KL Marathon - Run

Lap timing taken during the run

10km 58:08 ( 58:08)
20km 1:03:41 (2:01:50)
21.1km 6:36 (2:08:27)
30km 1:00:25 (3:08:51)
42.195km 1:18:53 (4:31:39)
Official Timing (4:31:52)

Rank by Distance
----------------
Overall (554)
10km - 393
21.1km - 374
30km - 377
42.195km - 344

Age Group (229)
10km - 171
21.1km - 164
30km - 163
42.195km - 144

At 5am sharp, the race started. As you can imagine, at 5am the roads were dark. All the major roads at that hour have no cars or was closed to traffic. The first 5km of the run was tough. It was up and down slope, my knees starts to feel hurt. I started to wonder if I could complete the race if the road is going to be up and down like that. At 10km, I clocked 58:08mins. I am quite happy with the pace despite it being slower than my usual 10km run on a flat road. Steven, my pacer was running next to me to help me pace the marathon. He told me that if I am able to maintain my pace that way throughtout the 42km, I might be able to finish the race in less than 4hr 30mins although he warned that the last 10km may not be easy to maintain the same pace. I was quite determined.

I managed to recover from the knee pain in the next 10km. My breathing was great and I was even able to have conversation while running. It actually felt quite good running until the 21.1km (half way mark). At 21.1km, my timing was 2:08:26hr. This is my Personal Best time for Half Marathon. Along the way, Steven met one of his running friend who have just completed his first Ironman race in Langkawi last week and there he was running the marathon. Btw, he is already 55years old. Next week he is doing another Olympic Triathlon race. I hope I can be as fit at that age. By the way, as soon as he has finish the short conversation with us, he continued ahead of us. Wish I had his energy at that point of time.

After the 25km, I started to feel the pain on my knees come back again. It sort of come and go. Then I felt the tightness on quads but I still run despite being much slower than my first 21km. At 30km, the time was 3:08:51hr. I was quite motivated by what I saw on my watch. There is still hope to finish the run by 4:30hr. But I realised that fatigue starts to set in. Even the Powergel did not help to boost the energy level. People started to walk, some having cramps. I run passed them hoping that I would not end up like them. I was struggling myself as I couldn't open my pace. I was just merely trying to continue running until the finishing line.

After my 3rd Powergel, I decided not to take it anymore. My right eye felt irritated by the pespiration. Used the wet sponge to wipe and keep my face cool. Then the slope that dissappear after the 5km start to appear again. When I reached the last 4km mark, it felt like so near to finishing but yet so far to my target time. Steven announced that we have about 14mins to cover around slightly more than 2km. When I reach 2km, the slope seems steeper. In my heart I know that I would not able to finish the race with my targetted time.

When I saw the 1km mark, Steven suggested that we can still aim for less than 4:35hr. Suddenly, I started to feel that my pace quicken and legs started to open for each stride. Midway I started to worry if I am able to maintain my pace till the finishing line. Then I saw the turn to the finishing line. I started to sprint and past a few people ahead of me. No one tried to overtake me. When I saw the time on the clock 4:31:30, I ran as fast as I could possibly could to the finishing line and crossed it at (4:31:40 according to my watch). To me that was a great achievement. I was late by 1:40mins but it was not too far off from my target. I am happy with the result and am amaze that I am able to do it.


Do more long distance run prior to the race.

Did some stretching and icing on lower limbs especially knees. Drink a few cups of 100plus to hydrate and a cup of MILO. When I reached hotel, took some Endurox, rest for about 1hr and had pasta for lunch.


I felt exhausted after 30km. There were a lot of slopes along the course. Thus making it difficult to maintain a constant pace.


I thought it was a good race for me despite the lack of training for marathon distance. I think I can do better in the next marathon run. The course was tough with a lot of slopes. I think if I were to do the marathon in Singapore, it would have been much easier. However, along the route, there were lots of shades. The roads was congested with vehicle to stop for the marathon runners after 7am thus, this cause a lot of pollution from the fumes for at least 1.5hours of the run.