I've reached early at Changi Exhibition Centre. Well, not as early as I expected. This taxi driver was lost when I told him to go Changi Exhibition Centre. Instead, he drove me to Expo Exhibition Centre and left me there. Angered, I got another cab and got myself down to the venue on another cab.
I started my race preparations while awaiting for Zijian and his friend to come.
The first part of the race was all trail. I started off the first 5-km (All trail) at a pace slightly slower than race pace but enough to cover the distance at a good speed, finishing the first checkpoint (4-km mark) at around 18 minutes 47 seconds. I decided to pick up the pace a little after I hit the road at the 6-km mark, and after having a water break, I was in my racing pace and got my second water break at the 8-km mark, which is also the second checkpoint with a time of 39 minutes 14 seconds.
At this point of time, I saw the eventually champion of the 15-km, Silas Muturi Gichovi, nearing the 10 to 11-km mark already, with a few other guys thinly spread behind him. I was beginning to feel a little tired at the 11-km mark when I talked myself into hanging in there, while slowing down my pace slightly so as I crossed the 12-km, checkpoint three at a timing of 57 minutes 52 seconds. The slowing down of my pace served another purpose, not to get myself killed while running that 600-meters killer sand near the beach, which eventually did, but fortunately near the last 5 meters or so, when I walked for 10 seconds or so to catch my breathe.
I then started to run and get back to my race pace as I get closer to the 13-km mark. In my mind, my brain's telling me to stop. However, when I caught the time, 1 hour 7 minutes! I started to pick up the pace a bit and decided to follow behind this runner whom was of reasonable speed. We ran together towards the 14.5-km mark when I decided to make my move.
I started to run, like how I always did in my interval sessions, a sprint to the finish. He just didn't follow and runner after runner, I passed many of which were slowing down nearing the finishing line. I eventually caught up with this fast runner which I've followed at the 10-km mark and lost. I guess he just didn't have enough gas to complete the last 150-meters when I caught up with him and passed him. He was surprised, and he should too! HAHA.
15-km; 1 hour 16 minutes 59 seconds. A PR for 15-km.
After grabbing a can of 100 plus and collected my goodie bag and my personal belongings, rested a little while before having my foot massage. We then caught up with Alvin before heading off to Changi Village for a little meal and a walkabout around Tampines before heading home to rest.
I've spent the entire yesterday recovering from the race, and had a short 2 x 2-km intervals, 2 minutes per 400 meters run today. I'm going to up the intensity a little bit after I've planned my workout regime once again this week to cater for my Swissotel Vertical Marathon this coming November the 21st.
Wish me luck in my training! (:
Got really inspired and found new motivation in my running when I watched the video 'Spirit of the Marathon' on Youtube.
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