Singapore Marathon 2017
The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon took place this morning, 3 Dec 2017, Sunday. The race started at 4.30am, but as usual there were a few waves of runners. I was in the C pen and started the race at 4:40:21. They changed the route a little and runners do not need to run through the Ford Canning Tunnel. But, the weather was extremely humid and you can really feel the stillness and warm in the air. The new route took runners to Bugis and Golden Sultan area and the usual South Beach Road but included Chinatown this year.
One unfortunate thing that happened to me was my Garmin watch was acting funny around the 9-10km and the pacing plus distance was way off.
I was not expecting any PB but was hoping to do a sub 5 hours. Training was insufficient, my mileage was too low, total around 740km for the year to Nov 2017. The first 5km was reached in 31:40, always trying to take it easy and not to be carried away thinking that it’s fine to run faster.
Most people know their own pace and kept a consistent pace throughout most part of a race. I always try to follow the same reasoning, but is always way faster in the 1st half. I reached 10km in 1hr 2min 42sec, still feeling good and relax.
After 12km or so, the route finally entered the Garden by the Bay, we are out of the city. Most people definitely felt the different as you can feel the breeze in you face. Reached 15km in 1hr 36min 27sec, I was still running efficiently.
We enter the East Coast Park just after 17km, I was wondering if I should take a toilet break but decided that I should do it after the halfway mark. I was running well and reached the 20km mark in 2hr 8min 30sec. Finally, I went for a toilet break after the 22kn mark, a quick one that cost me probably 40sec. I continue to run well and hit the 25km mark in 2hr 41min 45sec.
And eventually the most dreaded thing happened, the muscle cramps in the thigh around the 27-28km mark but it was not too serious. I decided to go for another toilet break and it cost me about 2min. After the 28km mark, I was out of East Coast Park and re-entered the road back to Marina Bay East. I reached the 30km mark in 3hr 22min 22sec, just before the Sheares bridge.
As usual, my lack of mileage begin to be evident as I struggled with fatigue on the body set in, I had to really concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. The only comfort I could find was that many other similar runners like me were in the same situation. Many were walking already but I as I was doing a slow run, I overtook many of them. I started to pour water over my head at about 29km or so, as I heard one of ladies mending the water station asking, “Anybody wants a shower” ? I decided to go for it, she poured water over my head as I ran over and stopped just in front of her. The felling was good, it immediately cooled my overheated body and the cool feeling stayed for quite a while as my running top was sticking to my chest.
I told myself not to stop and just kept going, reached 32km in 3hr 37min 46sec which was similar to my Newton Run timing but just about 3min slower. I calculated mentally and was thinking that it was going to be a challenge to finish the last 10.195 km in 1 hr 22min to dip under the 5 hr mark! I had my second muscle spray from the Run crew on the thighs and calves areas to release the slight cramps in these area. It did helped and I could continue to struggle on with my really slow run.
I reached the 35km mark in 4hr 2min, it was just before I exited the Garden by the Bay and goes up the Sheares bridge. I could see the huge crowd going up slowly, I guessed the half marathon runners had merged with the full looking at the time. I again had to keep telling my body to run slowly up the bridge to gain some time, I only had 58min to complete 7.195km. After reaching the 37km, it was the all the way down the bridge, I just let the gravity carried my body and open up my steps a little.
My body was protesting quite badly now, I could feel the soreness around the waistline area and lower back. I came to a stop and did some arms stretching and body turns to the left and right to release the stress. And shortly after, one last water pour over my head to cool my body again. Finally, I reached the F1 pit area, the photographers there helped me to speed up as I do not want to seen struggling too much. As I passed through the “mist tunnel” I saw the 40km mark, the time was 4hr48min15sec!
I know my chances of a sub 5 hr finish is almost gone, but I just ran on to reach the Esplanade Theatre. I could see the road ahead slowly turning
to the Espanade bridge, I told myself to keep going and I could feel somehow my body was not feeling too bad at all at this point. And, finally I reached the 41km mark turning onto the long stretch of the Espanade bridge and it was divided into 2 path by metal barriers. I could see all the full marathon runners ahead of me, I noted that not many of them were actually running at this stage now. I just aim at over taking them one by one, the Sun was shining brightly. I just put in whatever little left of energy still in me and ran on, overtaking the runners one after the other and actually I could feel my body still able to react when I tried pushing it a little more.
One final turn onto the last small bridge before the final 250metres or so, there were many spectators standing on both sides cheering, although I could not see their faces due to my full concentration on getting through the last stretch here. The cheering gave me extra energy and I could only see the “150 m” , “100m” and finally “50m” sign .....one small tight turn and I just let loose with my energy and dashed across the “Finish” line !!! My Garmin 620 read “ 5:01:36”, I missed the sub 5 by 1 min 34sec !
