Beat the Sunrise

Event: adidas Sundown Marathon 2010

Date: 30 May 2010

Venue: Changi Exhibition Centre

Distance: 42.19km(45.2km according my Polar S3 footpod)

Shoe: K-SWISS MiSoul 1.1

Background

This is my 2nd full marathon and also my 2nd sundown. The first marathon was a total blunder as i walked from 32k marker towards the end. However, for this year event, i was not totally prepared due to other commitments and hence the longest mileage recorded was 20k LSD. A friend of mine advised to take it slowly and run at your own pace.

Friday 29 may 2010

Since it is my 2nd year running in this event, i decided to bring the "whole army" to Singapore. The advance booking of the hotel and using the remaining of my enrich point settled the accommodation and flight tickets.

Just arrived at Changi Airport

Aisyah at Golden Lounge KLIA

Arrived at Changi around 5.30pm on Friday and straight to Changi Village Hotel on excursion bus at the terminal. Have a look around at the vicinity of the hotel. How I wish the organiser remains the same venue as last year since the hotel and the starting point was 5mins walking. This year, they decided to start from Changi Exhibition Center which 6km from the hotel.

We settled everything and meet up with Rashidi and his family for dinner. Unfortunately, it rains heavily around 8pm and we're stuck at the hotel. The only way is to have dinner in our room.

Race-day, 30 May 2010

Woke up early as wifey wanted to go for shopping. I've already know that for this year's event, a pre-race rest is impossible but i'm happy as they are here with me; i'm going for mu run and the mummy, baby curly and baby jude will have more time with us...

Around 6pm, we went back to hotel as to had our dinner, it was quite heavy dinner

8pm: met shidi at hotel lobby and we took a cab from hotel to race venue.

Arrived at Changi Exhibition Centre, we went to information booth to collect our race pack. For this year, the running vest was not as impressive as 2009; design and quality of the vest. Other than that, all goodies were like last year.

9.00pm: start off for 21k

11.00pm: as we prepare ourselves, I suddenly realized that I left my energy gel at the hotel and only have one for the whole race. Shidi was kind enough to give me his extra energy gel(he has 6 packs). The organizer was showcasing a video clip of Marathon run in Chicago. I was not concentrating on it since I knew that I need longer warm-ups and stretching.

12.00midnite: Race starts off!!..a total of 3000+ runners now pursuing their dreams in completing the race. We started almost at the back of the pack since they have segregated based on expected time. My strategy was to run at 7.30m/km as I wanted to conserve my energy for a strong finishing…hehehe

The route was no different compared to last year. It is almost the same route, flat out. At 5km, I managed to tag along with one regular runner from KL, we talked as we ran together just to avoid from being sleepiness throughout the race. On the hand, I need a pacer as I knew that my pace is decreasing by minute.

We’re pacing each other until at 15km marker, where he has to stop (I don’t know why). Anyway, the first 10k, my pace was slow, clocking at 1’28”( very slow!!).

21km: at the u-turn, I realized that shidi was way behind me, couldn’t recalled where I left him but I met him at 23km mark, he’s on the opposite of the route and have not reached the 21k marker. (2hr54mins)

28km: Battling against sleepiness, as I was running by myself, the fatigue and the soreness of my legs start creeping in, not to mention when you run alone although there are many runner along, you tend to concentrate on your run to avoid your legs being lock up. At this point, I start to slow jog as I know that at least until 32k marker for me to take my energy gel.

32k: another 10k to go, already clocked 4’31min..i decided to do powerwalk for 1 min and run 3mins. I realized my mixing my run and walk, at least I could better my timing compared to last year.

35k: My body and sleepiness couldn’t take it anymore. I decided to walk until finishing point as I was struggling with my knees rather than my calves or hamstring. It was probably due to concrete surface along the route. At some point, I run on grass just to ease of the pain in my knees.

Entering Aviation Road, I decided to skip the 2 water station as I knew the finishing line just near. The last 10k is the longest hours of my run. From 32k to 42k, I feel that each and every kilo is longer than normal. The last 2k, I decided to run at 8min/km as I wanted to a strong finishing. At last reached finishing point at 6hr 36mins -gun time or 6hr 33mins (my watch) and BEAT THE SUNRISE!!.

