Story by Colin Tung. Photos by Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports
Russell Ericksen (man in blue) clocked 7 minutes and 35 seconds to finish as the fastest runner in the RED RUN 2.4, which saw some competitive runners who are regulars on the local road-racing circuit take on a 2.4km run alongside student-athletes. (Photo 1 © Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports)
National Stadium, Sunday, September 21, 2014 — The 2.4-kilometre run is an event familiar to most Singaporeans, especially Singaporean men who have been through National Service. It is traditionally the last component of the National Physical Fitness Award (NAPFA) and the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) taken by school students and military servicemen respectively.
Whether anticipated or, more likely, dreaded, many Singaporeans have to do it at least once a year and are happy to keep it that way if they cannot entirely escape it.
Last Sunday, RED SPORTS invited some of the fastest distance runners in Singapore and some students to run 2.4km at the new National Stadium.
This small group of people gamely and voluntarily (yes, why would anyone do that?) took up the challenge on the National Stadium’s new Mondo Super X track surface.
These runners have promptly set the benchmarks at 7 minutes 35 seconds (lads) and 9:31 (ladies) respectively and, mind you, those times were set at the end of a week of hard running for most of them. (For example, Renuka, who set the second-fastest time for the ladies, had just raced and won the 5km Women’s Closed category at the Ministry of Education Olive Charity Run the previous morning.)
Russell Ericksen, a research fellow at A*STAR, was the fastest on the morning. The American, who has not had to do the NAPFA or IPPT before, was relatively unfamiliar with the concept of the 2.4km and said, “I don’t do normally do 2.4km races. Maybe 2.4km in workouts, doing repeats, but to go all out for one 2.4km is a little bit different.”
On running at the National Stadium, Russell said, “It’s a very nice stadium. It’s very beautiful. Different atmosphere for sure so it makes you feel special.”
While Russell came out tops amongst the elite runners, Republic Polytechnic student Jacky Ong, also a regular on the local road-racing circuit, was the fastest amongst the school runners, clocking a time of 7:58.
Stating that his aim is to eventually run faster than 7:30 for the 2.4km, he was impressed by the National Stadium. The 17-year-old said, “It’s nice running here. Running in the Sports Hub (National Stadium) was different because of the track. It’s a different feeling.”
Not all those who joined on Sunday morning, however, regularly run competitively nor call running their main sport. Secondary school students Lim Xinying, Michelle Lee, and Jasper Ng all found out about the event through their friends.
“My friend tagged me on Twitter (where RED SPORTS had publicised the event). I think ‘Why not, lah? Sunday morning nothing to do just come down and try.’ In school, they don’t have such a track also so it’s a privilege,” said Jasper, a basketballer from Compassvale Secondary, who clocked 8:57 without training.
The 15-year-old, who aspires to represent Singapore in the 400m sprint, added about his performance, “Quite disappointed because my fastest is 8:34. It’s good … to know that I’m not the fastest, although in school I’m the fastest, so I got something to push me on and train harder to win [sic] them.”
Like Jasper, St. Margaret’s Secondary schoolmates Lim Xinying and Michelle Lee signed up after finding out about the event through a friend. Despite having to study for upcoming examinations, the pair of 16-year-olds were keen to test themselves after placing first and second respectively in their school’s cross country meet in April this year.
Xinying and Michelle clocked 12:30 and 13:23 respectively, and were disappointed to be off their personal bests (of 9:38 and 10:00 respectively for the pair) set half a year ago by a substantial margin.
Michelle said, “Terrible. We haven’t been training.”
Fortunately, for Michelle and Xinying, and those of you out there who think you can beat the times set on Sunday, RED SPORTS is planning to give you an opportunity to do that next year and be crowned the RED RUN 2.4 King and Queen.
At the RED RUN 2.4, you get one opportunity to run and get your time on the leaderboard. If you qualify, you get one more opportunity to return and run a second 2.4km race.
Are you the King and Queen of 2.4 in Singapore?
Watch this space.
N.B. If you would like RED SPORTS to keep you informed about the event, please sign up at the RED RUN 2.4 page.
Male
1. Russell Ericksen – 7 minutes 35 seconds
2. Foo Gen Lin – 7:41
3. Colin Tung – 7:45
4. Jacky Ong (Republic Polytechnic) – 7:58
5. Muhammad Shah Feroz – 8:05
6. Baldwin Choy – 8:18
7. Loh Guo Pei – 8:29
8. Seet Zhi Yun (Fajar Secondary) – 8:51
9. Jasper Ng (Compassvale Secondary) – 8:57
10. Danish Abrisam [Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)] – 9:59
Female
1. Cheryl Chan – 9:27
2. Renuka Satianathan – 9:31
3. Lim Xinying (St. Margaret’s Secondary) – 12:30
4. Michelle Lee (St. Margaret’s Secondary) – 13:23
More photos next page
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