I did not do the long endurance run last Sunday due to some injury to my shin. Last year, i was facing the ITB injury before the SBR. This year round, it's a shin splint injury. I will still go for the record book. I was so close to the record in Ipoh and i would not want to miss it this time. The olympics track had just started and it definitely going to distract my training time. The like of Bekele, Haile Geb., Jeremy Wariner are all my favourites in the distance running. Although the miss of Guerrouj in the middle distance running is going to affect the excitement, i will not miss the 1500m.

 

I did a 10 km race pace run around the loop in front of the Buangkok MRT. The new stadium in SengKang is not ready yet. This Buangkok loop provide me a good place to run. It is about 2.1 km per loop with a big open field for weekend soccer players. Dear joined me for the run but both of us started at different time. I started off first with a racing picture in my mind, trying to stay focus for the pace. The first loop went off with a time of 8 min 46 sec and i was surprised that i couldn't keep the time under 8 min. The food from lunch was keeping me busy to adjust my breathing. I gone a bit faster on the second loop with a time of 8 min 36 sec, 17 min 22 sec in 4 km. A bike was pacing me in front, giving me a constant pace. The third loop i slowed down with a time of 8 min 56 sec, a total distance of 6 km. The next 2 loop was quite closed to 9 min with a time of 8 min 53 sec and 8 min 34 sec. The total time spent was 43 min 47 sec with an avg time of 4 min 22 sec per km. I would say it was a disappointing time as i put in quite a bit of effort to run the loops. I felt that i had tried quite hard to run it.

 

For the next whole week, i will be having a relax week for tampering purposes as well as time for my injury to recover. It give me time to watch the olympics as well.

 

17th August 2008 (Sun). Distance: 10.5 km. Time: 43 min 47 sec

 

 

 

 

Soon the place was filled with runners, everyone was getting ready for the morning race. I do my warm-up to subside my recent shin injury. It was an old injury, probably due to the weight of the recent Cumulus 10. I was wearing Bandito and it did not give me any problem.

 

 

The women race started first at 7.05 am. This time round was David Shum, Tampines Safra chairman who flagged off the race. 10 mins after the ladies went off, it's our turn. It was a slow start but i managed to squeeze in front among the leading runners. Joshua and TH was running behind a leading MR25 runner, I just followed behind them. We passed by the Lavender Indian temple but we did not turn into the park which i never realise. When we reached the PA, i take my chance to lead in front and it was the first time that i did so. My confidence was high but the lead was not long. As i turned out into Nicol Highway, the MR25 runner took over the lead. Joshua followed up with him and i stayed behind.

 

At the stadium bridge, there was a 3 km distance marker and i took a look at my watch. It was reading 10 min. Huhhhh!! how can it be? I was running at world class pace. Something is wrong, i can't manage a 3 min/km pace. As i was thinking, TH and another runner overtook me. I followed strictly behind an tall orange-vest runner. I believed i was in 6th position at that point. We were running outside of the stadium before getting into Nicol Highway heading toward Suntec. The 12 km runner-up and Woon Long started to make their movement, running past me with high-speed pace. I just remained behind the orange-vest runner and run hard. Ricci was following behind me. The Nicol Highway slope did not bother me, i could keep a vision of the front runners. As we approached the Crawford underpass, the front runners were no way to be seen.

 

At 10 km mark, I started to increase pace and overtook the orange-vest runner. My watch was reading 40 min 52 sec. It was the best start for a 21 km race. Ricci did not follow up with my pace. I collected my first ribbon before i turned back into the Nicol Highway for the second loop. I start to overtake some ladies by then. I was trying to catch up with the front runners but it was too far apart. At 15 km, i had used up 1 hr of running. I ran the last 5 km using 19 min 23 second. It was not too bad. I collected the second ribbon and headed out for the finish line 5 km away. Melvin How came right up and took me by surprise. What a negative split from him! I took a drink at the stadium bridge and another runner overtook me again. Wow! am i running too slow? I maintained the 5 min/km pace for the last 5 km.

 

 

I finished the race with 1 hr 20 min 35 sec, completing the last 5 km with 20 min 20 sec. It was my targeted finishing time but i was disappointed with the distance. It was not a 20 km race in fact i think the distance was only 19 km. I felt a bit of disappointment but was happy for the MF runners. Most of them were able to come under 1 hr 30 min. It was a good preparation for the SBR run.

 

10th August 2008. Distance: 19 km. Time: 1 hr 20 min 35 sec.