National Vertical Marathon 2017

Four.

A risky investment. Thankfully, there was ROI.

The race was initially meant to be 34 storeys up, 13 down. Deceiving. As I'd estimate that these 34 storeys were closer to 55 of a HDB block. The descent was cut away a week before the race due to safety concerns, which was indeed legitimate.

First up was the Men's Open. The podium was the target. A 6-min ascent would be icing on the cake. Without the descent, I was confident I'd be quicker than Kai Peng (he's the best I know when it comes to descending!). With 4 categories for the day ahead, I was happy to place behind Yaner. Furthermore, I did sincerely feel he deserved to win Tembusu Vertical instead of me (this was likely due to my fortune in starting in an earlier wave). Both of us aside, the next question was, would there be others to contend with?

I saw Kien Mau while I was registering with Noel and Joel. He informed me he had many categories for the day. Like 6. He told me he had trained with his friends. Was he as quick with the stairs as he was on the track?

Indeed he was. Blazing. 5:40ish. My 6:08 paled in comparison. Surprisingly, that took me to third place (just behind Yaner at 5:56) at 8ish in the morning and that remained all the way till the end of the Men's Open. Missed the prize presentation but I've come to realise that it didn't matter at all to me. I was in the competition for prizes and the medals. The medals I desired to dedicate to my family. The prizes were meant to bless others and for some personal utility.

Credit to Pixelinc.

I had time to kill after the first category. It would be a long day ahead. My first climb began around 7.45am, while the others were to begin at 12.15pm, 12.45pm and 5.45pm. I had the company of some from church. There were multiple game booths and free snacks available to occupy participants as well.

It was time for the next two categories which offered little respite between. I was to race the Team Open with Kai Peng, Konan, Clarissa and Pyone before racing back down to begin the NTU Team with Lester, Yi Heng, Sai and Li Sin. I climbed the Team Open consistently, with a pretty decent timing of 6:13 despite ensuring some reserves for the next race. The rest of the guys were pretty solid as well, as they were adequately experienced with stair climbing.

I'm really bad at this.

Unfortunately, the NTU Team was arguably less experienced. I kept warning them to START SLOW! Yet the guys disappeared above me quickly. Which meant it was only a matter of time that I caught up. Nonetheless, the overall performance was pretty solid.  

Credit to Pixelinc.

Then came a decent interval for R&R before the final category. Caught up with the NTU crossers and took the time to visit the National Library to study 😅

The last category (Open Relay) was probably my most intense race for the day. Being the relay, it meant we had way less to climb. I recalled from last year's NVM that a short race meant a more intense race. This was likely to be a 2min climb - which is way more intense than a 6min one. It was so quick that I didn't have the time to break a sweat.

Credit to National Vertical Marathon's Facebook page.

The relay involved 3 climbers per team. There were probably about 7 teams within our wave - of which the hottest competition would arise from. The transition points were at the 14th and 26th floor in order to provide 3 segments for each team. I was to be the second runner behind Kai Peng, while Clarissa would anchor. 

As I took the lift with other 2nd runners to the 14th floor, Richard talked to me. I recognised him from previous verticals - he was a solid climber, but a fatigued one as well as he had just completed the Corporate Relay. He told me that he felt my team stood a chance of "beating the ang-mohs". I didn't quite see any of them. I told him his team was probably gonna be quicker than mine, though I'd do my best as well.

The first leg climbers arrived rapidly. Kien Mau led, followed by Bryan right behind and Kai Peng came up a few seconds later. The two ahead of me were off very quickly. I was doing my best to be controlled yet optimal in my effort. The gap wasn't closing.

It was only within the last few floors whereby I suddenly caught them very quickly. Within a flight or two, I flew past both climbers. Richard had very kindly given me the inside lane (the rails). In the final few flights, it seemed like I gained 5 seconds. Clarissa was off.

And apparently she led till the final flight, whereby jostling occurred. It was pretty stormy weather thereafter. In more ways than one.