TNF - 50km / 100km DUO

Before my "war" tales... here are the results:

Lex and I partnered for this race and He won it! (2nd time in 2 years)
I was 4th and we emerge as overall winners!!!

Kek n Leong won the 25km category, coming in 1 , 2

Hana and Elaine won the 25km women category, 1 , 2 finish too.

Our "F1 team" swept the awards !

The night before was my cousin's birthday. Took the chance to eat. Really eat.
Lets see the amt of carbo i loaded in:
1 bowl rice , 1 bowl porridge , 3 bowls dessert (fu chou yi mi) , 4-5 agar agar, 2 slices of cakes , 3 apples , some potatoes.

Personally, it was mild compared to what i will normally do. I wanted to "feel" light for the race and load in the sugars with gels during it instead...

Not too sure to the reader, how "light" i will feel with that amount of food in the tummy.

Lex was very nice to pick me up in the morning. It was our usual schedule. In the morning, I added in a "sweet potato - yam" for my breakfast. Its a purplish sweet potato that will stain everything purple....

we arrived pretty early to prepare. I rubbed some cream with Bio Lynk on my legs. Some Energy Transfer thingy which i am on trial for. Didnt know if it work. Actually my legs felt rather heavy. was worried that i have done too much in the week... but it is D-Day, nothing i can do to return to the previous state.

Went to the toilet a total of 5 times. Didnt know i had so much "unfinished" business. Lex was worried that i was missing from the start line. Did a minimum of warm up. wanted to take the 1st few kms as the warm up instead. as i am going to bloody run 50km... whats a few kms slow got to do to me.....

Stretched and hydrated well. looked ard at the start , our feared nemesis wasn't around. A sign of relief , i wasnt prepared to wack 50km and squeeze all my efforts out.

Lex shot off at the start. A couple of guys stuck with me. Not me. I was playing the conservative game. my 1st 4km would be "warm up". The strategy would be "Preventation of Immediate Failure"..... Proper hydration and all , etc. The idea was also to "Run Throughout".... but it is really a far stretch dream to do that. haha..

1st 4k of north loop was familiar as I tried to establish my position.
Rifle Range was as usual damaging with all the mud hills.
The road to Bukit timah was ok, but just weird that we were squeezed to just 1 lane.
Had to bash the some branches along the way.
by then, an Ang moh was following me close.
It was fun to have someone run beside me.

We turned into unfamiliar terrain by then.
The run up the bukit timah was madness given the steepness.
At the re-fuel station, I decided to carry a bottle of 100plus and walk it up.
Slowly drinking on my time.
By then, the ang moh had overtaken me.

The steps down bukit timah was horrible.
I am a damn clumsy person and this part slowed me down plenty.
Another Jap runner overtaken me at this part.

Thereafter, it was madness turns , hills , trails , etc
It was so horrible that i didn't want to rem any of them.
I was walking and walking by then.

The strategy i adopted was to converse my "special water" in my hydration bag.
I didnt want to refuel it to increase the load.
So at the refuel points, I would cool myself down and carry half a bottle of isotonic drink
By then, my strategy of running all the way was torn.
I knew i have to be realistic and rest/recovery.
So the refuel points are the best.

After the refuel points, i would walk and drink as much of the isotonic drink in my hand.

Came across a hill that was impossible, we had to climb up the mud hill.........

at the 20 - 25km point, i was really hating myself and thinking about giving up.
Somehow, after the 25km point, I recovered and was able to maintain a constant joggin pace.
At 25km to 35km point, i ran into other runners coming in.
It was great to have their encouragements and it really spurred me on.
I was 3rd then....

After the 35km refuel point, i was really feeling gd.
I had the strategy to wack a fast 10km to maintain my position in 3rd.
It was gd running until coming to the hills/steps that spoiled my pace.
Had to walk there and then.

When entering back Macritchie, with about 5km more to go, it seems i had the race tied up.
Could maintain my 3rd position.
Therefore, i wanted to do "damage control" and walk all the way back.
Somehow, fate had another opinion.

At the planks, a runner caught up with me. I was really surprised....
I had to immediately tighten my hydration bag and kept up with him.
But gave up after a while, telling myself, 4th is also not bad... since there is no individual prizes.

However, across the bank, i noticed another runner. I tell myself, cant be another competitor.
So i continued walking, strolling up the roots when he caught up with me.
We greeted each other and he answered me that he was in my category and his partner is ahead.

In my mind, I was feeling faint. "Oh NO!!!!!!!!!!" ... i came this far to lose this? Lex will kill me.
If he overtakes me....... his partner is ahead....... what if his partner beat lex?? oh shit...

I summon all my energy to wack the last 2.5km , which is the time trial route. Fortunately, he didnt follow. If not , it would be a very painful 2.5km.

Came in 4th overall and we are team 1st.

Conditions are still good after the race. Not too much aches.