.....times of refreshing.....

I have two friends who joined me for the Standard Chartered Marathon, Singapore (SCMS) last Sunday and both were doing their maiden runs. One of them did the 10KM while another one joined me for the half marathon. They were casual runners who jogged regularly but entering a running event never really cross their mind until they signed up for SCMS. The one who did the HM with me was a fast runner, who's paced for a 15KM run averaged around 6 minutes plus and sometimes he hits 5 minutes +. Well, he was a trained policeman before and I guess that was one reason he can run fast. hahaha... After finishing the SCMS, both seems bitten by the running bug and started looking for other runs next year. Well, me too, after I did my maiden 10KM run last Dec, I was also interested into it and the rest are history, though I only participated once every quarter of this year. And, I am also planning for my next runs for 2016. Well, I guess it is addictive after all and I am glad I have more running companions!

Oh.. it's been a while I had my bento, thanks to my late gym workouts. Here's one to reward myself before the weekend! :)


Have a great weekend! :)

I have finally completed my humble running events, which are four in total this year. And, it's always nice to end it with a bang in SCMS. I participated in the half-marathon again as I don't think I am fit for the full marathon yet and this statement was a reality last Sunday. It was so so tough running in the hot blistering sun (where everybody saying the sun was extremely hot in this year's event) which I gotta resort to walking most of the time, like most of the crowd. And, it also didn't help with the water points so far apart especially during the last 10KM at the Ayer Rajah Expressway, which a lot of folks dubbed it as 'Highway of Hell' as the sun was shining directly on us during the entire stretch of the highway! I got sunburns on my face too , where I forgot applied sunblock as well as wearing a shade. Anyway, on the other hand, I feel that if you want to be a good runner, mental and physical endurance must be there as well as good stamina and not forgetting to prepare our own hydration and energy bars. Luckily, I brought my own bottle of isotonic drink which I finished even before reaching the 15KM mark. I remember I didn't finished my water bottle when running the Sundown HM...hahaha..

It all started with me waking up at 3.45am and had a McD big breakfast. I was off to the train station where mostly all the passengers are filled with runners, mostly in their blue and green attires. I stopped at the Harbourfront MRT and it was really a big crowd there.

Yours  truly waiting to board the train with fellow runners

Maximum overload at Harbourfront MRT...hahaha

Taking as selfie at the starting point

We ran into Sentosa Island and cut thru Universal Studio (without having to buy a ticket) and that was my first time in Universal Studio ..hahahaha.. The run in Sentosa was not very pleasant as the paths were narrow and the folks have to squeeze to get ahead, though I love the nature and fresh air there. Sometimes, there seems like a jam there and I gotta stop and walk. We were out of Sentosa at the 9KM mark and that's the start of the blistering run!! There was a climb to the highway and though I managed to run up slightly steep roads while in Sentosa, I was too tired to run this time round and decided to walk up. I tried to run the remaining of the distance but somehow it was too hot and it was really a struggle along the highway. Thus, I resorted to walk and run till I reached the 20KM milestone.

It was nice to reach the 15KM point but it still seems a long way ahead!

I was glad I have reached the end of the highway and I speed up a bit at the 19KM mark since it was downhill as well as there was a water station nearby, and then ran to the 20KM mark. It was so sweet to see the 20KM signboard and I decided to take a selfie with it!! There were also shades around there since I was near Robinson Road where shophouses and buildings covered the sun away.

Phew.... I have come that far!!

The sweet HM medal to add to my collections... :)

Look at the hot day where we walked back to t he Padang to collect our medals and given drinks.

Yours truly in action...

I must say this is the toughest run I have been through so far and there's still lots of rooms for improvement especially on physical and mental endurance. It's definitely not a fun run for me but this journey has exposed a lot of weaknesses in me which I need to work on it, and maybe joining a running club might helps. Anyway, it's an achievement to finish this tough race! I look forward to next year's edition! :)

The not so crowded queues at Expo Hall 6

One of the major booths as well as main sponsor, Adidas

Another pix of the Adidas booth , below and above. It was not really crowded then.

The other booths , the folks are having a good time shopping around.

Yours Truly having some fun taking  picture  at the pacers'  booth

The event will be held this Sunday and as shown in the pic above, I will be doing half-marathon where last year, I did my maiden run for 10 KM at the same event. Well, I will try to improve on my previous Sundown HM timing and try to finish below the 3 hours mark but then, it depends on that day itself, my body conditioning and my mental toughness. I will tell myself to enjoy the run, be patience, take it as a way to relax myself but will motivate myself to do well.

Meanwhile, you guys have a good weekend! :)