Old Upper Thomson Road

Sometimes, urban planners can lack creativity. It is one thing to name a road after the chief engineer who designed it. Quite another to name the road above it as upper. And what really takes it to the next level is to build a new road next to it, re-use the name, and call the original road old. Well, that is where we were at over the weekend: the Old Upper Thomson Road. In its heyday, it was more than just a road, it was also where the Singapore Grand Prix took place. 

credit: timeout.com

For the past 20 years though, it has been our family exercise track; and especially over the last 6 months as we all sought escape from our circuit breaker lockdown at home. Over the weekend, M & J joined me on a circuit I had tried several times before the last few months. We ran from our place and up and down the length of the Old Upper Thomson Road.

It's such a pleasure running with them. The last time all three of us went up and down this road was maybe 10 years ago, with Meg on her bicycle, Josh on his roller blades and me on my pre-achilles tendonitis legs. Josh in front would sandwich Meg in the middle. They were both just gaining confidence on their new modes of transport and I, as the cheerleader-in-chief would urge them on and also, to pick them up when they fell. I must say that I have been more responsible for their scars. It is fair to say that I subscribe (in this case, literally) to the parenting school of hard knocks. I would push M down the slope and her mom would watch in horror of her darling veering off!

The scars have long healed; and J then M have been exceeding me in all sporting activities since then. They are literally "citius, altius, fortius" than me. As they live up to the Olympic creed, the chance for the old bean to do something together with the faster, higher, stronger younglings is a much cherished one.

So, yesterday, in the rain, coached by a well-informed J who kept us on a LSD (long steady distance) pace and led by a beautifully-gaited M (even when the sole of her shoe gave out), we ran together for more than 80minutes covering nearly 12kms up and down this famous road.

The achilles heel is aching all day, but oh-so-sweetly when one thinks of the cause!