After 3 Ironmans and 5 marathons, it's time to redefine the limits again. I have never gone beyond 42Km on foot and certainly not in off-road terrain. So, as the next frontier, I chose the 3rd edition of the TNF100 Asian series, the 100KM Duo, which means my partner and I will cover 50KM each.
Preparation :
- As a base, at least once a month, 15km from home to MacRitchie (11km loop) and back.
- Once a week, regular cycling loop of 70 on the road
- Intra-week, 1-2 times gym work. Mostly 30 min interval treadmill or hills interval. (can't be help – travel 60% of time)
- 3x long run of 2.5 to 3.5 hour at MacRitchie and Mandai, 2-3 months before race
- 320Km charity ride in Mersing (Bike and Blades with Crazy2tri), one month before race
- 1x long run of 5 hour at Rifle Range and Mandai, two weeks from race
- 20km barefoot run (with socks) at East coast park, one week before race (with Ivan, Michael and Danny)
Race plan : simple - 7km/hr and do even split. Walk up all the uphill in first half. Feed and hydrate regularly. By the way, the qualifying criteria for 100K Solo is sub-7 hour for 50K.
Pre-race :
Usual anxiety set in. Had dry throat three days before and the day before, my right heel got a bit tight. My wife reminded me it's probably psychological. Logistically, there are my hydration pack (2 litres), 3 packs of GU Chomps gummy (my favourite now, much better than gel), 2 packs of oat energy bar, 9 salt-stick tablets, 1 tube of Nuun electrolytes tablets. (I used 1.5 packs of gummies, 6 salt tablets and 6 Nuun tablets). My attire : an old short sleeves quick dry Tees, Izumi arm sleeves to keep out the sun, 2XU tights (my unfair advantage J), Surfas eye-shades (cheap $65 at Bike haus), head band cum shade from Halo (great for keep sweat off your eyes). For my footwear, I have Adidas Adizero Adios, a superlight racer 280grams with Polar footpod to keep pace and distance. I will be using my favourite toe socks which have been giving me a blister-free marathon races (and proven right again this time).
Race-day :
Woke up at 5am. Had my breakfast (coffee and peanut butter bread) and had Luan dropped me off the start point (MacRitchie Reservoir) at 6am. Compare to the other races, this is a lot smaller and simpler with 300+ 50KM participants. The 100K race started at 4am. Caught up with Joe, my race partner. We talked about his trek to Mount Kota Kinabalu which he did with his wife, Michelle. (Between now and a month ago when we had our 320KM Bike and Blade ride in Mersing, he actually squeezed in a climb to the highest mountain in SEA? That's my crazy partner, Joe Chua) Saw some familiar faces - Chong Mien, Roger Chow. The crowd is relatively younger, compared to the triathlon crowd.
Flag off at 7am. The first section is the MacRitchie loop (anti-clockwise). I have never seen so many people on the trail at one time. Due to traffic jam, the pace was good at 7-8km/h. Without the benefit of a heart-rate monitor, I knew that I was in the right zone if I could breathe comfortably through my nose with mouth shut. Soon I lost track of Joe, Roger and Chong Mien.
Toilet break at Ranger station. Just before Jelutong Tower, we turn right at Rifle Range Link. About 500m from Rifle Range road, while going up a big slope, I felt a sharp pain on my inner left thigh as though someone had jabbed me with a needle. I realized I was stung by an insect, mostly probably a bee or hornet. Can I continue? Will the poison travel to my heart? Two other people around me got stung as well. I went on with the pain on my thigh, for the rest of the journey which obviously paled compared with the other type of pains later on. (A day after the race, I had to go to my doc for a steroid jab as the swell got worse. Doc said it's not from a ordinary bee.)
After Rifle Range Road, we passed through Bukit Timah Nature Reserve car park and took the mountain biking trail. Surprisingly, we didn't meet any mountain bikers on this part. From here to Mandai Road is familiar ground for me as we used to have our MTB rides. This is the 7km Bukit Timah mountain bike loop where many MTBers horn their technical skills.
At Chestnut Drive's aid-station, I saw Michelle (Joe's wife) who asked me if I needed any food or gel. She told me that Joe had passed through earlier. I took a banana from her and took off my left shoe to empty it of small gravels to prevent blisters from developing.
Turned off to Zheng Hua park connector and took out my iPhone to text Luan on my location and posted a picture on Facebook. Luan replied "Go, go, go. See you at Mandai".
About 40 minutes later, on the park connector near the Mandai Army Rifle range, I saw Eng Boon walking with his hydration pack slung to one side, prodding along in his Vibram Five-finger. He told me that he is calling it quit due to breathing problem. Felt disappointed for him - I knew he was a finisher last year and returning for his PB.
A little later on, I crossed the Mandai Road and caught up with Joe. He said he was not feeling good, hurt his ankle while avoiding a Mountain biker. We turned into Lorong Asrama and Luan was there waiting at army training shed, next to the checkpoint 3 aid-station. It was just after 10am, 3 hour and 20k – slightly off pace but it's good. Luan passed Joe the heat cream for his ankle. We took some Chee Cheong Fun and Yam cake - yummy! I did my first refill of my hydration pack.
The Lorong Asrama section is the worst section, based on past experience. It's about 12KM long, twisting through the tracks and hills in this army training ground. Not far into the Asrama 
section, Joe started to slow down and he said he just had to "dong" all the way and I went ahead. Together with the numerous tired souls out there, I must have walked up 5 or 6 hills, including the infamous 265, which stands at the race half-way point of 25KM. At the top of first 265 knoll was the RFID sensor and I noted that the banyan tree cluster were cut down. As I ran down the last South knoll of 265, on the slope peppered with loose gravels, I noticed my Polar watch was beeping. My foot pod was gone, probably dislodged by a flying stone. I was too tired to turn back and searched.