Post-mortem

I did not expect to finish the race as mileage during my training was very low compared to last year. But I think the experience taught me to control my pace and conserve my energy to have a strong finishing. Comparing to previous year..i'm off less than 15mins.

2010 Running Data

Sundown 2011 – 42k or 84?

Well, I would like to do 84k, but with only 2 marathons under my belt, I think I need to re-assess my training plan. Nevertheless, it would be interesting to either back in Singapore for another 42 or 84. My next big event would probably be Standard & Chartered Singapore Marathon.

Special thanks to mummy, baby curly and baby jude for always be there for me. To friends and fellow runners for their encouragement and mocking support.

Signing off!!

Back and front view of finishing medal

Sundown Marathon 2009...first and probably last marathon

Event: adidas Sundown marathon
Date: 3o May 2oo9
Venue :Changi Village, Singapore
Time: 11.59am
Distance: 42.31km (according to my Polar S3 footpod)

I was excited but yet a bit nervous going for this marathon, since my ankle stills hurts from the my football match. Considering this is my first marathon...i did not set any target but at least to finish it in respectable time..

Although rashidi n me did not prepare properly for the event, we were hoping that all our practise and event that we have took part since early this year will help a bit... we were actually wanted to felt how it feel competing it full marathon as our longest run was the CR2 (29.9km).

There is no pressure or what so ever as we wanted to enjoy this event completely and have some guidance/exposure for SCKLM...

I woke up around 3.00am on saturday as our flight to Singapore is at 7.40am, thinking that we might miss the bus in KL Sentral, we decided to go out early, i have to asked my brother in-law to sleep over in our house and sent me to the KL Sentral earlier that morning...

Arrived at KL Sentral about 4.05am and waited for shidi, earlier, i have checked that the bus to LCCT leaves every 30 minutes, shidi arrived about 4.1oam, driven by his wife and we board the bus at 4.30am...have a good nap before arrived at LCCT around 5.15am...the airport was so crowded evethough in this wee hour....i never arrived to LCCT this early morning. We then checked in our luggage and have breakfast in fact more like "bersahur" of nasi lemak and mee goreng while waiting for boarding...

8.30am: Arrived at Changi Airport...since our colleague, Annuar is on Trade Policy Course
for 3 months in Singapore, he had offer us to stay at his apartment...Sommersett Liang Court in Clarke Quay...(thanks bro...)

We waited for annuar at the airport before had our quick breakfast at Geylang, i've told annuar that we need to get some good sleep before the race...after breakfast and some sightseeing, we went to his apartment to get a rest and collect our race pack..

As we gone through our race pack, i realised that we received different shirts...i had a vest while shidi received a t-shirt....anyway, i not going to wear it since it is too small...other than that, race number, other stuffs and nice black/orange beg...

The race pack

My race number

Preparing for der race...all the tapes, oil and even mp3 player (a must have for shidi)

We know that we wont have any energy more after der race, so we decided to take this picture before the event...

After some warm-ups and a couple of runnings...the race was finally flagged-off at 12.03, according to my watch...since the organiser had separated according the runners' expected finishing time, we were at the back of leading runners....it took about 5-7min to reached the starting gantry and crossed the timing sensor...

The 42.195km Marathon route features four uniquely named sections:

•String of Lights (22km) – This runs along Nicoll Drive, behind the Changi Airport runway and down towards East Coast Park.

•Heartland Twist (7km) – This features 3 overhead bridges linking East Coast Park with Bedok Town Park and Bedok.

•Waterfront Trail (6km) – This goes around the reservoir towards Pasir Ris

•Home Run (7km) – This last stretch is where runners will face a 300m uphill battle before reaching the finishing line.

the first 1okm: Since started almost at the back...i cant keep to race pace as there are many runners in front of me and the route was quite narrow...my watch clocked 7.12m/km during the first 3km. As i reached the 1st water station...i noticed that the water station was packed with runners...so, i decided to skipped the first water station and the next at 3.8km and 6.1km mark...

Below is my running data...

At 8km mark, i was struggling with the heat of the night, at 10km water station, i've the water to cold down a bit, didnt notice any sponging...since i only brought 2 power gel...i was thinking to used it half of the packet at each 1okm mark, i realised that by cooling down my body heat, i could run faster before reaching next station...

