Akira Swift X-Country 2009 Post 2

Cornie:

“What??? You’re going to race on Saturday in SINGAPORE? Where it’s 30 plus and the humidity is the like at the steam sauna where we used to go during cold winters?” This is a common reaction of my friends back in Europe, if they get to know about my weekend plans. Racing over there is characterized by temperatures around 20 degrees, sometimes 25 which is already considered as hot. And humidity occurs rarely enough.

The weather conditions for Akira Swift X-Country Championships 2009 were close to European standards. We arrived at Bedok Reservoir around 3 pm when a thunderstorm started and it rained cats and dogs for nearly an hour. You couldn’t see the other side of the reservoir. We shared a small pavilion with 2 other groups and some secondary school girls screaming every other minute, no matter if there was a thunder or not. Kelvin tried really hard to get a team picture, Jackie zoomed through the rain and didn’t get cold, the rest of us chit chatted and tried stay as dry as possible with jackets, t- shirts and umbrellas. Almost impossible but true: I was cold for the first time during my “endless summer”!

When the rain finally stopped, we had a long warm up, jumping over and running through paddles and it reminded me of a typical spring/ fall jog in Europe. We didn’t have time for a long stretch because of the women’s open.

The men’s open happened some minutes afterwards. Melissa and I got ready and she stayed calm even though it was her first race for NUS! Helpful was the route briefing we received: “You run up, turn around and then come back.” Okay, we were off! Melissa and I started in the front and some JC girls overtook me, right in front was this sportive Asian German trio; three middle aged fit ladies enjoying running! It was a pleasure to see how much they were into running! I could feel, that I didn’t stretch properly, and at the little slope I heard Mr Quek’s voice in my head “knees up, knees up” which really helped and I overtook two girls. Then the turn came and we ran back, our shoes were soaked and then I saw the guys coming from the over side which motivated me extremely. On the last meters there was Ben screaming out our names, he was really busy taping and making pictures simultaneously! Then the race was already over! The guys did amazingly well and Melissa did a great job! Thanks, it was a great experience to run with all of you!

P.S. The reservoir looked so peaceful when we left like it was never touched by any thunder…

Singapore Biathlon (7th March 09)

At 7am, I was strolling along East Coast Park admiring the sun rise. It would be another 30min before the exciting Singapore Biathlon got underway.

“Melvin! What are you doing here?”

That familiar raucous laughter. I couldn’t miss it. There was Mok, all sexy in his blue triathlon spandex suit. He looked so confident and happy as usual. I wished him luck and he zoomed off and continued his warm-up.

I soon met up with Benedict near Bedok Jetty where the race was due to start. He showed me his stunning new handy cam which he told me was a real bargain at 500bucks. It looked pretty stylo milo.

At about 7.30, the race was about to start. The organizers started playing my pre-race favourite song. It goes something like “put your hands in the air…uh huh…uh…huh”. I made a conscious effort to stop my hips from gyrating.

The Singapore Navy’s Rear Admiral soon did the flag off and the veteran guys and women’s open race began. The biathletes reminded me of sea turtles slipping into the water for the migratory season with their pink swim caps bobbing in the water.

Ben and I waited near the transition area. While he fiddled with his camera’s controls, I shifted my attention to more worthy things like other fellow supporters aka beach babes! Woot.

About 20minutes later, the first girl came out of the water. I think it was a national triathlete(correction: it was Trudy Fawcett. Thanks Dinah!). The next girl to emerge was none other than our very own Zhi Yun who did a fantastic swim leg. Her time was really good and I half suspected she hid mini propellers in her feet for added propulsion in the water.

It was a while later that Yati completed her swim. Michelle was next and then Angela. It was a valiant effort from all three considering that they did not have a swimming background. I tried to get a few shots of our seniors with Benedict’s other camera but in the words of Ben, my efforts were best described as “fail”!

For the guys, Mok emerged first for NUS, then Sunny. Zhenghong did a solid swim leg.

The run leg was pretty good and we shouted encouragement as Yati, Michelle and Angela passed us near the start line. It was drizzling and we met Mark soon after as we waited for the girls and guys to return.

The first girl to return was the national triathlete (correction: Trudy fawcett) I mentioned earlier. Next was Dinah. Then came Zhi Yun who stormed resolutely down the final straight for 3^rd position. Yati whom I believe was placed 16^th was next to return. Michelle and Angela zoomed back one after the other. I could tell they were really pushing and their eyes reflected steely determination.

In the men’s category, our champion Mok seemed rather relaxed as he returned and Zhenghong tore down the final straight after another biathlete.

