the more "challenging" route. Just after a few hundred metres, we started ascending a slope going up and up till we came to the first of our stop - the Singapore Quarry. Most of the runners have not been here before and were dumbfounded by the beauty of the quarry. One guy even exclaimed in mock surprise - "Is this Singapore?"  

Group photo at the Singapore Quarry

After a short stop for photo taking, we resumed the run and entered a mountain biking trail. It was single file running most of the way with lots of mud and cyclists to avoid. 

Mud pool

Good Friday Run with Punggol Runners and Team Fatbird

On  a bright shiny Good Friday morning, we joined Team Fatbird and Punggol Runners in a holiday run at the Lorong Halus trail and wetland. Almost 100 runners turned up. I expected anytime to be stopped by the police for illegal gathering but I think the police are too busy with election matters to be concerned with mere runners.

This was the first time I am running with the Punggol Runners despite many invitations previously. This time round, only a few of us know the trails within the rubbish landfill so we had to oblige and turn up to lead them in. As usual, the trails were wet and muddy and the oil patch had grown much bigger since the last time we were there.

Kayano led the main group up to the dam and into Pasir Ris Farmway before meeting up at the Wetland. Meanwhile, lazy us decided to take a break at the Wetland and did not follow through. We ran back via the new Ponggol PCN through to Hougang PCN before calling it a day with a nice breakfast at the food centre.

Doing this type of run, I am always surprised by the type of runners that turns up. There are the usual speedster, those out for a nice run and those who simply want to run in a new place. What I am surprised at is the obviously unfit participants. While we generally welcome all runners, sometime managing people who can't run and yet want to cover the full distance can be really a pain in the neck. Its fine if a not too fit runner gets cramp, that is okay but if the participants (I hesitate to use the word 'runner') are so unfit that they have to walk almost from the outset. what makes them think that they can cover the long distances on trail? I am not too sure whether they notice the distances that the group is coming.

I am not being an elitist but in order that such long runs do not drag into the late morning, perhaps next time organiser should have a sort of minimum  qualifying criteria for long runs such as these.

For those newbie who are just starting their runs, they should consider joining group runs such as the U Zonal Run, I Run or the various group runs by the various apparel companies.

Strange

On Tues evening, when I went for my run, had barely gone 10metres when shooting pain started emitting from the right ankle. What the hell? Not willing to take any risk so abandoned the run immediately. Subsequent close examination of the ankle shows no swelling. Neither was there any pain when pressed. The arch was still a bit sore and the top of the foot where the chairs went on top was a little painful to the touch but otherwise, the foot seems okay.

Resumed the abandoned run the next evening. This time everything seems okay. No pain. No nothing. And I managed to complete the run in one piece.

The only difference appears to be the shoe. On Tuesday, was wearing the Terra Plana Evo. Last night, I wore the Zoots Ultra. Could it be the lack of cushioning in the Evo? Or the arch pain is really the dread Plantar Fascittis and the movement of the foot in a more minimalist shoe causes the tendon to stretch too tightly during the arch movement and the pain to shoot up?