Follow Our Pace, Win Your Race

After a great outing at the New Balance Real Run (NBRR) last weekend, Ops Sunbird launched into the second half of its structured program...moving back to ECP for the specific purpose of pace training with well measured distance markers and a good network of toilet amenities.

Yet again, the coming weekend was packed with popular races like the Newton Challenge and Adidas KOTR.  Many of the Sunbirds were using the Newton Challenge as a time trial of sorts to gauge their endurance abilities to maintain marathon paces for 30km.  As such, the turnout was more subdued with those turning up wanting to to do shorter workouts instead.

Maxifuel, the Sunbird nutrition sponsor was all set up to provide the second round of hydration support for Ops Sunbird, and were they a 'life-saver' on this very warm morning where we had the sun's rays beating on us mercilessly.  The respective groups were to adopt target marathon paces for their 15km and 26km-28km respectively.

It was a luxury for the Sunbirds as they had a good ratio of Sunbird trainers to trainees.  The paces were maintained well all the way to Changi Coastal Road, and with the shade provided along that park connector, most of us were able to enjoy the smooth and enjoyable ride.

The challenge came when we returned back to ECP from Coastal Road where there was scant shelter and although our backs were then facing the sun, it still took a toll on us, especially those who have not brought along sufficient hydration.  By the time we reached back to C4, a good 20-22km were covered by the FM trainees.

The cold and refreshing Maxifuel drinks brought renewed vigor to the runners who went on to finish another 4-7km depending on where they turned at the Playground and Fort Road sections.  Groups 1, 2 and 3 were able to make their way for most of the distance, finally completing 28km-30km worth of marathon-targeted pace run.  

With very little stoppages and a strictly measured workout, the entire training run completed within the maximum allowable time, bringing a nice wrap-up for training session #7.  Pace training for the Sunbirds had gotten off to a good start, setting the tone for an effective 6 weeks of marathon pace training ahead. 

There were ample bananas, isotonic and Maxifuel drinks left in spite of having had our fills, all thanks to the good arrangements of the logistics and hydration teams from TFB and Maxifuel.  With the smaller group of trainees, there was a lot more interaction amongst the runners and trainers, allowing more sharing and feedback to be conducted than normal...overall a good training run of up to 30km, making many of the Sunbird participants very happy indeed.  

We look forward to maintaining the momentum by adding the challenge of hills and slopes at the next training, before bringing up the distances to 35km in prepararion for the big race on Dec 2 - Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS).  Optimal pace training will kick in from week 9, seeking an uptick in pace management and sustaining optimal paces for optimal results...Operation Sunbird - Follow Our Pace, Win Your Race!

Photo Slideshow from FatBird CK Chin

New Balance Real Run 2012

Photo Contributions from Ronnie Goh, Tan Kim Lai, Running Shots

The weather was just perfect for what would be an enjoyable and fruitful 10km and 21km x-terrain challenge of trail, sand and road for the FatBird Runners and Sunbirds in their first official race since they embarked on the training 6 weeks ago.

We arrived at the Changi Exhibition Centre at 5:15am to a growing group of team members and fellow runners who had already begun taking photos and preparing for the race.  All decked out in their favourite Team FatBird jersey tops, many of the Sunbirds were all excited about this race as it was not only the first time doing this course for most of them, it was also a time-trial of sorts to measure the progress of their Sunbird journey.

In the end, they passed with flying colours, many scoring Personal Bests on what would be a tougher course than the typical road race.  After the group photos were taken with much fanfare, the runners lined up comfortably in the starting pen.  With two other races happening in the same morning, there was a smaller crowd but with some real serious challengers at the NBRR - a number of Kenyans, Moroccans and local champions sighted, in the midst of many more 'real runners' :D

The first 2km of sand was smooth, except for the puddles of water accumulated from the early showers, causing us to side step and adopting a more cautious start.  Once out onto the road, we quickly settled into our steady paces and into that long ride up and down the 'mentally challenging' Changi Coastal road.  The paces were tapered at various stretches due to temporary lapses of focus, but things perked up whenever there were shouts of encouragement from friends and fellow mates from across the other side of traffic flow.

It was pretty smooth going in nice weather till the 15km where there was a mini human wall from the bunching up of the 10km runners which started 30min later.  Fortunately, that was not too long a stretch before we hit the beach stretch - it was here where most of the photographers were positioned, as if expecting the the soft sand to suck the final breaths from the unknowing runners.  The more experienced ones could be differentiated from the newbies as evident in how they tackled the sand to make smooth exits back onto the final 3km to the finish.

The skies remained overcast and cloudy, with even a few droplets of rain felt, affording a quick recovery for an easier coast home to the finish line to loud cheers and crowd support.  Many of the Sunbirds reported better than expected finishing times and Personal Bests, a lot attributing the good showing to the tough hills and trails training they had experienced in the first phase of Ops Sunbird.  There were beaming faces all round, with many making time to visit the sponsors' booths for more photos and post-race fanfare. 

