Nighthawk Night Run

Friday night, 12-Mar 2010

We were having the first night run at 9pm for the Sundowners, going along MR, Old Upp Thomson Road towards Mandai/ Seletar and back. Full-marathoners and ultra did 23km, and the half-marathoners ran 16km.

But before the run, dinner! I met up with Lynn, WY, GY etc etc at Brussels Sprouts for a surprise birthday gathering for WY. Mussels there never failed. And the free-flow of frites, oh my! Recipe for a burp-full run later.

So back to the run, we met at MR visitor lobby area. After a quick briefing, we were good to go. All the running guides had a light-stick each to denote the category we were in. Most runners had red blinkers on us. I started off slow and easy, making sure the runners around me were safe. Some of them started on a rather fast pace, or perhaps they were trying to follow the faster ones ahead and inevitably went a bit hard. I just followed along behind, within sight.

It was a new route to me, I was usually inside the MR trails rather than on the parallel roads. Traffic was heavy along Upp Thomson Rd, but eased up once we turned towards Lower Pierce and onto Old Upp Thomson Rd. There was a sense of deja vu as I ran past the Casuarina car park - reminders of ungodly early morning rides. It had been a while since I ran on Old Upp Thomson Rd, ever since they closed the SICC golf course connection between MR and Upper Pierce Reservoir. In the past, that was our MR long 20-30km training route, part trail, part tarmac, and .. part monkeys. Surprisingly the gentle rolling slopes on OUTR did not seem as strenous in the illusion of the night.

We then turned out towards Mandai Road and to the Seletar Executive Golf Course. Again, I used to run here on one of those crazy solo long runs. Ahhh.... By now, the runners had spaced out into groups of 2-4. Some that had started out too strong had slowed down. I trotted along at my constant pace, and observed how they ran. Some dragged, some felt/looked heavy, some big strides etc. I tried not to overtake the runners but followed their pace. At some sections, I tried to lead and set the pace. But on a few upslopes, it was difficult to go too slowly, so I ran ahead. Legs were fresh and light, just the way slopes should be tackled. Loved that feeling! If only it occured more often.

We u-turned inside the Executive Golf Course and retraced our route. 1:15min, rather decent. But somewhere about 1:45min, I felt soreness in my knees. Sigh. I would much rather be in the trails than tarmac. That monotonous pounding with no variation was of no help, I could not vary my steps. Thought to self, thank goodness I was not attempting Sundown. It was painful to recall my last 84km tarmac race, in the dark.

I stopped briefly at various junctions to make sure the runners behind followed. Then I managed to catch up with the ones in front shortly. I think their pace might have been a tad erratic if I could keep up soon? But they were mentally strong to endure and complete the training. We were soon back in MR, finally! Total: 23km, 2:28h, time 12:00midnight.

I drank a milo pack from my car, it was the best recovery drink. :) The shower waters at MR was cold in the night, shivers! A quick shower later, and I was feeling sleepy already. Yawn. A burpy run but nonetheless a good run. :)