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...)
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...
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...
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..
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....
