2XU Compression Run 2011

2XU Compression Run 2011 – 12km

Date: 10 April 2011

Venue: Singapore Flyer/Marina, Singapore

Distance: 12km (Garmin: 11.82km)

Timing: 60:42 minutes (Garmin: 60:44 or 5:08 min/km pace)

Result: 43rd placing (full results here)

Website: here

I am renaming some of the titles (Pros & Cons), including a new subject title (website) and moving the result item further up.

Can we say instant PR now? Louder. Louder please. This is a new distance for me; I have shied away from signing up for anything more than 10km in the past because

(1) I or rather I thought I wasn’t ready – my body tends to shut down after 10km (yes, the mind probably earlier)

(2) I wanted to focus on improving my 10km timing instead of “mumble jumbling” my mind and body with all sorts of distances. I learnt the hard way. To get faster on the shorter distances, you need to incorporate long runs in your training – because it builds endurance and gives you the confidence to know you can go the distance since you have already covered a longer distance in training.

Pros:

a) Decent organization.

b) Responsive organizers – they emailed me almost immediately when I requested to pick up my swag and race bib closer to the race date.

c) Awesome swag – Hilly handheld water bottle, 2XU compression sleeves, lock laces, 2XU running vest – this is probably the best to date. Never mind the $65 I forked out – totally worth it. Now, if I can just fob those stuff to someone. LOL! SW declined the water bottle on account of “loony-ness” to hold one during her runs.

d) Hydration stations were aplenty – about 1.5 – 2km apart.

e) Fantastic route, scenery wise, taking us through the Singapore Flyer to the Marina Bay.

f) Pretty accurate distance markers – my Garmin beeped about 10-20m after the each marker (1km).

g) Great job on the finisher’s medal design; personalized male/female medals.

h) Individual results were available the next day and all results the day after.

i) This is not attributable to the organizers or the organization but the rain at km8-9 helped me sped up but I was let down at the stairs going up Helix Bridge (remember how I always walk during these portions in my runs with Kenny?) and the fiasco at km11.

Cons:

a) The route planning and design was an epic fail. Seriously, cramming 7,000 runners into a single lane or road or footpath?! Do not even get me started on the trail or gravel on km11 – apart from the first km, this was my slowest split. Oh wait, there was also that climb up Helix Bridge at km9.

b) Un-marshaled portion of km11 (yeah, the sand, stone and gravel section) and it felt a bit chaotic running behind the hydration station. I do agree with some of the comments posted on Sg Runners about eliminating the last 2 km not because I don’t like the distance but things were going relatively well until then.

c) Only Pocari Sweat were served at the finishing point. Since I cannot stomach isotonics on short runs, I had to walk to the next hydration station on the route to get my fill of H20. That was probably about a km away.

Just to let you in on how competitive the run was, here are the stats someone posted on Sg Runners:

Guys:

< 1hr: 324

1hr -> 1hr 10 mins: 1,085

1hr 11 mins -> 1hr 20mins: 1,426

1hr 21 mins -> 1hr 30mins: 1,180

1hr 31 mins -> 1hr 40mins: 774

1hr 41 mins -> 1hr 50mins: 349

1hr 51 mins -> 2hr: 173

> 2hr: 97

Ladies:

< 1hr: 34

1hr -> 1hr 10 mins: 123

1hr 11 mins -> 1hr 20mins: 274

1hr 21 mins -> 1hr 30mins: 410

1hr 31 mins -> 1hr 40mins: 383

1hr 41 mins -> 1hr 50mins: 314

1hr 51 mins -> 2hr: 162

> 2hr: 135

This makes BQ sense, right? LOL!