Project 52-4

I was top ten in KL Half Marathon..

from behind..WTF!! Shy man!! Malu-nyer malu..but nonetheless, I was brimming with happiness that I actually could finish the race. There you have it, my official results. But I want to complain. I started later than gun time. But my delay start wasn't recorded! I didn't run in 3h31min. I completed the race in 3h17min. I timed my race!!

21km-ers: Lee, me & Addy waiting miserably for the bus to come.

Started my day waking up at 4.15am to ride the shuttle bus to Padang Merbuk from Leisure Mall at 5am. But the bus took 45 mins to arrive (the brochure said every 20 mins, ngo pei!). Left Cheras at 5.45am, which means 30mins before the half marathon runners being flagged off. A 20mins ride to city centre, left us 10 mins to keep our belongings, clear our bladder and I really, really need to go for a toilet break at that point. Cleared my bowels at a nearby police station (ya, police station), I was practically running about 800m before the starting point. Warming up session, so they said.

By then, the half marathon runners were way ahead of me already. I was running on my own well, except for a few late arrivals like me. I ran a lonely race all along Jalan Loke Yew. I didn't see any runners all the way until the 5km mark. Up until the 10km mark, then only I saw the backmarkers of the half marathoners. My pace were steady and I was able to overtake most of the backmarkers.

My pace were alright all the way until I reached the National Museum. At this point I felt a little hungry and the sun started to shine. I was disappointed that I couldn't find the banana station. My first target was to reach the banana station. But there were none. Not even a sight of banana skin! And another thing that was driving me to complete the race was the sprayed-on markers on the road marking how many km-s passed the starting point. Like 7/21 meaning 7km since starting point for 21km. But the marker was missing from 11km onwards. So I was kind of lost after that.

When I reached the intersection of Jalan Sultan Sallehunddin and Jalan Raja Laut, I thought I completed the race. But I had another 2km to go. I was hungry, dizzy and thirsty and all I had in mind was, just another 2km to go, you got to do this! It was mind over matters now. One step at a time. And there you have it....

...me..on my way to the finishing line!! Look at the determination plastered all over my face! Hoong Ling was there cheering for me. It took me awhile to hear her shouting out for me. And I waved like a cray fellow. It's good to know someone was waiting at the finishing line cheering for you.

Me at the finishing line. How come I don't looked very tired?

Me and my half marathon finisher's medal.

Somehow, I found 21km (half marathon) was easier to run compared to 10km. Maybe it was more on the endurance rather than the pace. Looking forward to another 21km. But for the next one, a 10km race will be. Adidas King of the Road, 2 August 2009, Shah Alam!

Project 52-3