My official net time 5hr1min 33sec, I clocked my fastest 2.195km ever for a marathon in 13min18sec! My 13th marathon in total !
One unfortunate thing that happened to me was my Garmin watch was acting funny around the 9-10km and the pacing plus distance was way off.
I was not expecting any PB but was hoping to do a sub 5 hours. Training was insufficient, my mileage was too low, total around 740km for the year to Nov 2017. The first 5km was reached in 31:40, always trying to take it easy and not to be carried away thinking that it’s fine to run faster.
Most people know their own pace and kept a consistent pace throughout most part of a race. I always try to follow the same reasoning, but is always way faster in the 1st half. I reached 10km in 1hr 2min 42sec, still feeling good and relax.
After 12km or so, the route finally entered the Garden by the Bay, we are out of the city. Most people definitely felt the different as you can feel the breeze in you face. Reached 15km in 1hr 36min 27sec, I was still running efficiently.
We enter the East Coast Park just after 17km, I was wondering if I should take a toilet break but decided that I should do it after the halfway mark. I was running well and reached the 20km mark in 2hr 8min 30sec. Finally, I went for a toilet break after the 22kn mark, a quick one that cost me probably 40sec. I continue to run well and hit the 25km mark in 2hr 41min 45sec.
And eventually the most dreaded thing happened, the muscle cramps in the thigh around the 27-28km mark but it was not too serious. I decided to go for another toilet break and it cost me about 2min. After the 28km mark, I was out of East Coast Park and re-entered the road back to Marina Bay East. I reached the 30km mark in 3hr 22min 22sec, just before the Sheares bridge.
As usual, my lack of mileage begin to be evident as I struggled with fatigue on the body set in, I had to really concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. The only comfort I could find was that many other similar runners like me were in the same situation. Many were walking already but I as I was doing a slow run, I overtook many of them. I started to pour water over my head at about 29km or so, as I heard one of ladies mending the water station asking, “Anybody wants a shower” ? I decided to go for it, she poured water over my head as I ran over and stopped just in front of her. The felling was good, it immediately cooled my overheated body and the cool feeling stayed for quite a while as my running top was sticking to my chest.
I told myself not to stop and just kept going, reached 32km in 3hr 37min 46sec which was similar to my Newton Run timing but just about 3min slower. I calculated mentally and was thinking that it was going to be a challenge to finish the last 10.195 km in 1 hr 22min to dip under the 5 hr mark! I had my second muscle spray from the Run crew on the thighs and calves areas to release the slight cramps in these area. It did helped and I could continue to struggle on with my really slow run.
I reached the 35km mark in 4hr 2min, it was just before I exited the Garden by the Bay and goes up the Sheares bridge. I could see the huge crowd going up slowly, I guessed the half marathon runners had merged with the full looking at the time. I again had to keep telling my body to run slowly up the bridge to gain some time, I only had 58min to complete 7.195km. After reaching the 37km, it was the all the way down the bridge, I just let the gravity carried my body and open up my steps a little.
My body was protesting quite badly now, I could feel the soreness around the waistline area and lower back. I came to a stop and did some arms stretching and body turns to the left and right to release the stress. And shortly after, one last water pour over my head to cool my body again. Finally, I reached the F1 pit area, the photographers there helped me to speed up as I do not want to seen struggling too much. As I passed through the “mist tunnel” I saw the 40km mark, the time was 4hr48min15sec!
I know my chances of a sub 5 hr finish is almost gone, but I just ran on to reach the Esplanade Theatre. I could see the road ahead slowly turning
to the Espanade bridge, I told myself to keep going and I could feel somehow my body was not feeling too bad at all at this point. And, finally I reached the 41km mark turning onto the long stretch of the Espanade bridge and it was divided into 2 path by metal barriers. I could see all the full marathon runners ahead of me, I noted that not many of them were actually running at this stage now. I just aim at over taking them one by one, the Sun was shining brightly. I just put in whatever little left of energy still in me and ran on, overtaking the runners one after the other and actually I could feel my body still able to react when I tried pushing it a little more.
One final turn onto the last small bridge before the final 250metres or so, there were many spectators standing on both sides cheering, although I could not see their faces due to my full concentration on getting through the last stretch here. The cheering gave me extra energy and I could only see the “150 m” , “100m” and finally “50m” sign .....one small tight turn and I just let loose with my energy and dashed across the “Finish” line !!! My Garmin 620 read “ 5:01:36”, I missed the sub 5 by 1 min 34sec !
My official net time 5hr1min 33sec, I clocked my fastest 2.195km ever for a marathon in 13min18sec! My 13th marathon in total !
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