I made it! My 3rd full marathon! Coming from someone who hated running in school and used to cheat on laps around the field, it’s a huge achievement. I still remember doing those 100m and 20m dashes, I never used to qualify for them.
Anyway, this time I completed it in 5:24:37. Which is worse than my previous one (5:20) but better than my first (5:29). I’m pretty consistent I guess….consistently slow! But I am not complaining because I NEARLY did not run the race at all. The 2 weeks running up to race day had been very hectic – I had been having long days and stressful days at work, not to mention the lack of exercise (with the view of tapering) made me even more tired. On top of that I seemed to have pulled my left hip flexor and it was still acting up until the race itself. And finally, on the night before the race, we did the traditional carbo loading at Pasta de Waraku at Marina Square…that was when I started to feel nauseous. Before dinner I was having a bit of a headache – I thought it might have been from dehydration as I drank very little water on the bus – so I took a Panadol. After dinner, while stretching myself, suddenly I felt the whole world sinking. I felt a bit nauseous and light headed. My friend said I looked pale..I could not even walk back to the hotel which was 15 mins away – I had to take a taxi back.
When I got back I just immediately jumped into bed. I could not sleep immediately as my niece and nephew were around and they were talking very loudly. Nevertheless I managed to knockoff, after listening to my mp3.
Got up at about 3.45am on race day..felt much better but wasn’t sure if I could pull through a 42km. Spent the entire hour sitting on the throne (with no success) and eating a Power Bar (ya I know, disgusting….trying to fill one end and empty the other!) I had my bib and chip all fixed the afternoon before, so all I had to do was just put on my running gear.Slapped on loads of petroleum jelly everywhere – that was the greatest because I had absolutely NO CHAFING at the end of the race!
Left hotel room about 4.50am and headed to the starting point. As I approached the starting point I began to feel quite nauseous as there were far too many people – total of over 43000 participants – plus the smell of Deep Heat ointment really put me off. Was very tempted to just quit, but I thought, heck, I’d been training for almost 4 months,and I’d come all the way….why don’t we just try it?
By the time the gun went off, I still hadn’t reached the starting point – far too many people!!! Took me about 4 minutes to get to the starting line. It was so crowded that by the time we came to the 3rd km after the U turn, I had to walk for a bit..there was no room to run! After I had started running, I felt much better but not completely great either. But you know what? I didn’t even feel like I needed much mental strength until about 30km….with the crowd pushing you on , you just keep running and running and running. Almost autopilot.
I was feeling alright until about 15th km..I felt a bit of a stitch coming on – I think I was feeling a little dehydrated perhaps. I stopped for water at 4th, 8th and 12thkm. (Water only, no 100 Plus. Usually only begin taking 100 Plus between 15th to 20th km) I stopped to consume my 1st power gel. After that I began to pick up pace. I missed the banana at 12th km – I didn’t see it but I saw other runners around me carrying a banana. At about 22nd km they were giving out some Gu Gel so I grabbed 2. Continued running until about 25th km before I took my second gel…was still feeling strong and on autopilot! In the past, the crowd starts to disperse after 21st km..people start to walk etc but this time round, the crowd didn’t clear until about 30th km! That shows you how crowded it was.
At about the 28th km I spotted Tey, the resident PACM photographer, then I waved at him and said I was from PACM too, and that was when he took my glorious, glamourous photo in action. This is the best running photo I’ve ever had! (Well I guess it’s because I knew he was taking my picture :P)
Stopped at 32nd km for banana and 100 Plus. Think I was beginning to feel tired but could still push on after the banana. I actually ran continuously until about the 37th km before my hip flexors started feeling sore and tight..that was when I had to do intervals of walk – run. My pace slowed down incredibly in the last 5km and I knew I could not beat my previous timing but I kept reminding myself that my aim was to complete it. I began to feel very hot and sometimes I would stop at the waterstops not to drink but to pour water on my head.
Between 40th to 42nd km felt like the longest, especially near the F1 pitstop…it was very hot. Finally as I approached the finishing line, I picked myself up again, though my thighs were very very tired, I spirinted to the finish line.
What an achievement!
I have to say though that this time I had absolutely no sore knees at all after the run. Hurrah! My thighs were sore for about 2-3 days only but that was it, no injuries. I think what also helped was that after the run I took my niece to the swimming pool, and I did some running on the spot in the pool, which relaxed my hip flexors a lot. (And also very good for the joints)
I’m ready to run again.
PS. Forgot to mention that I ran until there was a hole in my new New Balance RM49 socks! Bah!
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