Penang Marathon - 24 June 07

Date: 24 June 07
Venue: Penang
Event: Penang Marathon 07
Time: 3am
Distance: 42km

Managed to catch an hour of sleep before the alarm went off at 00:20hr to signal the start of the day. Somehow i screw up the evening program timing and have left myself way short of resting for the run later. I do not know the reasons for me doing it? Complacent?

It is too early to clear the bowel even though i have tired. Die lah, later don't know how, as body clock sure to react around 5-6am. Bo bian, have to push on and hope for the best.

We drove to the start point with Heeshen leading us on his scooter at 1am! Abit funny seeing him on the bike...hehe... He brought us to the small lane and zigzag from the back yard and goes as close to the start point and bypassing the road blockage.

The direction to various location isn't there and cause confusion at the event. Eg where is the baggage service? Where is the registration booth! I did read the map location before the run and roughly know the location, but on ground, it is different.

The baggage service is not free! It wasn't mentioned on the guide! Damn it, like that also charge RM$1 for their service!

I proceed to register at the pen whereby everyone(42km participate), will gathered until time is up. I was deny entry into the pen/register because i DO NOT HAVE BIB NUMBER IN THE BACK! I have never use a 2nd BIB in all my events as far as i remember. The race director told me no 2nd BIB, he has to disqualify me!!! I am not the only one, in fact we have a handful of runners that have the same situation! George, Teelee and STHP have to run back to pick up their BIB since they are staying nearby, whereas the rest do not have the luxury as we stayed far away! We have to wait for about 20 mins + before we allow entry! What a stupid organisation! No where in the world compel runners to put on 2nd BIB and small event like this have to be so strict!

Meet alot of familiar faces inside the crowd. It seems we are more interested to catch up than the race itself! Hehe....

It was a small crowd doing 42km. I managed to reach around 15 meters behind the start line. The race start off at a decent pace for me. I was trying to focus on, look like some messages, behind some of the pacesetters back and realised it writes " In Memory of Terence Leong, Penguin 6". A sense of sadness engulf. I still think of Penguin 6 when i fly over to Penang. I wonder how is he coping. There isn't any news of him since KL Marathon last year and attempt to drop him emails get no replied.

I overtake Too-belly and Too-jelly early in the run and was surprised that too-belly is blowing hard around 2-3km!

"Hey, you are blowing too hard!" Tigger
"Not enough training is like that one!" Too-Belly
"Aiyoh...going to be a painful & long run!" Tigger's thinking to himself.
Too-Belly completed slightly after 5hr. Looked total wreck at the end of the run!

The bridge looks beautiful as i approach in the quiet morning punctured with runners foot steps and some chit chat along the way. Certain part of the bridge are smelly of horrible dry fishes. It is something that i just have to take it along the stride. I overtook too kia, too kua and Cheow along the first leg of the bridge and before midpoint through the bridge, something "shitty" happened.

My tummy starts to hurt. It gets from bad to worst, sight sensation to pain and agony. It has come to a stage that i just want to jump into the sea to pai sai! The sensation will come after a few hundred meters from the beginning to the end every hundred meters. The pain will come and i have to suck my tummy, press the tummy or do whatever to suppress the pain and hope the pain will subside and go away! It didn't and get worst! i can't release(Paisai) in public on the bridge right! No choice i have to run along and hope to find a portable loo in front.

First 10km in 1:03hr, 2nd 10km in 2:09hr.

I have not experience such situation in any of the run. It is painful and i have to slow down on many occasions to wait for the pain to go away. What could be the problem? I know i didn't clear my bowel this morning before the run. But it shouldn't be so bad! I brought my own pre-race meal from Singapore and it shouldn't be a problem. Most probable it is the water or kettle that we use to boil for the cereal i consume. Anyway, i just piss that this happened during the run. No matter how you train or prepare yourself for the run. 42km is a long distance, 101 things could have happened!

