Brooks Half Marathon 2012

This will be my first race of the year and also the first after SCMS 2011. In fact I am not really looking forward to it as it will be just another race that forms part of my preparation for the coming Gold Coast Airport Marathon (1st July 2012 GCAM). But for all races especially overseas race I will still want to try to do well and with all the mileage clocked from over months of training, it will be a bonus if I can get a PB and hopefully I can do better then what I did in Penang (1/2) Marathon last year where I managed to achieve a nice negative split finish.

It was certainly a tough race which I was totally caught unprepared, definitely not those usual 21km races which I was expecting. I was totally unaware that the route can be so hilly with so many long stretches of up and down slopes. I actually lost count and only remember that some were gradual ones while some can go as steep as 30 degrees.

Interestingly the race started in the nice Bukit Jalil Stadium running tracks where it was very crowded at the start point and due to human jam my first 1km was a slow one at 4:52min/km, soon as the race progress I started to pickup pace and despite the gradual uphill route I was coping well while trying hard to keep close to 4:45min/km pace. I did well to complete 5km in 23:22min with an average pace of 4:40min/km, but with alot more effort then usual as I could feel the strain so early into the race and I was struggling to find my running form.

The next 5km was an up and down “affair” where almost 1k goes up and 1k comes down and so it makes it more difficult to find the right running form. My recovery was very slow and it was quite tough even to make up for lost time while running downhill. At that slow pace where I was running downhill I felt a PB was tough, my aim then was just to run as fast as I could and hopefully things will improve.

On borrowed time from the first 5km I completed 10km in 48:25min (average 4:50min/km), disappointingly the second 5km split was a slow 25:03 (average 5:00min/km), it was suppose to be a pace which I have no problem running at. Ironically from 12 to 13km I was able to run faster uphill, probably managed to catch some breath and recovered during some downhill run. But anyway my timing was really bad with 1hr 14:03 for 15km (average 4:56min/km), the third 5km split was a terrible 5:08min/km! At that point my morale was low as with these kind of pace and effort I knew I would most likely end up doing badly, sighs…..

There seems to be never ending hilly route and I was holding back as I was having doubts of going all out for fear that I might hit another uphill route. It was only at around 17 to 18km that I decide I could now run faster, since at that moment I finally felt better and with time running out for even a 105min finish, I will need to try to make a last dashed towards the end. At around the 18km mark I was doing well running at 4:35min/km pace before hitting another uphill that again affects my form badly, I was forced to slow down again and it was now tougher to pick up pace again and there goes even a 105min finish.

At 20km it was 1hr 39:15min (average pace 4:57min/km) with fourth 5km split at 25:12min (average pace 5:02min/km), it was still possible to hit 1hr 45min but strangely I realised that the distance marker was not even showing 20km yet and when my watch shows 21km I was still around 500m away and on my way running towards the stadium.

As I was struggling to run below 5min/km I was so glad that I finally stepped into the stadium although my thoughts then was why the need to run another 300m? Anyway almost there and I finally rounded up everything, finally done!

It was a poor race with a slow 1hr 48min finish! It was in contrast compared to my PB of 1hr 38min, a disappointing 10mins gap. The consolation been the route seems to be longer at 21.8km and the positive thing been I was not running on a flat route and based on my Garmin time and pace it would have been a sub 1hr 45min finish over this hilly terrain.

Race Post-mortem

- I was not having enough hill run during trainings as I had difficulties coping with the long stretches of uphill route. So glad that GCAM will be a 42km flat course marathon.

- I uses the wrong strategy of getting over uphill fast, something which I always did especially when I can see the ending of some uphill stretch was just ahead, my idea then was to have that mental advantage over other runners. It was this early pacing mistake (1st 5k) that cost my race pace to deteriorate as I notice I was overtaken easily by many runners after only 5km. I will need to take note of my running posture at all times especially during uphill & downhill, got to learn how to attack the hill!

Uphill miles will be slower than your goal pace and downhill miles will be faster

- When the going gets tough I felt discouraged, I could have tagged along with some runners closer to my race pace right from the start. For future races I will try to move closer to the starting point.

Mens Open 21km Chip Time 01:47:57

Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2011

How time flies as I can still remember my disappointment over last year’s SCMS where my attempt for a sub 4 hour marathon fails miserably. I bonked so early at 27km and subsequently suffer cramps on both legs and in the end I was way off my target with a disastrous 4:23hr finish! It was a demoralizing race which I learned my lesson on how to better prepared myself for a marathon, especially for regional marathons where the weather conditions are usually harsher.

This is a race which I felt really excited and was looking forward to since I waited 1 year to finally have the chance to prove to myself that I am capable of going sub 4 hour in Singapore. Apart from the Taroko Gorge half marathon’s week where I had diarrhea and was forced to do a DNS, my overall preparation was good where I did a couple of more than 30km LSD.  I was all geared up for the race and I make sure that I had enough sleep by going to bed early at 7pm and wake up early at 2am for breakfast before making my way to the start line. I reaches the race site early at 3:45am so that I had ample time to settle down before going over to my designated start line about half an hour before race starts.

