The North Face 100 Singapore 2011

Team RayDeo arrived at SG by bus around Friday afternoon, we quickly took the MRT from Harbour Front to Bugis, where we supposed to rendezvous at Hajah Maimunah Restaurant with CatMan, Yim and Karen for lunch.

We arrived early and was hungry, after lunch we decided to proceed to Checkers Inn after waiting for quite sometime for the arrival of the rest of TNF Otoromen. Met them halfway towards Bugis MRT, said hello and bye as we proceed to check-in at our Hostel. TNF store at Marina Square was the next agenda, as we still need to collect our race kit for D-Day.

After that we made a bee line towards Novena Square, where we suppose to met up with Ijam, AKIM and Kash.

Kash was the perfect host, she treated us to sumptuous dinner / carbo-loading at BaliThai restaurant. Thanks Kash, we’ll be back…..he he

We arrived at the Hostel at the perfect time, as Yim was ready to rock TNF. His team “MY Ultra Oldies” were given special permission to start with 100km solo runners at 1 a.m. which would gave them ample time to catch their plane for back-to-back Marathon at Putrajaya Night Marathon.

We immediately hit the sack after that as we need to be fresh for TNF battle tomorrow. We’re up by 5.00 am and heated up Pizza from Pastamania for our fuel that morning. By 6.10 am we’re in a Taxi heading to MacRitchie Reservoir, cost us about 9 SG Dollar (including booking fee 2.50, phone booking).

It was a quick ride from our Hostel in Little India, took us about 15 minutes. The sight of SBR and Adam1Arm Runner greeted us as we alighted from the Taxi.

We took a small locker inside the gents toilet to put our things before joining Ijam and Ian at the Mushroom Cafe.

For 100km Duo participants, they will start an hour late from last year at 8.00 am, which i though was quite late as the sun was already out at the time.

The Malaysian contingent was represented sufficiently at race site, besides our Team RayDeo, there were Team Macam Bagus (Ijam & Ian), Team Geng Bas Sekolah (AKIM & Kash), Frank & Jeff, Dzul & Cyntia and others. That’s not even including the 50km Duo teams which started later at 10.00 am – Shanaz & Irwan, CatMan & Flash, Nana & Izuan and others.

After weighting our Camelbak, we took the advantage of arriving early by running a bit and warm up, before ended it with stretching session with Ian.

Photo credit: Asree

There were so many runners at the gantry. It was bright when the run started at 8:00 am, everyone was excited and made a quick dash through the MacRitchie park entering the trails.

I started running at my happy pace with Deo and let other fast runners passed us, i started this adventure with an issue with my left knee. I got this uncomfortable pain from the 16 loops around KLCC park training with KA. I did not tell Cheetah about this knee issue, as he would be panicking over nothing during the race.

I felt the need to pee really bad during the early stages of the race, so i upped my pace a little bit and told the Cheetah to wait at the next water station. The strategy was, if either one of us is in front, he should wait at water station. I passed Kash and Cyntia before found a toilet after 5km. This is where Team Macam Bagus passed me.

I felt relief after the toilet break and decided to catch up with Team Macam Bagus and set them as pacer. The knee pains was gone after that which enable me to run faster at my usual pace, i passed Kash, Cyntia and Cheetah until i slow down nearing WP1, the pains was back and i’m not gonna risk an injury at this early stage.

At WP1, they served water, Milo and 100Plus, i topped up my Camelbak here with 100Plus. We covered 7km by now, and was running along Rifle Range Road where there’s a lot monkeys at the side. It was nice pacing along the tarmac, whereas when you running in the trail you really have to focus and look down to make sure your feet landed safely.

At the end of the tarmac road, we entered the Durian loop going towards Bukit Timah. In some race your have a good day, in other race you will encounter bad day.

TNF SG 2011 was one of my worst day!

I felt tired and lethargic, i guess one week of tapering instead two was not enough for me.

I train harder for TNF compared to SD100. Now i learnt my lesson, never to challenge AKIM in Dailymile for the weekly mileage countdown! What was i thinking, going into friendly rivalry with the Demi-God Avatar Red feet! I’m just a mere mortal!

Too late to do anything now, i just hope that this race would continue smoothly, please no drama! Not today, when i still felt fatigue from the rigorous 100km weekly trainings.

By now i was slowing down tremendously, and walked every time i encounter with inclines. The Cheetah was gone from my eyes sight now, but i took the comfort knowing he’ll be waiting for me at the Water Point.

