The Big Day

There's nothing like waking up at one o clock in the morning to run forty two kilometres after a full day of teaching. Fortunately I had finished a 1.5 litre of 100 Plus during the course of my three lessons to hydrate my body before the run and eaten enough food to satisfy a very hungry man. Therefore it was a very light breakfast of a small (free) McDonald's cornflakes at Natalie's apartment and then a walk over to the marathon start line.

I also tried a blister prevention spray after deciding not to tape or plaster my toes/feet and would totally recommend it! I had blisters in my half marathon a few years ago and a few small ones in my training runs but after spraying on 3 separate layers, I managed to finished with no blisters! It's like using spider's cobwebs to coat your toes/sole and the shoe will grind against that instead of your skin.

Here is the start of the men's marathon. Can you spot me?

No?

That's because I completely missed the start of it! That was despite getting to the start line early. I did some stretches and was sitting around in a nearby tent waiting for the announcement for marathon runners to get the start line but all I heard was 'please make your ChampionChip is securely fastened' and 'the Chief Minister will arrive soon.' I wasn't panicking as I saw lots of other orange vests around but decided to wander to the start line at 2.25am because I wanted to get a good position.

It was rather surreal at the start line as I saw one of my college football players, Viet, and his girlfriend there together with two of his friends who were running. One of them looked at me and said, "you've got a full marathon number on," to which I replied "yes." He then said, "they've already started," at which point I felt like a complete idiot and got going! It turned out all the other orange shirts sitting around in the tents were half marathon runners waiting for their turn to start at 3.30am!!

I was very glad that I had familiarized myself with the route otherwise I would have felt like an even bigger ass starting late and asking for directions. I caught up to some other runners after a minute but got a small twinge in my left quadricep that I had never had before! However I had committed myself to my race strategy of a 6 minute run and a 1 minute walk for the first half of the race and abided by this which meant that the twinge didn't get any worse.

The first ten kilometres of the marathon was very interesting as there were people of all ages, sizes, races and shirt colours running behind, alongside and in front of me. Some people had backpacks with bottles, some people wore belts containing gels and others had loud tickers which they were obviously supposed to keep in time with. I had hoped to spot some of the runners that I met on Facebook but a combination of night darkness, lack of spectacle wear and several hundred put paid to that idea. However I did spot the pale skin tone of one of my college footballers, Norman, ahead of me which gave me a target to achieve in the race.

I felt very comfortable up to 10km and according to my friend's watch reached that distance in 50 minutes which was a lot faster than I anticipated. However it turned out that some of the distance signage were not accurate but I was quite happy at the time! However I did feel a little heavy as I started up the bridge - probably no thanks to my 10pm dinner of TGIF Jack Daniel ribs and small mountains of spaghetti!

However whilst the running was going well and the distraction of looking at my watch every 7 minutes kept my eyes and mind ticking over, I felt it was very quiet. So after running up the slope of Penang Bridge for a while I decided to engage in my first marathon conversation with a random runner about why his vest was maroon whilst everyone else got orange. It turned out that he couldn't fit into a regular one and thus opted for the fat/muscular version. I also remember telling him that he was on course for a 4hr 30min time when he said he was just aiming to finish under 6 hours. It turns out that he was right and I totally underestimated the cumulative effects of running!

I broke ahead of him but not before both of us saw the leading Kenyans pass us on the other side of the bridge going down! Several minutes later another pack of Kenyans burst past us from behind - they were the mere half marathon competitors! I had spent a lot of time thinking about running form and decided to imitate their arm pumping, low stride style for a while to get a bit of speed going before I came across Norman, the KDU student (and fellow footballer) I saw right at the beginning of the race.

We decided to run together and had a good long chat about football, college, his previous year's run, his girlfriend's attempt at a half marathon and P.I.S.S. (a football team...!). He also pointed out various other runners he knew that we overtook/miles ahead of us. Whilst I found it was really good to talk and run with a friend, he found the walk breaks even more encouraging! Sadly I had to break from on the crest of the return leg of the bridge as I was desperately seeking a toilet to pee and had to climb over a concrete barrier to get to it. After waiting for a minute and peeing in the dark, it was back to running where things took a turn for the worse...

Cramp.

It started to come on as I surged down the bridge and randomly commenting on this problem with a half marathon lady runner, I really hoped the walk breaks would deal with this. In a fit of desperation, I also used up my last two remaining gels at this point (roughly 25km) hoping that the glucose would get in my system and 'fix the pain.' It was also the point of unknown for me as I had never run constantly for so long before and I had no idea how my body was going to react to such an ordeal. It decided not to react well.

