1st half marathon experience

I am not exactly an athlete nor active person... My high school experience: never really into sports, and the 4.30-5.30pm "waktu sukan" was my lepaking time at the canteen... hehehehe.. . By looking at the list of tv shows I watch now, you can simply decide that I am actually a couch potato... except I watch my shows on my bed... make a bed potato then...

So, it's actually quite a shock for me/others when I decided to join the 1st Borneo International Marathon in the half marathon category. It was actually Borneotrekker who was playing with my head sometime in May, like joining half marathon is easy... But we've decided to sign up anyway just to get early bird special price, RM40...

Funny eh, when we signed up and introduced ourselves to the BIM organizer, we said..."oh, we're not joining marathon, half ONLY".... Eeeee, like half marathon is 100 metres race....

So, ulai and I signed up in May... My training seriously was inconsistent... Due to work commitments, there were weeks when I was working late, and I could not squeeze in training in between... There were weekends when I went home to parents home, where I had to babysit in the evening. Also, there were days when the weather was great but I was just simply lazy or use the excuse tired!

Running places: so far I ran at ums track field (4oomtr/round), around likas lake (~1km/round), and ums area (once, coz people were honking me, and I HATE that)... I think can have many potential running areas, eg. the new waterfront place in likas or alam mesra largest (private) park?

Frequency of training: 2-3 times a week when I'm rajin... 0 times a week when I'm lazy... But due to ramadhan month, i just simply too tired to jog/walk, so I only squeezed in two weeks training in ramadhan. I think it would probably help if I had a regular training routine before ramadhan month, then probably running while fasting is not gonna be so bad... Most of the time I ran in the evening, because I wouldn't want to sacrifice my beauty sleep for 1km of run...

The days before were quite nerve-wrecking, the thought of running TWENTY-ONE KILOMETRES seems so SCARY. Trust me, this is where preparations helps. The longest I ran in training was 9 kms and I never had long run in the morning... But when you're prepared, it's not going to be so bad... So it's quite scary to think of the unexpected... Worse, the big P came at this time! Yikes, goodbye energy, hellooooo cramps, mood swings and backache (i still don't get why i get backache/thigh ache around that time of the month)

free running vestchip all tied up on my shoe

The night before:
Pasta party.... the food was okay. There were many runners who look very athletic I tell you. They were from many countries, also kennysia and catwoman from singapore were there at the pasta party as well. I tried not to eat too much because I was afraid my stomach would be digesting too much while I sleep. Even though initially I planned to sleep around8.30-9.00pm, I only fall asleep at 10.45pm... So much for the excitement!

The morning:
I was awakened by a good luck wish at 2ish in the morning, and could't sleep after that. So while waiting until 4am, I watched my show on my bed to relax... Hehehehh... 4am- hot shower, breakfast and water, water and more water in between...

before the run: photo credit to http://81lions.blogspot.com

I got to the stadium around 5ish in the morning, and the others were already there. Saw sabah's own iron-lady fiona lim, kennysia, a lady who ran in catwoman costume, and also another lady with orange wig+tutu skirt... It certainly makes this run more fun and colorful isn't it? I went straight to warm up and stretch... Around 5.45 am, the runners for half marathon were asked to lined up at the starting line, as usual the slowest would be at the back, and the real athletes at the front... No need to ask me where was I, of course among the last ones...

The siren starting... the runners started running.. I for one, trying to control my pace, I wouldn't want to go so fast in the beginning and go pancit at the end... So slow pace for me, even though surely I was among the last ones... The first hour was pretty much okay, it wasn't too hot and slightly breezy, so running surely was easier... It wasn't long when I reached Jesselton Point, the 4km mark... I was still doing ok.... and still tried to mantain my pace....

So... next we went and passed the central market, wawasan plaza and headed to sutera harbor... by that time, the sun was out, I started to feel the heat, OMG, it was hotttt, I was sweating like crazy.... This was the time when sponging helps. There were few stations where they provided sponges soaked with ice-cold water... In that heat, it such a pleaaaaasssurree to sponge everywhere, from face, to neck, head, hand, body... basically everywhere where I needed refreshments...

Runners had to go into sutera harbor to pass the 10km marker which is basically halfway into the race... I decided to take my power gel there assuming BIM was gonna provide power-gel for the half marathon runners. But I was wrong, the power gels were only for the full marathon... Suddenly menyesal pulak to take the powergel so early in the race, if only I've known I would've brought two so that I can use another one at the end of the run. Starting from the 15km mark, I started to feel tired... I feel like I was weighing 100 kilos... My pace was slower, but I tried to run anyway... It was hoootttttt..... The toughest run was from km 17 to km 21, because the running path wasn't shaded and I can't tahan the heatttt.... and my feet was starting to feel heavy... I did walk a bit on my km 18 km to km19.5... But once I saw the stadium, I knew the finish line was there.... so I ran as I can... trying to remember the feelings... The feelings finishing up at the end of 21 km run... If this would be my last half marathon, at least I want to remember that excitement, the joy of finishing...

So..... I ran... I crossed the finished line in 3 hours and 16 minutes and got myself my FIRST ever finishing half marathon medal... At least 1) I didn't faint 2) I didn't quit half way even tho I wanted to 3) No significant injury (legs cramp) on the way and finally the most important one 1 FINISH!

me and herman showing off our medals

me and ms borneotrekker (erk, sunburn faces?)

Trust me, it truly is a mind over body thing... God, I used up all the motivation lines out there... From "you know you can do this uji" to "you can do this as long as you set your mind to it" to "don't give up now" to "your body can do more than what you think" to "you only fail when you don't try" bla bla bla... Now, I'm a certified motivational speaker. Hahahahha...

Had a free leg massage afterwards... That felt soooo gooooood... I rewarded myself with coffee bean carrot cake... and short nap in the afternoon... I woke up around 1ish pm, and started to feel nauseated... Like I-need-to-vomit-now nausea... I tried eating bread, and sipping gatorade but no luck because after that I vomited everything out (ewwwwww)... I think that was like the marathon hangover??

Post-Half-Marathon: Stomach was quesy but now is okay... Sunburn face.... quadriceps in pain, stomach muscles in pain and I'm limping.. erkkk... Note to self: Adequate training would've lessen the post-run muscles strain/injury....

But I'm glad it's over... So what to do with all the running gears? Am I running again? Yes, but not for another month... or maybe wait until the sutera harbor run. Heheheheheh...

For next time, what helps:-
1) Good preparation(including morning run)
2) Good night sleep
3) Power gels during the run
4) Training buddies
5) Schedule and sticking to it

Thanks for the luck wishes and also special "thanks" borneotrekker yang paksa me join in the first place... Now, buy me a free massage, my feeeeet is killling me...
Okay, now I've gotta rest my wrist and fingers