Island Ocean Marathon 2013

Third race of 2013

 

 

Langkawi here I come...

 

Looking for another challenge

In Kuching there aren't many long runs. We usually have 5km and 10km races. The biggest events are the Spring Live Active Run (16th June) and Half Marathon at Bukit Aup in Sibu (12th May).  So those who are looking for more challenges will have to look beyond the boarders of Sarawak. The Island Ocean Marathon did not catch my eye at first. What caught my eye was the River Jungle Marathon held last year at Batu 16 in Hulu Langat. Having read many a positive review on the run I was really interested in joining it. Then The Marathon Shop announced the Island Ocean Marathon, to be held on 21st April, as part of it's The Volkswagen Marathon Series.  Since it was a given that I wanted to join RJM, I thought why not give IOM a go, because I had never been to Langkawi before.  None of my gang wanted to join me, concentrating instead on preparing for the Borneo International Marathon (5th May, but later changed to 4th May  because of election day).

My race route, courtesy of TMS

Island Ocean Marathon was advertised as a boutique marathon for first timers.  There would be no time chip and thus no cut off time.  What impressed me the most about at last year's RJM was that they waited for the last runner who I believe finished in 9 hours 38 minutes! Plus they gave each runner fresh coconut and ice potong.  Never in my life had I heard of a marathon giving such treats to runners! Time didn't matter to me as I had already run the Penang Bridge International Marathon and knew what I was capable of.  What I wanted to do was use IOM as a kind of training run before I ran BIM. Yes, I signed up for the full marathon there too, and would have to run it two weeks later.  Lucky for me it would be run at night.  So I was prepared to run a slower race, telling myself 7.5 hours would be more than adequate.  If I went too fast there was a worry in me that my old legs couldn't recover in time for Sabah.

 

Resorts World Langkawi here I come!

Awakened at 4am on Saturday to get ready for my flight to Langkawi.  Had to catch the 7.20am Airbus 320-200 and wanted to make sure all my gear was with me.  Was traveling light, with only one hand luggage that weighed exactly 7kg.  Yes, I weighed it.  That's the Virgo attention to detail in me. The ground staff at the airport were a relaxed bunch and did not weigh my bag.  The flight was uneventful, with the usual horrendous landing.  The pilot proudly announcing we were 20 minutes early.  Pray tell how that happened with an airline notorious for flight delays? Was really hungry since I only munched on three oatmeal cookies for breakfast. Ate a curry puff from my favourite stall facing the exit of the arrival area at LCCT.  Now you know which airline am talking about! As the clocked ticked down for my noon flight I decided to indulge in a McD breakfast burger.  Added an apple pie. I do have a big tummy to feed...

Waiting for boarding I saw many a stranger wearing finisher t-shirts and knew they were going to run at IOM too.  Yours truly chose not to bring any of his finishers, and I did the right thing too, considering what I saw on display.  Anytime I see 100 printed on a t-shirt I know I am in the presence of monster runners! It would only get more impressive at the hotel, but I wasn't to know that yet.   Chatted up a storm with the guy sitting next to me on the plane.  He was a season runner, having run numerous marathons before, and like me, he was looking forward to the first IOM.  Didn't bug the lady on the other side as she seemed to need her shut eye time.  The landing was pretty scary but we arrived safely.  Found out the ride to Resorts World Langkawi would cost RM22. Luckily managed to hook up with a couple going there so saved some bucks.  The lady was a talker so we got on well.  She had run 50km at TMBT (The Most Beautiful Thing) and I was suitably impressed by her finisher t-shirt.

Mohan and me, pic courtesy of the maniac himself

Mohan and Farah Fasu (back) and June Malik and me

Resorts World Langkawi was the official venue sponsor hotel of the race.  I know I should say run, but I just like the sound of race.  Guess who I met when I walked into the lobby? It was the marathon maniac himself, Mohandas Kandiah, better known as Marathon Mohan.  We were friends on Facebook, and I already knew he had just run over 200 marathons! My room had a superb view of the ocean.  It was sheer joy in being able to lie down and take a short nap before the carbo loading buffet at 5.30pm.  Being a people person, I hate eating alone, and as luck would have it, there was Mohan again. That man can talk! Me thinks he can out talk anyone in the room. Between chomping on the buffet spread before us, he imparted some words of wisdom to a newbie runner like me. It's good to know what drives someone like him to run week after week.  This man has run in races that others only dream about, and he is only three years older than me! To think he failed his physical as a young man.  Wasn't able to meet Oliver Ker, another running machine, because he checked in later and I needed my sleep.

Carbo loading buffet

Powering up... 

 

Breakfast!

 

Set my alarm for 2am! We were to have an early breakfast. Ended up going down at 2.30am as needed to put on my early morning face. Thankfully I did manage to breakfast alone. Mohan was moving from table to table taking pictures, and got me good.  Didn't overdo the meal.  Ate what I deem as just enough to keep me fueled for the morning.  Then it was upstairs again to prepare my weapons for the challenge up ahead.  For the first time I would be running with four water bottles of 200ml each.  In them I put my special formula made up of hydration salts.  Also stored four energy gels on me, as I knew two would be given at the stations, and I normally take one every 7km.  Unlike Brooks Half Marathon, I had come prepared.  Went down just before 4am.  Did my stretches.  Listened to James Wong, the man behind this dream marathon, and we observed a minutes silence for the those who lost their lives and limbs at Boston.  In fact many of us wore an extra bib to remember them.

We kicked of the run at 4.30am sharp with an air horn blast and a fireworks display.  Now that's what am talking about! Admittedly the route was dark.  The going was relatively easy though.  The fun part was when we detoured to run at Pantai Cenang at the 3.5km mark for about a kilometer.  Many jokingly said we would all be ultra runners because of the extra distance.  Some would clock their Garmins' in at 43.4km!  No matter what, to me I was running a full marathon.   We were close to 1,000 strong.  The largest contingent coming from Singapore with around 300.  There were runners from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand and Europe.  Some wearing their running club vests proudly, while others chose to wuse their favourite running tops from previous races.  Some even wore their finisher t-shirts.  I just wore one of my training tops as I felt it would give me more protection from the sun.  Besides I was running with a new cap, a new set of calf compressions, and new socks.

How far can you go?

 

Running in the dark

Darkness enveloped us in the early going.  Thankfully the safety cars stopped and shone their lights where it mattered the most. Yes, we were warned about the darkness, and it was recommended that we wore headlamps, but not many did so.  The rest of the time we were running by the light of stars and nearby buildings.  It was not as bad as it sounded because our eyes adjusted.  The road condition was not very good after we left the airport area so we just had to run carefully.  I was on the lookout for buffaloes though, but ended up avoiding running over a kitten.   There was a really dark U-turn at around km12.  We could now see the runners coming towards us.  I know it can be a discouraging sight for them, but there was still a long way to go.  Felt the need to pee. Found a suitably sheltered spot.  That was one of the main complaints of the marathon - the lack of toilet facilities along the race routes.  For guys it isn't a problem in darkness, but for the ladies it's a different story...

