FINALE RUN 2020 - EXTREME GOAL COMPLETE

F̸I̸N̸A̸L̸E̸ ̸R̸U̸N̸ 2̸0̸2̸0̸

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🥇 D420 | ΞＸＴＲΞＭΞ ＧＯΛＬＣＯＭＰＬΞＴΞ | 5,344.7 KM 🥇

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I have been into serious running for more than 2 years now. It started as a 3km exercise and an objective to lose weight and reduce the burden that has taken a toll on my body. As I progressed, my health got better and fitness level went up. Refusing to let myself slum back to the slacker lifestyle. I pushed myself to keep up the regime. This regime subsequently became an addiction to keep challenging myself.

More than a year ago on 7th of November 2019, I made a resolution to run 10km everyday for at least a 100 days and thus started #daily10k. This meant that I was running even on overseas work trips and vacations. When 2020 came, I started rising at 4 a.m. every morning to prep myself for my daily run. Madness it may seem, but that was the only way that I can finish my 10km run by 6 a.m. with ample time to warm-up and cool-down, and most importantly, to drop my son off to school as 2020 as he embark on his academic journey in Primary One.

Of course, 100 days was met in early 2020 and I pushed on for 200 days. However, the COVID-19 pandemic came in during March and as travels were cut and movement in Singapore was restricted during the Circuit Breaker. My daily running route from home to Singapore Sports Hub 100-Plus Track was cut as the National Stadium was closed off to public. Fortunately, the government of Singapore allowed exercising outdoors to continue during the Circuit Breaker period. The Circuit Breaker indeed changed many people's lives and so it did for me as well.

I started on a new route running from home, along Kallang Riverside Park and F1 Pit Building to Marina Bay and back, this 13km the new-normal from then. During the Circuit Breaker, what was usually a once-a-month 21km run became a weekend regime. I started running one half-marathon every weekend.

200 days was done and why not attempt 300 days? Definitely!

During this leg, my right foot started giving me problems. Runner's bane: plantar fascilitis. I tried adidas Ultraboost to rotate from my regular Under Armour HOVR. It helped but the ache became chronic and I just had to moderate my pace and live with it. I also caught a common cold bug which almost broke my streak. I had to practise social responsibility and mask-on through the few days of recovery. Trust me, running and sweating it off works miracles. I recovered in 2 days and back in form. My weekend regime also subsequently progressed to a double half-marathons every weekend and smashing weekly total distance of 100km and hit 300 days eventually.

Do I know went to stop? I told myself to attempt 365 days (1 year) instead. Fortunately, I found Hoka One One running shoes. I started with the Clifton 6, which worked miracles on my plantar fascilitis and a sore heel which developed from the daily pounding on the tarmac. I finished off the #daily10k running year with an accumulated distance of 5074km.

What comes after 365 days of running at least 10km everyday? 400 days it is. But 400 days was just an interim goal. I was going to finish of the dreaded 2020 calender year!

So here I am on D420, with 420 days of running at least 10km daily, no breaks and no rest. Finishing off this Extreme Challenge with a final half-marathon of the year around Marina Bay Singapore in my Hoka One One Bondi 6.

On Day 420, scored these Badges on this last day (31st of December) of 2020

Summary of the December
🔸Total distance: 516.5 km (Break November record as new 2nd longest month)
🔸Average pace: 5:38 min/km
🔸9 half-marathons completed
🔸4 consecutive weekends of double half-marathons
🔸Retired Hoka One One Clifton 7 (2nd of 4 Hoka One One) - 512.26 km

🔸Run-in Hoka One One Bondi 6 (3rd of 4 Hoka One One)

🔸Earned 7th Garmin 60-Day Goal Getter Badge on 31st Dec

🔸Earned 2nd Garmin Finish Strong Badge on 31st Dec

🔸Earned Fitbit Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia Badge on 31st Dec

🔸Completed Strava Move Past 2020 Challenge
🔸D420 and counting

Shots of the last day of 2020.

Both the sun and full moon shine over the bay. One rises, while the latter sets.

The COVID-19 pandemic had not stopped me. My plantar fascilitis did not force me to retire either! Fighting every challenging situations that came in my way to kill off 2020!

Someone asked me why am I not doing a full marathon?

I want to continue my #daily10k regime and keep running everyday, and breaking weekly 100km, so there is no time to break off the streak to rest and recover. In part my plantar fascilitis is still bugging me after 2 hours of continuous running. Most importantly, time is the main reason. I am human, I still yearn to sleep more, I want to be home when my children are awake everyday. The most I can spare everyday is at most 2 hours to run, that will still leave me 7 hours of sleep and precious15 hours everyday to juggle my work and family time!