At last, it was the morning of the LTAW 50km walk. After countless messages to confirm the walk, we formed two teams to re-affirm that we would only walk for 20km but to donate $75(50km) each.
(1) "20 only" - Guys : YC, JC, WS, OK
(2) "Only 20" - Gals : HP, NM, LT, EW, Me
We registered without OK, LT and EW. <OK had overslept > π΄
The organizer started the warm-up exercise before the walk.
7am: Started walking soon after, with OK saying he would join us somewhere along the way.
We guessed there were about 1000+ participants and most were eagerly walking on the road towards the Singapore River.
HP and NM were snapping photos of the rivers and the cityscape. OK managed to join us along KimSeng Road. It was a good start. :)
8+am?: Along Lower Delta Road, and to keep our mind off the walk and the heat, HP and I planned for our breakfast stop at Vivo City. <HP had a later appointment and would only walk to VIVO>
HP : " What shall we have for breakfast?"
Me : "Macdonalds or the hawker centre?
HP : "Hawker centre has no air-con."
Me : "We can walk along the road, and you catch your bus when you decide to."
Then I saw YC turning up the road leading to Mount Faber...
Me : " Hey, go straight ahead, not there."
YC: "This is the route, and we are just walking up the slope instead of the road".
I had been mistaken about the route... there was no stop at Vivo city.
HP: "Oh oh, δΈδΊθ΄ΌθΉ !”
Me : "Oh dear, I need my breakfast!" π
9:06am: After another turn and another corner and more turns and climbs, we reached the first checkpoint. HP went off after the first checkpoint via the Marang Trail.
Me: "Let's have a toilet break".
YC: "Let have it after the Henderson wave. The toilet in front is a deviation from the route, and also the toilet after Henderson wave is better. " π
So on we walked, no toilet break. I put on my earpiece. The heat was stifling by then and the sole of my feet were beginning to have an uncomfortable, burning sensation.
9:23am: We continued our walk towards Hort Park, walking down Mount Faber, and across the Wave towards the TOILETS for a toilet break and to refill our water bottles.
<HP messaged that she fell asleep on the bus, and overshot her bus stop. She did not look that tired?!>
10:06am (~ 9km) : We reached Hort Park. There were no cafes or restaurants except for a table of catered food for a wedding reception. I had earlier declined OK's offer of dried nuts+fruits as I wanted a nice hot breakfast. I had no choice but to ask him for it as substitute for breakfast... <Of course, no hot and aromatic coffee to go with the nuts> π
The walk through the park was NO WALK IN THE PARK as we climbed towards Kent Ridge Park. I opened my umbrella; it was getting too hot to wear a hat over my head.
10:59am: After ascending and descending from Kent Ridge Park, we arrived at South Bouna Vista Road. I was almost ready to 'surrender' the next uphill walk ahead up another twisting and turning road. However, after seeing John's determination to walk on with his swollen calves, and NM's usual cheerful dispositionπ to take photos and chat, I started the uphill walk... πΆ
It was a rather tortuous walk with the mid-day sun beginning to really beat down on us, coupled with the daunting uphill slope AND an almost empty stomach. By now, the only thought/motivation I had was the brunch I was going to have later at Star Vista.
At last, I reached the bus-stop outside Kent Ridge MRT. We saw other walkers emerged from Science Park 1.
Me: "We should have taken the short-cut."
YC: " You were shouting 'Straight Ahead' when I took that small shortcut to go up Mount Faber. Do you think I dare to take any more shortcuts?"
Me (thinking...???) "Oh, I thought we were supposed to go straight to Vivo, I was not shouting for you not to go up the slope" <That was too short to qualify as a shortcut ;) >
YC: "I felt that my integrity was at stake."
<The timing was so coincidental, I wondered if it was the type of thing that would have been 'sneered' at for unbelievability in a drama...>
John and NM were nowhere in sight. We waited and waited at the bus stop.
Me: "How did you feel when you heard the phone ring in the morning?"
OK: "I immediately knew that I had overslept! I got everything ready for the walk last night, and then set the alarm. The only thing I did not do was to slide it to "ON"!" π
Then, from afar we saw John in his red-shirt and NM walking towards us. π It was a huge relief and I definitely admired him for his determination. John and NM decided to take the train to Buona Vista. We agreed to meet at Macdonalds.