I was desperately waiting to overtake the 30km signboard but it either never came or I was being truly blind but the cramp along every muscle of my legs did come. Both quadriceps went first, then the hamstrings before the calves which meant my 6min run 1min walk strategy became a walk walk only strategy! I was incredibly grateful to an uncle for loaning me his spray from his pouch to partially relieve my cramp but despite the pain, I found I could keep walking at a fairly fast pace. I passing Tesco at this point too and I was tempted to just turn left and go home as it was fairly nearby!

However I decided to continue along the Coastal Highway and having driven along it many times to work knew that there were 3 bridges to come. It was all about gritting your teeth at this stage and after the initial pain, I found I could do a little bit of jogging. However another runner and myself did come across an old runner who was literally lying down in the middle of the road - who told us he was fine after we inquired about his health. I did stop at the next medical stop to ask for help for the first time - and they gave me something that felt like Deep Heat which I rubbed vigorously under my lycra pants!

Sadly that wasn't the miracle cure for the constant cramp so I had to continue with the walk/jog strategy until I reached Maccullum Street where we were given a Powergel and got our 32km time recorded. I asked for another Powergel but the volunteer was being really strict and refused to give me another one! We had done over 30km by this stage - did the man have no sympathy? I managed to hold onto a water bottle, which I passed to Norman as we had to double back onto the same road.

And then it wasn't too bad. It appeared that my legs had got their second wind and they were able to do some running again - one of my friends explained that my body had decided to switch fuel resources and were now burning off something else hence the extra energy. After smearing some more deep heat on myself at the same first aid station, I managed to get a comfortable pace and was thinking about a 4hr 40min time. However it appeared that the organisers had got the signage wrong and it wasn't 7km to the end... but 10km!

But then came the most interesting part of the run - talking to people! I had been searching for a bit of company for the last 2 hours (after Norman on the bridge) and it appeared that people were willing to open up after fours of pain! I chatted to a bloke who came over from Canada and had run over 5 marathons in his life and then we were joined by a Singaporean, Boon - who was running his fifth marathon of the year! The chatting and sharing of marathon experiences (or just listening in my case!) did help us to dissipate the pain before Boon and I decided to kick on for a quicker time. I completely missed the newly revealed 'runners' statues' during that section of the run too!

Green shirts soon became my bugbear over the last stretch of the course. We were swamped by the school quarter marathon runners and wasted a lot of energy weaving between and around them - which you would rather channel into a straight line run. By this stage I had also left Boon behind and was running quite quickly (after a minute walk break!). I was clapping to myself in attempt to keep my energy level high (which incidentally got people to move out of my way too!) and was urging myself on by muttering to myself. When I got to the final left turn, I ended up talking to a random schoolboy who was going quickly and challenged him to a sprint finish over the last 800m or so! I just about managed to do it although I think he disappeared from my sight and into the crowd, 100m after the roundabout!!

If you look closely in the photo, my face is blowing out a lot of air because of that sprint finish! I neglected to look at the time so I had no idea what my finish time was and I had reset my stopwatch after I crossed the line too!! But it was a great feeling to finish!!!

Look at that finishing face!

Gold for 42km runners - or in my son's case because I beat everybody!

My official finish time was 4 hours 52 mins.

Gym + Carbo Loading

Last bit of exercise before the marathon as I'll working tomorrow and will thus have no time to do anything. So I thought I'd do a bit of upper body strength work so I did three sets of 10, 5 and 10 reps on my chest, back, biceps, triceps and shoulders with heavy weights in the middle. With the big day around a mere two corners, I did a mere one set of reps on my legs but a lot of back and leg stretches at the end of it all.

It was also the day where I was supposed to start 'carbo loading' so I've been eating a lot throughout the day. Half chicken meal with rice and potato salad at Nandos for lunch with home made spaghetti for dinner and cinnamon bread/croissants as snacks in the middle or at the end. Tempted to go for the ice cream that's been lying in our freezer but with this terrible cough I've been having all week (& what a time to have it!), I've been drinking a lot of honey water too.

Runs around The Botanical Garden

Time: 9.30am
To: 4 sets x 1 small and 1 big circular lap around Botanical Gardens
Terrain: Tarmac but one big slope!

Length: Each lap ?km
Time Taken: 1 hour 10 mins

It was a trial run today. I only had 6 hours sleep, I only had a cup of water and a sip of coffee before I went and there was a big slope to run up. I wore my new vest and pants for the first time and stopped after every set to sip some water. However I did forget to bring Jeremy's loaned digital watch and didn't pin my number on my vest.