At this point, my focus is to the next water station as i realised that i have to do it one at a time, i didnt focus on the distance but rather on other things.

The next 12km(22km)...is not the route that hampers me down since the route was flat since beginning but i felt sleepy throughout the next 10km...try to re-vitalised my energy by getting more water poured onme but i spent less time at each water stations...suddenly at 18k mark, my ankle starts to hurt and so was my knee...i realised that it will come but i've not expected to be this early...

Reaching the 22km mark, i could ran at my race pace,evethough i overcame my sleepiness, i have to consistenly keep my pace, clocking at average of 7.45m/km,cadence of 82/min..

32km mark: i've passed der Bedok Reservoir and not at waterfront trail..this is the farthest km i reached in any event...at this point, i realised that my socks were fill with water and my legs are getting heavier, what i was thinking..should have bend a bit when pouring the water on my head at early stage...at this point, i was running at a slower pace, i fact i ran for 6 mins and walk for 1 min to avoid cramps...i noticed at this point some runners are streching to avoid further injuries..

38km mark (Home run): my knees and left ankle should take it anymore..i decided to walk to der finishing line. Thinking that reaching der 29km mark of 3'57 min...i could at least reach 42km before 6 hours, but it took 2'22min for the next 13km, shidi soon catch me at 40km and we finished the race as we begin it...clocking at 6' 19''24.1

Looking back at the race, it not the route that is challenging, but teaching your body to run where is supposed to sleep is the main factor..anyway, will it be another Sundown next year??..shidi and i decide to rotate it with SCSM for next year. SCKLM will be a different thing..

My lap timing for 10km, 2okm,29km n 42km...

At the finishing backdrop...

My first 42km finisher shirt..hehehe

Finisher' medal (front)

Finisher' medal (back)

Managed to snap a couple of pictures on our way back....

der Pacemakers Circuit Run 2

Rashidi, En. Pauzi (MPH), me...

der Pacemakers Circuit run 2 was held on 23 May 2009. this is the first nite run i've join in building up to the Sundown Marathon. The run also mark the start of my taper week.,glad shidi decided to join CR2 together with MPH.

The run was scheduled to start at 7.45pm but was delayed due to torrential downpour since 6.00pm. After finishing all my daily errands...i arrived at LG around 7.oopm. it is still raining n i thought that the run could either cancel or postponed to next morning...

7.15pm: Wait for rashidi at LG car park behind the Lake club...still raining...later, we walk to boat house...where we noticed that the route was flooded with water patches is some areas...

7.30pm: register and collect bib...saw WKM was distributing the bib to runners.

8.00pm: Organiser later announced that the run will be flagged off at 8.25pm...we later met with MPH and have a chat on his planning of setting up a tennis club at our office (great idea)...do some warm-ups and setting up my RS8oo..hehehe..was excited to used it. this time, im using it with s3 footpod to know my strides,cadence and pace..i've even pre-programme it to desired pace and cadence...hehehe...

8.25pm: The race flag-off...i started a bit slow(as usual)...the weather was so fine..a bit chilly but the atmosphere and ambiance of it...mmg best!!

Here's the lap time and pictures of the event. Pictures courtesy from Bro Tey. http://pmtey2.multiply.com/





















and here's the data of the running event...
















Pictures courtesy from pmtey2.multiply.com...thanks bro tey...




My 'muka pancit'...cant remember actually when tey snap this pic...so exhausted...hehehe


Here's is highlight of the event:

1 n' 2 loop: I forget to push the button after i completed my 1st loop...based from my lap time after my 2nd loop..my timing was 27' 47''599..an average of 14min per loop...n i was consistent until lap 6, where my performance was deteriorating gradually...

I started to stop at the water station on each lap...probably due to hydration and heat...i noticed that when running on the road my pace was quite steady as compared to running on walkway...eventually over a period of time...my pace is getting slower and pain in my knee is getting worse...

On my last loop, i met WKM n walk with him to the finishing line completing my first nite race..my S3 footpod shows a distance of 30.64km (without calibrate)...n in 73rd place, a bit dissapointed but at least i achieved my weekly mileage of 60km on that week...