Not all heroes win battles, sometimes a defeat story is worth writing too.
I could have not done this post, but this trip was so amazing that I think it deserves a post for others to know before going. So if you are looking for a race report, this isn't quite one, in summary, I fcuk up and I did horrible timing despite knowing I am not fit for a good timing already, I fcuk up, end of story. I will do more elaborations with lame convincing reasons if you want to know anyway.
The amazing trip began at the airport check in counter, I was given the surprised news that if I transit through Wuhan, China on my way back (yes I gave China Southern Airlines a chance because my elite airline friend told me it was cheapest and CSA is good ranking as full service airline, it was indeed, cheapest.), I need to have Visa. Refer to the picture below for an idea of how cheap a return trip can be (not my actual final price though). note: you will need to pay some fees for better seats upon online check-in.
Visa ? I know at the back of my mind when I book the air tickets I may need visa but I also have the idea that transit doesn't need visa but I never bother to check. Now that I think back, even if I checked back then, I will still not get the visa, because on paper (official site), Malaysia doesn't need visa for 24 hrs transit. I kinda believe the check in counter lady anyway, but what can I do at that moment right ? I can only figure this out when I am at New York. See how I have an amazing beginning of the journey ?
So I have a comfortably worry-some flight to JFK transit at Guang Zhou (single transit no issue). Then went to check at CSA counter and was told that there was case that Malaysian got stuck at Wuhan (my return route is JFK-Wuhan-GuangZhou-KLIA) but the airline didn't know what is the reason. A quick check online on some official sites, someone did mention something like this and official reply I got (2 days later) was: No one knows why but you better get a visa while you are in New York.
Awesome, now I get to make a visit to Chinese Consulate in New York too but I was already going to Washington DC the next day, so the plan to apply visa will have to be on Friday when I returned from Washington DC. By the way, if you are planning a trip to Washington, Americana Hotel is a nice hotel, located at where the usual 5 stars hotels are and you pay good rate, and they provide breakfast, best hotel ever in my entire trip.
Fast forward to Friday, where weather in New York got colder to single digit and of all places, the Chinese Consulate office is located at somewhere near the sea. Not wanting to risk taking the wrong bus (which later I found out to be really convenient and easy on another day) and be late, I decided to take the longest coldest walk to the consulate, maybe it wasn't so long, but in that headwind, it sure felt long enough. Then we got turned away for some reasons and only managed to submit the application successfully on 3rd visit within 5 hours, in between I even managed to do my race kit collection because it was also within walking distance (another walk that I don't quite enjoy...). On details of application, PM me, lol!
I felt so much relieved after the submission of application, at least this is the best options of all options I had in mind (you don't need to know).
OK then move on to the race (finally can concentrate on the race), I already did the race kit collection but did I mention my slot was not from official race ballot ? My slot was a ballot slot by Abbott, which is my employer... and no, it is not like what you think: good la, can go all majors without qualifying or balloting. I still need to ballot, through the company and for the past 4 years, I finally got one (though my wish is Boston and London). and NO, this is not paid trip by company, it is more like a USD 400 lottery that you need to spend USD 4000 to claim, so practically everything is self-funded except the entry, and may be the extra service provided (details to follow soon).
My drama on race kit collection was, I was told to choose poncho option instead of drop bag option, which means at finishing line, I receive a really cool poncho to keep me warm until I get back to where I need to be to change instead of collecting drop bag at finishing line and change there. The reason why is because, ahem, the Abbott slot is VIP slot, and VIP slot has a pick up bus to race site on race day, and Abbott has special arrangement to help us to collect our drop bag to a hospitality lounge outside of the official race finishing area (but close enough to walk).
Things could have been easier if I just follow instructions, BUT, my visa thingy got me into "better know more details than regret later" mode, I went to double confirm with the volunteers at VIP slot pick up on the special drop back service, and I was told there is NO such arrangement, it is either drop bag option OR Poncho option, I either get a wrist band that allow me to pick up poncho and exit early or walk further to collect drop bag if I choose drop bag option (no poncho wrist band then).
To give you a better perspective of why this matters to me, IF I go with Poncho option, based on my understanding at that moment, no drop bag for me, so I leave hotel with nothing except a transparent plastic bag to carry what I need to the race site (food, drink, disposable clothing), nothing else I bring to race site will be brought back (dispose before starting the race). I will have access to my stuff if someone carries them to the hospitality lounge, sounds very inconvenient, and a good 9 hours of having nothing until I managed to get to the lounge.
