Photo Contributions (c) FatBird Chin
Operation Sunbird 2012 roared off to a good start with more than 130 participants attending this first session at ECP. Although the turnout was about 80% because of a number of races the following day, it was still an happening kick off for this 12-week marathon training journey with Team FatBird which will see our flock base-building and picking up the paces across hills, trails, slopes, roads and park connectors.
We had a nice mix of trainees from various FatBird training operations, and also new runners who have joined us for their maiden structured marathon training, all having hopes of bettering their own performances and achieving set targets at the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS) on Dec 4. By the time we began with the welcome and ops briefing, most of the participants have already done their sizing for training and finisher apparel, plus settling outstanding admin matters.
From the looks on their faces, this cohort of Sunbirds have come well prepared, even the relatively new birds, for they have done quite a fair bit of homework and preparations – certainly a good step in the right direction. As with all FatBird operations, the participants were teamed into respective groupings of similar capabilities in order that all can train and improve together within groups led by experienced marathoners and pacers.
After the morning’s objectives were dished out, along with the customary group photo, we set off in the direction of the NSRCC at our target base-build pace and effort. There was a hive of activity along ECP as the Olive Run was also started at around the same time, just that they were running in the opposite direction to our flock – traffic was quite smooth nonetheless, and we were able to maintain that ‘chit-chat’ effort mostly along the prescribed 13km and 21km distances.
For many of the past participants, especially those coming straight off from Ops Kingfisher and AHM, this run was more of a recovery and settling into a marathon rhythm – quite manageable and almost relaxing as we ran in groups getting to know one another. Most of the participants finished within the maximum time allocated, and because of the different return timings, we conducted 2 separate post-run debriefs. The Sunbird trainees were all excited and wanting to learn more, especially after what some termed to be ‘a rather challenging’ experience for the newer birds.
This successfully executed first session should set the tone for progressive buildup of the foundation of these Sunbirds, and as they progress with distance and pace over the course of the next couple of weeks, we will see the participants settling into their training groupings, all ready to tackle pace training in the second half of Ops Sunbird.
Photo Slideshow (c) FatBird Chin
