Sunday run with SAFRA Club @ Macritchie-Bukit Timah Loop

This week was hectic, and I didn't have much sleep. For the sunday run, I was to try out my new mizuno running gear, and also get my long run in.

The group was a lot smaller this morning. Derek, Hock Soon joined us for the first time. After some of them have put their bags into my car's boot, we were ready to go. We were going to run from MacRitchie to the Bukit Timah Reserve (Visitor Centre) and back, taking in the MacRitchie Northern Trail, then along SICC, cutting left after the 2 slopes onto dirt track along the pipelines, hitting metal road, and slong dirt track again. The whole to-fro course will normally take 20km-21km.

The alarm rang at 6am, my wife decided not to join me at MacRitchie; I got up, took a coffee, and away I went in my new blue mizuno outfit. The first part of the journey was relatively smooth, and I was running with Derek and Foo most of the time. We reached the halfway mark at the Bukit Timah Reserve Visitor Centre in 1hr2min. Along the way, we bumped into 2 big groups of trekkers to the TreeTop, asking for directions.

We took a 5min break at Bukit Timah, and went on the return trip back. I heard then that the Toa Payoh runners already turned back much earlier. Supraman was still with us, though....He was the ex-Singapore runner who was pacing me all the way the last time we ran this course.

With about 7km left, Derek and myself broke off, and decided to return via the TreeTop route. I was feeling tired already, and it was at about this time, that I 'hit the wall'...yah, the wall...I was feeling very weak in my legs. With 5km to go, I was literally struggling. I was feeling weak, and I think it was because I was not properly fueled before such a difficult run. Derek told me not to walk, but continue to jog slowly. Running through the wooden planks, then through the golf course, and back through the 3.5km mark all the way back to the zig-zag bridge. It was one of the toughest running stretch I had to endure for a long, long time. I finally made it back slowly.

Distance Ran:21km XC___Time:2hr____Pace:5:45min/km
Average HR:157bpm___Max HR:169bpm___KCal:1601KCal