12:45pm (~17km): We continued our walk and reached our second checkpoint, 15 minutes after the cutoff point. <We were the last team?!?!?!?!>. π
Me:" How could we be the last team? We had walked diligently without much stopping."
YC: " We were acting like tourists, taking photos at the start of the walk, and were already the last few teams then." <oh, okay...>
We walked from Star Vista via the MRT pass to Metropolis' Macdonalds but John and NM were not there. OK phoned NM. They were at Carl's Junior at Star Vista. <My mistake: I did not tell them that Macs is at Metropolis>
Four pairs of eyes met: we would and could not walk over to Star Vista.... WE WERE HUNGRY and TIRED and to BACKTRACK?! John and NM had their Carl's Junior, and we had our lunch at Takko. EW arrived to join us for lunch and the walk. I was glad.
We started walking again, quite determined not to be the last team. As we tried to overtake the team in front of us, they went up the escalator to Commonwealth MRT. <going for toilet break?>.
At the junction of Queensway and Commonwealth Road, a volunteer Jo (sweeper) confirmed that we were the last group and she joined us in our walk through the PCN along Dawson Road and then along the riverbank again.
One walker waited at the Lower Delta Road traffic junction with us, and he was a 150km walker. Jo asked if he encountered any challenges. His reply: "My biggest challenge is that my chargers have almost run out of power. In order not to trouble my friend, I must try to finish the walk quicker". π²
<!!!! He has walked since last night and his biggest challenge is no charger !!! >
<Me:"My biggest challenge is myself. In order not to trouble myself, I should stop walking now?!>
2:09pm: We reached Zion Riverside Hawker Centre, and had ice cold sugar cane! Jo took her lunch of prawn mee soup (yummy) and soon we parted ways.
2:50pm (~28km?): The weather has forecasted rain but the sun stayed relentlessly in the sky. It was burning hot, and my sole felt like it was being placed on a toaster pan. <One consolation was that the umbrella I used had UV properties>
YC: "There is a stall at Esplanade that sells really nice coconut ice-cream".
Me: "Oh, really?"
We passed the Esplanade, saw the stall selling nice ice-cream without stopping <This is supposed to be a walk and not a march?>; walked to the flyer and on to the F1 pit. π³
3:50?pm (~32km?) :We reached the third checkpoint at Kallang River Park.
WS: "I cannot imagine myself walking to Ang Mo Kio from here, I will take the MRT home."
We walked with him towards the MRT station and bid him goodbye.
The walk from Kallang River Park to Bishan Park was the worst stretch for me. Although it was mostly on the PCN along the canal, there was not much to see around us to distract me from the walk, and my earpiece had run out of battery. Not to mention, the afternoon sun continued being merciless, this stretch of the walk had far less shaded areas, there were overhead bridges (stairs!) to climb and the now ever aching pair of feet and painful sole! π¬ <I understood what WS meant by he could not imagine himself walking to AngMoKio >
4:54pm : Probably sensing my lethargy and to distract me from it, EW chatted about interesting cities and holiday ideas. I was tired (not extremely) but was more worried about the worsening blisters on my soles; my mind probably wasn't functioning properly by then to engage in conversation. Except...
Me: "Let's find a coffee shop to take a break."
EW: "oh okay, I knew of a corner coffeeshop at the HDB across the road at the end of the canal." π π
We called out to YC+ OK in front of us about our intention to take a break.
YC: "We should not take a break now. If we do, we will not walk again." <I just want to cool my feet, NOT taking a long break...>π
OK: "Are you sure there is a coffee shop at the corner? "
EW: "Yes, there is one. I have been there before." <Thanks> π
YC: "I suggest that we continue walking." <Is this the same guy who feared rhabdomyolysis(a word that I needed to google) if one walks more than 20 km, and thus our team name of 20km only to assure him?!>
All eyes met, we continued walking. π
I slowed my pace, and gestured for EW to walk at a faster pace.
~5:50pm (~38km): Eventually, everyone had walked on ahead of me. I sat at a bench, kept my umbrella and removed my pair of shoes. Nice! <The sun was setting and the ground had cooled, I think we can complete the 50km..>. After about 3-4 minutes of rest, I put on the other earpiece I'd brought and rejoined the three of them who were waiting at a traffic junction. π
<Here, it was tempting to deviate to Bishan MRT and end the walk>
We walked and walked, passing through Bishan Park, and walked on more. By now, we were seeing more walkers along the route with us
Me: "How far are we from Ang Mo Kio Park?" <My question was ignored several times π>
6:52pm (~40+km): At last, we reached the fourth checkpoint!