By the time I finished with the Asrama maze at 32KM mark, I only managed to beat the cut-off 
time by 20 mins (cut-off time was 12noon). I was happy to be back at the training shed with Luan. I took a 10 min break here : lying down on the bench (to let the blood going into my head and upper body), cooled myself with water and took in more yam cake and cheong fun. I saw a number of people whom I have passed earlier heading back to Mandai Road, so I quickly filled my hydra-pack and started my last 18KM return journey. I am happy to leave the crazy Asrama section behind me.
My morale went up, knowing that the rest of the course will be known territory for me and no crazy hills. The next checkpoint 2 is at Chestnut Drive and the cut-off time is 2pm. This is a hard cut-off, if you don't make it, you will be scooped up. I passed Roger Chow just before we hit Chestnut Drive from the MTB dirt track. Faithful Luan was there with our MPV and supplies but this time I needed nothing. Roger who was right behind me asked for water and told us he was out of water for last 3 km. After that, we proceed down slope under the BKE expressway and up the slope to the Chestnut checkpoint. Time was around 12.50pm. I met Michelle and told her that Joe has sprained his ankle, but he will make it knowing how tough he is mentally.
I asked around with my tired voice how many more kilometres we have left, but the volunteers at aid-station were clueless. Roger told me it's around 10.5KM to the finish line and if we go for it, we can do sub-7 hour and qualify for 100KM solo. I laughed with disbelief and he quickly regained his sanity and saying it's not an incentive at all. Hahaha. Anyway, I was not capable of 10.5km in 1 hour 10 min.
Roger took off while I slowly cranked up my engine again, heading for the next checkpoint at Rifle Range road (cut-off at 3pm). I run a pretty comfortable pace along the MTB trail and met a dozen of mountain bikers. I spotted Wee, whom I ran together in our long run two weeks ago. He was running in the opposite direction – his second loop of 50KM. He was steady in pace and looking good, despite having covered 60 to 65 KM. "Go, Wee, go", I muttered.
By now, I have noticed a constant companion whom I have passed a few times, only to be passed by her during my two breaks at Asrama and Chestnut. She is probably in her 20s and I liked her pace (and well, she has nice back). For the rest of the journey, we would keep passing each other but I knew I had more reserve since she was always panting heavily when I drew near her. I was still observing my run-with-mouth-shut routine. (Later after crossing the finish line, I went up to her to congratulate her and thank her for the pacing).
By now, the heat was coming down hard on us. (I later learned the temp was 33 degrees). I have gobbled down the last of my 6 salt tablets and my third refill in my backpack was running low without me realizing. I have started to overtake quite a number of people and the feeling was good. Now I know why you should do even or negative splits – overtaking is FUEL. But I was careful not to draw into my reserve tank, with 6.5km more to go.
Rifle Range road was a welcomed sight, with aid-station and volunteers cheering us on. I took my last two cup of 100 Plus and pour cold H2O over my head and thighs. (The bee sting was still there, a dull pain). Running on flat tarmac was really a nice break even though Rifle Range was a uphill run most of the way to the top. Just to be sure and kiasu (or kiasi), I would run half the up-slope, walk- to-crest then ran downslope and on flats. That strategy has kept me from cramps so far.
I met a fast walker and he was just walking - uphill and downhill. I chatted with him and told him he was walking really fast – I couldn't keep up with him if I walk. He must be going at 6 to 6.5km per hour. He can easily finish within 8 hour even if he walked the whole course.
End of Rifle range road and 5KM more to go. Met my constant companion again. She was trying to run up the big slope on the pipeline. I let her go, knowing she will pay for "cheonging". True enough, I caught her on the stream – she missed a rock and sunk her foot into the water. Good thing she didn't twist her ankle. Went passed Ranger station – yes, the end of suffering is near (3.5KM). I actually started to feel sad that it's coming to an end (I am going bonkers!).
The last 3KM
(on MacRitchie track) was generally downhill. My constant companion was still going strong and I just latched on. I eventually overtook her for good at the last 1.5KM stretch at the last slope. As I ran the last 500meters on the reservoir fringe, passed the canoeists carrying their canoes (get out of my way, your morons), I could feel the heat that my 2XU tights was absorbing. As I crossed the finish line, I saw Luan taking a photo shot of me, making sure I was captured at the moment of complete depletion of energy. The clock showed : 7 hour 22 minutes.
(Roger Chow came in couple of minutes earlier, after Chong Mien. Joe managed to finish before cut-off time)
What I learned :
- Pacing is key. I did my last long run two weeks before and established my pace of 7 km per hour. Leave your ego at home and resisting to "Cheong" in the first half is critical. (Thanks, Wee, the 100KM soloist, for the tips – we met on the trails on my long run.)
- Eat and drink as often as possible. Since I was walking up all the slopes, that was the best time to chomp and drink. I found my new love – the GU Chomps. I started this during my Mersing Bike and Blade and I hit upon a winner. Beat the Powergel anytime.
- Off road running is much tougher but actually less injury-prone. You tend to take smaller steps and use more muscles and for the same distance/time, you get to expand more energy. It's a good workout and it trained your legs to be stronger and less injury-prone. I nearly tripped 3-4 times as I did not pick up my foots high enough. Each time I tripped, I felt a mini spasm going over my whole legs and have to walk to recover. It even works your upper body – I remember my whole back got crampy while going up the slope. Even now, two days post race, my upper body was aching all over.
- Read "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall. It will inspired you with stories of Tarahumara tribes who ran 100 miles with a smiles and all the crazy US ultra-runners stories.
So sign up for next year's TNF 100?
Other blogs and links :
http://runnerzcircle.blogspot.com/2010/10/north-face-100-singapore-2010.html
