I targeted to do 4 full marathon in 2012, SCMS was last on the list after I wasn't able to go for Taiping marathon and Putrajaya Night Marathon. As I achieved my sub4 goal two weeks back during PBIM, this run I was planning to go steady and consistent to see if I am doing as a pacer, what pace would be a consistent pace for me to complete a FM. Like any other run, thing doesn't always go the way we wish...
The fun part of this trip began with meeting up the gang at Expo for racekit collection (actually mine was collected earlier by Hong Chew), actually it was more for checking out the sports exhibition booths there. I was impressed by how well the organizer planned this event, I can see it from the collection counterssssss, nevertheless, there was no big crowd, nothing to compare.
Camwhore shot no.1
Camwhore shot no.2
Bump into Mohan in the Expo
By the time we left the expo, it has already started to rain heavily, that was when Ann Ric and "ahem" came for their kit collection. I bought 1 boxes of 2nd surge at SGD10, average about RM6/pack, much cheaper than in Malaysia, that's going to be part of my supply for 2013.
Still the same plan, 3 packs of 2nd surge, with anything additional given during the run.
They were giving out this hand band for runner to check if they are on track for the timing they are running.
I woke up 2am in the morning (slept at around 11:30pm), surprisingly not so zombie mode, but had a hard time to swallow my breakfast before made my way to the MRT. I was early at the MRT, knowing that the 1st train arriving will be around 3:15am, I was there at 2:45am, LOL! Spend sometime scrolling through the new song list given by Sophie Lim - Tomorrowland 2012, awesome songs for marathon! :D Then the train arrived and I was counting time at each station to see if I can make it on time to deposit my plastic bag and yet make it to meet the gang who are supposed to meet up at coffee cluc, Wheelock place. Everthing seem so rushing.
1st person I saw after arrived at Orchard was Cikgu Syed but he didn't see me, lol! I went to grab his hand and before exit the MRT station, we bump into the gang below:
Bump into Mata gang at MRT upon arrival at Orchard.
Very quickily, me and William Kow made our way to the baggage deposit area which is quite far away from the MRT station. There wasn't a very long queue at each counter, but the ladies at deposit counter were......very ladies.-.-!!! Then we ran to the coffee club and took the following shots before rush to the starting line for sub5 runners:
Taken when Tan sisters not around...
Shot taken at coffee club, when the Tan sisters went to toilet....
Same hometown, same running shirt, same 4-eyed guy, LOL! My HMV pacer: Boon Yeong
While making my way to the starting line, I felt the need to visit the toilet for a quick release, somehow the queue was quite long, I had to abandon the plan and hoping that the faster I run infront, the sooner I reach the mobile toilet on the way, and I can do my tension release there, I MADE A HUGE MISTAKE.....
Starting line is the bright light stuff.
People Mountain People Sea
The race flag off at 5:00am, the 1st thing I did was to overtake as many people as I can and make my way to the toilet. 1st time in my life I find the pacers group with followers are so annoying because on this 2-3 lane roads, their crowd is blocking half the way. After 1.5km, it was so much easier to run on straight line and we were still running in the city road, no toilet.
5km into the race, 2 water station passed, no toilet. I can feel my bladder full and I had to control my steps not to over bounce myself, I cannot put too much of stress on my tummy too....arghh!!! At 1st I thought at Ekiden 2nd runner area, may be there will be toilet, yes, there were, but they were CLOSED!!!! After 3 water station, I really beh tahan liao, I saw one guy dashed into the bush and handled his tension below the tree in the shade, and a few other guys were spotted at the same area!!! Without thinking much (fxck Singapore law), I made my pitstop at one of the tree and release my 40mins tension in the race. It felt so good!!!
After returning to the race, it felt very funny with suddenly the tension is gone at the bladder and I had to focus back on catching back the time lost at pitstop. Because of that, 3km later, I felt a sudden pull at the back of my left leg, I thought something snapped, landing on the left came with some pain which I was not able to identify where, but I knew I had to slow down, that was 11km into the race. I made a choice to slow down by 30s/km, and the pain slowly went away, whenever I subconciously speed up again to 5min/km, the pain came back. So I might as well go on crusing at 5:20-5:30/km pace, having to see many 5min/km pace runners overtaking me, including one lady from pacesetters malaysia and a pink compression stoking girl, lol!
Though I was cruising at slower pace, I had more time to calculate what timing I will be at different distance, strategize abit on what pace shoud I go later (like I said, all this planning never work, I just need to kill time n keep my mind busy, lol). I noticed I was on track for sub4, in fact, other than I did a slower pace for 15km compared to PBIM, I was on track to be on par with my PBIM timing for 21km. And surprisingly, the pain on the left leg never come back because I never go back to 5min/km pace. Took my 1st pack 2nd surge at Km19 as planned.
At the U-turn of 21km, I was on track for sub4 still, but it wasn't my target for this race, I just might as well attempt anyway... Soon after U-turn, I saw Cikgu Syed again at the opposite passing by water station. From that point onwards, my entire ECP return route was to spot our fellow LYNR on the opposite lane. I saw Wayne at my KM23-24, shouted his name to get his attention; collected 2 packs of Shotz from the water station then saw Jason Tan doing fine at my KM26, somehow I took a walk around that time, just feel the need to go easy abit since I wasn't targetting sub4, surprisingly on timing I was still on track with 5mins buffer. Took my 2nd pack of 2nd surge at KM24 as planned.
