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RUNNING FOR MY LIFE

by Bong Teck Yong


Membership No: 2678

It's Sunday May 31st, 2009. I am drenched in perspiration but I remain calm.
I figure that it's now about 6am. Ching Cheong and I have now been running for
over 10 hours. I have now completed 76km of the 84km Adidas Sundown Ultra
Marathon 2009 in Singapore. Just 8km more to go.....

ust 8km more, I tell DATE WITH DESTINY Marathon 2008, I was not about
myself. Just 8km.... to miss out again this year.
It was late November 2008. Ching
When I complete this It didn't take me long at all to
Tai had just forwarded to me an
84km race, I think to decide to register for it. I signed
email about this race from Mohan
myself, it will be the up shortly after getting Ching Tai's
in Singapore.
longest distance I have ever done email.
in my entire history of competitive
Adidas' Sundown Marathon is
running. Still, I thought that I would be a bit
Asia's only mass night running
more casual about this race than I
event. Last year's race took place
My excitement mounts. Each step normally am. I had not, after all,
in May.
takes me closer to the finish line specifically been training for this
and the realisation of a dream event. Casual or not, I began to
That time I had entered late.
that was, till then, beyond my look forward to the race, and
Kenny Choo had told me about it.
wildest imagination. started to make my plans.
But I had taken three weeks to
make up my mind and by the time
I feel my pulse racing. "Breathe," I GETTING TOGETHER
I had decided to put pen to paper
tell myself, "just remember to
in February, the 84km route was
breathe. The trick is to breathe. On Saturday May 20th, just before
completely taken up and only
Just keep breathing and you'll be 7.30am, Hoo Ching Cheong, Hoo
spots for the 42km route were
fine." Ching Tai, Kenny Choo, Tay Poh
available.
Chye and I meet at Bangsar to
This has been the toughest race I catch the morning bus to
The 84km route has the
have ever run. Over the course of Singapore. We bump into Chooi
distinction of being known as the
42km we have had to cross 4 Leng, Amelia and Chay Hong
Sundown “Ultra” Marathon. An
pedestrian overhead bridges, I who board the same bus.
ultramarathon (also called ultra
forget how many river bridges,
distance) is any sporting event
2km of sandy land, running After a 5 hour journey, we arrive
involving running longer than the
through residential parks and at Novena Square at 1pm. We
traditional marathon length of
backyards of residential areas. It stop for Chicken rice at a shop
42.195 kilometres (26.2188 mi).
felt something like the Eco- near Novena Square.
challenge expedition race. 84km
Having missed out on the
participants had to run the same We have a good lunch and,
opportunity to be associated with
loop 2 times. stomachs filled, we head off to
the grueling 84km Sundown Ultra
Fragrance Back Packer Hotel in I caught up with Ching Cheong
Bugis. after 1km and continued running
alongside him. He was at his
There, who should we see but usual comfortable pace.
Tey Eng Tiong and his “Cap Ayam
Gang” friends who, as it turns out, At 10km, we encountered Poh with no problem at all when,
are also putting up in the same Chye and the three of us ran without any warning, everything
dorm. together for almost 2km before started to come undone. Like
Poh Chye sped off into the now.
After settling down, we got our distance.
running gear ready and took a I lost focus. I resorted to running
short nap. After the Changi Airport, we at a slower pace. Looking back, it
turned to East Cost Park. The was rather pathetic, the pace I
CONFUSION! East Coast Park was crowded was doing. In fact, when I came
with visitors. The route in the park across slopes or sandy terrain I
was around 10km. found myself slowing right down
At about 5.20pm, after our
to a walk. And not a very brisk
refreshing respite we leave for
When making U-turn in East walk at that, either.
Changi Village Park, the starting
Coast Park with 19km marker, I
point of Sundown Marathon 2009.
noticed that there was no time It was all rather frustrating. I could
chip machine to record the time. I not concentrate and I started to
Looking around me I didn't think
remember thinking how easily it feel bad about myself. I knew that
that the turn out was great.
could be manipulated by certain I needed to fight the negative
Maybe this was because the
runners who could, if they chose feelings. I wanted to complete the
number of runners for the 84km
to, take a short cut at this point. 1st 42km before Ching Cheong
circuit had been limited to 1,000
caught up with me.
participants. Still, it was a bigger
crowd than the one at last the It was all rather Earlier on Ching Cheong and I
event last year.
frustrating. I could had already made a pact to run
together if he were to catch up
