Der_Pacemaker Network Run 2006 Report

I would like to start this report by thanking PM1 and all those whom had involved in volunteering their efforts for Der Alibaba Run. They had organized another great run and as a member of PM, I will always support you guys!!! :p

I nearly missed this run when there was an unscheduled meeting in Singapore with some foreign engineers. I was worried that I may not be able to secure tickets back to KL as I thought there would be many travelers at this time of the year. After the meeting cum breakfast ended at around 10.30am, I pleasantly excused myself from joining the foreigner’s shopping activity as I had told them that I was heading back to KL for a race. One of them raised their eyebrow as to what race I was participating on and I told them it’s a Run. To my pleasant surprise, one of them is a runner too and to top it all, his average timing for 21k is 1hr 35min!!! Whoaaa!!! Suddenly we were sitting by the lounge talking about all his race experiences and he mentioned to me, I have to participate in the New York Marathon. Yea right..as if I wouldn’t want too.... He ran twice in NY and he said that the crowd is totally crazy. Everywhere you can see people and there are tons of people cheering the runners at the sidewalk...I am beginning to see myself in the race....ok coming back to reality, he mentioned that I should have told him earlier that I am a runner. He would have asked me to join him for a run to the Singapore Botanical gardens that morning itself. I mentioned to him that I shall join him the next time he is in Singapore! Gwailo’s... they are incredible.

Well, I manage to get a ticket back to KL and by 7pm, I was back at home. In my heart, I was a little apprehensive on my performance the next day. There was a section in Salazar’s book that he reminded runners to ‘believe’ that their training is going to carry them through the hard race. I was in doubt....

It was already 5.30am when I woke up feeling thirsty (damn the haze). Proceed with the usual stuff minus the energy drink. After getting the Ice Touch socks on, I was already waiting for Jason at around 6.15am. While waiting outside, I looked up to the sky and see if the weather is permitting enough for me to run a hard pace today and judging from it, it seemed cool enough for me. Got into Jason’s car and after picking up Phyllis from her home, we proceed straight to Lake Gardens. We were there by 6.30am and already, the others were gathering and chatting. Jamie soon arrived and had a good chat with all the other guys. Ronnie was seemingly busy with all the preparations so I decided not to bother him too much. Before long, it was 7.15am and after some minor announcement from the buluman, it was time to run.

Everybody was very eager to start the race but then, I felt different. For this time, I told myself to go slow the first loop. It was terribly difficult when the atmosphere is so charged up while the runner’s enthusiasm will usually affect others to follow suit. So, in order for me not to start too fast, I decided to run from the back of the pack. Yes, I will start as the last runner.

The countdown began...10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1...Go!!! Race was flagged off by DK (thanks for your effort in organizing!) and off everybody goes. I was still standing there waiting for the last runner to go through and when it was through, I started moving my legs...slowly. By the first 300m, I caught up with Kelvin and Fook whom where running together. I judged my pace at this point and to me, it is comfortable enough. While they were running side by side, I just tucked behind them for a good 600m or so. Then Howard pulled ahead and I followed suit. Saw Jamie with his camera and was glad to give a slight thumbs up. After passing the starting line, I looked at my watch blinking 11mins 30sec for the first lap. At this point of time, a lot of things were going through my mind. One, I was assessing whether I could maintain this pace throughout the race. Two, if I were to maintain at this pace, will I finish the run? Then it was Salazar’s phrase that made me decide to maintain at this pace and that is, I believed in my training. I believe that it will carry me through and I knew I would be on course for a mega PR. I pressed ahead.....

By km5, I was already running alone having passed Howard. Throughout the race, I kept a cool head not to change too drastically my pace and to maintain everything at status quo. Not only that, I constantly checked my running form to ensure that I wasn’t overstriding and not over extending my torso. These are the things that I constantly checked while running and it gave me a boost where I was able to focus well. It disciplined me too because I am not running haphazardly and the most important, I had nothing to beat except my own timing.

I was surprised that I maintained at 11.30min for the second round and in my mind, I actually would like to see if I was able to maintain this for the third round and I did (+/- 5sec)! Then came the fourth round clocking at 11min 28sec and it was at the fifth round that I found it challenging. I felt tiredness on my legs but then, they weren’t that pronounced. It’s just that I was thinking of slowing down but, I never did that. I told myself in the beginning of the race that I will maintain at this pace and I will do so. I moved on and suddenly, there was a runner 500m ahead of me (from KLAVA) and I took him as a ‘reference point’ to judge whether I was slowing down or he is tiring. He was strong at maintaining his speed and I found it difficult to pass him. I made my point to slowly reel him in where it was at the inclines that I caught up with him somewhere at km10. What I did was I ‘leaned’ forward while running up inclines to save time. This was something new to me and I tried this back at JB but they didn’t work that well. In Salazar’s book, he mentioned that there were many runners being afraid to lean into the incline because it throw’s off their posture while not being able to shake off the feeling where they would fall flat on their face. However, if we were able to do that (leaning), then we are actually running much ‘faster’ than anyone else because we were able to maintain our pace throughout the inclines. So I tried and true enough, I felt like falling flat onto my face. But then a strange thing happened. My strides were compensating by itself where my legs were opening larger (to compensate from falling flat forward) and there was somewhat a ‘momentum’ pushing me from behind to run fast. Suddenly, I felt easy running up the short incline. Wow...that is eye opening.

I passed the guy from KLAVA while he was taking his drink. Oh ya, that reminded me that I never had a sip for the whole of the 6 laps....I checked my timing, it was in the region of 11.3mins and I knew I could make it. I just continue my pace and it was at km13, after CM sheered for me (thanks a lot for cheering me the whole way!!), I heard he was cheering for the KLAVA guy from behind. I looked back and was shocked to see he was 100m behind me. I thought I had passed him quite a distance but I guess I was wrong. I knew he was pushing for his last kopek and immediately, I responded by upping my pace. I pushed and pushed relentlessly while reaching the inclines, I was like practically trying to make myself falling flat on the face just to get that extra edge in speed. I pushed and pushed while Toh was at the pavement side cheering, I uttered to him that I am out of breath....

Before long, I finished the race in 1hr 8min 52sec and was already feeling happy that I ran my best. Yes, this was my best and if I were to continue for another round (which I could) I was on course for a major PR in 15k. Now I would actually come to know, the value of believing in our own training.

After the race had ended, everybody mingled around. Some with their banana’s in their mouth while others were happily chatting with drinks in their hand. It felt good, like a big happy family. Oh ya, I liked the cakes too...Happy birthday to the October Boys!!!!

One thing to comment and it was, the race was well organized and I would like to be a volunteer the next round. :-p