Type: Run (Race)
Distance: 42.37 kilometers
Gun Time: 3 hr 10 min 38 secs (Average pace: 4:30 min/kilometers)
Net Time: 3:09:59
Shoes: Brooks Launch
12 Oct 14
1230 - Wake up
0100 - Breakfast (4 slices plain wholemeal bread, one pack of Milo)
0200 - Rest and Nap
0330 - Changed
0340 - Warm up
0410 - To starting line
0430 - Race start
"Debut"
SCKLM 2014 is my first marathon in my home country and my fourth marathon.
It was supposed to be my first one on last year but it was postponed due to haze.
Being a "debut" I was hoping to do well (or better). But the setback (injury) on week -11 to week -5 (7 weeks) of training weeks made me to be rational on the goal time. I was barely accommodate the body back to the stress of running and the race was there.
Pre-race
Pre-race, there's doubt by participants including myself whether the race will be postponed again due to haze (API around 100). Two days before the event, the organiser assured that the event will be run on schedule due to expected rain.
Weather of the morning on Garmin reported to be 27 degrees with 79 % humidity. API was not satisfied, with API (4am-8am) at Cheras as 74, 75, 75, 75 and Batu Muda as 89, 88, 88, 88.
Plan
Taking reference from my previous races, the plan for the race was to get to starting line early, run at even intensity, with first half slightly faster than second half.
My 1st marathon started in a rush due to unable to locate toilet, started in rush, and suffer side stitch most of the way. The 2nd one started in rain, with GPS didn't lock and running with no sense of timing, the pace was faster at the second half. The 3rd one start in a rush again, accelerating zigzagging at the first to clear the crowd, then to chase back the timing, only to slowed down at the second half.
Base on the 12 km tune-up race and 8 km time trial, I put myself at post injury tempo pace fitness of around 4:05-4:10/min. Take the race pace at lower than that, I plan for a "optimum" 4:13/min pace for the first half and 4:18/min for the second. If everything goes well - body, food, weather, and little bit of luck - I might able to clock a near 3 hr. Putting that there's "situation" all the time, the sub-optimum pace will be anything slower than that and hanging for the whole race.
The outcome is the later one - where the pace started to struggle at early part of the race. This is because marathon is something that people who train hard will thrive, and people who don't will cry. And it's especially true at this new course of KL marathon - where I can only respect and surrender. And also respect to the KL people who train on such terrain.
0 - 10 km - 42:42 (1st 10km - 4:16/min)
Manage to get slightly in front with 39s delay from the starting point (info from the interactive runpix website). First km done at 4:29/min and gradually set myself into rhythm. It's quite nervous for me from the start feeling lack of preparation so I kept calming myself down. Manage to get into target pace at 2nd km with 4:12/min. Elevation started around 3km but not a problem yet at this early stage as leg still fresh. Took the 1st gel at 4km and 2nd at 8km, contrary to earlier plan of 1 gel each 5 km. Partly due to the nervousness, partly also the very sufficient water station along the way. It's so well supply that in a later part of the run, I was not worry of missing a station or two as there'll always the next one very soon. The pace started to drop at 9km upon turning into AKLEH, with 4:25/min at 9th km and 4:22/min at 10th km. At 10 km, the avg pace was 4:16/min.
Quiet comfortable, looking good I felt. No side stitch yet, at running at 3-2 breathing pattern. Could this be one of the "optimum" day?
And every story turn to the down side when everything was good.
11 - 20 km - 1:26:47 (2nd 10km - 4:24/min)
"So this is the highway", I thought. 20 km of highway to cover next.
Two highway was closed for us today - AKLEH and DUKE. We have complete access of the three or four lanes. Which mean there's a clearing in front while running, and if there's less people around, one will be like a ghost running on a wide runway.
However, highway which built to drive fast for automobile doesn't mean built to run fast for human. First, there's always an elevation to enter the highway, it usually steep. If there's an entrance, of course there's exit with the drop. Not enough, U-turn at AKLEH to make the process double.
On this section of the road, my pace dropped. At first able to hit 4:14/min at flat section, but in the end the pace was 4:20/min even with flat with drop. Took 1 gel-2 gel at this section but lost count of the km.
Average pace of the 2nd 10km was 4:24/min.
