Finisher of 42.195km

The results are out. I did it in 5hours 57minutes. A rather long time by any standards. Still, I finished!!!

Originally intended to write a post about my long 42km run/walk. But its too damn boring to write and too damn boring to read after that. So I'll just list some interesting observations along the way.

-There should be more toilets at the start point! I desperately needed to pee just before the race. Unfortunately, too many people had the same idea and the queue for the public toilets available was simply too long. I left the queue to hunt for the start line (with no idea where it was) at approximately 5.35am. The official starting time for the race was 5.30am.

-Bushes in dark areas make for good toilets! I learned this in NS, and have relieved myself countless times into the bushes on outfield training. Though I never thought I'll do it in the middle of the CBD. But thats what I did! Followed a stream of people turning off the main running route into some dark area. Figured that they must be headed for a toilet and I was right... if u count the bushes between 2 office buildings somewhere near Lau Pa Sat as a toilet. While peeing, out of the corner of my eye I saw 2 girls turn in to our toilet area as well, only to quickly head back out when they realised all the guys were simply letting loose into the bushes.

-I love the event organisers for the sheer amount of water points, 100 plus points, deep heat rub points, banana points, and toilets (though I didnt need the toilets anymore) along the running route. I had massive leg cramps somewhere around the 20-21 km mark. Paused to stretch abit and simply wouldnt have been able to finish if I hadn't limped to the next deep heat rub point for some relief.

-Tiq came to see me at East Coast Park! By that time I was already walking. It was rather embarassing, so I tried running. And usually when my calves cramped, I stretch my calves and when my thighs cramp i stretch my thighs. After running for a bit at East Coast park (I think this was the 24-25km mark) both my thighs and calves were cramping simlutaneously, the only time it happened during the 42km. I had the painful problem of wondering how the hell to stretch when as I knew, stretching one would cause the other to cramp.

-I had gastric along the way, and stopped because I fell like barfing a couple of times along the way, only to belch out gas along with whatever internal bodily motions that accompany barfing. Besides gastric, I also had hiccups, which was terrible because I couldnt regulate my breathing to run when I had hiccups. By the time I got to around the 30km mark, I was incredibly hungry and immensely happy to see that they were giving out bananas to the runners. Though by that time, I was a "walker".

-Meeting Andrew by sheer chance along the way was wonderful. Walking and occasionally jogging and talking cock with him helped make my last 7 or 8km easier. In retrospect, I think first timers should attempt the 42km marathon with a friend.

-By the time Tiq spotted my again near the finishing point, I was a happy walker. And her nagging helped ensure that I at least ran the last 1km or so, resulting the only marathon-photos.com pic of me actually running instead of walking.

-The feeling of finishing it is fantastic. Like one of the big boards that the organisers placed to encourage runners along the route said, "The pride you'll gain will be worth the pain." And indeed it was.