Its finally out, the photos of the Sheares Bridge Run/AHM 2005 by sportsphotoX.com. I can’t search the photo archive by names, but only by our bib numbers. Furthermore, it took them about one week before all the pictures came online, just like the previous Newbalance RealRun. Did a search & the 2 here are the best I’ve found so far, as many are actually duplicate shots at the same point. Well, considering that all the photographers are actually clustered at the finishing line, so thats the only location where all my shots are.

haha, hang loose!

However, I remembered seeing like 2 other photographers throughout the route, maybe they didn’t catch me. Even I posed for them. Nevertheless got quite a few good pictures at the finishing line.

UPDATE: In case you are wondering, the handsign is called “the shaka” a Hawaiian friendly greeting. You can read more about it here & here. & yes incase, you are wondering, its not making a phone call, neither “call NKF”, “call me babe” or even a superstar finalist asking for votes. As discussed on the SGrunnners forum. Whoa!

Last week was peak exam week, so we only go back to school for papers. Its like back-to-back days on the “ulu” hours back to school where nobody’s up, or down! even the buses all all empty mid afternoon.. On a sidenote, there was some problem with the web server mid week onwards, not allowing me to upload my moblog pictures. Anyway, its up now & what the best I can do but summarize the week activities in one long concluding post:

Monday started with a our mechanics test. Though I completed all the questions & double checked every working, I still felt quite uncertain after handling in the papers… don’t know why its just a gut feeling, maybe I think my paper presentation was not so good. Wednesday saw the autocad test in a rather unknown venue, taken in concurrent with another class as well! The 3D part was easy but the assembly part is definitely a breeding ground for mistakes, so I can really tell how good I will do in it – As to anyone, their assembly drawing will always look “correct” to them. But overall it was cool. Electronics practical on Thursday was a breeze & we even get to know our results on the spot, I’ve scored 98/100 due to a cut from failing to put one calibration knob on the oscilloscope to MAX. However, I argued that the calibration knob used for zeroing & we are assuming that the lab signal generator is perfect (the oscilloscope used in the test wasn’t even zeroed). In fact I was zeroing the oscilloscope source to display the perfect accurate waveform on the screen & I have the calculations to prove it! All in hand, the teacher agreed with my explanation but still kept the cut (marking scheme restriction) *me jus collaspes* haiz just because of that 2 marks from perfection.. but 98 is better than nothing too.

The campus poolside gym will be closed from the 19 Sept to 1 Oct, so its choing time or not gym for 2 weeks. Went training on tues & thurs, my usual track training days (as I couldn’t stay so late in school, gotta study) Its muscle building week, so more chest presses, crunches (& oblique crunches), maximum resistance cycling & elliptical cross-training. Furthermore, I got the week to burn in my newly commissioned Brooks Maximus Running shoes!

New shoes! for 39.90 credits!

Testing grounds

close up

I remembered having a dream last night about me on the Swissotel (Swissôtel) Vertical Marathon. I recalled a scene when I was running up fast, everything was blurry, few competitors chasing me behind, about 50 floors up & still having energy to keep the pace, I was using my hand as a gliding guide on the handrail to pull yourself up on each flight, & I recalled wearing gloves in the dream! Never thought of that! Come to think about it ya, considering upon meeting fatigue, you using your arms to pull yourself up most of the time & gloves will not only serve to provide a better grip but protect your hands from blisters you may get after rail contact for say the last 40 floors? Mmmmm maybe sometimes dreams serve to tell you something… maybe you will see me in this year’s challenge with my long-lost Nike half-gloves on!

Had wanton mee for breakfast at Redhill Market, as the usual “econo beehoon” store wasn’t open so early at 4.30am. Oh well the early bird gets the worm then. Upon reaching the padang, as expected the place was already packed when I was there, not to mention the traffic & carparks there.

