Just about 7 months ago if u ask me about doing sub4 for FM, I will tell u that u must be out of your mind and it is impossible for me to go anywhere near that timing. At that time, I just started my 1st group training with LYN runners at Kinrara despite we have been around for sometime. The 1st 30KM LSD was tough like hell and I was training for my FMV at Borneo International Marathon.
My target ? Sub 5:30.
The idea of doing a sub4 came about when I was able to complete BIM in sub 4:30 and my best rival buddy K1 has set his target at sub4 for coming FMs. I have no idea if I can make it because BIM is really flat, other FM route may not be so gentle. I decided to have 4 FMs for this year and I registered for Taiping Marathon and Penang Bridge International marathon, pending the opening of Putrajaya Night marathon. All of the 3 FMs are at least 4-5 months away, i thought that should give me sufficient to do some proper training.
The month of May and June passed with too much vacation and stuff to handle, I practically started my somewhat serious training after Shape run by increasing training distance and frequency, started to clock more than 100KM/month, though not much, but it is alot for me. At that time, I knew I will miss Taiping FM and Putrajaya NM due to schedule, I actually subconsiously set my target at KOTR, in other words, I undertrain myself for LSD but increased speed training for 10-15KM. The surprise run was RJM when some fella LURED me into running it and that's how my 2nd FM was completed by giving up KOTR. But I was happy, coz I already know what result I can get for 15-18KM, the bonus was, I completed a not flat FM within 4:30. The idea of challenging sub4 surface again...
I know Penang bridge, did 10km in 2010 and 21km in 2011, the weather was good and the route is somewhat familiar as I have drove pass many times...Can I do it? I was still not sure. After October, I was somewhat confident it is achieveable coz I had PB for HM and 30KM, which both on track in terms of calculation to forecast FM result...
Preparation for the run, I figure out that I may only need 3 packs of gel and as insurance, I parked one extra with Hong Lan...:D
17/11/2012: 20 of us had our pre-race dinner at one of the captain Jimmy's favourite restaurant, it was fun to have a reunion dinner for people who can make it.
Pre-race gathering and most importantly: FOOD
Zombie at 12:30am, although nice Ann Ric had given me the best bed to sleep...
Told you I wasn't nervous, the shoelace just don't fit right all the time...
B Suites Lift's CCTV shot
Before depart from B Suites
Starting line snap 1
Starting line snap 2
Bump into Junie, who is doing HM (practically she came to find me, :D)
The LYNRers!!!
The weather for the race day was somewhat humid compared to the previous 2 years, the 1st 3KM I was already sweating alot, which is a bad sign. Wai Hong was with me for the whole journey before entering the bridge. I keep telling myself to maintain 5min/km pace for the 1st 12km, it was rather tiring to keep up and the 2nd water station was set up 5km away from the 1st one. On the water station at bridge I had to pour 3-4 cups of water to wet my whole body b4 I took some water to replenish my loss. I know the shoes will be heavier, but it is better than overheating body.
At this point, still looking good, LOL!!!
There was no much wind along the bridge, at 10km, I did slightly more than 50mins and I have to keep up abit faster to be on track for 12km in 60mins. It didn't happen but I made it to save the time back up till 15km. At around 16km, I can see the Kenyans were already at the opposite side of the bridge, they were already at around 22-23KM mark...-.-!!!
Right before entering into the big U-turn, I saw Karsten at the opposite side, shouted his name and I managed to finally make the U-turn together with Ling Mee Eng (Top 1 malaysian female) after a long chase of 9km, while taking my 1st pack of 2nd surge. But soon after entering the opposite side of the bridge around 21km, she sped off or may be she maintained her pace but I slowed down my pace according to my plan. To my surprise, I bumped into Karsten who just came out from toilet around same time, he didn't look good and it was really not a good time to discuss about that at that moment. I continued to use the water station to shower again and somehow the giving mineral water in bottle became handy as I can slowly take my shower with it.
The bridge became more crowded with HM runners making U-turn and they were practically everywhere!!! I got overtaken by A00253, starting from this point onwards but more like overtaking each other at different distance mark later. My mind was set on what was going to happend after exiting the bridge.....2nd pack of 2nd surge taken.
Coming down from the bridge at around 28km, not so windy at all and can immediately feel the tiredness kick in, good news is: it was not earlier, bad news: it had to be NOW !!! I was searching for our KM37 station but I couldn't find, and I couldn't see well at that time, started to feel some cramp on my right thigh, real bad sign for a start into the 10km U-turn stretch. Until I heard someone calling me and I saw Hong Lan and our people on my right hand side, they were ready. I don't remember if I had waved at them, but I knew I did another round of time estimation, I need to know how much I can have when I come home, yes, km37 become home coming...
