Blogging in reverse, I admit I had a good race. My race strategy was to take it easy as I had a terrible week of being too busy, and a lack of good practice for the last few weeks except for weekly runs (thanks to our running SIG!). The most I've ran before the race was the Circuit Run #2 within the last month and the GE 20km for the last 2-3 months. In between we had some fun weeks racing in double hills. With the nasty dry cough, I was not certain I would run about a week prior to the race, and also with the week following which I had to travel to Sydney immediately after the run. In the end I did the race because I had sacrificed my sydney trip going earlier because of the run. Again, my race strategy was simple because I knew this year, the time is longer for half marathon, 3.5hrs.
Standing at the starting line, I cannot believe that after so many runs (3 KLIM half marathons!), and four half marathons last year (KLIM, GE, Penang, PJ) I had not managed to get rid of this butterflies in my stomach feeling when I step to the starting pen (kandang!).
The loop this year has changed slightly, I was disturbed by the change because after the initial loop around KL and back to the starting line in the beginning, I noticed a good 16 minutes had gone past! When I did not manage to reach the drinks station after running for 45 minutes (it was supposed to be at 5km), I started to get weary and slowed down. This was probably my mental self also checkpointing myself that I could push myself as I needed to travel later in the day. When I slowed down, before Federal Highway, PL and JS passed me.
Surprisingly TY passed me only much later, closer towards the Sungei Besi - he is a very steady runner - he paces himself well for his large build. At the Sungei Besi turn, I was shocked to find that I had approximately touched almost 1:30 something, and this was indeed bad news but my great mind thought, well I ran the extra 16 mins at the beginning. This was when I started to really slow down after 11-12 km, and did half of the remaining race half walk and run. I shuffled past two of my companie's younger guys after about 12km near Pudu, it was such a thrill I was not last!!!
Most enjoyable difference this year was indeed the Adidas rain showers at the Sultan Ismail last stretch, who cares if I had wet shorts or wet vest, it was a cool shower!!! When I made the end I was just around 3hrs, it was a disappointment for a runner to get worse year after year, but I was quite pleased with myself, nevertheless this was also a point for me to reflect - I think I want to give up the sport for next year if I go on this way. How am I every going to go for the marathon distance? I think about it and wonder if I have to get back to the basics or quit the sport.
Postscript - Tonight, I took a box and put in my half marathon finisher medal this year. I had in the box, a collection of medals from 10-21km races throughout the last two years+ when I started running. It is a great achievement, for a person who is not an athlete inborn, but every race I see great motivational people and people who want to stretch themselves, and every year, I get more of my team to join the race. Racing is a lonely sport - as you run against yourself, but one which you feel scared in the beginning, want to retire in the middle, and a great accomplishment in the end. People ask me what I think during races, this race I ran without headphones and MP3, guess what, I was just thinking of whose butt am I following. Perhaps this lack of sensible thinking is why I really enjoy myself!
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