Frankly, I had been looking forward for this run eventhough I was not totally well prepared, I was still down with the lingering bone strain that did not allow me to train LSD with PCRC.
Nevertheless, a group of us met earlier for dinner at Changi Village Market. The carnival was quite fun with big screen for the movie marathon after midnite.
We were running in the group to begin with, but after the first marker, all of us were dispersed. I was running all the time with Hussain, the first 21km was uneventfull. It was started out when we crossed over the first over head bridge, i started to slow down tremendously. Hitting the 28km mark my stomach started to growl and cramping by then i'd taken 4 gels already, still the battery was never lifted up.
Banana was given at the 30km mark, I couldn't bring myself to pick one and eat, I could feel that my tummy was gonna burst anytime, the cramp was so bad.
Positive thinking was not working at all. Hussain was too kind, he was all the while waiting for me. All I could think just saying a prayer, repeating 'Our Father" nonstop. Suddenly a burst of energy stroke me, I found myself picking up the pace, it was generally steady and we both graciously took over the passage, too bad it just lasted me approx 3km and the finish line was 8km away. My watch was shown 4h20-something, when I felt the both legs started plouding. I took no chance by gulping another powergel, but no avail, i couldn't bring myself to run again, 2 km passed, i took the 7th powergel, by then it was only 5km away to finish line. I could not even jog, I was in agony, I wanted to cry to stop the pain, but it wouldn't bring me the miracle. All I need was just to keep on moving till the finish line.
I started to jog again when Hussain told me it was just another 2km to go, we slowly moved meter by meter, till we reach Changi Village, where the finish line was supposed to be just a bridge away. But to my horror, detour.... we must turn right and there was like another 200-300 meter more to go to finish line. Only one word in my mind, perservere, a little bit more to go. Some young boys started to sprint to finish, but hell, my legs and my breathing were not rythmic at all, I was so close to finish line to give up. When the finish gate was looming on us, I took the last strength to pass thru it, I could not put myself ready for photographer snapping our photo. Finally the ordeal was over. I was so glad to finish before sunrise. 5hr39min gun time.