Pre race:
Desposited my bag & met up with Eric & Darius as intended at the park. Dropped by the park fountain to meet up with the SGrunners who were quite an interesting bunch of runners… Our man of the morning, Lonely Runner was late.. but ahaha he appeared soon after, got to meet forummates in person, like the brokenrunner, taz, sotong & the rest of the gang. After a few short greetings & introductions, rejoined back to my track team as the race was starting already. Then nature called…

I started late, remembering hearing 3-2-1-GO! when I was still in the toilet beside the esplanade bridge, luckily I did all my warm up while in the toilet queue. (haha time management to the maxes!) Missing the start is ok, as timings are gantry based, so I just have to forgo the gun-time completely. As usual, one thing I like about the Sheares 21km route (or the upcoming 42km stand chart route) are the rather scenic views the route offers, whether its passing landmarks such as indoor/outdoor stadium, kallang river, etc… its just so.. relaxing… Coupled with my music player.. ahaha shoik! did I mention tend to overtake more people when I play techno? ahaha!

The race:
Competition was not up on my list, but Completion was top, so what the best a runner can do but enjoy the run & make it as pleasant as possible? yea that includes “hangloose” cheering towards bystanders/in reply to the cheers from the public at the east coast park/roadsides, doing my bid by not littering at waterpoints (though my 1 cup quite insignificant duh!) or slowing down with a pose & smile whenever I see a sportsphotoX personel… it like, wooha make way buddy here I come for the shot! I think my sports photoX pics this time will be rather more interesting… now to my own pics:

Its early &, its crowded!

Flag off!

The upcoming concrete hurdle

Great run, reasonable timing of 1:55 on my watch.

Post race:
The moment I read.. bag storage in 5 tonners, I knew that collection would definately be rather interesting, having gone thru NS & knowing the in & outs of the rather new MAN tonner, it may be a good portable storage solution but when it comes to finding the bags in that truck… haha it just one big blackhole & just takes forever to get anything out of there. Lucky for me, my bag was sorted out of the tonner in the tentage, so I very much got my bag easily without a hitch, contray to poh fong & darius.. haha who had to keep their arms raised showing their number tags up behind the tonner for ages!

Met Nelson, my scout platoon trooper, he was quite surprised to see me running AHM this year, haha doesn’t mean I am out of the army= no more AHM! ahaha! Registered for Vertical marathon & 2nd link bridge run thereafter. Through & by courtesy of our track captain, who volunteered to do all the paperwork for us.. haha life is just so convenient these days. Met up with the rest of the SG runners for phototaking, will post them once they get it up on site! Aliased with mum & dad thereafter who were resting after finishing their 6km city run. They very much welcome the idea of taking part in this every year.. a good thing too.. We had lunch at bras basah before heading home for a well deserved rest.

As I said, good day, good weather, good run. out.

Today saw a 2.4km time trail for training, after some drills & foot work training. We even got the opportunity to run with our seniors taking the NAPFA test. Though the track team kinda finished even before 20% of the Napfa testees completed… no we are not fast, they are just slow. Clocked in at a disappointing 10:43, one of my personal worst, can’t expect much after a long 4 straight hours computer- aided- design (CAD) class I’ve just before. Didn’t even get to hydrate my usual 3L of water an hour before training… sad.. tests, exams, all eating into every aspects of life now… even training… must relax.. relax.. go run…

For the sheares bridge cum AHM 05 this sunday, been carbo loading since last sunday, eating at least portions for 2 persons every meal then. Like a plate of mixed vege rice (2meats, 2 veg) with a $4.50 chicken chop, chrysanthemum & soyabean bean drink plus a bowl of beancurd desert for dinner today. Expensive.. but I got to ensure optimum salt & glucose levels to prevent over hydration on the event, my worst fear. As I just like to overhydrate. & hey, the number tags this year have some radar thingies similar to our all familar race chips, no more mid-race tag tear outs like last year!

It had been sometime since I woke up to the morning darkness, but today is an exception as the long awaited New Balance Real Run 2005 is on this morning!

Had the “econo” Beehoon Horfun + egg for breakfast at Redhill market with dad (who had to go to the market for some groceries) before meeting the group harbour front MRT control station. & man was the place already packed with people, even the MRT staff were puzzledly amazed- an obvious sign of quite a major event.

