This year, 2007, it will be my second marathon.
With the valuable first marathon experience under my belt, I was not a bit worried about the upcoming challenge. In fact, I felt prepared.
The Preparations
3 days before the event, I started carbo-loading; one SARSI a day.
Friday. 2 days to the marathon. Collected the race pack from the TeamMonash alumni event. Yes, I have once again signed up with TeamMonash and run under their ‘banner’. This year, TeamMonash has the largest number of participants.
Saturday. Marathon’s eve. Not thinking much and went shopping with family. Quite a fair bit of walking around. At around 9pm, I started my final preparations. This year, I pinned my bib to my singlet instead of the race belt. Championchip was tied to my shoe and Powergels stuffed into my tights. One last round of water before I went off to sleep. I take my a look at the route for the marathon and run it through my mind and went off to sleep.
The Race Day
Sunday, 2am. The alarm went off. Breakfast was a simple combination of bread, banana and milo and egg. A final boost to what I need for the day.
Once again, Daphne ever so supportive, woke up at 3:30am, and dropped me off at Marina Square. It was about 4:00am. She will be back later with the Alexis and MJ for the ‘Kids Dash’.
The Bag Deposit counters are still being setup. A few of us has started queuing up. It took them probably another 20 minutes before they were briefed and ready for action. By then, the queue has started forming.
This year, I decided to skip the visit to TeamMonash tentage and gathering with other fellow runners from SGRunners. Instead, I went onto the road, spent time on my own focusing on the stretching, and the run.
Positioned myself at the ‘Under 5 hours group’. I have stick to my proven strategy of doing a run-walk (4 min run follow by a 1 min walk).
The horn went off. 3km into the run and heading towards Marina South, I felt my shin tightening (some pain). I have felt this before during my LSD. Never expect it to hit me again as my pace is much faster. It wasn’t before long that I have to switch to a 3-2 split (running 3 minutes and walking 2 minutes). A bad start. No longer sure that I can go under 5 hours.
By the time, I reached the 10km point, I am already down to a 1-1 split. I know I will miss my under 5 hours target. I still hope to go under 5hrs 30. Struggling on with the pain.
By the time, I hit Nicoll Highway, the least expected hit me. ITB on my righ leg. I can barely run with this pain. Every step almost bring me to the floor. From a run-walk, it become more like a run-stretch. I was stretching along the way at almost every possible stop. My running stride was shortened and my legs ’shuffling’ close to the floor. All these adjustments to deal with ITB.
This continue all the way into the East Coast Park. I was running less and less. Stretching more and walking even more by the time I hit 20km. I saw the 5:30 pacers catch up with me. I know secondary objective is out. I can barely run any more. I push on still.
By the time, I come out of the ECP stretch, beyond 32km, the sun was glaring down. I have lose a lot of time in the ECP stretch. The returning leg of Fort Road, is the most boring part of the run.
By now, my right leg is experiencing mild cramps; signs that it has tired out supporting my other leg with ITB.
Walking under the hot sun, it seems so easy to give up when the legs are tired, and the sun so hot. I pushed on nonetheless.
By the time I reached National Stadium (about 36km), I know that I will be able to complete the journey. But, I am just not sure how long it takes with all these limping. I gave a call to Daphne and let her know my situation and ask her to bring Alexis and MJ to cooler place and chill first.
Turning into Kallang, I grabbed a banana. I know the journey ahead well. Last year, along Republic area (after the last slope), I ran all the way during the last 3km.
But, this year, I am not going to do it. I glanced at my watch, calculated and figure that I still have a chance to beat my last year timing (even with all this walking). I am going to up my walking pace.
Reaching Esplanade, and knowing that there is less than 1km++ left, I started to jog (shuffling my feet again). Out of the tunnel, along the bend, I picked up my pace, down to the last stretch. I saw the official clock. I knew I have beaten my last year’s timing.
Though, I have missed my primary (under 5hours) and secondary target (under 5hours 30), I have learned a lot more this year.
I have push through the whole marathon. I never expect the journey to be this way. It was definitley not smooth, painful most of the time.
The Lessons
Completing the marathon, I wasn’t really that disappointed. Injuries are always a part of any sport. In fact, I did learned some great lessons. I learn that marathon is a mental thing. Couple of times under the hot sun, I have asked myself, “Why am I going through this?”. And yet, the answer was always clear, “To enjoy the journey. It is a reminder of life.”. To me, running a marathon is like going through life. There are always events that took place that went againt the ideal conditions. I would not have completed if I gave up mentally first. The pain that ITB causes could have ‘crippled’ me. It is my focus on the goal of completion that pulls me through.
Somewhere during my marathon, I also thought of my late father. The little strength that I have left and the pain the injury is causing me, gave me a better understanding of how my late father must have felt walking down the stairs (no strength and unable to control).
As the year ends, I can’t help but wonder what does it take to run an injury free marathon. What does it take for me to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
