NF100 20k progressive run

7:15 am, car park at lamp post 46 along Riffle Range Road. More than 200 runners (est) gathered for the NF100 20k progressive run. We were going up towards Bt Panjang and KPE. This would be a good recce for many, as most are not familiar with these trails. The route was:

Rifle Range trail, Senapang Trail, Lasia Track, Belukar Track, Chestnut Ave (Meeting Point 3 - Water Point), Chestnut track, Chest Nut Ave, Butterfly Trail, Gangsa Track, U-turn back at the "Restricted Sign" area, Gangsa Track, Zhenghua Garden, exit
underneath bridge to Zhenghua Park and back to Rifle Range.

There were 5 pace groups, starting from the 3.5 min/km (is that even possible!?!), down to the 7.5 min/km group. Also a shorter 10km route for the faint hearted. I was planning on the 7.5 group, but decided to follow IN and his partner E for the 6.5 group. Another friend and wife were in the 7.5 group, but caught up soon.

Wrong group was my conclusion after just 1 km. I was just not used to the terrain going downslope. Wide gaps opened up and soon I was running with the 7.5 group. The waterpoint at Meeting Point 3 was a welcome break.

Just as we were at the reservoir area, it rained. No it poured. The ground got muddy in a hurry. My glasses misted up and I had to pick my way through the roots and overhanging branches. Wonder how the mountain bikers negotiate their way through this!

View run on Garmin connect.
The rain stopped as we reached the PUB station, and we could see the faster runners heading back. Into the bushes and we linked up with IN's earlier group. They were lost and were back tracking. So it was a case of the blind leading the blind. As the organizers put it ever so nicely: "We ended up with many variations of the route."

We knew that we missed the outer most check point, but going back sounded good. But heading back into the dense vegetation by the reservoir we almost got lost again. But we made it back to Meeting Point 3 for some nice cold 100 plus.

With about 4.5 km to go, my friend's ITB kicked in and he had some agonizing moments before limping and walking back. We hooked up with the couple again, and had a good time chatting. The sweepers passed us about then.

Many had already left by the time we reached the RR carpark. Overall covered only 16km.But it was a good experience sloshing through the mud and tripping over roots and vines.