The KPE run, a stuffy experience every meter

One of the perks of being in military is we guys get to participate in sports or healthy lifestyle event for free, not all the time but most of the time. This morning the KPE tunnel, South East Asia longest underground road tunnel is open to the public for a 5km fun run and a 10km competitive run. I took part in the 10km competitive run with a couple of my peers from the same Air Base. Free participation, of course.



A fresh new concept, running in a underground vehicle tunnel before its open within the next few months to Singapore traffic commuters. Since its government owned, being the longest in SE Asia, and its complex and ambitious constuction, the tunnel is something Singapore want to brag about. Thus there is strong publicity of the event together with hiring FM98.7 DJ and invitation of a few MP to grace the event, notably Minister RAdm Teo Chee Hean. Our President Nathan was also invited to grace the event at the end of the run. The support for the event was tremendous... a crowd of more than 10,000 people were present today for the run. 10,000 people running in a confines of a tunnel, this figures give me much challenge.

The run started of smoothly. Since we got the entire 4 lanes to run on, the runners are not to tightly packed, no shoulder to shoulder rubbing like what I experience during the Bay Run/Army Half Marathon last month. Than all of a sudden, I was running through a stretch of dark road for almost a kilometer. It wasn't natural for human to run in the dark and I had to keep looking out in case I bump into someone along the way. All I could see in front are silhouette of fellow runner bobbing heads created by the few disco light gates along the way. All I care for was the run thus the darkness and disco light are really distracting. Have to bear with it since Singapore is trying to achieve the Guinness World Record for the most number of human walking with lantern in an underground tunnel. With so many people in the tunnel and without the open air, its stuffy, warm and humid.

The rest of the route past the 2.5km run was a breeze, brightly lit up by the rolls and rolls of tunnel lighting. Along the running route, signboard were setup along the side to educate the public the "Don't" of using KPE...things like 1)Don't Stop In Tunnel, 2) Don't cut across lanes 3)Don't repair vehicle or change tire in tunnel...etc...etc. Pretty educational for motorist like me.

Turning point was at the 5km mark where runner past through the one of the many access door to the right and continued the run on the opposite direction. The KPE is built with 2 tunnel section separated by firewalls and access doors. The run back to the finishing point 5km ahead was especially tough. Its stuffy in the tunnel and the competition between the runner was not only in the distances but also the limited amount of air that was supplied by whatever ventilation system within. In the last 2.5km, runners from the 10km competitive run and those making U-Turns from the 5km fun run combine into a horde of oxygen sucking, carbon dioxide emitting organism. All of a sudden there is so many runners again. The air become even more stuffy and for the first time in all my running activity, I actually felt breathless. There are two instances I stop and did a fast walk. If not for a fellow runner of my base who caught up from behind, pushing and motivating me to keep running, I reckon I could easily walk the rest of the way.

The few ventilation fans along the route was only able to circulate cooling air for a limited range and although its a welcome relief and breather running in front of those big fans, the limitation of the fan and the fact the tunnel was design foremost for vehicle and not for human beings means for most part, runners are left with stale air to breath. The stench of sweat and human heat was was profoundly evident near the finishing point.


Completed the 10km race in 56mins. Pretty ok timing and could be faster if not for the environment, the wrong outfit and the late night I had. Saw an Ambulance rushing into the tunnel, turn out not the runner but surprisingly one of the KPE Run crew fainted inside the tunnel...must be the poor air circulation. Heard his heart stopped and the paramedic have to use difillibrator and CPR to get his heart pumping again. Just watch the news and learn that his condition is still critical. God Bless him to get well soon. Kanna Sunday duty already quite sian now still kanna accident... if he had any 三长两短, it will be a really bad omen for KPE. Since the Singapore F1 race track have the official blessing of all major religion of Singapore, I think KPE should have religious blessing too for the safety of all users in the future. However ERP still have to pay, no running away from those Gantry, not even Jesus or Muhammad can move it.