Weekend came early on Friday last week. I had a run at East Coast Park in the afternoon at three plus, with the invisible warm rays of the sun shooting down on me. People asked me was it not hot to run in the afternoon? I couldn't really reply, for what would their reaction be if I told them that I enjoyed the run, I enjoyed the warmth of the sun, and I enjoyed running in the warmth of the sun with the sea beside me. It was hot, but it wasn't sweltering or scorchingly hot. I could do with the heat.
A's reaction when I said I was going for a run was this: 'Such a solitary activity', and she gave me a rather sorry look. Yes, running can be solitary because you don't need another human being to be able to run. With a pair of shoes and socks, and running shorts, you are good to go.
Yet some of the best runs that I had were hardly solitary affairs. I remember running with Eugene for more than an hour, covering part of the route that includes the stretch I did on Friday. We were having a conversation throughout the run, talking about our interests, sharing our opinions on different matters. It was thoroughly enjoyable, and we probably had a better workout than if we were both running on our own. And it was during the run that I found out snippets of his journey thus far in life, like how he used to cycle with his Dad.
Then there were the Friday training runs with Jon and Teddy Bear. They always start with jokes and stories from Jon, which inevitably fade into sounds of our breathing and thumping on the ground as the run progresses. Short runs eventually became something like 12km; long runs would be a loop along East Coast, from the SAFRA chalets to Fort Road. It was crazy, but foolhardy men like us like the idea that we can be crazy. We need to prove our mettle as we grow older.
The runs would invariably end with dinner/supper at Bedok 85, where we would order bak chor mee, stingray, bbq wings, carrot cake and lemon lime juice to fill our famished stomachs. Whether we run or don't the calories don't bother us. We eat what we like and what is nice. More than once I took a midnight cab home, the consequence of living on the other end of the island, while friends who drive live on other ends. If not, I would be on a long journey home on the train, which I don't mind because I get to sit down. The endorphins courtesy of the run and the company of the night help ensure that I was never feeling a moment down, and sometimes the happy feeling spills over to the next day.
Despite the sorry state of the beach, East Coast Park is still a wonderful place to do a lot of leisurely things. Its position as the eastern coast of Singapore and its affectionate household name have ensured it a place in the lexicon of famous Singapore places. Where else on our tiny red dot can you enjoy a long, scenic uninterrupted stretch of path where you can walk, run, cycle or roller blade? A pity I don't drive and can only depend on Chance to bring me to the stretch for running. When the opportunity does come, I will be running down the peaceful and seemingly unending road, past familiar landmarks that I have mentally noted, stop at the toilets to have a few sips of water, soak in the sea view, and finally finishing with a splendid cool shower, changing into a fresh pair of clothes and slipping into my flip-flops.
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