We checked in at the fourth checkpoint.
Me: "Should we continue walking?"
OK: "We shall leave the last checkpoint for our next walk."
YC: "I wouldn't mind but the sky looks threatening."
John and NM arrived at the fourth checkpoint to celebrate our walk. We adjourned to Jack's Place for dinner, and HP joined us for dessert <Thanks John+NM for the dinner, tidbits and the "victory crown" :) > . It started raining and the thunderstorm outside marked the end of the walk.
On the way home in HP's car,
Me: I wanted to stop for a break but EW was ahead keeping a lookout for me so I had to continue walking!"
HP: "Me too. You were in front of me at Mount Faber, keeping a lookout and I couldn't stop!"
Me : "I thought you looked ok!"
HP: "I was so tired that I was wondering if my tummy or my heart or my lungs were going to pop out of me. The climb was so hard!"
<<<< New walking tip: Wait for your kaki out of their sight so as not to add pressure :)>>>> π
It was indeed a memorable walk, more so because we were able to form a team of JC friends (of more than 30 years) so the shared camaraderie (and suffering) along the walk will definitely make for good memories. I look forward to our next walk? <Let's strive to complete the full 50km in our next walk?> π.
<Sunday: All survived and most did not lose any weight π¦... it's the dessert of OREO cheesecake, Mango cakes, chocolate fudges' fault?>
Many thanks to HP who collected the bibs and going all the way to Ang Mo Kio to have dinner with us, before sending YC and I back home. And a HUGE credit to YC for being the PACE DRIVER so that we could all check in within the time limit and keep walking - a thankless but ESSENTIAL role in the team - THANK YOU!
Update:
23 November: HP, OK, WS, YC, I completed the last 10km of the 50km walk. Yay!
<<YC, please bring your water bottle for our next walk. The umbrella can only be used for water collection in heavy rain... π>>
How I got to know about LTAW:
A chance meeting with Gil got me looking for OR on Facebook, which then led me to sign up for LTAW. I look forward to the next LTAW. If there is no one walking because of rhabdomyolysis, then I shall join Jo as a volunteer sweeper :). A BIG THANK YOU to Raleigh Singapore for organizing the LTAW again.
(1) "20 only" - Guys : YC, JC, WS, OK
(2) "Only 20" - Gals : HP, NM, LT, EW, Me
We registered without OK, LT and EW. <OK had overslept > π΄
The organizer started the warm-up exercise before the walk.
7am: Started walking soon after, with OK saying he would join us somewhere along the way.
We guessed there were about 1000+ participants and most were eagerly walking on the road towards the Singapore River.
HP and NM were snapping photos of the rivers and the cityscape. OK managed to join us along KimSeng Road. It was a good start. :)
8+am?: Along Lower Delta Road, and to keep our mind off the walk and the heat, HP and I planned for our breakfast stop at Vivo City. <HP had a later appointment and would only walk to VIVO>
HP : " What shall we have for breakfast?"
Me : "Macdonalds or the hawker centre?
HP : "Hawker centre has no air-con."
Me : "We can walk along the road, and you catch your bus when you decide to."
Then I saw YC turning up the road leading to Mount Faber...
Me : " Hey, go straight ahead, not there."
YC: "This is the route, and we are just walking up the slope instead of the road".
I had been mistaken about the route... there was no stop at Vivo city.
HP: "Oh oh, δΈδΊθ΄ΌθΉ !”
Me : "Oh dear, I need my breakfast!" π
9:06am: After another turn and another corner and more turns and climbs, we reached the first checkpoint. HP went off after the first checkpoint via the Marang Trail.
Me: "Let's have a toilet break".
YC: "Let have it after the Henderson wave. The toilet in front is a deviation from the route, and also the toilet after Henderson wave is better. " π
So on we walked, no toilet break. I put on my earpiece. The heat was stifling by then and the sole of my feet were beginning to have an uncomfortable, burning sensation.
9:23am: We continued our walk towards Hort Park, walking down Mount Faber, and across the Wave towards the TOILETS for a toilet break and to refill our water bottles.
