Running the psychoPATH

Brenda Ng

On weekdays, students and adults are obliged to rise early for school or work. So on the weekends, most of them would rather sleep in than wake up at dawn to run. But on Saturday, 30 January 2016, Dalat's cross country team, the Treagles (Track Eagles), sacrificed their opportunity to sleep in to take part in the MSSPP Cross Country State Championship. Are the Treagles a bunch of crazy and peculiar students, or are they a group of ardent runners?

At 5:45am, the athletes gathered at Dalat in their blue track and field jerseys. They then dragged themselves onto the vans, starting their journey to the venue, SMK Bukit Gambir. Though the runners were tired, Coach Grad certainly was not. On the way down the windy Tanjung Bungah road, as Coach Combrink complained about the foggy and dirty windshield, Coach Grad, the adrenaline junkie, immediately propped half of her body out of the van to wipe the windshield with an extra jersey. All of the runner's half-open eyes flashed wide open in awe of Coach Grad's shocking yet hilarious act. That stunt not only gave Mrs. Combrink a clearer driving view, but also served as a wake-up call for all the zombie-like athletes. As the vans approached the venue, the Treagles felt anxious at the sight of 2,500 runners gathered in the vicinity. Adrenaline started pumping through their veins, filling them with vitality.

Prior to the race, the Treagles performed a circus show. Under the guidance of Coach Grad, they did some warm-up drills on the field, where all the other participants gathered. Some of the drills, such as the horse kick, were hilarious and amusing to the eye, though they helped prevent injury.

At 8am, the race began, starting with the U18 boys first and then the other age groups. As each age group proceeded to the starting line, the eager participants pushed and shoved another in order to dash to the starting line. They had disregarded the marshals' command to proceed to the starting line slowly and calmly in an orderly manner. The start of the races was hectic too. During the commencement of the U18 girls' race, a few girls at the front of the line fell as they were pushed over by the energetic runners behind them. Despite the chaotic start, the race proceeded smoothly.

The race was 7.1KM for the U15 and U18 runners, while it was 2.8KM for the U12 age group. The course was around a peaceful neighborhood with many shady trees. Nevertheless, it was hilly with slopes that quickly depleted the runners’ energy. Many runners slowed down their pace and eventually walked. Most Dalat runners, on the other hand, persisted and ran the whole course without giving in to the lactic acid building up in their calves and/or their palpitating hearts. Mr. Phillips stood at the 1KM mark to cheer the Dalat runners on, while Coach Arnold, Coach Combrink, Coach Grad, and Coach Knowles gathered around the finish line to give the Treagles an extra "push." The Treagles runners finished strong, sprinting towards the finish line with all their might.

Six runners from Dalat's cross country team earned places in the race! Charlotte Combrink came in first place for the U18 girls age group. When she went up to the stage to receive her award, the Treagles stood up, clapped, and cheered loudly. In addition, Annabelle Teoh, Felicia Teoh, Brenda Ng, Elizabeth Burh and Esther Tse also received prizes; they were amongst the first thirty people to finish the race in their respective age groups.  Congratulations, Treagles!

Though the runners were exhausted from the lack of sleep and the tough course, they did not regret their decision to sacrifice sleep and take part in the race. Felicia Teoh, a junior, expressed, “It was a memorable experience for me, being able to run along with thousands of other athletes. Even though it was painful to wake up at 5a, it was worth it because I ran the most I had ever in my life that day.”

In fact, rising early to participate in a race is enjoyable. Peter Tan, a sophomore, said, “I actually enjoyed it even though it was the most tiring thing in the world. Running with my friends and seeing so many people there made it really fun and cool experience. In other words, though some might regard those runners as insane students, but the Treagles would describe themselves as passionate runners.