Date: 4 December
Venue: Orchard Road, Singapore
Distance: 42.195km
Flag-off time: 5:00 a.m.
Route:
This was my first marathon. I adapted 18wk training schedule from book "Advanced Marathoning (2nd Edition)" by Pete Pfitzinger and Scott Douglas. Despite injury on week -4, and some unavoidable circumstances, the schedule was followed as closely as possible. Being discipline is indeed an important element to get yourself improve. I learnt it from the 18wk of training.
Race Pack Collection
Race pack collection was happening at Marina Bay Sand and was a smooth one. The public system of Singapore was so fine that I had no problem to reach the location as a lone travel foreigner.
However, spending one day on travel for flight, race pack collection and check-in accommodation was a tiring task.
If one have sufficient time, I would recommend oversea participants to arrived at least 2 days at a race country. This will give you enough time to face any unexpected event and adapt body to local environment.
If you have no sufficient time, make sure you spend the least time possible travelling out there before the race day. Rest is more important.
Race Day
The day started with a nervous event.
I arrived the venue at around 4.15am which is consider late, due to wrong estimation of time.
Upon arrival, I spent a lot of time at finding toilet and when everything is done, the entrance was already closed.
I had a bad warm-up (consider running while searching for toilet as a warm-up) and lack of stretching.
I had to climbed over the divider to join the crowd, or I had to wait 15min after flag-off for the entrance reopen.
This was a big lesson to me. Always arrive early. 1h 30m seems to be a reasonable time, especially in a big event like this. (16,000 full marathon participant)
The race flagged-off at 5a.m. sharp.
My target was to complete the race at 3h 30m.
Due to the "toilet incidence", I started behind a large crowd. I rushed in the beginning to get through the crowd, which is a bad strategy. I ran at a pace faster than my target pace so that I can see the 3h 30m pacer (which at didn't see eventually in the whole raace). This cause me to ran the first 10.5k at 4:21/km pace.
At 5km the crowd started to clear and I can run steadily without acceleration.
Due to the early rush, I took my first power gel at the water station approx 10km.
At 13km the route lead to East Coast Park which is a huge area that was design for outdoor and recreational activities. Despite us runners, there were many local resident that carried out activities like cycling, running, or camping. The feeling was more like a weekend long-run rather than a race.
The speed decreased at the second 10.5k. This was sign or early tiredness and I was worried will I able to maintain the pace.
The second 10.5k pace was 5:10/km.
Stitch
East Coast Park attributed to almost half of the distance of the race (route from 13km to 31km). At around 20km, after one pack of Power Gel and water, I develop stitch, started at my right abdomen, right below rib cage. I never had experience of stitch and it really freaked me out as it still have half the route to go.
I tried several ways to reduce the pain:
1) Distract myself by concentrate on other thing on my mind
2) Reduce Pace
3) Adjust the way of inhalation and exhalation
4) Test the volume of water to drink at each waster station, and it's effect to the intensity of pain
Well I haven't really study the fact on stitch yet (and I believe there's plenty of article on it), but I find ways 1), 2) and 4) was helpful.
However, there are disadvantages for these ways.
1) I read about that in a marathon, the first 30km should be "easily cruise through" and "not consuming too much mental power". While when I distract myself by focusing my mind, I used up a lot of mental energy. Self-talked, focused on one thinking, etc... and it really like eating my mind. At that moment, I had no idea how long can I sustain.
2) Reducing pace, it also mean prolong of complete time.
As for volume of water, I don't know if it's right. However, I found that sufficient amount of water able to bring down the pain in a small degree.
The stitch continue up to 35km or 38km I couldn't remember. It was there in most of the distance. I could say it really affect the performance.
The third 10.5km completed with 4:50/km pace.
Post-30km
After 30km mark the tiredness started to become obvious.
Partly due to the distance started with a hilly industrial area road.
Putting a hill at this point is really killing the spirit.
I just pushed myself to go forward.
12km to go. I told myself.
I checked on the time. I was still in the targeted time to achieve 3h 30m, as long as I maintain a avg 5:00/km pace.
37km is the distance I never go into. My longest distance in training was 36km.
"5km to go" "25 minutes to go".
This type of self-talk was really working.
My attention if fully on how to keep moving, the surrounding was pretty much not important to me anymore.
38 km. I told myself. "20 minutes to go".
And who knows, this is where "Heartbreak Bridge" location.
A sloppy bridge, at this distance.
Again, it tend to destroy my spirit.
I blame to my lack training on hilly route. Blame the stitch. Blame the organizer.
People are easily get angry at this distance, especially if one have a targeted time that so near to lose it.
After the bridge I try to reclaim the time by increase the pace.
However, the leg was like a detach part of the body.
It got it's own autonomy and it command it's own speed.
It didn't communicate anymore, like a angry child at rebellious age.
At 40km, another unexpected thing happen.
I saw the crowd coming from everywhere.
The participant from other distance category, all, happily, heading to the same finishing point.
That just mean one thing to me. I have to run at a even faster pace to go through the crowd.
The last 2km was the most difficult one.
1km was like so long.
Am I there yet?
I push myself, tried to got behind other runners who was rushing to finish line like me.
The crowd was hug that I almost bang into other runners.
And there it was, I could see the finishing banner, I could see the clock.
When I could see the timer, it was already 3:30.
Took my last effort, crossed the finish line.
That's it.
I could hear the cheer for myself in my heart.
I've just complete my first marathon.
It doesn't have a strong feeling like electric surge, it's just like happening so quiet.
This is it.
The net timing is 3:31:07
Although it didn't achieve my targeted, but the progression in the race is already a precious experience to me.
With the experience, I hope I can do it better next time.
