PD International Half Marathon

I MADE IT, I MADE IT!!! Made it to the finishing line before the cut off time of 2½hrs! It was an amazing run - it was tough, required a great deal of mental strength and physical endurance, and it sure pains like hell for a first timer like me. But overall, I had FUN!

I was told that this is the first marathon that saw the largest number of participants from IMU, a staggering FIVE. They're from the left: Azman, yours truly, Kasfhil, Fahmi, and Chee Yoong.

[Photo grabbed from azmanrocks.blogspot.com absolutely without prior permission.]

The pic below was taken when all five of us were warming up for the run, at 6.30+ in the morning. Who's that chick wearing the bright red outfit on the left? Athletic posing! Sangheetha is that you?!?!

[Photo grabbed from iamfoo.blogspot.com. Sue me!]

I was chewing my second PowerBar and smiling for the camera at the same time. That's Chee Yoong on the right, looking all psyched up for the run. I was darn sleepy...

The run was supposed to start at 6.30am, but was delayed till 7.15am. Waited for the dunno-which-VIP to fire the gun. Biasalah, Malaysia boleh ma! Next pic - standing with Chee Yoong at the starting line, adjusting my MP3 earphone. It had started to drizzle!

By the time the VIP fired the gun, it started to rain like cats and dogs. My first marathon, and it's a run-in-the-rain marathon. As we ran further, the rain became torrential, and the NikeAir I was wearing (decided last minute to wear Nike) turned into NikeStone. I was soaking wet from head to toe. But it was cooling, and I liked it...

I clocked a decent 2:20 at the finishing line. I was given a "Certificate of Achievement" and a cheapskate + ciplak medal for running 21 km in the heavy rain. My Sony MP3 with its built-in pedometer function (it's splash proof! Heard Azman's MP3 kong edy kena rain water) clocked 24290 steps, 29.1km, and 1712kcal burnt. I thought it's a 21 km marathon?! No wonder I took so long. Could have made it under an hour!!! Must be due to my greatly reduced stride-length during the second half of the run. But I didn't walk mind you, I ran the whole 21km.

Chee Yoong finished ahead of me and clocked 2:13. Here's a pic of us right after the run, waiting for Azman. I was forcing myself to smile as my quads, calfs, hamstrings, and glutes felt like they're necrotising.

I had a few sips of the provided "tap water + rainwater" along the route, and almost instantaneously after I crossed the finish line, my tummy ached like hell. So I went to the nearby Admiral Marina & Leisure Club to empty my bowel. After shitting I go look at ships and yatches. The view was breath-taking!

Azman clocked 3:21, his personal best. And he's got a medal too. See how horny happy he looked in the following photos:

So you heavy arses and couch potatoes out there, if you guys wanna experience what pain really is, join a marathon. I think I might join the Seremban Half come May.

Acknowledgement: Special thanks to Ms. Leng Lui (Chee Yoong's gf) for being the photographer of the day!

• More on PDIHM'07: Read Azman's and Chee Yoong's posts.
• Read these too: Half Marathon! and PDIHM Goodie Bag.

Update:-
Post-marathon Day 1: Mild bilateral myositis of lower limbs. Left knee joint tenderness. Lower back muscle ache. Diarrhoea from contaminated drinking water provided by PDIHM'07. Overall feeling: Priceless! Would I do it again? Absolutely a YES!