At the last two stops, I tried both gels and they do indeed taste like banana and berries. It's like a very concentrated syrup but they were ok. I bought three more powerbar gels in Queensbay later - they were cheaper, look a bit bigger and the gold wrapping is nicer!

It became more like the big day when I went for work after my run (yes, my boss expects me to teach at 10am after finishing a marathon at 8am) and then I went to train the 6 KDU players who turned up (and technically two of them have already left KDU!). So it was a very full day and I was quite tired at the end of it all but I feel it was a good taste of what is to come...

Pants! + Indoor Football

I picked up my marathon pack from Queensbay today and after listening to my colleague David tell me horror stories of chafing, I decided to go and buy a pair of 'tight running shorts' so I would join the 'bloody' group. After an hour's worth of painful reflexology, it was either run with all the gear on or take the kids to the park. So I decided to delay the inevitable and took my kids to the park where we saw a BMXer at the skate park.

Part of the reason that I didn't go for a run was because I was going to play at Dalat International School at 8pm. And what a star studded evening it was with Roy, Jason, Vijay, Muneer, Fajar, Viet and Samson joining myself and other young players. It was competitive and very enjoyable with a new young kid in the mix. He's got fast feet for a fourteen year old! An hour and a half was good to give the legs a bit of a run out, a little blister on my toe and a chance to try out my lycra pants - which passed the mobility and sweat test!

Light Training & Gels

I'm not really sure it counts as training but to liven things up and relax from running, I elected to do half an hours worth of football juggling & some Nike/Barcelona skills training today - and boy has my juggling gone to pieces after not much practice in recent weeks! :) It took a while to get to a hundred!

Good marathon news - I finally found some running gels last night! They are sold in GNC, Gurney Plaza (basement floor)! A PowerBar Gel costs RM6.50 and GU Energy Gel costs RM8. Berry flavours were the only ones available although the sales woman did say there would be more flavours coming in in the following week. I've yet to try one out but will give a verdict here next week after a run/taste test.

Football Match

Played for KDU College vs Penang Nigeria
Score: Lost 4-2

Played: Right Back!
Warm Up: Dynamic stretches

I was just happy to finish this match relatively uninjured after a bang of the knees halfway through the second half and particularly after a jumping tackle by one of the Nigerians right at the end of the match where all his studs connected with the outside of my left leg! I was not happy with the tackle at all but the referee didn't even blow for it. And the linesman was on my side too. Idiots.

Run + Match

Time: 11am
From: Greenlane to Weld Quay

Length: 7.3km
Time Taken: 41mins

I was desperate to do a run today after a whole weekend of non-running and needed to clock a significant distance. Sadly I couldn't wake up early in the morning to do a 2 hour run in the gym due to the previous night's Bejeweled games... so I took my friend, Kaz's, advice and tried running to work as I needed to do a bit of marking and discuss marks with a fellow teacher. I've measured it previously on Google maps and it's approximately 7km but I decided to run on any side of the road where there was shade as it was 'a bit warm'. All in all an interesting run because there are so many different surfaces, vehicles to avoid and steps, slopes and drains. Not really training for marathon running - it felt more like free running - but something was better than nothing and I helped the environment too.

The worst thing about running to work is that you have to run back! After all you've got no car!

Time: 3.40pm
From: Weld Quay to Greenlane via bank

Length: 7.6km (different route!)
Time Taken: 44mins

Decided to eat chicken rice as a post run meal which was followed by a bowl of Baskin Robbins!



Played for PSC vs team in white
Time: 6pm
Score: Drew 1-1 (match abandoned at half time due to muddy pitch)

Played: Centre defence
Warm Up: See run above!

It's always interesting to see how the game will go after a long run - especially when you are playing with old men but it is a lot easier as my position is mainly defensive. However I did manage to make bursts upfield and thought I should have had a penalty after I pinched the ball from a defender who panicked and tried to clear it but whacked me on my left calf! Ref said I pushed him which was nonsense! Fortunately Hilme had already put us in the lead with a lob to the keeper's top left corner (we all thought he'd missed!) but they equalised when a low shot from the edge of the area went to Suresh's bottom left corner. I was all ready to play the second half too - I went to get longer studded boots - but when I ran back onto the pitch, everyone had walked off! Match Abandoned.