Going out of the Bukit Timah, i approached a junction. Some runners turn left  but others just continue running into another trail, which have TNF signage. As the trail are open to public, we’re running with the casual runners that day. So i thought that the runner in front of me which turned to the left was one of the casual runner.

So i decided to continue entering the trail in front of me with TNF signage, after about 1.5km of running i arrived at the next water station, there’s no familiar face there. Maybe they left earlier i thought to myself, did the rituals pour cold water on my head but cautiously avoided from getting my shoes wet – don’t wanna get blister! Ate a banana, drank few cups of milo, topup my Camelbak with 100Plus. As i was about to leave the water station Team Macam Bagus arrived.

I was surprised and scratching my head tried to remember when did i overtook these guys. Never mind, as there were many runners maybe I forgot about overtaking them. I decided to pace with them from them on, but as we about to leave, i asked them “where did i overtook you guys?”. They just shrugged and didn’t remember about it, that was strange. Another question “where Deo?”, Ijam said he was at the last Water Station. Damn! I suspected i missed something here, they said that at the last Water Station you need to check in your time – this is where i pulled out TNF map and confirmed that i missed the WP2 and i was currently at WP3.

Just my day! Ian said that it worth going back to WP2 for the sole purpose of check-in my time. I agreed as i don’t want our team to be DNFed or disqualified!

I was in dilemma, i was tired and going back will waste a lot of my time and energy. It was an easy choice to continue and running with Ijam and Ian, but I said no! I did not come all this way to cheat or to be DNFed. As in real life, there’s no shortcut to success!

So let them go and started to run back to WP2, then i saw Deo at the counter drank his cold Milo. I poked him, and he was surprised to see me there. I said i got a problem, i missed the freaking checkpoint and i have to go back. I asked him to continue to run, but he froze there thinking about something. Then he said, i was at WP2 but could not remember whether i checked-in or not! Dzul arrived soon after and urged us to go back.

As i was running towards the WP2, i found the Cheetah was at my side. What’s your problem bro? He said that he definitely did not check-in his timing. Oh great! Another genius in our team. I said that our team now is now screwed! Let forget about our target timing, just finish this before cut off time.

Damn you TNF organizer! Now we had to backtracked 3km and wasted 30 mins because of poor signage management, plus they should put a Marshall at the the important junction.

It was the best decision on our part, when the TNF result came out later many teams were gutted as they were DNFed due to missing check point – the culprit was the WP2!

As we’re panicking and running towards the WS2, we bumped into many teams that thought we’re the leading runners.  Many looked at us with adoring eyes and gave moral claps and cheers – “wah so fast, these guys are inhuman”, “go go you doing great”.

So this is how Ahmed Lamchanak feel, we enjoyed our 30 mins of fame but it ended abruptly when we bumped into Kash and Cyntia. “You guys must have missed a check point!”, Kash said. We just can’t fool the wise Fox :)

We made it to the WP2 and wasted 30 mins of our precious time and energy. The Cheetah said earlier, he was there rehydrating and had a toilet break but forgot to check-in. You see, the organizer was superbly genius, putting the timing scanner after the toilet and drinks station. I thought this was unacceptable as TNF was held many years before this. Later, a SG runner told us that the organizer was different from the last year edition.

Our time checked at 2:29 hours (14.7 km), but we already ran 17.7km.

At WP3 for the second time, we took a brief rest before continue. What i like about Singapore event, there will always be supporters handing out free cold drinks to runners. We had Cold 100Plus and Coca Cola handed out by “Run to Eat Club”, thanks Freddy.

After that fiasco, it’s time to continue the journey. It’s now about 11 am and the sun was out there blasting full heat. The trail before this was covered by trees, now it’s an open field with NO trees in sight. We run towards Zheng Hua Park and Gangsa Trails, it was too hot, i just could not run - just walked, man this going to be a long day.

We finally cached up with Kash and Cyntia at WP4. Kash warned us that the worst is yet to come, after WP4 it’s the infamous Mandai area (ManDie). It’s a wide open area and we’re exposed to the unforgiving hot sun at around 12 noon. Many runners DNFed here, time was running out; we need to reached WP5 before cut-off time at 1 pm (5 hours).

Photo credit: Cynthia

I was disoriented and dizzy by the extreme heat. DNF was lingering around me, it’s so true what Kash said, this is the worst part of the race. If i could survived ManDie, i might be able conquer TNF. Finally after zombie walking in the extreme heat, we arrived at the WP5. We’re given a face towel which we dipped into ice cold water and put on our head to cool off.

