My First Marathon Experience

I always have this impulsive habit of signing up for marathons but ended up not training and not turning up for them. Yesterday, I FINALLY completed my first marathon.

It started with signing up with the U Run premium package at the end of last year and feeling very motivated to start off the year with more running and training. Actually, I did just that. 2013 is definitely the year I went to gym/workouts/jogging more than previous years, its almost comparable to the time I was ten years young and still active camping and kayaking. As of today, my nike+ accounted for 64 whooping runs this year!

These are the races I completed this year:
1) U run (10km+OMB Climb)
2) Nike We Run SG 2013 (10km)
3) Shape Run (10km)
4) Great Eastern Women's Run (HM)
5) Brooks Happy Run (9km)
6) Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (FM)

Other than signing up and completing these races, I didnt really keep to the marathon training as planned. One month before the marathon, I was having second thoughts about going for it due to the lack of training and there was no way I could cram more long runs into this short period. After reading about many others with similar concerns and encouragement from the rest of the running community, I decided to just go for it and only aimed to finish the marathon, telling myself this is really something I have to achieve.


I started reading up on motivational articles, running tips and training methods, preparing myself during the last one month before the race. During the REPC, instead of just picking up the race pack, I spent a bomb getting all the running gear I need: SPI belt to hold my energy gels, new Oakley sunglasses, new compression top and bottom etc. Lots of articles mentioned that I should not be wearing/doing anything new during my big race, but since I was not aiming to achieve any PB, I just wanted to make sure I was comfortable enough (and looking good as well).

After the REPC, I was really excited when I was packing my stuff and getting ready for the race. I only had less than two hours of sleep but the caffeine in the energy gels kept me going during the race so I didnt really feel the fatigue. I woke up before 3am and started to gear up for the event. I was really glad that SCM is a big running event, as the MRT was already up and operating by 2.30am. This was unlike the few previous morning races when I took a cab to the event site.

Even while I was waiting for the train, there were already other FM runners waiting on the platform. Soon, the train arrived and it was filled with other marathoners. I felt so happy and excited that I was one of them, just attending the race was already an achievement in itself. However, upon reaching the event site, I was quite frustrated that the baggage deposit took up 20 min as I felt the urge to visit the restroom even while I was still queueing. I initially planned to make it to the start pen early but ended up spending the time queueing and feeling nervous about it.

Anyway, there were still lots of others behind me when I finally reached the race pen, I knew the first wave had started but there were lots of people still waiting to inch forward and start the race. During the first part of the race, most people really paced themselves well and the overall momentum was slow and steady. Surprisingly, the roads were wide enough and there were no bottlenecks despite the big turnout of the running. Due to the lack of training, my strategy was to adopt the Galloway method of Run-Walk-Run and I specially ordered a Gymboss timer to clip onto my new SPI belt a few weeks before the race. It kept me going quite effortlessly all the way till ECP and 1/3 into the race.

As I was running along ECP and eager to approach the U turn point, it eventually became harder to start running after my one minute walking break. I walked through all the drink stations along the way, but on top of that, my walking breaks became longer. I started to look forward to the next distance marker and I noticed most people around me were also slowing down and eventually walking, there were only a few still jogging and overtaking me after 25km. When I finally left ECP behind me at the 29km mark, I had already given up trying to jog and just walked along with the rest. The pain in my knees became hard to ignore and there was just no way I could command my legs to jog or even run any longer. It was really a test of endurance and I kept doing mental calculations of how fast I was moving along and how long it was going to be before the race will be over. Unfortunately, it was still another 2 hours to go when I hit the many many "runner's walls".

I was amused that even we approached the last 500m, I couldnt get my legs to move faster unlike other races and I was still strolling along. It was only the last 200m when I saw so many people lining the finishing point that I forced myself into a slow jog. Finally, when I finished the race, the pain in my knees and the urge to visit the toilet overcame the feeling of euphoria I was supposed to feel. But after some rest, I'm now determined to train harder next year and achieve a better timing in my next marathon or even HM. I'm eagerly looking forward to next year's running events. :)