After a rather no-fuss collection of the nice finisher medal and tee, we proceeded to grab drinks, bananas, apples, biscuits and spent time cheering the remaining Sunbirds and FatBirds coming through as well as catching up with our friends and supporters at New Balance, Soleus watch and RUN Singapore magazine.  

It was an eventful and fruitful race for the Sunbirds and also for the rest of the FatBird community and friends who not only did well in terms of executing their race plans, but also the joy of meeting with so many friends and familiar faces as well as soaking in the whole friendly post-race atmosphere.  

Congratulations to the race organizers for another well executed NBRR.  To all runners who raced and overcame this x-terrain challenge - You All Are 100% REAL RUNNERS!

Sunbirds Rose To The Weekend Trails Challenge

A day after the tnf100 trail ultramarathon, there was markedly less Sunbird trainees as a number of them were recuperating from the rigours of one of the more challenging races in the local running calendar.  Still, a good number of Sunbirds showed up, all intending to give themselves a good trial of their sustainable pace before the New Balance Real Run (NBRR) next weekend.

 

This being the second session we have done at the twin reservoirs route of MacRitchie and Pierce, the briefing was kept short with the emphasis on the faster target training pace for the morning.  The hills and trails training over the past few weeks have strengthened the Sunbirds who have been able to attend most of the sessions, while the few ones who had just enrolled into the program were finding the training both challenging and rewarding.

 

With an intended sustainable pace to meet, there were very little stops and even the only toilet stop planned was made with pauses to the timing devices.  The HM Sunbirds made a turn at the mid-point 7.5km mark along OUTR, while the/ FM went on further with more slopes along the scenic and quiet UPR stretch.  

 

With the continued upgrading of capabilities of the Sunbirds, groups 1-3 have grown larger in sizes, while Group 4 is a lot smaller compared to when we first began - a good sign that the trainees are improving and moving up in terms in sustainable endurance over longer distances.  There were a lot more exchanges between the trainees and the trainers as we got more familiar with one another - questions and discussions abound about running form, distance progression, injury prevention and corrective actions, nutrition and even compression and adaptive recovery.

The whole session ended within allowable maximum training time with most of the trainees having a satisfying session, with many having their confidence boosted from meeting this challenging route and pace.  Even the few who were recovering from fatigue from their previous few days of active personal workouts were able to keep to the respectable paces, albeit only slightly tapered distances.

The well executed training session at sustained pace capped 5 weeks of comprehensive base building for the Sunbird trainees, which will see them going for their first time trials at the NBRR next weekend.  We look forward to bringing the training to the next level of optimal pacing in the second leg of the Sunbird journey - Follow Our Pace, Win Your Race!

More Photos from Ronnie Goh

Somewhere Over The High Hills

After last weekend's baptism of fire at the twin hills workout, the Sunbirds were a lot more prepped up and mentally ready for this week's continuing hills challenge.  The morning mist gave the air a cool feeling as we went along our ascent up the Mt. Faber slopes after a 4km run in at target training paces.

Once at the mid-section of MF, off we went with the main challenge of the 30min-60min routine covering the prescribed number of 1.6km MF loops for each training group.  The weather remained cool, which helped us to better sustain the efforts, especially on the climbs.  

Many of the Sunbirds put the tips on hill training and running form to good practice, allowing them to overcome the challenges a lot better this week.  Many of them looked so strong as they lapped up the hill loops like experienced marathon veterans.

 

All was not done when the hill repeats were completed.  The different pace groups then gathered themselves for some pep talk and advice from the respective trainers before moving off for their next challenge - a sustained 8km-12km at target pace along rolling hills and slopes so well known in that western region.

Very good effort from the Sunbirds as there was very minimal walking and a lot more steady-paced running, testament to the very strong cohort of Sunbirds this year - the members of the Happy Group was markedly reduced with many more joining Groups 1-3.  The training crew have been doing a wonderful job of guiding their charges along and making sure they execute the training routines well and safely.

The Post-Run briefing had to be conducted in a few waves as the completion times of the Sunbirds were varied over this longer course, and we would not want to hold the earlier birds for too long as they were on to their next activity - recovery shopping walks for running shoes and gear for their upcoming races and of course for SCMS.

Overall it was a very well executed workout by the participants, many of them still looking strong after all the hills and slopes, although the hunger pangs' were already felt midway doing the hill repeats :D  This is a resilient flock, hardened by the elements as well as the 'tougher challenges' meted out to the enhanced Sunbird program for this year.

The Sunbirds are progressing well as we enter the final phase of basebuilding next week, followed by a Half Marathon  time-trial at the New Balance Real Run to gauge the progress of training.  We are sure many of the Sunbirds will do well with their strengthened base, so long as they remain injury free and continue to do their homework for adaptive recovery.

As we dare to dream of achieving our SCMS goals, backed by our diligence and perseverance, we are reminded of this motivational tune:
"Somewhere over the high hills
Sunbirds fly
And the dreams that we dreamed of
Dreams really do come true..."