Sunday, March 28, 2010

ONH #4: Mission Merry-Go-Round

It was a special mission of sorts for the NightHawks and TFB Runners. We were to be part of the NTU 218km Run-Round-Singapore (RRS) race, running along and supporting 9 core runners to celebrate the institution's 55th anniversary. It was also a trial night run for most of us preparing for Sundown in May, to be conditioned for the rituals of night running, as well as running along with pacers and mobile escorts on the busy roads of Singapore.

While preparing ourselves to turn up at CheckPoint 26 (Yishun Stadium), our live tracking of the Core Runners showed that they were gaining 1-2hrs and were way ahead of schedule. By 3pm, we made a decision to activate the troops early, and posted on our various communications sources. It was a 'silent mobilization' of sorts, which put our dissemination systems into testing...haha. In the end, 80% of the forces did get the message, while the rest were sufficiently agile to react to the situation on the ground.

On our vehicle to CP26, we could see that the front Core Runner, Adrian Mok leaving CP26 with 4 Pacers...wow, he was very fast still, after doing something like 75km by then. As we reached the CP, LNH's entourage was just about coming in, and we were able to cheer them on and take some pics. By 6pm, about half of the FatBirds were gathered. Yuen Cheng's smallish group strode strongly pass CP26 at 6.20pm, and he broke into a smile with our loud cheers...showing the thumbs up! Melvin's group came along, and we gave a rousing round of cheers and applause. I ran up and encouraged Melvin, and he told me they were making the 2nd service stop at Bishan St. 11. As more TFB runners were still coming, we could not follow Melvin's group.

When Teck Hou and KK Chin's groups came, we joined in the fray, and kickstarted our mission for the night. More than 50 FatBirds were running alongside these 2 groups, very excited about the happenings, and what was in store for many of us newbies to such long-distance relays. Many were in awe of the Core Runners, who looked so fresh after doing 80km, and were going to complete the full 218km within 36hrs....and Teck Hou told us he would maintain 6:30min/km pace.


After 8km of running though rush-hour traffic and crossing lots of traffic junctions, we arrived at Bishan St. 11 to a large crowd of Core Runners and their respective groups. Lots of catching up with the various friends and running community, as the core Runners were checked by the Doctors and medical personnel for weight and health status, taking dips in the cold bath to relieve these tight and tired muscles, and getting refuel as well as a good rub-down. We took many pics here, and cheered the rest of the FatBirds coming in, as well as the relay runners who have started from Yishun later.

At Bishan CP, with Melvin, Teck Hou and KKChin's supporters

In the midst of all the excitement, we missed Melvin when he took off for his next CP. The group that was assigned to run along with him were unable to move ahead, so we all gathered to wait for TH and KK. After an hour of rest, we cheered TH and KK as they came on like some 'prized boxers' as they started on their 3rd marathon. By then there was more than 60-70 runners gathered. We ran as a contingent, to loud cheers from the RRS Relay Runners who were waiting to be flagged off from Bishan. It was a nice feeling, and real fun to be running in a relay race as a large group, clapping and encouraging everyone.

As planned, we broke off into 3 groups, with the front group of about 30 keeping up with TH. The mid-pack was about 500m behind, while the sweeping group was 1km behind with KK. With the relay runners being activated by then, and our teams all getting into the scheduled timings, we were able to soak in the RRS atmosphere along the busy stretches of Bishan and Serangoon. When we reached Kovan MRT, we had done 14km. The 21km NightHawk trainees had completed their target, and bade farewell while we continued on along 'Durian' street. Bright lights from the durian stalls along Upper Serangoon Road welcomed us. While TH took a short break, we had a few seeds of durian, courtesy from the friendly stall owner...lol.



Kayano came from across the street to join us, and so did a few other RRS relay runners. Francis were tracking our movements, and some of the pics I had posted up on fb using iPhone. With the group back to about 40, it was still loads of fun as we ran together with TH and the support vehicle and mobile escort. We had one lane to ourselves and were able to cross all the traffic junctions smoothly. Our spirits were high, and it kept the Core Runner moving at 7min/km pace. Each time we passed a relay station with runners waiting for flag-off, we would go into our clap routine and chants of 'GO, NTU, GO!'. It never failed to bring enthusiatic applause and cheers all round. The video-cams and cameras were clicking away as we ran through each of the stations.

