5am And The Joy Of Late Night Runs (or aka 'Run In Trail Vs City')

"Many endurance athletes insist on waking up super early to train. I am not one of those athletes. I'm a runner, not a fucking werewolf."

- The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I run Long Distances, 
by Matthew Inman, 'The Oatmeal'

Courtesy of Terry Tan

I have know some crazy friends who drag their half-dead bodies up four something in the morning just to do a very early morning run in MacRitchie, the trails near Bukit Timah Hill or anywhere else runnable.

But mostly trails.

The nobility of this admirable effort did not escape me. The early bird catches the worm, they say, and the runner who starts early gets ahead of the herd, which is about the same way I approach my work life by being first in the office several minutes before.

I gave it a try and, one Saturday morning, decided that I would wake at 4.30am and start running at 5. I can't remember which of the Saturdays, the second or the fourth, etc, I finally succeeded. Of the times I came to, the feeling is like a hangover, just without the agony of alcohol-overdose. Once the run starts, the initial minutes of the session is a trial period of cautious expectations against a steady rise of breathings. I wondered if my body will be awake enough to accept the grind.

On those lucky days, it went far. From home in Hougang to MacRitchie is 10km, no matter how you try to navigate and shortcut the route. It is enough to warm the system up for the next leg, 20-30km+ of trail running.

Because it was still in the wee hours, darkness still shrouded over MacRitchie's forest. Running without lights (except for the 80 lumens headlamp) is a hairs-on-end attempt for virgins and will take time to get used to. Eventually, it is a rewarding thrill once you embrace the invisible surroundings, and more easily than in daytime, you become one with the natural environment. The relief of sunlight gradually materialises and rest of the morning feels fresher. From there, you are bound to end the LSD on a positive note.

For that very reason, running from 5am on can be inviting. 

However, life is not perfect and sometimes the best of intentions is not without hiccups.

The key problem in the Hougang-Macs route is a stretch along Ang Mo Kio Ave 3, next to an industrial estate and right before the CTE Expressway towards Ang Mo Kio Station. About or near there, I collided with The Wall and found my heart palpitating too hard. Or else, I just felt that I was not in the right condition to run on. One memorable occurrence led me to conclude the session prematurely at Macs... McDonalds, actually.

Today, it rarely features on my Garmin Connect training calendar. Only on certain days when I need to be at some place in the morning and I will try to get up early for a LSD along the Sengkang-Punggol park connector. 

Otherwise, I have never cultivate a fondness towards combating the overwhelming Sleep Monster. 

I lost most of the time.

Another stay-off factor: coming home early on a Friday night. On the final weekday, nothing beats TGIF to a pulp like being reminded the complete loser you are for not having friends to meet for dinner or at least, arranging for movie-night out. 

A waste of a potentially fabulous evening. Something had to be done.

Like rescheduling the LSD. Like making it happen after work and pounding till the late night. Like really running and fueling and then running still and not risk bumping into the Iron Curtain of Run at AMK Ave 3. And since I started, it's a much more fruitful journey I had ever embarked on for my long runs.

The trails of Singapore are still many runners' favourite haunt to escape the bustle of the city and for a short time, it worked for me. But trails in the island are not mountains and elevation profiles with many tall spikes (compared to the other cousin, Hong Kong), and with only two main hills, one of which has the audacity to named itself 'Mount' Faber. 

Naturally, I'm a city boy and choose to eagerly engage its streets. There's a kind of pride when running through Orchard Road, realising that while people are actively killing their wallets through gluttony and materialism, I'm doing my best to prepare my body for the coming apocalypse, when fitter-than-norm humans will outrun sprinting zombies. 

Courtesy of Terry Tan

In the absence of extensive greenery, I still find a quiet spot in the midst of concrete dwellings, where the deepest introspection can be summoned. It can be a deserted public park. The silent neighborhood of Emerald Hill. Or lamposts. Orange-beam lamposts by the road side where a lonely soul seeks solace under.

I have discovered so many of my solitary peace zones in the city, and usually at night, that I could not shun off the romantic attachment that has developed. I found my mind wandering effortlessly into the deep and viewed through the sagas of my life with better contemplation.

There's a high that follows, having completed 30-40km, and it draws you into a good night sleep at 3am, then waking up late at 10am+.

Beats waking up at 5.   

Courtesy Of Terry Tan