Maiden marathon

Just got back from my one week trip in Melbourne... I guessed I should be posting about my holiday... but there are about 150 pictures to upload... and since I have received such overwhelming encouragement, I should only do justice by posting up a race report on the Perth Marathon I did a week ago (hope it's not too belated).

Li-Ann followed me to the race venue at WA Marathon Club Rooms at Burswood on Sunday morning. We got there about 6.45am. Ate my powerbar... and did some warm-up jogs for about 10 minutes around the premises. I also finished up a whole 600ml of Powerade. I met Rio, the guy who has been beating me for the last 2 triathlons. I figured out it would be a tall order to beat him that morning too.

It was nice having darling around during races. I had someone to talk to. She observed that many of the other runners are also very skinny... hehheh.

The runners gathered for the gun off, which was scheduled to be at 7.30am. I kissed Li-Ann goodbye and for good luck... and off we go!

I started at a comfortable pace... intend to start with a 4:45 per km average as I knew I would tire later anyway, regardless of how slow I start. The 1st km mark gave me a scare as my watch showed 5:19.97... it was either it was inaccurate or I was slowed down by the runner traffic from the start. I quickened my pace and the next 2kms were clocked in 9:08.58... I carried on this pace of 4:35 - 4:45 per km. I drank only sports drinks which were given out at every alternate water stations, approximately every 2.5kms away.

The weather was good. There were supposed to be showers... we had a few drizzles but nothing too disruptive. In fact, the clouds prevented us from overheating. The route was also scenic... we ran along Swan River and Canning River. I noticed that I am running alone most of the time... too slow for the pack in front of me... too fast for the pack behind me...

It was during the 12km mark that I felt some tingling sensation around my right toes. I knew these toes were turning slightly purplish over the past few running sessions but they did not hurt before this. I switched my mind to focus on other things... on how much I have trained for this... and how such minor aches should not upset me (thanks, dad for the Marathon Podcast!)

I took the first Powergel at the 20km mark. Yup, sis... I agree with you! Powergels do help... I feel myself getting stronger after eating it! At the 21.1km mark... the time shown was 1:38.53... that's almost 2 minutes faster than my previous half marathon PB of 1:40.45!

We made the turnaround slightly after the 24km mark at Point Walter... I passed Rio coming in somewhere after the 25km mark... I couldn't believe it! I was actually beating him! Maybe he was just running conservatively...

I was still able to keep up the 4:40+ per km pace up until about the 30km mark. I downed my 2nd Powergel... but this was where it soon hit me... I started to develop a stitch. But I kept on telling myself to go on... (again thanks to the Podcast!)

Somewhere near the 35km mark, my right ankle started hurting like mad... I was really worried that it would give way as I had never ran more than a 22kms before. The sensation in the toes were also getting worse. This was where I slowed down my pace to about slightly over 5 minutes per km.

I downed another Powergel at 36km... they were running out of sports drink... so I had to take water to wash down the gel.

I laboured on until the 42km mark and was able to sprint the last 200m! The embarassing thing was there was a inflated arch before the finishing, which I thought was the finishing. So I sprinted into the arch... punching my fists in the air... the announcer called out my name and called me a 'true marathoner'... BUT I stopped after I passed the arch... and the crowd asked me to keep on running... I went past the finishing line at 3:22.10... hmm... maybe if I didn't stop, I could have done under 3:22... oh well...

Here are my splits...

5km 0:23.44 Lap 23:44

10km 0:47.03 Lap 23:19

15km 1:10.12 Lap 23:09

20km 1:33.49 Lap 23:37

21.1km 1:38.53

25km 1:57.11 Lap 23:22

30km 2:20.54 Lap 23:43

35km 2:45.35 Lap 24:41

40km 3:10.58 Lap 25:23

42.2km 3:22.10

I limped pretty much throughout the club rooms that day while waiting for the prize presentation. Helped myself to the bananas, water melons and sports drinks. There were also complimentary massages. It wasn't as painful as the one I had after my City of Perth triathlon.

