Race Report: Seoul International Marathon 2015

Date: 15/03/2015
Time: 08:00 a.m.
Type: Run (Race)
Distance: Full marathon (42.195 km)
Official Time: 2 hr 59 min 35 secs (avg pace: 4:15 min/km)
Shoes: Brooks Launch (3rd pair)
Race Route:

Seoul International Marathon or known and Dong-A Marathon was one of the oldest road running event - it is 86th this year. It is a fast course - with the course record of 2:05:37 and top three results of 2:06 followed by next three of 2:07 on year 2014. It of course attracted world elites with attractive prize. This including a 2:04 marathoner this year, and also Japanese citizen runner Yuki Kawauchi. It is said that Yuki Kawauchi was tried to improve his PB of 2:08:24 that achieved on the same course on year 2013. 

The pacer group is impressive. For group A, there's pacer every 20 minutes gap starting from 2:50, followed by 3:00 and 3:20. For group B and onwards, there's pacer every 10 minutes gap starting from 3:30.

This is a point to point course, starting from Gwanghwamun square and ended at Jamsil Olympic Stadium.

The elevation profile is friendly. Consider a flat course with some very mild elevation. Together with the weather, this course is one a the choice for setting a better results.

15 Mar 2015 - Race Day
400 a.m. - Wake up
430 a.m. - Breakfast (4 breads, one cup hot chocolate)
500 a.m. - Rest, short nap
645 a.m. - Changed
715 a.m. - Jog to race venue as warm up. Arrive at race venue, deposit luggage, toilet and continue with 10min stratching and 5 min run.
745 a.m. - To starting area
800 a.m. - Elite group start
808 a.m. - Group A start

The start
It was a chilly morning. There's already groups of people there when I arrived. However, I didn't feel the place to be crowded. It could be the venue is the vast opening and have provided sufficient station for baggage drop and toilet. Everything was smooth. 

I found my own spot for warming up and some stretching. At the same time there are aerobic exercise going on. Korean female aerobic teachers standing on a higher stage beside the road (several groups so that participant don't have to squeeze in front of one group only) professionally leading the crowds. However this is not my time to explore it. After having enough for warm up, I headed to my starting zone. 

Surprisingly, at 7:45am there were no people gather at the starting line, no crowd. The aerobic still going on. I continued some stretching and groups started to form after the aerobic warm up finished. This was the first time I stand near to the front that able to see how a race start. The zone I standing in (Zone A) was further separated with elite runners zone. I could see the elites warming up in the zone and that was just cool. The first time I see elite runners warming up in action. Somehow one will try to peek if what they done are different, or any secret that can be learnt. As if by seeing them we can absorb some special ability for our benefit.

At around 8 am, with the fired of starting gun, the race started with elite runners going out first. Camera started to roll, helicopter ahead following the elites and left whole crowd of us watching. Not much of cheers. Just.like.that. Peace. Only I realized that everything for us will start later. What followed was introduction of important people on the stage and speech and cheers of countdown. 

It was until finish the race I realized that each zone was started separately with 3-5 minutes interval. It means more time to stand in the chilly weather for the later groups.

The first 10 km (40:44 min, cumulative pace 4:04 min/km)
According to race record, I started the run at 08:08:34 a.m. "And so I was running in Seoul street", I was thinking. I started to run. Hand and feet was numb. Screening on my shin, no pain. I was unable to gauge my feeling under the weather, the coldness and the rest I've taken. What pace am I in? At 1st km, Garmin reported a 4:03/km pace. Alright, I could stay at this feeling.

My spibelt was not put on properly and it was bouncing up and down during 1-2km. I spent plenty of time adjusting it while running and it gave me a bad feeling for the rest of the race. This is the consequence of not having a dress rehearsal. I took out 2 pack of gel and hold it in hand and the problem solved. It was around 2 km. 

At 3km Garmin recorded a 3:58.8 min/km. I was shocked, this was almost my interval to tempo pace and am I going too fast? But I was not having difficulty moving down the road. Is this what I can handle in this climate? or it is adrenaline surge that will cost energy in the end?

Slowed down a bit and I done 4th km at 4:03 min/km and 5th at 4:02/km. 

