Pre-Race
1. Got my race kit, got some gels and checked into Quality Hotel on Saturday. Packed dinner from SOGO.
2. In terms of gear, my Skechers 4 Go Run and was the footwear of choice (no choice - my only shoe currently lol). I wore a 3/4 tights with the issued race shirt. 5 high 5 gels (+ another 2 on course) with 5 salt pills.
Race Day
3. Shakeout, breakfast, poop, warm up and baggage drop. I was lazy to get to the pen entrance which was on the other side from where I was so I climbed into my starting pen. The goal was to go under 4 hours or close to it.
4. With that in mind, I executed my pacing strategy. The first 8 km, effort and cadence was good. I was around 5:50 min/km which was a bit off goal avg pace but I know there was still a long way to go to make up for it. I wanted to really get in the groove before increasing the effort. But, then stomach started feeling a bit sloshy after getting some water and gel down. So I decided to run it off to see whether it's just the stomach waking up. At 10km, it's confirmed, I needed to take a dump. I can't be running with all the "baggage" in me so I stopped, offload and ran again.
5. I actually came closest to the 4hr pacers at around the U turn point at AKLEH (or was it duke?) around 12km. So I was not that concerned about my pace but I planned to stop at 15km for Subuh. So I knew I had to later somehow make up the gap to the 4 hr pacers. Once I reached the mobile surau, there was still 15 minutes to Subuh. So I had to continue on. At around 17-18km, I had to take another dump. So that got me really worried and annoyed. If I was breaking 4, it's going to be close because of all the unplanned stops.
6. At around the half way mark, stopped for Subuh. Before I resumed, checked my average pace and it was at 6min/km. And I was like 5 minutes off my split goal time at 21km mark. So naturally, I panicked and decided to increase my effort and try to reduce the deficit. It was too early in the race to attack but I had to risk it. I knew I had to get to goal pace (or the pacers) before the hilly section. But I did reserved some energy for the hills.
7. So, up to 30km the main goal was to reduce avg pace and I was at around 5:49/km at 30km. It was not good enough. Attacked all downhills. As I entered the hilly sections at around 32km I kind of knew I was not going to make it but I still pushed on hoping that I could take advantage of the downhill.
8. At 35km, the hills proved too much for me. I cramped, but not too bad and had to alternate walking/running on the hills. Going down hill, had to sometime stop and stretch the legs. It was demotivating but I didn't give up and just ran as hard as I could. I had nothing to lose at that point. But my form was already all over the place.
9. Nearing 41km, I passed 4 hours. I stopped and walked to the nearest aid station. It was as if I planned to run exactly 4 hours that day. I know I wanted to go close to 4 hours but all motivation and focus I had just went away. I started to think about the aches and pain. There wasn't any incentive for me to push it anymore. So for the rest of the race, my only real motivation to run/jog was to finish the race and reunite with my family. And I manage just that.
Post Race
10. Walking to collect the finisher tee and medal, my head was down and I was so fatigued. Then my wife and kids were screaming for me by the side of the finisher tent area and that somewhat cheered me up. Met some friends afterwards but I was so tired to hang around so decided to get back to the hotel. But not after I took another dump at the mobile porta potty.
11. So with that, I ended my SCKLM 2017 with my goal quite literally down the toilet.
Race Notes
12. Race itenerary kind of went like this:
Saturday
02:00 PM: Race kit collection/got gels
01:00 PM: Check in & rest
05:00 PM: Recce race site, goof around with the kids at finish line and met with some friends
07:00 PM: Got dinner
08:00 PM: Dinner & prepare race gear/shirt
09:00 PM: Sleep
Sunday
02:50 AM: Shakekout run, eat & shower
03:30 AM: Warm up to venue & sort out drop bag
03:50 AM: Wait in starting pen
04:00 AM: Race
08:10 AM: Finish Race
08:30 AM: Gather myself/cool down
08:50 AM: Poop and get back to hotel
09:00 AM: Rest/hydrate/eat & check phone
09:45 AM: Went to the pool to check on kids
11:30 AM: Check out
12:45 PM: Lunch
02:00 PM: Home and sleep
13. The race cost me:
Registration: RM90
Accomodation: RM222
Travel to venue & Race kit Collection: 1hr (Quality Hotel, 45 km x 2)
Traveling cost: Conservative estimate at RM0.40/km : 90 km X RM0.4/km = RM36 ~ RM40 (plus toll)
Travel distance from hotel to start line: 1km
Waiting for toilet: NA
Sorting out drop bag: No issue
14. Race Detail:
Placing (Time diff. to leader): 148/3222 (+1:33:20) [First Malaysian 2:35:56]
Time: 4:09:17
Pace: 5:54/km
Distance: 42.2km
Elevation: 279m - my Garmin (some recorded up to 500m)
*FM Malaysian Open Category
Race Comments
15. For RM 352 I think it was worth it considering the race facilities and services provided. The baggage drop was quick, everything was well marked, volunteers were plenty, hydration/nutrition were good. They could cut the huge banana in half though. I think it was a bit wasteful. I could've saved by travelling to the venue on race day but I think I made a wise choice since I got extra sleep and having not worry about parking etc. It also allow my family to be there at the finish and they had a great time being out there through out the 2 days as well. The last time I did SCKLM I remembered running around Pavilion and KLCC. The new course wasn't as scenic but it is what it is. Overall, the race was simply professional and the atmosphere was electric/awesome. There were so much energy at the start. Basically, everything you would want at a race was encapsulated in SCKLM 2017.
