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2015 首場雙溪櫻花馬42km

趁著還記憶猶新，趕緊記錄這場個人滿推薦的比賽。

這次我選擇搭火車前往，那景色就像是動物遷徙一般，都背著紅色路跑協會的袋子、啃著早餐，大多數都是中年男子的月台，只有少數幾個大概是要回家拜拜的老人家。

當火車駛到七堵一帶，車窗外居然看見潮濕的地板，心裡想著老天保佑比賽不要下雨，結果還真的給我陰雨綿綿的綿了整場賽事，讓沒有準備任何「雨裝備」的我很狼狽地完賽。

因為抵達雙溪火車站後，大概還有一個小時的時間可以東摸西摸，想著廁所，就彎進警察局體驗一下被保姆的感覺，就不用在無法轉身的流動廁所裡解決大小事情（其實仔細想想這樣好像不太好...畢竟大會提供廁所，我們應該要乖乖使用，而不是擾民）。

寄物是在活動中心，一共有四個窗口，工作人員也都人超好的跟每個參賽者說加油，跟名古屋的一樣。寄完物，脫到剩下這次活動發的黃色長袖排汗衫，才意識到這種天氣不動起來一定失溫。

起跑，在不知不覺中。居然在人海茫茫中還給我遇到潘先生！

有預習高度圖，因此不意外前10Ｋ將要面臨永無止儘的緩上坡跟陡上坡...做好心理建設，一開始還真的打算慢慢往上推，肌肉似乎也允許我這麼做，好像是到了大概6Ｋ有一個超級陡「之」字坡，才決定當個和藹的步兵。

整個前半段，就是這樣陡坡走、緩坡跑的狀態下結束的。

路途上的風景真的很美，左右被樹環繞，或高或矮，很多尚未盛開的櫻花，枝幹仍桀驁的穿插在山林的霧氣中；而那些盛開的，白色紅色粉紅色的點綴在路途中，有些甚至已經在樹幹周圍落下一地鮮豔的花瓣。有幾個坡段下面是溪流，甚至可以聽見水聲，讓人忍不住低頭望，然後抬頭又隨即看到對面山壁上密集翠綠的樹林，除了呼吸聲、水聲之外，整座山林好靜。

大約15K的上坡路段，我已經感覺到腳底摩擦的水泡，和跑進嫩肉裡的碎石。下雨天的壞處，就是鞋子內的摩擦力增加、皮肉被水泡軟，因此非常容易摩擦出傷。而左腳的腳踝內側也開始不知名的疼痛，讓我想起安平馬關節燃燒的痛楚，但一旦停下來，再次起跑所要忍受的痛，又加倍，所以咬著牙讓那種痛變成習慣，繼續跑下去。

上坡、上坡、上坡，補給補給補給，補給站在上坡路段很密集，有很奇怪的運動飲料（結果回家仔細一看，居然加藤黃果！！！超沒用的，又不是減肥）跟水果和一些熱的東西。一如往常，我只拿喝的、香蕉、番茄，但我看好像還有粥、沙士、薑茶、沙琪瑪、餅乾、七七乳加... 補給站也很有秩序，對跑者超友善。

記得剛開始上坡的時候，有一個赤裸上身的黝黑阿伯用中氣十足的台語唱著

「看前面的路啊～是多麼艱苦又難跑」他唱的這段歌詞與旋律整個迴繞在我耳邊整整5K吧我猜，只要遇到上坡，腦中就出現他的歌聲，心裡也一塊唱了起來。

持續往上，沿途遇到葡萄馬遇見的伯伯，他認出我，開始了一串對話

「啊怎麼這麼久沒看到你！」

「我有一陣子沒報比賽，想說先練習」我說

「你已經跑很好了拉還練習！！！」

「＠////@」

「關鍵是前10Ｋ要慢，之後就輕鬆跑就一定可以完賽！」

「不用跑那麼快拉！跑太快會沒朋友～」（真是句有理的話）

伯伯念出了我號碼布上的名字，然後說他叫「拖鞋俠」，低頭一看，他兩腳穿著室內拖鞋，那種竹席編織而成的拖鞋。他說他穿著那雙已經跑了無數的賽事，甚至是鎮西堡的100K ... 還真是耐穿。

不久之後，我就超越他然後分開了。

下一段際遇，是一個跑過我，又回頭看了我好幾眼的大哥，他與我從大概前1/3的路程開始就一直彼此互相超越，一直在水站相遇。但直到過了21公里，他才開始與我交談。

「你是高中生嗎？」第一句話就這樣討好人XD

可惜我不是，但他還是跟見到的每個人說我高二XDDD

我們就邊跑邊聊，有時追上、有時超越，但遇上時都會聊一段，包括他的團練、跑步的心得，還傳授我這種天氣的穿衣技巧！（因為我在山上一直失溫....）。甚至在25Ｋ左右的補給站分享他自己私人的補給品 GU跟電解質錠！

