This was my first marathon in 1984, running the KL International Marathon 84. As a rookie runner, I do not know what to expect. And till today, I still remembered the suffering that I had went thru running this race. But it was a good experience that I will never forget, and from that day onwards it make me a better runner. I learn from the mistakes I made during training as well as during the race. Imagine the race starts at 6.00am in the morning and I finished the race in 5hrs49mins. The blazing sun was hitting me like nobody business in the last 10k of the race and I was suffering from severe cramps. And I still remembered very well at that time I was running along Jalan Duta heading towards Jalan Parlimen and onto the Selangor Padang now known as Dataran Merdeka. I was lying on the pavement along Padang Merbok to rest myself and continued to cross the finishing line. It was a run-walk strategy but I never gave up.
My first sub-4 marathon was achieved in Singapore on the same year ie 1984. I managed to just squeeze into the sub-4 bracket clocking 3hrs58mins. It was a satisfying run for me breaking the 4 hr barrier and never look back ever since then. The training that I put in paid off handsomely. And also thanks to those running buddies that I have during that period of time. I learn a lot from them and train together helping each other out. One thing I found out in my first year of running a marathon....You must find your running partner to train together ie someone that has almost the same standard as you. That way you done have to run alone and will always have a pacer to run with. Thats Marathon 101. Till today, I always look out for a running pacer or buddy to run together. That will give you better motivation especially on a day when you are hitting 25k and above.
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