Sarah's Half Marathon

These are the toes of my left foot

And these are the toes of my right.

They are this way due to an obsession with running, as possibly the 26 kilometres I ran this morning.

I arose at 2.15 a.m. to defecate and carbo-load, something only a mad person would do. After having defecated and carbo-loaded with oats, prunes and biscuit-y things which all of you would not consider biscuits due to them being really healthy, I proceeded to study about the mechanisms of how Iago comes to dominate and be in control which parallels Othello's descent into sexual jealousy and lack of judgement. At 3.30 a.m., my father (who is possibly mad too) and I drove to Queensbay.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by a multitude of bodies already sweating, jostling and whining even though the race hadn't started yet. We could not find the registration counter. In fact, "registration" consisted of giving someone your paper and receiving a rubber band in return. Excellent.

I waited in the toilet line for 15 minutes and it was horrendously smelly (16,000 participants in this competition, so you can imagine.)

My race started at 5.00 a.m., so I warmed up a bit and observed the antics of the other runners, judging them (albeit a bit harshly) on my ability to possibly beat them. If you don't wear proper shoes, you're not a runner; but I think I don't look like one because I wear tracksuits to run. All the good runners wear skinny shorts and large underwear which cover their butts. Anyway, I am being crude. It is all Iago's fault.

So I went to the starting line really early and waited because it's such a waste of time and energy to try to push your way through the eager amateurs when the race starts. I saw SGGS cheerleading team who were energetically cheering their hearts out at 5 a.m. (BRAVO GUYS! I WILL ALWAYS BE A GEORGIAN AT HEART). And they saw me and waved and cheered as I passed so that was lovely. The lion dance was very noisy but, I can see why people say it's beautiful. Very artistic and it tells a story.

So at precisely 5 we started which is quite surprising, this being Malaysia. I started off slow as normal, a few people I've seen around Botanical Gardens running all the time were going at about my pace.

Runrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrun
PoundPoundPoundPoundPoundPound

Met Lina who is a superb runner for her age. She was ahead of me for the first 8km and a bit, but I think she started off too fast.

This other Thai lady who was in her 30s was running beside me all the time, we paced each other. But towards 11-12 km, I was dying out and she raced ahead. At the half mark, I saw a water station and shouted 'WATER!' and tried to drink but must of it ran on my shirt. People were pissing by the side of the road in the dark.

Turnedthecornerslowingdowntiredanotherlonglongwaytogo
Shouldistopyesnoyouidiotyourealmostthere

Heard someone say 'GO Sarah!' And I assume it was Patrick (he arrived late, and was possibly disappointed because they did not serve beer at the water station).

The next few km were a blur. After running the whole length of the bridge one way, I now had to run all the way back. I kept a steady (but quite slow) pace and it just seemed bloody endless

but I persisted


about 18-19 km down the line, I thought I was going to die. Then I saw a refreshments station. Now me being an obsessed retarded person who refuses to consume many things, I do not normally drink 100 plus. But I was like, screw it. When push comes to shove, just gasak.

So I drank 100 plus and I don't know whether it was the mental thing or if 100 plus actually works but suddenly I wasn't going to die anymore

So now it was RUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUN

And the Thai lady was already like 2 minutes in front of me (This is about 400m at our pace) so I kinda gave up chasing her

Then suddenly I saw "4.5 km to go!"

So I sped up because 4.5 km is like running from my house to Island Glades and back which isn't much

And then I was past USM and it was back to Queensbay

And I was flying

And I saw the Thai girl and I beat her

Last 2 km

Stretch

Head pounding

Breath going crazy

iamnevergoingtorunabloodyhalfmarathonagain

400m

sprint

200m

stride

......and then



I saw balloons. I saw people cheering. I saw a ribbon.. So I stopped. I thought it was the finishing line. My head was going all funny. I couldn't stand properly.

A lady held me up. "Are you okay? Where are your parents?"
Me: What's my time? What's my time?
Lady: Time? I don't know.. You haven't finished yet

Me: WHAT? FUCK! (I actually screamed this)

...yes. After running 25 kilometres 900m, I stopped with 100m to go because I mistakenly thought it was the end. I didn't know how far the Thai girl was behind me.

Having lost the rhythm, I half heartedly ran the last 100m, dejected, disappointed, cursing myself for my stupidity


... Then... "Congrats, you're 5th"
Me: *blabberjumbleofwordstryingtoexplainpredicament*
Person: It's okay, no one overtook you
Me: It's the time that counts! I stupidly *jabberjabber*
Person: Uh.


So anyway
Yes
I got 5th in the Women's Open Half Marathon, which was more than a half marathon because I ran the thing in 2 hours 07 minutes (but please allow for my stopping at the 100m mark) so its around 2.05. And that is definitely more than 25 km because no way was I running 5 minutes per km. It was much faster.

So I got RM600 after waiting for 3 hours for Lim Guan Eng to arrive and give his speech and his wife presented huge cheque to me.

...Overall, a satisfactory day. Because the other runners were all from Thailand, Kenya, etc. Some Malaysians too but they're seasoned runners, 20+, 30+.. I can't believe I'm in the "open" category. It sounds so old.

Anyway

Dad finished his in good time too, no prize but still, for 57 he's going strong.

Now, lunch, work, sleep.

Hope you guys don't mind me posting about it.

OMG ahahaha you have an amazing sense of humour despite the fact that you should be fast asleep right about now

if not for that stop huh damnnnnnn you still make us proud of you either way :)

so my chem/bio partner came 5th in a half-marathon women's open catagory huh (did i get that right?? XD)

yay i get to brag even more about you now!!! LOL

Sarah has tiny toes.