Cheow overtook me as well as many fast 21km runners on the return leg on the Bridge. I was taken aback that Cheow have overtaken me and it means i have slow down alot during this period. The pain continue to come and go frequently. There is no toilet at sight and i have resign to the fact that i have to endure until i complete the entire bridge before i can find some bushes!

I am very glad that i have complete the bridge and looking around for toilet or good conceal bushes! After 2 hours of enduring the pain, i just couldn't care more and dash into the backyard of someone premises and release of the pain that have been torturing me!

What a relief when the tension is cleared! Emotionally i am pissed at fighting with tummy ache for the last couple of hours. Taking advantage of the penned up frustration, i decide to open up my stride and push from somewhere near 27.5km point just before Powerbar distribute the powergel. I reached 27.5km in 3:03hr.

The road after Bridge is a demoralising flat and very long as well. I keep thinking of the traffic light infront will be the U-Turn point but it turn out wrong! In the dark, how to know how far there is left to go before U-Turn! It was make worse when the other side of the road, runners are making the return trip! I saw IMD, Teelee, Fennel, Yee Hua, Kayano and Wee and it gives a false impression that the U-turn is just round the corner.

I overtaken Cheow again somewhere nearby 30km. I reached 30km in 3:19hr. From there onwards i have a pacer which we leapfrog each other. He is very fast at this stage of the run, but he is doing run/walk. Whereas i just keep my pace and continue to chase after those that i recognise on the road. The pacer did not last more than 4km with me. He faded away.

Fortunately there is another runner that have just bid farewell to his running kaki and decide to push forward on his own around 34km mark. This guy must be feeling strong and i decide to draft behind and tailed. He realise this and open the pace. Boy, i have a hard time catching up, so i just leave a small gap and tailed him. After 2km later, i overtook him as he tired himself up. Keke...i stressed him too much...(paisah!). I feel strong and continue to chase everyone on sight! Overtook Kayano, jio him to follow, he just ask me to continue. Follow by one chinese gentleman(G).

"Come, going to finish soon" Tigger
"I also know, but my knee can't take it" G
"Before the distance complete, my knee gone already"G

I continue to push on, overtook Heeshen, Mohan and his super red lady friend. Last 1km to go whereby the 10km and 22.3km runners merge with the 42km runners! Traffic jam! KNS! No choice have to zig zag and weave through the crowd, it get more crowded when we reach USM. Where is Yee Hua! I have been chasing after her since around 30km! Saw her on the last stretch into the stadium. One final burst, i sprint towards the end with 2 steps behind her crossing the finishing line. According to my watch 4:34:51 hr. Just 1 min shy of my PB. Too slow in the front, too much ground to cover in the end.

There is no excuse, i have to learn from it and move on.

Split time:

10km - 1:03 hr
20km - 2:09hr
30km - 3:19hr
42km - 4:34hr

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It is a disappointing run, worsen due to various reasons cause by the organising of the event:

1) Why is there a need for 2 BIBS! I don't care where IAFF or whatever F@#& states it. If World Class Marathon event like NEW YORK or even small frys like Singapore and KL event don't enforce it, why are you pushing so hard for it!

2) Isotonic drink is H2O mixed with water! Taste horrible and available only after 20km++!

3) Lack of portable toilets! I don't see any throughout the race! At least not visible to me! I am not blind when i have a bad tummy ache! I only manage to see a few that belongs to the construction firms!

4) Where is the water points at the end of the race! It is totally not visible! The last thing a runner finished a race is to use a compass and map to find a water point! A cup of water is provided as you take your finishing medal.

5) Where is there a need to charge for baggage service!

6) No proper crowd control at USM. Runners get confuse where is the end point. Crowd standing in the path chit chatting!

7) No proper making on the distance especially near the end.

8) Bib collection is a mess! Though i am not there, my friend that collect for me, have lots of saliva spitting experience!

9) Lights! At certain stretch we are pratically run long stretch in darkness!