You Raise Me Up... (Putrajaya 12 hr Walk 12-13 Dec 2009)

Josh Groban, "You Raise Me Up" in the middle of the night, and I was walking and walking...

You Raise Me Up to More Than I Can Be

This is such an up song!

When the time to sign up for the Putrajaya 12 hr Walk first came up, I remembered this was my new year's resolution post last year. In hindsight, as I sit down to blog this four days after the all night walk, I have to say this was the most extreme endurance event I did this year.

One week after 21km in Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, I have to admit this was no mean feat. Having said that, I raise my hat to the 42km marathoners in SCSM who continued on this event, some having known since last year that this was indeed an endurance event.

The day started with having to get to Putrajaya by 7pm for collection of the bib, and the race started at 8pm to 8am the next day. I liked the way the banner printed Dec 12-13 - it was a great pleasure to say that I have walked across two physical days!

Drive to Putrjaya was smooth - I was wondering during my drive there how it would feel like to drive back 12 hours later. Not knowing what to expect, except that there was buffet and imagining I was going to meet and chat with the whole town, I was very enthusiastic. Bib collection was smooth, and a while later, I met up with Boone and his colleagues - a very big hats off to him also for having managed to persuade a whole group of people to turn up for the race. I only managed myself, despite having claimed to be the sponsor for the company running club..!

After picking up the bib, I was slightly worried seeing people brought tents and camps - I was not sure if these were regular campers (?) or actually walkers who were smart enough to bring their own sleeping mat! The turnout and the carnival like atmosphere was very encouraging.

I had before the walk started, targeted to walk 42km - the distance of a full marathon. I realised how foolish this target after the first 6km, when I found out happily that I managed to do the first 6km in 1hr, but it also meant I had to walk a freaking 7hrs at the same pace!!!

My pace dropped significantly after I made my first stop approximately 2hrs after the race started. I made a mistake and ate some of the dinner buffet, after grabbing a banana initially. The dinner at 10pm sat really badly in my stomach for almost 3km. Who really takes a long walk immediately after dinner, and also walked another 30km after dinner!!!!!

I have to say, the highlight of the middle portion of my walk was the distractions - from talking to people, from Tey and Chee Hon taking pictures, Chee Hon bringing us delicious Krispy Kreme donuts (which settled much better than the dinner), and just from walking and not walking. 11-2am was perhaps the most difficult of the middle distance portions. After 2am, I think it was just ploughing through the 30km + portions and trying to just do 3-5 km each time I had rested.

Finally, just before 10hrs, I believe I managed to make 42km, and I stopped. Not sure if its really I managed to make 42km - its either 40 or 41 or 42 or 43 km, because guess what, you cannot count after 15km, the mind numbs itself! I did not however make it to 12 hours, I made only 10 hours because they were giving out medals at 10hrs, for a min of 20km / 26km for women/men. I took my medal and left, from 35km-40km thereabouts I was thinking - people train for a marathon, and this is a marathon distance, what do I think I am to attempt this without training !

Let me pause a moment and do a Haruki Murakami - what do I think about when I am walking (running)...?

- I was thinking about happiness and was deliriously happy just enjoying the night air and thinking about nothing for the first 3-4km. It reminded me of the "nothing box" - a metaphor used to describe a man's brain when he is watching TV..

- I was thinking about what lap to do the food when the food first came out at 10am. I was also disappointed with the food when it came out - it looked very "dinner bland".. or rather a bland dinner

- I was thinking about how soft someones arm was ... (don't ask me who)

- I was thinking about when Tey and Chee Hon was going to turn up to take our photos

- I was thinking about disco music and how I would dance all night long when I was younger (ahem), giving myself a skip in my walk ..

- I was thinkng if it was possible to change into my 2XU shorts in my car, and not lose so many laps and still manage to do it in the dark of the back seat. I was wondering if it would be worse or better than my shorts

- I was thinking about people holding hands during walking or running competitions

- I was thinking about how many hours of sleep I would need to do the next day to get up for a friend's wedding

- I was thinking about how big the thighs were of one of the foreigner ladies who walked so well

- I was thinking about how good a husband John was, who accompanied Wai Mun all the way (1st runner up) (I've been seeing these two around pacesetter events)

- I was thinking about who else I would talk to - for the record, besides Boone and his colleagues whom I spoke to and I knew before the walk started - I spoke to Haza (a couple of rounds), Sook Ying, whom I suddenly recognised after a few rounds as Pacesetter committee, one indian man who was from putrajaya (who asked me to take powerbar to match the top walker!), one chinese lady who was walking with her son, one red dyed hair lady who was walking non-stop until almost the whole night on and off, said hi to Weng (KC's brother) and to my amusement also listened to a lot of funny banter from the familiar faces..

- I was thinking about 42km every km I walked after 30km.. and how it resembled a marathon - hey I walk during the marathon as well on and off after 30km...

I told Boone that walking was a very solo thing, I am wrong. It is a very personal mind over matter thing - if being solo focusses you, then be solo. If having to chat with people focusses you, then chat with people. I found both of those and a great amount of determination is what it takes to walk all night.

One day, I will do the 24 hour walk. This will be my biggest mental challenge...

Footnote - I suffered in 3inch heels the next day at a colleague's wedding dinner - it was pure torture for me but strangely on the joints of the knee. Normally walking takes it out on the calves but not sure why I suffered on the joints... The next few days, 3 days later, my body was fatigue beyond any feeling I've ever encountered. Not easy....

Photocredit - first 3 photos - Chee Hon - lonely walk to nowhere, reminded to Buat Kerja every round (and fed like an inmate!)