I completed my second half marathon at the end of April with a personal best. I managed to shave 12 minutes off from my first half marathon I participated in August 2007. I cannot say that I have done the same for my second full marathon over the weekend. It was an embarrassment – I completed my second full marathon 1 hour 40 minutes more than I did for my first one i.e. 8 hours and 11 minutes. I have no one else to blame but myself.
I was not prepared for this. I have done much training like I was supposed to, leading up to the day. Then, this particular marathon was not like other marathon – this one was a night marathon. The race started at 12midnight on Saturday. So, not only was I not physically prepared but I was also not mentally prepared.
About 3 hours before the race started, I almost decided not to go but I went anyway. I managed to run 14 kilometeres before my brain and body started to shut down. By then, it was almost 2 in the morning on Sunday and I have been awake for over 16 hours (I took a 2-hour nap that Saturday afternoon but I guess that didn’t help much). Despite the cool weather and minimal heat, with your mind and body shutting down, it was challenging to continue the remaining 28 kilometres. I ended up brisk walking back to the finishing line. I was hallucinating on the most parts – it was like sleep walking. But once the day broke, I was brisk walking as quickly as I could to the finishing line, so that I could get home, lift up my legs and sleep. Even the last 1.4 kilometres to the finish line seemed like it was still miles away.
By the time I crossed the finish line, I could not feel my feet. I expected to have sore legs and feet by lunch time and that the sore will not go away till Monday. However, I must have done something right, because by Monday morning, my legs were not sore at all and managed to get to work without much struggle.
I didn’t have much of a weekend really. I spent all of Sunday sleeping, waking up three times for meals, before hitting back to slumberland. Despite the disappointing end to my second marathon, I am in good spirits at the moment. I'll take part in another marathon but not another night marathon. Night marathon is a nightmare!
I was not prepared for this. I have done much training like I was supposed to, leading up to the day. Then, this particular marathon was not like other marathon – this one was a night marathon. The race started at 12midnight on Saturday. So, not only was I not physically prepared but I was also not mentally prepared.
About 3 hours before the race started, I almost decided not to go but I went anyway. I managed to run 14 kilometeres before my brain and body started to shut down. By then, it was almost 2 in the morning on Sunday and I have been awake for over 16 hours (I took a 2-hour nap that Saturday afternoon but I guess that didn’t help much). Despite the cool weather and minimal heat, with your mind and body shutting down, it was challenging to continue the remaining 28 kilometres. I ended up brisk walking back to the finishing line. I was hallucinating on the most parts – it was like sleep walking. But once the day broke, I was brisk walking as quickly as I could to the finishing line, so that I could get home, lift up my legs and sleep. Even the last 1.4 kilometres to the finish line seemed like it was still miles away.
By the time I crossed the finish line, I could not feel my feet. I expected to have sore legs and feet by lunch time and that the sore will not go away till Monday. However, I must have done something right, because by Monday morning, my legs were not sore at all and managed to get to work without much struggle.
I didn’t have much of a weekend really. I spent all of Sunday sleeping, waking up three times for meals, before hitting back to slumberland. Despite the disappointing end to my second marathon, I am in good spirits at the moment. I'll take part in another marathon but not another night marathon. Night marathon is a nightmare!
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