Now, this is not the 1st time I used this service, back in 2017 when I got Tokyo marathon slot (on my own), I contacted my Japanese colleague and they got me entry to the hospitality suite too. After finishing the race, I was given only the emergency blanket (ya the thin aluminium foil sheet) and no drop bag at finishing, I walked more than 1 mile trying to find my way to the suite, not a very good experience because it was a place inside (or under) a building. A bit panic I was, I went to change to drop bag option.
That means, based on my understanding at that moment, I will drop my finishing bag just before I board the VIP bus (because the email said so), the pick up will be 5:00-5:45 am, the race starts at 9:40 am for my bib, I have good 4 hours of having nothing but I have a drop bag at finishing. For your information, the drop bag plastic bag is not big and you CANNOT put another bag inside it, everything that you have, must be able to be inspected visually without opening the bag. You can put some clothes, food, recovery drink, phone, wallet in it, but definitely not a jacket that is sufficient to keep warm after race, maybe.
Here is what I got it wrong (after I read the email print out over and over again), there is special drop bag arrangement by Abbott for Abbott before boarding the VIP bus, so the volunteers at race kit collection didn't know about this. After considering my options and I decided to change back to Poncho option and carry a phone to run so that I never get lost on my way to the lounge.
Then, I decided to do all the "DON'Ts" of running a marathon: (I can actually use these to justify my race performance you know ? lol)
1. wear new shoes of a new brand --> because I felt good about it
2. try new gel --> because it has Kipchoge's picture promoting it
3. wear something I never wore before --> because I FORGOT to pack my favourite T-shirt...
Eventually what actually screwed up the my race ?
6 days of walking and lack of training for the pace I was running.
Here is what happened:
Race day, woke up at 4 am, had some breakfast, still few hours till actual flag so I decided to snack at the race site on whatever they have to offer but kept some drinks for myself. Left hotel at 4:45AM and in the train I can see runners all with the official plastic bag issued at expo, no one is carrying own bag pack except me (I was seriously hoping I am right about Abbott do have special arrangement). I managed to reach the station where I was supposed to be and start looking for the junction where the bus was supposed to be, good to have my phone with me and managed to find those guys with Abbott flag and officially relieved with the special drop bag service (any size anything I want to drop, they just keep it in a standard MI6 gears supply solid case to secure them.
I was then officially without warm jacket except the thin jacket that I was ready to sacrifice (or maybe to wear it to run if it gets too cold) and a transparent plastic bag to carry my drinks and an extra disposable insulation top that I think I will need while waiting at the starting pen.
Took an easy jog to find my bus ( with VIP sign of course) and found a seat next to a stranger, the bus is warm and noisy, people are too excited to share their race strategies and other great races they have done around the world and how running got them back their health and years in life, OK I just made that up, I have no idea what language they are speaking, they are just noises and noises. Then all buses started to move after 6 AM and it took us like 1 hour to reach the Staten Island which was the starting village. Took a quick toilet break inside the bus (yeah they have that) to avoid any queue need at race site. The moment I was off the bus, the whole chilling windy condition attacked immediately, I must say I didn't feel cold at all, I felt NUMB right away!!!
We all then have to walk pass the security screening where everyone needed to show everything they carry in the transparent plastic bag (if you forgot one, they are handing those out), anyone with own bag pack will need to discard their bag (ya bye bye to you UnderArmour backpack if you are carrying one).
Passed the screening immediately I started to look for the VIP tent (like a lifebase), asked the officials there and got pointed to the direction and took an easy jog towards it. It was not hard to find it because it was the biggest tent in the entire area (maybe it was not but my eyes can only see this tent and nothing else). It was warm inside and soon I realised there are MANY MANY MANY VIP runners, I figured it immediately, of course, the race title is TCS, then there is New Balance, Charity team, Gatorade, UPS, United Airlines etc.... each sponsor if gets 40 slots, that would be quite a lot of people and all the available chairs and tables were already occupied (damm, were there earlier buses ? how did they get here so early?)
