Journey. Light.: adidas Sundown Marathon 2010 Day 2/2

We crossed the start line waving our hands in the air hoping that we would be caught by any of the official cameramen. Now is the best time to be on camera as we were still looking good. Hahaha .. :)

As I stepped forward, my newly bought fuel belt slipped down my buttocks. I supposed its still not yet adjusted to “field” conditions. I quickly pulled it up to below my waist level and gave it a little pull on the loose ends. It now sits nicely there.

Everybody’s mood was high. Or rather high mixed with some degree of tiredness. Generally, most of us were programmed biologically that now is the time for the body to rest. Yet, we were now embarking on a long 42km run. Crazy, this is what some people will call us. But we knew better as we were doing what we liked.

Since the Passion Run last weekend, I have been questioning myself on whether if I have been running the wrong way. Am I concentrating on the right things when I run? I looked back at how I ran for my few previous races. Reminding myself again on all the lessons that I had learnt and mistakes that I had committed. I realised that maybe I should not focus too much on the individual 1km splits along the whole route. Instead I should try aiming for timing for the 10km splits. This would greatly lessen the mental stress as I have lesser split timings to meet. Only 4 10km splits compared to 42 1km splits. Yes, maybe doing this would help. I would also rely more on my “feel”. Feeling for my body, for the route, for the surrounding. This “feeling” was also mentioned inside Dean Karnazes’s book 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days.

The start off was low and I was going at 6:00 – 6:15 pace. Some of us were more courageous by going at a faster pace. We made 2 right turns and were on the way to the main road. On our left were the participants for the 21km heading back to the finish line. They were finishing while we were just starting.

1km: 00:05:43

As we were running, we heard some voices on the loudspeaker among the crowd heading back to finish line. “Please keep clear. 84 coming through.” We saw a police outrider trying to clear the road a short distance behind him was a thin guy drenched in his own perspiration and running steadily forward. This was the champion of the 84km category and he would go on to set a new record for the event.

We also saw the 4Hr pacers leading a group of runners speeding past us. Wah .. so fast ah .. if I had followed them I would have died off earlier along the way.

2km: 00:05:56

There seems to be head wind as we were running so I tried to find somebody whose build was similar to mine and running at around the same pace as me. I managed to find that guy and closed in behind him. He helped to block out the wind. Yeah! The pace seems comfortable. Yet, it seems to be getting more and more comfortable. I checked my garmin and it showed 6:30. A little too slow so I broke away from him.

3km: 00:05:59

We reached turned left into the coastal road. Running along it seems easier now as there were so many people around you. I met Benjamin Wong and we exchanged words of encouragement.

I did not really bothered about the pace at I am running but just relied on my feel. There were people who were overtaking me all this while but I just kept to my own pace. We could feel the humidity running at this hour of the day and soon I was drenched with my own sweat.

4km: 00:05:51

5km: 00:05:51
Time: 00:29:23

6km: 00:05:50

7km: 00:05:25

8km: 00:05:23

9km: 00:05:08

As I neared the 10km mark, I had to increase my pace slightly to keep on schedule. I tried not to stick as close to 58 mins for the first 10km as much as I could. I did not want to go beyond 58 mins. Neither did I want to cross the 10km mark with too much a buffer as this could translate into me running too fast.

10km: 00:05:04
Time: 00:56:45

Next, we went into the east coast service road. As we turned in, I saw a tentage on our right. How I wished I could just go in there and lie down to sleep. Ha .. :)

11km: 00:05:54

12km: 00:05:24

Going past National Sailing Center, we were now on the tracks of ECP. This is familiar ground to many who always run along ECP, except that it is in the dead of the night now. As we made our way to the U turn point near Fort Road, we were cheered on by the event volunteers as well as numerous groups of people located at different locations to support their friends.

13km: 00:05:21

14km: 00:05:35

15km: 00:05:39
Time: 01:24:09

Reached by the cable ski park.

16km: 00:05:27

17km: 00:05:50

18km: 00:05:22

Saw the Mac. Our usual starting point for our weekend training runs.

19km: 00:05:22

20km: 00:05:25
Time: 01:52:03

Went passed Big Splash on our right. From this point onwards, I seem to have difficulty keeping the pace.

21km: 00:06:10

U turn near Fort Road. Starting from here, things began to go downhill. My pace is dropping.

22km: 00:06:33

I noticed more and more people are starting to walk. Not sure if its due to the fatigue of running at night.

23km: 00:06:29

There was this ang moh in yellow top running with me and we were sort of chasing after each other. I would overtake him and slow down. A short while later, he would do likewise. We seem to know that each of us is chasing after the other. There is always this "link" between runners as we run. An unspoken connection that helps to push each other forward. There was this connection between the 2 of us now. Both of us knew we were both tired but we still kept pushing forward. This was like a sort of silent encouragement for the other party that went: "Comon, I'm ahead of you. Keep up with me!"

After a while of the silent encouragement, we broke the silence.

"I want to see you keep overtaking me." He told me.

"I dont want to see you behind me." I replied him.

He slowly picked up his pace and went forward. This time I could not catch up with him anymore.

I am exhausted. Really exhausted.

People who saw me at ECP during this stretch would later on tell me that I was in a bad state.

"I've never seen you looked so exhausted before." One of them told me.

24km: 00:06:56

25km: 00:06:54
Time: 02:24:48

26km: 00:07:50

27km: 00:07:34

28km: 00:08:21

Aileen overtook me at this point.

29km: 00:06:49

Strangely, I started to feel some form of energy flowing to me. Not sure if this was what people called second wind. I have heard something about it before but never really experienced it. I had the energy to pic up my pace now.

Ran passed the back of National Sailing Center.

30km: 00:06:35
Time: 03:02:12

31km: 00:06:50

32km: 00:06:11

Reached National Service Resort & Country club. Proceeded into the park connector.

33km: 00:07:39

Saw Kah Wan along the canal. Finally arrived back at the coastal road.

34km: 00:06:45

Unfortunately, my source of energy was winding low. Either I depleted them too fast, or they only arrive in short supply. I was starting to struggle again.

35km: 00:07:53
Time: 03:36:51

36km: 00:07:11

37km: 00:08:38

More and more people were overtaking me. I was coming to a crawl. Eating the gels did not seem to help.

38km: 00:09:12

39km: 00:08:00

Reached the right turn leading back to Changi Exhibition Center. Final stretch!

40km: 00:07:28
Time: 04:17:54

I forced myself to open up my strides and pace up. It was going to be a long, long 2km.

41km: 00:06:26

I kept running and running. Legs were screaming at me to stop. But I just kept going.

42km: 00:06:06