Fun-loving company and great weather made for a fitting FINALE to the SMRT-FatBird Circle Line Weekender Runs [Session 4]. After overnight showers, the morning was blessed with cool weather as the Circle Line Weekend runners gathered at the final MRT station (Pasir Panjang) - we have yet to start/end from in the whole series of SMRT runs.
A number of first-timers as well as previous Weekender runners showed up to explore the Science Park, Kent Ridge Park and Horticulture Park vicinity with Team FatBird marshals playing "tour-guides" :) We ran past the famous duck-rice along Buona Vista (Winding) Road, leading on to the foot of Kent Rige Park/Vigilante Drive junction. There's nothing like group photos to mark out key points along the journey, and enjoying good breaks along 'breath-taking' parts of the course.
Feeling good, the majority chose to go a slightly longer route to the end of Winding Road, turning into end of Science Park 2, where air-conditioned toilets and water-coolers awaited. From there we were led along a small access path round the gym into the flaura and fauna of Kent Ridge Park. Many of the runners enjoyed the breakfast menu of 1km slopes around the mini-park, soaking in the smells and sounds of the forest.
Having conquered the slopes, group finisher poses were struck, before ascending to the top of the Park for another toilet-break. More scenic views were enjoyed, before we were taken along the wooden Canopy Top overlooking the vast Colonial housing estate of 'The Canterbury. Many of the new ones vowed to run that comparatively flat 5km course in the Canterbury one day, as we trotted up to Bukit Chandu Reflections passing the hillside apartments - The Peak.
As luck would have it, the gates of Bukit Chandu were just opening, as if to welcome our group of FatBird runners into its history-filled compound of war memorial artefacts and graphic murals. We spent 15min absorbing the quiet ambience, before setting off for home base, before someone requested for a 'tour extension'. Since we had some time remaining, we were led on a mini detour to Horticulture Park via the 'mini-Lombard' walk of Singapore, and getting more 'breath-taking' views and photos in.
The final run-down Pepys Road provided the 'floating in cool air' feeling as we ended the finale session of the Circle Line Weekender series in very good form, and all wondering if we had really covered 11km....for it felt like only 5km to many of us - even the new runner who had never ran beyond 6km was surprised to have done the whole distance without breaking much of a sweat...last heard she felt ready for a Half Marathon in 2012 :D
As we collected our goodie bags, many of the runners expressed that they had enjoyed these Circle Line Weekender series that have brought us to the new MRT stations of Labrador Park, Telok Blangah and Pasir Panjang, and allowed us to visit so many scenic running spots in the West such as Labrador Park, Mt. Faber, Canterbury Estates, Telok Blangah Hill, Henderson Waves, Kent Ridge Park, 99-Winding Rd and more.
We would like to thank SMRT for this nice initiative, and for the participation of the estimated 250 runners in the 4 runs, for without which this series would not have been so happening and enjoyable. Following on from all these healthy and 'fats-burning' workouts, Team FatBird would like to wish all happy festive feasting of Christmas and New Year goodies. Cheers to all SMRT-FatBird Circle Line Weekend Runners!
Reports & Photos of earlier Circle Line Weekenders
Circle Line Weekender #1
Circle Line Weekender #2
Circle Line Weekender #3
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