The EUniquely Eunoian Stories from EURUN '24

Written by: Goyal Naina (24-A2), Jayakody Arachchige Andrea Himashi Jayaweera (24-A2), Liu Min (24-A2), Danker Chloe Genevieve (24-A6), Joel Keng Jing Yi (24-A2), Wong Yong Bo (24-E1), Justa Wee Jia Qi (24-E4), Loy Min Yen (24-I3), Hung Jia Xuan (24-I6), Chong Hern Hsuen, Rachael (24-O1), Lauren Tan Say Jay (24-O1), Tng En Qin Abigail (24-O1), Chong Jia Jun, Skyler (24-U2), Pang Zi Mo (24-U6)

Designed by: Chong Hern Hsuen, Rachael (24-O1)

On 26 March, our fellow J1 and J2 Eunoians participated in EURUN 2024. Jointly organised by the PE department and Sports Representatives, our student and teacher participants took part in an invigorating run of 4 km around Bishan Park.

EURUN seeks to bring our school community together, encourage a healthy and active lifestyle, and foster house spirit within each and every one of our Eunoians. It also seeks to bring out the values of perseverance and endurance through the long and difficult run.

This year, a new RFID system was introduced, to help keep track of each student’s timing. As EURUN is also an inter-house competition, the top 50 runners of the each house will contribute to 60% of the points, the other 40% coming from the beautifully decorated totem poles of our 5 houses.

Here's a compilation of experiences and thoughts from fellow Eunoians on what it's like to be involved in EURUN! First we have Isabel, a J1 student who was part of the 10 girls in Akila who took part in the competitive run. Isabel Tong (24-A6)

• Can you share some insights on your training regiment in preparation for the run?

I tried to follow a variety of workouts so we to train different aspects of my fitness in preparation for the run For instance, I would do faster and shorter (5km) runs twice a week, and longer but slower (10km) runs three times a week. In doing so, I hoped to train my speed as well as stamina.

• How do you approach the competitive aspect of the run while still being able to enjoy the run as a whole?

I try to regard the run as a fun activity, a chance to represent my house and do my best! During training, I will listen to music while running so as to make the run more enjoyable and less stressful. While I want to win, I try to remind myself winning is not everything, and enjoying the process is overall more important!

• How do you plan on handling the pressure that comes with running competitively?

I try to set realistic expectations for myself, and not expect too highly. If I do badly during a training session, I will not beat myself up and try to focus on how to improve. I ensure my mindset is not focusing only on winning but enjoying myself.

• Do you think that carrying out EURUN in Bishan Park as compared to the National Stadium would be beneficial?

Yes, running in a park helps with reducing the stressfulness of the event. Running on the track is very timing-based, where we will obsess over every round timing and pacing. However, when running in Bishan Park, we can enjoy the scenery and have a variety of terrain to run on, making the run more enjoyment based instead.

Next, we have Nigel from 24-A2 who also participated in the competitive run.

Nigel (24-A2)

• Can you share some insights on your training regiment in preparation for the run?

During the March holidays, I intended to run 4km for the whole nine day duration to observe whether I could miraculously improve my stamina by tenfold through these runs. On the first two days, I was feeling extremely passionate and energetic and I got a basis for my speed. However as the days went by, I got a bit exhausted and lethargic, but I managed to maintain a persevering mindset to push on for at least four more days.

• How do you approach the competitive aspect of the run while still being able to enjoy the run as a whole?

To be honest, I'll just be there to try my best to bring glory and pride to Akila. I won't be very competitive as I know that I am seriously outmatched. Honestly speaking, as long as I'm trying my best to beat my record and having a purpose to partake in this race, I'll be having fun.

• How do you plan on handling the pressure that comes with running competitively?

I'll try not to let the thought that I'm running competitively linger in my mind. To quote my secondary school friend, "To partake as a competitive player already means you're quite good.". Even though I'm aware that I'm not the best runner out there, I'm still going to run with an open mind, without the pressure and stress that people are depending on me (but that doesn't mean I'm going to slack).

• Do you think that carrying out EURUN in Bishan Park as compared to the National Stadium would be beneficial?