However at the start line I was greeted with a surprise when I was told that I belonged to the Sub 6 hour group (Green Bib) and I was refused entry into the Sub 4 hour start line. Feeling frustrated I was left with no choice but to move as near to the start line as possible. I could only hope that it won’t affect my race and won’t have a hard time over taking slower runners.

As I review my recent race results, particularly Penang Bridge International Marathon (1/2) I was quietly confident that I could do a sub 3:45 but at times I was in dilemma, since local full marathon races are always tougher and I do had thoughts of lowering my expectations for fear of some unexpected circumstances. Fear still struck me when I recalled suffering from cramps in the same event last year. But anyway anything above 4 hours will be a total failure, filled with all these thoughts in mind I was still undecided on the race strategy while standing on the start line. I was stuck with should I just go for 5:20 or 5:30 pace for first quarter or first half of the race and gradually up my pace or should I just run and gauge my condition accordingly?

Anyway before I could decide, the race started promptly at 5am and my sudden thought then was to run at 5:20 pace first. As expected there were many slower runners around which I had a hard time overtaking but luckily the situation soon improves just before I reaches 1km and I just managed a 5:19min/km. Soon after 2km and entering the Fort Canning Tunnel there was a loss of GPS (Garmin watch) connection, as it was also dark inside I was not sure did I ran so fast at 4:28min/km? Anyway so far so good and feeling comfortable with my pace as I soon rounded up my first 5km in 25:22min.

I was feeling great and unknowingly I was running faster with pace below 5min/km from 6 – 7km, probably feeling excited each time when I overtake the pacers, especially the sub 4 hour pacer groups. At 8km I was slowing down to 5:08min/km. At almost 9km I managed to catch up with the 3:45 hour pacers group where supposedly they should be running below 5:20min/km pace, and been the fastest pacers around I tried to tag along with them and it was a nice and encouraging to know that I was comfortable with their pace, and with that I completed 9km comfortably at 5:17min/km before I decide to move on with my own race. By 10km I was at 5:10min/km and with a 5k split of 25:30, a total of 50:52min for 10km.

After 10km I was slowing down, I was cautious not to run too fast as since I had just over taken the 3:45 hour pacers, my thought then was to just run above 5:20min/km pace and now running “alone” along Mountbatten Road towards Fort Road at 5:16 and 5:13min/km before I finally reaches my familiar LSD training ground at ECP (Fort Road entrance). Along ECP at 14km I saw Steven (Toa Payoh Safra committee) manning the Safra support point, surprisingly no support was offer. Anyway I just move on and completed 14 and 15km in 5:18 and 5:16min/km, a slow 5k split of 26:22min as compare to my first 10km but still well within 5:20min/km race pace target.

The long straight route along ECP towards the National Sailing Centre u-turn point was the annual routine marathon route, a familiar ground where I can concentrate on my pace and form as I started to pick up good running form from 16 to 17km, I was running consistently at 5:05min/km before slowing down to 5:11min/km to finish 18km along the East Coast Lagoon bend. The stretch of 19km to 20km was interesting as you get to see runners making u-turns back towards fort road. I managed to compete 19km in 5:02min/km before I finally finish 20km in 5:17min/km and with that the 5k splits took me 25:40min with an average pace of 5:08min/km.

With 1km to go before the u-turn point, I gradually up my pace again as I felt motivated to catch up with some familiar faces returning back towards Fort road. With that I finally crossed the 21km mark in 5:13min/km and while on my way back I was enthusiastic and was running faster, in the process I clocked 4:56min/km for 22km, I was hoping to catch up with some Safra runners ahead but I subsequently slowed down to 5:11 and 5:08min/km pace as I thought I was only halfway through and I needed to be consistent. Along the way I managed to overtake Safra runners Choon and Ow before I getting nice cold “Sng Bao” (ice pack) at Safra 24km support point! The 25km mark was a return route along East Coast Lagoon which took me 5:06min/km and with that another good 5k split in 25:34min and on average with a 5:08min/km pace.

After 25km it will now be a long straight route all the way towards Fort road where I seems to have struck form, I was running faster at below 5min/km pace. The feeling was great as I felt really strong and hope I that I can kept at this pace all the way. At 29km I managed to grab a banana as I knew I will need that extra fuel later on, managed to eat while on the run and so I was slowing down to 5:00min/km pace. By the time I leave Fort Road, it only took me 24:23min from 25 to 30km, with an average pace of 5:02min/km.

