KLIM - Full Report

Pre Race

Suprisingly didnt have much pre race jitters as others... must be too confident even though didnt have enough training... my max mileage a week is a measly 50km during KLIM Circuit No.2 week.... tried to study and keep to a 3 month plan as recommended for marathon beginners but get i was not disciplined enough to follow.. but i managed to complete GE30k in a respectable time of 2:53... so guess that i have to really braved another 12km... furthermore i finish strongly during 30km so maybe will only suffer after 35km... walk run 7km is not that bad.. so just gave myself a target of 4:15 but wouldnt count so much on it...

slept early at 930am but only dozed off at 11am... no jitters but guess was not used to going to bed so early..... woke up sharp 230am and had a nice hot Cintan soup with egg... didnt have the stomach to gulp down the Powerbar.. no offense eh Azwar but it is really very sweet... especially so early in the morning (can i suggest a kurang manis version)

Race Proper
did the usual business and chit chat with Adrian, Abu, Saiful, Ngae, Stupe and a few guys before the start line... think it started sharp at 430am... starting was uneventful and the pace was very comfortable... met Azwar with his Lipatz and was suprise that he was not running as well.... manage to reach 10km in 56mins... not too bad

10km to 20km
ran past my parents house and manage to spot my uncle Philip from a far... manage to call him and he was suprised i was actually running.... felt my thighs start to tighten up at about 15km... Oh No... this cant be good.... i still have so long to go.... but didnt worry much about it... it may go away... step on the board at 1:58 which was remarkable... started to ask the official whether it was 21km and high five him...

20km to 30km
felt my second wind coming after that... i was strong and manage to sayur many runners before starting to feel the twitch as my calfs... OH NO ... this is really bad.... it was only about 25km max .... try to slow down but didnt do much good.. then disaster struck... i had cramps on both calfs... this reduces me to a slow walk and trying to stretch on the way.... after doing that for about 2km... my left calf seized up.... boy it was really painful.... Yee Hua passed me and asked whether i was ok.... it was too painful to even answer her.... i felt my marathon journey / dream came crashing down on me.... how i am suppose to complete another 17km in this pain.... was crying already inside... somemore i caught sight of an ambulance nearby... ok this is it ... it will be my first DNF - Did Not Finish ... so arrogant of me in underestimating the full distance of marathon... i am just going to walkover to the ambulance and take me back.... but then i dont think they will do that until the race is over... now its only about 2:30 race time... means i gotta wait at least another 3 hours...

after much thinking during my slow painful walk... decided to carry on as i can see many runners also suffering cramps.... better to walk all the way and get a finisher medal then to just sit and wait in the ambulance... after a while manage to reach 30km in 3:10... i was devastated...

30 to 42km
after that i felt much better.... so i started to shuffle run again... as i didnt want to stress my calf so much i started to exert a lot of pressure on the thighs.... only then the torture started...... up and down.... walk and run.. seeing other runners suffer as well... old man panting... young man grimacing in pain... full of emotions.. i was like cursing Adrian as he said earlier that it was flat after 30km... this cant be flat... the route was also confusing that we have to make U turn at some road.... guess fatigue already starting to get me... but the last few distance markers starting from 8km was really helpful in motivating me to just finish the race... one km at a time.... after much pain finally reach the finishing line in 4:47..... (thought that will finish in 6hrs after the cramp)

I think that why i suffered so much is becoz:-
1) didnt had enough mileage - 50km at the peak weekly is too little
2) stop gym work for about 2 months... really bad move as calfs was weak
3) didnt pay attention to salt content - hence cramps at both calf
4) as a summary didnt plan for it and in the fail miserably in achieving the preset target

(any more advice friends out there)

But as a whole was really proud of myself as it was really mind over matter. Physically i was drained out already... i am having shivers really thinking about the cramps at 27km... imagine have to bear the pain for another 15km... not easy man... it was really a mental exercise where nothing is impossible... step by step and in the end finishing the race... my mother kept advising me that once is enough... no need to go through the pain again... but as runners we know better... once is never enough...

therefore make sure train harder and consistently and never ever underestimate the full impact of 42km race ... (especially when u think that ur fit enough)