Was very happy with my pace, what I called my turbocharged snail power.  Hit 21km at just under three hours.  Knew I was going good.  Would stick to my plan.  Unknown to me the route would keep me to it too.  Did try to take pics but the flash on my camera wasn't strong enough.  Made a habit of taking pics at the 5km markers.  At least at the end of the day it would show me how I looked like with each passing marker.  Lets just say I had a good laugh at the many faces I made.  Worse was to come when I discovered that Langkawi was actually very hilly even at the southern tip of Tanjung Malai.  It may look like we were running far, but the island is huge, compared to say Singapore.  If I had to run loops I would go nuts very quickly indeed.  Hard to imagine only last year I started running in races.  Here I was knowing I could do what it takes to complete the distance.  The feeling was really good.

Here comes the sun...

When you run slow you know what to expect... We saw the rising sun and it got hotter and hotter as we progressed.  Was always so thankful to reach a water station.  It was so well stocked with isotonic drinks.  Runners could choose between Revive, Gatorade and water.  There are hardly runs nowadays that give you such choices.  The gels came as advertised.  Having never used GU before I was apprehensive at first, but it went down well with a big gulp of water.  Kept the gel I would get at km32.  It always comes in handy to have extra gels.  In fact I would have two gels with me at the finishing line since I wasn't pushing myself.  Most of the way it was all about the heat.  The sponges helped but I didn't overdo it as I was wearing headphones.  My sweat was more than enough to mess things up.  How I wished I had used some sunblock.  There was a part of me that wanted to look more like a Kenyan or as things stand now, an Ethiopian.

A moo moo posed for me

Saw my blogger friend Hafiz Aizat whiz by.  Managed to take a blurry pic of him with those cute cat-like ears he was wearing.  Trust him to always run in style.  From km20 onwards the route was a challenge.  That's when the hills came into play to slow me down.  Plus the condition of the roads worsened a bit.  Those who put in lots of road runs should know what to expect.  Saw many a squished critter, some I could identify, others looked like something from another planet.  It came to the point where I was walking up the hills and running down them.  Met a fellow runner who was on his maiden marathon.  He hailed from Trengganu.  We chatted along the way.  His father had planned to run BIM but had cancelled because he wanted to vote.  Ahmad Hafiz would later slow down as he had issues with his legs.  I know he made it.  Hopefully his experience was a good one.  Am sure I will see him in many more races in the future.

Ahmad Hafiz on his maiden 42.195km

Will it ever end?

There were no sound of music in them hills.  It was pure slog work.  How does one brighten one's already sunburned day? Well all it took was to reach the water station at km29.  There was where we were all served with chilled coconuts.  Oh my goodness! Coconut water tasted so good.  I wish my tummy could take more.  Read somewhere that a lady drank three! Some people even spooned out the fleshy bits.  What a treat! This was even better than the banana two kilometers earlier, which was much bigger than the beauty I ate at PBIM.  At this point applied lots of Deep Heating Rub on my legs.  As I was wearing calf compression for the first time I didn't bother to peel it down.  Instead I did get that part sprayed by the uber helpful safety car people.  To think sixty were doing it for their friends and family running in the race, and all they got was a Brooks t-shirt and RM50. Way to go guys! In fact the support crew was 300-strong.  That ratio is simply unheard of nowadays!

A fellow runner quenching his thirst on coconut water

Farah called me by name and rushed to me with sponges

When will it ever end? My blisters began to bug me really bad after km32.  What do I blame this time? My shoes were well worn.  My new socks? My 96kg? It was at that point in time that I couldn't care anymore.  The island teased me with views of the ocean and tormented me with even more hills.  James had said that would be an ultra marathon at Langkawi, the date is yet to be finalised, but this one would be a real race, with it culminating at the top of a mountain.  Being a stranger to the island I would never know what I was up against.  However in retrospect that is a good thing.  If I had known how many hills I had to face, I may have chickened out.  That's when I envied those who ran in groups.  They would wait for their gang near the top.  Nothing beats that kind of support.  People were starting to pay the price with cramps and pains.  The pace slowed down completely.  Only a few brave ones challenged the hills.

Cola power!

 

  Wearing Julbo sunglasses

With all four of my hydration bottles on empty I flagged down a safety car and was given the bottle of water I asked for.  Sipped slowly on those precious 500ml.  The final straight was really that. Nearly a long never ending line.  Could see lots of homestays and roadside cafes.  Later came the resorts.  Shops selling eats and bikes for rent.  After running alone for hours, seeing the hive of activity and all those vehicles wasn't a pleasant sight.  The roads seem narrower.  More than ever I had to watch my step.  All I wanted to do was finish. I had long since past my PBIM personal best, so there was no question that I was going to speed up.  Some runners went past me and urge me on, but I just told them I had nothing left in my legs.  Having come this far unscathed, I wasn't about to injure myself.  Then at the final water station at km40 another surprise awaited me.  They were giving us cola.  I gulped down the isotonic drink only to have a sweet lady hand me cola.  Don't be greedy Yahya, said I to myself, so I just took one small paper cup.  It turned out another hotel housing the runners had set up their own station.  Thanks guys! Truly needed that caffeine boost.

Hafiz Aizat with dessert in hand at km42

On I went with the kms being eaten up ever so slowly.  The runners who had finished before me urged me on, while others on their final spurt raced past me.  I passed two runners with slight foot injuries.  Then there was that guy with the most horrible sounding cough.  Luckily he had a friend with him.  The more IOM banners I saw the more excited I was at the prospect of finishing the marathon.  Then went I reached the gate of the resort, lo and behold, people were serving ice cream and buffalo milk yogurt! Took the yogurt and ate it greedily.  There was still 195 meters to go.  The supporters urged me on.  So I summoned up a slow run to the finish line.  The lady there put the medal around my neck and someone gave me a can of imported Red Bull.  It was so nice not having to queue.  Found the nearest chair while waiting for them to search for my goody bag.  Got my finisher in the right size, which is always nice.

Mohan and a fresh smelling me

All Rasid Shariff and me

Lim Kian Huat and me (pic taken on Saturday)

My tired legs took me to the makanathon section.  It was more Gatorade for me.  Attacked the nasi lemak.  After that had several slices of deliciously sweet and chilled watermelon.  Quickly went back to my room.  Had to pack as need to catch my 3.20pm flight back to KL.  Showered and then made some strong coffee while I ate the packet of nasi lemak I had brought up with me.  With bag in tow I went looking for the others two hours later.  That's when I found Mohan again.  Sadly I again missed out of meeting Oliver, who had finished while I was upstairs.  Also missed out on meeting YK Foo for the first time.  That's the problem with running marathons at different speeds.  I did meet up with the amazing Lim Kian Huat, who had just ran the Boston Marathon.  He did 3:33:46, which is simply incredible considering his left knee gave way at km30.  He had to walk and jog the last 7km.  Even in a small marathon like this the big guns come.  It was such a thrill to hook up with them!