I was still on form from 31 to 32km running at 4:57 and 4:59min/km pace and at this stage I met some other Safra runners from Mount Faber. I was surprised to see Jackie walking, think he seems to have some problem. As I overtake him I urge him to run, and at this stage I too started to feel the strain on my legs but I was trying hard not to slow down. It was at this moment that I knew the real race had started! Nevertheless I still managed 5:05min/km for 33 and 34km while 35km took me 5:08min/km, and 25:14mins for 30 to 35km, on average a good 5:02min/km pace.

I was trying hard to motivate myself before I saw the last Safra Support Station (by Jurong Safra). I again opted for “Sng Bao” (ice pack) instead of Power Gel to quench my thirst and it helps as I passed 36km in 5min/km pace. It was 37km at Marina Bay and my legs were heavy but I still managed a 5:11min/km pace. At 38km my fear struck as I could feel that my legs were about to cramp! I knew I had to slow down but not to stop or it will surely trigger the cramp. Disappointingly I decide to drop my pace to around 5:30min/km, my thoughts then was its still better to be able to keep running then to stop and walk. Moreover I was already in the “safety zone” of going under 3:45 hour and again like previous SCMS it was the dreadful human jam again with the half marathoners blocking my way and with that I took 5:33min/km to complete 38km.

At 39km my pace continue to deteriorate to 5:44min/km as it was a long uphill run along Sheares Bridge, it was tougher to go below 5:30min/km but I kept telling myself not to stop, only 3km to go and just get over with it. Although it was downhill after 39km I could only up my pace slightly as my legs were heavy and was low on fuel, at this point I also opted to skip the last crowded water point as I knew I must not stop or my legs will surely give way, with that I competed 40km in 5:36min/km, clocking the slowest 5k splits of 27:04mins at an average 5:24min/km pace.

I was almost there and finally with less than 3km to go I zig-zag my way through the crowd along Raffles Avenue and completed 41km in 5:36min/km. I was really tired but so glad that I was reaching the Padang, I tried to run faster but instead I was slowing down to 5:44min/km, all I could do was to follow closely behind another runner ahead who was paving the way for me. It was only the final stretch of 650m that I could run faster at 5min/km to finally crosses the finish line!

It was a race which ends up with an almost even split of about 1 hour 50min over 2 halves of 21km, although my intention was to do a negative split. But it was still an encouraging run after 21km where if not for a drop of pace after 33km it would have been a strong finish (negative split). I have finally achieved a PB and sub4 hour for local Marathon races!

OFFICIAL TIME
OFFICIAL PLACE

AVERAGE PACE: 05:12

of 15,727 TOTAL finishers.

98.69%

of 13,330 MALE finishers.

98.65%

of 9,438 Singaporean Men finishers.

99.32%

SPLIT TIMES	split time	s/rank	race time	r/rank	distance	pace	speed
Split Time 1	00:51:10	482	00:51:10	3840	10.60	04:49	12.43
Split Time 2	00:57:37	386	01:48:47	993	10.50	05:29	10.93
Split Time 3	00:49:42	200	02:38:29	356	10.50	04:44	12.68
Split Time 4	00:11:24	197	02:49:53	306	1.40	08:08	7.37

Self-timed Garmin Splits

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace	5k Split	Split Avg Pace
1	05:19.2	1	5:19
2	04:28.0	1	4:28
3	05:10.1	1	5:10
4	05:13.7	1	5:14
5	05:11.2	1	5:11	25:22:00	5:04
6	04:57.4	1	4:57
7	04:58.0	1	4:58
8	05:07.9	1	5:08
9	05:17.1	1	5:17
10	05:10.5	1	5:10	25:30:00	5:06
11	05:15.5	1	5:16
12	05:12.6	1	5:13
13	05:19.5	1	5:19
14	05:17.6	1	5:18
15	05:15.7	1	5:16	26:22:00	5:16
16	05:04.9	1	5:05
17	05:05.2	1	5:05
18	05:10.5	1	5:11
19	05:02.4	1	5:02
20	05:16.6	1	5:17	25:40:00	5:08
21	05:12.7	1	5:13
22	04:56.5	1	4:56
23	05:11.0	1	5:11
24	05:07.5	1	5:08
25	05:05.7	1	5:06	25:34:00	5:06
26	04:56.1	1	4:56
27	04:48.8	1	4:49
28	04:49.3	1	4:49
29	05:00.2	1	5:00
30	04:49.1	1	4:49	24:23:00	4:52
31	04:57.2	1	4:57
32	04:58.9	1	4:59
33	05:05.3	1	5:05
34	05:05.0	1	5:05
35	05:08.4	1	5:08	25:14:00	5:02
36	04:59.6	1	5:00
37	05:11.1	1	5:11
38	05:33.0	1	5:33
39	05:43.5	1	5:44
40	05:35.6	1	5:36	27:04:00	5:24
41	05:36.3	1	5:36
42	05:44.0	1	5:44
43	03:12.8	0.65	4:59	16:19	6:09
Summary	3:39:41	42.65	5:09