Great Eastern Women's Half Marathon Run 2025

I have never been so punctual for this run before.😜

The time was about 5am, and already I was in the 1st wave of runners, behind the 21.2km Elites.

I walked to the back of the group as I prefer a more solo, and quieter run at my own pace.

It was a humid morning, though I wouldn't describe as hot. Already, we gals were perspiring while waiting for the horn to sound.

Finally at about 5.20am, we started our run. I took it very slowly - my 1st time carrying my phone, and towel (with some fuel) in a newly-bought pair of sports shorts with a banded waist pocket behind.

Anticipating the Flag Off.

I meant to take it easy today, after the previous week of unexpected family events that saw me travelling out of town unplanned, and hence missing 2 workouts the weekend before, and forcing my last warm-up run just 2 days before race day. The day before I was out and about in the sun walking the entire day with errands.  I barely had enough sleep for the entire last week. And this very morning on race day, I had woken before 3am to do a mini meditation, eat breakfast and got into the pre-booked Grab Car to take me here.

No Sunrise - Only caught the moon as I reached the Stadium at around 4.30am.

My plan was to just enjoy the route and experience, soak in the scenery and views, and very much looking forward to the sunrise - which was spectacular the year before and I regretfully did not capture I on my phone as I never used to carry cellphone with me on races.

Me  - The last behind the wave of runners.

3km into the run, I was feeling good. The pace was easy and nice. I decided to pick up the pace a bit. However, to my dismay, the side of my big toe started to hurt - the abrasion that I always felt in this newer pair of shoes that I had worn several times beforehand at around 9-10 km mark on training runs. Today, the pain started early. The seam of my socks rubbing against shoe and toe? Anyway, I was feeling uncomfortable already when I started running.

Amongst the back runners in the pack after Flag Off

By 6-7km, it was obvious I was gonna run with sore feet 😖

I didn't have time nor energy to check the race route beforehand. It was a different route from the previous year. I also didn't check out the hydration points. When I was in good form and picked up pace, it had to be slowed down to get a drink, as I didn't know when the next available one would be. I decided to prioritize health over results.

I finally reached my 10K mark - I glanced at my watch - it was over an hour. I decided to slow down to my recovery jog before picking up later. I had already eaten my walnut dates earlier. By now, my shorts were dripping with perspiration - something I had never experienced before.

We passed the Gardens by the Bay Kingfisher Pod. I was still in recovery pace...

It took be a while before I picked up the pace again. By now the feet, especially the right foot was sore with I believed blisters and more bruised toe (and nail). A looming uphill awaited..... I sprinted lightly up the inclined highway and let loose with quick leg turnover on the way down. Felt peckish again and reached for another walnut-dates pack while slowing down...

Good to see the hydration point just after I finished my dates.

After this point, all the categories of 21.1, 10 and 5 kilometres joined the route to finish. I had about 3-4 km left. After some normal section, another inclination loomed ahead. Haha! Wow... Such sections to finish!

I kept eyeing certain landmarks on these inclinations as targets to pick up my pace, at the same time bearing the painful brushes my toes and feet got to endure... Last 3 km or so... the route now was narrow and crammed with all runners from all categories. Some sped through little openings in between slower runners who were tired from the distance; some shouldered on in their tired forms, and some gleefully paused at certain spots to take photos and selfies. I tried to maintain the slightly-faster- than-easy pace, though not my usual tempo speed. I too, tried to weave through the cracks between the tight network of runners. 

Last Kilometre... 

Was I certain?

Experience has taught me that the last kilometre wasn't what it seemed.

I had run with all my might after seeing this distance marker, only to lose steam some more than 500 metres away from the finish line. I decided not to be fooled again, and picked up pace just a little slightly than before. 

When I knew the finishing line was about 200 metres away, that's when I started to sprint. I saw the 2:45 pacers with the pink balloons ahead of me.

Finally entered the stadium and sprinted all I could with the energy left to cross the finishing line.

I looked at my watch -- 2:43hrs. I knew I did not well. A drop in speed compared to last year's timing.

I tried my best and was completely dripping non-stop with perspiration.

Contacted Ping and she was already ready to queue at the photo booth! 😅

Told her I needed some time to cool down.

