Congratulations to all the runners who completed their run! Remember, no run is easy no matter whether it’s a 5km run or 42.195km run/death march. I remembered during my secondary school days running even just 2.4km is killing me. Respect all the runs ?
This is my second full marathon and although it is very disappointing that I took 6hrs and 10mins from gun time to complete it. But it should be expected, I didn’t train for it, I didn’t clock in enough mileage. By right I was only doing a half marathon until about 29 hours before the run. If you want to run, you will find a way ?
At first when the design of the finisher tee was out, I thought that it was ugly and luckily it is none of my business as there is no finisher tee for half marathoners. But now that I got this 42.195km finisher tee, I feel that it is sibeh chio because I use my sweat and tortured myself physically and mentally to get it!
I want to thank Nigel for pacing me. Always checking up whether I’m ok, giving me encouragements and reminds me to drink water and to go slow when I went a little faster. Till about 28km I really couldn’t catch up with him anymore and start walking. I walked a lot in this run. The back of my knees are tired. I was cursing because one of my thigh and calve is very spicy due to my pole class earlier on. See all our right thighs and calves ?
I should have worn compression tights for the run. I worn them during SCMS and Newton Challenge and my legs were pretty fine after the run. But today, I did not wear it and I feel literally like a penguin after the run and it feels as if my leg were jumped and stomped on a hundred times ?
When I exit ECP, I tell myself start running you can do it! And I start running again till I reach gardens by the bay east. It is really amazing that when you thought that your legs had already failed you but you can start running again. And for the entire run, there at that stretch is the best part of my run. I felt like a rock star because after ECP, it seems like everyone was walking and I’m still running. I felt tough because even the guys who looked so fit was walking and I’m still running, passing them. And then one runner ran pass me and said: Good Job! My eyes followed him to check if he is telling that to everyone but no, so I figure out because at that time I was still running, still looking strong while the whole place looks like a scene in the walking dead where everyone else is walking and looked like dying. Really thank him for the words because it allows me to carry on running for quite a while feeling good ? And I tried to spread his kind gestures to other runners too by telling them ‘jia you’.
Today I really forgot to run happy. I was so concern about getting a PB, even completing it one seconds faster and I am satisfied but I didn’t manage to. This is my second marathon with the first marathon last year at SCMS completed in a Net time of 5hrs50mins. I had a lot of walking. And I was so stress during the run that I think I looked back at least 50 times to check whether the 6hrs Pacers have caught up and hoping that they never caught up. But still, they caught up at the last 4km and I tell myself to follow them, but I went a little faster than them but after 2km I looked back and the balloons were gone and never passed me anymore. So what happened? Did they walked? And there was a part where the sprinklers were on, watering the plants and grasses I just feel jumping in front of it to get myself soak! It looks so shiok! But better not, people will think this one crazy already. I walked another 1.5km till I saw the “Last 500m” signboard and start running again. Sure a lot of cameras and indeed a lot of Photographers are camping there, just see the cameras flash ? At least for the pictures hopefully won’t catch me walking ?
Finally I completed the run and I feel like sleeping, can I camp there? I don’t want to move anymore, I can’t move anymore. Sundown marathon became a sunrise marathon for me ? And I feel so nauseous immediately after I stop running. I found myself hungry but no appetite. And the moment I found my friends who completed the run it rains and we seek shelter. I was actually hoping that it rained when I was still running. I was so smelly, so sweaty, and so oily. Drop dead tired already, didn’t want to walk a single step anymore to explore their race village ? Even call a cab home because I was feeling so unwell. When I reached home, I was too tired to go and bathe till I slept on the floor before I finally took a chair to the bathroom, bathe myself sitting down ?
Recap on the running routes, Marina Barrage and Shears bridge is crazy. Angry with some cheaters who cheat at the barrage ? I think I never saw anything at the barrage to scan our time so must be their friends who tell them can just siam running the slopes. Other than some part of the routes is very squeezy, the ECP seems very long and torturous.
Now I wonder would I dare to go for a 42.195 marathon again? Although already signed up but do I dare to go?
[Throwback 29 Hours before Sundown]
Omg! Omg! Omg! I’m so not prepared for this! I can’t believe myself! I just get myself ‘upgraded’ from running 21.1km to 42.2km! I must say because Kelvin and Thomas had did all the ‘poisoning’ me of running the 42.2km since weeks before the run and I was already very tempted to go but tell myself peace, remain at peace, don’t succumb to temptations but when Serene says not always can run together then I totally lose it and within minutes I find myself looking for ways to run the full marathon instead ?
But when I cool myself down. I asked myself what have I done? Where is my plan of running below 5 hours 30 mins for my next marathon? Can I do it this time? Should I follow the pacers? Should I just run easy and run happy with my friends who are doing super slow that they even thought of coming up with a 7 or 8 hours pacer group for themselves? A few days back I just signed up for Penang Bridge International Marathon and it is a bad idea because I am now using it as an excuse of to go full this Sundown to prepare myself. Last year I went for my first full marathon at SCMS, after completion I thought that a full marathon is like an item on a bucket list, complete once is enough. But I think I forgotten the super toughness of the 42km and now I find myself challenging it again.
[Throwback 2 Days before Sundown]
Don’t know what am I stress about. It’s the exact feeling I have when I was sitting for my exams when I’m studying. Anxious, nervous and worried. I don’t run fast, I am not a competitive runner nor running earns me a living. So stress simi? Actually I’m not a runner, define these words: Runner. Run. Running. What is run? Or maybe I’m a jogger? So did I run or jog all these time? ?
I guess the stress is partially because I’m aiming to get a personal best in this run. But it is only just another half marathon right? No. It is not only just a half marathon. It is my third half marathon! It is a freaking 21.1km, not simply just a half marathon!
I’m quite new to the running community in Singapore. For my first half marathon at GEWR last year, I did 2hrs and 24 mins, but this year I did 2hrs and 34 mins at 2XU. 10 minutes is not a lot, in 10 minutes I can only take a quick bath, 10 minutes in my bed every morning is like close my eyes and open my eyes 10 minutes gone. But for those racers, even 0.01 seconds matters a lot to them. Anyway, anything lesser than 2hrs 24mins and I’m happy already ? So, 2hrs 23mins and 59seconds can do!
People do intervals, hill trainings, fartleks, this and that but I simply run the way I like because running however way I want to run I’m at my comfort zone. Maybe I’m a weakling. But I’m still better than those who don’t run at all right? See, I am damn good at consoling myself ? Still, life is not about running. There is much more to life.
[Throwback Straits Times Run 2016]
Thank you Running Shots for this beautiful picture. Can see that we are truly enjoying ourselves and having fun during the run ?
The ‘beautiful beautiful pace’ that Serene, Kelvin and I goes at still landed me in the top 50% of the 18.45km women’s category ? Although the speed and timing cannot really make it which irritates me a lot but consider the almost did not show up, consider the drinking of alcohol before the run, consider the sleeping of a maximum of only 3 hours since I woke up on Friday morning, I think I did a great job just by showing up to run. And I think I was too hyper because of the alcohol and I keep on talking non stop. Hope they didn’t find me as a ‘noise pollution’ ?
