Breakthrough
I should have posted this yesterday by 9am but I was far too lazy and tired, so I’m doing it now.
Last Saturday, Kwee Haan, Brian, and I took part in our virgin Sundown 42.195km, in fact this distance is our first too.
I realised that it pays to be minimally conditioned before taking on feats like this, because it requires a lot of stamina and endurance (both physical and mental). Hence, it’s important that one has been running fairly regularly of at least 10-20km before taking up long-distance marathons. Of course, supplements like power gels and energy drinks come in handy too, provided you’ve trained yourself to run with that extra weight. A full-body warm-up stretching is a must before runs, the intensity at which you’re running might cause upper body crams in your arms, back, or deltoids too. Carbo-loading and hydration the day of the run is essential as it jams your body with a huge influx of carbohydrates and fluids which will be burned off intensely during long-distance marathons; this includes more rice, noodles, pasta, potato, bananas, etc.
Picture 1: Before the run. Anticipating certain doom, we’re hoping to return before daybreak.
Picture 2: After the run. Elation and relief that we’ve triumphed! Hey the sky’s still dark! :D
During the run itself, maintaining an effective pacing and momentum is necessary to optimise one’s stamina. In the case of impending muscle cramps, there is a need to stop immediately to stretch that muscle group; it helps far better than allowing the muscle to fully cramp-up and limping the rest of the run. Many runners love to have their mp3 players plugged on, I’m no exception; it really helps to have your favourite upbeat songs (in my case it’s club remixes) taking your mind off the pain and inducing a stable running pace. At about 18km into the run during the East Coast stretch reaching the Siglap Park connector, the remix for Brandy’s ‘Long Distance’ started playing which was rather hilarious (imagine: With you is where I’d rather be, but we’re stuck where we are. It’s so hard, you’re so far. This long distance is killin’ me.) LOL!!!
Based on the visual timeboard, I came in at 5hrs 30min, far better than my expected timing of 6hrs even though I wasn’t feeling too well and kept coughing all through the run. I ought to thank the guy who rubbed my back towards the last 2-3km of the run when I coughed a bit too badly; throughout the race I saw runners who stopped to help the guy/lady cramping by the sides. Somehow it’s these little acts of paying it forward that give people an unforseen warmth and motivation to push on (I zoomed off after giving him a word of thanks LOL)!
It’s 6.30am in the morning, and we’ve just pwned 42.195km through the run!
Now that I’ve broken through the 42km mark, I feel a new found motivation to continue running as a hobby and participate in more events in the future!
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AHM’s next. Nike Human Race, Run for Hope, New Balance Real Run, and Stanchart anyone?