The starting & finishing points are at the sentosa gateway carpark- whats left of the late dusfunct fantasy island water park. The race started off @ 8.30 with the juniors (5.5km), followed 15mins later with the open, hometeam & veteran categories (10km). Overall the race was great I just simply love the feeling of overtaking people on the various upslopes & downslopes- places where people tend to slow down, not to mention the notorious beach run. I always maintained by pace & only overtake, not to be overtaken. Furthermore I devised a method of running diagonally along the coastal path so you end up going straight along the coast without slipping down the beach, thus allowing me to overtake an exceptional number of people too on the sand run. Amazingly too, alot started walking after the sands, allowing my team & me to gain an edge too.

The most exciting part is definitely the last 400m where the everybody’s pace & spirits are up towards the last dash. Finished crossing the finishing gantry with twin funky “hang loose style” (aloha in Hawaii). The gantry read 58mins 24s when I crossed it, so minus-ing the 3-4mins time taken to flag off the crowd I guess my timings around the + – 55mins range for 10km. Only when the results to be released in 2 days will speak the eventual actual timing.

The most disappointing part is the lucky draw at the end, where they decide halfway to donate the prices to charity when they are no takers for prices, a call by the orgainisers, but a definite let down by the geering crowd. All in hand 100 prizes given out, neither any of us got an lucky draw prices.. sad, maybe the lottery is easier to win…

& now I got an additional dry-tec event shirt & shoe bag!

Sorry for the lack of event photos as I was a competitor & didn’t take much pictures, especially the crowds at the starting. Out!

Well, its finally the day of the long awaited SP Sports Grand opening day, with poppers, balloons, unicyclists, not to mention bag pipers in quilts, yea, my friend Andre came to school in his quilt (aka “the shirt”) all the way from pasir ris on MRT today! comments! comments!

Our Guest of Honour is some Doctor or so from South West CDC. Who officially opened the complex with a lion dance & a great Singapore workout. We got even free visors! Not to mention free CCA points for everyone! Besides this, track & field had actually been using the track (on a soft opening) for months already for training, infact since May, wonder why do they choose it open it now? Which is kinda.. umm late? My role there today is very much being a track marshal for the track events to be held as part of the programme, & a finishing-line marshal as well. But all that is after the old-boy’s soccer match…

Yes, the ex-Singapore national soccer players came to compete on a 45min friendly match against home. The Singapore team consisted of several old Singapore football legends, back at the time when its “still good” including, Sundram. Overall the match ended 3-2 with the Singapore team taking the win. & its only on the penalty shootouts were they finally broke the 2-2 tie. Good match, & I guess thats what everybody’s there for.

The Sports Complex!

Ex-Team Singapore vs Team SP

Track Events

Track events followed thereafter. Everything went well, with the exception of one competitor fracturing his leg on the men’s 60m veteran event, which definately sent the red cross volunteers scurrying & the ambulance on standby rushing off them of to the nearest hospital thereafter. The event ended 6pm + & dang I had to RUN after the bus this time on my way out the complex… as bus service 196 is just so notorious for its waits at the bustop. Luckily the old uncle driver was kind enough to hold the bus for me, thanking him on the way in. *sigh* Come to think about it, such kind drivers are so hard to come by these days…

Met up with Erick, Darius & the rest of the track gang at Dover MRT to gather & make our way to NTU , where the annual X Campus run was held. We alighted at Boonlay where we took service 179 to the campus itself. Estimated each college & polytechnic sent in at least 1 team to compete, 2, being the norm. The race was great & I guess I clocked in one the best timings since training on the actual grounds itself. NUS came in tops this year, on the invitational category where we belong in, though we all finished, Coach was a little disappointed with our results as quite a few of us didn’t performed as expected to be. In fact afew performed of our teammates came back with stitches, etc where coach ruled “need more training”.

Overall, I clocked in at 31mins 24seconds for the 6.6km run. Not the best, but I tried my best & very much made it in the top 40% percentile, beating even the NUS track girls team, with their guys team being the exception. & man I guess the feeling of overtaking 5-8 people in a row on the downslope is super shoik! haha on the notorious 3rd upslope in the run near building N1.

Alex came with more events lined up for the year, starting with the The Mizuno Wave Run in October & the Raffles Swissotel Vertical Marathon 2005 in November, allowing us to earn more CCA points too. Upcoming events: New balance Real Run (28/08/2005, 10km), Sheares Bridge run/AHM (11/09/2005, 21km)