<HP messaged that she fell asleep on the bus, and overshot her bus stop. She did not look that tired?!>
10:06am (~ 9km) : We reached Hort Park. There were no cafes or restaurants except for a table of catered food for a wedding reception. I had earlier declined OK's offer of dried nuts+fruits as I wanted a nice hot breakfast. I had no choice but to ask him for it as substitute for breakfast... <Of course, no hot and aromatic coffee to go with the nuts> π
The walk through the park was NO WALK IN THE PARK as we climbed towards Kent Ridge Park. I opened my umbrella; it was getting too hot to wear a hat over my head.
10:59am: After ascending and descending from Kent Ridge Park, we arrived at South Bouna Vista Road. I was almost ready to 'surrender' the next uphill walk ahead up another twisting and turning road. However, after seeing John's determination to walk on with his swollen calves, and NM's usual cheerful dispositionπ to take photos and chat, I started the uphill walk... πΆ
It was a rather tortuous walk with the mid-day sun beginning to really beat down on us, coupled with the daunting uphill slope AND an almost empty stomach. By now, the only thought/motivation I had was the brunch I was going to have later at Star Vista.
At last, I reached the bus-stop outside Kent Ridge MRT. We saw other walkers emerged from Science Park 1.
Me: "We should have taken the short-cut."
YC: " You were shouting 'Straight Ahead' when I took that small shortcut to go up Mount Faber. Do you think I dare to take any more shortcuts?"
Me (thinking...???) "Oh, I thought we were supposed to go straight to Vivo, I was not shouting for you not to go up the slope" <That was too short to qualify as a shortcut ;) >
YC: "I felt that my integrity was at stake."
<The timing was so coincidental, I wondered if it was the type of thing that would have been 'sneered' at for unbelievability in a drama...>
John and NM were nowhere in sight. We waited and waited at the bus stop.
Me: "How did you feel when you heard the phone ring in the morning?"
OK: "I immediately knew that I had overslept! I got everything ready for the walk last night, and then set the alarm. The only thing I did not do was to slide it to "ON"!" π
Then, from afar we saw John in his red-shirt and NM walking towards us. π It was a huge relief and I definitely admired him for his determination. John and NM decided to take the train to Buona Vista. We agreed to meet at Macdonalds.
12:45pm (~17km): We continued our walk and reached our second checkpoint, 15 minutes after the cutoff point. <We were the last team?!?!?!?!>. π
Me:" How could we be the last team? We had walked diligently without much stopping."
YC: " We were acting like tourists, taking photos at the start of the walk, and were already the last few teams then." <oh, okay...>
We walked from Star Vista via the MRT pass to Metropolis' Macdonalds but John and NM were not there. OK phoned NM. They were at Carl's Junior at Star Vista. <My mistake: I did not tell them that Macs is at Metropolis>
Four pairs of eyes met: we would and could not walk over to Star Vista.... WE WERE HUNGRY and TIRED and to BACKTRACK?! John and NM had their Carl's Junior, and we had our lunch at Takko. EW arrived to join us for lunch and the walk. I was glad.
We started walking again, quite determined not to be the last team. As we tried to overtake the team in front of us, they went up the escalator to Commonwealth MRT. <going for toilet break?>.
At the junction of Queensway and Commonwealth Road, a volunteer Jo (sweeper) confirmed that we were the last group and she joined us in our walk through the PCN along Dawson Road and then along the riverbank again.
One walker waited at the Lower Delta Road traffic junction with us, and he was a 150km walker. Jo asked if he encountered any challenges. His reply: "My biggest challenge is that my chargers have almost run out of power. In order not to trouble my friend, I must try to finish the walk quicker". π²
<!!!! He has walked since last night and his biggest challenge is no charger !!! >
<Me:"My biggest challenge is myself. In order not to trouble myself, I should stop walking now?!>
2:09pm: We reached Zion Riverside Hawker Centre, and had ice cold sugar cane! Jo took her lunch of prawn mee soup (yummy) and soon we parted ways.
2:50pm (~28km?): The weather has forecasted rain but the sun stayed relentlessly in the sky. It was burning hot, and my sole felt like it was being placed on a toaster pan. <One consolation was that the umbrella I used had UV properties>
YC: "There is a stall at Esplanade that sells really nice coconut ice-cream".
Me: "Oh, really?"
We passed the Esplanade, saw the stall selling nice ice-cream without stopping <This is supposed to be a walk and not a march?>; walked to the flyer and on to the F1 pit. π³
3:50?pm (~32km?) :We reached the third checkpoint at Kallang River Park.