The distance melted away as we passed Buangkok, then Sengkang, and towards Ponggol. Things were quieter along those stretches. Each time the marshals (with their red light sticks) saw our group, they would break into smiles, and waved us on while stopping the traffic. It must have been nice to see a large group pass their locations in the quiet of the night. TH did not take any walk breaks at all, short of a few quick drinks and pee breaks. He was still able to maintain a consistent 7min/km pace, in spite of some swelling in his eyes...this guy really has the grit and persistence of a super endurance runner.

As DO informed us that Ponggol MRT was just 2km, many of us who would have done 25km by then, broke into smiles as that would be our final CP for the 42km NightHawks. Whispers of where we were going for supper ensued, while others discussed about their plans for the next major TFB CP at Bedok. Soon we could see bright lights in the horizon as we arrived into Ponngol station to loud cheers and applause. We had a group picture with TH and his support crew, before cheering him on for his onward journey. Some of the FatBird Runners like Li Lian, Johnny, Kok San, Steven, etc joined Francis to continue with TH. By Sunday morning, 7 of the core runners were still on the road, pressing on.

Escort Runners & Pacers with the jubilant Core Runner, Teck Hou

We received news that the 21km NightHawks completed their mission at Kovan and were safely back home, while the mid-pack and sweeper 42km NH were about 4km from Ponggol MRT. We followed our plan to disperse the front group, while the rest of the groups would similarly disperse once they reach Kovan MRT, Ponggol MRT and finally Bedok. By midnight, most of the FatBird Runners made their way to Ponggol MRT to complete their Mission Merry-Go-Round. It was a night of fun, excitement, and quite an experience for many of our FatBird Runners....running round the island, along the busy streets of Singapore in the night, is not something that many runners get to do.

The Ponggol Run-Round-Singapore (RRS) Runners

As we retire to the comfort of our Nests, satisfied that we have put in a night of running for a good cause, we continued our cheering and encouraging the Core Runners (online) and those who are out there on the roads with them.

By 9am Sunday, there were only 6 runners left on the quest. The Core Runners upped the pace, led by Yuen Cheng and Chua. YC set a blistering pace to finally complete the 218km on Sunday, 1600hrs, exactly 31hrs after they were flagged off, an incredible 5hrs below the set target completion time....amazing how he has improved from the 168km 5 years ago. Melvin from SAFRA MF finished strongly in 33 hours, followed by Chua. An impressive feat by Melvin, and the whole of SAFRA and NTU are so proud of them.

In one of the most dramatic and inspiring finish in local long-distance races, Core Runner Teck Hou gave chase in the final few km, and sprinted to the finish together with Lim Nghee Huat, to become the 5th and final finisher. They completed the 218km in 34hrs, with 2hrs to spare till the cutoff. TH whom we had the privilege to pace for some distance last evening, held his cards close to his heart, adopted a steady pace, and finally unleashing the full power in the final stretch. A craftsman-in-the-making for endurance races.

LNH, at age 57, was undoubtedly the most experienced and senior veteran in the field, and he proved that age was no barrier when he trounced his own record time and distance set in 2005.

Although not completing the full 218km, KK Chin, Adrian, Adeline, Jun Wei went on to complete more than 100km, an outstanding achievement in endurance and mental strength. We salute all of them for their courage and peserverance to pursue what is unthinkable for many of us.

We are simply in awe of these super endurance athletes, and extremely proud of them.
FatBird Runners and NightHawks have been most honoured to be a part of this commemorative and charity event, and especially inspired by the NTU Core Runners for attempting such an unfathomable feat...218km! Run Round Singapore (RRS) ROCKS!


Photo Slideshow

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Holiday Weekender & Clinic

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CLICK To Register Now!
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Mission Merry-Go-Round: Going The Distance

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Calling Team FatBird Runners & i-Runners,

Run Round Singapore – Going The Distance

We are all set for one of the Distance Running Majors - running along with other running enthusiasts in NTU's 55th Anniversary mega relay run involving 68 stations averaging 3km each. The 218km relay run aims to be completed under 36 hours to set a new Singapore Book of Records.