I could only managed a standing spot, happy to share a table with a gentleman who did the race 20 years ago and back for more, we exchanged the usual questions of getting to know someone superficially (like you will actually remember the answers, I can't even remember his name now, lol!). But chat we did and it was not all just superficial. Then more runners came in the place is so warm and noisy noisy noisy, I have been standing like more than an hour until it was about time to go to the starting pen entry which opens 1 hour before flag off.
Back to the chilling cooling nice weather, I was convinced I needed that disposable BioHazard-looked uniform (bought at expo for USD10). A bit of sitting and standing until the gate is opened and rushed to the toilet inside the pen, a very nice arrangement by the organizer. quickly done with my release and joined the crowd in the wind. 15 mins before the official flag off, people start getting rid of their additional clothing and dispose of whatever they don't need for the race, I was still with my last layer of think jacket, decided to get rid of it only at starting line, the weather is sunny, I figured may be I am able to handle it, maybe.
Zone restriction removed 5 mins to flag off (we were separated by Color corral and alphabet in Pen, once the string is remove we can join the pen in front. Basically everyone jog towards the actual standing line which was at the bridge (Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge). In NYC marathon, you will cross 5 bridges, this was the 1st and it was a climb. As the bridge was closed, the other side of the bridge was another color coral which was the blue, you can see from the map all 3 colors ran different route after crossing the bridge, mainly because of the lanes on the bridge lead to different location on Brooklyn site but at the end we merged back (distance I think would be the same).
I have no idea what pace to do actually, didn't do training for a PB but inside my mind I want to attempt something fast anyway (damn guai lan I know...), so I went with the pace I feel possible, and it was about 4:45 min/km, not very fast, definitely not a pace for a PB, maybe possibly can land a 3:30 hrs finishing, I thought, naive I was.
No kidding, even at this pace, I was constantly overtaken by runners, male female trans, I felt like I was not moving at all, lol! The route is not all flat and nice, there were some potholes and many rolling hills, because the road in New York are straight, you can see the hills ahead of you, after awhile I realised this is never going to end, on the sunny side of the weather I was feeling OK, then entering the city with more talk building and shades, it was instant colder whenever there is no sunshine.
After some 13/14KM, my thighs didn't feel quite right, there was numbness around my both thighs and I could not strike the length I wanted too (the mind was doing it but the legs won't cooperate). I started to think this was probably not the right pace (duh, I know right ?) and probably the fatigue accumulated from 6 days of walking in the city. But I have been through numbness from cold weather and fatigue from walking before, this wasn't them, the feet won't cooperate, it was purely not the right pace for me even from beginning, not even the new shoes because I felt alright with it during my long day walk and even at running now. Not the gel because the new gel was planned for the last. Not the apparels before I was not feeling too cold (don't get me wrong, the cold was real).
It was purely the feet not fit for the pace, so I thought what the heck, go for it until 21KM and let's see if I can shake it off. KM by KM it didn't get better, I crossed 21KM around 1:46 hrs, actually not too bad and still possible for a 3:30 hrs finishing if I got better, but it didn't, so I decided to just jog it for any sub4 finishing, if it gets better good, if it didn't, let's hope it didn't get any worse, LOL!
Irony part was, right after 21KM was crossing another bridge (Polaski Bridge), big struggle, I had to walk and even laughed about it on the bridge. The other 3 bridges that came after were:
- Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge (25KM)
- Willis Avenue Bridge (32KM)
- Madison Avenue Bridge (34KM)
https://centralpark.org/2016-new-york-city-marathon/ See the map here you will get the idea...
Entering Central Park was around 37KM, it was rolling hills as well, I don't think the route was that hard, as I was struggling, it did feel harder, but I still think the hills along NYC marathon were not as hard as I felt, I felt hard because my feet muscles were stiff and were not able to strike. I don't feel tired (but took the gels as planned anyway), just heavy feet. Since I was on track for a sub4, I jogged and walked in between, good thing about this race, you will never be short of music, every corner of the street there was either live band or someone blasting music from portable speakers (huge ones), nice typical American rock and rolls songs.
And then, I finished sub4, decent, not great, end of story.
For more details, see the official data, so I didn't do as bad as I felt, I felt like 30,000 runners passed me actually.
The Poncho turned out to be the better option, because it can keep warm after race for a long while before I get to change. There is VIP tent at race site, I am guessing it will be warmer than standing outside waiting, so it is OK not to have too many things with me, maybe.
I know I should post the
