Live LIFE as IT IS: The most brutal, yet loved, running experiences I have had in 2012!

It’s time to recap one of the most brutal, yet loved, running experiences I have had in 2012!

A day before:

It was so nice to be so close to the run. I waited too long that sometimes it frightens me. It is so hard to believe D’day is due tomorrow and I want to carry on with it! I had my favourite pre-run carbs and I was baking and baking the whole day. I told my husband, “I am stress, so I am de-stressing through baking”. I went off to bed before sunsets as the start gun fires at 2.00 freaking A.M!!

On the day:

18 November 2012. I grouped up with the usual bunch of bootcampers and got psyched up to conquer our virgin marathon. My heart was thumping while waiting for the gun to go off. At 2.00am, I was off for the long awaited run! The race started from Queensbay Mall, heading towards my company and quickly entered into the magnificent Penang Bridge. The scenic lighting on the bridge, the sight of the opposite island, the beating waves, the heavy breathing from runners helped me get through miles and miles and miles. I was careful on my knees and decided to take it easy so long as I can complete the race in 7 hours. I would walk, crawl and swim for the finisher medal because I wanted it so so bad! As I go along 4km, 19km, 21km, all were fine and I begin to settle at my comfortable pace. As I move on, I am cautious at every split off for different category to ensure I do not get disqualify. The challenge creeps in when I was heading for the last turning point at 33km, it was farther than I expected. At this point of time, I was discouraged, there was no marker and no sight of a last turning point. I am getting bored with this stretch, my feet are burning, my shoes felt as though they were 50 kilos, I am exhausted and I begin to slow down and walk a lot. Still, I am not giving up because I want to know how far I can go, I want to experience hell, I want to finished strong and most of all I have not push far enough (apart from my feet and knee, nothing else is damaged yet). I have no reason to give up just yet, I knew that this was just the toughest stretch that I have to overcome. I kept telling myself, "I had better finish the race as I have travelled this far". Besides, I am curious where is this freaking turning point, I kept moving forward and forward, taking one wider step at a time. I nearly burst into tears when I saw a sign of the last turning point. I MADE IT to the last turning point. FINALLY!!! Looking at my watch, it has been a 4.30hours run and I am doing better than I expected. I took few sip of water and fuel up with some gel, well rested for a sec and now the only thing I ever wanted is to reach the finishing line and hug my darling dearest. Now I am left with the last 9.195km to go and I am still very certain “I WANT MY FINISHER MEDAL!”….and I got back into my rhythm and continue to run and run and run. When I finally hit “5km to go”, I begin to take my own ‘sweet’ time towards the finishing line, I wanted to enjoy every moment of it while it lasts because I swear I will never do this again. I was shuffling, hobbling that final stretch and nowhere near feeling good, but the cheers from the wonderful crowds kept me going.

Till the last 1km to go, looking at my watch, I can possibly hit sub-6, so I took a wider step this time, pushing myself over the limit, my target changed now, I want to finish at Sub 6, though underestimated myself at Sub 7 earlier. Hitting the finishing line, I did that ecstatic jump and screamed "HOOYAH!! I DID IT!!". It was 06:00:24 hours of the most brutal, yet most loved run I had in 2012. But I could have pushed 25 secs harder for Sub 6.

Again, I burst into tears and I blew a kiss to God as he had no doubt helped to carry me here. I earned D Medal! I collapsed into my darling’s arms and then collapsed on the masseur ground! It’s time to pamper this precious pair of my overuse leg! I stretched, I iced and I massaged them all at the time.

I am very happy with how well it all went, the finishing time is of no consequences to me because “the miracle isn’t that I finished, the miracle is that I had the courage to start” (by John Bingham). It was a great feeling to know I never gave up and never thought I could not endure it and get through every miles of it. The agony did not fade away, but those miles are amazing experiences of my lifetime! The feeling of triumph after pushing through such challenge made it all worthwhile.

I woke up this morning and to my pleasant surprise felt no pain. For one last time, I am proud to tell the world again that I ran and finished, my 1st marathon, better than I expected and I did it pain free! I no longer hated the race. Instead, I found myself loving it. I had pushed my limits and reached my goal. Now, I long for the next full marathon (forget about what i sworn)..

The one who psyched up each other for the run....