Standard Chartered Half Marathon 2015 ...

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! :)