The Keppel Bay Run

This could possibly be my favourite run by far. Different terrain, going uphill and downhill... it's quite challenging. The sights are just breathtaking, making the effort to conquer the distance worth it.

I'll roughly run through the route - we started off at Vivocity and climbed Mt Faber. That was already a rather challenging start! We ran past the Jewel Box and made our way to the Henderson Waves, followed by these amazing metallic structures that made us feel like we were running in the canopies of the trees. It was a maze - down, left, right... all the way till we hit Hort Park. From there it was a right turn to Labrador Park, before running down the glorious, gorgeous Keppel Bay, and back to Harbourfront. You can take a look at the full route map here.

Maybe it'll be sexier to share it in photos. So here it goes:



Up, up here we go! The view of the cable cars from Mt Faber never gets old.



The Jewel Box. Epic, expensive food that I haven't had the opportunity to try.



The picturesque high-rise housing estates.



Firus and Ben on the Henderson Waves.



That zig-zag metallic tree-top dash!



A route that's popular with runners, obviously.



Really loved running through this structure. Can really feel the height of it. Really relaxing.



Seemingly endless...



Hort Park! Really nice place, but we didn't have time to go in.



Architecturally curvaceous.



The boardwalk at Labrador Park. Running through a bit of mangroves...



Hit a resting point. Sipped from the water cooler.



Firus and I. He plans the route. I shoot the photos.



Somewhere near Reflections at Keppel Bay. No idea what this building's called though. But it was a work of art against the sky.



Marina at Keppel Bay.



Reflections at Keppel Bay



I think it has the potential to be as iconic as MBS.



Caribbean at Keppel Bay. Okay they really need to come up with more interesting names.



The Marina again. Really reminds me of The OC.



The signboard marking the straight road back to Vivocity.

It was a fantastic experience. I'd run this route a couple more times and focus more on the environment around me. This being my first time, I went a bit nuts taking photos with my phone. I love how running is a great way for me to explore places I don't often go, speedily.

Kinda tempted to spend half a day covering this route, walking, with a DSLR. Should be quite interesting!

adizero tempo

I really like the new pair of adidas running shoes that I just bought - the adizero tempo.

I started running seriously in army. I used Brooks, the brand of army shoes that wasn't New Balance. Recently though, I've become more committed so other than getting myself new adidas running attire, during the fourth Saturday morning run with Firus, I got myself this pair of shoes. We went to the adidas store at The Cathay. Shopping there was fun. We spent a bit more than an hour in there and the staff really knew their stuff!

I've always thought of the basic stuff as sufficient, but the adizero tempo improved my running experience. Took it out for a run with Derek last Thursday during our circuit training. The arch supported my flat foot. They're relatively light and were comfy enough for my wide feet. There's also a bit more bounce in my step - really helped when we were doing the 100 counts of jumping jacks.

Last of all, it's in my favourite colour - red - just in time for CNY!

The Ban

I'm going to stop buying clothes. All clothes. Anything that can be worn. Includes cologne and watches. And necessities like briefs and socks. Or even sporting apparel. That's the one that really killed it for this month!

Target: 2.5 months. Go big or go home. We're in the middle of January. Two and a half months would effectively bring me to 1st April.

I'll be able to save a lot of money by then. I'm subconsciously cutting down on eating at restaurants too. Maybe the money will go to bigger dreams, greater adventures. I don't have enough space to put all my belongings as it is.

Oh, and what makes me think that I can resist the sales and the new seasons of clothes? If anyone catches me buying anything /wearing anything that you're confident I've bought after today, from now till 1st April, I'll give you double the amount of money I've spent on that item.

Let's bet on it.

The Bay Run

Firus and I went for a 10km run yesterday around the Bay. Awesome sights - from towering buildings and towering trees to cool blue bodies of water and red hot bodies of runners (okay this one don't have lah, kidding). Gardens by the Bay is still heavily under construction but one senses that when it's done, it will be nothing short of world-class, reinforcing the image of "Garden City".

By the end of it all I was panting like a mad man and I haven't felt this exhausted in the longest time!

Just wanted to share the route which started opposite Fullerton Hotel.



CBD area - looming banks.



Lau Pa Sat... right?



Waiting at the traffic light.



Down Marina Boulevard. The nice part, that's not under construction!



The other face of MBS.



Finally hit the Marina Barrage. The first time both of us were there.



Didn't manage to enter to see the sights. Went straight across this bridge.



And along the Marina Bay Golf Course till we hit ECP! Running alongside traffic.



The park.



Turning into Marina Promenade, went past the Flyer and then the Esplanade before finishing where we started!

A Game of Shadows

I like everything about this movie. The two lead actors were powerful. They dug deep, brought on the comedy proudly and the characters to life. Chemistry between them was abundant and it showed. You believe that they'd be willing to die for each other.

Action sequences... fantastic. Often interrupted by surrealism. What you see is not exactly what happens. Sometimes you're in the character's mind. But you'd expect nothing less from Guy Richie. Fast and furious, sometimes violent, yet never gory. Just enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Set against Europe in the 1900s. Slightly heavier accents than most people are used to, with witty dialogue to match. A gem, I say. With a smattering of French and German, kind of like salt and pepper for the already solid movie.

Mystery was ample, befitting of a detective movie, which is possibly a lost form. Nowadays the arcs are so predictable. This? I was guessing till the very end. Clever. Very clever indeed. Enough reason to pay the price for the weekend ticket.

I'm motivated to hunt down every movie that Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law ever made. And watch them cos they are brilliant. In my list of top 3 actors, it'd probably be the both of them and Ewan Mcgregor. Looking forward to more movies from the 3 of them this year.

A great first movie for 2012.

New Direction

It's a new year and it's headed for a new direction. I'm no longer new to having a full time job. I've got a fixed income and gotten used to the responsibilities of a working adult. It's nice to have financial security and go in search of something more in life. An adventure perhaps.

Thanks to Firus and Derek, who by end 2011, started to give me some inspiration. I've been infected by their passion and determination. From running attire to running routes, they've been there planting ideas in my head. I've signed up for Men's Health Urbanathlon 2012 (19 Feb) and 21km for the Sundown Marathon 2012 (26 May). I've bought myself a new running attire. I'm going to buy a good pair of running shoes. I've been running very consistently with the two of them. It was great retracing familiar paths and exploring new routes. I've gone to the Waterfront, Labrador Park, Marina Bay to Kallang Riverside Park and One-north Park to Kent Ridge Park.

Not too long ago, when I was bringing my French friend around Singapore, I was always amazed by the things that there were to see, share and discover. These runs gave me the opportunity to do that - explore Singapore on foot. All the nooks and crannies, places that have been hidden away till now, always make me feel like I should have a camera with me at all times. My phone has come in handy though!

In the pipeline are plans to run the King of the Road, which will bring me to KL, Manila, Jakarta and Bangkok to cover distances of approximately 17km. The Six are also very likely to conquer Mount Kinabalu in the earlier half of this year, while I plan to make a trip down to Taiwan for 10 days.

It's nice to know that I still want to push myself and I haven't lost the spirit for adventure. I don't want a holiday to get away from work. I want to go to work, taking a break from my holidays.