Still I was thinking should I hold down the pace to my planned pace of 4:08 min/km - 4:13 min/km. Is this the "perfect day" that people said of, or this is suicidal? This is so tempting. The 2h 50m pacer just past by. I dropped a group after the water station and a gel. But I was still in front of my target time. I was feeling good as if I can continue up to the end.

The pace got slower from 5-10 km range from 4:06-4:07/km, with one exception of 3:58.5/km at 8th km. I completed the 10 km at 40:44 min and took another gel at water station.

10 km - half way (1:26:45, cumulative pace 4:07 min/km)
The water station here was impressive. We'll first approaching elite runners booths (numbered and a lot) then followed by participants table. There were whole stretch of tables and everyone was moving fast. Not much crowd nor hassle. This is my image of South Korea since the day I arrived, everything is in the fast lane, no one wants to slow down others nor to be the slowed down. Of course, not to forget that this is also a IAAF Gold Label event which comply with certain standard. 

In this race I reminded myself to use sponge to cool myself down. I've always wanted to do it but forgot. Although it's in such a cold weather, still I find the water sponge really help to keep myself awake and refresh. In this race also I took the gel with water to reduce chances of side stitch. All of this is including deciding the early pace, are the race experience that I lack of. 

I could not remember much of this section. It was not too difficult and I was just maintaining the pace and keeping up with groups. I couldn't recognize the surrounding as well. I remembered running along Cheonggyecheon stream and the rest was building and traffics. There's not much spectators but that's alright. 

The pace of this section range from one fastest at 3:55.1 min/km at 13th km (I don't know what I was thinking) to 4:15 min/km at 16th km (mild elevation). I guess I was still bargaining with myself what pace to keep with. I drank only water but not gel at one of the station in this section due to feeling tiny unpleasant feeling of stomach. At each water station, the earlier group will departed and I joined another group from behind.

I feel that the faster pace is somehow the results of keeping up with other runners. I thought of following a group to help the pace. At some point of run there was runner that I'd like to took over with, but not allowed by being blocked or speeding up of that runner. There was this competition within competition. I was just racing with myself thus not much pressure for that. Imagine those top runners who compete for placing, that is the real tough work that unable to understand by ordinary people like us. To them, this is a game. Not only to have extraordinary ability to run that timing, but to gauge it to win the race against others. That is the real battle field.

In a race there's always nice to find a people or friendly to pace with. At one point of the run I ran side by side with a Korean that offer me a nose drops. That's kind of a special offer and I appreciate it. He spoke to me in Korean and but I was ashamed that not able to reply him. Well I would like to thank him here. 

The half way done at 1:26:45 with a dropped pace but still ahead of my target time.  

Halfway to 30 km (2:04:35, cumulative pace 4:09 min/km)
After crossing halfway point, I started to feel some slow down or hard to keep up. There's some spike from 25-27 km where I done from 4:18-4:20 min/km, I was still run some pace below 4:10 min/km, but average pace was around 4:15 min/km. The leg start to feel some tiredness and I started to get worry. However, due to the initial surge I'm still in the target zone. 

After 30 km - the real marathon starts here
After crossing 30 km mark, I suddenly feel myself getting worse. This section was mild elevation toward a larger elevation of the bridge. However the elevation was so mild that it was literally flat. I encountered the same "emptiness" after 30 km during SCKLM 2014 last year.  Was this psychology or the real wall? I told myself - concentrate and focus. The real race has just begun.

I done 31th km at 4:31/km. I then beat myself up to to gain back the pace and says it'll be ok after the bridge at 35th km. The rest of the distance done not faster than 4:20/km, with 4:43/km moving towards the bridge - the second slowest pace of the run. After the bridge I said the difficult part now is over, let's put in the pace and I forced myself up. It did improve the pace with 37 km done at 4:16/km, a close to sub-3 pace, but I never went back to the pace again after that. 

With target time still in hand but body terrible tired is really a torture. I checked the time regularly and saw time closer to 3 h bit by bit. The body was tired, the leg was unable to gain speed. I never felt so difficult in running a marathon before. Not even the first one. The past two races, after overdue the 3 h expectation, I somehow took the race a bit easy. But not this time. I truly understand now all the words I read - the race doesn't start till 30 km, the wall, etc. I thought I already (or almost) know what a marathon is but now I realize I actually never been there. 

