GGRC Go50 Support Run

After not running for weeks, I was glad that I woke up on Vesak day morning to go for GGRC run. This Go50 run is meaningful as two ultra marathon runners were taking up a challenge of running 50km for 50 consecutive days to commemorate SG50. I've wanted to join them when RD and PRR were supporting their runs, but somehow I didnt make it. I'm glad that on the 47th day (4th last run) of their runs, I finally made it!

I'm not familiar with Upper Peirce Reservoir at all, but the meeting place is easy enough and I took a cab to the meeting point at the Casuarina Carpark off Old Upper Thomson Road. Many runners had already gathered there when I arrived, it seemed like there were more than 100 runners that morning.

Runners gathering around

I've followed the Go50 Facebook since the start of their first few runs, and it was like meeting the heroes when I saw the two runners Mr Lim and Mr Yong, and their pacer Ah Siao. After a mandatory briefing and singing of national anthem, we were off.

Group photo of the runners from GGRC

It's my first running at Upper Peirce Reservoir, or to be exact, the roads leading up to it. There were no walking or running path, so the guys were shouting for us to keep to one side and the roads were really congested when there were so many runners. Eventually, we spread out and I realised it was really a long long way in, with many slopes and hills. I slowed to a walk on several slopes going up, and did not even see the lead runners after we set off.

Looking focussed and unglam

Upper Peirce Reservoir

After more than half an hour of slow jogging, I finally see the sign leading to the carpark at the reservoir itself. My Garmin had already recorded 3km+ even before I reached the reservoir. I stopped for a break to catch my breath and to refill my water bottle at the toilet. Unlike Macritchie reservoir, runners were not going one whole round around it, but just doing loops around part of it. I did one loop of 3km, joined others who were resting and chatting at the side and decided to call it a day. I was happy enough to meet the 3 heroes in person, especially Mr Lim as he smiled at me when I gave him the thumbs up as he passed. I got home after that and get to know that the other two runners were feeling unwell so they ran really fast and broke their own record by finishing the 50km at 4h+.

Us with Go50 organiser

Group picture while we rested (Photo courtesy of Go50 website)

The way out was quite lonely as I had to conquer those hilly slopes all alone, there were occasional bikers and runners and I guessed this must be a popular spot for people who want to train on slopes. There were cars going in and out, thus I was really careful since I was running on the road, most of them were really slow as the road was narrow and winding. I even spotted some monkeys acting like a boss in the middle of the road.

Monkey sitting in the middle of the road

The long hilly road

Finally, I saw the road widened out straight ahead and heaved a sigh of relief as I've finally reached the carpark where we've started, clocking around 9.1 km for the day. Since Casuarina curry seemed to be really popular and already crowded with people so early in the morning, I bought some to try at home.