Completing the Marathon as a Plodder...

Well completed my maiden marathon with a timing that is not very proud to share but nonetheless finishing is the most important. There are moments that I just wanted to give up, I am just so sehz due to my sickness, my toes are in pain (it seems to me my running shoes is at least half a size smaller), I removed my socks at around 35km. My body is just so unconditioned for the run that I just could not restart my engine after stopping at the 18km. I was so hoping that I would be picked up by the sweeper buses in my last few km. That kinda hinted my timing.

It is with sheer determination that I managed to overcome all this and completed the marathon. I learnt quite a lot from this marathon. Really. The distance is not something you can just whack without training. What made it more worst is that I am still having flu and cough. I learnt to respect the distance.

Would I be back? Well I am sure that this would not be my last marathon. But when the next one comes along, I would make sure that I am much better prepared than this. Nah it is not going to be 2010. 2010 would be base/foundation training. Maybe 2011, or 2012 or 2013? Haha i dunno. I would go back to half marathon or 10km for now.

But there are happier things to take away in a way. Despite being sick, I matched the timing for my 10km Nike Race, and faster by 20 mins at 15km mark as compared to the New Balance Real Run 09 timing. That itself is a achievement in a way, there are already improvements through the interval trainings. I decided to stop at 18km for a walk, because strictly speaking, I dun think I should run in the first place due to my flu and cough.

Maybe I can still push on, but then at the end of the day, you only got 1 life. I didn't want to push my limits by too much. I walk, already cannot take it. Imagined that I have run? The consequences may not be good.

So in the end, I think I have made the sensible decision. Finishing in one piece safely is more important than the timing.