The Aftermath...

 

The journey home

Managed to hitch a ride with another talkative lady to the airport.  Runners like to talk a lot.  Maybe we do so to make up for all the silence during our runs.  Who knows.  I was happy.  I set out to do what I had planned at the beginning of the race.  Though I had planned to run IOM in 7.5 hours, I hit the finishing line at 7:05:40.  I didn't feel that I pushed myself.  If those pesky hills were taken away and there was less heat and I didn't have to run another 42.195km two weeks later, am sure I could have bettered my PBIM time.  Yup! It does sound like am making excuses for myself.  However one lady did mention that IOM was tougher than the Bali Marathon! Now that sounds scary I know.  As things stand, I had survived my longest run of the year yet.  My legs hadn't let me down. Of course I didn't push myself.  They may call this a boutique run.  There will be those who scoff at a race with no official winner or cut off time.  However this run gave many runners the first taste of what running a full marathon is all about.

The fact that the last runner finished at 11 hours 40 minutes and the organisers waited for her, with the safety car pacing her the whole way, should tell anyone all they need to know about this race. I so look forward to meeting her at the River Jungle Marathon on 1st September.  We are now friends on Facebook and I hope to follow her progress.  My flight was delayed.  No surprises there.  Ditto the landing in foul weather.  At LCCT had a Big Mac.  They were weighing carry-on luggage.  Mine was 8kg! So I put my shoes and t-shirt in a tote bag.  It reduced the bag weight to 6.2kg.  I was good to go! The lady never even gave me a second glance.  Bet she could guess my weight too! When I learned my flight to Kuching would be delayed I downed two Dunkin' Donuts and more caffeine.  There was no way I was going to fall asleep till I got home.  The rain came the moment we were in our seats.  Never a good sign.  A very bumpy ride home.  The only consolation was that the landing was super smooth.  I want that pilot again!

My reward...

Back view of my medal and finisher t-shirt

"Why does that man wear a t-shirt that says finisher 42.195km pa?"  Those are words I never want to hear a child ask his parent, or a wife ask her hubby.  It's the answer I dread.  Not many people outside the running fraternity know what those numbers stand for.  Just like only us runners know that any run over 42.195km is an ultra marathon.   To all my fellow full marathoners: wear your finisher t-shirts with pride.  You earned it! Not everyone can do what you have just done.  This is only the beginning of more adventures to come.  Who knows, we might meet in another race in the not to distant future.  I am old, so I might not remember all your names.  Don't be shy.  Come up to me.  I am always happy to make new friends.  The Island Ocean Marathon was a revelation for me in how a small group of people could organise a highly successful marathon.  We in Malaysia need more of such races.  We in Sarawak need even more! Races for people who just like to run.

Kudos to James Wong and all his crew.  I made friends with some of them.  The memories I bring home with me are precious.  This is one marathon I highly recommend to first time runners.  Don't aim too high at first.  Start slow.  Avoid those runs with a 6 hour cut off time.  In trying to meet that time you might injure yourself and notch up a DNF.  Work towards your goal with easier runs.  That's what runs like The Volkswagen Marathon Series are for.  Here there is no shame in finishing last.  We all know your name.  We all are proud of you.  We all also hope to see you back in another marathon when you are ready to meet the challenge.  Running is a journey that never ends.  For many of us it is our happy place.  That is why we keep on running in such big circles.  Seeing all those IOM finisher t-shirts at the airport made me smile.  One thousand of you are wearing them now.  Come next year who will be back for more blisters and sunburn?

Brooks Half Marathon 2013

 

Second race of 2013

Elusive Bib

Firstly, I have been to Bukit Jalil before to watch my beloved Liverpool FC play,  so getting there was never a problem from Bukit Bintang.  Just hopped on the monorail to Hang Tuah and then take the LRT to the stadium from there.  The problem was in finding that elusive race pack.  We went around and nobody seemed to know where the place was.  Apparently others were in the same predicament as us.  Got a lift from Kwan, and after a couple of attempts we realised it was at the front of the stadium.  Nice way for us out of towners to warm up our legs for the run.  We had no problem getting the bib, race top and timing chip after locating the tents.

 Orange power!

Before the run...

Did what I said I wouldn't... Walked. A lot. Spent nearly the whole day out. A huge chunk of it was at KLCC.  Did tapau a beef sandwich for supper. Lessons learned from my PBIM race was to have something to eat at least two hours before my run.  So I got oatmeal bars with apricot bits in them and coated with chocolated.  I know it sounds decadent but the calories were actually around a hundred, so I ate three! Took my vitamins and glucosamine for the knees, always do the latter for any long run, since I used to have knee problems not too many years ago.  My main worry was that I was going into the run at 97kg, which was five kilograms higher than PBIM.  However my training regime had been good. Had run 14km, albeit on the dreaded treadmill, in 99:38, and this was a day after Colour Rush. That was more than enough to convince me I had it in me to complete 21km.  For the Penang run I had trained too hard.

Caught a taxi to Bukit Jalil.  Cost me 20 bucks.  The guy had been to Kuching a couple of times so we had a fun time chatting.  Was trying my hardest to drop my Sarawak Malay style of talking, but failed miserably.  Brought a change of clothing in my baggy just in case it rained.  It didn't.  Better be safe then sorry.  Also had Gatorade on standby just in case.  Wasn't running with a bottle this time as I thought could survive on the water stations alone.  The atmosphere was very relaxed.  Queues to the toilet were really long even though approximately 12,000 people participated in the event.  Of which 5,000 were running the half marathon.  Compared to Penang the whole area looked rather empty.  Yours truly started well back in the crowd.  In fact I didn't even hear the gun go off.  There would be a five minute differential in my stopwatch time.  The fact is I need a better watch then the throwaway Casio I was using.

During the run...

 Half an hour before start

What I noticed from the get-go was that many of the runners were unprepared for a long run.  A half marathon isn't something one decides to run on a whim and a prayer.  We do actually have to train for it.  Youngsters may have an advantage in doing 5km and 10km runs, but 21km is not a joke.  Saw runners with leg problems inside km2! One poor soul was even retching at the side of the road.  That wasn't a good sign of things to come.  In fact the bus stops were where the injured congregated.  Some were lucky to have friends with them.  Even saw a runner with skin scrapped off from his arms.  Yet he kept on running.  Now that's the spirit.  Also runners were walking earlier.  This I blame on the long inclines.  One seemed to go on for a whole kilometer.  The distance markers were deceptive at best.  Went by my pace instead of the kilometer markers.  Apparently this was the same problem as last year.