Team FatBird’s Participation

We will be running as a group from Saturday, 27 March, 7:00pm:

Station 26 (Yishun Ave 2/Stadium) ETD 27Mar/7.40pm thru

Station 31 (Kovan MRT) ETA 27 Mar/9.50pm - 14.1km thru

Station 35 (Ponggol MRT) ETA 27 Mar/11.20pm - 25km thru

Station 39 (Bedok Sports Park) ETA 28 Mar/2:00am - 41.7km

Feel free to join Team FatBird Runners from any of the stations from 26 through to 39.



Team FatBird Rendevous

The main group will assemble at Station 26 (Yishun Ave 2/Stadium) 7:00pm.

All runners to be self-sufficient with proper night training aids, hydration and $$ for transport/emergencies/after-run supper :)

We will watch for the core runners to come in, and run alongside behind the Official Pacers to support.

Invite your friends and family to be there to show support, flag-off and cheer the contingent on.


Date:

27 - 28 March 2010


Event Name:

Run Round Singapore

Organised by:

NTU

First Station
Flag-Off:

27 March 2010 (Saturday) 8.30am
Chinese Heritage Centre, NTU Yunnan Garden Campus [map]

End Point
Carnival Finale:

28 March 2010 (Sunday) 6pm - 9pm
NTU Sports & Recreational Centre [map]



Category B: The Relay Run
The 218km route will be divided into total 68 stations island-wide. This arrangement is to cater to participants who want to run only shorter distance averaging 3km for each station, in the form of relay. The symbolic baton will be passed on from the first station through to the last station.

To view all the 68 stations and running route,
click here.


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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

WEEKEND TODAY: TFB Runners In Action

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An interesting article by TODAY newspapers, about the recent boom and high interest in endurance sports and racing. Team FatBird Runners shared their side of the story, along with some action during training.

WEEKEND TODAY - BIG STORY, Mar 20-21 (Ansley Ng)

WEEKEND TODAY - BIG STORY, Mar 20-21 (Ansley Ng)
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Saturday, March 20, 2010

ONH #3: A Rainy Dawn Pursuit

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The skies looked gloomy when the FatBird Runners arrived to The FatBird Nest @ The PlayGround, Big Splash at 6.45am. The mini expo setup for the Aviva 70.3 this weekend was awakening with the various vendors putting up their colourful triathlon gear, equipment and accessories. After last Friday's maiden Night Run, the NightHawks were just raring to go for their 25km LSD this morning.

Coach sharing the session's training tip

Proceedings were kickstarted with Coach Kien Mau from Mileage, sharing the tip of the day: Stretching preparations and routines pre and post run. We congratulated Coach and his Mileage team for their outstannding performance in the Malaysian Bareno 10km, 15km race where they received 2 top positions, a 5th and a 11th prize. Coach emphasized the importance of warm-ups of 15min even for marathon races, combining light jogs with some stretches, which Coach gave demonstrations of. At least I learnt how to do a shin stretch today...always learning something useful and interesting at every training session...hehe.

FatBird Anthony (yours truly) gave a brief of our participation at Run-Round-Singapore (RRS) next week, followed by DO providing details of this morning's distances and routes. The briefings went smoothly, and we were able to start running before 7.30am. All the 21km, 42km and 84km groups headed towards Fort Road. I was heading the front pack today, and soon settled into pace with K3 and Bee Ling (BL). The others were just right behind at about an initial 6min/km pace. All the Running Guides (RG) fell into their respective run groups and all were moving like clockwork :).

A light drizzle came upon us shortly, which provided comfort and relief to all the runners. We moved a notch up without feeling much strain. K3 moved up after a bit, while the rest of us used him as yardstick and guide as we headed towards NSRCC/Coastal Road. The target was the U-turn at the 1st shelter along Changi Coastal. Along the way, it was good to see the 21km runners (who have turned slightly earlier) pacing steadily, with nary any rush. K3 and BL (almost a 4hr Marathoner) were very steady, fast even for the training requirements at this stage. I was enjoying the pace and also greeting familiar faces and friends along the ECP stretch.

