Newton Challenge 2012: Speed Demons and Fast Fairies

Partying through the Saturday Halloween celebrations would be the dream activity, but for 4,500 avid fans of speed, adrenalin was their substance of choice! 30km runners dressed up with gel packs and heat rubs, filling their pouches and lining their straps with all the jelly energy and muscular pain relief they could carry. 18km runners wore mostly smiles and merry cheer. If the Newton Challenge 2012 was a party, the best dressed award would go to the tenacious tyre puller. Chain and truck tyre only adds motivation to this one 30km runner.

In the dead of the night, when ghouls and vampires were making their way home, runners rose to run the Newton Challenge 2012 with the 30km flagging off at 5:30am and 18km at 6am. Like the year before, East Coast Park was the venue; heat and distance were the challenge.

Distance

More than a half marathon, 30km is quite a stretch for an average runner. The running crowd was spread well along the route. Slower runners tailed the main pack, while the fleeting feet flew fast in front. Due to the tiers of ability, the route was not congested at all. Though the distance was longer than the usual competition, there was plenty of motivation. Professional runners, some from interest groups and others from Gurkhas sped through the route and reminded all of the results they too could obtain. Elderly gathered for Qi-Gong and yoga in the park and on the beach proving that there is no limit to health.

Heat

The warmth of the sun was felt at about 6:50am and runners welcomed the rays that lit the route with colour and shine. Come 7:30am, the sear from our gas giant hung heavy on runners’ minds with no clouds in the sky. In the last leg of the race, the red beams began to torture the lactic filled racers more than they did before. This uphill battle is a true test of all races, but the heat on that particular morning was a bane to runners. So hot!

Indeed, Pink Apple makes exceptional events that cater to everyone. With the route looping around East Coast Park from Big Splash past Bedok Jetty and back again, there was no lack of water points, toilets and cheer from the organisers. The masters of logistics placed multiple trash bags lining the route just after the water point, so racers could shoot for their trash bin goal! On top of being efficient, organisers also gave out bananas on the finishing leg. The end was a roaring line of supporters and a massive celebration! Ice cream, bean curd, cool wet towels, watermelon and cracking biscuits smoothed tired legs into recovery. Great food and a medal is truly the best way to celebrate an accomplishment!

Race Results

30KM MEN’S COMPETITIVE

1. Mok Ying Ren- 1hr 49min 13sec
2. Ang Chee Yong- 1hr 57min 10sec
3. Ong Seng Lee Alex- 1hr 57min 29sec

30KM WOMEN’S COMPETITIVE

1. Susanna Zappia- 2hr 18min 00sec
2. Neo Jie Shi- 2hr 21min 02sec
3. Stella Lee Yp- 2hr 25min 23sec

18KM MEN’S COMPETITIVE

1. Samson Tenai- 1hr 04min 53sec
2. Dev Kumar Rai- 1hr 06min 03sec
3. Laxmi Kumar Limbu- 1hr 06min 08sec

18KM WOMEN’S COMPETITIVE

1. Mok Ying Rong- 1hr 20min 11sec
2. Melissa Keong- 1hr 24min 18sec
3. Qintan Lin- 1hr 27min 45sec