After a energy-sapping but fulfilling trails run at MR in Ops Sunbird Week #2, the Sunbirds were looking forward all week to the hills session at Mt. Faber this morning. The heavy rains at dawn could not dampen our spirits, and when we reached the training venue at 6:45am, it was a nice surprise to see quite a good turnout in spite of the weather.
Knowing that Team FatBird training runs are rarely canceled, and with the advisory given that we will proceed with training when rain is lighter, many were happy they showed up when the rain diminished and stopped by 7:15am.
Keeping the briefing short, the respective training groups were able to be dispatched towards the hill slopes of Labrador Park @ Basebuild Pace. The cool post-rain weather made for a pleasant journey along the 4.5km to the heart of Labrador Figure-8 start point for the 2.2km rolling hills repeat.
Those who have not been to this training area were enjoying the flora and fauna of the surroundings, and with the seaside breeze blowing in the faces, made everyone run at least 15sec ahead of their intended training paces.
Learning to work the uphills, keeping to good running form fundamentals, and tackling the downhills kept the motivation of the runners high, making the training so enjoyable that time passed quickly.
Before we had a chance to feel drained, the main segment of the hills workout was completed and that left the respective groups with 8km of a rolling slopes run back to the SAFRA Clubhouse. There were lots of chit-chats and sharing of knowledge and experiences amongst the trainers and trainees, keeping all engaged throughout the entire training session.
With the distances and challenges progressively more intense, the reports of tight muscles and aches are starting to flow in - time to include comprehensive stretching, myofascial massages with foam rollers and introduction of deep-tissue massages to keep those muscular groups and engines well-oiled and sufficiently supple for the continued marathon preparation journey.
In spite of the pre-run wet weather, this was one of the more enjoyable and fruitful training sessions we have had - just goes to show that we should always have a positive attitude and keep our hopes up (in the face of unexpected weather or situations) and all will fall in place for a good outcome.
We look forward to more intense base building with hills and trails in the next few weeks, and with the foundation of the first 3 weeks under our trainees' belts, we are confident that we can only get stronger to enjoy the training ahead and most importantly, build up our experiences and friendships as a team.
The Thrill-Seeking Sunbirds Thrashed The Hills in Week #3
It was the first time for many of the Operation Sunbird trainees at MacRitchie Reservoir Park, the favourite place for Ops Sunbird's trail and slopes Basebuild training. A number of Sunbirds who were not able to join the inaugural session managed to come down for this 14km and 23km challenge, which many felt a sense of accomplishment after completion of the entire training run.
After the honeymoon first session at 'flattish' ECP, the Sunbirds were given a treat which they will remember for quite a while, and yet will be thankful for, as it gave all a boost to both physical and mental resilience.
The respective pace groups were flagged off at timed intervals to avoid congestion in the Northern Trail. We had a better force of trainers and pacers this morning to help guide the runners through the trails and at various turning points, including setting attainable paces which the trainees could sustain through the entire duration.
It was a treat to watch the trainees run in close-knit groups, led by the reliable Sunbird trainers and guides, working in mini teams with mutual encouragement and support, all for a common goal of meeting the morning's training requirements.
And by the end of the 2.5hrs, this Sunbird cohort have shown their mettle by overcoming the trail and slopes challenge with not much of a complaint, and some even going on about how they were pleasantly surprised they have conquered the rather difficult course.
The post training debriefs were well conducted by the respective Group ICs, which was beneficial in keeping the large group of participants informed and updated with the latest schedules and training tips. Thanks to the logistics and support team for the post-run hydration and bananas which went a good way towards replenishing the spent bodies.
All Sunbird participants went away happy and satisfied, looking forward to a good rest and pampering for the legs, to get them in good shape for next week's hill training run.
the distance between dreams and reality is in the Discipline!
Sunbirds Rocked The Trails...Sunbirds Loved The Slopes!
Operation Sunbird 2013, Team FatBird's 12-week marathon training for SCMS, got off to a smooth start at The Playground @ Big Splash, ECP. Because of the myriad of races and the major Ultra Marathons happening in the same weekend, quite a number of trainees were unable to show up...still, it was a reasonable turnout, with a good mix of returning trainees as well as a very new group of trainees, with some going for 10K races for the first time.
There was a hive of activity as the trainees registered themselves, did fitting of their training and finisher tees, as well as catching up with familiar faces and chatting up with new friends.
Because of the size of the group, it was a challenge to fit all of the participants into a comfortable space by the beach for a welcome briefing, but we managed well in the end.
Armed with some initial reading material and tips before the Sunbirds started this first session, it was a lot quicker for us to dive into the key aspects like FlightZONES and Pace targets - we managed to get the endurance training run by 7:30am.
The respective Groups [T]ANGO, [F]OXTROT, [B]RAVO, [H]OTEL and [V]ICTOR led by experienced trainers and pacers cranked up their instruments, set their coordinates, and soon were coasting the Eastern Runway at a comfortable BaseBuild effort. Group Bravo seemed the largest group with close to 70 runners, showing yet again the popularity of the 2:30h HM and 5:00h FM targets at the Singapore Marathon.
The many smiling faces were encouraging one another as we passed at sections of Fort Road, before settling into steady but 'conversational' paces towards F2 carpark and NSRCC. The FatBird official photographers were armed with their large lenses, all set to capture picture-scapes of the enthusiastic Sunbird trainees.
As with past marathon training operations, the first few sessions provided good opportunities to get acquainted among fellow trainees as well as with trainers who will be sharing useful information and guidance with the trainees over the the next 11 weeks.
The weather was rather cool in the first part of the morning, which made for much easier running till the return leg when the sun began to rear itself. The 10K trainees which completed their run much earlier were given some stretching routines to work with by their trainers, before having a debrief and then calling to a good wrap by 9:30am. The HM group which did 13km finished their run by 10:00am, which was then followed by the FM trainees a while later.
There were a few briefings conducted for the various groups to discuss issues about proper rest and recovery, relieving of tightening muscles and some aspects of proper running form as well. Questions were fast flowing, evident of the thirst for understanding and knowledge from the participants. The entire workout was completed by 10:40am, which was according to plan...pretty smooth for a kickoff session, and more so considering the slower start in the morning.
All the participants enjoyed their Sunbird kickoff session thoroughly, with a number of marathoners-to-be already learning lots about their own bodies, running form as well as ability to keep to a sustainable pace. It was a fruitful morning for all who came and participated, setting the tone for a good second session at the trails next week.
We look forward to a great Sunbird journey with all, and do follow us on the Ops Sunbird website to track our marathon journey all the way to SCMS race day. You may still register for the remaining training packages HERE.
Ops Sunbird - Follow Our Pace, Win Your Race!
Facebook Photo Album (c) FatBird Chin