The timing scanner was located at the top of Mandai hill – great! another brilliant idea from the organizer. Why make it easy for us runners, i just can imagine their ideas for next year TNF.

Photo credit: Deo

We checked in at 12:45 pm, with barely 15 minutes before cut off time.

It took us 2:16 minutes to cover 12.4 km from WP2, now in total we covered 27.1 km.

Another 22.9km to cover within time left of 5:15 minutes.

Now we’re running back towards WP4 through Lorong Asrama, it’s was extremely a hot day. But i learned a new trick today, i put the wet towel on my head and voila it’s more bearable to run in the hot sun.

We made it back to the WP4, but i was already suffered and effected from the merciless sun. We soldiered on running through the Gangsa trail, the sun was unforgiving that day. At WP3, Freddy from “Run to Eat Club” was still there smiling and handed us ice cold 100Plus and Coke, thanks buddy we really appreciate it.

After WP3, we ran back through the route of 50km Duo, it was a barren area and nowhere to hide from the hot sun. We walked and walked until we arrived at the bridge leading towards the tarmac road of Rifle Range. I made up for the lost time by pacing faster here, road racing is much more easier than this. Soon we arrived back at WP1, all this time the Cheetah was doing the pulling, he was strong that day.

We met Shine here, Shine was running 100km solo; he trashed his feet badly. I could see plasters and bandages around his feet, he suffered from wearing the NB Minimalist. The guy was still smiling with a trashed feet, i wanna know what he had in his backpack. Thank god we wore the thickest and most cushioning shoes for TNF, the rocks around the trail was hard, sharp and painful.

After WP1, it’s back into the uneven trail. I pity the Cheetah, coz he had to wait for me all day long. I asked him to just leave me and proceed to the finish line, every time he loyally stick by me. He was the real Ultraman that day, i had issues with my knees and my lethargic conditions.

It’s about 6km now from the finishing line, i had to walked most the time here, the sun took a lot from me, i was tired and grumpy plus i can’t run properly with the uneven terrain and the inclines just my excuses to further walked.

I walked slower now, Deo keep urging me to move faster as he was keeping track of the mileage and time with the Garmin Forerunner. He was panicking that we might not make it for the cut off time. I was on other hand confident we’ll make it as i had insurance with Shine and Kash were still behind us. Especially with Kash, the Ultramom that does not know the word quit or surrender!

Around 4km to finish line, still in the trail Deo urged me for the 10th or 11th time, i was walking…slowly. I still remember, i said to him that i am bonked!

I just could not forget his expression that moment, like a sad puppy. This was his big day, his 1st maiden Ultra race, i had mine at SD100, i just could not let him down. I pulled a Powergel from my Camelbak, quickly emptied it, took a deep breath and clear my mind - just forget about everything, then i started running like there’s no tomorrow, all or nothing baby!

Deo followed my lead closely behind, we overtook many runners in that last few km. The trail felt endless, damn where’s the exit, i could not maintained this run any longer. I almost tripped when accidently kicked some stone or root  – i gave a loud curse there and then. As i stopped and walked, i realised that few meters in front of us was the exit way into the road of MacRichie park…boy that was the most wonderful thing to see all day long.

We made it into the park road, we continued running, still the sun was blasting full force at 4:30 pm in the afternoon. Just a few more meters and we’ll be home free, i was painfully running to finish this gruelling race.

We crossed the finish line side by side at 4:35 pm with the total timing of 17:13:02 at position 44 out of 73 qualified finisher team 100km Duo.

A lot of team was DNFed or unqualified due to the missing timing at WP2. The organizer should do better job next time. Overall, we are proud that we went back for that extra 3km, best decision ever. I will cherished this TNF medal forever as it was very hard earned. TNF 100km Duo much harder than SD100, echoed by many SD100 finisher that day. At the finishing line, I decided that this was my maiden and final TNF, if i ever enlist next year, it would only be for 50km Duo.

You should see how happy the Cheetah was with his virgin Ultra debut, it was priceless seeing him sleeping with his TNF medal that night. Congrats mate, you’re now an Ultramarathon Man.

Congrats also to all runners dared to took up this challenge, it was not an easy feat but i guess all the Malaysian contingent did well bringing back their hard earned Medals.

Special acknowledgement to Yim and Karen, congrats on your back-to-back one day Marathons, you’re both now certified cRAYzy in my book.