The final race of the 4-weekend back-to-back races, and it’s none other than the well-known Singapore Marathon. Kind of think back, this would be my 10th full marathon race and my 5-year-straight of running for Singapore Marathon.
This race down south has always been special and close to my heart. This is the race where I first started my full marathon 5 years ago. I’ve also have the privilege of having gone through 3 rounds of route changes since I first join.
Since last year, Standard Chartered Marathon event has been felt even better simply because I’m now staff of Standard Chartered Bank. The perks includes access to the special staff tend during race day. Apart from this, Singapore marathon being the biggest marathon race in this region, we also get to go for the special staff carbo loading party during the day before the race, and as well as being the selected few for complimentary hotel stay for the marathon event.
I arrived in Singapore on the day before the race day. Touched down at Singapore airport by 8.30am. Had some time to move around in town before heading to the staff carbo loading party. This year’s carbo loading party is no longer in Fullerton Hotel, but at Raffle’s Convention Centre. Somehow, the crowd is less overwhelm than last year’s.
We were treated with wide variety of food. It’s nice to go for a marathon race not needing to worried about getting myself fuel up for the race.
After that, walked around a bit with my friend and head back to Ibis Hotel to rest early. (but can hardly sleep at all, probably too much coffee during the day and the bed being too small)
With little sleep till the next morning, I knew the race gonna be screwed. However, I’ve signed up for it so I’ll go on no matter how much it’s going to be tough for me.
The Singapore government recognised that this marathon event is going to be massive, so they have allowed the MRT to extend their operating hour non-stop overnight just to accomodate the runners getting to their various starting line. We were glad that we didn’t need to take taxi this time round.
The day was cool, thanks to the non-stop rain for the past few days. This make the major part of the route cooler to run until the Sun rises.
I caught up with the 5hr pacers and was able to keep with their pace until 22km point where my lack of sleep started to give way. I started to feel to sleepy that if given a bed at that moment, I’d just collapse and sleep. My left tight also started to feel heavy and cramp up. I had no choice but to slow down and walk for the next 6km.
I managed to pick up my speed and effort a little bit when i was approaching 28km mark, where I started to use the run-walk-run strategy. As soon as I gain back my momentum, I pick up my pace further and started to run again for the next 14km.
It was really tough running under the Sun. At least I was still haven’t hit the walk and kept to the pace as far as possible.
This year’s run wasn’t as great, as I’ve slowed down my pace and hit a slower finishing time compared to last year’s. Anyhow, there’re up’s and downs in all races. I guess the strongest thing I needed to improve is to get myself more rest and sleep on the day before the big race.
Before I work in Stanchart, I kept telling myself about how crowded and crampy the Singapore marathon has been and vowed not to run again next year. But seeing how it’s became my annual marathon “pilgrimage”, I think I’ll continue to sign up and try to hit 10 years straight running for Singapore marathon.
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