不愧是pro級的教練～超厲害的，我想要不是他穿了一雙不習慣的跑鞋，我根本追不上他。

最後在路上遇見的兩個有進行交談的人，都是女生，一個穿著紫色風衣在最後39K的下坡超越我，並消失在前方的人群隊伍中，留下她回眸一笑、比著大拇指的畫面跟「跑得不錯喔」的稱讚。這女孩也是女丁組，最後我們在終點有碰面，他還要我趕快去刷晶片，因為搞不好有名次！

感謝他的提醒，因為刷完，果真，女分組十二居然可以上台領獎！他說他是ＰＴＴ路跑團的，跑齡兩年（跟我差不多啊！），可惜沒有多聊，只說我們未來應該很有機會相遇。

另一個女生，年紀大ㄧ些，在後半段的下坡路程中，他戴著紅色帽子跑在我附近，有一段並肩而行，但都沒有交談。

直到終點我們又相遇，聊了幾句，覺得挺有緣的，一直在會場各處遇到，但也有可能是因為那時抵達終點的女生也不是多數。

於是我拿了一塊塑膠方形小立牌，慶祝女丁分組十二名，在會場跛行了好久好久，覺得這次主辦單位很細心，也與協辦的雙溪高中建立非常好的合作關係，實在令人敬佩再敬佩。跑友素質也很高，很乖地守規距，不推不搶不擠不丟。

最後再提一下這次跑完42的感想：

一開始的緩坡，我還大言不慚地覺得葡萄馬比較硬，殊不知這綿延的之字坡真的打趴了我的大腿小腿意志力，好不容易跑到10公里，卻不停想著哪時候可以結束這個比賽；跑到21公里，想著「為什麼我不能跑半馬就好」

但是後半段的超長下坡，用重力跑不太需要花什麼力氣，所以一直維持五分速下山，直到最後平路都維持那種慣性，腳很痛很酸，但還是可以依靠意志力撐起每一次地前進。

我記得，當快抵達終點時會從一座橋下經過，那裡會有鑼鼓大隊幫跑者加油

遠遠的當我聽到他們吵鬧的加油聲，我居然哭了，更精確地說---我硬生生的吞回原本要爆發的眼淚。

我想是身體與精神力已經達到某種極限值，所以特別禁不起這樣的熱血場面，但在全速奔跑時，不能哭，會岔氣。

我就一路憋啊憋的到達終點，所以我相信我的終點照應該是很醜在憋哭的那種憋扭表情。

#42.195km #marathon #run #2015 #雙溪櫻花馬

It's not all about the medal

My Facebook timeline was abuzz with comments from fellow runners in regard to the Singapore Straits Times report of a man who “won” the recent Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM). This man apparently only ran 6km of the full marathon route; having somehow hoodwinked officials and checkpoints, joining the race only towards the end after having rested at a bus-stop and running towards the finish line. His reason for cheating? That he wanted a finisher tee and medal.

Having recently completed my first full marathon at the Penang Bridge International Marathon 2013; I was appalled when I read this story. My disgust was shared by fellow runners, us common people who have day-jobs and yet still try to turn ourselves into athletes to accomplish a distance who, historically, killed the first man who attempted it (see: Pheidippides who ran from the Field of Marathon to Athens, a distance of actually, 40km. The current official marathon distance of 42.195km was only officiated in the 1921’s Olympics1). A marathon is NOT something that should be taken lightly, nor is a 5km run a marathon. The marathon distance is a challenge for not only one’s body, but also one’s mind.

Yet the great thing about a marathon, is it (now) welcomes any person who dared to attempt it. Given, one should train for the race, of course. I personally set this goal to challenge myself- a non-runner, non-athlete, once-obese- person; to achieve something I thought was insurmountable. All I had was determination. A training plan and friends who have completed the distance, who were all generous with their experience and support. And I took 4 months to train, with another 4 months before that to prep my body before I began the training. The idea with every challenge one sets oneself is to overcome it. Work hard and then believe you can.   Running 6km and then collecting the finisher medal and tee is simply, cheating.

To quote Kathrine Switzer “If you’re losing faith in humanity, go watch a marathon.” What this person did was to show the fallible nature of humans, and humanity itself. That human downfall of greed, the need to brag and the need to be seen as accomplished. Without having done all the hard work. Shameful and what a disgrace.   I ran my first 42.195km with a plantar fasciitis injury and still completed the distance. My feet hurts, I had chafing at sensitive locations, I was in pain the week after the run. I came back to KL and no one at work noticed that I had just overcame a challenge so big to me. I, who once never believed that I could even achieve anything because I was a fat girl with no talent. I just quietly went back to work, but with this new fire within me because I KNOW I just did something remarkable. In the end, the finisher’s medal and t-shirt are just accessories; overcoming the distance and believing in oneself- that experience, is priceless.

