The start of Phase II of Ops Sunbird got off to a cool and windy morning from the Changi Beach Park. This was yet another training location and route that many of the new trainees have yet to visit and experience, with a number of us exclaiming the nice changes that have evolved from eons back.
From Week #6, our training pace were to move up from Basebuild to Marathon Pace (MP). With the increase in pace as well as distance, the Sunbird trainees were all eager to test out their foundation built up over the past 5 weeks. The long 'mental' stretch of Changi Coastal Road was the added challenge in addition to the 16km (HM) and 30km (FM) mileage required.
The respective timing groups started well and gradually eased into their target MP. The Sunbirds were pacing well and maintaining strong form for the first half of the distance, with a couple of short 'water' breaks thrown in only after we reached ECP.
The 7km on Changi Coastal was cleared with ease as the momentum of the groups and chit-chatting among the runners helped to make that passage a lot easier for all.
The HM groups U-turned at the 8km mark while the FM runners went all the way to ECP Angsana Green for the 30km. Group 4 turned back at the Sailing Centre for a commendable 25km total distance.
With proper hydration and fuel replacement being observed, the Sunbirds were able to sustain the run with very little stoppages or walking if any. The cool and windy weather made the run so much more pleasurable and manageable. It will be great if we get similar weather conditions on race day in 1.5 months time.
The noticeable improvements to the Sunbirds' endurance base were even more apparent on the return leg along Changi Coastal as there were minimal walkers along that mentally-challenging stretch back to home base.
Morale was high as we hit back to Changi Ferry Terminal toilet, knowing that we had just 3km left to run completion. Remarkably, most of the runners were sustaining MP up to that point and having the discipline not to speed up to. The skies were still cloudy then, and it helped all of us complete the run in very good form and condition, a number breaking into smiles and raising their arms as they reached the end point.
Munching on bananas and replenishing fluids with Gatorade drinks, we were led on cool-down stretches by respective trainers to help ease our tired bodies and clear some of the lactate built up. There a a number of reports of personal bests in terms of timings and distance covered, which added on to the satisfaction of achieving training targets.
This training run provided a good confidence booster to all Sunbirds, especially for those who would be competing at next weekend's Newton Run. For those who are not racing, Week #7 will see us back at Mt. Faber for a scenic route in the next progressive LSD.
Facebook Photos by FatBirds Ronnie, Chin