Since the 21km started at 5.30am I was expecting darkness.  However I wasn't expecting total darkness.  This happened when we ran under flyovers.  It happened a lot too.  It was so dark that I had trouble seeing manhole covers and several times those speed bumps in the housing areas caught my feet by surprise.  Drivers in KL are a most impatient bunch.  They were honking their horns at smaller intersections.  For the biggers ones they behaved since the cops manned those.  There were stretches where we had to run at the side of the highway and the orange safety cones were sufficient, but many a runner would stray beyond them, and this was extremely dangerous.  While I like seeing couples run together, this at time can be daunting, as it is hard for people to pass them.  The walkers should keep to the side well away from those who actually want to run.  A couple of times in the early stages over-enthusiastic runners brushed past me.

The water stations had ample supply.  I also chose the ones at the end to avoid all the jostling.  Even got to drink some 100 Plus once along the way, which was most welcome, since the energy gel at km10 never materialised.  If I had known about that earlier I would have packed two, one for each 7km, but alas I just ended up drinking more water, which is never a good thing for me.  If I am going to run Brooks again I will run with at least two 200ml water bottles filled with re-hydration fluid.  Then the need to gulp down water at each stop is lessened.   Luckily for me my legs held up.  My pace was really slow no thanks to the inclines.  Where I had to walk I walked.  My 10km time was 88 minutes, which was very poor, but part of me was expecting it, and so I didn't push myself.  Knew there were many more runs to conquer this year, and my goal was to finish the race.  Unfortunately for many pacing was an unknown word.

 My reward for finishing...

Sadly in my euphoria to finish I forgot to stop my watch.  Thanks to the efficient timing system I found out I ran the distance in an official 3:03:13. My net time was 2:57:23. There was 500ml of water waiting for the finishers.  Gulped down the Gatorade that my MBF gave me instead.  She had run the 10km in 1:21:04 and finished just before me.  Went to collect my gold cup and finisher t-shirt.  Would later have a good laugh when one of the female bloggers called it fugly. Am partial to bright colours so the orange was a nice change from the midnight blue of PBIM.  Would wear it when I went exploring at Bukit Bintang again.  Suffice to say it was near impossible to queue for all the goodies post-race.  The 100 Plus and Milo lines were so long! Heard there were a lot of goodies served, but chose instead to go off quickly and find my own in town.  Since I still had so much gas left in my running tank that was not a problem.

Nasa Zaidul and I flank Wong Keet Wah and Dinah Law, 

friends who ran their first 10km race

Post run...

My MBF was the first to tell me that she saw someone being resuscitated around km1 of the 10km race. It appears that the individual had suffered a heart attack.  We would later learn that the runner had passed away. This was indeed very sad news to hear. Reading other blogs I learned that the deceased was 50-years-old and he was planning to run a full marathon towards the end of the year.  Be forewarned, distance running is not for the faint of heart.  It is best to have a full physical and special attention paid to the heart, if anyone plans to run.  Just because you look fit and feel fit doesn't mean you are.  Look at me! I am over-weight, but I know now my heart can take a lot of punishment, yet I still don't push myself beyond my limits.  Pace yourself is my best advice.  Know what your body is capable of.  Let the younger runners do their thing.  You are there to finish the race.  So am I too for that matter.  We all want to finish the race standing upright.  My condolences go out to the gentleman's family.

I am a strong believer in hydration.  Water is not enough.  If you feel thirsty then it is already too late.  Make sure you re-hydrate as much as you can.  Of course that doesn't mean over-doing it until you are bloated with water.  It is hard to run on a tummy full of water.  Just take sips when you need it.  If you feel thirsty long before the next water station, then it is best to bring your own water bottle.  I find that small capacity bottles work best for me.  Two 200ml bottles for 21km should work just fine.  Fill them with re-hydration fluid.  This is very important for those who don't like drinking 100 Plus.  If you plan to run 42km then go for four 200ml bottles.  The capacity and number of bottles of course depends on the individual.  Do though train with them long before using them on an actual run.

Always remember to bring a spare race top.  This is especially for out of towners.  For the Brooks Half Marathon it is best to bring brightly coloured race tops with reflectors.  Thankfully Brooks did provide one that I was comfortable wearing.  Just had to remember to put a dollop of Vaseline on my sensitive nips.  What  I did discover from the Asics people was the right shoe for me.  Will get a pair and train in them hopefully for my next run.  Those into running bigger 'international' marathons should remember that this half marathon is small in stature even though the turnout was really large.  So expect some shortcomings.  Things sort of even itself out in the end.  Just be prepared for the shock of seeing so many first timers attempting to run 21km and give the speedsters a wide berth.  The probability of seeing them again in the latter half of the race is very high.

Will I run Brooks again? The answer is a resounding yes! It can be used as a training run.  The long inclines make for a good workout on the legs.  Knowing what I know now I will use the inclines on the treadmills and also the elliptical cross-trainer more for such runs.  The stair-master thingy at the gym was never my thing and I don't plan to do a Towerthon in the near future, so I keep away from it.  Pain is not the runners' friend. If you feel pain don't try to block it out.  Yes over time your pain threshold will improve.  However do not ignore pain.  It's your body's way of telling you something is wrong.  Listen to it and do what must be done to alleviate it.  Yes we all want to run and keep on running.  At the end of the day it's about how well we know our body and how well we maintain it for future runs.  Here's me hoping to meet you guys again on another run. Run safe always!

Wondering what I should try next...

Colour Rush

First race of 2013

Charity run for children's cancer...

For sure I was starved for real road races, but than who isn't, that likes to run.  Having gone bald for cancer during the SCCS (Sarawak Children's Cancer Society) fundraising drive last year, it was a no brainer that I would support them for the Colour Rush run.  It was held  in conjunction with the International Childhood Cancer Day 2013. Why did they call it Colour Rush? Well the Colour comes in the form of edible powder, representing our hope, faith, and strength for these children.  The 5km run  used the exact route as the two night runs of last year.  I don't know about you, but just the idea of throwing coloured powder at each other was enough to get me all excited. They didn't even have to tell it was going to be a fun-filled, memorable, and meaningful experience.   I knew I was going to have a good time! Sadly the run was held on a Saturday morning (23rd February). Thus many of my friends could not join. The reason being the next day was Chap Goh Meh

Me going bald for Children's Cancer

Yours truly was not taking the run as a serious endeavour.   Was going to get into the spirit of it all.  In fact even though Saturday was the day for my long run, I would later go to the gym to do a treadmill run.  You see I am in training for another much longer run, 21km to be precise, to be held in very early March.  My biggest victory was in persuading my friend Hendrick Foh to join the Colour Rush.  Hendrick suffered a heart attack only days before my PBIM run last year.  The meanie that I was I used to cajole him to walk faster on the treadmill all the time.  It was not for me to know that he was doing his best with the (unbeknownst to him) faulty heart valve he had.  Suffice to say I thought of his well-being during my Penang run.  The fact that he was successfully operated on before I ran my first marathon was the best news any friend could hear.  Hendrick has since gone through a complete lifestyle transformation. He now walks almost all the time.

