Penang Bridge Marathon 2008

3 and a half year in Penang, i never participate in Penang Bridge Marathon... I guess i will hate myself forever if i continue to ignore it. As in the mid of year 2008, due to some political issues (i believe it is), federal government is not organising this event again. What a disappointment!!! The good news is, the amazing race is coming back, organised by the new state government.



16 November 2008. The day finally came. 3.30am early in the morning, me and Eng woke up reluctantly, walking to Queensbay Mall from our apartment as a warm up. I was running for the Half Marathon (25km) and Eng was participating for the Fun Run (10km). Our racing time was different. Mine is on 4.30am while hers was on 6.30am. So by the time we arrived QB Mall, the time was so tight for me. Desperately i look for the registration counter, which i had ran here and there like a mad man then only i found it. The prelude of the race was already a disaster for me. This was all organiser's fault! Placing their counter at dunno-where-the-hell!

4.30am, the atmosphere was getting so tense... "Gentlemen, start your engine." Bang! The Half Marathon finally started. With slow pace i was running. It's been 2 months ago after my last improper training for the race. By the time i wanted to boost up my stamina by undergoing some intensive training. My boss which is from hell start giving me a "mountain" of works. Great! T_T So i did not expect much in this race. If i can finish half of the journey i consider myself very "man" already.

"Comrades, once you start, there is no return. Don't look back, no matter how many men were down... Our homeland is awaiting!"

Along the way, rations were distributed. Spritzer, 100 plus, Power Bar... This Power Bar was new to me. I never take this type of product before. What i get was a concentrated glucose with electrolyte, flavour: Banana with Strawberry. I decided to keep it later in case i was hungry later. Jogging is a mind game, not just only stamina (for amateur like me). I came out with a strategy - walk when uphill, not to push myself to the limit so earlier. Anyhow, i just want to finish the race.

Things get a little bit out of control later. The water supply seems running low. For some stations, participants dare not drink much or waste much water since there were still many people hadn't had theirs. After passing the middle part of the bridge, we couldn't find any sanitation facilities. The worst is, i cannot tahan already. I WAN TO PEE!!! I saw 1 guy peeing beside the barricade. The sky was still dark, but i did not have the courage. Dawn will come! i believe.

So the later part of the i was busy looking for toilet. My performance was getting worse. I no longer can find any water station along my way passing the toll stations. I started to feel hungry. It's Power Bar time! The gel was so sweet, diabolic sweet! To be very frankly, the gel looks like sperm... T_T Hungry issue settled! Only on the way return to the middle of the bridge, i finally found a toilet. Holy crap! the unflushed toilet make me halt.. Holy crap, the crap was really big! I decided to keep on running (finally settle at the next toilet, but then it is another 10 minutes).

At 7.20am, i could see the end of the bridge. QB mall, i am coming! Alas, my hungry issue came back. This time, i can feel my body was getting cold, my heart was beating at abnormal pace, i felt dizzy. I cannot down now! If i manage to arrive QB Mall at 8am, i was entitled a finisher medal. Thing had gone so far and there was no way i wanted to give up. Some of you may feel that i was so silly, never training but still pushing myself so much, furthermore, i had achieve my earlier target which only need to finish half of the race (12.5km). Guess i was a stubborn man, in my heart, i treat this marathon as a challenge to myself. If i can pass this obstacle, i soon will be invincible. It is the very first step to turn my life into something exciting!

Run Jie wei Run! At the last 5km, i no longer can feel my legs. I no longer can run. My head was so empty. I did not feeling well at all. I might had collapsed at that time. 8am passed, i failed! I tell myself, just get it done.

To my surprise, the finisher medal was still available. Within the 50m to the end point. I ran! Yeah!! I got it! I can do this!



The marathon wasn't perfect. There are still many to improve. If you ask me do i ready for next year? haha, maybe i will pass. Now, my whole body is pain, i cant even walk properly now. I get my very first finisher medal, in return, i was totally wasted. I felt like i was dying.



p/s: karhong, next time don't play DOTA when you go for the marathon. Get some rest! See, i can finish the race without taking Sweeper Bus leh.. haha!