I chatted with a few people. One was a BodyPump instructor, whose classes I used to attend. But she teaches in the evenings now. Another was a Malaysian who had done a few ironmans but would be attempting his first Langkawi Ironman next year.

Li-Ann came soon after... which was good as I was getting hungry. I had my second Powerbar and soon there were prize presentations. I was only hoping to get a draw prize... but I was delightfully surprised to be called up to collect 1st place in my 18-24 age group. So surprised... that I reacted rather awkwardly when collecting my prize. I didn't shake the presenter's hand... and I just took the medal from him... without letting him place it around my neck...

The full results are out. I'm placed 41 out of 321 runners overall. Rio actually came in at 4:09.20, positioned 193. Like I said, my topping of my age group was mostly due to sheer luck... the girl in the same age group clocked more than 20 minutes faster than I did! But I did come in before the 4th female overall...

Point to ponder... not sure whether I adopted the right strategy by starting at a pace faster than my targeted pace. But I was overtaking a lot of people on the way back... so I supposed relatively I was quite consistent and wasn't burning out.

That's it for my maiden marathon. You can bet that I pretty much limped throughout the whole of Melbourne for the first few days too... but my legs are getting better. I initially wanted to run tomorrow but I'm a bit tired from the trip. Would start on Wednesday...

Getting ready...

Prizes...

Blacktoes...

Cloud 9...

I targeted to do my 1st marathon in 3 hours 30 minutes (5 minute per km average).... and I finished it in.... not 3:28... not 3:25.... wait for it....

3:22.10! (4:47 average)

And I got 1st in my age group category of 18-24! Won myself an Asics t-shirt and bag and a placing medal as well... very lucky I guess... I think the female winner for the same age group finished faster than I did.

That sums it up for now... more detailed report when I return from Melbourne or when I get internet connection over there...

Leaving now... would be flying in the clouds soon... but I'm already on Cloud 9!

Pre-race date

Relaxation therapy at Ace Cinemas, Subiaco.

Although Li-Ann may beg to differ... she found the movie is too overwhelming to the senses. I personally found it... just yeng only. The whole plot was too cartoony for me... even some scenes were a bit nonsensical. I think I'm getting old. But don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the movie. In fact, if it was more complex... I would be frustrated if I didn't understand the whole movie. Yes, can't win... hahhah.

Then, was pasta carbo loading at Tiamo's.

Soft shell crab for entree

Still tired from the senses overload

Li-Ann says I better start putting on weight after the Melbourne trip... hahhah...

I'M ALL SET...

....for my maiden marathon...

Race gear... sorry-lah, can't show my underwear. But I DO have a pair of lucky undies!

Pre-race nutrition... Kellog's Nutri-Grain and Powerade are well known Aussie products.

During-race nutrition... check out my Powerbelt!

Post-race nutrition... I think I do Powerbar advertising than you, Sis...

Having said that... thank you so much, sis... for supplying me with Powerbar.

My target tomorrow is 3 hours 30 minutes. That's 5 minute per km average. Judging that I have been able to clock about 4:30+ per km for my 17k runs, I should be able to hold my targeted pace. But then again, the marathon is a different game altogether.

Oh ya... I'm also leaving for Melbourne for one week on holiday with darling. Departing tomorrow, 5.20pm. Hope I would still be able to walk after the run.

Funtastic

Watched this yesterday with Li-Ann at our usual movie place, Ace Cinemas, Subiaco. I'm a sucker for comic book based movies. Not that I have my own collection of comics at home... but whenever a movie based on a comic book comes out... it's a must-see for me. Thanks darling for coming along (after much persuasion hahhah). Otherwise, I would have watched it alone...

Anyway, all I can say about the movie is... it was fun but nothing to shout about. I find the script a bit too cheesy (just like comic book hahhah), some parts were a bit nonsensical... and Jessica Alba looked a bit weird. She seemed a bit too skinny, and her hair appeared to be plastered on.

