VIRGIN MARATHON COMPLETED!

It was 3am in the morning when my alarm sounded. Started to try and get my bowel moving so that I can run lighter later.....finally finished all the prep and catched a cab at 4am....met up with the rest of the gang at capitol centre carpark before we proceed to esplanade to get ready.....keep drinking water to keep myself hydrated sicne i woke up...went to pee for a couple of times until we finally got ourself into the pen...we were light couple of hundred metres away from the startline....J and I went at our usual pace while we lost the rest of the gang. We decided to walk for 2min at every 2km mark. the music rocks and the race finally started at 6am sharp..the moment we have waiting for the past 6 months.the group of us walked for 5min before we reached the starting line and started squeezing among the crowd...as expected, the route to marina south was squeezing due to the small 2 lane road....as we pass the 4km mark, the elite kenyans started to fly pass us at the opposite direction and everyone started to cheer for them. we met a lot of familiar faces and started greeting each others...at about 10km, we had our first packet of powergel. The sky started to bighten up and the sun was out shining with intensed heat....the 2nd part of the route was from shenton way to east coast park...we started to feel the strain from the heat and i started pouring water on my head....cool finally reach east coast park at abt 19km....at 20km, i took my powergel. J was feeling bloated and decided to take later. most part of east coast park was shady so the run was very comfortable..in fact, we went faster without realising..J was hyper and wanted to surge ahead and i got to pulled her back...met a lot of familiar faces as the front runners came back at the other direction. As we reached the lagoon, the sun was right in front of us and the heat was really unbearable. we U-turned after bedok Jetty at about 26km and free powergel was given out....J took 2 packs and I took 1 from the volunteer ad squeezed them into my little pouch. as we pass 27km..I started to feel the strain of the run....went slower and push on...we reached the sgrunners support table at 30km. I took J's gatorade mixed while J took a packet of powergel...slowly, I started to feel bloated and started to feel my stitches coming...shit...i must have drank too much isotonic drinks....the heat continue to strain the body and my heart started to feel the strain. At 33km, I told J to go ahead as I struggled with my bloated stomach and stitches...I decided to walk for 3min at every km mark...it was here that the strong separated from the weak...as we see more and more walkers....my strategy works well as I still can maintain within 15min for every 2km mark...poured water over my head at every waterpoint, I started to feel my bloated stomach went away...but my heart started to strain after about 3min of run...i started to take more walk before run at 39km mark, J gave a pat on my arms and i was shocked!! how can she be behind me? she said she hit the wall at 37km and finally got over it...she went ahead again and slowly disappeared away from my sight as i continue my struggle...at the esplanade, a familiar face appeared and gave me a big shock!! is Alvo...one of those Sgrunners confidence of a sub-4 marathon....he hit the wall badly and was walking to the end...down the esplanade bridge, i took a whole bottle of ice mountain and pour over my head before i surge forward and open up my strides....it did not last long as my heart feels pressured...not taking any chance, i walk again until the last 200m before i speed up for the last time... crossed the finishing line at a gun time of 4hrs 50min...my watched stopped at 4hrs 46min...whatever the timing, I managed to complete my first ever marathon within 5hrs ALIVE!!! linked up with J and WS...collected our medal and tee, we went for a good massage...met up with the sgrunners for a while before we went to look for the rest...12noon has passed and we went back to J's car and everyone was there...found out that SK did not finished his run due to over-exhaustion...he must be disappointed..hope he will be back next year, stronger and fitter...S came back in a strong time of 5hrs 18min and JM came back 6hrs 01min cos he did not train at all....well done everyone...we washed up and went funan foodcourt for a good lunch, linked up with the sgrunners before we head home for a good rest...Overall, it was a very good run for me...i guess the last 9km strain is due to the lack of mileage which i try my best to improve next year. But the run-walk strategy works well and wonders...had a good first half marathon within targeted time.....not able to do negative splits but the second half timing was not too far away from the first....biggest mistake was I did not train for isotonic drinks for a hot day and I took too much to replenish my salt loss..lesson learn and hope to improve next year.... Date: 4 Dec 2005 Time 6.00am Shoes: Mizuno Wave Rider 8 Lap: 2km for 14:13min@7:07min/km 4km for 27:53min@6:58min/km 2km for 13:35min@6:48min/km 2km for 12:52min@6:26min/km 2km for 13:08min@6:34min/km 4km for 25:01min@6:15min/km 2km for 14:50min@7:25min/km 4km for 23:10min@5:48min/km 2km for 12:51min@6:26min/km 2km for 12:45min@6:23min/km 2km for 13:15min@6:38min/km 2km for 13:25min@6:43min/km 2km for 14:05min@7:03min/km 2km for 14:34min@7:17min/km 2km for 13:58min@6:59min/km 2km for 14:41min@7:21min/km 1km for 07:10min@7:10min/km 1km for 07:20min@7:20min/km 1km for 07:39min@07:39min/km 1.195km for 08:06min@6:47min/km Split: 02km@0h14:13min 06km@0h42:07min 08km@0h55:43min 10km@1h08:36min 12km@1h21:44min 16km@1h47:09min 18km@2h02:16min 20km@2h13:12min 21km@2h20min 22km@2h26:06min 24km@2h38:58min 26km@2h51:43min 28km@3h04:59min 30km@3h18:24min 32km@3h32:29min 34km@3h47:04min 36km@4h01:02min 38km@4h15:43min 39km@4h22:54min 40km@4h30:14min 41km@4h37:54min 42.195km@4h46:00min Average pace: 6:52min/km Cheers........................... running a marathon is a journey of life, it has up and downs, good and bad, and you get to meet new faces.