Monday 7 December 2009

I did it!

1st kilometre…
I could feel the adrenalin rush. Everyone was running; no one talked. All I could here were the sound of shoes hitting the ground; echoing between 2 huge buildings around us.

2nd to 8th kilometre…
Cruising mode, a time when all the runs around the golf club and time spent on the treadmill bear fruits. My lungs and legs went at the rate I want them to go. No sign of other runners walking. This was also when I saw a guy who has got a hilarious message plastered at the back of his outfit. It reads… “No sex for me if I can't finish --- from the wife”. I overtook him and never saw him again.

9th to 10th kilometre…
First sight of people walking, and I was beginning to feel a little of my muscle. I slowed down to load up on packet of chocolate-flavoured power-gel and bottomed-up a few cups of H2O to wash the gel down my throat.

11th to 13th kilometre…
Auto-cruise mode began to show signs of malfunction. Stopped for the first time to do some stretching. Felt a stinging pain in my underarm only to realise that I have suffered from “chaffing” due to constant rubbing against my outfit. Continued running with my arms slightly open (like a chicken) to prevent further damage. It’s not funny.

14th to 15th kilometre…
Quite a number of runners are walking which means, no need to look for empty space to overtake others (even with my arms slightly opened). But then again, who said anything about overtaking now?

16th – 17th kilometre…
Auto-cruise mode completely fried. Stopped a few times to stretch, walk, and load up my second packet of power-gel. Pace was extremely slow. A motivation tip from a seasoned runner friend came to mind… see things that looked nice from behind, pick up pace to overtake in order to check if it the front looks as good, know what I mean.

18th kilometre…
The spirit is willing but the body is weak. Fatigue is the name of the game. Legs do not seem to listen to the brain. Told my ass to get moving but the legs that carry my ass just refused to go. Damn it!

19th kilometre…
Began to feel a slight cramp in my right calf. Stopped to do more stretching. It was here that I saw the most outrages cheering party ever… 1 boy, dressed in florescent yellow and a few girls dressed in florescent pink/green were dancing to loud music blasting from 2 big speakers. Trust me when I say they were dancing… they were realllllly dancing! At the same time, there were chanting… “You can do it”… “You can do it”… “You can do it”… “You can do it”… “You can do it”… Some people stopped to take pictures with them.

20th kilometre…
In trying to preserve my right calf which I felt was about to cramp, I put more weight on my left leg when I ran. Bad idea! Tragedy struck… a sudden massive cramp in my left calf. I have had cramps many times before during my games but this was by far the worst I have ever felt. I couldn’t even stand up.

I would like to thank the 4 guys who stopped to stretch my calf. One guy, with a set of tattoo on his left arm also helped to massage my calf while the other placed a towel behind my head (I was lying on the road) and ask me to keep breathing. Hey guys, I do not know any of you but I am sorry if I have slowed you guys down. Many thanks.

Managed to get up and continue…

21st kilometre…
In my effort to preserve my calf and prevent my chaffing to my underarms, I was literally running like retard. Well, it was more like brisk walking. But I still tried to run, or looked as though I was running. You know why? Too many cameras around at this point… hah!

Final 100 metre…
They said the half marathon is a 21km run. It’s not. It’s 21.1km. That additional 100 metres may seems like nothing, but when you have ran 21km; that extra 100 metres seems to be the distance between heaven and earth.

Nevertheless, when I finally can say… “I did it!”… all the pain was worth it.



1 year ago…
Loved vs. Pampered vs. SpoiltA truly interesting encounter

2 years ago…
How is this possible?Supernatural solutionsTalking to the dead

43 comments:

HappySurfer said...

Congrats! That's a great looking medal. What run is this?

Amanda Christine Wong said...

wow! u did it! must have felt great huh :)

j_yenn said...

Wow. What a way to spend a weekend?

Terra Shield said...

Congrats, Zewt... I had to laugh thinking of you running like a chicken, though. Sorry

eiling lim said...

Congrats on your marathon achievement! Did you take part in the standard chartered KL one?

Jorji said...

pakaian untuk banyak jenis sukan sudah berubah,tetapi tidak kepada sukan lumba lari/jalan kaki.

mereka pakai singlet.

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imp said...

well done zewt!!!

~aSstHa~ said...

good for u zewt... but really was LOL-ing wen i saw the word "like a chicken"... congrats nxt time a longer run perhaps? kekeke... (i will never b able to survive even 5km, i hate running)

Faisal Admar said...

man, congrats! my friend yim heng fatt joined this too. why didn't you join penang bridge marathon?

Faisal Admar said...

man, congrats! my friend yim heng fatt joined this too. why didn't you join penang bridge marathon?

Linda said...

Well done... :)
Know your limit, overexercise is not healthy...
An extremely fit and healty 50+ wealthy man died on the spot from mountain biking when he was racing with a rival. Only happened a couple weeks ago in my neighbourhood.

TG said...

Zewt, I thought you'd run 42km :P

Good job, hehe. Please recover fast, we need dynamic leadership in the blogosphere :P

Anonymous said...

so... how long did you take to complete the race?

day-dreamer said...

Congratulations!! :)

missironic said...

U went for the Standard Chartered marathon! Wow.. 21km, ok wait.. is 21.1km.. is no joke, seriously! Congrats!! Hope your cramps and aches are healing nicely now.. take care oh~~

Aoki said...

Keng zhou!!! Well done bro ;)

Angie Tan said...