After exit from ECP at KM30, it was all the way an unknown area with tough mileage ahead, my aim at this point was to achieve same timing as PBIM for 33KM mark, which is 3 hours mark. Took my banana while taking a slow walk to rest since I still have some buffer time. There was no wind in the construction area, the route was a mixed of road and trail, my right thigh started to give way by having some contraction. I managed to hit 33KM (Garmin distance) at about same time as PBIM 33KM, though the race distance mark showed I was 500m away from 33KM.
34th KM was the toughest part of all, after the torture by uneven road, both my thighs CRAMPED!!! I had to stop and rub my muscles and at the bridge near Marina Bay, I can see 35th KM mark ahead but I just had to stop and wait. This was when the 4:00 hrs pacers and the followers overtook me, there gone the sub4 timing. I wasn't disappointed, but instead, I took another calculation of what timing should I finish with the remaining 7KM..
4:12 became my new attempt, just nice to get a 6mins/km pace throughout.
The Tiger balm given at the bridge somehwhat ease the cramp abit with the cooling effect, I managed to start to do slow jog, at this point, I just want to do 6-6.5mins/km pace with small steps without using much quadriceps, and I paid the price of hurting my left knee (known later).
The sun was hot and the weather gets humid at 8:30am, I was practically taking shower at next water station, stop and pour water before I drink any, LOL! At 36th KM the cramp and pain were too great that I just felt pissed off and wanted to take another walk and the idea came to mind that I took a camwhore shot at the 36th KM sign board (Garmin showed 37KM, LOL!)
After exit from ECP at KM30, it was all the way an unknown area with tough mileage ahead, my aim at this point was to achieve same timing as PBIM for 33KM mark, which is 3 hours mark. Took my banana while taking a slow walk to rest since I still have some buffer time. There was no wind in the construction area, the route was a mixed of road and trail, my right thigh started to give way by having some contraction. I managed to hit 33KM (Garmin distance) at about same time as PBIM 33KM, though the race distance mark showed I was 500m away from 33KM.
34th KM was the toughest part of all, after the torture by uneven road, both my thighs CRAMPED!!! I had to stop and rub my muscles and at the bridge near Marina Bay, I can see 35th KM mark ahead but I just had to stop and wait. This was when the 4:00 hrs pacers and the followers overtook me, there gone the sub4 timing. I wasn't disappointed, but instead, I took another calculation of what timing should I finish with the remaining 7KM..
4:12 became my new attempt, just nice to get a 6mins/km pace throughout.
The Tiger balm given at the bridge somehwhat ease the cramp abit with the cooling effect, I managed to start to do slow jog, at this point, I just want to do 6-6.5mins/km pace with small steps without using much quadriceps, and I paid the price of hurting my left knee (known later).
The sun was hot and the weather gets humid at 8:30am, I was practically taking shower at next water station, stop and pour water before I drink any, LOL! At 36th KM the cramp and pain were too great that I just felt pissed off and wanted to take another walk and the idea came to mind that I took a camwhore shot at the 36th KM sign board (Garmin showed 37KM, LOL!)
So pissed off that I decided to take photo instead, lol!
Once again, from 37th KM onwards was purely mind over body and every KM i stopped and rub, the last bridge at KM38 saw the big crowd of 10KM and 21KM, many stopped at bridge side to stretch, including myself, I thought that was bad enough, coming down the bridge took a larger toll on the knee!!! This point onward, my 3rd time overtook the pink long compression stoking girl and never seen her again...
The next 2KM was focusing on finding path to overtake the walkers and to withstand the heat from the sun. There wasn't any option left for me but to squeeze through the crowd to get water at the last water station. 40KM at 3:55 hrs mark, I should be happy that sub4 for 40KM !!! :D
Final 2KM was slow and steady not to walk anymore and to get to the right lane for finishing. It was riduculous for me to have FM finishing line in between 21KM and 10KM, the number of people changing lane at final 300meters were crazy! If the signboard were up 1KM earlier to put FM at the right or left lane, I think it might be better.
No dashing to the finishing line, holding on the pain and crossing the line with a huge sense of relief. Yes, 4th FM completed. :D
This time I ended much better compared to PBIM, at least I was able to stretch, to walk and to finish my drink and get my post run massage done within one hour after crossing line. But the massage was done by volunteers who only rub the squeeze the legs, not quite a proper massage that focus on the muscles, I was happy anyway. :)
No hiccups at baggage collection, something Nike run Malaysia shoud really learn.
The 1st person that I met after crossing finishing line, he did 4:19, good job! :D
Waited for Ann Ric and Rachael at information counter
Bump into Lin Lu and his Friend while making my way to baggage collection, both sub5 ! :D
I could barely lift my leg...
Barely hold on to my breath and the pain to cross the line...
Similarity in both finisher T
Never expect to be in the top 5% with this result, was aiming top 10% only.
I thought there were more people overtook in the last 12KM, at least there was a bunch of sub4 runners following the pacers did.
Unofficial result from online tracking
Haha, Garmin recorded 42.95KM, which is still acceptable.
SCMS full marathon route map
Post race comment:
This race is one of the most organized race I ever joined, sufficient water stations, different route with different scenary mixed and having the different starting timing zone. Nevertheless, now that I experienced the need of toilet during the race, I would appreciate more mobile toilets at early stage of the race, and a better finishing lane for the FMers, at least separate them clearly.
Perhaps the FM can start at 4am instead of 5am, slower runners won't have to be under the sun for too long, everyone can go home earlier.
There is a need for me to run consistent pace at 5:30-5:45mins/km than a 5mins/km pace for 21KM then a Run-Walk 21KM for 2nd half.
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