WS: "I cannot imagine myself walking to Ang Mo Kio from here, I will take the MRT home."
We walked with him towards the MRT station and bid him goodbye.
The walk from Kallang River Park to Bishan Park was the worst stretch for me. Although it was mostly on the PCN along the canal, there was not much to see around us to distract me from the walk, and my earpiece had run out of battery. Not to mention, the afternoon sun continued being merciless, this stretch of the walk had far less shaded areas, there were overhead bridges (stairs!) to climb and the now ever aching pair of feet and painful sole! π¬ <I understood what WS meant by he could not imagine himself walking to AngMoKio >
4:54pm : Probably sensing my lethargy and to distract me from it, EW chatted about interesting cities and holiday ideas. I was tired (not extremely) but was more worried about the worsening blisters on my soles; my mind probably wasn't functioning properly by then to engage in conversation. Except...
Me: "Let's find a coffee shop to take a break."
EW: "oh okay, I knew of a corner coffeeshop at the HDB across the road at the end of the canal." π π
We called out to YC+ OK in front of us about our intention to take a break.
YC: "We should not take a break now. If we do, we will not walk again." <I just want to cool my feet, NOT taking a long break...>π
OK: "Are you sure there is a coffee shop at the corner? "
EW: "Yes, there is one. I have been there before." <Thanks> π
YC: "I suggest that we continue walking." <Is this the same guy who feared rhabdomyolysis(a word that I needed to google) if one walks more than 20 km, and thus our team name of 20km only to assure him?!>
All eyes met, we continued walking. π
I slowed my pace, and gestured for EW to walk at a faster pace.
~5:50pm (~38km): Eventually, everyone had walked on ahead of me. I sat at a bench, kept my umbrella and removed my pair of shoes. Nice! <The sun was setting and the ground had cooled, I think we can complete the 50km..>. After about 3-4 minutes of rest, I put on the other earpiece I'd brought and rejoined the three of them who were waiting at a traffic junction. π
<Here, it was tempting to deviate to Bishan MRT and end the walk>
We walked and walked, passing through Bishan Park, and walked on more. By now, we were seeing more walkers along the route with us
Me: "How far are we from Ang Mo Kio Park?" <My question was ignored several times π>
6:52pm (~40+km): At last, we reached the fourth checkpoint!
We checked in at the fourth checkpoint.
Me: "Should we continue walking?"
OK: "We shall leave the last checkpoint for our next walk."
YC: "I wouldn't mind but the sky looks threatening."
John and NM arrived at the fourth checkpoint to celebrate our walk. We adjourned to Jack's Place for dinner, and HP joined us for dessert <Thanks John+NM for the dinner, tidbits and the "victory crown" :) > . It started raining and the thunderstorm outside marked the end of the walk.
On the way home in HP's car,
Me: I wanted to stop for a break but EW was ahead keeping a lookout for me so I had to continue walking!"
HP: "Me too. You were in front of me at Mount Faber, keeping a lookout and I couldn't stop!"
Me : "I thought you looked ok!"
HP: "I was so tired that I was wondering if my tummy or my heart or my lungs were going to pop out of me. The climb was so hard!"
<<<< New walking tip: Wait for your kaki out of their sight so as not to add pressure :)>>>> π
It was indeed a memorable walk, more so because we were able to form a team of JC friends (of more than 30 years) so the shared camaraderie (and suffering) along the walk will definitely make for good memories. I look forward to our next walk? <Let's strive to complete the full 50km in our next walk?> π.
<Sunday: All survived and most did not lose any weight π¦... it's the dessert of OREO cheesecake, Mango cakes, chocolate fudges' fault?>
Many thanks to HP who collected the bibs and going all the way to Ang Mo Kio to have dinner with us, before sending YC and I back home. And a HUGE credit to YC for being the PACE DRIVER so that we could all check in within the time limit and keep walking - a thankless but ESSENTIAL role in the team - THANK YOU!
Update:
23 November: HP, OK, WS, YC, I completed the last 10km of the 50km walk. Yay!
<<YC, please bring your water bottle for our next walk. The umbrella can only be used for water collection in heavy rain... π>>
A chance meeting with Gil got me looking for OR on Facebook, which then led me to sign up for LTAW. I look forward to the next LTAW. If there is no one walking because of rhabdomyolysis, then I shall join Jo as a volunteer sweeper :). A BIG THANK YOU to Raleigh Singapore for organizing the LTAW again.