16. As far as my race is concerned, I probably took for granted pre race nutrtion because I never had any stomach issues. Like ever. Until that day. But when I look back at it, most of my races were mainly just about finishing and this was actually the first time I set a time goal and kind of trained for it. So the intensity and the pressure must have got something to do with it.
17. I could've also be more specific with my training. The race was like a long run + long hill repeats near the end. And I just didn't do that kind of training.
18. On the upside, the progressive runs, long runs + some track session helped a lot in terms of holding pace. I didn't bonk and I didn't feel like my legs were completely gone. I manage to push it and passed some runners even after 32 km (the wall). So I guess that was down to training. Mileage wise I probably did enough but wasn't specific to the demand of the race and it showed.
19. At a personal level, I want to run well, especially after my previous two marathon attempt ended up in me limping the last 10km to the finish. Finished 5:30 and 5:45 or something like that. I can't (or don't want to) remember. A sub 4 marathon would look good on my running resume too and provided a well deserved redemption.
20. I wanted to make every race or whatever I'm doing count because I feel I owe it to my family for all the time they have granted me/I have taken away from them. It gives me great satisfaction to train and execute a race by giving all I could on race day. It rationalizes all the time spent training and lessen the feeling of guilt. I think that day, apart from the toilet stops, I gave it all for 41km. I was demoralized after 4 hours and spent the last 1km feeling sorry for myself haha.
21. I didn't want to go down regretting and wishing I could've done better, but I did. My race plan was executed up to the 8km mark and afterwards I was pretty desperate chasing shadows. Thousands of "what ifs" circulated at the back of my mind after the race. And the main thing I was totally upset about was the toilet stops. Just to rub salt into the wound, Garmin showed my moving time was 3:59:21 with an average pace of 5:36/km. To have that information doesn't help the situation at all. lol.
22. I remember looking at the buses parked at the side of the road at 21km ready to pick up those who didn't meet the COT. For me COT was 4 hrs, but for some, it's the real race COT and that kind of perspective was needed to appreciate and also be grateful with what I've accomplished. Races are like life. Along the way, things don't go according to plan and sometime you get really close to what you want only to fall short. Response is the difference between those who eventually get what they're after and those who don't.
23. From the glass half empty perspective, this particular failure puts me in my place. Comparing my result to 1st Malaysian isn't realisitc/relevant. Maybe for now, it's suffice to say I need to shave 9-10 minutes off my next marathon. As I struggle up those hills, all my weaknesses were revealed. I wasn't totally ready for that kind of effort yet. It says a lot about my training and racing.
24. As I'm writing this, I kind of got over the result and excited to try again harder and better not just for my next sub 4 attempt but racing in general.
Final Note
25. The race was good. No complaint what so ever. I'm going to do it again next year. Attempting to break 4 in SCKLM will continue. I'll maybe do other marathons but to me I have to sub 4 SCKLM. haha. Having my family through out the 2 days, especially at the finish was great. Good to see other runners and for me to personally run the marathon again (the 2016 Ironman marathon doesn't count lol).
26. I now have a benchmark to improve upon. I learned a lot and eventhough I fell short, the positive and negative feedback is invaluable as I moved on to my next goal which is to finish a 100k ultra marathon.
27. And that is basically it for the first half of 2017. Going to objectively assess the training and races done in 1H2017 and hopefully do better next time. Rest and trail season next. Woo hoo.
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