EVENT: Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2009 (28.6.2009)
VENUE: Start/finish at Dataran Merdeka
ATTENDEES: Along, Angah, Alang, Izzat, Fairul and the Bernama gang
WHEN the going gets tough, the tough get going. To all the runners who completed the marathon, especially the sub-8 and sub-9 hours, I salute you! Here is my story:
KILOMETER 0 - 13: Ran at my most comfortable pace. It rained 10 minutes before the flagoff at 5am and continued for about 20 minutes. Paced with a hood wearing female runner until the 12km mark.
KILOMETER 13 - 17.5: Started a conversation with Ironman Shazly. Topics include his involvement in the X-terra event, his long layoff from the active life and how the marathon is to kickstart his preparation for next year's Ironman. Good luck to you Shazly.
KILOMETER 17.5 - 27.5: Last water station at 17.5km mark before the other stations did the disappearing act. Volunteers manning the station at 20km mark said: "next station got water!" Near the Petronas Twin Towers, saw a woman holding a cardboard sign with the words "Nice shorts!" Funny thing is, her shorts are equally cute. So I said to her: "Is this sign meant for me or you?" "Of course it's for you," she said before laughing. Moments later, started a conversation with a young female runner named Haszaliza. Doing her maiden marathon, she was as disappointed as me when the water station at 22.5km mark ran out too. She suggested we buy drinks from the nearby 7-11. When I told her I did't bring any money, she said she'll buy me the drink. Thanks a lot Liza! The 100+ drink you bought me lasted until the 32km mark. Later saw the same woman with the cardboard sign at the 25km mark, and she was smiling as I approached her, so this time I said to her: "I
should be showing you the sign instead" and we both laughed.
KILOMETER 27.5 - 35: where's the water? Also began to feel onset of cramps, so did stretching by the roadside. At the 31km mark, I picked up a water bottle with some water in it and gulped it down. Moments later, I realized my action shocked a group of female secondary students across the road. They couldn't believe I would actually drink from a bottle I picked up from the ground. Desperate times call for desperate measures! Later near VI (my former school), Shazly's friend, Azmar, riding a bicycle, was kind enough to offer me and two other runners some water he bought for Shazly. Thanks a lot Azmar, really appriciate it! When I reached the 35km mark, I had passed six waterless water stations.
KILOMETER 35 - 42.195: The water station at the 35km mark is the only one where I managed a drink right up to the end. I was practically the LAST runner to drink at the station as it was already six hours - the time limit for the marathon - and the traffic police were ordering the volunteers and the DBKL lorry to pack up and clear the road! The police then ordered us runners to move to the left of the road as it is now officially opened to the traffic. Had difficulty crossing the road to Jalan Mahameru as motorists just refused to slow down. Picked up a lot of half empty water bottles along the way, which helped to prevent dehydration. At the 38km mark, saw Ironman Juliana approaching and giving encouragement to us runners. Introduced myself and told her I read her blog. Also congratulate her on her Ironman exploits. She was on her way to accompany Shazly to the finish line. Passed by my primary school, Batu Road School (BRS) at the 39.5km mark. Patted
the 41km signboard as a sign that I was about to complete the marathon. The last kilometer was really crowded with people doing their shopping at the busy Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. When I saw the clock tower at Dataran Merdeka, I thanked The Almighty for giving me the strength to complete the race. Saw my family and friends waiting at the finish line and crossed it in a time of seven and a half hours. Later waited for Shazly to cross the finish line and had some photo shoots before leaving for home.
By the way, I was three kilograms lighter after the race. So if you want to lose weight, go run a marathon!
By Shahrizal Sanusi
