Got up at 0430 for the 0500 bus to Tung Chung, from there we took subway to TST, where the starting point was. On the bus to Tung Chung, I had a Clif bar and 16oz water, that's my breakfast...
As soon as I arrived at TST station, I was OVERWHELMED with the smell of TIGER BALM. Along with number of runners doing stretching on the floor, some stuffing their belongings into the blue/ green official baggage bag, some eating their sandwiches, and I was busy stripping down to my skimpy running vest and shorts (it was freezing cold...) and it kinda felt like being in a refugees camp... No doubt we were getting a few 'curious looks' from the train passengers!
Now back to the marathon, the first wave started at 0620 and I belonged to the second wave that started at 0645. Runners were either warming up, chatting away or waiting in line to unload before the start of the race. I popped the first gel at 0615. At 0645, it started drizzling - perfect! The cooler weather was even better for runner a faster time (I thought) so I reset my goal to sub-4! And my plan was to pop a gel at every 5k to avoid hitting the wall.
First 5k, it was so packed that we hung on to each other at 7:20/km for 2-3k, my legs felt fine! Before 4k mark, a bunch of runners broke off to 'unload', it was quite a scene and I believe that it was your once a year chance to pee in public without getting busted. Shame I'm not a man so I had to wait 'til I reached the first porta potty, wasted 5 minutes there... Nevermind, popped the second gel and carried on.
The next 10k, we ran up a slight hill to Tsing Yi direction. Again I wasted another 5 minutes at the second porta potty and again I popped another gel... My legs started to feel like bricks and my stomach was still acting up and I started gagging.... I always thought it was a joke that runners would stop to take photos along the course but they actually did that! Some people even carried cell phones with 'em so they could take photos next to each distance marker.
Past 20k mark, time said 2:07, thought to myself it was kinda slow, eh! I had been gagging and my stomach couldn't even hold down a sip of water so I changed my refuel plan, I would only take a gel after my stomach squeezed out some room! I held on 'til 25k for half the gel, my stomach was still rejecting foreign objects. A few runners stopped to stretch, to apply TIGER BALM (urgh again!), some went grumpy because all bananas and chocolate had run out, some talked on the cell phone, caller 'Hey what you doing?' runner, 'Hey I'm focused on running a marathon. Yeh, the marathon is today!' I was surprised at the multi-tasking ability as I can't focus on both running a marathon and answering a call at the same time.
Time seemed to set still after we passed 30k, I had already slowed down to walk a few times and at this point, it hurts so bad that I wanted to give up and hop on the freakin' bus that had been running alongside us! Yet, I popped a gel and started pacing with one of the runners for 5k and I slowed down again...
When I was walking, the Singaporean guy whistled along and told me to keep running, his friend Winnie patted me on the shoulder so we ran together. Inside my left knee was hurting, also in tarsal of my left hammer toe, we waddled on. Then we passed Western Tunnel, the tunnel never seemed to end. More runners stopped to walk or stretch, me and Winnie jogged and my back was kinda bleeding from a nasty chaf! I thought I had done 39k until I saw the marker 37... awesome, 5k to go.
Bridge after bridge, tunnel after tunnel and we still had 5k to go! Ran past Kennedy town to IFC, spectators kept cheering us on. Past Fenwick Pier, good we're close and TADA! We're back in CWB and I could see the lovely gorgeous 40k marker until we reached the last hill... the guy next to me moaned, 'You've gotta be kidding, here comes another hill?! This has gotta kill....' Anyway more struggle later, we saw 41k marker and volunteers encouraged us to keep going as it's the LAST KM! Woohoo, so I picked up the pace. When running past Windsor, I can't believe what the cop did, 'There are still passers-by trying to cross the road so watch out and make way for 'em.' and they literally shoved off a few runners to let people cross over. Hang on a minutes, I thought the roads were blocked off for the event for 6 hours??????? Anyhow, the last K seemed like the longer stretch I'd ever run but glad I made it in 4 hours 35 minutes clocktime. With HR192, a finisher's medal around my neck, a goody bag in one hand and a banana in another, I limped my way to the baggage collection area....
Verdict? I would so do it again and would go sub-4 next year. No more gel every 30 minutes and I have to strengthen left gluteus and hamstring.
What's next? 100k ultramarathon on March 25th and 100k Sundown ultra in Singapore in June, also my first triathlon attempt in May/ Oct (depends on how my swim progresses....)
Now? I'm keeping my feet up and eating like a horse, also trying to sort out my stomach issue, you hear me, TIM???
