Have not been blogging since June.... either don't have the motivation or too occupied with life... ok.. excuse... excuse! I need to be more discipline to update my blog and make it more interesting as part of my self-motivation.
This is my 4th or 5th attempt to revive my blogging and hopefully it will be able sustainable.
Ok...for this round, I will blog about the PBIM2008 race report.
The 'serious' training started about 3 months ago from the event day! I just wished that my blogging is as disciplined and dedicated as my training runs.
Anyway, to cut a long training story short, I managed to log an average 35kms per week and later part of the training, the mileage were progressively increased to 45km and even I logged maximum 57km per week. Major different for this training was that I trained together with HS, CT and HW on the long weekend run. We felt that it more motivated to run together and much safer (from thugs and dogs!) when we starts our 5am long runs.
Ok back to today.... unable to sleep much as the event starts at 3am. Toss and turn in bed until about 12am and just managed to get 1 hour of interrupted sleep. Was wide awake at 1am, did all the toilet 'business' and drank some coffee with bisquit before heading out to Queensbay Mall. There was already a large crowd there at this odd hours! Park the car infront of Coffee Bean and then ensure all things are in order, I brought 2 Powergel with me, planning to whack them during the race and ate half a pack of Powerbar. Mostly of the crowd building-up at this hour were school-going runners and teenagers. Surprisingly Coffee Bean and Starbuck were packed with customers. Met-up with CT and HW and after more toilet 'business' we enter the baricaded registration area and perform some streaching and warm-up. Saw KH Ooi, the former factory manager, we introduced each other and we chatted quite a bit. This was his second marathon. His first was the AM Bank KLIM 2008 but we didn't bump into each other then. The number of full marathoners were estimated to be less than 1000.
At 2:45am sharp, an instrutor-led aerobic was started to get everyone invovled and warm-up. HW asked why the lady aerobic instructor was cubby and looked plum... I wonder the same, probably they select the wrong instuctor. I glanced around and none of the marathon runners have an additional pound of fat on their body!!
Race started sharp at 3am. I was not sure which VIP was present but I heard people mentioning Lim Guan Eng name. I was too engross to start running!! Here we go.... CT, HW and I run together, slowly and maintaining this pace until the Balik Pulau traffic -light (10km) tun-back to Queensbay before I gained some speed and do a small breakaway... I felt good and continue on this faster pace. I think HW was close behind but I am not sure how far back was CT.
The stretch from the Balik Pulau traffic light to the bridge entry was almost pancake flat hence I didn't quite slow down and I paid dearly because of this....(more on this later). Upon entering the bridge (18km) the half-marathon runners already reached this point, they started at 4:30am but don't have to run the long coastal road streatch. I have to weaved my run to go past them as most of them are just walking and talking. At the next water-stop, to my horror and dissapointment, all the water have been consumed by the half marathon runners...we didn't have this problem earlier during the coastal run stretch. I have to continue running past them and hopefully reached the next few water-stops which still have water/sponge supply. I maintain my speed and at the up-slope mid-span (25km), the reality hits, having ran too fast in the the beginning, I start to felt soreness on my legs but nevertheless continue up-slope steadily and to my delight the next water-stop although very crowded I manage to get a mineral water bottle. It was so precious hence I carried it and drank bit by bit worrying that the next few water-stops will ran into the similar supply problems. At the tol-plaza (30km) before turning back to Penang, I slowed down considerably because i felt numb on my calf and thigh. The journey back from tol-plaza to Queensbay was really difficult but I never stop running and my speed drop drastically to about 8.6km/hour. The up-slope at the mid span (Penang direction) was really a mental game but I still able to conquered it slowly and steadily without stopping. I told myself before start that one of my goals was to complete without walking. On the way down more runners (or walkers) joined from the Fun Run category and I have the slope to weave past. After the bridge and entering back into coastal way (39km) back to Queensbay, I looked at my watch and i know I will not make it under 4hr30min which was my goal. I continue slowly and reached the Gold Coast condominium roundabout and slightly gain speed knowing that I will be finishing soon...I think I go all out and temporarily forget about the numb and pain.
Crossed the finish line at 4hr33min, 3 minutes beyond my goal but still my best marathon achievement ever. My GPS running watch accurately logged 42.19km ....the official marathon distance is 42.195km. I love my GPS watch!
Was awarded a fininsher medal, cert and a towel. First thing I did was to get some drinks and then limping to a tent where they have ice-bath. I dipped my legs (after removing my Asics, of course!) into the ice pool to sooth the soreness and later did some ice-therapy where a person lie me (on my stomach) on a custioned platform and place packets of ice on the calf, thigh, buttock, shoulders and back. Felt 'therapeutic' but after this treatment which last about 10-15 mintes and when I want to put back on my shoes, both my thigh and calf suffered muscle cramp. The pain was unbeareable and luckily it last less than 2 minutes. I am grateful that the cramp really came after the run and not during!! (I still have sporadic muscle spasm and cramp at home now... the agony of enduring a marathon...painful)
After the cramp went away, my leg muscles were really really sore, I moved around and look for my buddies. Saw HW Koh who finished at 5hr (first marathon) and waited very long for CT Tan. We saw KH Ooi again, we congratulate each other, he finished 4hr13min. Much later CT showed up but his official time was over 6hrs and missed his medal and cert. CT unfortunately suffer a muscle cramp at the 15km and have to reside to mostly walking He told us that he walked the whole bridge span (both directions)...I really admire his sporting spirit and he even resist the sweeper bus.
We took some photos and leave the area at about 9:45am. None of us waited for the lucky draw... too hot and too tired.
No next race planned out but we think that we need to do some gym work to strengthen the leg muscle. May consider the 30km GE run in KL in January 18, 2009.
Lastly, I am quite please with my timing but yet more room to improve especially the leg strength. Marathon is really a gruelling and 'brutal' sport and test the state of the mind to the limits! The distance itself is humbling and initimidating.... but I think I will continue to run marathon :). As a anoymous quote said " Nothing much in life match the thrill of running a marathon' ... how true!
Will take at least 1 week total break from sport meaning no running and mountain-biking!! I need to fully recovere and rest the legs.
Not sure what will be the next blogging but most likely will blog on my daughter's year-end concert!
No comments:
Post a Comment