Climbers Up For Spain Test

Singaporean trail runners train within constraints ahead of world championship debut

- Kimberly Kwek

On a rainy Sunday morning, Bukit Timah Hill was quieter than usual. The steady downpour had thinned the weekend crowd, but it did not keep Lim Wen Yi and Chew Jing Yan away.

For these two ultra-trail runners, Bukit Timah Hill is one of their regular training grounds, where they run multiple loops for as long as six hours in a single training session.

Such training is necessary as they are part of a 20-strong team from Singapore heading to the Sept 25-28 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (WMTRC) in Canfranc-Pirineos, Spain.

They will be participating in the 44.5km short trail event, which has an elevation gain of 3,657m.

Lim said: "This is a very competitive race so the goal is definitely to be able to finish strong and cross the finish line.

"In Singapore, we train with a lot of constraints - to be able to cross that finish line is really a huge win for people who do not live in these kinds of native environments."

At 163.63m above sea level, Bukit Timah Hill is the highest natural peak in Singapore.

While it may not replicate exactly what they face overseas, it is still a crucial part of the duo's routine as they make adaptations around the Republic's geographical limitations.

They also train at places such as Mount Faber and Fort Canning Park.

Singapore's trail runners sometimes organise day trips across the Causeway to Gunung Pulai and Gunung Lambak in Johor, where there are higher peaks with more demanding terrain.