Sundown Half-Marathon 2011 (28-05-2011)

It was great to end the month of May with a bang. By completing a Half Marathon, my very first half marathon!

Travelling there was a pain. Though i left straight after service, i reached there about 6plus, with a cab fare of $44 bucks. It’s quite motivating to see the 10km runners while i travelled into Changi Exhibition Centre. Not forgetting the jam into the entrance.

I dilly-dallied for a while, met up with Esther at like 7.45pm… and dilly-dallied a bit more and suddenly we heard the announcement that the 21km race has started. So i’m not really sure how late we were.

What i did during the race
1) I skipped the first 2 hydration points, cos i was still feeling perky, and i didn’t feel very much pressured to drink anything…

2) At the 6-7km, i was starting to feel the pun-chek, and decided to take one powergel, but i didn’t see any hydration points till after 8km.

Surprisingly, the raspberry cream powergel tasted quite nice, and it’s not that creamy.

3) After the 10-11km, the hydration points were quite near, i decided to stop at all the hydration points, as i’m starting to fizzle. And i started applying more and more muscle rub, which its functions deteriorated with every rub.

4) Walked run walked run from the 12-18km. It was getting more and more difficult. Saw the Full Marathon runners. The road back was getting tedious, with cyclists and roller bladers coming from the other direction. Saw some of the fellow 21km runners started to stop.

I decide to plow through without taking the spare powergel on my waist.

5) At the 18km mark, i started to become very aware that my legs are slowly starting to give way. I applied more Counterpain, which relieve the cramps that are threatening to surface, as well as the stitches.

I walked, brisk-walk (which threatened the cramps to come) and slow walked….

My legs did a 无声的呐喊。。。。i was slowing down drastically, and was thinking if i should just sit down. But knowing that my legs are so tired, the moment i sit down, i don’t think i’ll wanna stand up. So i plough on, with my legs ‘screaming’.

6) With my aching legs, i thought i would walk all the way to the finishing line. But strangely, the moment i saw the 20km placard, i found the strength to run the last km to the finishing line. And i saw this:

3 HOURS 59 MIN 25 SECONDS

This is the race time. Though i’m close to finishing at 4hrs, but i’m glad i’m still within the 3hr range. And i guess, my bib time will be slightly lesser, which i will only know tomorrow.



What i got out of the race
1) Sundown Marathon was a great experience, but getting there and getting out of there is literally hellish. I spent like $60 just taking cab to and fro there!

2) I realized that i can actually run 17km before fizzling out, since this is my first ever Half Marathon, and my first time running this long a distance in 1 seating. 

3) The medal is secondary, but the main thing is i know that i’ve set a new personal record. =)

4) I need to build up my stamina even more, in preparation for my next 21km, which i believe will be the Army Half Marathon. I just need to register for it….

5) This is random, but i realized i need a pedicure. My toenails are aching even as i typed this. My toes were feeling painful from the 15km.

6) Darn, i should have taken my powergel at 15km, instead of skipping it. Maybe i will reach my target 3hours 45mins.

All in all, it was a great experience! Am excited to train for my next run (Shape Run 2011).