running alck

This year North Face 100 consists of 4 categories. 100km Solo, 100km Duo where a team of 2, each run 50km, 50km women’s Duo(where a team of 2 womens, each run 25km) as well as 50km Duo Open (where a team of 2, each run 25km).

So being a first timer doing trail run for both my friend NX and I, we decided to register for 50km Duo Open. The race for 50km Duo Open starts 1000am sharp while other categories start as early as 4am in the morning. I met up with NX in MR and luckily theres quite a number of lockers for runners to put their barang barang. After putting all our barang in the locker, we slack around and walk over to the registration point. So the volunteers checked on all runners for their compulsory item e.g. mobile map and route map. Followed by, was checking our weight as well as hydration pack. Its a compulsory for 50km duo to carry 1 litre of water each. So i bought a hydration pack while NX uses 1litre of ice mountain of bottle. I put some gel in my hydration pack so that I could eat it along the way if needed.

The race was further delayed for 5 minutes due to some on-going activities. NX and me ran side by side till the start of the trail; as the trail was quite narrow so we try to keep pace of one another. We maintained pace all the way till ranger station. It was approx 5km. So, we went to drink up abit and toliet break.

After that, knowing that our next water point is after a stretch of road named rifle range; we ran together and NX was running quite ahead of me; I told him to go ahead as I do not want to pull him back or stop because of me. I was just behind him by 2-3mins and we met up again after the rifle range road. He was eating banana and i drank up. To my surprise, those runners behind us do not have water anymore. The volunteers were shouting that “We ran out of water, the next water point was 2.5km away”. After 2mins or so, we decided to continue our run; next stop is bukit timah summit; as thats the U-turn point for 50km Duo. I begin to lag NX behind and thinking that I would just have to push myself and continue my pace, i would do just fine.!

There’s alot of up and down slope during the trail run but it was so enjoyable. Finally, i saw the next water point, this time round, we were given 100-plus and mineral water. I drank up and there’s a checkpoint. So i continue running to the next check point which would be at the bukit timah U-turn point. On the way, i saw my classmate, Zul near bukit timah nature reserve and he was shouting “Alvin Go” which gives me a boost. As i was running, i saw this very steep slope and i was like “What the Hell!”. After so much training on slope area in Kent Ridge Park etc; this was the most steep slope i have even encounter. No choice, like other runners, we WALKED up. I was leaning very forward and my thighs begin to feel the stretch. After the steep slope, the terrain was quite gradual and i continue to pick up my pace. NX had already reached the U-turn point and doing the downslope. Once i reach the U-turn point, i begin to pick up my pacing again running downslope. I was like god, seeing other runners climbing and struggling up the steep slope and I tell myself “Thank god, i have overcome it”. On the way, i saw my friends kelvin together with his partner, jun xiong as well as shi wei. I greeted them and continue to run.

Running back to the same route and my next forcus was to reach the rifle range route as soon as possible. Going up and down the trail again and i reached the rifle range water point. The one which ran out of water; They replenishes pretty fast and i saw one of the sgrunners, ripley aka kelly. She took a photograph of me and told me NX was just right infront. And i replied her, Alright i will catch up with him. Soon enough after the rifle range route, i saw NX. His thighs got cramp and so do I. So i tell him lets run together and complete this race together!

Along the way, we stopped quite a few times and i RAN out of water. There’s no more water point till the finish point. I begin to slow down and NX was pushing me. We were motivating each other most of the time and trying to complete as soon as possible and let this pain comes to an end. Soon enough, we reached the golf link trail and I told NX that we are almost done. We do a run-walk technique and I was enduring as i ran out of water. Luckily NX left a little of water and i took a sip of it.

We saw the waterfront and we know that we are close to the finishing point. NX and I keep running and WOOT…there we are, we endured and conquered this 50km Duo race together. We completed in a time of 3:16 each and we were pretty satisfied with it. Before collecting our finishing medal, we were asked to measure our weight again. We headed to the foods tentage and were given subway meals + cookies + cocktail. And the water point was near the finishing point. I collected water for NX and myself and start eating. After that, we head to the toliet and bathe. It was so relaxing after the bath.

Overall this race was well organized. The race route was pretty tough especially the way to bukit timah summit. But I’m sure this does not done on purpose but to test on one-self endurance. The trail part was fun and new to NX and myself as this is the first time we are doing trail.

As for myself, this race was nevertheless very meaningful to me but something is much more meaningful and worthy to me was the motivation, the spirit, the endurance, and to start the race with your partner and end it with him together. This kind of experience never come easily. NX, thanks!.

I also would like to congrats my friends for completing the race within the time limit of 4:30 and and and salute to those doing 100km solo as well as 100km duo.

Till then, this weekend was very meaningful and its a weekend hard to forget