March 8, 2022
Coached Race 5.0 – On The Trails
The fifth edition of the Coached Race was held on 26 February. Here’s how it went down.
We’re into 2022, and there are still few races happening here in Singapore. We hosted the latest edition of our Coached Race series last weekend to keep our team motivated and consistent in their training.
This run was the fifth edition of the event, so we decided to mix things up and hosted a trail race at MacRitchie Reservoir. This was the first time we have hosted a trail run, and it certainly changed the dynamic and challenges of the event for our runners.
I enjoyed seeing the team struggle with the technical components of the trail and figuring out how to pace on the varied terrain.
I also enjoyed meeting Coach Steven Quek who was down at the reservoir with his team of runners. Steven has been coaching for decades and has coached many of Singapore’s top runners at one point or another. He’s doing great work with many of the next generation, so I introduced myself, and we chatted while our teams did the hard work.
Our post-race celebration and prize-giving happened later in the day via Zoom. During the call, we shared the results and awarded the prizes via a lucky draw kindly sponsored by our friends at Hydragun, Omno, The Foot Practice, Under Armour.
Here’s how the race went …
The Results
We always ask our runners to answer a short survey to share their results and experiences post-race. I’ve plucked out some non-personal results, and here they are.
The course was the well-known loop of MacRitchie Reservoir and runners could choose to do one or two laps. One lap is around 10.8k and two loops is around 21.6k. Most of our runners chose to do one loop.
This race was a B or C-race for most, meaning it was a secondary priority and was of minimal importance. Most runners either trained through the event or had a short taper to freshen up a little.
I am happy to report that the one runner who had this as an A-Race and did a full taper managed to run a personal best time for the loop.
In this case, on a scale of 1 = gutted to 5 = stoked, most of our runners were pretty satisfied with their performance. I know several of our runners were disappointed with their execution on the trail and will be working to improve that in future.
Feelings do not dictate outcomes, but it’s undoubtedly better to feel good rather than bad. On a scale of 1 = terrible to 5 = fantastic, most of our runners felt pretty good throughout the race.
Besides being a source of motivation, our races provide a chance to practice the skill of race execution. Getting fit is one thing, but to maximise that fitness into an optimal performance is another.
Any chance you get to practice the skill of racing will pay dividends over time as you continue to get better at it.
Overall, most runners executed well. Pacing on the trails, fuelling, and technical skills on the trails are the main areas we need to help our athletes improve, so we’ll continue to work on those areas for future events.
What’s Next?
Until traditional races return or the government change their rules, we’ll continue to host these races for our athletes. Our next one is scheduled for July and will be a road 10k and a half marathon.
If you’re keen to train and race with us, sign up for a 14-day free trial and see if we’re a good fit for you.
Ben Pulham