Time passes quickly in nice company and with interesting chats. We reached the 1st shelter U-turn in 1:14. I stayed for a while while my pacees turned back. Soon came the larger group of Ashok, Kate, Charlotte, Edward, XP, TJ, and the gang. All looked fresh up to that point, and I turned back with them. Ashok shared that Charlotte just set her 10km PB earlier, and she still seemed like she had so much reserves in her....wow, this group of trainees have really improved by much in the past few weeks.

Although I was not panting, I still felt myself working hard to keep pace with this group of trainees in the front. We could chat, but once distracted, could fall back in the paces....that's when we would focus again, speak less, and move back up to the ranks...hehe. As the other groups passed one another, there were always applause and cheers of encourgaement...and from feedback from the runners, those gestures always make them go strong, and are one of the key reasons they enjoy training in groups.

While I settled back to have chats with the guys, the gals zoomed ahead and were really focused on keeping their strong running form. Arthur and Steven shared a little about their progress, as well as running with the SAFRA Runners at MF and Tampines. They have grown to be much stronger runners by training progressively according to programmes, and taking time for recovery and body maintenance, which is all too important to sustain and continue with the pleasures of long distance running.

With 5km to go, I picked up the pace to catch up with the gals. It took me some time before I reached Kate, Charlotte and the other trainees. Charlotte was running at something like 5:20min/km..wah! It was good that she wanted to slow down a little, since she has a 10km nature race in the afternoon...I was speechless...haha. Kate was enjoying herself, guiding the trainees and pacing together. The drizzle throughout the whole run was welcomed by all, and it provided everyone with the cool air to drive a faster pace. DO and I were testing the new Ops NightHawk finisher tops, and they passed the rain test with flying colours.

Steven and Charlotte sprinted the final 50m to past the Aviva finishing clock with their arms raised, as part of training on posing for finisher photos...haha. We did the 25km in 2:25h, which was good, albeit a tad fast for BaseBuild. The rainy and cool conditions definitely had a part to play with the good feeling of the run. The Nest was again a hive of activity, with the runners recording their finishing times, getting their bananas, apples, Accelerade and 100plus refreshments, while sharing experiences of running in the rain, how their shoes, compression wear, nutrition and hydration plans went.

Amidst the chatter, we took the opportunity to dish out more details of the RRS, compression wear, sports massage clinic arrangements for the NightHawk trainees. The rain continued on while we seek dry refuge in the FatBird Nest, at the same time waiting for our fellow NightHawks to return. There would be cheers as the runners returned, followed by photo shots. Everyone had a story to tell, and we soaked in bits of their encounters and adventures of the morning....the accident that K3 encountered with a biker, the lack of hydration causing fatigue, the news article on the FatBird Runners in TODAY newspapers, et al.

By 11.30am, the final NightHawks have returned safely. As we departed in the continuing rain, everyone wore a satisfied look on their faces that they had put in a long run in spite of the rain (even our partners were impressed that our training continued), and their eyes showed gleams of anticipation already for the next training run. The NightHawks are progressing well in their base conditioning, and they are on track for pace training, which will kick in soon.

NIGHTHAWKS RAWKS!

Photo Slideshow by FatBird DO
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Saturday, March 13, 2010

ONH #2: The Mystic Reservoirs

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*Picasa Photo Slideshow*
*Facebook Photos*

Operation NightHawk Session #2

The first Night training run for many…the first visit to MacRitchie Reservoir for quite a number….many of the Ops NightHawk participants have been excitedly anticipating and looking forward to the Mystic Reservoirs Run, a night LSD (Long Slow Distance) done at BaseBuild zone to help condition trainees to run long distances in the night.

NightHawk Training Crew & Running Guides

80 had gathered at the MacRitchie Reservoir (MR) centre at 9pm. The excited chatter and preparations turned the usually quiet gathering point into a hive of activity, with a few curious onlookers soaking in the atmosphere too. Other than the trainees, a capacity team of Trainers and Running Guides were on hand to provide support and management of the run. The registration desk was signing trainees orderly, while small groups had gathered to discuss their plans for the night, others were taking photos and wondering what the night had in store for them.

A briefing of the Safety Running Tips for Night Running was conducted by the Training Team, followed by a route explanation. Many of the trainees were geared up in compression wear and hydration systems, essentials for night training, especially for longer distance running in minor roads and accesses. The group were flagged off at exactly 9.30pm to the flashes of a few cameras. All were in high spirits as we headed towards Upper Thomson Road (PONY AXIS), skirting along the edge of the Reservoir.