When I was ready, I joined her and queued for our celebratory photos.

No other queuing for freebies today as the snakey lines of jubilant runners were really too long.

After some delay in collecting my bag and some stretching, we went for a hearty lunch with full chit-chatty catch-up!

Our Shared Post Run Fuel!

I am truly grateful for the day, despite a less than desired timing :)

Whatever that was and is, 

~~~ Flow ~~~

Accident!

I literally ran into a little accident on my last long run.

It's been some weeks since I ran along Mandai Road, where I knew I would run into the family of Macaques who'd always be there along the newly built fence.

So I prep'd myself again by picking up a stick to self defend. This time I had picked up one with thorns.

To make it safer to hold, I plucked out the thorns on the upper section, so that I would not scratch myself when holding it, as I did not know for how long I needed to hold it before I see the Macaques.

I had run some distance, and past the usual spot where they would be scavenging, rummaging through the bushes, or just grooming and relaxing... However, there was no sign of them, yet.

Ran past some plastic bags and packages on the ground -- were they done with their activity here?

Then I saw them... probably stomachs filled, relaxing around and grooming one another.

I started to sway my stick gently - left, right, left ..... Then ......

The stick broke and hit across my right thigh, near my knee, before brushing across my left.

The thorns that I didn't pick out from the lower part of the branch, cut across my skin...

I didn't feel the impact after I passed the family. When I looked down, I saw to my surprise, blood streaming down from a wound... 

Wow, that bad ... Luckily I carried a small bottle of hand sanitizer and I started squeezing some onto the wound, blood mixed with my perspiration. I tore a piece of tissue and wiped it. Still the blood continued oozing.

I lightly pressed the tissue on it, till the oozing was less.

Perhaps the salt from my perspiration crystallized the cut and soon there was no blood, but slight sting and bruised red streak remained. 

Back home.

I carried on my running journey.

This served as a lesson to me:

1. To be calmer and steadier when met with elements of nature.
2. To be more prudent in selecting a sturdier branch, with no thorns and potential hazard to self and others.
3. To always have antiseptic (eg sanitizer) on hand.

Finally, reminding myself to go with the flow of life - We can never be fully prepared. 

Be prepared, but also to prepare to be unprepared...

Running Late!

 

21 October 2025

It was already close to 10am when I started to run.... How could it be possible when I woke up at 6.45am?

It was another tiring day - I have been feeling so tired these days.

I believe I dilly-dallied too much in the morning, and got stuck in the loo for too long to detox.

But the weather was so perfect! How could I have this opportunity passed, when tomorrow never knows?

So still, I put on my gears, sunblock applied, and outta the door...

I decided to go really easy on myself, already on an easy long run day 😝

I decided to just run more loops in the park and not venture further out of my area -- with the possibility that it might rain, and, I was really tired... I would see how far I could run. Furthermore, I had an afternoon class to teach at 2PM.

18-20 KM was my target.

It was a good run - the 1st 5-6 KM.

Met Uncle who would go for walking practice from his wheelchair, with the aid of his helper. I hadn't seen him in a while... he looked older.

I was testing a new pair of running shorts that came with a tuck-in pocket on the back, that could fit a phone. So I did not bring the usual flipbelt band and brought minimal items with me.

The park was quiet, I was the only person, after having met Uncle. As I got up the hilly part, I saw a few more uncles on bikes chatting. Ran to the waterfront park with Malaysia across the Strait. Beautiful view at the jetty and I couldn't help but take a selfie with the buildings across the Causeway as backdrop. 

RTS Bridge almost completed.

Our Neighbour's High-risers

My toes began to sting in the new Clifton 9. I wondered if the insoles were too thin, or that this model isn't really for me. I remembered I should have felt fine with the Challenger ATR after 1-2 wears.

I continued with the discomfort and ran on, back to the park and back home. No spotting of the wild today, just scenery 😁

Finally reached the neighbourhood jogging track cum fitness park some blocks across home. I looked at the watch - it was already too late for me to catch a proper lunch before rushing back for class.

My fitness tracker tracked 20 KM, however my Runkeeper only 17+ KM -- As usual, the GPS would show less mileage when I ran most distance under forest canopy.

I was glad however that I made it - despite the late start, and the not-so-ready body and circumstances.

As the saying goes:

"Better late than never".

And true indeed it was.

A Day Full of Wrongs

