The Singapore Standard Chartered Marathon event is getting so popular. Within a short few week
after opening for registration, the 50,000 places were all fully taken up and registration was closed. Ended up some of our fellow runners were not able to join.
Woke up late for my Aug-09 SAFRA Marina Bay 21km event. So, setup 3 alarm clocks last night just to be sure that I can wake up on time for my first Full marathon event today.
Woke up at 3:30am as planned. Took a cup of coffee, 3 bananas and 2 Nature Valley energy bar biscuits (free). Before leaving house, took a glass of the Berocca vitamin C drink (free). Drove out from home at 4:30am and reach event site at 5:00am.
A little surprised to see such a huge crowd. Moved myself ahead bit by bit on the Esplanade bridge towards the starting point. Nice to see that the queue line was properly labelled for >5 hr, 5hr, 4.5hr, 4.0hr, etc. Moved ahead and join the crowd at the 5 hr group.
Since I started running again on 9-Jul-08 with HT Ng and William Yeoh, I have never expected that I will ever run a full 42.195km marathon. One and a half year later, here I am just about to start my very first full marathon ran today at 5:30am. The feeling was great. Have two goals :
Goal#1 : to complete the full 42.195km marathon ran.
Goal#2 : to try to do it within 5:00 hours.
Initial plan was to try to complete the full event at an average speed of 9km/hr which will enable me to complete the full event within less than 5 hours. But I meshed it all up when the race started. Carry a fluid belt with me to carry items like car key, handphone, energy gel and a small bottle of 100-Plus (300ml). Brought along 4 packets of GU energy gel and plan to take one at 45 minutes or an hour interval.
0 to 10km
Started slow to allow the body to warm up. Tried to keep speed between 9km/hr and 10km/hr. Saw a black dressed ‘witch’ (without broom) running at a fairly constant speed of around 10km/hr. So decided to pace her. Quite comfortable pace and continue to run right behind the ‘witch’. Drink at each water point to stay hydrated as advice by Pete Laute.
10km to 20km
At around 10km mark, the “witch” met a “Santa mama” and stopped to chat. So I continue on and met our fellow hot-runner CS Chan (several-time marathoner). Started to pace and follow behind CS. Speed was between 10km/hr to 12km/hr. Deviated from my overall plan but feeling reasonably comfortable at that speed. Along the way saw the 4.5-hour marathon pacers, so my timing was quite ok I thought. Drink at each water point to stay hydrated. Always go for 100-Plus isotonic drink instead of plain water as it hydrates the body better as it replenishes the electrolytes.
20km to 30km
After 20km was not able to catch up with CS and the distance between him and me begin to widen. Continue to run at around 10km/hr speed. At 28km mark, started to feel some pain around the thigh and hamstring area. Bad sign and a symptom of cramp about to come. So stop to stretch the legs and then continue to run. Put on ‘heat-rubs’ along the way when there are supply available. So started a mixture of run and stop+stretch from 28km to 30km and try best to avoid onset of cramps. Told myself regardless what happen, must complete the full marathon.
30km to 40km
Saw the 5-hour marathon pacers, so thought may still have chance to complete the full marathon within 5 hours. Started to stay close to the 5-hour marathon pacers from 33km to 37km mark. Running speed was averaging around 9km/hr. Reasonably ok and did not trigger the cramps. Quite glad and still optimistic that maybe able to complete within 5 hours if the cramps do not sets in. However at 37km the pains around the legs were getting much stronger. The helpers along the way all ran out of the “heat-rubs”. So stopped and stretched the legs again and again and then run. Stopped several times to stretch… continue with a mix of run and stop+stretch to keep myself going. Borrowed some “heat-rub” from a fellow runner near a bus-stop. Seems to help relief some of the pain. Told myself that in future I must bring along some “heat-rub”.
40km to 42.195km
At 39km mark decided to continue running with minimal or no stops to complete the event with reasonable timing. Continued at average speed of 9km/hr and mindful of potential cramps setting in. Completed the full final few kilometres at that moderate speed through sheer determination.
COMPLETED THE 42.195KM FULL MARATHON IN 5:19:51 HOURS.
Was so so glad that I manage to complete the 42.195km Full Marathon and still able to walk around the place. As CS Chan said “It’s a Glory to complete a Marathon event”. Cheers….
After the finishing line, saw my wife and daughter at the side looking out for me. So glad that they have came to provide me the support. This is the first time they came to join me for a running event.
Met ZhiJing and Joe.
AFTER THE MARATHON (SAME DAY)
Was able to drive car home. Very glad that there is no injury. Thigh muscles very painful. Have difficulty taking off the socks. Very easy to get a cramp on every parts of the body if that portion of the body moves too fast e.g. arms, legs, etc. Felt legs pain while climbing stairs,
need to climb stairs slowly.
DAY 1 AFTER MARATHON
Thank goodness that my meeting in US was postponed to Jan-10. If not, the travelling and flight journey can be torturous. Went back to office to work today. Still have some pains on the legs and body generally felt tired.
DAY 2 AFTER MARATHON
Almost fully recovered. Most of the pains were gone. Was pleasantly surprised at the fast pace of recovery. Told myself must do another marathon again and aim to complete within 5 hours. Wanted to sign up for Sundown marathon on 29-May-10 but clashes with some other commitment. So will have to give this a miss.
Definitely will sign up for next year August Marina Bay Half Marathon and December Standard Chartered Full Marathon. Will also sign up for other running events along the way to continue to keep the body in tune and healthy. Not sure whether to run at constant speed of 9km/hr throughout or to use another different strategy to complete the full marathon within 5 hours.
I have never thought of running a Full Marathon some 1.5 years ago. Special Thanks to HT Ng and ST Kuan who have motivated me to sign up for my very first running event last year August i.e. SAFRA Marina Bay 10km run. And for HT Ng and William Yeoh who ran with me since then in the Nanyang Polytechnics running track and subsequently migrated to some of our other favourite running routes. And the joy of running with all our fellow Hot-Runners !!
Run for Health, Run for Fun, Run for Life.