And then... confusion!! not concentrate and with me from behind. Ching
Where was the exact location of
I started to feel bad Cheong regularly participates in
triathlons and has good stamina
the starting point? about myself. I knew and physical and mental
There were two arches with the
that I needed to fight discipline.
word “Start” on them and both the negative At this point volunteers were
were at different locations!
feelings. giving away packets of PowerBar
gels and I decided to grab 3
Around 50 of us gathered, as it
After the U-turn, I saw Ching packets just in case they ran out
turned out later, at the wrong
Cheong, who fallen behing me, by the time I did the 2nd loop.
arch!
and Eng Tiong, at the other side.
When we finally determined
We slapped palms as we crossed ANGEL OF MERCY
by each other. The two of them
where the actual starting point
looked as cheerful as they usually My goal of running ahead and
was, Kenny and I ran to the
do. having Ching Cheong catch up
correct starting arch to begin the
race with others. with me at the 42km mark failed
I pressed on, carefully never materialised. He caught up
maintaining my speed and with me much earlier at the 36km
Many were late because of this.
crossed a few overhead bridges mark.
and residential parks.
I think the organiser should have
allocated marshals at every Disappointed as I was with this, it
corner to ensure the runners are HITTING THE WALL was then that my entire situation
at the right location at the right changed dramatically. Ching
time. I had gone almost 25km when Cheong started giving me
suddenly... WHAM! It wasn't a encouragement and paced with
READY, STEADY, GO! cramp. It wasn't any kind of injury. me for the next 46km.
I just found that, try as hard as I
might, I could not go on at the We chatted along the route and
Eventually the race began. It was
same pace. the lighthearted banter magically
7pm on a Saturday evening. My
cleared away my negative
strategy for this race was to run
This wasn't something new. I had feelings. I was able to find my
slow and casual for the first 42km
experienced this same kind of focus and we just seemed to eat
and conserve energy for the 2nd
thing in the last few marathon up the miles after that.
42km.
races that I was in. I could start
We maintained our pace until we the route. I had to remind myself Moe, a regular foreign ironman
completed the 1st 42km after to drink less to avoid running with runner, sitting at a bus stand. I
what seemed to me to be the a bloated stomach. could not resist the opportunity to
longest 2km run ever - most tease him for resting there.
runners suspected it was more JOHNNIE WALKER
like 3 – 4km than the stated 2km. Our excitement grew even more
when reaching 76km but running
After running for more than 10km,
OVER BUT NOT OUT we turned to the East Coast Park
was made difficult with the big
crowd of 42km runners in front of
for the 2nd time. There we came
us.
We reached the finishing point for across a runner, who, we later
the 42km circuit at around 5:05 came to understand, had walked
Most of them were walking. In
hours from the time we started. the entire 2nd 42km.
fact the 2nd 42km were filled with
We took a 20 minute rest. Many
42km runners walking instead of
runners were there to rest and We were, quite frankly, amazed
running. We wasted precious
change their clothes. with him. From the way he walked
energy by running in a zig-zag
we judged that he was not a
manner in order to avoid them.
Ching Cheong advised me to eat professional walker. But still he
some bread and banana and managed to walk faster than us.
while I obliged him I really did not Eventually he sped off and we THE LAST LEG
have any apetite at all. Just the only managed to overtake him
same I managed to take a few after another 10km. We pressed on with our speed
bites. and started running faster in last
We also bypassed Farid of the 4km. It was then that I decided I
At this point, we saw Poh Chye “Cap Ayam Gang”. wanted to cross the finishing point
there. This was a big surprise to hand-in-hand with Ching Cheong.
us! You see, based on his usual When reaching 62km mark, we
speed and stamina, he should saw Poh Chye at the other side. The last 2km, running uphill, was
have been far in front of us. We decided to stop for a toilet even more difficult. I was so
break. After a 3-minute break we pleased when we reached the
Poh Chye complained of bad continued the run and passed the Changi Village Park.
chaffing which had happened pedestrian overhead bridges,
because he had beeb carrying residential parks and pedestrian We started to run even faster but
heavy stuff around his waist. He paths. my mood quickly turned sour
also complained of exhaustion – when we learnt that the final
apparently he had been THE VETERAN 100m had been extended to
overtraining. 200m due to a change of route.
We came across a veteran
