Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2007

After running my maiden marathon in the beginning of this year at Kuala Lumpur, I was highly motivated to participate in the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2007. There were many reasons to convince myself to take part and I had heard a lot about this event, the incredible number of runners, the sporting & enthusiastic supporters, the efficient & well-manage organiser, the scenic route, etc, but more importantly, the flat terrain.

30th November 2007
Friday night, the journey began. My wife sent us to KLCC where we met many runners waiting at the railway station. The train started moving at 10pm sharp, gossiped with the fellow runners until around 12 mid-night then went to sleep.

1st December 2007
Around 3.00 am in the morning, slightly awaken and felt that the train was not moving, went to sleep again. Waked up again at around 5.00 am, the train was still not moving. Later I found that we were stuck at Rembau (somewhere near Seremban) for the whole night due to a cargo train derailed along the way!

Reach Tanjung Pagar in Singapore around 2.30 pm, rushed to take our brunch at the nearest hawker center. Reached Suntec city around 4.30 pm to collect our Bib & Vest. A bit disappointed to get a "L" size vest although I registered for "M" size, however this is the only hiccup for this event. Have my suppose to be carboloading dinner at 8pm and went to bed at around 11.30pm.

2nd December - The RACE day
Waked up at 2.15 am, after doing whatever necessary for the morning and walked to the bus stop alone. Gush down a few pieces of bread with water and boarded the night bus at around 3.40am. There were around 10 people in the bus and all except one passenger were runners for this big event.

Deposited my bag with no hassle (one up for the organiser) and went to the start line to do some warm up.


Took a bottle of drinking water around the start line (another thumb-up for the organiser) and the race start sharp at 5.30am. This is the 1st time I was running with a bottle of water in a race thinking that the first few water station will be very crowded.

Pacing with a group of runners with 3:45 printed at the back of their vest at the beginning, wow 3:45 what a humble target finishing time!

Noticed quite a number of male runners rushed to the bushes along the way. At around the 5 KM mark, I also decided to ease myself at the bushes. Joined the running line again and the 3:45 group were very far in front. Found Tan Wah Seng from Kuantan just right in front of me, increase my pace to catch up with him. We start some conversation and soon we reached the 9 KM point for around 51 minutes.

Soon we were passing the starting line on the other side of the road. Grapped a banana at the next water stop but it dropped back to the table, decided to just move on. Luckily the runner in front of me having 2 bananas and decided to discard 1 along the road. I picked it up and continue running while enjoying the banana along the way. To ensure that I would not be de-hydrated, I drank at all the water stations along the route!

After reaching the East Coast Park, I am pacing alone and still feeling strong. It took me around 1 hour and 50 minutes to reach the 21 KM point. Without realizing I was running faster than I planned, at the U-turn, around 27 KM mark, I started to feel that my legs were heavier, I quickly slowed down and tried to relax. Grapped a power gel along the way and hastily swallowed the gel with some water at the next water station.

However, after the 32KM mark, I felt like I couldn't move my legs. I continued to inch forward slowly until one familiar runner ran close to me. I have seen Lai Fong Sang many times in the Malaysian races and we exchanged a few words. Since he was sill running strongly, I had to increase my pace to follow him. Unfortunately, it didn't last too long that I had to slow down again and saw him zoomed pass me. At this point, I was so tire and the muscles of my legs were so stiff that I have to walk for many times. Many runners overtook me and I was a bit worried that I couldn't finish the race with the timing I wanted. Nevertheless I forced myself to move forward and limiting my walking time to a minute or two.

Continue with running a few hundred meters and walking for a minute, eventually I was approaching the padang. At around few hundreds meter to the finish line, I threw in whatever energy left and ran hard towards the end point. I was so release that I cross he line at less than 3 hour and 55 minutes. Wow, what a feeling!


My pacing chart







0 to 8 KM = 8 KM @ 11.3 KM per hour = 43 min
@ 8KM ------------------------------------43 min

8 to 21 KM = 13 KM @ 11.6 KM per hour = 68 min
@ 21KM ----------------------------------- 1 hour 51 min

21 to 27 KM = 6 KM @ 12.7 KM per hour = 28 min
@ 27 KM ----------------------------------- 2 hour 19 min

27 to 42 KM = 15 KM @ 9.5 KM per hour = 1 hour 36 min
@42.195 KM ------------------------------- 3 hour 55 min

Shah Alam 10KM Run

Yesterday morning went to the Shah Alam 10K race, this was one of the worst race I ran not because I didn't do well, I still manage to finish No. 9 in the Sr. Veteran category although I (together with many more fore runners) were directed to run another 1.5 KM by the Road Marshall at the last roundabout. The slower runners were allowed to bypass the 1.5Km loop and straight went to the finishing point! So many slower runners were given the chance to get the cash prizes. Maybe this is a good way to motivate runners to take part in local road races.

