Lucky FatBird Ushers In Scintillating Snake 2013

Facebook Photos from Ronnie Goh, CK Chin, Tan Kim Lai, Terry Tan, David Tan

On the 3rd day of the Lunar New Year of the Snake, more than 100 Team FatBird runners and friends gathered at the Western Coastal Walk @ Labrador MRT for our annual festive Weekender Series, the FatBird Chinese New Year (CNY) Run.  Most were dressed up in auspicious red, with a few in yellow ('Emperor's Red') and white to symbolize the fortune and health we will be receiving in the year of the Snake.

After a few days of CNY feasting, many of us were looking forward to have a 'fats burning' and calorie-busting running workout in the midst of auspicious features to welcome the year of the Snake.  Well wishes of "Gong Xi Fa Cai, Xing Nian Kuai Le" rang through as fellow runners wished one another before we set off.  The first spot was "Bu Bu Gao Shen" or the ascent to good fortune in the climb up Labrador Hill, and through the tunnels before coming out along the coastal line to welcome the "Cai Yuen Guang Jing" as water signifies wealth (Shui Shi Cai) in Chinese.

The runners were in high spirits as we came to Dragon Teeth's Gate (Long Ya Men) for the shout out to be "Long Ma Jing Shen" or be healthy and strong like the dragon - as the Chinese would have it, the Snake is a mini Dragon as we bade brother Dragon farewell to welcome brother Snake to shouts of "Xing Nian Hao, Xing Nian Miao, Lai Ge Xing Nian Gua Gua Jiao!  Huat Ah!"

By the time we approached the Keppel Reflections By The Bay, many well wishes were dished out to fellow runners and walkers in the area.  We posed for yet another auspicious picture by the sailboats and seacraft as as wished for 'Yi Fan Feng Shun' and smooth-sailing for our career, health and fortune in the new year.  The security guard was kind to let us stick around for a while to take nice photos of the area, but we could hardly fit our large group in no matter the angle we approached from.

Yet more water flowed along with the FatBirds we ran along rivers and coastline to arrive at the other side of the bay.  Looking at the beautiful boats and the backdrop of Keppel Reflections, each of us picked a boat where we hope to see them grow larger and posher when we return for next year's New Year Run.  Lots more group photos ensued with shouts of auspicious greetings to the amusement of passer-bys who were on their morning strolls.

We took the Berlayer Creek back to Labrador MRT for a 7.8km (Chi Fa) or Go Forth With Good Fortune, as the first group bade farewell with well wishes.  The remaining 60% of the group went on the second leg to HortPark and the Snakey Turn for our 'She Nian Chaun Hao Yun' - Great turns of good fortune in the year of the Snake as we did the 'Snake Wave' with greetings of "Gong Xi Fa Cai" as we run up to the top.

Climbing the 'Stairway to Prosperity', we shouted "Bu Bu Gao Shen" and "Huat Ah!" as we welcomed more strokes of good fortune in the New Year.  At the top, it was overwhelming consensus to go for another 3km of 'fats burning' then we ran on to the scenic Kent Ridge Park for more 'Snakey turns of good fortune' and photos by the peaceful lake to symbolize a year of peace and prosperity (more water) for all of us and Singapore.

True to form, the FatBirds received what they wished for as we ran up yet more slopes to burn off even more fats...and as we ran, we wore very happy and satisfied looks.  The Canopy Walk overlooking the beautiful expanse of greenery showed many of us the hopes and aspirations of our people for our beautiful Garden City in the Snake Year, and that we will all work and run harder to protect and enjoy the beautiful scenic-scape in this wonderful place we call Home.
  

'Xian Ku Hou Tian' - Bitter First, Sweetness Followed as we reached the epitome of the Scintillating Snake run, enjoying the smooth flowing rundown and the singing of Chinese New Year songs all the way back to where we started from at Labrador MRT - 15km of sheer pleasure for good measure that we will treasure for a long time.

每条大街小巷  Every road and every street,

每个人的嘴里 Everywhere that people meet,

见面第一句话 The first few words that they will greet,

就是恭喜恭喜 Is “Happy Chinese New Year”

恭喜恭喜恭喜你呀 Gong Xi Gong Xi Ging Xi Ni Ah…

恭喜恭喜恭喜你 Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni!

Huat Ah! Huat Ah!