Dubbed the Mystic Reservoirs Run, the First Night training session for Operation NightHawk attracted a capacity turnout of 110 runners. With 'sundown' at the MacRitchie Reservoir vicinity, the one visible spot was the brightly-lit Amenities Centre. The RV point buzzed with excitable folks and activities as the trainees and pacers signed in their attendance, collected their night training aids, blinkers, light sticks and some even brought their own
special luminous gear. There were the 'old birds' who were out for a good run in that refreshing night and there were the 'new birds' who were going to run by the fringes of the forest terrain for the first time....many wondered if they could survive their first night LSD (Long Slow Distance).An overview of the FlightZONES system and workout intensity for
the run, followed by safety tips on night running, an overview of the route for both the Half and Full Marathoners were given. There was so much to cover that we forgot to get the customary group photo in - ah...just as well, for we might have had problems fitting all that number of runners into the photo...hehe. By 8.40pm, we were ready to be dispatched according to four main groups of runners along with their 
respective Running Guides and Pacers showing the way.The conditions turned out to be dry and cool....the rain forecasted earlier did not materialize. As we moved through the dark fringes of the Reservoir, the glow sticks and blinkers provided an interesting array of flickering illumination, looking like pulses and paces of the NightHawks in motion. As we were supposed to be running at 'conversational' pace, there were lots of chatter and yakking among the friendly bunch. It was nice to see the Running Guides
showing the way and checking on the conditions of the trainees, especially the newer ones who were not too familiar with the route.As we meandered along OUTR, the quiet of the night came upon us in a comforting way. Many of the runners liked that stretch and were running smoothly, at times, even a tad too fast for their intended paces. The speedy cars who often raced that old 'F1 Race Track' were not in sight as the night was still young. Nevertheless, we ran in single files against the flow of traffic and observed all the safety tips dispensed at the safety briefing earlier. The Half Marathoners turned back at the end of OUTR while the Full Marathoners moved on towards the next U-Turn at Seletar Reservoir.
Most of the trainees felt strong at the mid point, but by the 3/4 mark, a few adopted walk-breaks to provide some relief to their 'yet-to-be-conditioned' legs. Tiredness could be seen in those who had started too fast in the initial 8-10km. With decreased glycogen stores and insufficient hydration replenishments, many of the 'engines' were found wanting to slow down to rest. It was pretty normal for trainees and new marathoners who have just begun training. Such learning experiences will allow the trainees to progressively build up and condition their bodies to achieve their marathon goals. It is all part of progressive marathon training that is emphasized in NightHawk training.
The front-pack completed their run within 2hrs. Most of the groups reached back to the MR Amenities Centre before the stroke of midnight, with no missing glass slippers, although we heard there was a pair of running shoes left behind :D . From the smiles on their faces, and the way they stroked their tired legs, we could tell that there were many satisfied, albeit tired runners. Many expressed that they liked the route, made even more enjoyable with the mystic quiet of the night. They were happy to learn later that we might be there again at another NightHawk session soon. They will likely be more conditioned and prepared by then.A quick debrief and information of the next training session was conducted before we proceeded to wash up, and of course, went away with nice feelings of the night's LSD workout. We look forward to the next night session in a fortnight where we will be running alongside the Sundown participants who have signed up for the Lead-Up Runs. Till then, the NightHawks will grow from strength to strength, as we progress towards our Sundown Objective in May.
Beat The Sunrise. NightHawks Survive The First Night!
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