Putrajaya Night Marathon 2010

6th Feb 2010 - Saturday

In previous Putrajaya Night Marathon 2010 entry, it was my preparation for the night marathon.

Now is the race report!

Event: Putrajaya Night Marathon 2010
Venue: Dataran Putrajaya, Putrajaya
Date: 6 February 2010
Time: 8.00pm
Distance: 42.195KM
Shoe: SAUCONY TRIUMPH 6
By vin_ann


Its my first ever night marathon! Its my Second marathon after the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) in December 2009. From December to February 2010, Malaysia were having a lots of festival and public holidays! and this causes i train lesser if compared to my training for SCSM!

Putrajaya Night marathon is the first night marathon in Malaysia! Yeah, im feel proud of joining the marathon! Night running is totally different kind of running style! Specially running around Putrajaya, its so humid and hot! Yes, its Hot! The Hot was from ground! i have confidence that i can adopt, as i ran before at night in Putrajaya but never a marathon here.

On 6th February 2010 morning, i joined D'Tour tour around D'House (Digi HQ at Shah Alam) and left the Digi HQ around 5.30pm!

Its was so hot! But on the way to Putrajaya, its rain! But when im reached at Putrajaya, it dry, kering kontang! Immediately when reach at the destination, my stomach give signal and wanted to do big business! Quickly rush to toilet and releases all un-wanted waste to toilet... i keep drinking to hydrate myself...

The race start at 8.00pm.

2XU Elite Compression Pant gang! Yeah... 

CariRunners before we being flag off at 8.00pm. Thank you Tey for the Photo, you're are our greatest photographer! 

8.00pm, we were being flag off! I feel good. My legs were OK, my calf muscles were OK, everything feel good. the only thing i have to adopt is the humid weather at night! argh... breathing is not smooth as in early morning! Lucky im still able to run with my own pace, although many runners keep overtakes me! 

I was so surprising that water stations were available at every 2.5km! Yes, you heard it right, every 2.5km! Hope the coming Standard Chartered KL Marathon can learn from last year mistake and take Putrajaya Night Marathon as benchmark! So as the Energizer Night Race 2010 in 27 March 2010~! 

For the 1st 10km i managed to complete it within 1 hour 15mins timing, its falls under my aims. i continue my pace. At 15km mark, i feel like i need GU Gel to replenish my energy. i have my GU gel just before the water station! 

im having my GU Gel... haha... 

With my speed and im having 1 cup of water at every water station and my problem suddenly come in! My right lower chest suddenly feel pain! oh shit, Houston, i have problems! i tried slowing my run and its not helping! i have to walk and relax to relief the pain! The pain strike not long after i having my 1st GU Gel... not sure what's the problems... Perhaps having too much of water... as i never facing any problems before during training or races. 

i was thinking, OMG, i still have 27km to go! After walking for 10-15 mins, i start to run back, and im feel much better. i keep run walk run walk... at 20km mark, i have spent 2 hrs 45mins. Oh shit, its falls out of my aim already! i have to pick up my speed to have my sub-5 target back! 

On 1 stretch, i paced with 1 runner who from Germany! His hand was holding ICE Water pack... and he said its helping to cool you down and its feel good! hmmm... at 1st i did not bother about his method, but when i reach at the water station, i saw ICE water pack and immediately i requested and put it on my head... argh... i feel relief! But the ice melting faster than i can imaging! 

The hot, humid weather have failed me! im start to feel infamous Hit The Wall... my left calf muscle showing cramp sign! giving warming! The electrical pain shock kind of warming from my left leg muscle, and i immediately stop run and walking.... 

Initially i walking for 5 mins, run for 1 mis.. walks 5 min run 2 mins, as im feel good, i run more walk less... my sifu Terrence and Winnie coming from back and they encourage me! Cheers me! im feel motivated. I wanted to pace with them, but my legs giving warming whenever i wanted to be fast... 

i have to resolve back to walking! At this movement, i realised walk skill are very important! 

When im running, my mind was playing some trick... the counting.. i count stripes on the road... 1 strips 2, 3, 4, keep counting... lost count and re-count again!  Beside counting, im keep thinking thing which motivates me! Happy movement of running, running together... Run, run, run... 

After the U-turn point, i realised there is not more runners on the road! OMG... i can count... 2 runners in front of me, and 2 at my back! Shit.. this is really de-motivates me more!  Unlike in Singapore marathon, all the way have a lots of runners, im wonder how i can achieve my 1st Sub-5 timing in my 1st marathon over there... Motivation really play an important roles! 

im just feel de-motivated. But i cant just give up! i continue playing counting tricks, keep my mind occupied instead of thinking my cramp! Keep playing my motivation wish from her, running movement with her, running motivation from runnersWorld... etc etc... Although im running alone, im still can finishing it! 

Last 100 meters before crossing finishing line... 

Finally im crossing the line... 

With this, i managed to complete my marathon with 6 hours 40second!  In this marathon, i have consumed 4 GU Gel and 1 Power Gel... When im crossing the finishing line, i wanted to sprint the last 50 meters but im my muscle protest again! i have to walking to cross the line! 

Finally im crossing the finishing line and i was so relief... As usual, my CariRunners gang, we Camera-whoring! 

With CariRunners tiny banners

The back of Finisher-T design quite nice! 

Star shape finisher medal... 

Front view

Back view 

ops.. dun know when it was taken! 

Since the Putrajaya marathon, i get to know there are many runners also hit the wall... night marathon is really testing runners body! and i get to know that there are runners who heart attack and die during the marathon! Wow.. this is sad... 

Learning experience in Putrajaya night marathon, i shall be tackle all the problems and going to running strong in the coming Energizer Night Race 2010 full marathon at Cyberjaya! 

After the marathon, i drive back and im almost wanted falls sleep! Lucky im managed to reach home safely and have shower and immediately i falls sleep without fails at 3.30am. On the next day, i automatically wake up around 9.30am! Went out buy breakfast and continue to rest... Amazingly, my leg did not feel much pain! 

In the evening, i went out to Tmn Megah to play badminton with my friends! Wow.. yesterday ran a 42.195km marathon and the next day i still can play badminton! Im really cant believed myself. I was wondering how she can do it last time where morning running and evening playing badminton! Now i know how she done it. I shd have joined her on badminton session but its too late now. 

This round, my post marathon run, i can start running back within few days time, unlike my post Singapore marathon run, im tooks about 2 weeks time to start running back! Guess, this round i have 2XU Elite Compression pant to helps me on faster recovery as i wear it overnight for 2 nights... and i feel greater each day! 

I love my 2XU Elite Compression pant!