Immediately after the race, you can hear many runners complaining and there were various versions of this mess up. The MBSA blame the SAAA and vice versa!!!

Waked up at around 5.50am and as usaull got to the start line just in time to do the reporting and a few minutes of warming up. The Man & Woman Open were started on-time, 5 minutes later, categories C, D & E were flagged off together. I started at the mid of the packed and I manage to zig-zag to quite in front. At around 500m, I saw Agnes and Tan from Subang, after saying hello to Tan, I surge forward and try to catch up with Tee and Radzmi (?). However they were running at a very fast pace especially Tee. After a few minutes, Tee was out of sight and I followed closely behind Radzmi and waiting for opportunity to overtake him. I did not have much confidence to overtake Radzmi because in most (or every) time, I could not follow his pace.

At about 3 or 4 KM mark, a Indian (I think his name is Bala) overtake me and soon I lost sight of him. However I still could see Radzmi about 100 meters in front of me. At around 6 or 7KM mark, I noticed Radzmi was slowing down and I knew that this will be the best opporturnity to sayur him. I surged forward with full speed and did not look back.

At the last roundabout(just few hundred meters more to the finish line), however the road marshall direct us to go straight instead of turning in to the finnishing line. Not too long after, I saw another road marshall riding a motorcycle on the other of the road leading a pack of runnrs. He shouted to everyone to continue and take a U-turn back someway down the road. There were a few police/road marshall stationed at the place that we did the U-turn and Tee was on the other side of the road after taking the U-turn. I kept the pace and ran back to the roundabout, I saw Radmi following behind and later I also saw Tan and Lok running towards the U-turn.

When I reached the roundabout again, I saw many people cutting in and run towards the finnishing line without taking the 1.5KM U-turn loop. The road marshall just stand there and couldn't care which direction the runners decide to take. When I reached the finishing line, I am surprise to see Mr Foo just in-front of me taking his No. 8 position finishing card. Although I could have a better position if the organizer, SAAA & MBSA with their road marshall, take the race more seriously and professionally. I was happy with my performance and I was richer by a hundred ringgit!

In the evening, I felt that I had rested enough and went for a LSD in Taman Bukit Jalil. I ran about 23 to 24KM for around 2 hours. I need these LSD to prepare for the Singapore marathon this December.

Total mileage for yesterday were about 34KM so I decide to take a rest today.

Training with my 13 years old son

I went to the Subang Stadium and train with my 13 years old son. This will be his 2nd "running" day!

Here is a photo of my son last year. He is now being nickname "Fei Chye" and he needs to lose a few inches especially from his waist line. Running will definitely be his right choice and I hope he can maintain his interest in running.

He did quite well by running/walking more than a total of 3KM. Not bad for a novice with excessive fat!

Training after the disruption last week, thks to those raining days

Did not achieve the targeted training schedule last week thanks to the rain, quite disappointed and hope to make up the lost days this week. I am still hoping that I can stick to my training plan for the March 18, Ambank KL Internation Marathon. With the 10% increase per week for my long run, by the end of February I should be doing around 30KM for the long run. This will be my first ever Full Marathon if I were to take part !


Today, quite happy with the training by doing short speed work. Thanks to the good weather.

A total of 8.5KM with Heart Rate reaching 182bpm at the peak!

Pre-Introduction : What lead me to running again

Few years back, I was introduced to cycling by a friend.

This lead me to the journey of running again because I need to be fit & ................................

Introduction to My Journey of Running

I was quite active, I mean not quite, when I was young. I swam in a river few times a week, cycled to nearby town miles away few times a year. But running, only when required by the school sport club just weeks before the Sport day.


Although I had not run anything above 5 KM during my school day, I took part in the Half Marathon in KL on the year 1989 and completed the 21 KM race under 2 hours, around 1:50 to be exact. Of course, many hours of training were spent for the preparation. Within the next few years, I took part in 2 more 21 KM races in PJ. The last one was a disaster where I took more than 2 Hr and 10 min to complete the race.


At the end of the 20th century at the age of 40+, I took part in 2 more 21 KM race at veteran category and hoping to do well in these races. Although I did complete the races, I walked almost half the distance !


In the mid of the year 2005, I started again to take part in many shorter distance road races ranging from 5 to 10KM. I started to do quite well (my own defined standard) with more committed trainings. I finished another Half Marathon at Putrajaya (2006) with a sub 2 hour timing, look like I am even fitter compare to my younger day!