Shanghai Running Magazine Shanghai Running Q2 2014. Volume 2 | Page 30

Running Singapore Style

pumping faster now, their
presence fuels
the next few
kilometers - a
steady incline
in the now-stifling humidity.
How fortunate
am I to have
such supportive groupies.
My personal
inspiration.

By Lisa M. Mulvey

5:50am,..road is blocked. End of
the ride - la, says our Singaporean
friend. We empty out of the cab
and join the sea of people clad in
their Standard-Chartered blue bibs
and walk the rest of the way. Sun
yet to make an appearance.
6:00am,..porta potty visit. Perfect
timing as a title wave of runners
rolls in right behind us. My new
found friend and I have time to
take a few pics (though the darkness prevents any good photo).
5:00am,..a devilish alarm steals my
sleep. It begins now. Capris, blue
singlet, Asics, armband, and socks
all laid out in nervous anticipation. Bib and safety pins waiting
patiently. iPhone charged with
Runtastic Pro ready to go.
5:30am,..kiss my husband goodbye. Quietly close the hotel room
door as not to wake the peaceful
slumber of my kids. Making sure
to stretch, I forward-lunged my
way to the elevator.
5:35am,..Whoa!! The line for taxis
is out-of-control. People streaming
in out of the casinos. I jump in
line, literally tapping my toe out
of nervousness. A fellow female
runner catches my worried glance.
We form an instant bond as we
scheme. She plays the of damsel
in distress and convinces the taxi
attendant to smuggle us in the next
available cab. “To Sentosa bridge!”,
we chime in unison.
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6:10am,..meander through the
crowd to gain a semi-good spot towards the front of the pack. Music
blaring. Intense electricity pulsing
through the atmosphere. Runners of all shapes, sizes, speaking
various languages, but united in
our blue singlets. Time for nervous
chit-chat and warm-up stretches.
6:15am,..sun is starting to peek out
from the horizon. Crowd cheers.
An emcee rallies the runners.
Ticking down the
time. Runners
antsy jumping in
place.
6:30am,...BANG!
A surge of adrenaline powers the
first kilometer. I
know I’m running, but I can’t
feel my legs or
feet at this early
stage. Pure
© Shanghai Running 2014

excitement. Sounds of feet hitting
pavement and tropical birds singing provide a unique soundtrack.
Kilometer 5. Running through
Universal Studios. A surprise at
every turn. Optimus Prime, Elmo,
Shrek, Shrek’s Bog!! and more
offering high-fives and motivating
cheers. Completely unexpected.
Hysterical. Runners stopping to
take pictures. The tone of the race
certainly lightened and whimsical. With cartoonish smiles, we
proceed through an underground
garage and exiting Sentosa back
across the bridge.
Kilometer 10. Runners are settling
into a comfortable pace. People are
incredibly friendly easily chatting
along the way. Met a fellow mom
of three from the States and traded
anecdotes of parenthood. Air is
becoming wetter, but the temperature is surprisingly pleasant. Smell
of tropical flowers create a sense of
calm. Singapore, the garden city.

Kilometer 12. Mood change as we
climb a ramp onto the gritty highway. Runners tasting car exhaust.
The mentality has now shifted
towards just getting through the
industrial zone. Some runners
losing steam, pace slowing, drive
weakening in this seemingly endless stretch.
Kilometer 16. L ike a light at the
end of the tunnel, the iconic Marina Bay Sands Towers take shape
just ahead of us. Highway starts to
turn more lush lined with greenery. Runners find inspiration. A
shot of adrenaline kicks in for a
second time. Gardens by the Bay
is nearing with its mesmerizing
SuperGrove trees. The Singapore
Flyer lit jubilantly behind it. Each
with such an unexpectedly uplifting presence.
Kilometer 16.5. A lump forms
in my throat. From high above
the road on a pedestrian bridge,
I hear the distinctive cheers of
three little voices. “Run, mommy,
run!” Enthusiastically jumping and
waving to catch my attention. My
husband, the loudest cheerleader
of all. My heart bursting with pride

Kilometer 19. Traffic jam. Merging
runners and walkers. An absolute
mess. Runners frustratingly trying
to find a clear path through the
massive crowd of carefree walkers. My legs are pleading, “Don’t
stop! You’ll lose your momentum!”
Little choice in the matter. Must
fight through the maze for the
next kilometer. So much for being
ahead of my pace.
Kilometer 20. Crowd starts to
spread out and full-on running can
continue. My legs had forewarned
me resisting my final push towards
the end. With every ounce of will
left, my mind propelled me forward.
Kilometer 21.0975. I lunged dramatically across the finish line.
Singapore Standard Chartered Half
Marathon complete. The first thing
that enters my mind - Where can I
find a nice glass of red wine?
As a mom of triplets, a wife, a
teacher, and a writer, running
has been my go-to for stress-relief, quality “me” time, and as a
way to maintain fitness, but after
© Shanghai Running 2014

experiencing the Singapore Standard-Chartered Half Marathon
as a destination race, it became
something even more. For the first
time during a race, I was inspired
by the scenery. Running through
Universal Studios Theme Park was
positively surreal and outlandishly
hysterical. Fellow runners were
notably more relaxed and willing
to strike up conversation along
the way. The tropical smells and
sounds of the area lightened the
tone of the race, while the lush
and colorful flora emitted a sense
of calm. Running past the SuperGrove at Gardens by the Bay was
enchanting and some runners even
dared to stop and snap photographs. It was truly an experience,
rather than a race, which leads to
one final thought,..whereto next?
Next Singapore Standard-Chartered Marathon is on December
7th. Check out the website for
more information about the race
and to view commentary and pictures from the 2013 race at http://
www.marathonsingapore.com
Start training now! Join a group.
For an all-girls-group, come join
PUXI RUN on Monday evenings
at 8pm, as we meet at Sprout Cafe
in EcoVillage to run along the
West Bund together. Check out
the website for more information
at http://puxirun.wix.com/index#!about/c66t
Photos-Top Left at the Singapore half start
Bottom Right- Triplets by the Garden by the Bay
Top Above - Singapore Gardens by the Bay

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