I was just barely on track, I need to up my pace a little so that I can spend more time when I return, it was 7km to go, that means 3.5km forward, 3.5km return. I started to see many FMers were claimed by the evil route, they stopped, they walked, they stretched, everyone struggled. I can't see clearly what was ahead, I only knew, 3.5km forward and 3.5km return. At some point they gave out powergel, I thought a spare would be good, but I made a mistake. By keeping that gel in my spibelt, I accidentally dropped my last pack of 2nd surge, only to find out 1km later when I needed them. Overtook A00253 around KM32, "she" asked me where is the U-turn, I think it should be at KM33. I was right. I spent sometime drinking and took a walk to finish up the banana given, from this point onwards, the mind was tired and the legs were quite numb. I walked for 1 minute.
4km to go. KM37 station has become the ONLY target. Time lapsed: 3 hours.
1km after U-turn, overtook Annie Yee, I saw Karsten on the opposite, shouted his name again, then followed by K1 and Wai Hong, later was Cikgu, Zijill, Alvin and Soon Chung. It had been a long journey that I had not seen any of their faces, it was good to know they are still in this together. I made another walk at next water station, they have no 1st aid spray at all except some ice which was better than nothing. I was already out of gels and breathing became tougher. Annie Yee overtook me at this point.
And, the long awaited KM37 station: I had only a few minutes ahead of plan, thus couldn't spend the desired 5 minutes at KM37. My mind couldn't think straight at that point, I recalled Hong Lan sprayed my legs but my legs were so numb the moment I stop moving, I think I grabbed the spray and spray all over my both legs and some got into my eyes....why didn't I thought of SLOAN at that time?
I grabbed 2 pieces of watermelon (something any organizer should always provide, i think) and I didn't even remember where I threw the skin, in the bin or on the road ? my bad....:(
When Hong Lan passed me my spared 2nd surge, I almost wanted to cry.... I just had to quickily take it and walked away....little that she knew, she saved my final 5km...
Thanks to Hong Lan and the volunteers who set up the most important aid station for this race.
KM37 station is like home coming
Biggest struggle in any run
While I was trying to run away from these ghosts who may overtake me anytime, they took an easy break at KM37!!!
From KM37 till finishing line was more than just mind over the body, I had waist pain from KM30 onwards and it had started to affect every step, there were too many walkers on the way, means I had to pay extra attention to what was ahead of me, not only that, was might come from the left or right !!! I decided to skip the rest of the water station to avoid human collission and unnecessary accident.
One LYNR vest overtook me silently at KM38, I thought he was K1 but at 2nd glance, he was someone else, our young arising star, :D
I walked for another minute at KM40 and I was already planning my next walk at KM41. But soon after KM41 I was already heading into Eastin hotel area and I stopped hearing any voice in my mind, it was just about completing it and as soon as I came out from the round about, I saw Annie Yee, the next thing I ever wanted to do was just finish up everything that I had and overtook. I heard someone calling my name but I couldn't see a thing, later I found out it was Kelly calling me, LOL!
Before the final push...
Crossing the line
Wai Hong, Kelly, Ann Ric and Vinny
Bump into Gan and William Kow queueing up for finisher T when we are making our way back hotel
After almost 2hrs of rest, 1st photo to be taken when the HM gang came to search for us.
Nothing much to comment about the medal, it is the completion that matters, :D
Result? 3:56, 1 minute behind forecast. Ranked 44th is definitely way better that what I targeted as top 100.
Did I mention this is the 1st race I ever (finally) ahead of Jessica? Just realise she haunted me since June 2011, much longer than Choi.
Post race thoughts:
The keys of the successful sub4 achievement I think are mainly 3 words: Pace, Patience and Positive.
I monitored my pace every km to know exactly whether I am on track and whether I am behind plan. Keeping on pace not only keeping me on track for timing, but also making sure I am at the comfortable state for my body, not using up too much energy at 1st 2/3 of the race.
Knowing I could have gone faster at certain stretch of the FM, I must be patient to conserve energy for the tougher part of the run, which is unknown. Get overtaken by others runners may evoke the ego to chase, but that's not going to serve me,not in a FM.
Despite all the calculations and strategies, when everything else doesn't work out, energy run low, body ache leg pain fingers cold, the only thing that stop me from giving up was to think positive: It is possible, I can do this, My body is stronger than I am, It is just a few clicks away, There is still more in myself, Friends are waiting, It is 10% to go....
Choi says next target shoud be 3:30-3:45 zone, I am not too sure about that, I think my body needs to get used to this pace 1st before I to further, may be start from improving 21KM-30KM timing 1st. I am just a louder person compare to other runners who have done sub4 many times and with bags of FM medals at home but they are low profilers and humble people.
Can anyone run a marathon? the answer is yes. But my favourite quote says:
"Knowing what you Can, you can go very far; Knowing what you Cannot, can save your life."
If you do not want the suffering of full marathon, then be serious about having a proper training and at least allow your body to experience what is it like to be on hours of exercise, the body will learn the pain, the need and the emotion involved.
Hope my sharing may inspire more people to brave themselves to start their 1st step into running a new distance, be it the 1st 10KM or the FMV, as long as you stand on the starting line, you are already part of the limited population of the country that choose a path to be healthy the conventional way, You and the mother earth.
RunInspired!