Runs Around Polo

Time: 5.45pm
To: 8 circular laps around Polo Field, flat course

Length: Each lap ?km
Time Taken: over the course of 1 hour

I decided to make the boys join me on my run today as I need to get some leg work in before they rusted up! So a warm up lap alone, followed by a faster lap and another soon became a trail of KDU players before some stretching and then another lap with Muneer and Feri! Seconds later, it was a game of monkey in two separate squares so harassment and first touches were the order of the day before I did another (slow) 4 laps or so with Neoh. Sadly we couldn't persuade Dayana to come with us!

Drinking Whilst Running

Whilst waiting for my wife to finish with her facial and having had my 1hour foot reflexology at the centre in Queensbay (not bad at all for RM38!), I decided to browse through a few marathon books with the big day looming. One of the things I came across in the Penguin Runner's book (John Bingham!) was about eating and drinking. He doesn't recommend just drinking water as he suggests supplementing it with isotonic drinks so the sodium gets replaced.

However he did give one useful tip that I'm glad I read before I did my run:

If you eat something, drink water with it.

If you don't eat something, drink the isotonic drink!

That banana and 100 Plus combination could have been messy!!! ;)

Football Training

Sadly as usual, I didn't get to do too much of C.C.F.C. at Pykett School although I did the technique and sprint work (5 - 30m). I think that's the thing I dislike most about being a coach! I also decided to play a half field game with the focus on defenders playing the ball out to the sides instead of lumping as they currently do in a match & some striker pressure.

Football Match

Played for KDU College vs P.I.S.S.
Score: Won 5-1

Played: Centre Midfield
Warm Up: Minimal

It was already 3-1 when I came on at half time so it was a case of keeping the pressure on and not letting the opponents back in the game. It was fairly simple as I looked for Christopher on the left wing and Feri on the right wing. The fourth goal was very nice as it was a team goal from the left side of the field to the right which resulted in Samson setting up Maksat for the first in the half. The second goal of the second half came when I set Christopher away on the left and he did his usual direct run and put the ball past the keeper on his near post. P.I.S.S. should probably have scored a couple with Norman in particular missing several efforts: a one on one, a shot when Adrian kicked the ball to him from a goal kick and a shot from the edge of the area. All in all it was an easy game to play in after yesterday's long run.

Treadmill Run

Time: 2.30pm
Setting: Incline 1

Time Taken: 2 hours
Distance: 19.5km

Finally I managed to do the long run and gave the Galloway walk break method a go too. It seemed to work because running in bursts of 5-6 minutes seemed a lot easier than running consistently for 120 minutes. I know this because the pain of the half-marathon was much worse than how I'm feeling now, which is generally quite good.

I managed to catch the 2nd half of the Lyon Liverpool game and what a shot by Babel. However it was funny to see Lyon equalise so late (as a ManUtd fan) especially when Babel had an earlier easy chance to put the tie beyond doubt. You've got to take your chances. Ditto goes for the third minute chance that Ibrahimovic had for Barca against Rubin Kazan because the claret shirts swarmed their own penalty area after that. I think all Barcelona games must start off really similarly - Barca play keep ball for 20 minutes without much penetration and then start rattling shots in about the 35 min mark when the opposition are tired/bored!

Football Training

Sadly as usual, I didn't get to do too much of the joint KDU - Ramblers training at Penang Free School although I did the physical (press ups, sit ups, burpees) and sprint work (5 - 30m). It took its toll on me too - I got abdominal cramp whilst stretching my hamstrings at night! Obviously I haven't been to the gym for a while!!

Indoor Football

Played at Dalat International School with Roy, Jason & 'Ronaldo' from 7.45pm for 1.75 hours.

It was much quieter without Jocelyn about as Ben fell asleep on a bench. However I think Roy got a bit mad that our team kept losing so I had to cut out the dribbling! 5 hours sleep didn't help much either!!

Advice

I asked my friend, Tony Atkinson, for some advice for this stage of training as he's run a marathon before and is incidentially doing one on the same day as me in Bangkok. This is what he had to say:

Hi Derek

hope the training has been going well.

I have been doing about 45 km a week up to now. which include a long run (20km) and then 2 runs of 10 km and a fast 5km.

three weeks before i will train as normal.
with two weeks to go I will reduce the distance total to 30 km (long run becomes a 10 km.
In the last week before I may run once or twice + race. This will be a couple of easy runs 5-7 km each - easy just to keep moving.

Last year i did not run in the two weeks before. This worked ok, but my legs had too much time to rest, so you start feeling some aches and pains which are not normally there because you run through them. that is why this year change a little bit.

There is no point worrying about how far you have done. there is nothing you can do now that is going to change that. just eat well try to get some sleep the night before and drink enough fluids before and during the race.

The bangkok marathon is also on the motorway - for 30km and also across the same number of bridges as you!