Maybe I'm getting old.

Bring it on!

9 days left to Perth Marathon...

Signed up already... no turning back...

I'm all pumped... think this new look would make me run faster?

Oh... by the way... this is my most expensive haircut EVER! I got a parking fine for it! Parked in a lot in Northbridge that said "Ticket parking for 9am tp 4.15pm". I thought after that don't have to pay parking... how I know that after that cannot park at all??!! Have to pay AUD100 fine... damn...

Another weekend...

Our division had our end-of-year function yesterday. We started at 2pm... so basically we only worked (or tried working) for half a day.

First up, bowling at Warwick Super Bowl... my game was... average. 93 in the first game, 78 in the second... yeap, I've played better. Then, it was wine tasting at Lancestor Estates, Swan Valley. The wines are reputed to be really good... but it was in a small shed. The cold and wet weather definitely didn't help. We were so vulnerable to the winds and heavy downpour.

We gave out a bottle of wine each to the best female bowler and best male bowler... who was the same guy who got 3 merits in a row for CA and top in the state two units ago. He's such an over-achiever... (okay, maybe I'm just A BIT envious...)

As with every year, one of the partners would read out the funny things that had happened over the year. One for example... a secretary who locked out a partner from him room and because his car keys were in the room, he had to take the cab home. Another was when one guy had to drive another drunk colleague home, who was giving him directions, misled him into the bus lane (bus lanes are VERY prohibited for cars here in Perth). One more that I could recall from last night was when a partner, who happened to be a Fremantle Dockers fan booked a AUD900 hotel room in Melbourne for the final when the Dockers got into the semi-final... but the team never made it to the final... so the room went to waste.

After that, was dinner at Chester's. Was served bread and dip as well as antipasti for entree. As usual, I chose the steak for mains. The other choices were chicken or barramundi. For desert, a selection of cheese and chocolate. I have to say I enjoyed this year's function a lot better than the previous years. Maybe I AM getting better in socializing. It is included in my personal goals every year... to increase my social presence... Yes, I am deemed to be a very shy person at work.

Again as with any other Aussie functions, we had a few people getting drunk and getting really loud. On the way back to the city, someone actually puked in the bus. Reached the city at 10.50pm. I was lucky that Li-Ann picked me up. Otherwise I had to catch the cab home. Thanks darling!

Yesterday was actually our 1st year anniversary! Sorry darling that it clashed with the division function... And I made you pick me up last night too! Hope I made it up today...

We had lunch at Atrium Garden Restaurant in Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle. The theme for the buffet was Croatian Food Festival. For the cold dishes (which I think its the entree), there were mussels, crab, fish, prawns, varieties of sliced ham and salad.

For the hot dishes... pork belly, pasta, lamb chops, duck with barley, chicken schnitzel, fried calamari and fish.

Desserts... varieties of cakes and pastries... ranging from chocolate, vanilla, orange, apple strudels, mud cakes, cheesecakes and also croatian sweets.

Croatian Sweets

Sorry guys... there weren't too many pictures of the food we had... because as it was a buffet... we couldn't arrange them to be presentable enough for the photos. Even the last two pictures were taken from the website.

We then went to watch Shrek the Third at Millenium. I actually find the cinema quite comfortable... but Li-Ann prefers our good ol' Subiaco Ace cinemas as it is less crowded. I enjoyed the movie a lot... it was really funny... I rate it better than the second one... but of course, the first one is still the best. At any rate, it is much better than Pirates of The Carribean 3 that we watched last week.

We would have loved walking around the streets of Fremantle for a bit... but unfortunately, the weather wasn't too forgiving.

Anyway, I enjoyed myself a lot today. Happy 1st anniversary darling!

I postponed my long run today... well, I couldn't have ran anyway... because it rained. Hope to do it tomorrow... there's a lot of excess calories to be burned...