Another "Wrong" day when the run didn't go as expected.

Another very warm and humid day that got me a little phobic running out ... 😂

And so I decided to run where there could be covers. I planned to run to Sembawang area again, and to make a turn along the river, try my luck to visit the otters, which I did in a magnificent encounter. Then I would head down to the Lower Seletar Reservoir. My aim was 18-20km.

Thought it is really going solo...

Nope... its mates were below...

Eat, Play, ..... Sleep, repeat?

Big Catch!

However, it was a day full of wrongs...

It is advised not to break into a new pair of shoes on a long run, and I did just that.

Plus, paired it off with a new running bra top and, made a wrong turn at the traffic junction that made me breathe in dust along the construction site of a highway, when I was nearing the end of the journey.

However, it was usually the wrongs that made us learn and do more rights the next time.

While I had to run longer to reach my end destination, I passed through where I never had, or perhaps would, if I'd done all the rights. 

I experienced more patches of greens, saw the magnitude of the highway being constructed, and experienced a different angle of the Sungei Seletar. 

View from the Top which I had never seen nor taken a picture of

My new shoes gave me blisters and further shaded my problematic toenail. I'd known beforehand I shouldn't wear them over long distance running, but I didn't have time to test them othewise - the soles on my old pair were really rather flattened to hold me well for distance. But now I know the difference in toe box space between the Clifton and the Challenger ATR, and found my preference.

I didn't give much thought to my running bra top - I just wanted to feel cooler and less stuck-on from my tee. But I now realised, cooler could also mean less cover - especially when the sunlight is harsh. I could get bra tops that offer more protection on the back, rather than the criss-cross design that the new one came in.

The wrongs are still wrongs. But they don't have to remain forever so.

I gained new perspectives, angles and insights.

I could move on, or run on, with more wisdom and better choices the next time.

Letting Go(al)...

Last week I had another "Bad Run".

I had just recovered from cold and starting the 1st long run after that.

My last long run was 20km. And my target next was to reach 25km.

But I knew I couldn't possibly achieve this goal in that current body condition. More so, after having missed one long run the week before due to being sick.

So I humbly projected at least 15km but really hoping to reach 18km.

Against my favour, it was a very scorchingly hot day with the sun rays beating down relentlessly on the runner, running in the open.

I decided to run a somewhat familiar route with some twists, and plotting an exploratory spot on this route.

Met a solo otter, and a large heron with monitor lizards for company. Next I ran along the train tracks to finally reach the spot of discovery - Yishun Neighbourhood Park - on the top of a hill. I'd probably went up the slope more than a decade back but I didn't explore its top then. I had merely went up the steps and down the other side, as back then I'd run in the evenings and I was afraid of too much darkness on the run back.

Otter swimming solo

Supposedly Grey Heron, with Monitor Lizard swimming by.

So on that day, I was determined to explore more despite the harsh weather.

As I ran up the hill I was pleasantly surprised by an old school pavillion surrounded by two round tables with chinese chessboard templates on them. A nice little garden was found midway.  A few park-goers were there to Tai Chi and do some stretching exercises.

The Pavillion

A winding road led up to the little "peak" with a toilet and water cooler, and a community garden further up.  Glancing down, one could see the surrounding neighbourhood. Though it wasn't that high and the view that fantastic, it was still a nice respite from the brick and mortar below.

I was grateful for the water cooler that I much needed to drink from. I jogged round the top before slowly going down. Took some photos before eventually heading down the steps back again to pound the pavement along the road.

I reckoned it was too late to run to my targeted destination - Lower Seletar Reservoir - neither did I think I have enough power to do so... 😛

I decided to run to wherever I could for a better place to cool down and rest before having lunch.

Construction obstructed a lot of pathways and made me change directions. I turned to where I would not usually run to - an old bus interchange near the malls. As much as possible, I tried to dodge the glaring sun to get into shade wherever and whenever I could. I finally realised I was heading towards an entrance of a park --- The Yishun Pond!

Yishun Pond

I was glad. Though I ever came here once, I did not fully explore it. I ran about 2 more rounds totalling about 15km on my watch tracker, and 14km on the GPS on Runkeeper.

