My first Half Marathon - Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon 2010

Early morning shot.

This entry is a copy and paste from my Dailymile page. A small entry for one of the best moment in my life.

Honestly, this run was a very special to me. Back in 4 years ago, I was overweight with my BMI was around 40.. I was obese. I couldn't run not even climbing a long high stair case without breathing heavily. I had asthma attacks almost every week. I couldn't do anything that most of my age group can do. I was in my mid 20's and my life is just plain boring. Until it reached on the day where I have this somehow depressing time in my life. Something personal that makes me want to change what I want be look at in 4-5 years time. Long story shorts, today I never thought of even run this far.. When I thought of running for 5km, that somehow was very good for me, but for 21km well, seems impossible. I was just started running for longer distance in just less than 3 months right after my first 10km race. So now, I guess the thought my capabilities changes completely.

The medal

The morning starts very early.. very early actually. I managed to sleep for I think less than 30 minutes around 8pm to 8:30pm then suddenly my roomate called me asking where I am. Me and him staying in this hotel nearby the starting point of the marathon. He ran full, I ran half. Well, after waited for half an hour, he arrived and he asked me if I wanted to join him and another friend from Singapore for a drink. So I said yes. But what made it worse, I ordered teh tarik (black tea with milk). That was a mistake. I forgot that if I drank tea at night, I won't be easy to sleep afterwards. So it's true.. plus the anticipation of my first half, I stayed all night trying to sleep. At 1 am, I started to preparing all the gears that I intended to bring/use. Lay the socks, pin up the bib, lay down the singlet and shorts, calves compression, water bottles, gels (which i never get the chance of using it) and so fourth. Just to make sure, if I managed to sleep and woke up a bit late, I already prepared the things that I wanted to bring/use. At 3am, I started to hear the noise from outside when others trying to get ready for the marathon. So I decided to join them. Went for shower and all and ready to the starting point at 4 am with my roomate and his friend.

Rained, I think plays the biggest part of my timing, as it was cooler than normal but it was also wet. The traction on my Saucony seems to be very good on the wet surface which I am really happy about it. But when there was the head wind, my gosh my fingers were almost numb because of it was too cold for me.

Almost at the end

I must say, this time I when I was running, I was happy all the way. I almost becoming a cam-whore.. Running and trying to destract those camera men/women along the side with the peace sign and big smile. I even gave a hi five to all the cheerleaders along the way. I was just trying to enjoy my run without thinking about the distance. At the starting point when I knew that I didn't have enough sleep, I couldn't care less about my timing which I had set way back for half marathon at 1:45. I was telling to my roomate that if I could finish by 2hrs I would be happy. But when the run starts, I thought they would put km marker for every 1km, but I didn't see any only at 4km. Then afterwards there wasn't many markers. So I was just couldn't careless about my timing and keep on running. Hardly watching my watch also helps. But when I reached at km 16 where things starts to get very funny. I had the urge of going for toilet. Oh no! That's what I thought. I was seriously wanted to stop but then I remembered when I was climbing the Mount Kinabalu, for those who stop for a long break, you will get a bad cramp. So I didn't. I keep on running with one determination now. Get this done and relieve myself as soon as possible. So that what I did and it was one of the reason for my timing.

Running with crowd also pushed me a lot. When I'm doing the training, I am running alone at all time. But when I'm running with the crowd especially, with the speedy crowd, I tend to run with their pace. I'm not sure why I wanted to run with the speedy pacer but so just happened I was at the wrong place. :)

At the last 2 km, one thought that makes me feel overwhelming when I just noticed on my watch that I am way below my targeted time, it was the thought of what if I was still over weight, I would never enjoy running, I would never enjoy challenging myself, I would never enjoy to give high-five to the bunch of cheerleader and most definitely I would never enjoy cam-whoring to all the cameramen/women just now. When I reached at the finishing line with the big clock showing 1:39:XX:XX, I gave out all the energy left behind sprinting with a wide big smile from ear to ear and practically shouting and jump at the finishing line (I'm hoping that there will be a photo, a friend of mine saw me at the finishing line and she was saying that I looked so happy, which I am). So this will be one of the high point as my runner's life. I never wanted to run to win, but I always wanted to finish till the end.

The result!

Thanks to all my DM friends here for all the comments, motivation, advices and supports. Cheers and keep on running!! My journey is not done yet.. I have another half marathon in Singapore Penang (will try to get below 1:30 1:35) and I will start running for full starting next year with one target, to finish below 3:30 3:40.