My mobile phone has been flooded with stats from his walks.  Hendrick has gotten better with each kilometer.  To the point where I persuaded him to join Colour Rush.  Yes it did take some doing, but he ultimately submitted the entry form.  Me and my BFF even walked the entire route with him, with all our gizmos in hand to prove that it was not a difficult route, even if there were two challenging bits.  Our gizmos told us it was actually 4.84km, but who is counting, right? The time was a respectable 62:27. Hendrick was as exalted as we were seeing him complete it.  Just had to persuade him not to overdo it.  Did tell him to rest on the two days before the race.  He was going to walk it, and we would walk alongside him, but all the same, we wanted his legs to be fresh for the event.  I confess this was part of my master plan to get him into even more races in  the future.  So my fingers were crossed that he would do himself proud.

Colour Rush run t-shirt

When I picked up my race kit the first thing I noticed was that there wasn't a race bib. So this is really a fun run. Am glad. The big plus was the t-shirt was comfortable to wear, very similar in feel to the last night run I participated in.  As nice as the t-shirt was, I wouldn't want to use it during a serious run as it would heat me up really fast. However as things stand it's always nice to start the year with a run t-shirt I would actually like to wear and not keep in the cupboard next to my other nightmare run t-shirt collection. Last year the three t-shirts that I prized the most were: my Penang Bridge International Marathon 42km finisher, my Go Bald 4.0, and my Borneo Highlands Nature Challenge.  I wonder what my top three choices will be this year.  Those charity run t-shirts will always hold a place close to my heart. Yes I run for the joy of it but if me doing so helps bring joy to others too, then I am truly happy.

Let the fun begin...

 

 All nice and clean before the colour bombing (Reuben Su in centre)

 Some people started early... Wilhelmina Bungan and Nasa Zaidul (hat)

Minutes away from the run (Hendrick with Agatha, flanked by Nasa and me)

Purple hair amid the wristbands - mine!

Hendrick (running) getting into the groove

Fat Old Man Running

Hendrick and Nasa on the final stretch

After the run (To my left: Babara Chieu, Ryan Tay and Mike Cheng -
the most coloured of the bunch)

Nice day for a fun run.  No rain heavy clouds nearby. The SCCS volunteers handed out plastic bags filled with coloured powdered. It didn’t take long for the runners to colour  their friends with it. Face painting, hair dying and palm impressions were the order of the morning. In fact we were all supposed to bomb each other with colour in unison.  However the eager crowd started the powder flying first.  The rest of us joined in.  Some were more coloured then others thanks to the over-enthusiasm of the runners.  Others preferred to stay on the sidelines and watched.  The air was filled with powder and soon the whole  area was a sea of colours.  Purple being the most predominant and it would later be the hardest of the colours to wash off.  Pity those with multi-coloured hair.

Next time wear a cap or a hat.  The bigger the better.  We all started off behind the pack.  We kept pace with Hendrick.  The run route was marked by colour too thanks to those who could never get enough of bombing their friends.  It was nice to see so many happy multi-coloured faces.  Makes me wonder what the drivers who passed us thought.  From pristine white to almost unrecognisable was how it ended.  Hendrick took to his walk in fine spirits.  His wife did egg him on.  This was all done good naturedly.  He even tried his hand at running.  Some of the gang did run.  They finished well ahead of us.  The fat old man in me was saving myself for the gym that same afternoon.  That would be my last serious training session before my first half marathon of the year next week. However 54:24 was a big improvement for Hendrick from his first taste of the race route. Keep it up buddy!

All told Hendrick had a great time.  So did all those who joined.  Am always happy to see fellow gym members (Ryan Tay, Babara Chieu and Mike Cheng) and serious runners join charity events such as this.  There were so many familiar faces.  It was like a reunion.  Hi, hello, see you at the next run, sort of thing.  Some were friends on Facebook, others were just people we recognised from previous runs.  The support was tremendous.  I think I heard the announcer say around 1,200 people participated.  The youngest runner was a 6-year-old and the oldest was a 65-year-old.  All told the first ten finishers in the men’s and women’s categories got medals.  The veterans were just happy to have joined such an event.  Who knows the overwhelming response might see more such charity runs in the future. 

Right now the only other run I heard of taking place in the near future in Kuching is the High Heel Race on 7^th April, in conjunction with International Woman’s Day.  All I know is I cannot run in heels.  Firstly, those shoes have to be big enough to fit my size eleven feet.  However I am positive some of my guy friends at the gym would give it a go if there was a category for men in heels! We are indeed a crazy bunch. For those who think a 5km run is tough, just look at Hendrick.  He walked the route on the most part.  Not once did he complain of any discomfort.  His wife was always nearby and so were I and my MBF.  At the end of the run it was hard to say who was more elated.  This is I am positive the first of many milestones for Hendrick.  He now knows he can do it.  The next run won’t be as terrifying.  The way he was talking, there will be many more to come.  We be happy participants.   Thanks SCCS for a great time!

The Journey Begins

Why am I doing this?

A bit about me...

The run up to the write up

Well for starters I have a weight problem. Always had and always will. Am a fat unfit 98kg as I write this. My single ab is what you notice first. Then comes my man-boobs. They jiggle when I run. Did a lot of jiggling on Wednesday evening on the treadmill at the gym - 5km in a snail's 46:53. A soon to be half a century year old man is never shy of his times.  Well, if you must know I walked a lot too, even though was surrounded by kamikaze runners... The ones who run at 10kph like their life depended on it.  Someone should tell them that zombies cannot run fast.  So this is of no help if they are preparing for the zombie apocalypse. Those who run should know that treadmill times do not reflect actual road times... The easiest way to discourage yourself is to run as fast as you can on the treadmill and then discover how few kilometers you have actually run...

On Thursday I attacked the treadmill again. This time I really did attempt to run, while still recovering from a bout of flu.  Managed 5km in 36:09. Felt I did good. Enjoyed watching the guy to my left do his kamikaze thing.  Was waiting for him to fall off. But he managed to hit 5kph whenever the treadmill threaten to embarrass him.  Was happy to see fellow fatties with even bigger boobs and butts than mine on the treadmill.  If I keep this up I might wear my Penang Bridge International Marathon 2013 top while running on the treadmill again.  As it stands if I cannot sustain at least 9kph for half an hour, forget it.  Am still too heavy for any treadmill run heroics... Aren't I supposed to be doing this for myself?  This time I really did hydrate, taking a GU tablet with 500ml of water.  Those things really do work wonders for me.

Yesterday I went to Stutong Park to walk.  Did 5.2km, if the markers don't lie, and felt I did good.  Sipped some 100 Plus.  Did have Gatorade on standby, but didn't need it.  It was a nice sunny day too, and still very bright when I left around 6.45pm.  The park was quite empty since CNY was fast approaching.  True to form the roads were jammed with last minute shoppers making their rounds...   

