Borneo Marathon - My 1st FM

After 1 year running for half marathon and achieved the results that I want, I have decided to do full marathon this year. I have never planned to have my 1st FM in Borneo, but somehow the plan turns out to be it.

Every run starts with a goal, initially I am stucked in between "just to complete" or "complete within specific time", then later I have to decide whether to do sub 5:30 or sub 5:00, I pretty much sure I can do around 3:10 for 30KM, but I can't be sure if I can finish the final 12KM within 1:50 after seeing Kelvin Wan terrible virgin marathon timing, we are pretty close at 21KM timing, so I thought he would be a reasonable benchmark, anything beyond 30KM could be disasterous.

After trained twice with K1 for 30KM, it further confirmed that my 30KM timing could be slightly behind K1, so I will take his Energizer result as a benchmark, he did 4:39. I thought, may be I should challenge myself for 5:00...That would mean, an average 7min/km pace.

Come race day, I woke up with too much phlegm in my throat, was coughing the whole 15mins and clearing them until I can finally breath properly. I thought: what if I cough during the race ? I don't really have much time to think about that, so, WTF, just go for it!!!

The race started before we were even ready, so it was quite rushing to cross the starting line, my initial plan was to do 6min/km pace for 1st 10KM, followed by 6:15-6:30min/km for the next 11KM, then with the extra time I saved from the 1st 21KM, some 15mins, the 2nd half of the race I am much safer on timing.

Situation doesn't always go as planned, I managed to follow the 4:30 pacer and maintain 5:50min/km pace for the 1st 10KM and surprisingly I was able to keep that pace for the next 11KM though some knee pain kick in at 17th KM. I took a 2nd surge at 19th KM and the effect kicked in at around 21KM.

After 22KM, I started to walk through all water station to get sufficient time to rest, I was still able to keep a 6min/km pace with minor pain on left knee and right knee alternately, but my breathing was hold steady, so I thought probably I can try to maintain this pace for until 30KM, and I did. Cold water sponge helps alot on cooling down the body and the knees. I started to get 1st Aid spray at 26th KM. Another 2nd surge was taken at 28th KM.

At 31KM U-turn, sun started to come out and my timing was just at 3:05, an extra min for me to spare while maintaining an average 6min/km pace. I was quite surprised that I was still able to maintain the pace although I had more pain on my feet, but I felt OK and continue to push through. The Borneo route was mainly flat until 33th KM with minor elevation which killed my speed a little.

The suffering started at 35th KM which I started to feel my breathing went shallow and I had to conciously breathe, the pain started to affect my thigh, my calf and my knees. Every second become counting distance for the next station for rest and 1st aid spray. Managed to get another spray at 39th KM and I knew that was the last station before finishing line. At the time, I knew I am going to finish sub 4:30, I probably going to end up with 4:15 if I push through, but I decided to slow down with smaller steps just in case cramps attack. The final 3KM, I was just focusing on breathing and looking for the sign of the Likas Stadium entrance. The moment entering stadium, I knew I made it and I still manage to do a 100meters push and cross the finishing line. Result? 4:18.

This is really a very surprising result to me, I thought anything sub 4:30 would be my next year's target, it is probably because of Borneo's flat route, I don't think I can do the same at SCKLM.