21 - 30 km - 2:12:08 (3rd 10km - 4:32/min)
Beside the enter and exit, there's also this constant mild elevation and drop all along the highway,
After exit AKLEH, I was running with the traffic again, and it seems to be MRR2 (not sure) before turning into DUKE. I was suddenly awake, a relatively flat surface although not even, traffic came from behind, street dog.
For not too long, it enter the next huge elevation into DUKE. 21st and 22nd was done at 4:34/min and 5:03/min. I thought things will be better after this big elevation on the map and tried to gain back some time. The continuous drop for next three km done with 4:13, 4:18 and 4:24.
The elevation and drop on the highway it is not serious except the entrance and exit, but enough to make the leg tired in long distance. It didn't rest, it went up down up, then down up down. Furthermore, the elevation and drop did not always come in 90 degree of running direction. In addition to the up and front elevation, there were also "side way elevation and drop" which is so 3-D like x-y-z graph. After driving myself up a long stretch of of course, I faced muscle soreness to drive myself down. It's like gradually draining my energy bit by bit.
On psychology side, running on such a wide clearance, one will have the urge to go fast, and when you feel slow, you feel slower than usual. Running by myself usually not a problem to me as I used to run alone, but at this vast opening and pursue, with stopping the last option, I somehow felt "helpless". At this junction, more than half but more to go, what I could do was counting the next steps, instead of km. At one point, I closed my eyes and a line came to my mind "I surrender."
Upon 30km where heading the "toll exit" of DUKE, I feel like reaching the "wall". Was it due to my psychology lack of confidence, or is it physiological. It was just like the urge to go to toilet when seeing one. But I tried to ignore it and gain back the step one by one
The 3rd 10km pace has further dropped to 4:32/min.
At this point, I am satisfied that today is not the "optimum" day. I'll just stay as best as I can to the finish. Consume around 1-2 gel at this section.
31km - finish - 3:10:01 (Last 12km - 4:42/min)
After two highway which is introduced new to the route, enter the last section which is part of the old road. Being first timer, this is new to me. I heard of this section before, and it was common practice spot for runners too. By watching the route video, I know this section is not easy to tackle too.
But I will never know how torture is this until I run it.
The road started with a detour from main road into residential area with lots of green. After some ups and down, I saw a runner slowed down. Overtook him only find myself into the long the steep climb. Pace past dropped below 4:30/min most section and 5:20/min at 36th km. At the section with much of the drop, I can merely achieve 4:26/min, indicate the leg was tired to hit the brake than push it.
At 35 km I consumed the 7th gel and thought I've finish 8th only to realize the one left at finish. This showed how disorientated and unable to focus on the count during this stage.
However, it was much easier now as I've stop expecting. All I need to do was to follow and see how this end.
Indeed, like a stubborn child, the road never given up the up and down even at the distance near to finishing. At this point, I summarized in my mind that "I respect you, KL". You are a tough one.
The finish
I did not have the last push to the finish as I have for previous runs. I was pretty tired. Maintain a constant speed, I crossed the finish mat and finished at 3:10:38 gun time.
I know the drill - follow the correct lane and collect whatever that given to me - bottle water (I asked for 2), 1 can 100 plus, an apple, a pear, a banana, finishing tee and medal.
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| Sitting on the grass watching progression of the race. Name will be announced at finishing if one is lucky. |
Overall, I would say SCKLM is a very well organized event.
And the route is worth to challenge for. To enjoy it, one must come with preparation.
The haze is something not perfect for the event. In fact, running under such condition would be not beneficial to health. However, it seems that haze is something that unable to control by authorities.
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| Not so hazy from this view |
On the results, I am satisfied with it. It shows that things are always fair in running- you suffer for lack of preparation, you unable to feel "as sharp" if you are not "trained". There's no "magic", if yes it might be "because you have done the right thing". And to enjoy the race most, is when one has put lots of hardwork in the preparation. Process is that make the results meaningful, and that's why I like about marathon training and running.
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| Sea of florescent green. Running has become a new way of life. |
well done Kent!
ReplyDelete3:09 is a very very good time considering that it is done locally as well as the factor of haze.
Keep it up!
Thanks Francis. The run release the tension of the need to postpone another race due to injury. I need to find a way to prevent it. Will definitely hope to run this again with better preparation.
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