“You play the way you practice,” says Pop Warner, a professional American football coach.
On a Saturday morning, nearly 100 Shape Run 2013 participants gathered at East Coast Park at the crack of dawn. They were all ready and thrilled to go for a good 5 kilometres run in preparation of the upcoming Shape Run in July. Runners can also choose to carry on to complete 10 kilometres if they feel good to go.
Together with them were 27 pacers, wearing a bib that showed the projected timing ranging from 00:35 to 01:20. Besides the bibs, the pacers were also easily recognizable in their striking running tee colours – the gentlemen in an eye-catching lime green, the ladies in a beautiful striking blue.
“This is the first time Shape has conducted a public run with the Shape participants. It is an effort to reach out to the ladies to start their fitness,” Caron, the organizer of this event, introduced the event with excitement. ” We are looking to help these ladies to start their training with 5K distance and then progress to a 10K comfortably.”
A new runner exclaimed in enthusiasm, “I am very excited and nervous, because this is my first time participating in a race. Since I have always been jogging alone, I reckoned it is time to train with the pacers because I am quite inexperienced.” She is participating in the Shape Run 2013’s 10K race on 7th July 2013.
As soon as thumbs up were given for the runners to start running, they followed closely behind the experienced pacers to condition themselves to complete the course within their targeted time. The course was a loop of 2 kilometres along East Coast Park, with the hydration booth in the middle of the course. Herbalife, a co-presenter of the Shape Run 2013 who was also present, generously blended nutritional fruit shakes for anybody near the course.
Once finished, the runners were given each a can of H2O, an isotonic drink to provide a little extra energy after their workout.
“I think this pacing event is very good for a beginner runner like me. The pacers were motivating me and giving me useful running tips during the pacing training. It felt nice to be pushed and motivated,” said a smiling runner who just completed her 5K course.
“The run was great, especially running in East Coast Park with a beautiful scenery,” two 00:35 pacers recounted. “My advice for runners who just started running: Follow the 00:35 pacers for the 5K race, and enjoy your run!”
The Shape Run 2013 is happening on 7th July 2013, 6.30 a.m. at Nicoll Highway. As Steve Prefontaine, a 10,000 metres record holder, said, “Success isn’t how far you got, but the distance you travelled from where you started.”