How it all started

Spring is in the air...

Lets go back in time to early 2012.  I used to jog a lot, then stopped, and of course gained weight.  Dieting never really works for me.  I eat more than I burn, so how can I lose weight?  While at Stutong Park I saw a banner advertising the Catciti Leisure Run 2012 , to be held on 8th January.  On a whim and a fancy I thought I would give it a try.  However I didn't register for it as I was really sick at that time and wasn't training.  So that put paid to that fantasy of running 10km.  This is Kuching, so how many runs do we actually have a year, right? (On a side note, the run didn't feature in 2013. Asked about it and nobody seemed to know why it went the way of the dinosaur...)

Spring Live Active Run race top and bib

Before the start of the Spring Live Active Run 2012 

(L-R: me, my friend Alvin Heng and Pinky Lim)

Then there was news of a mega run organized by our biggest and bestest mall - The Spring, and it was called The Spring Live Active Run, to be held on 17th June.  It had distances of 5km, 10km and 21km.  Of course I went on the route early in the morning to walk it, and later to shuffle along and run.  The 5km was going to be my baby.  Didn't want to go overboard.  My race top wasn't nice for my fatness, so I chose not to wear it for the run.  It was fun though as many of my gym buddies participated. Plus I got to drink lots of 100 Plus.  Clocked in at 38:38.  Not bad for a 48-year-old man who had never run in school. Unfortunately my timing chip kaputed on me or my tummy blocked it from the scanner, so they didn't give me a time on my cert.  That mattered naught to me.  At least I had participated in my first real race...

Jungle style!

Resting after the jungle run

Borneo Highlands Challenge event t-shirt

Yes, I am prone to bite off more than I can chew, and this was exactly the case for the Borneo Highlands Padawan Nature Challenge.  Lets talk running jungle style here. Held on 1st July, it was something I had not even trained, let alone ever done.  This from a guy who had not run 10km in any sort of competitive race in his life.  All I can say is that I was lucky I didn't pick the 15km run, which involved a climb up Mount Penrissen (1326m), which I am told has leeches! Being a big guy I just know they would have had fun feasting on me.  It was a two-men event, with the time of the last person being taken as the official finishing time.  Lets just say it was mighty tough for me as I didn't expect the trail to be so impregnable.  In my defence all I can say is that I don't do this sort of thing on a weekly basis.  What's more my shoes were the wrong kind, so foothold was precarious at best.  Finished in 3 hours 55 minutes.  Just managed to make the cut-off time.  Alas no medal or finisher t-shirt.  Just an event tee.  

What the race did show me was that I could go on for hours in the jungle... This would come helpful later on in the year...

Night running...

777 Nite Chase t-shirt and bib

Me surrounded by gym buddies before the night run

Post race flexing with Alvin Heng, our yogi

Hey pretty ladies... (L-R: Adrienne, Kung Yee Hun and France Ngu)

Then to my amazement the runs started flowing in... There was the 777 Night Chase run organized by KIRC, and held at the Civic Centre.  The event was held on 7th July at 7pm.  Hence '777'.  It was either 5km or 10km for me.  Wasn't feeling brave so chose the 5km.  Yes, I did walk and shuffle and run the route in training.  My experience in training for the Spring run showed me how beneficial it was to do so.  Again many of my gang from the gym signed up.  Why not? It was the first night run in Kuching ever! Our very own mini version of the Putrajaya Night Marathon or Singapore's Sundown Marathon...  There were two uphill areas to overcome for the 5km runners.  Completed it in 31:55., which battered my previous time! What I liked best was the free-flow of isotonic H2O from the water station and also at the finish area.  The event t-shirt was cotton, and I didn't run using it.  Being a sweaty guy, it would only bog me down further.

Taking to the hills...

Hills Charity Run race top and bib

After the Hills Charity Run (pic courtesy of Adrienne)

Now it seemed like everyone wanted to get on the running bandwagon.  The Hills shopping mall organized their very own run! It was a charity run with some of the proceeds going to the SSPCA.  Plus there would be a dog race.  Of course the owners had to run with the dogs.  It was great seeing so many pedigreed dogs around.  The icing on the cake was that the owners could run with their dogs! Another first for Kuching! Surely the dogs had as much fun as their owners! The event was held on 15th July.  Yours truly again chose the 5km race over the 10km.  Call me the cowardly lion if you will, but I didn't feel I was ready to run a longer race, though I had been running 10kms in training.  This time I managed a personal best of 30:20! Of course the distances aren't official, so it was small joy on my part.

Training in earnest...

Around this time someone whispered in to my ear about the Penang Bridge International Marathon on 18th November.  Many of the gym gang would be going. Being the foolhardy type I signed up for 42km! That's the full marathon folks! Something that less than 0.5% of Americans have done, and they as a rule are crazy running bunch of people, and have marathons nearly everyday! 42,195m to be exact! Yes, I tried one of those 16-week first time marathon running training guides.  My sole aim was the make it to the finishing line before the 7 hour cut-off time.  This from a guy who had not run anything over 10km!  Did I care? Nope! Just hunkered down. Started running four times a week.  Saturday would be the day I did my longest run.  So motivated was I that at times I would start as early as 5am.  Why not? The actual race would commence at 2am.

The thing I did right from day one was to hydrate myself.  First thing I used was those hydration salts from the pharmacist.  Two sachets went into my 500ml water bottle and I would drink from that whenever I needed too.  Then later I would sip on my Gatorade and 100 Plus.  To make sure I could ingest something more solid I started taking energy gels too on my longer runs.  My tummy seemed to take it all in stride.  Online advice was everywhere.  Could just pick and choose to see what worked for me.  My Asics running shoe was worn out before I even got a new pair.  The next pair I got on sale, so it would be Asics all the way for me.  (In fact after my Penang run I even bought another pair of Asics!)  

Socks were really important! Since I started getting blisters I got good pairs from Nike and even put vaseline on my feet to reduce friction.  Especially for my marathon someone presented me a pair of Hilly double-layer socks.  It worked like a charm in training...  Suffice to say I was losing weight and I felt fitter than I ever did before.  My weight started going down and before I knew it the 92kg mark was achievable.  Yes I was still eating up a storm but I was also burning lots of calories.  

The thing about running for me is pushing through those psychological barriers.  The first time I ran 21km I thought I would die! There was nothing left in my legs.  Could barely make it to my car! At that moment I knew I had made my first big step towards finishing my first full marathon.  So I stuck faithfully to my training schedule.  Even started climbing too as a way of strengthening my leg muscles.  A lucky thing I did too, as no run is ever totally flat.  In Penang I would realise  that after awhile even the smallest hump in the road would feel like a hill...  

