Mind My Run

8 April 2026

Missed my long run last week as I was not feeling too well, and had to tend to some personal errands. My weekend run was super easy clocked at 6+Km, with still an exhausted body.

It felt so refreshing to step onto another long run today, though I was a little apprehensive of my ability. The weather forecast reported late morning showers, so I was a little worried when I saw the cloudy sky. Luckily I was able to step out slightly earlier than before.

I was glad that the weather was lovely! No harsh sun rays pelting down, blinding my vision. Though humid, I was grateful to have this cool weather to run in. When I reached the nature park, I realized that it was the haze that partially blocked the sunlight. The park was all dewy and wet and me too, getting damp from the environment and my own perspiration in the humidity.

My body felt good to run up the usual slope, though I maintained an easy pace. Everything was nice. The fellow park-goers were happily enjoying their morning exercise.

Misty Morning in the Forest

Soon the sun shone through the clouds and haze and it became sunny.

As I ran back down the slope, I was astonished to have felt droplets raining down. It was drizzling in the sunny weather!

Luckily the next section was forested and the light drizzle gradually tapered off, though the strong rays did not.

No snakes today but I caught sight of a little grasshopper.

As I took in steady breaths with each step in rhythm, I had this realization that running is somewhat how I felt in meditation. There are times when it felt so effortless that I did not realize I was pushing through it.

Most times though the sensation was a little uncomfortable, yet  I want to prolong doing and maintaining.

Fast pace; slow pace. They apply to both activities.  

I could be totally absorbed, or be aware of the efforts, and for both I sometimes wanna give up

The interesting thing is one activity is active, while the other is more static. Yet the mind in both experiences similar thoughts. So does the body 

I am happy to realize this

Out of the park and I ran to the newly paved stadium as I planned to collect something from a friend's place near the stadium.

It's been years since I last ran on the stadium track. By the time I reached the stadium, it was near 11am. It was so hot! Still, I decided to run one lap just to celebrate my long lost time training there ( I started running on tracks on this very stadium). The new paved lanes felt bouncy to my each step landed. It felt good, though scorchingly hot!

It also felt good to cool down and do stretching on the spectators' stand. So long! and nostalgia much!

In the Shade on the Spectators' Stand

During my mindful breathing session after the stretches,  I realised how fortunate it is to be alive - to feel the heat, to feel the refreshing breeze, to still hear sounds and even noises from the traffic and the pounding sounds from the nearby construction - to still be able to process irritating noises and discomfort because I am still alive! Many times we wanna escape from discomfort, but it is only when we still have this life, that we can experience discomfort. Had we been gone, all these sensations, good and bad, comfortable and not, perceived happiness and suffering would be no more. How precious this life is! How fortunate when we can still perceive a range of feelings, sensations and experiences! A smile was felt across my face.

I next proceeded to have a hearty bowl of Laksa at the nearby hawker centre, before moving on to my errands.

A nice finish to my run :)

Absolutely Satisfying!

Run Your Journey

18 March 2026

I intended to run yesterday morning. 

This sight didn't motivate me to step out of home...

However I caved in to fatigue, laziness and loads of excuses.

I had just returned from a week long trip to Malaysia and still recovering from fatigue, which took too long to dissipate I feel. It didn't help that I couldn't get up from bed earlier to beat the furiously hot weather and strong rays these days.

So today I resolved to step out no matter what.

Step out and a your journey is formed.

I was pleasantly surprised and grateful that at past 10am, I was still blessed with breezes and patches of shades that I could run under amidst the scorching orange blast of halo from above. I was really running with lots of thank-yous in between breaths. I took it slow as it would definitely take a toll on an already exhuasted body not yet fully restored with renewed energy. But the exposed stretches are good workouts for me to push for faster legwork to run undercover from another patch of shade again! So my easy long run of 12km was infused with some segments of - albeit short - speedwork.

Sections of shades good for "Intervals" 

Interestingly, I discovered that I instinctively turned left to run a route to the next neighbourhood area of Sembawang, instead of turning right to head towards the already planned nature park within my residential vicinity. I wanted cooler area to run in, but my body must have decided otherwise, and hence I found myself already in that direction mode and not willing to turn back. So I went along with the flow.