We also met another pacesetter The original route was supposed
runner, Yee Choi at around 24km
member, Frank Chong. We to run on a small river bridge to
mark who told us of his bad leg
chatted. Frank complained about the finishing point but we were
cramp. He was accompanied by
the route which he said was bad. made to run a big round to avoid
his son. We chatted for a while
The route, of course, was the the bridge. I think the organiser
before continuing the run.
same one used the year before. I felt the bridge was too narrow for
told him that I admired him for his us. Anyway, I just feel the
After a while, we were running on
strong spirit to continue with the organiser, making this change,
sandy land. I was reluctant to run
race in spite of this. was being totally inconsiderate to
on sandy land but Ching Cheong
the runners.
kept pressing on. His spirit was
ON THE ROAD AGAIN still high and cheerful as usual. I
felt I had no choice but to follow THE FINISHING LINE
After our 20-minute break, Ching him.
Cheong and I continued our The final moment came and....
journey. Our legs started to ache We kept counting time to
but thankfully there was no sign complete the race based on our HUUUURRRRRAAAAAYYYY!
of the cramps. speed.
Ching Cheong and I crossed the
As we continued running we When it came 70km mark, we finishing point hand-in-hand with
found ourselves craving the water began to feel the excitement of my timing of 11:49:59 hours!
stations spaced out every 2.5km completing the race but still
of the run because it was there continued with the same speed. Too bad that there was no
that we could slow to a walk as camera to capture this
we sipped our water. We met a pacesetter member, memorable moment. I felt like
Victor Loh at 72km mark and crying. It was unbelievable that I
I must say that the organiser did a chatted with him for a while. We could have completed a 84km
fantastic job in providing sufficient continued our run and at the race. I was aching all over but
water stations at every 2.5km of 75km mark we came across Aung excited at the same time.
I found it hard to imagine that I me discipline my mind and regain END NOTE
had been pounding the road all my focus for my future long-
night long. distance races.
I note there were many mishaps
that could have been avoided
We stayed near the finishing point PACER CHING CHEONG with a bit more thinking and
to cheer for other finishers.
consideration from the organiser
The second thing I have come to of this race.
Eng Tiong managed to snap a
realise is the importance of a
few pictures of us and we
pacer. This is the 1st time that I Nevertheless it is races like this,
stopped by the Changi Village
have had a pacer. and their grueling hurdles that
food court for a light breakfast
provide opportunities for long
before leaving the park.
Other than the ability to run at the distance runners like me to
same speed, he/she can give challenge ourselves.
MANY ARE CALLED advice, encouragement and
support. Having now done it I can say that
Later I found out from the 84km is not my favourite distance
provisional result list by the I truly appreciate Ching Cheong but I have managed to prove to
organiser that only 139 out of 474 for being my pacer in the last myself that I can do it, and this is
male and 18 out of 58 female 46km in this race. Without him as something that will stay with me
runners completed the race within a pacer, it should be very difficult for the rest of my life, especially if
15 hours. even for me to complete the race. I never go this distance again.
He was a God-send for me.
I am reminded of the phrase, In any case it will be a very
“many are called but only a few A BIG THANK YOU memorable race for me, for a long
are chosen”. It sure felt good to long time.
be among the 30% to complete
I want to thank Ching Tai for the
the race.
assistance in arranging the
logistics and lodging and the
I will need to think deeply, though,
whether or not I want to repeat
running gang, like Kenny, Poh Huuuurrrrrraaaayy!
Chye, Eng Tiong and many
this next year.
others for their companionship I have completed an
during this trip.
In fact, this race has made me 84km race in
realise 2 important things. Firstly,
not only have you got to be
Also a big thank you to Mohan for
assistance in collecting the bib. 11:49:59 hours.
physically fit, you have to be
mentally very fit in order to
Finally I would like to express my
To me, this is
complete a 84km or 42km race.
gratitude to Kurnia Insurans something beyond
Recreation Club for their
Mental fitness and discipline, I
think, is my biggest challenge,
invaluable financial support. my wildest
Indeed it is like a drop of rain
resulting in deteriorating timing in
my recent races.
during a draught and it allows me imagination!
to participate in more races than
before.
I hope this experience will help

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