With such a large group of runners, movement along PONY were taken more carefully, with Running Guides (RG) at various constriction and traffic points to marshal the runners. The 42km RGs and their runners were slightly ahead of the 21km grouping, allowing for a string-along in narrow file, to keep within the confines of the road pavement. The weather was rather humid in the first 3km stretch, but the trainees were not in the least bit affected, as all were focusing on building up their steady pace. By the turn off PONY into LPR/OUTR, the runners had settled into their respective groupings, running along with at least 1 RG to show the way.

NightHawks along OUTR

As we moved onto OUTR, a former Grand Prix circuit famous for its fast cars in the old days, the quiet of the night had crept up onto us. We were still running at conversational pace, which was the correct zone to train at for the night. Amy was chatting with me that it felt just like not too long ago when we had the first Night Run Session @ MR in 2009, just that the group of RGs and trainees were much larger now, with many new faces…almost a totally different make-up. That bode well for the program as it showed that more runners were taking on long distances, and were prepared to train seriously for their races.

With Chin Huat, Fang Jie, Kate just in front, and Mohan, Jill, Tejinda, Jacqualine just behind us, it felt safe and not quite as hard, as we conquered that winding and cambered 3km OUTR stretch. The 21km trainees turned back at the end of OUTR for their 16km total distance, while the rest of the 42km/84km trainees moved ahead to the next Reservoir. The front group had already gone further ahead, and as we were entering, they were already leaving Seletar Reservoir for the return leg. We cheered for one another as we passed, and with the night getting cooler, the faces were smiling even as they ate up more than 10km. Our group reached Seletar Reservoir refuel point in 1hr25min, with 5min to spare :). After a quick top-up, we went on the return leg, still chatting a little about those cars that had curtains and their engines switched on by the side of the road…haha.

There were golfers hitting balls at 11pm at the Executive Golf driving range, and the bright lights of the area provided better visibility as we headed out. The final group led by Angela were just about reaching the U-Turn point, as we shouted words of encouragement across. Mohan’s group had settled into a steady zone by then. I ran ahead slightly to look for lone trainees to join, and found Joe. Running together as a group at night didn’t feel boring at all, and it even felt quite easy as the different night scenery offered a good change, plus there were lots to chat about in good company. Many of the runners were feeling the Z monsters by then as they find their bodies wanting to go to rest. Fighting off fatigue after a long day and the body’s natural reaction of wanting to go into rest mode is one of the challenges of night running, and such night training runs will help condition our runners to better handle the situation on Sundown Night.

The 21km trainees successfully completed their night mission before the stroke of midnight. Accelerade and 100plus, along with bananas were provided to replenish the energies of the good workout. My group of 42km trainees reached the end point by 12.30am, welcomed by the applause of the trainers. After a finishing pose, we helped ourselves to the refreshments, as we discussed excitedly about the interesting route of the night. Some of the trainees have already washed up, others were resting and relaxing while sharing their night adventure, a few were chatting with the trainers and RGs about gear and conditioning for night races. Although it was already 1am, a good half of the crowd were still around, presumable high on endorphines, and soaking in the atmosphere of being near the quiet forest of MR at that time.

The final group of Angela, Joey, SC Lim, Dan, HC and a couple more finally crossed the finish at 1.10am, completing their 23km mission in fine form, warmly welcomed by the group of supporters and trainers at the MR Centre. Even before settling to have their refreshments, they were already excited telling us their conquests, as well as new found strategies for tackling night runs. It was great to hear and see the trainees all enjoying the experience of the night training, and Operation NightHawk will certainly bring us back to that mystic reservoir area in due course. After a mini birthday celebration with cheese cake as refuel, I felt most satisfied and happy with the experience, as we strolled out as a group from the MR Centre before 2am. Mission MYSTIC RESERVOIRS Accomplished. Thanks to all Running Guides, Training & Support Crew, and NightHawk troopers for making it an enjoyable session. When Dusk Cometh, The NightHawks Emerge!
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Saturday, March 6, 2010

ONH #1: Dawn Has Broken, NightHawk Has Woken!