The points of self-reflection that I gathered today:

• Saw the usual photographer uncle at the same spot near the river, with his camera hanging around his neck, on the lookout for, presumably birds. I initiated a smile and nodded at him. He in return,  responded with the usual awkwardly stiff nod 😂 Still I felt happy and not offended. I felt it a natural response of his. I mindfully became aware of the thought that I would have felt otherwise with questions of whys in the past --- how is it that he would respond to my greeting in this manner since we already are familiar faces? However, today, I was actually smiling inside, after having run my Project Smile over a period of time.

• I was greeted with the lovely scent from rows of Jasmine flower plants planted along the river. It seemed ages since I last caught this whiff of light fragrance - We used to grow Jasmine plants in pots when I was a child, and I was familiar with the scent of the little white dainty flowers whenever I played outdoors near them. This gave me pleasant nostalgia, and added relaxing elements into my running, in the sun. It's smell the Jasmine, and not roses today!

Lovely scenty Jasmine Flowers :)

• I actually felt more energized than I imagined I would be - during, and after my run! Though tired after the physical activity, I actually felt good and that my lethargy after the effort was well justified! 

• During lunch, I was soothingly serenaded by a busker playing and singing yesteryear tunes of Lionel Ritchie and many others on his guitar, and actually appreciated him with a $2 token which I normally would not do so! 😁

• Visited mom and sis and took the walks slowly to their place. I saw another runner running in the void deck presumably trying to prevent getting a heat stroke haha! 😝

• It was a very warm and humid day so I took my walks and navigation amongst the crowds in malls, stations, transportation slowly. I realised I was mostly feeling happy and peaceful though myself smelt really bad despite having changed into a clean top. 😆

My day ended well and I was glad I ran, today.  😊

Snakes Galore! ( And An Odd Reptile On Tarmac)

It's slow, long run day of Reptiles in the Park!

While I have similarly encountered few snakes on the same day in the park before, today's snakes were rather openly viewed near to me. I managed to get good footages of them.

They were also pretty chill. One luminous green, and the other black.

The beautiful luminous green Oriental Whip Snake

Black Spitting Cobra

One reptile however stood out. 

Just as I was running out of the nature park and entering the urban section of the park, I spotted a turtle on tarmac.

Presumably the Giant Asian Pond Turtle

Was a pet released in a wrong place? Or has it crawled out from it's usual spot in the park? After all, I have seen one or two such turtles in the forest of the park before - and once, witnessed a female trying to dig ground near the footpath, presumably to lay eggs.

It tried to move away from me as I approached it. Hopefully it genuinely belongs here as I observed some muddy marks on its shell.

I wished it luck and jogged off to continue with the rest of the few kilometres back to home ground.

Eat to Run or Run to Eat?

Eat to run, or run to eat?

I love and aspire to do both!

I eat well to run well. And I try to run well, so that I can truly and guilt-freely relish the meal after my run!

In fact sometimes, I plan my run route so that I could go try some new food, or to chow on something I have been craving after!

There was a period of time that I really wanted to try  Roti Tissue or Paper Prata, that I went for several weeks after my long run just to try different versions and variety of it. Roti Tissue - famous for its thin crispy crust that is very famous in Malaysia but I'd never eat before.

So I decided I must try it in Singapore as I had missed it in my visits in Malaysia

Roti Tissue or Paper prata... with a nice glass of Lassi, and Papadum! 😉

After satisfying my craving, I actually returned to the same eatery after another long run day to try other dishes on the menu like:

Thosai

Appam

And even tried the Paper Prata (or Roti Tissue) from another eatery!

Other foods  that I had aimed as my post run fuel included vegetarian ban mian and Michelin Starred Popiah (not pictured).

Also, budget Dim Sum and Red Bean Soup from my neighbourhood hawker centre.

More deli of red bean and ginkgo nuts soy bean curd.

Other random foods I had gotten included:

A plate of very tasty economical Bee Hoon! Cheap & Good!

Seasonal menu and offerings by Coffee Bean!

The food that I never was able to eat after my runs would be the Mac's Breakfast!

By the time I completed running, cool down and silent sitting, breakfast menu would be over!

No matter how I chided myself for my lateness and disciplined myself to head out earlier, I never did make it - yet...

I am really grateful for the running, so that eating later on doesn't have to be (that) guilty...

I am also grateful for all the yummies that get me running and motivated!

To me this cycle of running and eating is intertwined and interdependent. I guess the lesson is to really be appreciative of the abundance of food, the means to have it, and to be mindful of wholesome eating.

I look forward to my next meal pre, or post run ... 😊

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.