It was really torture, difficult and excruciatingly "painful". The "pain" isn't really some inflicted wound or stabbing into the muscle, but it is from within. At one point, I was feeling myself so week that I feel my heart was pumping weak. I was so struggle between slowing down and keeping up. I wanted to survive till the end, that's all I have in mind at that moment. At somewhere around 39 km, I was so tired that my hand unable to hold upright, or even hold my fist. I decided to swallow down one pack of gel without any water. Literally eat it chew it taste it inside my mouth and I couldn't care whether if it was smeared around my mouth or not. I was like a hungry ghost yearning for food. It was such a terrible condition. Luckily it worked, I felt better and turn a bit awake. At 40 km, I down the last gel with water.

Checked the time at 40 km, I might still have the chance, or not. I might be able to done it by GPS watch but I know the distance markers was a few hundred meter more. And, I didn't see the sub 3 pacer passed me over yet. I use the energy I have to run forward, merely avoiding myself shutting down.

Approaching the stadium, people passing me by one by one. I'm not saying one or two, it was one by one by one, not really big gap between the interval. These people are people running with full speed, sprinting, bouncing through, forward, in the time frame of sub-3 marathon. So this is Seoul? The real big city event?

The final
Finally I entered the stadium. "Almost there", I said. I tried to make myself feel as good as possible running around the track towards the end. I saw the digital clocked, but it was not anything below 3, consider the clocked start counting when the elite runners went out. 
With all my excitement, I crossed the finished line at 03:08:xx, and the Garmin stopped at 02:59:39. 

Finally, I done another race again, I told myself.
Regardless the results, I wanted to treasure this moment as much as I can.
This short journey that I fought within myself.
This spot behind the finishing line, where all the training is done for.
I looked around, lots of people around.
Runners talking and congratulating each other. 
There were people collapsed and brought away in ambulance.
After stopping, I was coughing, and continue to cough.
It doesn't matter anymore, because I was here.
The job has done. At the meantime, no more worry for training, injury, sleep or food.
It is just the moment right now.

Finisher hanging around finishing point

Camera rolling. Spectator watching.

After the race
I stayed behind the finishing line for a while, refused to go away, wanted to cherish this moment more. Took some photo, selfies and ask Korean people to take photo for me.

Can guess the weather from the dressing of the staffs

Big screen broadcast the race in real time

After feeling satisfied, only I followed the crowd leaving the finishing spot. Drank lots of isotonic drinks at a station, followed the line to collect food (bread, banana, energy drinks), sat down took down my time chip for return in exchange of medal, collect my bag, and finally put on cloths to get warms and rest to finish the food given. Interestingly, as I walked I passed a "gate" that have kids boy help to take of the timing chip from shoe laces, and also some boys going around approaching runners for timing chip to exchange for medal.

The sun has come out, weather was warm. Both of my legs was painful. The type of pain usually come out one or two days after the marathon occur now. It showed how much I have pushed it. Sitting at baggage collection area having my bread, seeing people walking by. Thinking of the run that just finished, although much to improve, but the experience is a treasure that can be repeat in mind again and again. I did the best I can, and that's the best feeling I have from the run.

One of the section where runners have to past by to receive goodies bag, return chip and receive medal. Blue tents for runners to sit and rest.

Break down of each 5km are as below:
5 km - 20:14 (4:03/km)
10 km - 20:30 (4:06/km)
15 km - 20:40 (4:08/km)
20 km - 20:44 (4:09/km)
25 km - 21:06 (4:13/km
30 km - 21:23 (4:17/km)
35 km - 22:42 (4:32/km)
40 km - 22:27 (4:27/km)

Panaroma view at Jamsil Olym Stadium. People lining up to take free sample of a type of Korean berries (forgot the name)

More news and results for Seoul Marathon 2015 can be read here
1) IAAF athletics website
2) Japan running news

Notes to self:
1) Try to complete the training cycle as much as possible. Balance between avoiding injury. 
2) Allocate time for stretching, strength workout.
3) Work on hill if can. 
4) Run at a constant pace instead of fast in the start and slow in the end. Try not to drifted from planned pace too much as it will paid up in the end.
5) Aim for faster time from a target time as there'll be deviation from GPS watch as well as element such as water station, elevation and wind.
6) Use sponge to cool body down and wake the mind up
7) 30 km onward is the crucial part of a marathon. Prepared it well during the training.