LIFEMOU to OL MAN: Do you have the courage to run the Marathon again??
To run between 3-1/2 to 4 hours non-stop covering 42km (26.2 miles) is almost unthinkable for me now. Not that I do not have the courage but my body is not tune to this torturing race at this moment. And that's what I have been doing about 18 years ago and my PR for a marathon was the Cathay Pacific Penang Marathon in 1987, clocking 3hr 32mins (no bragging here) finishing at the Penang Esplanade near the Government office.
I am still extremely proud of that achievement till today because I knew deep in my heart I can never repeat such a feat again. Regardless of what I do in training and the best running shoe that I can wear, age is not on my side to do it one more time. So I always cherish that moment when I hit the finishing line, and I knew that was my PR. And coincidentally that was the last marathon race before I got married two years later and start a family. After that it was history............until now. The Empire Strikes Back.
Whether to consider running another marathon again is everyone's guess but for now, I think I will not do it again. Do I have the courage to do it again?? Don't rule the Ol Man out, okay. At least for now, I am back to my regular running habits after the loooooooong break trying to get back my endurance to stay longer on the road and clock higher mileage. My focus at least for the next 6-12 months is to run Half Marathons. When age is catching up, one tends to be more prone to injury ie like what is happening to my right knee now. It takes one lots of courage, determination, discipline and most important focus on long period of time to run and complete a marathon. That is not even considering the time taken to prepare for a marathon and I think it is easily at least 4 months. All you have is one chance on the race day itself to go get your PR within the goal you set, and if you do not achieve it you have to wait for the next race which can be 3 to 6 months down the road.
Ol Man signing off for the holiday seasons from down south across the border!!!
1 comment:
fantastic timing! 3:32! you have my kow-tows. i remember waking up early during my secondary school days to cheer the runners and my chemistry teacher during the mas days. i even went for the expo (which was measly hoping to grab whatever freebies there was on offer). whilst my 1st marathon is not something i'd like to call memorable (read abt it here: www.jamiepang.com/running), i always cherish the experience. every race is different and i'm blessed to be able to experience the marathon. hopefully my singapore one (my 5th) will be as memorable as your pr.
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