Sunday 3 July 2005 : Ipoh Half Marathon , Part 2: The Race

This is my final part for the Ipoh half marathon report.

Pre-race
I forgot to bring along an alarm clock to Ipoh but no worries, I had three alarm devices to wake me up. First; the hotel wake-up call, second; mobile phone and the third; my Timex Ironman wristwatch. They were all set to alarm at 5.15 am

I had my a breakfast of orange juice, two bread rolls and a Kit Kat chocolate. By 5.45 am, I was ready but I have to admit my lack of enthusiasm to run this race. The main reason is my injury have not healed yet and with it, the possibility of a Did Not Finish (DNF) result. I was not even sure if the organisers has a sweper bus. Secondly after six weeks of reduced training (20 km a week) , my capability to complete a 21 km run was questionable.

While I was contemplating these unpleasant facts, Loong was getting ready. Secretly, I wanted to do as well as last year's. Perhaps running a sub 2 hrs race (in 2004, 1 hr 57 minutes) again. The reality is I am not fit enough to do this. My race plan was accordingly set to be less ambitious ; to finish the race with a slower time of 2 hrs 05 minutes. According to last years's result, this time would enable me to finish close to the 200th position and get a medal.

Yong came in the room at 6.00 am. I think he wanted to join us to walk to the starting area but he had to leave as Loong was not yet ready.

The Race - Start
At 6.15 am, we took the lift down to the lobby. The Singaporean runners were already in the lobby. Ah Loong and me walked the 100 m distance to the starting area. The compound was already full of runners.

We dropped our reporting cards into a box, had a plastic band tag to our wrist and did our warm up and stretching.

We waited at the normal place where the runners will be let out from the gate and walk about 400 m to the starting line. It was 6.45 am (starting time) and yet the gate was still closed. As soon as the gate opened at about 6.48 am, we were out running to the start line. Everyone was running at though the race had started. Did it start or not ? No one knew.

We reached the starting banner where we were stopped by the officials. The race will start late because there was a "show". The show was an aerobics demonstration by the team from the Ipoh Council which won the national championship. I could not see the show as I was standing in the middle of the crowd. I thought after this team, the race would start but another team came on, supposedly the 2nd runner up or something. I couldn't care less about these side shows as it was now 6.55 am , 10 minutes past the original start date. The runners started to become irritated, restless and many shouted for the race to start. "We are sick seeing these shows". No one said that but I wish someone did.

After these distractions the starter gun was fired than the Perak chief minister at 7.00 am. Maybe he was the reason that the race started late. Malaysian VIPs are notorious for being less than punctual. F**k.

Since the half marathon runners were only about 350 strong, in just 50 m, I was already up and running.

First 10 km
I started running quite fast for the first 2 km or so. Paced with 2 runners, Malay guy (A046) and a Chinese uncle (A0110). The chinese uncle was a older guy, maybe in his late 50's or even 60's. He was bald on top with tufts of grey hair on the side. But this guy can run fast at consistent pace. Even more amazing he ran barefoot. Really hard core!.

For the first 5 km distance to Gunung Rapat , I paced with these two guys. Near the first water station at the 5 km mark, I checked my time ; 26 minutes 40 seconds. It was crazy for me to run at this pace ; equal to 5:20 per km. I took a cup of water a the drink station, walked for about 50 m and then ran again.

I wanted to catch up with the two guys who continued running. I ran a bit faster and caught with them. I was running well and felt I was running within my limits for the first 10 km of a half marathon distance. When I reached 10 km, I checked my time again; 54 minutes. If I could maintain this pace for the half , I would achieve a PR of 1 hr 55 min for Ipoh . What a time, must keep going !

10 to 15 km
Just after the 10 km mark, I suddenly became tired, legs started to become sore (not the knee). Started to struggle to maintain constant pace. Have I hit the wall because I ran too fast? Walked for about 100 m. Yong overtook me somewhere between the 1o to 12 km mark.

I started to run again the 100 m walk. Legs still sore. Checked the time again at 12 km mark. Time : 66 min. Pace was still OK; On target for PR. Must keep going and maintain 5 min 20 sec pace.

Started to get stiches at the diagphram. Pain. Oh no, not PJ again (where I experienced continuous stiches throughout 12 to 21 km).

Breathe in , breathe out. Take deep breaths, breathe out, slow down. Try to maintain even and deep breaths.

Somewhere between the 12 to 15 km, I started to take walk breaks. A PR was now out of reach but I still had a shot getting a medal (top 200) , if I can finish in 2 hrs 05 minutes. Powergel didn't help at all. What was wrong ?

At the 15 km mark, my time was 1 hr 30 minutes. Another 6 km to go. Must run the last 6 km in about 36 minutes. Try damm it!.

15 to 18 km
Between 15 to 18 km I was in a blur. Alternated between running and walking. So tired.

At the worst stretch , I only managed to run 200 m before being forced to stop due to exhaustion. I took my last packet of powergel. Didn't help at all.

I faced up to the reality. Expected finishing time ; 2 hrs 10 minutes or more. No medal.

Just wanted to finish. Not to end up as a Did Not Finish (DNF) runner.

Sharing the misery with me was a Malay guy in yellow vests. He came from Kuala Kangsar. He shuffled (injured) as he walked , swung his arms with all his will. We walked , ran and talked to each other.

19 to 21 km
For the last 2 km, the runners ran on the opposite side of the roads separated by a divider. I could see the traffic light ahead. Just before the traffic light, I had to make a U turn to the other side of the road.

I walked for about 1 km or so saving my energy to make the final push to the finishing line. Just before the U-turn , I started to run again. Just one km more to run.

I kept going and the the straight road section, 500 m away t the finishing line. I ran harder and in fact could accelerate . Huh? Where did this energy come from ?

Crossed the line in a time of 2 hrs 16 min 00 seconds. But still got a medal for finising in 163 rd position.

What went wrong?
I made a mistake of running the first 10 km too fast (54 minutes), even faster than my SJ run time and that was a 10 km run.. I felt comfortable running at this pace and thought I could mantain the same pace for the next 11 km.

But my training or lack of it over the six weeks leading to the Ipoh run did not support my intention to run a sub 2 hrs time.

I cut back my mileage from 60 to 20 km a week. During the 2 weeks to Ipoh, only ran 5 km twice in that period. Did not do a long run for 8 weeks.

I was overconfident that I could make the time , counting on my past experience of running 16 half marathons. That was my mistake.