To those who wonder if I ever ran more than 32km in training, the answer is a resounding no! That would have taken too much from my body.  The 20km plus runs were already a heavy burden for me, and I didn't need to run even further without getting any sort of everlasting reward.  A thing that I would contemplate on for my 2013 running schedule - why train to run when I can use a race as training!  That was a thing I learned while studying some of the running habits of established marathon runners.  For those contemplating their first full marathon let me say this - you have to be a little crazy to train so much for something that will probably last 6 hours and only have a cert, a medal and a finisher t-shirt to show for it....

Two two many?

 Dyslexiathon t-shirt and bib

Me with Junaidi, the winner of the Dyslexiathon Men's Veteran race

Nasa Zaidul finishing third in the Dyslexiathon Woman's Open 

and receiving her first trophy and also 5kg of rice!

On 13th October I felt like a crazed runner.  This was when I ran two races in one day! In the morning I ran in the Dyslexiathon.  As the name suggest it was in support of kids who had dyslexia.  Let me put this to print, I will always run in charity races irregardless of the reward.  The reward is in knowing that I could do my small part in helping.  The run was at the Jubilee Ground.  Suffice to say I had never run on a track in my life.   The race started really late.  Got my first medal, a fourth place finish, clocking 8:34:42 for 1.6km! For the first lap my time was so fast that I nearly freaked out.  Had too slow down after that.  In doing so there was no hope of me catching the guy in front of me.  Nothing beats the bouncy feel of track running, but the quicker times were a shocker!

Kuchingnites Run t-shirt and bib

Then in the evening it was off to the Civic Centre yet again for another night run - Kuchingnites Run.  Yet again many gym buddies participated.  Always liked the relaxed atmosphere of such runs.  Knew I had no hope of winning any prizes.  Was just doing it for the joy of it.  My 32:12 time showed how much I laboured.  This was made worst by the fact that I wore the event t-shirt they provided.  It was much better than the first night race, but alas did nothing to cool me down.  The accumulative affects of two runs in one day took its toll on me and I was lucky to finish with such a time.

Suffice to say the run ended on a sour note for my MBF.  Had to stay up late into the night because of this.  Small price to pay, but it was a sheer case of dead man walking when I hit the sheets.  Yes the distances were short, but the waiting in between killed it for me.  Would I do it again? The answer is of course in the affirmative.  Nothing beats trying to push oneself to the limits.  There is this incredible thrill in knowing what our bodies can do.  Still felt fat but I knew I was fit fat thanks to all my training runs.

Moment of truth...

Laksa Penang style

We are lucky to have some of the best marathons in the region.  The reason I chose Penang Bridge International Marathon for my first marathon was that I had never been there! I thought if I was going to go there and run a race it might as well be a special one.  Hence 10km or 21km was not for me.  One look at the 42km finisher medal was enough.  I would run my first full marathon there.  No way was I going to make a fool of myself.  My training was what made me feel I had it in my tank to complete the race within the stipulated cut-off time.  My biggest worry was the 2am start.  The fear that my tummy would let me down was always there.  Needless to say I ate really early, and stopped eating twelve hours before the race.  Being with friends who were running 10km and 21km didn't help matters.  They could eat on!

PBIM 2012 race top and bib

One big thing I learned is do not walk too much before a marathon.  Since the race starting/finishing point is just outside Queensbay Mall that was not an easy thing.  We all did a lot of walking on the day before the race.  Our digs was less than a kilometer from the race site, which helped a lot on race day.  As nervous as I was I did manage to sleep early and wake up four hours before the race.  Ate the cereal bars I had gotten from the Mall and drank soya bean.  At midnight I walked leisurely to the race area.  Have never seen so many people at one place in my life.  Was later to learn that 34,000 people participated.  None of my gym gang were to be seen.  However I knew there were there.  Saw Oliver Kerr, a veteran runner I had befriended on Facebook much earlier.  He was busy taking pictures with his friends so I didn't bug him.

The butterflies were in my belly. Was running with one 500ml water bottle.  Used my formula of 2 hydration sachets.  Had six sachets on standby and 5 energy gels.  It all felt heavy but I had trained with that weight so had no excuses.  The race top was from Asics and it was a beauty.  Will wear it again for any road race! Time really slowed for me.  What I wanted to do most was pee! Luckily managed to do so 5 minutes before gun time. There was no way I could run otherwise.  One of my fears was having to queue to pee or worst still poo along the race route.  In the beginning it would have been a disaster.  When the gun went off I was a long way behind, but for someone out to run the race to finish it, it was never a worry.

Running the bridge...

Never attempt to run like a Kenyan if you are not a Kenyan.  Saw them Kenyans run and it was scary! They were actually running while I was shuffling... Well I was running but it was at my usually snail pace.  Those Kenyans ran in a pack.  Just the sight of them going at it made me feel tired.  We had to run quite a ways before we reached the bridge.  Having never run on a bridge yet - another one of those mistakes, I knew not what to expect.  The bridge felt hard and was very tiring on my legs.  It seemed to go on forever.  The lights were my nightmare guide.  It went on and on.  Then there was the hump in the middle of the bridge.  It felt like a hill the first time, and a mountain the second time. When I reached the toll I felt like I was committing the mistake of my life.

Those water stations do come in very handy.  Took my gels every 7km and sipped on my hydration mix and watered when needed.  The 100 Plus at the stations were my best friend.  The volunteers were a wonderful bunch.  They really encouraged us.  Going back to the island was really tough.  The toes on my right foot were hurting bad.  So bad in fact that I had to stop and take a look at them.  Yes they were bleeding from one toenail cutting into a toe.  That was when Ryan Tan, a gym buddy, stopped and gave me his ice pack.  That helped a lot.  Till today am grateful for that.  Went on slowly after that.  Was careful not to aggravate my toes.  A near impossible task.  Saw the six hour pacers go by until I couldn't see their mighty helium balloons anymore.  

The final stretch...

Pain is my friend.  My toes hurt. My feet hurt. My legs hurt.  Luckily for me I had trained well for this.  My engine was going fine.  My biggest fear now was that I would cramp up.  Having survived the bridge there was no way I was going to give up. Had seen people stop long before.  Cramps featured big. Some were walking aimlessly.  Others just sat down in despair.  One even puked.  Never have I felt so alone.  My aim now was only to get the energy gel they were giving and a banana.  After that I knew I had 10km to go.  Now that was something I had trained for.  Yet my legs felt so tight and heavy.  Out of the blue, Ivan Kon, another gym buddy, came along and let me use his Deep Heating Rub.  Put a generous amount on both legs.  This kept me going till the banana station.  Lets say a banana never tasted so good!

