Running in soup - AHM 2009

There I was, sitting on the ground in the starters pen, about 30 metres from the start line. This was the furthest forward I have ever placed myself at the start of the annual Army Half Marathon. All around, people were buzzing with excitement and anticipation, contorting their bodies into different poses and stretches. We were barely minutes away from the start of Singapore's largest running event, with more than 70,000 runners participating in various distances ranging from 6 km to 21 km this year. The air was thick with moisture - I guess I might have been the only one feeling that way. With such high levels of humidity all year round, running in Singapore is sometimes likened to running in soup. I was already wet with perspiration even before the starter's pistol went off!

The race was flagged off about 5 mins early. I think this caught some of the runners further back by surprise as they couldn't see what was going on at the front, Furthermore, there was no air horn or pistol shot to mark the start of the race - only a silent wave of the flag by the guest of honour. Fortunately, the front runners could see what was going on and were ready to charge past the start line. My game plan was to try to maintain a 5:10/km pace for the first 1 - 2 km, and then try to hold a 4:50 to 5:00/km pace for the rest of the event. I didn't notice that many people sprinting the first stretch this time, compared to previous years. I suppose with more distance running events being organised each year, participants have learnt that conserving energy in the initial stages was a better strategy :P

As the race started at 5.30 am, much of it would be run in the relatively cooler temperatures of the pre-dawn hours. However, as I was still acclimatising back to tropical heat, I still did find the morning air damp and warm :( After a quick trudge through the financial district, we heading towards the coast and were soon running up Sheares Bridge that spanned the Marina Bay area. Unlike previous experiences, this portion of the run was smooth flowing. As only 2 lanes of the road were reserved for runners, there was potential for a bottleneck in this stretch. I guess running closer to the front of the pack has its advantages.

After about 6 km, we entered the East Coast Park area. It was nice running by the sea, with a cool sea breeze for company. Along the way, various military units had set up support stations, coupled with music and various forms of entertainment. I appreciated the effort they put in to cheer us on, and provide us with cold water and isotonic drinks.

I did a quick systems check about 8 km into the run. So far, I still felt relatively well hydrated. Granted, I was sweating buckets, and was probably already quite dehydrated. However, I was drinking at every water stop, and keeping my pace as even as possible. Looking at my watch, I could see that the pace was still on track, and there was a good chance that I could do a 1:50 or even 1:45 for this half marathon distance. Prior to this morning, my best ever half marathon timing in tropical Singapore was about 1:59. Once I crossed the u-turn point along the coastal path, I picked up the pace a tad, and tried to maintain a 4:40 to 4:50/km for as long as I could.

Somewhere around the 14 km mark, DR and IMD whizzed by me, and I spotted another friend, GT. It was encouraging to see such familiar faces in the crowd, and their encouragement helped me to keep on pushing for the final phase. The race entertainment this year included a percussion band, a regular brass band, a small group of people playing melodies with bells, and most bizarre of all, belly dancers! Yes, at around the 17 km mark, there were 3 ladies decked out in what looked like traditional costumes, belly dancing to the delight of about half the running population (no prizes for guessing which half :P )

My right calf was feeling tight when the distance marker read 19 km. Only 2.1 km left to go, and I was breathing deeply and sweating profusely. Digging deep, I shortened my stride and increased the cadence to pick up speed. The final 1 km felt really long. Turning back onto the Esplanade Bridge, the final curve around the Padang felt like an unending detour. To compound matters, runners for the other events were getting into position, so it took some effort to avoid them as they crossed the road. Nonetheless, most were considerate enough to let the weary and downtrodden half marathoners pass by unhindered. As always, the final 100 metres went by in a flash. All I can remember is sprinting as hard as I could. My Garmin 405 reported 1:43:36 for 21.24 km. A personal best for a half marathon in Singapore :)

Official Results just out on 18 Aug 09:
Gun Time = 1h:43m:56s
Chip time = 1h:43m:26s