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The moment many of the 100 registered trainees have been waiting for...At the break of Dawn, runners were seen streaming into The Nest (PlayGround @ Big Splash) for the kickoff of Operation NightHawk 2010, Team FatBird's marathon preparatory training for Sundown Marathon. This time saw the arrival of a number of experienced SunBird graduands, as well as many new faces too, some of whom were doing their first half-marathons and full marathons.

FatBird Anthony gave a warm welcome to the trainees and introduced the training partner Mileage and Coach Lim Kien Mau, as well as the strong training crew of Trainers and Running Guides. The trainees in the categories of 21km, 42km and 84km will have access to The NightHawk's Nest and the advisory and guidance of this strong Ops NightHawk Training Crew. Registration was was a smooth process, and with ample stocks of bananas and isotonic drinks, the training started off with an introduction by FatBird DO to the heart of Ops NightHawk training, The FlightZONESTM System. Coach Kien Mau then took over with lively session of sharing on the basics and essentials of distance running, with emphasis on rest and recovery systems.

With the amount of knowledge and information to be dispensed to the largely new group of runners, it could have taken even more time, save for the need to keep to the watch and schedule. After a brief of the route and the customary group photo, all assembled at the start line to be flagged off by Coach Lim and Trainer DO. There was an initial release of pent-up energies in the runners, before most settling into the targeted BaseBuild Zone. As it was only the first session, many of the runners were just finding their footing and attempting to regulate their breathing. I took turns to run along with the 21km runners, 42km trainees and even some of the 84km trainees (most doing their second).


The weather was cooling as we headed towards the Fort Road stretch and back. With the larger number of Running Guides we have this time, it was pretty comfortable running alongside the mini-groups of runners and showing them the way. The front bunch was headed by the more experienced Sunbirds who went ahead at quite a fast pace, probably not able to keep in zone due to their having rested for a good while after SCSM09..hehe. The mid-pack was doing well to keep in the BaseBuild Zone while the sweepers were covering the newbie trainees behind. We had expected to see a wider spread in terms of distance and pace abilities in the initial phase, with the gaps narrowing as we progress.

As the Trainers and Running Guides shared some tips and experiences while reinforcing The Coach's recovery advice, the Trainees were focused on their form, soaking in all the new information. Some even expressed that they never knew there was so much knowledge in running, and was just glad to know they would be learning a lot more in the coming weeks. Whilst the half-marathoners turned back at the PA Campsite, the full marathon trainees went all the way to NSRCC in what was considered nice weather in Singapore.

Maybe because of the cooler weather, some of the trainees did not hydrate sufficiently, and later on felt the heat and was beaten a little by the lack of water....something learnt which they would improve upon in the next run. There were a few smaller groups of runners training at ECP, plus the Metta Charity Run happening near Angsana Green. Overall, it was a relatively quiet morning at ECP, and we have no problems with passage of access. The full marathon trainees turned back at the 12km mark @ NSRCC, took a quick drink, and continued at a seemingly slower pace than when they had started. The sun was up by then, and the heat did take a toll on the pace of the trainees.


I was running the final 5km with Annie and a couple more new runners, where we exchanged information oo upcoming local races and well as the running scene in The Philippines. When we returned back to The Playground, all who did the 13km were already back and re-hydrated and re-fueled. As with most FatBird Training sessions, the trainees stay around a lot longer to mingle, share information, and get some advice from the Training Crew. The next hour got to be very hot, and soon the iced-cold isotonic drinks became such a hit that they ran out before the final few full marathon trainees could get back. We had more than enough bananas though, as most were only in the mood to drink..haha. We did get replenishment of the isotonic drinks, to the delight of those who came back from the scorching sun.

This BaseBuild run provided a nice start to Operation NightHawk 2010, with promises and anticipation of even more interesting and effective sessions to come. The Support & Training Crew stayed on behind to tidy up the minor kinks, and put in more arrangements to improve future training sessions. Initial feedback from the trainees, especially the first-timers, was indeed encouraging. They felt they had a good workout without feeling drained and too tired, which was the essence of base-building for endurance and conditioning. We now look forward to the first Night Training Run, happening in barely a week's time. The NightHawks have emerged, and we shall see more action in the weeks ahead. Dawn Has Broken, NightHawk Has Woken!

Photography by FatBird DO, Li Lian, AC Leong
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