The free energy gel I kept with me.  My tactic was to walk up the flyovers and run down them.  Kept this up as much as I could.  It felt like I was going nowhere but I was.  Slowly but surely the kilometers were being eaten up.  Then more Deep Heating Rub thanks to the generous people along the roadside.  Again I used generous amounts on both legs.  Warning to the wise - pee first before using those ointments. Enough said! When the 5km marker arrived like a mirage I knew I could finish in time.  Had done enough 5kms in the year to know what I was capable of.  Not even the sight of a gentleman lying at the side of the road holding his heart with medical personnel around him and an ambulance speeding to the scene, deterred me.  My victory was in sight!

That was when I took my last gel.  The one with caffeine in it.  Hated the taste, but needed it for that final spurt.  Ran into the fun run group, all bouncing about in their yellow tops, and overtaking me from left and right.  Now my fear was some bigger lug than me would barrel into me.  So I kept far away from them.  That meant I was running near the highway divider.  Made a friend along the way.  He was running his first marathon too.  Unlike me he had run the 21km the previous year.  We ran side by side till the finish line.  Don't even know his name, but thanks buddy for making my final 2km breeze by.  Hope to meet you again in a marathon somewhere in Malaysia.  

Me and my new buddy, meters from the finishing line of PBIM 2012

The icing on the cake for me was that I got to meet Oliver Ker along the way.  Yelled out his name and went up to shake his hand.  He was still running at km30.  Considering he is in his seventies, that is a sight for sore eyes.  Also saw Marathon Mohan, from Singapore.  He was blowing his whistle and talking to the volunteers.  He is a couple of years older than me but has run so many marathons. Hope to shake his hand in the next marathon we run together.  We are now friends on Facebook.  Nothing beats being cheered on by your friends at the finishing line! Heard Ivan's voice encouraging me.  Met Ryan, who showed me where to get my medal and finisher t-shirt.  My time? 6: 27:13.  Maybe in my fantasies I was hoping for a sub-6 hour finish, but after what I had gone through I am happy with what I managed to do.

We be full marathoners! (L-R: Sin Tan, Ryan Tay, Ivan Kon, Rose Wong and me)

The whole gang that went for PBIM. The three additional women 

(L-R: Frances Ngu, Nasa Zaidul and Pinky Lim)
 

  PBIM 2012 medal and finisher t-shirt

Close-up proof that am not a full marathon virgin anymore

 

Post race yums...

Straight after the race I drank two protein shakes I had left at baggage drop off.  Needed that protein.  My body felt so depleted.  It was like I could eat a cow if I could hobble after one.  Walking was really bad.  Needed my sandals but was afraid to see my toes.  Two bloodied toe-nails were my Purple Hearts.  One would later drop off and the other would die a slow lingering death.  What I can say about PBIM is that I will run it again.  It was so professional and the people were so nice.  This extended beyond the race.  Did the usual touristy thing when my legs allowed.  The food was totally yum.  It was like my tummy was an endless garbage can - I could eat and eat and eat.  In fact for awhile I just ate and didn't gain weight.  Such was the amount of calories that must have been taken from my body during the race.

Out with the gang in Penang...

  

The girls trying to persuade Jafrey Fong to bring them around some more!

A big thank you to Jafrey Fong for being our tour guide and helping us fill our tummies.  We hope to hook up with him again the next time we go to Penang, even if it is not to race.  Also thank you to my gym friends, especially to Pinky Lim, for being my shoulder to lean on.  That was when her tough physique really helped.  Also am so lucky I chose the right pair of slippers - Riders! Got them in size 12. It was a true godsend.  Will wear them post-race from now on.  By the way I didn't even wear a pair of running shoes for two weeks after the race! Our running roll of honour - 10km: Pinky Lim and Nasa Zaidul, 21km: Frances Ngu, and 42km: Sin Tan, Ryan Tay, Ivan Kon, Rose Wong and me! Sin, Ivan and I were full marathon virgins.  It was the second outing for Ryan and Rose.  

Slowly, slowly, catch the monkey...

Running bug hits

The euphoria of running and completing my first full marathon still hasn't died.  Friends and relatives were amazed that I had actually run 42.195km!  My cousin, who used to run 10km competitively, and win races, was simply proud of me.  He cannot run anymore, for reasons we won't get into, but he really touched me with his praises.  The barrier has been broken.  Now I know a full marathon is possible.  What it takes is a lot of hard work and the ability to withstand a lot of pain.  The mental strength needed to survive it is the most important thing.  Marathon running is not for everyone.  There has to be a lot of crazy in you.  There is so much kms to stride through in training before achieving one.  Now I have the evidence of my achievement.  It will hold pride of place in my trophy cabinet when the time comes.  

What the future holds...

There are many more marathons left in me.  Want to run as many as I can when I still can. There's this thing about me - that impossible is nothing thing.  Having done a full marathon I feel I can do it all.  So I need to be grounded into the reality of what a nearly fifty year old man can do while towing a tummy.... Yes I know before race day the tummy shrinks, but it will come back again...  There are NINE marathons in Malaysia the last time I looked.  Of which I am interested in giving seven of them a go.  These are: Malaysian Women Marathon, Island Ocean Marathon, Borneo International Marathon, Standard Chartered KL Marathon, River Jungle Marathon, Putrajaya Night Marathon, and Penang Bridge International Marathon. For reasons I won't get into, I won't really attempt the Taiping International Marathon or the Langkawai Geopark International Marathon, if the latter ever sees the light of day.

The big question for me is what race I should run next.  When the time approaches I will let my friends know.  It is safe to say I won't be running MWM this year as am unable to find a running partner, even with a 7 hour cut-off time.  As for SCKLM, the starting time scares me.  When I can run a bit faster I might give it a try.  One of my gang who ran at PBIM, and ran in the Singapore version, had a lot of trouble with the heat.  Am not prepared to suffer through that yet.  The PNM interests me, even if it has been said that the street lights are really hot.  Then again there is Penang... This year it will be run on the new bridge. That is so tempting! However it would be nice to go with friends. There will be times I will be running alone without support.  Hopefully in the future I will make more friends who can be there for me like Ryan and Ivan and the others at the finishing line.  This really helps a lot.

Age is not a barrier.  Look at me! Started running seriously in 2012. In school used to hate running.  Took up jogging later in life for my health.  Then it was me joining a gym and hooking up with like-minded people.  Always make it one stride at a time.  My way might not work for everyone.  Walk before you run, or do a walk and jog thing, a sort of 'wajo'.  After that do slow runs and progress from there.  Running a full marathon can be the most foolish thing any unprepared soul can do.  Heed my advice.  Start slow. Attempt a 5km, then a 10km and then a 21km.  If you cannot complete a 21km you won't be able to run 42km.  The furthest I attempted was 32km.  That was my invisible 'wall' which I have now broken through.  In the future there will be more walls to break...

Mine is a journey of self-discovery.  I promise to share what I went through every stride of the way. Only time will tell how many races I will run, or what distances I will attempt.  Having completed my first full marathon, all I can say is that there is nothing like it.  More to come from this wonderful running machine of mine.