Relay For Life (RFL)is actually a global movement founded in May 1985. It has raised about $5 billion and gathered 4 million participants to take part annually, making it one of the world’s largest fundraisers. In Singapore, this relay is organised by the Singapore Cancer Society, it helps to celebrate those who survived from Cancer, remember those whom we lost to cancer and at the same time help to raise some funds for the society.
This year, due to Covid-19, we were not able to join the relay in person, usually what happen is that the relay will take place at the National Stadium where teams and individuals will run round the track to clock the 100km. Of course the team which is able to finish it the fastest will be the winner, same goes for the individual. This year, however, the run was a virtual one, we
This year, I joined the Running Hour team, we pledge the distance we want to achieve, 10-100Km. After that we were given a week to run from 21st March to 29th March. Everyday, we upload the kms and miles into the organizer’s virtual run website. From there, you can see where you stand, timing placing and etc.
In the Beginning
Wearing the Relay for Life shirt
In the beginning, I did not feel anything much, in fact I was not thinking about putting in much effort. Because I felt, that virtual does not feel the same compared to running the real thing. Then as Running Hour set up the chat group, I began to feel the “togetherness”
Everyday someone in the group will update on our position. We motivate each other to add the distance, with the photographs sprawling in, many of us found ourselves running and even walking, calculating every step and workout we had. So for me, I started to clock longer and more duration daily. Even my own marathon training was not that serious. If feels good to load up those miles and see us on the leader’s board.
Friends made with Special Locations
The Sheares bridge perfect shot, with Mattias, Andreas and Jun!
Although I do know the Running Hour guides, but most of the time, we do not really know each other deeper and well enough. It is this relay that I know what other members do and also what kind of runners they are. Some are very competitive, some are just laid back , some go for the long distances and some like the short and fast runs for a workout. But whatever it was, we all did it for a good cause.
Matthias, who is the person organising us, did a doodle calendar so that all of us could put down our timing for a meet up run. Unfortunately, as we were proceeding in this relay, things got worse, Corvid cases increased tremendously in Singapore. Many distancing rules have to be observed and we also have to stop group activities ( activities that involved member of more than 10 people). I signed up for the Wednesday after work session. This time running with me was Andreas, Jun and Matthias himself. We started off from the Marina Promontory and headed out towards the floating platform.
Andreas showed us a secret way up the Sheares Bridge and we got a spectacular view! After a few snaps, we came down towards Gardens by the Bay East, and all the way back to Esplanade, to the Merlion and finally back to Promontory where we split our ways. It was really nice to work out after working hours.
At the botanic gardens with Liz, Steady, Sally, Jun, Claire and Chris!
The second time I met with other guides was on the Saturday morning were we went to Botanic Gardens. Due to the distancing law, we had 7 runners this time run and Steady and Chirs, who were Visually Handicapped, joined us for this time. I got to guide Steady a while, but I guess I never followed his timing and he felt really breathless. So we stopped for a while to change the guide to Sally and sometimes Liz. Claire took care of Chris most the time. Me and Jun were like just helping to open up to roads for others. But it was always nice to run in the botanic gardens as there were many plants and air is fresh.
Overall
Our results, hard work paid!
We managed to come in 3rd placing as the overall distance covered, Macritchie Runners were the first and this group called Relayshionship. But we were all happy because we have the lowest number of runners but we clocked a lot of miles ! Some of our members even did ultra runs over the week end covering 70km-135km one run just to add the miles. Though we did not win anything, all of us were happy that we chipped in for the raising of funds. At the same time we enjoyed this virtual run.