Musings over miles

FOR more than half my life now, I have started most days with a run. While rolling out of bed at the crack of dawn is a struggle for some, I usually find the opposite more difficult - my most restless and unfocused days are the ones that do not begin with sweating it out under the changing colours of the morning sky.

Beyond the flood of endorphins - those feel-good chemicals released into our blood while running that work on our brains as opioids do, really - there is something meditative about starting the day chasing up the sun.

I love watching the sky's colours turn from deep blue to blood orange, and people come out into the streets, shops, and schools as another day beckons. (And of course, the practical part of me wants to get the workout done before the day gets too busy to accommodate an evening run.)

It is also amid these morning strides that I think the best.

There is some science to the mind-clearing magic of running. Several neuroscience researchers have written about how regular aerobic exercise boosts memory and brainpower.

But for me, mostly, it is the most peaceful time of day away from flashing screens, when I can best process personal experiences and things that are happening in the world.

And here, I would like to introduce Dawn Patrol, a space to share reflections on issues confronting individuals and societies today. All of these are mused along the miles; many of them come in the form of questions, most of which I have no answers nor solutions to.

This column, which will run every second Saturday of the month, takes its name after a phrase that was first used in early military aviation, referring to reconnaissance flights to monitor enemy movements and positions. It is now commonly used by surfers to describe their early morning wave-riding routines.

I (mis)appropriated it even though I do not participate in either activity, for I still find it an apt reference to getting a very early start to the day outside.

Having not left Singapore for the better part of the past 2 pandemic-stricken years, I have gotten to varying my running routes, and have even added cycling into the "dawn patrol" routine. I will share a unique route to accompany each monthly column - they vary in distance and difficulty - for readers who might be interested.

But I must stress that I am no elite runner and this is not a fit-and-fab column - I am not qualified for that!

It is more a space to share my thoughts gathered in these (mostly) morning runs. Sometimes, these may relate to the act of running itself. Otherwise, they have come up because the dawn patrols offered space to contemplate beyond the headlines, as well as companions to contemplate with.

One of the best things about 2021, for me, was reconnecting with several friends who run, and exploring different neighbourhoods in Singapore together. I ran more miles last year than I ever did annually in 18 years of running, and many of those miles saw us through vigorous debates on a myriad of issues, from social inequality to the "woke" movement, to the utility (or lack thereof) of cryptocurrencies.

So I hope these thoughts prompt some discussion among our readers too.

Running and storytelling

I thought I would share a bit about how running has influenced me as a journalist.

In his memoir What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, Haruki Murakami describes the sport in a seemingly unromantic manner - that long-distance running is not just a matter of willpower, that he started running mostly because it suited his daily routine, and that he had never recommended running to others. But he also says that running is his way of exerting and living life to the fullest - as is writing.

My experiences cohere with his, for the most part. To start off, we both consider ourselves mediocre runners and not particularly talented writers. "To write a novel, I have to drive myself hard physically and use a lot of time and effort. Every time I begin a new novel, I have to dredge out another new, deep hole," Murakami writes.

This sounds like me with my running. And reporting.

But I will say that running has fuelled much of my curiosity about people and the world, and the endurance I reaped from pushing through the miles, I have managed to apply to the days and nights of knocking on doors, especially in my previous role, which involved more shoe-leather reporting.

More recently, running has also helped reshape my definition of what makes a "good story", and I have been learning that it is not always the one that gets out there first. It often takes time - perhaps months of trust-building, conversations, and showing up - to unfold the real story. And perhaps many months more of the same to tell a good one.

And so it is with running. I have always known this to some extent, but I am learning more to appreciate the sights, the colours, and the conversations along the journey. (I still appreciate a good PB if it happens, but those are fewer to come by these days, anyway.)

MacRitchie Loop

This is a classic nature gateway. I love that it offers a combination of trail, pavement and boardwalk, as well as up and down-slopes.

Distance: 11 km

Difficulty: Moderate

Route markers:

(A) Mushroom Cafe

(B) MacRitchie Prunus Trail

(C) Singapore Island Country Club

(D) Ranger station

(E) End of Lornie Trail