1The author took these facts from Haruki Murakami’s book “What I talk about when I talk about running.” These facts were only cross-checked with Wikipedia, last accessed December 6th, 2013, 3:21pm.

#fullmarathon #42.195km #honour

42.195km: The 3Ds

According to Wylkie Twycross in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, the keys to a successful apparation lies in the 3Ds: Destination, Determination, and Deliberation.

I have to say that my foray into finishing a full marathon distance is not too dissimilar.

It all started with a dream. When I started running, I looked at these people completing a marathon with envy in my heart and a fire in my soul. I've always been a bit jealous of other people's achievements (note that I say achievements, for talent is another matter altogether. I have resolved to admit that I can neither sing, nor dance well. I can, however, play the alto and tenor saxophone fairly well, if I were to only find the time and passion to hold it up again). Though, for me, and this, I think, is one of my strengths- I use envy to my advantage and not to bring other people down (or I try very hard not say bad things about others.) So when I dreamed the dream of finishing a marathon, I started with a destination in mind- and that is, to complete 42.195km in my 30th year, in the place where I was born (Penang). It's all part of my grand plan of celebrating my third decade on earth, see.

And from then on, determination took place.

I have never been a great runner. Running didn't come easily for me. Way back when, I used to hate it, I even hate walking for it made my thighs chafe. I hated runners- their agility, their speed, their confidence, used to haunt me of my shape, my unfit-ness, my lack of self-esteem. Then, I started loving and becoming one myself. >.< But still, I struggle-I can't run 10km without needing water, I can't speed up as I want to and sustain the speed, I had knees and plantar issues just from training. Yet, I secretly believe that my talent is my determination. I was never the genius nor the prettiest girl, but I sure am Hermione in being pushy and getting-what-I-want (and yes, also the over-anxious, worrywort part!). I started my training regime in Hong Kong, for the dates coincided with my course there. It was a great opportunity to train the hills, and also to meet someone inspiring, who's my friend's master. I know, however, that I am not in that league. But I thank these people for making the time to somehow nudge people like me along, and for that I am forever grateful.

I returned to my training in KL. Stupidly, I allowed the training to be just about running; though at the back of my mind- my body tells me that it needs the cross training. Work became a bit stressful- what with the need for a publication and starting new experiments on top of classes and everything else - that my "rest" and "cross" days from training were taken up by work, and not the promised strength training that I KNOW I should be doing. It was a week before SCKL that I, and my body finally broke down. The sharp pain hit me at Plaza Damas, on my usual route, and I just sat there and cried. I cried because I worked so hard and nothing ever seems to work in my life. At that point- both the paper was going nowhere it seemed and the running was not showing any improvements. I took myself to a chiropractor and a sports doctor- both confirmed that I was injured. Yet, I ran SCKL. And made a bad timing that jeopardizes the possibility of even completing a Full Marathon.

I turned to a friend whom I regard as the closest I have to a "coach". It was heartwarming that he managed to calm me down enough not to lose the 2nd D of determination. And I followed his advise- yet I couldn't manage all of them. The heel spur was just too in-my-face to ignore. So in the end, my training looked like this:

Almost 3 full weeks of no running before the big race. I was brimming with worry, sure that I would DNF, that everything's going to fall apart. Then, the weekend came to travel to Penang and all I could do was go with Deliberation. I tried to keep calm but on Saturday I just really want to vomit. I tried to sleep but couldn't and the whole lightning and thunderstorm that engulfed the island didn't help in reducing my worry. I literally jumped out of Lils's car when she dropped me off, forgetting to thank all the girls for their support in my worry-laden brain. I couldn't even speak when I hugged Karen, who in her busy schedule was kind enough to text me a few days prior on the journey I was about to take, and calming me down even more. When Mimi said hi to me in the carel before flag off, I barely recognized her. All I could mutter was "I'm starting to think that this is not a good idea". I was terrified.

But when I started running, the worries went deliberately away. This is it. I'm doing this not for glory, far from it- but because I need to prove to myself that whatever challenge I set my self to, I will finish it. I finished my PhD. I have tried my hardest in getting work done and if I am not appreciated for things, then at least I know that I have done my best. All I can tell my brain was "let's enjoy this", but it didn't need telling. The nagging feeling I had in my plantar since that morning went away- it was as if I wasn't injured.