​​Definitely, running in the stadium is extremely repetitive especially after lapping the round four to five times. I'd start to lose my perception of my surroundings and time while feeling unmotivated to carry on as I'd think that I was running a limitless distance. However, at Bishan Park, there are different landscapes to look at every 10m that you run. There's natural fauna, roads and cars to remind you of your pace and most importantly natural circulation. Running at Bishan Park will make me feel quite rejuvenated and it'll motivate me to push on even harder.

Last but certainly not least, we have Ashvik, an Isamigo who was a non-competitive runner.

Ashvik Samuel (24-I3)

• Do you plan to run at your own pace or follow the pace of your friends? How do you think this would affect your running experience?

I plan to follow the pace of my friends. I will only have two EURUN events with my class so I want to make the most of it by forging bonds with my classmates. Running alongside them and going through certain challenges with them will surely bring us closer together! Besides, if I want to test my speed or endurance, I can always run 4km outside school on my own accord.

• How do you feel about EURUN? Are you looking forward to it? Why?

I feel excited for EURUN! I think 4km is more than I've ever run, so I want to see if I can run the entire distance without stopping. At the same time, I'm looking forward to the house festivities because I love seeing EJ's house spirit come alive with Eunoians proudly boasting their houses' colours, the captains fervently waving their flags and the vibrant and fiery atmosphere in general!

• What do you hope to get out of EURUN?

I hope to forge stronger bonds with my classmates and just have an enjoyable time to get my mind off of the cares of life for a short while.

It is clear that one thing the competitive and non-competitive runners have in common is their strong determination to contribute to their respective houses. It is inspiring to witness their unwavering passion and dedicated house spirit, and it will certainly be exciting to see them reap the rewards of their efforts!  Apart from the competitors, we also have gained insights from our teachers, namely Ms Elizabeth Chin, Isami’s house mistress. Ms Elizabeth Chin (House Mistress for Isami)

• Do you plan to run at your own pace or follow the pace of your friends? How do you think this would affect your running experience?

I look forward to running with colleagues or with my form class. I personally like running (I can already imagine some raised eyebrows from readers haha), and I think it’s a great way to bond. We can all encourage one another throughout the run together as running is often a tiring feat.

• How do you feel about EURUN? Why?

Excited! It’s rare to have the entire school decked out in PE attire for a road run. I also know that Eunoians have been training for this for some time already during PE lessons so it’s like D-day in a sense. Every year during EURUN, I’m always wowed by the running speeds of students and colleagues alike.

• What do you hope to get out of EURUN?

Just have fun and enjoy the fresh air at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park- we don’t use the park enough!

At long last, we arrived at the day of EURUN. Just before the run, we were given a quick brief as to the course of the day’s events, including an address by our principal, where he hoped the run would inspire students to try and run every morning on our Home-Based Learning days to start the day. After that, we were dismissed at around 8.30am to make way to our designated spots to await our turn to start EURUN!

During the event, waves of students could be seen all around and throughout Bishan park for the 4.2km run. Many runners commented on how tiring but exhilarating the run was, with one of our editors commenting, “I (felt like I wanted to) die, but at least I (could) die with my friends". Another student commented, “I wasn’t tired at all, I was actually so happy there were other students cheering me on. There was music, and I was also part of the Street Dance performance… It was lovely!”. That brings us to after the run, where there was a spellbinding performance by EJ's very own Street Dance which drew the attention of the whole school. Post-performance, it was announced that Ora had won both the totem pole competition and overall house champion, so congratulations to them!

In conclusion, EURUN was an eagerly anticipated event for both students and teachers, with many investing extra effort into the preparations. Its wonderful organisation facilitated seamless proceedings, while the enthusiastic cheering of students showcased a sense of unity and deepened bonds within our school community. Moreover, EURUN likely inspired students to pursue regular exercise in their own time. The captivating street dance performance served as a fitting finale, as even though students were exhausted after the run, they still wholeheartedly cheered for their peers.

If we were to use one sentence to sum up EURUN, it would be that EURUN showcased our commitment and dedication, embodying the lively spirit of unity and enthusiasm that defines Eunoia's school community.