I felt it was a great effort especially for all 4 of our seniors Zhi Yun, Yati, Michelle and Angela who have been juggling swim training and cross country. Swimming is not easy to pick up with a huge emphasis on stroke work and I can imagine the amount of work that they must have put in for this biathlon. Well done my seniors!

Biathlon seems pretty fun. I think Jayanta and I should be doing our conversion to water frogs during the school hols with our very own swim training!

Akira Swift X-Country Championships 2009 (7th March 09)

Shortly after we arrived at Bedok Reservoir, it started pouring. We took shelter under one of the pavilions with Corne and Melissa shielding us valiantly with their umbrellas. The wind was pretty strong and there was some lightning and CHIJ girls screaming. My ears hurt.

Yet the rain did little to dampen our spirits. People got boisterous with Kelvin tussling with Patrick for a jacket. I guess in such fights, size matters. Kelvin looked really smug wearing a super tight fit size “M” IVP jacket. Meanwhile, Jackie ran around offering buddy hugs to keep everyone warm. GuoChen was visibly distraught.

In an act of extreme boredom, Kelvin borrowed Patrick’s camera and tried to get a group shot. We squeezed and huddled together under the small pavilion which we shared with 2 other schools. It took about 7 shots before we finally got the camera-shy Guochen in the photo.

After a long wait, the organizers announced that the race would go on at 4.30pm. We were all pumped up and ready to go. We did a longer warm-up than usual, splashing into puddles on the flooded tarmac path. I felt like a little kid hopping around and enjoying the feeling of getting drenched.

We got back to the pavilion, did a fast stretch near the start line before we were called up. The girls started first and 10min later we were off. Our team started strongly with Jayanta surging ahead to chase the top Swift runners. I was with Alan and Guocheng and we ran as a pack. It was comforting to see a swarm of red NUS singlets just in from of me with Jackie moving up near Jayanta.

Near the famous steep hill, I sped up a little and caught up with a few runners. As I ran, I remembered Mr Quek’s advice to target runners in front, one by one, and to steadily catch up with them. As I ran down the hill and got back onto the gravel path, I ran with a very fast Swift runner who really pushed me. Far ahead, I could see a really psychotic runner in a yellow singlet who had been charging like a bull since the start of the race. It was none other than the legendary former NUS captain and famously charming Peng Tat.

Near the finish line, I ran hard but was out-sprinted by the swift runner. I finished in a time of 18.02 for abt 5km. It was a good time and I was happy.

Overall, it was quite good. The boy’s team came in 2^nd in the open category. Corne did a fantastic run and it was a credible debut race for Melissa which she agreed had been great fun. Nick Teh also did a spirited run with a nice sprint down the final straight. This braveheart moment was captured on Benedict’s handycam. (Hey Ben, rmb to add in the “Chariots of Fire” music.)

Well done everyone! We will aim to do better at the next race and…track season : )

We’re featured in Red Sports!

scource: http://redsports.sg/2009/02/10/nus-road-relay-running/

“Bedok Reservoir, Saturday, February 7, 2009 – A National University of Singapore (NUS) relay team came from fifth position to grab second spot in the men’s open category, preventing a clean sweep of the top two positions by the formidable Singapore Police Gurkhas at the 58th Singapore Athletic Association (SAA) Road Relays.

Running the full 4.3km loop of the reservoir, the Gurkhas, running in two teams under the banner of the Police Sports Association (PSA), fielded two teams, got off to a characteristically fast start with their teams in first and second position from the horn.

The first two NUS runners – Jayantha Ng and Madankumar Balakrishnan – kept their team in contention by keeping the Gurkha teams in sight. When 2007 SEA Games triathlon gold medallist Mok Ying Ren received the relay wrist band as the third runner, hopes went up that the race would only get better for NUS.

Starting from fifth position in the relay, Mok chased down the Gurkhas and did well enough to give final runner Sikhander Singh a real chance at a medal finish.

With Mok having done his part, anchorman Singh took over the wristband with at least one Gurkha in his cross-hairs. Approximately fifteen minutes later, the first Gurkha from PSA Team A crossed the finish line victorious. Eighteen seconds later, Singh crossed the line to split the two Gurkha teams and give the NUS team a second-place finish and a memorable victory over an elite force… “

(pls refer to http://redsports.sg/2009/02/10/nus-road-relay-running/ for more information)

Wings X Country 2009

Nicholas Tey(standing row most right):

“It’s my debut for NUS and my 1st race in 3 years. In terms of timing, I was about 1min 30 sec off my personal best from 2005, but it was considered good given the fact that I was not exactly race fit and had a slow start. I felt lagged during the start, but got on the groove when i hit the ”dreaded” slope.

I’m now looking to get back to train harder with the team and believing for more n better races ahead!”