Marathon Training - Post #4 Long Run No. 1

Planned Distance : 25 km

It's getting crowded at the Bukit Aman car park. When I arrived there yesterday at 5.55 am, there was already about 20 cars parked cars and about 20 runners. I received SMS messages from Jamie and Yong who could not make it due to unforeseen circumstances.

To my consternation I discovered I had bought along a wrong pair shoes, Brooks Axiom 2004 for this long run. I had fitted an insole into this shoe but it was too small. When I run it in, my edges of my feet overhangs over the insoles resulting in excessive foot movement. A recipe for getting blisters. It started to drizzle as well. For a moment, I considered cancelling my long run but I needed the training badly with KLIM a mere 2 months away. I decided to go ahead.

This was the first time I had run this route alone which I usually run with Yong. I had a brief chat with Jessica before I set out to run. It was a bit cold due to the slight drizzling rain. Perhaps the conditions were very favourable as I reached the Petrol station in just 61 minutes. (normal pace 65 minutes). I drank a large bottle of Gatorade before starting my return run to Bukit Aman.

Along the way, dozens of runners ran in the opposite direction. I reached the junction Bukit Aman in 61 minutes. It was not over yet though as I turned right towards the children's playground. My left hip was painful so I stopped by a shop to buy a can of 1oo Plus.

After a few minutes, I started to run around the 2.3 km loop. Well, it was actually run and walk as my left hip became quite sore. It was 2 hrs 25 minutes later that I reached the car park after covering the last 3 km (in 23 minutes).

Total distance = 23 km , total time: 2 hrs 25 mins (20 km in 2 hrs 02 min. and3 km in 23 minutes)

I didn't quite make 25 km yesterday due to my left hip problem but I was able run 20 km without too much difficulty.