Did a short run around neighbourhood for 5km in 30:31 minutes i.e. an average speed of 9.9km/hr.
Was very glad to start running again. Did a high speed dash at the final 500m.Have been thinking about May-2010 JP Morgan 5.6km group event. Must be able to run much faster since it is only a short 5.6km. Will be great if can complete it in less than 30 minutes.
So ended up running alone near my home around the neighbourhood at around 7pm. Ran two rounds around my regular preferred route. Clocked in a total of 6.5km in 40:15 hr i.e. an average speed of 9.7km/hr. Quite an easy run today.
Never give. Will continue to run to stay healthy.
Surprised to find that my Garmin monitoring watch showed a total distance of 7.8km. Even with an error of 10%, the distance covered is still at least about 7km. Time taken was 53:12 minutes i.e. an average speed of 8.8km/hr (including traffic stops, etc).
KwangYeong was running as quite a fast pace and it was quite challenging to pace after him. First 1.5km was quite fast. After the first 3km, my heart-rate crosses 170bpm which is not very good. Coupled with the new running environment, overall quite a tough run today. But was glad to try out this new city route.
Hong, Cheang, Kuan and Gan families get together in Hong's house. Almost not able to recognize two of the children Kevin and Kelly, they have grown so fast !
Finally managed to went ahead and did a short run before dinner around the neighbourhood for 6km. Felt really great after the run. After 1km warm up run, was trying to keep the speed above 10km/hr.
Did 6km in 34:53 minutes, an average speed of 10.3km/hr or pace of 5.48min/km. If can sustain at this pace, it is about 54.8 minutes for 10km. Will try to do a 10km event in the near future with target below 60 minutes, preferably below 55 minutes
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.
Went to run at East Coast after work. Started from carpark B1 and westward towards city. Hit the end (blocked) at 800m. Did a u-turn and hit 1.6km at carpark B1. Then continue eastwards towards UDMC Seafood Centre. Make a u-turn right before the first restaurent, after a total of 6km displayed on my Garmin monitoring watch. By the time I get back to carpark B1 again is about 10km.
Ran really slowly at around 9.3km/hr for the first 6km. Then speed up and stay at around 10km/hr. Speed up to above 11km/hr for the final 1.3km. Overall an easy and comfortable run.
Ran eastward passed sailing club, Safra club, Camelot training camp and no more road. After that there is the National Park Connector (NPC) towards Changi Beach Park. Did a u-turn after clocking 5km. Took a short break at carpark F1 to pick up my drinking bottle and continue running westward until carpark B1 (near Fort Road).
Clocked in a total of 23km in 2:28:49hr. An average speed of 9.3kmph which is my comfortable cruising speed. At this cruising speed, heart and lung seems to be able to continue running non-stop as long as the legs can continue.
Total clocked in 10.71km in 1:06:48hr. Started really slow in the first half. After reaching carpark B1 did a u-turn back. Along the way met EJ. After that begin to tail-gate a lady runner in red t-shirt (same color as mine). Was pacing closely right behind her. She picked up speed along the way and I tagged along real closely. When we were about to reach the Seafood Centre, she did a u-turn back. What a pity as she is running at fairly good speed and a good pacer for me. Did not clearly see her face.
Overall, very glad with the run. The timing was better than expected as first half I was running real slow. The second half was quite fast while pacing the lady runner. Went to the hawker centre and took a young coconut. Felt great.
