Limping Marathon Runner

At 5.30am, my phone's alarm rang. I guess I was enjoying my sleep. Shut exclaimed, "AAAggggg.... I don't feel like running! How?". Let's slack! Stay in bed then!! Noooo!! I got out of bed and washed up before changing. I ate a Muesli bar and wore my shoes. When Shut and Ronnie were ready, we went down to gather with the rest. Ahh!! Stars over head! Nice!! I spent a minute to look around the sky before warming up.

Loud stereo speakers boomed the area with the Emcee and fast paced music rocking the quiet sleepy neighborhood on a lazy Sunday. We were ushered into a compound and then re-routed to the start line with only the half marathon participants first. Greeting each other with "good-lucks", we sped off after the flag dropped at 7am. I was suppose to pace Shut at a 2hr 30mins for 21km pace. But, I guess I just continued at a constant speed (wasn't exactly going at race speed). I can't remember I overtook SV at which point. But, he was not too far behind. At most of the time, I could see Ronnie in front of me. IMD is way too fast. I enjoyed running through old Kampong style houses, palm and rubber plantations. Running beside cemeteries was less frightening at broad daylights. The air is cool but had a strong dose of chicken farms smell. Sure woke everyone up with that!! We ran across the highway (4 times - to and fro) too. Once I calculated mentally that a sub-2hour is possible, I gave it a shot at my last 3km. I crossed the finishing line feeling good. My first 21km Personal Best - 1hr 56mins. Soon, the rest came in one by one. Yen Erl did a great job too! She had a good race though she shrieked at the slopes, "Ayeeeeee!!!"

Cold Red Bull and Vico was really a power up for me! Watermelon never tasted that good as well. We stayed around to capture a priceless shot of IMD receiving his 15th place in Men's Open category. Since none of us won anything for the lucky draw, we went back to the hotel to shower and change. We had some simple food for lunch before heading back to KL. Shut, SV, Ronnie and I hanged out around Bejaya TimesSquare. I read and finished off the "5 Love Languages" book at Starbucks, totally sunken into reviewing what I had went through many years back. I was not speaking the Primary Love language of "Quality Time". It was 6pm before we boarded our home bound bus back!