Cooled down and headed to the adjacent hospital's foodcourt for an earlier lunch to refuel. I needed to get back home to teach an online class that day.

Though the original target of 18km wass missed, I was happy I found another target --- another spot I that could run to and explore more in-depth, amongst the other check-in points on my next running journey.

Stick to Your Runs!

It is most often that I get into contact with the ever increasing macaque population while running in parks, connectors or along less human trafficked roads.

While most times, I just needed to be a little more prudent not to go too near to the babies, avoid eye contact and pick up pace to run ahead. Occasionally there might be a few Alphas that were really very wary and cautious to protect their families and young, that they literally tried to grab and chase after you!

The Mandai Road gang is one such gang. 

And it is unavoidable on my route to the Upper Peirce Reservoir.

So I have noticed this gang of macaques for some time. They are almost certainly there, whenever I run down Mandai Road after crossing the traffic emerging from the Ulu Sembawang Park Connector. Usually I just continue running without eye contact and fussing about them. But it was on one encounter that I got confronted by the seemingly alpha male even when I just "ran my own business". It was then I realised this is one not to be trifled with, and I needed to be more vigilant.

When the alpha wasn't there, the other members of the troop would just cry out as if in distress, when I passed them by.

I needed to have a plan to protect myself.

I learnt from the Hub that using a stick as a defensive weapon could help. Not to use the stick to attack the macaques of course. I learnt that just by swaying the stick in your hand gently in a left to right motion helps to keep the macaques away. They would just move away or leap off, and when at a safer distance from them, you could just discard the stick along the side of the path - usually from the grass patch from where it was taken a distance away much earlier on.

The stick that I used

So, whenever I know I am approaching the hangout area of this troop of macaques, I would first select a fallen-off branch on the roadside, that is of suitable length, durability and making sure there are no ants nor insects on it. I would hold it as I run, and when I do see the troop, gently sway it left and right as a defensive motion. 

On this particular day, the alpha was there. He saw me approach and again attempted to snare at and approach me. But when the stick gently swayed to his direction, he too had to flee away.

Took the pictures of the "gang" only after running from them at a safer distance

It is by no means a way to taunt nor to attempt to attack and injure these animals - nor any animal we encounter. I do appreciate having wildlife aound us very much. The best practice is to admire them from a distance, appreciate their pressence and wild way of life and do not interact with them especially not feeding them. I do have a lot of personal encounters with park-goers or the public who instead tried to "unwild" these lives, and hence creating ripples of negative consequences through these actions. This is another topic of course and I shall not dive into it and turn it into a lecture here! 😜

Sometimes the best way to co-exist with wildlife peacefully is to still have some form of barrier - and in this case a way of defending yourself so that no "fights" happen and each group can still survive in its own way of life.

Sunrise Run

 

14 September 2025

I made it!

Finally got to do this: woke up at around 5am and got out of the house around 6am. It was a Sunday and the usual Bukit Timah Hill climb with the Hub was off.  I decided to TRY to catch the infamous misty dawny rays at the Ulu Sembawang Park Connector, hyped much about some time back.

I estimated that I would need about half an hour to reach the sunrise view point. My aim was to reach the spot at around 6.30am or so.

Forwent my usual longer morning routine and because I am someone who can't run empty-stomach, I made 3/4 mug of Coffee-Lo (Instant coffee with Milo), with a slice of plain wholemeal bread and 2 mini Marie biscuits. Grabbed a sweet and a snack as well and off I went. As I was afraid of not making it in time, I did a much scaled-down warm up and stretching in less than 5 minutes.

And boy I ran - at tempo pace - I seldom, or in fact, never started a run with such speed. But it was a good training nevertheless.

I did not expect that waiting for the traffic lights to change colours could be so long in the early morning. Our city was already well-lit with moderate activity ongoing along the roads - walkers, work-goers, and many buses were already full-engined. It was no quiet run.

I read that the Park Connector is not lit 24 hours and hence it would be dark. No problem! The MRT Depot next to the entrance was well-lit up with rows of lamp-posts providing ample lighting. The morning sky was already brightening - I thought to myself if I would really catch the 1st rays through the forest? The time now was 6.24am.

