The 9th Annual Mizuno PAssion Wave Run 2012 (MPWR) had a turnout of 2631 participants this year. What was distinct about the run was its unique local heartland feel. You could hardly ignore the enthusiasm of avid runners as they were clearly excited to begin their early morning 16km run in the midst of Bukit Merah HDB estate.
The run began at 7.30am with the sounding of the horn, ardent runners quickly took to their heels as they could not wait to begin the run.
The beginning of the race route took runners past several HDB estates. They were running mostly on concrete grounds, beside the roads. They also encountered slight slopes at certain junctures of the run. It was quite a challenge to keep to the walking path as the path was rather narrow and when it became squeezy, some runners attempted to run on the road. However, most runners displayed graciousness and the display of good sportsmanship was evident as they allowed other faster runners to overtake them while on the walking path.
The run was disrupted at a certain point as they had to wait patiently at a traffic junction, however it provided a good chance for them to catch their breath before continuing running. The traffic police officers and road marshals did a great job in ensuring the safety of the runners.
Although there was no pacers or cheerleaders, volunteers did a great job in cheering the runners on and at the same time looking out for our safety. The water points were also adequately spaced out.
Though flora and fauna were lacking during the course of this run (as runners only managed to run past Mount Faber), they were able to enjoy the sights of familiar buildings like IKEA and Queenstown shopping centre, to name a few. Halfway through the route, runners passed by recognisable landmarks like Harbourfront and Vivocity, they were high-spirited as they soaked in these welcoming sights. They were definitely comforting sights for some, due to the familiarity and affinity to the estate.
Runners were pleasantly surprised as they managed to catch sight of local running champions who were giving out words of encouragement to participants, some to mention are Adam Kamis “One-Armed Runner”, Abdul Alim “One-Legged, Triathlete” and Singapore’s oldest triathlete, and possibly the oldest marathon runner, Kor Hong Fatt at 80 years old. Indeed, the presence of these great individuals inspired novice runners, to continue clocking their personal best time towards the end of the race.
A passionate runner, Angel Tan, 25 years old, commented,
I enjoyed myself during this run! It’s an opportunity to catch up with my friends and keep myself fit. It was an interesting route with a combination of HDB, heritage houses and of course, nature! Looking forward to improving on my run in the future. If there is one thing I could change, I would remove the traffic lights!
All in all, the running route was non-taxing; with a combination of flat road surfaces, uphill and downhill terrains, definitely a pleasant run for the ‘honest to goodness’ heartlanders who delight in a uniquely heartland experience.
Race Results
MEN’S OPEN
- Jason Lawrence – 56min 13sec
- Dev Kumar Rai – 56min 31sec
- Tilak Magar – 56min 42sec
WOMEN’S OPEN
- Sierra Walker – 1hr 4min 1sec
- Jenny Lundgren – 1hr 4min 58sec
- Natasha Kay Buckley – 1hr 11min 23sec
MEN’S VETERAN
- Tony Seakins – 1hr 2min 41sec
- Hirase Shigeto – 1hr 5min 46sec
- Lim Hun Leong Lawrence – 1hr 6min 18sec
WOMEN’S VETERAN
- Beate Krecklow – 1hr 4min 22sec
- Wee Siew Kim Sharon – 1hr 18min 41sec
- Grace Lim Bee Chan – 1hr 19min 20sec
