On Feb 19, I registered for the National Vertical Marathon at the 63-story OUB Centre at Raffles Place. I had taken part in the same event last year when it was held at the 48-storey Asia Square.
On April 23, I signed up my family for the 5km PAssian Mappy Race at Japanese Garden in Jurong.
I didn't look carefully at the dates of the events. Since registration for each event opened two months apart, I assumed the events would also be two months apart.
I was wrong.
Both events were on June 8 morning.
I was screwed.
What should I do?
Because the runners for the vertical marathon were flagged off in batches, I thought I could get to Raffles Place really early and persuade - or beg if I had to - the organisers to give me an earlier flag-off time for me to make the Mappy Race flag-off at 7:45am.
I was wrong.
On Sunday morning, I reached Raffles Place by taxi a few minutes after 6am.
After collecting my race T-shirt and race bib, I was told my race would start only at 7am.
The race would take about 20 minutes. That wouldn't give me enough time to get to Japanese Garden from there.
I asked the organisers if I could start the race earlier... or much, much later (like after the Mappy Race).
They said no.
I decided to skip the National Vertical Marathon, which I paid $26 to join, and took the MRT train from Raffles Place to Chinese Garden for the Mappy Race, which was the priority as I was running it with my family.
At least I got a nice blue (not red) National Vertical Marathon T-shirt for the $26. I even wore it for the Mappy Race.
Here are some pics from the race.
The compass and map we were given for orienteering.
At the starting line with the guest of honour, MP Cedric Foo (in white).
Japanese Garden.
On the bridge joining Japanese Garden and Chinese Garden.
Chinese Garden.
At a checkpoint wearing the National Vertical Marathon T-shirt .
Near the finish line.
Checking in at the finish line.
Our results.
And of course, at the end of every race, the comforting sight of the Milo truck.