Switching out of such gloomy thoughts, I congratulated myself for having climbed out of bed on a Sunday morning at 5am, and made it in an hour to leave the house. Sunrise or nor it didn't matter anymore - I had gained a new experience and a personal milestone!

Unexpectedly,  I was the sole intruder into the park connector. 

And before long, it was well, darkness. The Depot left behind, this stretch of the road was dark. No lights. I heard only sounds - of wildlife. 

Feeling rather nervous, I turned on the torch function of my cell-phone - but it was still very dim. I could barely see the front. It didn't help that I did not carry my glassess along with me on long runs...

Finally as I emerged from the thicket of trees and vegetation into the open field on my left, morning rays had seeped through the greenery in the distance. It was around 6.40am when I reached the sunrise spot.

There were no dramatic hues of the morning rays promised in the pictures, online. I was disappointed.

I climbed up the slope to have a better view, and yes it was misty, but not that mysterious...

I felt some slight drizzles and I thought this must be the reason for the dismal sight.

What I saw vs.... what was seen in the picture online below:

https://mothership.sg/2021/06/cyclist-sunrise-ulu-sembawang/

I tried to capture the "best" views on my phone camera. I lingered for a while and was careful to climb down from the pretty steep though low slope - it was still rather dark after all. I took another few more pictures to remember this moment and day. 😝 

Mist could be seen

Still dark...

This one turned out not too bad after I applied filter 😝

More filtered photos...

Then I continued running down the connector, hearing the chipping of wood by the woodpecker, which I never manage to spot on this route. I see a second human on this stretch of the connector when a cyclist zoomed past me as we exchanged morning greetings. The sky seemed to be giving way to dark clouds looming and grey weather seemed eminent ahead. A few more early bikers appeared and I decided to explore the side of the Mandai Park Connector leading to the Zoo, which I never had ventured onto. At this time groups of road cyclists have started their weekend hobby as well.

This one has no filter... I continued running on the connector to Mandai.

Did I miss the hues after I left and ran on Mandai Park Connector next?

Mandai Lake. The Rainforest Resort in the distance.

Gateway to the Mandai Wildlife Parks

After slightly more than a kilometre and my curiosity satisfied, I turned around and ran back to where I came from. By now the sun is up. No rain. As I entered Ulu Sembawang Park Connector again, more cyclists appeared, so did runners and walkers. Upon reaching the Sunrise view point,  I took a closer look at the Bidens Pilosa flowers, admiring their beauties in the morning light and freshness. And I spotted something extra amongst them!

A Mantis Nymph on the Bidens pilosa flower

 A Katydid Nymph?  

Spot Me!

That's when my run became a hike and nature walk plus macro-photography time! I discovered more and more little critters in the macro world as I trained my phone lens on the grounds and shrubs.

An uncle cyclist greeted me and requested that I help him take a photo. He started to chit chat with me about exercise, food places etc that took about 10 minutes. He explained that the sunrise here appears only at around 7.30am! The misty condition is weather dependent. It was almost 7.30am and I really wanted to see the effect but he was so excitedly talking that I found it impolite to just turn around to look for the sunrise instead. Finally, I managed to cue him that I wanted to move off and we parted.

By the time I went hunting for any sign of the renowned sunrise rays, the sun was fully up and about and I only managed to see some small patches of orange hue shadowed by the trees. Nevertheless, the uncle gave me some tips that I told myself I would make another or more trips for this experience.

This was taken after 7.30am.

The moon still visible...

Since I had rested so long, I decided to walk and admire the nature instead. I could hear a woodpecker nearby and I finally caught glimpse of it "climbing" on a  single bamboo stalk that shot high into the air. It was too distant for me to discern what woodpecker it was.

Woodpecker

The more I looked, the more critters and unique nature I spotted. It made me very happy too, that many fellow walkers, runners, cyclists were high-vibed and chirpily greeting "Good Morning!" 😀

A Hover Fly

A Cricket

Woodlouse or Pillbug

A Cereal Leaf Beetle

Snail

Black-and-Yellow Millipede

Mushroom

Morning dews

By the time I resumed running it was already 2.5hours past since I started running from home.

I slowly regained pace to run back to my neighbourhood but happy that I had discovered so much more in our world of nature, and also about extending and renewal of the current version of myself!