JP Morgan Corporate Challenge 2012

This Thursday was 9th edition of annual JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge, in which reported 14,555 runners from 377 companies participated. The new record topped up by 23.8% from last year's 11,753 participants (369 companies). While the completion rate also dropped from 97% to 87%. A similar trends was also seen in other mass running event (especially Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore ) in recent years: the hiking of participants, the inflation of fees, and the drop of completion rate. It is completion rate represent local runner population other than participating rate. From the race results in JP Morgan Corporate Challenge's web site, the number of runners who completed the race only increased by 11%. This more precisely reflects local running market growth rate. This year the event registration fee hiked from S$50 to S$60, most would not care because most companies sponsored the fee for their employees, partially or fully. My company sponsored half of it but offered a prize for first 4 completer in company in each category. And this time all 60 seats were taken very soon.

The weather was fine for a race, after a big Island shower in the afternoon, the temperature dropped to 26 degC. We were deported by company bus and arrived the race venue, the Padang at ~5pm. After deposited the baggage and taken the photos, we headed to the start point, Esplande bridge. Every year they adopt the same route from Esplande bridge to F1 Pit Bldg.

The Esplanade bridge was crowed as usual. It was  the first race since I began running. I'v beed participated in 3 consecutive year, and made it a personal annual 5km time trial. I made way towards 1st row to avoid blocking by slow runners or walkers. This year the organizer divided us into two start flow. The red bid started at 6pm and white one started 10min later. I had no problem to reach few meters away from starting line, from where I could even saw iconic Vivian Tang, who later claimed her 6th title in the 9 years race history.
I'd like to make it my 1st barefoot 5k race since I converted to barefoot running. Although I had been injured my left sole during a LSD training in a few weeks ago, I checked my sole the day before and was sure it OK for a short run. A young man followed me to the the front saw my barefoot and ask if I practiced a Chi running. I said Chi and Pose are same for natural running. He was 26, a 2nd time player, and was aiming to set 24min PB here. Wish him good luck.
The race flagged off 1min earlier. I dashed down the bridge with the crowd. The 1st 2km was easy to made the pace under 4:00/km because I applied the strategy of fast cadence, although my heart rate reached over 182bpm which supposed to be my maximum heart rate in my age. I ignored it and decided to follow my feeling. After turning to Republic Blvd at 2km mark, I could not maintain the fast cadence and pace dropped down to 4:09/km. But I did experienced the hard feeling last year. Between 3km and 4km was 2x down and up slope in the underpass crossing Nicoll Highway, every year I lost not only speed, but also stamina here. It was killer slope for un-experienced runners. I performed better this time with 10s faster and overtook a few runners, even came close the 2nd leading lady runner (Vivian had already out of sight since start). But unfortunately the sloped still cost my stamina, I just felt impossible to recover initial cadence after 4km mark. I was overtook by another lady runner who I believe to be Lim Baoying (this years lady runner up) with a very incredible fast cadence. And as she approaching the leading lady runner before me, she ask her to sprint with her before entering to the straight lane before F1 Pit Bldg at 5km mark. Sprint was a cruel word to me then. When several runners overtook me I could only maintained a 4:20/km pace to the end with numb lips and a sign of headache--I was totally wasted. The coarse surface of F1 track made my soles ache and I felt like a wet winged bird. Soon I heard the organizer announcing Vivian Tang won the women's champion and I was happy to be not so late. When I passed finish line I just glimpsed at the time, I thought it to be 23min fifties, I was upset then because I thought I made no improvement since last year. But later I checked my Garmin watch it turn out to be 23:01. And the splits record shown I made almost 1min improvement.


Split      -2011 Pace    -2012 Pace  -2012 HR 
1km        4:01                3:57              182bpm
2km        4:03                3:52              190bpm 
3km        4:09                4:09              189bpm 
4km        4:33                4:23              187bpm 
5km        4:42                4:20              186bpm


The splits analysis shown I gain most timing from the second half. And I achieved a average pace of 4:06/km which is same as my 5km PB made in 2010 at a flat course. My stamina was better than last year but pace arrangement still sucks. Apparently I overshoot at the beginning so I lost speed after 2km on the flat course. HR monitor shown I ran the overall race anaerobically. I even broke the maximum  HR I should have and maintained for 20min! It was unhealthy and contradicted to my training philosophy. I'm not sure if the aerobic training I made last year contributed to the improvement. I sounds strange aerobic training improve anaerobic performance.

This time they even employ a camera helicopter, cool

The official results was out soon and my timing was 22:59,  ranked 97 in total 12670 finishers. I wish I could break 4:00/km pace next year and 2 years later I could catch up with Vivian Tang : ) I defended my champion title in the company and claimed the S$100 awards, with my sifu Barefoot Pua (center of the photo) and another barefoot runner. See you next year!