Famous Four Hill Run on 13 Jan`07 (Sat)

Had a very nice pre-bday celebration with tktan (my running buddy n koibito) -- to carboload for the next day's 4 hill run :) We had dinner @ Altivo, Jewel Box @ Mt Faber -- escargots n salmon as appetizers, a clear soup n main course of cod fish with mushroom and whip potato from the winter menu.


Oh, had a yummy sharks' fin dinner @ Thai Village Goodwood Park on Thursday -- company and pre-bday treat :) We had claypot sharkfins (serving enough as a meal), crab with glass noodle, seafood fried rice, fried fish, scallop, black pepper deer meat n fruits -- total 7 courses *slurp*


Received sms from gentle @ 5.20am that his bike training was cancelled due to rain and he would join the 4 hill run -- great to have more runners and best part was he would give me a lift to NUS! roentgen was kind to pick up ronnie @ Somerset and tktan @ Clementi. fennel worked till 3am and unable to get out of bed to join the run :( So 5 of us gathered outside the Temasek Hall carpark, opposite KRGH. It was still drizzling -- we were tempted to cancel the run and go for breakfast instead. As this will be the last long run before KL 30km race, we all agreed to proceed with the run and stopped if the rain got heavier ( suggested going for the 12km NUS Hill Run route and see how was the weather before extending the route). After warning of wet n slippery ground, we set off for the run at 7.05am with tktan leading and me as sweeper -- ronnie was keen to run 30km, while roentgen was target for 25km and gentle 15km. tktan shot ahead like a bullet with ronnie trailing behind -- leaving roentgen, gentle and me smelling their dust! The first hill was Kent Ridge Park via Vigilante Dr -- QED for everyone :) As the sky was clearing up, I suggested running to Labrador Park for the 2nd hill. So we exit at Pepsys Rd (everyone welcomed the downslope with open arms after the killer slope). By the time we reached Labrador Park, the rain had stopped. We took a quick water break and ran one round the park before tackling the 2nd hill -- gentle took a shorter loop and elated to "overtake" tktan and ronnie :) roentgen was taking pics with his hp as we ran up the slope.

gentle n roentgen was prepared to run back to NUS but I persuaded them to give the 3rd hill a shot as the KL 30km was said to be 3 times of Mt Faber(MF) -- oh, told them we were using the gentler but longer route via Morse Rd (the steeper and shorter route is via Kampung Bahru). Well, it worked and we ran @ smell-flower pace to MF via Telok Blangah Rd. As we ran up via Morse Rd, could hear roentgen uttering that the slopes were nowhere "gentle" like I said earlier -- oops, oledi board the pirate ship! Took a 2nd toilet break @ Jewel Box -- the guys went to the "posh" toilet @ Altivo. tktan refuel with Gu gel but I decided to skip mine as I was feeling ok. From here, I lead as tktan was not familiar with the route. We "flew" down the slope to Kampung Barhu and turned left to Telok Blangah Rise/Way, passing Safra MF clubhouse. At the traffic junction, I suggested stopping the run @ AV and persuaded gentle n roentgen to run the 4th hill, Telok Blangah Hill. So all of us chiong up the last hill. Ronnie and roentgen were keen to run back to NUS -- abt 8km more. By then, we did abt 20km and gentle was low on battery -- could not be persuaded any more, he activated his "cab" option and took a taxi back to KRGH. The rest of us continued to Queensway and Portsdown Flyover. Felt pain in my right knee and asked tktan to take over the lead to SPI. roentgen requested for a short cut and we splitted with tktan and ronnie -- instead of SPII, we ran down PGP and back to KRGH. Clap clap to roentgen for completing 25km -- running 4 hills and MF for the first time! Oh, ronnie did 1 hill more than the rest -- NUS Hill!

Met gentle @ the car park -- he had his breakfast @ bizad canteen while waiting for us. After a good chat, he left for home while the rest took a good shower. roentgen drove us to AV for tktan's favorite Bak Kut Teh. The guys enjoyed the hot soup while I had seafood horfun and avocado shake. YUM YUM!


Had another round of bday celebration with fennel, George and tktan -- Korean BBQ dinner at Se Ra Bel @ Furama Hotel. We had apperizers, marinated pork, chicken n beef for BBQ, ginseng chicken soup, stir-fry glass noodle and seafood pancake. Many thanks to tktan for the cake n handmade card and fennel n George for the present!




P.S. Thanks to tktan for leading the run, gentle for the lift to KRGH and roentgen for the lift to Dhoby Ghuat MRT. Oh, my fuel tank was low when we reached SPI and I regret not refuelling @ MF. So, for future runs > 20km, should make it a point to refuel.

Route : Start @ KRGH -> Kent Ridge Park -> Labrador Park -> Mount Faber -> Telok Blangah Hill -> Queensway -> Portsdown Flyover -> SPI -> KRGH via PGP

Distance : 25km
Time : 2h 52min (including rest stops n toilet breaks)
Avg pace : 6:53min/km