Then the fast Half Marathoners came whizzing past. My heart dropped. Damn it, I can't even see the 6 hours pacers anymore. As I was running on the bridge, I started to appreciate the weather- it was the perfect weather for running, and from past-years' horror stories, I gave thanks to Mother Nature. Then I saw the 6 hours pacers again. I think I could still make it in 6.5 hours. I willed myself to go faster. I noticed a tap on my shoulder and there was Janice. She gave me a thumbs up. I could only nod a thank you. She went to the u-turn for the HMs and I went straight towards Butterworth. I had my first pee stop before the loop-turn to get back on the bridge. I was secretly thankful that I chose to not wear the compression pants as I had troubles before with stopping to pee in them. Plus, I did my 30km in this particular running skirt and I thought I should stick with that. But halfway back across the bridge, I needed to pee again. "This is irritating!!" said my brain, and at around the same time my plantar said hi again- it has been ignored long enough. I couldn't find a portaloo that do not have a line of runners, and only when I was bursting that I finally stopped to pee, having to wait in line behind a number of runners. Then, I couldn't pee. It hurts like hell. I felt like I need to pee, but when I was in the portaloo, only a trickle would go. Signs of dehydration. But I was taking my salts, my gels, I was running with a water bottle in hand (owing to the horrors that my friend Fazu had to face during her similar attempt on this very same bridge). I don't know. All I could assuage myself with was the fact that I was still running. I got to 30km and I was not walking. But damn that bloody traffic light to u-turn was by GOD the farthest bloody u-turn one has to make. I had to make a few more pee-but-not-pee-stops but all I can tell myself was to keep going. Fuck the timing, just keep going.

Then, just as I ran out of all my gels (one of them was dropped somewhere along the bridge with me noticing only much later when I was looking for it) and salts- the cramp hit. Exactly at km36. Fuck you, wall. Fuck you like every damn bit of unexpected claw that drags people down in a moment of content. That was when I made friends with this lady who was limping back from km30. We walked then one of us would start to jog and the other would follow suit; and it goes on in a cycle. Until we both saw the 4km to go sign. That's when we both gave each other a look that says "fuck whatever happens, I'm running to the finish line". She, with her slight limp; me, feeling like my heels would crack any minute. But we were in a sea of 5km Fun Run lovers, it seems! Couples holding hands and we had to weave ourselves through. Only when we turn towards the roundabout that we, the full marathon-wannabees, could finally run free. And I couldn't stop the tears then. This leng chai actually looked at me in shock as I passed him- I mean, he was limping, I was running but I was crying while running? I was crying because I really, really could feel my heel and my plantar then. But I controlled myself, and as I paced the lady, she was saying over and over "where's the arch? where's the arch?" and all I could say was "we'll make it, we'll make it in time" (while secretly telling my heels to please don't fail me so close to the finish line).

Then we saw it. The yellow wooden arch that we all had been aiming for. Then I saw this lady in white with a milo towel on her head jumping up from the sides and aiming her iPhone at me! Only a few seconds later did it dawned on me that it was indeed, Lils. >.< As I moved towards the red carpet, a booming voice said (or that's what it felt like; I thought I was hallucinating, it sounded so much like Dumbledore) "well done, Lyana!". And as I cross the red carpet, I saw that it was Azrul. Only then did I turned to the lady and held out my hand "I'm Lyana. Thanks for that." And she introduced herself as Liza and we both gave a nod of understanding. Only runners would understand. We've earned our rights to the club now. And hell, we could only get better from there. So there you have it. The 3Ds that would allow you to apparate into a full marathon finisher. I'm one of those people stubborn enough to try this without a good fitness level, and injury-free training. Others will tell you that there are better ways to do this, better ways to finish. But all I am thankful for is to have completed. I could still feel my plantar until today, 4 days after the race. All I can hope for is it will receive enough rest and care for me to start running again very soon.

I have to thank Lils for all her support, from getting me into a running group and the network of runners to her reminders and advise up to the very last minute. And for the food-safari in Penang!! Having left the island for boarding school at 13 has made me lost my familiarity with makan places. I really can't thank you enough, Lils. Shear and Rachel for being there, and both Rachels that I know (Q and J!) who have accompanied me in many-a-training runs. Dzul, I know you're not on facebook, but I hope somehow somewhere you will get wind of this. Thank you for believing in me- I know you say it's all on me, but your re-assurance has helped me to believe in myself too. You are my tall master Jedi! :D the force is now strong in this one. hehe. Karen, for being so inspiring. I can only dream of a sub 6 (dare not yet aim any higher!) for now... but as this note started....... :D Then, the gang of runners who always have nothing but support: Kak Liza, Jo, Letch, Anne, Janice, Rienna, Amy, Uncle John, Fazu and on the Penang trip James and Yam whom I only know briefly before, and those I know briefly but inspiring as ever- the bukit chenta loop gang (Farah, Aniza, Lini!!). Frank- thanks for designing my running plan, sadly I couldn't reach it yet- but with more strength and fitness am sure I will on the next one?

now, plantar- get well, please. The running shoes are collecting dust and I need a PB!

#poppedthefullmarathoncherry #42.195km #penangbridgemarathon