Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 06

It is once a year affair and the pinnacle event of every(most) Singapore runners for the year. We have a record 30k participants and of which 9k is going 42km.

Due to committements of various event, SCSM have take a secondary role this year. I have a rather bad run up to this event. Myself have taken a lot more time to recover from NYC marathon than anticpated. Thus screw up the entire training schedule. Based on various reasons, i have decided to be a Marathon Pacer for SCSM06 committing to finish in 5hrs.

Pacer is a community service work. I will be running slower than i normally would do. Technically it should be a slow LSD for me come 3rd Dec. I don't think so. This will be the most stressful Marathon i will even complete in! Previous marathons i am running with my heart, picking up the pace, walking with freedom. This time round, i can't do that. I have a timming to hit spot on if possible. Plus my unknown fitness level(due to poor recovery from NYC) put additional pressure on myself. Will i crashed during the run? This run will be close to running my worst 42k timing, will i get cramp due to running too slow? Alot of factors and only race day will reveal the truth!

It was a good weather when the race started at 6am. I and kok sin was stationed at the front of the sub5 Pen.We try to look out for the rest of the 5hr runners, but couldn't locate them due to the congested crowd. Anyway, we try to find them again later on in the race.

From there onwards, it is left with kok sin and myself together throughout the entire event. We did saw the 5hr team around Marina when there is a U-Turn in Jetty arrea. We are lagging behind by 6-7mins from them by then. We tried to increase the pace to catch up. Worst is that folks like too buay and too kia and others are pacing us. I feel so bad that we have to do that!

We slow down to our normal pace when we reach around shenton way. We were feeling a bit stress during the chasing, but should be okay with slower pace. I managed to recover but Kok Sin didn't feel that well. I guess the rest are all uphill from there onwards. To be honest around 27km, i have a strong urge to just dash in front chasing after the 5hr pace team in the front. Alas, i choose not to. It just not right to abandon my teamate in a lurch.

A lot runners, along the way, ask us about our pace, i feel bad that we are not running accordingly to our predetermined pace and have to tell them the truth that we are out and they should push forward if they want to do 5hr. One guy say we "sabo" people around 39km mark! What can i say?

Someone ask me why i didnt take out the 5hr tag if we know we can't make the timing and screw up other timings? I have not thought of taking out the tag during the entire route. Last year the pacer have messed up, take out the shirt, cut the balloon. I told myself it was unethnical when i heard this, no matter what i shall not run away from the fact that i screw up(if it come to this).

I reach 30km at 3:30hr(close to). The sight of Sgrunners support table is a wonderful sight. I quickly sit down and put on my right knee guard. I have been feeling the stress on the knee since 5-6km mark! I was dissapointed when i can't find any cold electroyle there. I was looking forward to the cold drink! Also Lene have promised that she will feed me a banana, banana have been snapped up! Alas we move on shortly after.

Kok Sin hands are feeling dumb and cold. I feel bad that i have been sliently or sometime pushing him to run faster. Poor guy is struggling and i still so inhuman to coax him along. Guess i am feeling full of energy and getting impatient. I guess i am not use to this kind of circumstance.

We run and we walk and slowly we make our way back to Padang. We cross the finishing line together and complete in 5:18hrs.

It was a valuable experiences.

P/S: i am glad that too buay(4:59hr), too Kia(5:00hr) was not affected by my pace.