Runninghour 2019

Signed Calder up for Runninghour 2019. Since the meeting point was Safra Punggol, I decided to cycle there (35 min), walk the 5km (1 hr) before cycling back again. (When I told Calder we would be cycling to Waterway, he started galloping around jubilantly which was wonderful to see. )

Was pondering if I should dress Calder in a different colour in order not to lose him in the crowd. Decided to let him wear a luminous cap instead. I also placed a handphone in an elastic waist pouch for Calder to wear, in order to track him should he get lost. We were each given a blue lanyard which would enable us to claim the medal at the end of the race. Instead of putting the lanyard around the neck, I figured it would make a convenient leash and so tied it around Calder's waist pouch.

The meeting place was noisy with loud music accompanying warm-up exercises. Since we were going to just walk this year, I brought Calder to a quieter, less crowded area for some photo-taking. Thank God he no longer presents awkward grimaces before the camera.

Flag-off and we walked with the crowd. Weather was perfect, all was well until some aeroplanes started flying really loudly over our heads (NDP rehearsal, probably). I thought Calder would cover his ears. Instead, he bit down on his index finger. Not a good sign, so I got ready to hold him by the lanyard. Sure enough, he began to prance with big steps and looked like his movements would turn wild. So I suggested eating the yogurt biscuits in his waist pouch. We sat down to do so and continued walking after that. Calder started shaking the half-emptied mineral water. Should I stop him, because if he drinks from the bubbled water, he might get tummy ache? I decided that the bottle could be a stress reliever and let him shake it. But he dropped it twice and looked none the happier about that so I threw it into a garbage bin. Meanwhile, there were marshals reminding everyone to keep to the left, because the cyclists would be using the right side. But Calder kept veering to the right where it's more spacious.

Finally we reached the finishing line. There were cans of 100 plus to drink which pacified Calder. We got on our bicycles and escaped the crowd in just one minute. The weather remained perfect and we had a wonderful ride back which surely removed any remaining grouse.

If you ask me, I think Runninghour 2019 was a perfect outing for us, where Calder was tested on his self-control and won.