Whoa!! Congrats!!!

One of my goals is to be able to be fit enough to join a marathon one day. Right now, still recovering after my "event" and so, can't do too much strenuous workouts yet.

iamthewitch said...

Congratulations! I know just how that feels... despite the chaffing and the cramps. Well done!

goingkookies said...

whoa// CONGRATS!!

That's really good!

I've never been to marathon and would be interested to join one in the future.

How do I know about such events? and have you blogged before what kind of preparation is needed for this?

Er.. seeing that I am a person who hardly exercises...

Klaw said...

Congrats!
I was there doing the 21 as well :)

Melisa said...

Well done, Zewt! Congratulations! The medal also looks so elegant and fascinating. ^^

Fi-sha said...

Dear Zewt

I know it's bloody hard (ops) but you really DID it man..wow!

Congrats may not be enough to nurse your aching body, I wish I could treat you for a good spa treatment - that would do wonder.

Alas, enjoy the victorious feelin while it lasts ok..take care and be well..

Cheerio!

InjusticeSistem said...

------Applause--------

Redbabe said...

I always envious of ppl who can actually run that kind of distance. The most that I've ever gone are just 4 rounds at the park.. (+-400m x 4)...

At 2nd to 8th kilometre…, poor guy... wonder how long he going to puasa.. lols

Well done! *clap 100x*

zewt said...

HappySurfer - the singapore stand chart marathon :)

Amanda Christine Wong - much better than great!

j_yenn - planned this for a long time leh.

Terra Shield - the retard part was worse actually.

eiling lim - yeah i did, but that was only 10km. upgraded myself hah!

j or ji - tips kata... sapu petroleum jelly kat ketiak... ha!

zewt said...

imp - cheers!

~aSstha~ - a year ago, i never tot i can do it... training is the name of the game.

Faisal Admar - does the penang bridge version has a half marathon... i need a year to train for the full marathon.

Linda - yeah, i have heard of cases of uncles dropping dead during badminton games.

MKL - give me one year :)

zewt said...

anon @ 7/12 6.44pm - official chip time was 2:56. I am happy to just finish.

day-dreamer - thanks :)

missironic - feel much better today. thank God it heals faster than i expected.

Aoki - come, join me! :)

Angie Tan - you have to start training as soon as you are ready :)

iamthewitch - you should join me in the next race!

zewt said...

goingkookies - well, the KL stand chart marathon should be happening in june this year. look out for it. if you wanna run the full marathon, better start training from today. no joke.

Klaw - hey!!! perhaps you seen me lying on the road during my cramps! :)

Melisa - it's really heavy too :)

Fi-sha - thanks for the thoughts :) yeah, the feeling of passing the finishing line was just fantastic. i hope i can do the full in time to come.

InjusticeSistem - :) thanks mate.

Redbabe - hi there, welcome to AZAIG. i never thought i could do it... training is the name of he game. and of cos, self belief :) you can do it!

Anonymous said...

come on zewt, do the full then only talk lah.

autumn said...

congratulations! *pat* *pat* ;)

Huei said...

CONGRATULATIONS! Wow 21km..that's ALOT!

i know guys who cant even stand 10 minutes of walking in an airconditioned place... ok fine only 1 guy n no he's not gay! hahaha

Congratulations again!!!

Anonymous said...

congratz! It definitely sounds a bit like my first 21, which is technically 24km i think.

minus the part about the power gel and the chicken run. lol

but the cramps. god they suck. i went on a run/walk just to finish cos it seems the cramp bcame a bit less painful when i ran.

but i respect those who are willing to do it.

tip i got from a seasoned runner:
drink a can of beer the night before. it helps to provide extra calories to burn.

sweister said...

Hey man, congrats! :) That must have really boosted your esteem. Keep it up yo!

Unknown said...

Hey! My first comment! - First, congrats, 21.1kms is not an easy feat. My brother did the Std Chartered Run few months back but he did the 10kms only and he was out for most of the rest of the day. Good on ya, cramps or not. What a survivor!

zewt said...

anon @ 9/12 11.27am - wahhh... sounds like you have doneeeee a full marathon.

autumn - :) thanks...

huei - 21.1 now 21... :P haha!

ieatwhat - hi there. a can of beer before? i am afraid i will not be able to wake up on time :P thanks for the tips though.

SWei - not until i do the full :P

Sue-Ann - thanks for your maiden comment... i did the 10km then too... but i think from now now, it will most probably be half marathon for me, till i am ready for the full.

jam said...

Good job! I can't even imagine myself running for 5 kilometers!

Alecia said...

hey, well done! congrats on finishing the race! my friend did the run too and nearly had a cramp but he was wearing the phiten necklace and took it out to put around his leg when he felt the cramp comin and it was gone. So you may want to consider getting it or trying..

tulipspeaks said...

Hey zewt! Good job there!


ammu.

doc said...

well, what can i say except "bravo!"

are you sure you need that regular check-up?

:P

zewt said...

jam - well, i never thought i can do it too. so i think you can, u just have to try :)

Alecia - hey! thanks for the tips. i guess i shall give myself a good christmas present then :)

tulipspeaks - thanks :)

doc - still need to lah... by the way, the next one coming up. hope you had a good holiday!

neno said...

wow!!21.1km!!lol..i think even 5km can kill me..kekeke..so u ran in spore?

zewt said...

neno - yup... singapore... and want to do it again in the putrajaya night run! :P