Sears Bridge Run & Army Half Marathon 2005 by Petalingrunner@PM25

Hi guys,

Long time didn't write report liao. This race is really interesting for me because apparently, it is also the most difficult that I have ever participated. Read On!

Race Eve
Picked Jason@PM23 from the Larking Bus station at around 8.30pm and we proceeded to do some carbo loading and whatever loading that is applicable. Behind my mind, this is just another 21km race. Nothing can stop me (I'm so big headed) from setting a PR in this race. My PB in Half Marathon races would be the PJ Half whereby I clocked 1hr40mins. I intend to clock sub 1hr50min time judging from my recent performance in Adidas King of the Road. I did OK for KOTR whereby it is the first time I dipped under 50mins for this race course and from my tabulation, I should be able to make it (what a big mistake!). We had an early night where retired for the night at 11.00pm as we need to wake up by 3.00am the next day to make it to Singapore!

Race Day
We woke up at 3.00am and we were off towards Singapore by 3.30am. After the customs checkpoint, we took a cab from there to the Padang whereby it was totally jammed with people!! I cannot believe my eyes on the number of participants for the race. Most of them consists of Army personnel where they don their respective Army Section vest. We reached that place at 5.20am and the timing was just right. Me and Jason proceeded to check our bags in and onwards to the starting line.

Start!
Everybody moved towards the bridge and the crowd was huge and unbelievable. However, I noticed one strange thing on that day. There was no breeze and the humidity was high. It was actually hot at that night and I was already sweating before the race. I chose to ignore it and that was one bad mistake that I have made which later really made me suffer. BANG!!! Everybody moved forward. I spend a good 2mins walking before I could even start to jog!! Jogging alone would take another 3 mins and it really slowed me down. A word of advise. If you are seriously into breaking your PR, don't start from the back. You'll lose time only. Although there is a 'net' time but the official timing is still the gun time. So start in front, not the back. As you move towards the timing chip gantry, the pace gets faster and then there is a sudden surge in pace after the race gantry and that is when you really see people running. For the first 5-7km, I was stuck in a major running group in which there was runners all around me. It really freaked me off because you don't see this in Malaysian scenario. The pressure was great because there is really no way to potong sayur. You are clipped in the middle. I decided to be the rude runner whereby I weaved in and out of other runners front.

Then I saw an opportunity to potong a lot of sayur as they stopped for the first drinking station. I just pecut forward and those sayur were dead behind me. But I made a big mistake here. I noticed that I was already sweating a lot whereby I was even drenched to my pants during the first 5km! This had never before happened to me. I felt really hot as if I was running in the evening and I knew this spelled trouble. I should have maintained my fluid intake and most probably it would have helped in cooling my body down. Not only that, I did not sponge myself and it only further aggravate the situation. I saw people busy sponging themselves as if they were into some bathing competition. Mind you, that was 6am in the morning!!

So there I was, busy running until the next waterstation comes and I took heavy gulps of cold water into my system. There was an instant relief but I knew it was too late. I sweated too much and I knew much of the electrolytes in my system was gone. Instantly, my mind switched to survival mode. I slowed down my pace and just jog trying to survive. I reached the 12km mark and everything seemed fine. Well, it was nice running by the beach and not to mention, all the leng luis in sexy tight fitting outfits. Singaporeans are really special lar.

The Wall
I was still keeping my comfortable pace of running when I met PM23 at around the 13 or 14km mark. I encourage him to go faster as I moved forward. Then suddenly, all things went bad at 17KM mark. My muscles spasmed and it threatened to cramp!! Damn, this is a 21K race and not a 42!! How can that happened? Then I gave a deep thought as I suffered along. Firstly, I had not ran a 21KM race since Nilai Half therefore, there wasn't much preparation made. Secondly, I sweated too much under this humid weather thereby losing most of the electrolytes as I had not refueled myself properly. Thirdly, I ran too fast without building a solid base. I used my 10K time to estimate my 21K timing. What a lousy math. Fourth, I had not trained enough. Damn myself.

The Finishing
What to do?? Suffer lor... I ran and walked at the same time. It was really painful experience for me. I saw the finishing line just 2KM ahead but the distance felt so far. It is just difficult to describe this experience. It is exactly the same as running the KLIM 05 Marathon event. Bloody painful. I finished eventually running the final 1KM into the Padang. Cannot walk ma..if not damn malu lar... My watch showed 2hrs 12mins. I just don't want to describe the pain I have gone through. It cannot be put into words.


Race Evaluation
Well, this race is worth the money that you are paying. Why?

1) The race was well organised without having those faster runners trampling you over. These faster runners actually start infront of the normal mere mortals.

2) The 10K event started much later allowing time for the 21K people to be reasonably ahead.

3) Can 'wash the eyes'. My vision was so clear after that. No need contact lenses.

Anyway, the not so good points about this race was:

1) The water station. This only applies to the first water station as they ran out of water supply!! I actually saw people standing there and waited for water to be served to them!!

2) Distance Markers. I wasn't actually very sure of the distance I have ran. A few times I actually had to ask what is the distance we have ran from other runners. I would help very much if they can break it down to every single KM.

3) Baggage Retrieval. For heavens sake, please improve on that. I had to wait for half an hour standing there like a moron just to get my bags back. I'm sure alot of runners whom participated and checked their bags in would agree on this!


The Padang
It was filled with carnival as everybody was so happy that day. For me? Well, I felt OK. Happy in the sense I have finished my first 21K since Nilai Half. But I am sad too as this is the slowest time I have ever ran for a Half Marathon. Everything had gone wrong for me on this day. The consolation? At least the medal is nice and tons of time to 'cuci mata'. Ha Ha Ha!! I love running!!!