After 6 months of jogging; four times a week with a long distance run on sunday at bishan park with Tristan Yap, finally this is it. The race day, the day i had been waiting for. Woke up at 245am, took the mrt and got off at sommerset at about 430am. The flagoff is at 5, i had hydrate myself with about 4 cups of H2O. On my left hand are 2 packs of energy gel and a bottle of redbull with isotonic mixture. I was not particularly early for the race but still there is some time, walking from the mrt to the gate before heeren i couldnt find a toilet. Further down to Takashimaya, no gents to be found. I enter the runners gate 5 mins before flagoff. Did a ultra quick stretch on my quadriceps and "bang" off we go.
My bladder felt the effects of overflow pipe bursting. 400 metres down the road after orchard central there was a big canal by the side of KPO. A group of men feeling the same like me dash to the canal railings and feed the fishes with amonia rich with minerals taken overnight. A relief in time for the greatest, longest race of my life. We join back the race on the main road, at the turn to penang road we witness the leftovers urinators cutting across the grass patch like a tiger line. Off the road heading to the tunnel at fort canning hill. It felt strange having driven from the opposite direction instead of running against traffic. I am being placed in a group that wants to finish the race between 4-6 hours. However it doesnt feel like it as some of the runners were beginning to slow.
Left turn going into pickering street, cecil and robinson road; it was congested with the heat coming up from my belly. The barricades by the side makes overtaking difficult with more runners obstructing joggers traffic. The pace was acceptable but the stride wasn't. i had planned to start really slow however the stride wasnt my normal usual stretch reach of my legs; on the contrary you have to keep the brakes on as you try to manouerve between the fast and slow runners. I was at the 5km point heading into colloyer quay, at this point of time i was trying to look for the "pink" pacers however it seems i already had the disadvantage once you start off the last few behind the queue. I told myself i will just pick someone i can try to keep up with, She was slim, dress in tights with a sporty ankle; having an ipod on her left arm, earphones; and a white 2XU long sleeve runner overall.
We hit the water point at the f1 tracks and geared towards nicoll highway. The air around us was still chilly thou i would welcome some drizzling rain. I assume it's still 530am in the morning. We cross the bridge which i think its part of nicoll highway. My lady pacer still in sight, she wasnt fast but she is consistent to the point that it seems like i am running on treadmills. i smell the sea in an ocean of pespirations. I gulp down my first energy gel. It was the sweetest evaporated jam i tasted. Sweeter than peanut butter, i hope it better give me some exra leg muscles. We cut into fort road and head down ECP. I ask my mind to burn the fuels, my body a combustible furnace. Run Mr Yong RUn!
13km ECP, another water point. To my surprise of what an incredible feat, our group witness the first of the kenyans coming back in the opposite direction. Distance difference, Kenyans at 30km; me at 13km; long way to go. We applauded the kenyans and marvel at their speed, is this human limitations at a speed that twice as fast as mine? I am running an endurance run; the kenyans? seems to me they are running like Usain Bolt's speed. Fortunately i am exagerating; however i am beginning to think the gods are africans, 2km down, i decided to break away from my lady pacer. Plentiful of fluids i decide to take my 2nd pak of energy gel.
18km, the cheer station increase my motivation. I did a high five with one of them. 2 handful of deep heat on my quadriceps to numb the fatigue. We have to carry on. During my training stint for long distance running i have only covered 2 longest runs at 20km and 25km; beyond these length, i do not have an answer to my body limitations. This is my first marathon, i would like to run as fast as possible. I ran as if the Zee Monster are creeping up my legs from my toes. Finally we hit the dead end of ECP after BEdok Jetty. Its a U Turn and the beginning of the 2nd half of the race. My legs have extra weights with lead like a oceanic diver.
Another 2 pack of energy gels, the sun had risen an hour ago. I am at the 25 km mark, i felt like crap; my right feet bandage that i put on to prevent blister on my last toe had came off. I was dragging my feet in small peony strides. The bandage had move from the space on the right side to the centre of my feet and i was hobbling uncomfortably. I went to the bench and took off the bandage to ease the pressure. A small bubble was beginning to form, at the point of the race i had pushed the limits of my legs; any further distance i would be covering would be depending on my mind. Endurance is the game, pain is what the nerves make up of, conditioning of the mind will ease the agony. My Friend Tristan Yap will say ' at this point of time i wonder why i sign up for this treacherous torture''; it had begin to sink onto me. My Lady pacer friend had overtook me and i look embarassly slow.
32km, i lost count of the energy gel i had. It could be between 6-8 packs. I have read somewhere that the normal human body is able to continously run 2-3 hours only, once depleted of energy, the marathoners call the condition 'hitting the wall". I am on walking pace, zero calories with no energy to spare. Looking around, seems like everybody is as slow as me. Infront of me there are two sixty year old with a runner's built that seems to maintain the gap between me and them. Jogging seems like walking now, and walking seems like toddler's crawl. We went passed garden by the bay which was a pretty sight. The cheers kept going on, they had ran out of deep heat and i practically walk the last 10km.
The slope down raffles ave was an indication that the end is near, usually runners would favour a free for all downslope that carry the body forward with minimal effort. The muscles lack the ability to cover distance. The bladder was beginning to feel full again, i was totally hydrated. No Gent in sight, the air is warm and the body is hot; its 10am in the morning and i am wearing 2 tops. LEft turn to esplanade drive, i told myself i shall use the toilet in esplanade. 20 minutes later, what a relief. I walk into the final stretch into padang, yes padang the ending and finishing point; the end to the longest race i ever attempted, i pick up my pace one last time for a runner's finish.
experience note: The body should be condition to run for 32km, minimal a sleeveless top will do. It is better to queue up infront during the beginning of the race. And always relieve yourself before running.
