March the 3rd, 2013. On this very date I completed my first ever half-marathon. The initial target during the lead-up to the event was simply to finish it. As the event drew closer I realised I needed a goal to work towards; and with that I set myself a 2-and-a-half-hour target.
I made a few runs around the KLCC park during the 2 weeks before the event, and I noticed I was able to maintain my 10-km pace over longer distances so I was fairly confident of reaching my goal come the day of the run. Perhaps it was a little crazy on my part, but less than 24 hours before the run I was in fact hiking the slopes of Broga Hill for the very first time with colleagues.. lol. I did make it a point to not place too much pressure on my knees during the hike though, especially on the way down. After getting myself some good sleep I was off to the starting line at Bukit Jalil in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
The crowd outside the stadium was incredible. I couldn't help but feel glad that so many Malaysians have picked up running, let alone attempt a half marathon. A single shot was fired at 5.30am, and we were off and running along the trail. I tried to build up to my usual steady pace early on but I must say it was difficult with the huge number of people running along me. After about 2 kilometres into the run I finally began to see clear tracks and felt like I was running with more freedom. This was it. My first half marathon. I told myself at this point to simply keep the pace and not push myself too hard. I wasn't ready to go all out and risk any sort of injury - nope, not with a pretty big week coming up in terms of work and 'other stuff.'
As I ran past people sliding between and around them, I couldn't help but notice the sheer variety in the crowd. At the 4-km mark I passed by a lady running barefoot. I was amazed at how she took stride after stride on the punishing tarmac without any fuss. In an age where so many people are caught with the hype of overpriced shoes with so-called "extraordinary" features, it was really nice to see someone sticking to the 'bare' essentials. After all, it was with these bare feet that human beings once ran the terrains of the earth.
I also passed by a few runners wearing 'lowyat.net' jerseys. The website lowyat.net of course has been known over the years for its forums on the latest tech gadgets, computer peripherals etc. In short, it was (and still is) a computer nerd's paradise. So you can see the irony in a group of runners representing this online forum, perhaps bent on extinguishing the stereotyping of these forumers as people who stay before the computers 24-7 with little to no social life. Of course, there are many other things you may find these days on lowyat.net. I'd even go as far to say that it has evolved into a 'way of life.'
Right around the 15-km mark I was laboring across an uphill slope, one of many long ones along the race course. I suddenly had this urge to just slow down and take it easy from there on. I took a quick look at my watch and noticed I was well within my target pace. The slopes really were quite arduous, to say the least. I felt my heart beating much faster, at times contemplating if I should just stop and take a breather. Just then I looked up, and noticed the skies turning blue. It was a wonderful sight, but also a reminder that the sun would be up pretty soon. Bent on avoiding the warmer conditions during my run, I motored along at a steady pace and soon enough I was passing runners again on a downhill slope.
Round about the 18-km mark I was yet again faced with an uphill slope. At this point I was lacking in stamina and inspiration. A couple of runners passed me by before a few more followed suit. I had slowed my run. Perhaps it was that knowledge that I was definitely going to finish within my target time; perhaps it was the thought of embarking on a new project at the workplace the very next day. I simply wasn't ready to push myself any further and simply jogged the final kilometres of the course. I did speed up close to the finish line as I was urged on by the cheering onlookers, and of course I wanted to look good for the cameras. Heh.
With that, I completed my race with a time of approximately 2 hours. The official results released later in the day clocked me at a cool 2:03:26. That's a pace of 5 minutes and 52 seconds per kilometre. :) Really so glad that I completed it - and what's more I'm not crippled in any way heading into an important week. After what I found to be an incredible experience, I see myself joining a few more half marathons down the road; and who knows perhaps even a full marathon at some point. :D
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| Finisher Tee |
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| The cute mini-trophy given to all finishers. :) |
