SAFRA Tampines Location Run 2008

Courtesy David Poh @ Tampines SAFRA

SAFRA Tampines fired the first salvo for 2008 with the SAFRA Location Run series...a 15km familiarization of part of the Sundown connector route near Tampines/Bedok Reservoir on Sunday. I haven't been to SAFRA Tampines for some time already, and with a wrong turn, I was circling around the Tampines area for a bit...finally got there on time at 7am.

Quite a crowd had gathered from the Toa Payoh, Mt. Faber and Tampines branches of the SAFRA Running Club...even the newly formed Yishun branch was represented through SiYi and her team. Went around looking for familiar faces, and chatted with TarePanda, SealBoon, Wong, etc. After the customary group photos, we set off into the fresh morning air along Bedok Reservoir. Divey came up to chat about her recent GE30k and running adventures...hmm, she is really slim and trim now, didn't look one bit sick although she was still nursing a flu. Good to meet with Benson, albeit for a very short while. As we entered into the Park Connector, I spoke to quite a number of fresh faces, and made connections.

At one of the stops, had the chance to meet with Rusty of KL fame...quite a pleasant surprise to know she had joined the SAFRA Running family. She is a humble runner, with strong potential, and doing very well at races. DO, myself and Rusty ran for quite a long stretch, stopping for milo-looking Endurance-mix and Sng Pow (the famous ones from Shirlyn...hehe), and generally talking about training and races in KL and Singapore. Also found out from Rusty that the series of rolling hills along the Industrial Area is known as the Hartamas area...*shudder*, *respect*...that and the double hill are the regular training ground for these Malaysian runners; no wonder they were swiping all the records at hilly GE30km.

We finished the run at 9.15am, a full 2-hrs for an estimated 15km distance. The sun was just coming out, and everyone was happy to just grab a can of cold 100plus and go to the shade for some cooling down. We gathered for a round of stretching led by Sam, and then went for very delicious Bat Koot Mee at the nearby Bedok Food Centre...very happening area. The kopi was very nice as well. Will find time to go back for their other famous delicacies like Kway Chap.