By Rameshon
This is for those who want to run the half or full marathon on this Sunday. Tomorrow's weather it looks like it is going to be a bit cloudy and a bit of sunny, to my prediction. But please check the weather forecast by yourself if you want to run well tomorrow. There is a tendency that it may not rain tomorror during the run. Nevertheless, it is good to have good mental readiness for anything tomorrow. It is wise to keep your mind positive, even when things are not working your way.
I have thought of writing my first experience coming in with a time of 2hr 40min in the 1987 Singapore Mobil Marathon. It is believed that if you find this summary of the race beneficial, and to use it and if it benefits, the first person who will be happy will be me.
It is good to say to yourself that the weather you are going to run is going to be same for you and the rest who are running tomorrow. In 1987m arathon, I had a very simple strategy to run.
I knew that the marathon is not going to be easy, especially the last 10km is going to which can be agonising as many out there, including the elite will be going through the thing called 'hit the wall'. It is a state where you will use fats as your energy as opposed to glycogen as energy. Your glycogen stores will be depleted and it can be a painful experience and that is why they call marathon an endurance event, one will be enduring pain. The one who can endure more pain will be able to keep doing personal best, besides having done the required training as a pre-requisite..
Before the run, I ensured that I cleared my bowel and ensured that I have also eased myself in the toilet before entering the running start area. Do not hope for going to toilet midway of your run.
During the run, I ensured for all the running points, I took the drinks. This is very important and not to skip it in order not to go into a dehydration situation.
Whatever happens, keep your focus not only on your run, but also with compulsion, push your mind to drink all drinks at all drink points. At one point you can drink water and at another point you can drink isotonic drink. If you drink the isotonic drink given to you tomorrow and it is concentrated, you have to know that your body not only need energy but hydrate as well so that you do not go into a dehydration situation as it can hamper your performance, especially closer towards the finish. Remember, do not SKIP any drink points.
If you drink concentrated isotonic that is too sweet, then when you drink, there will be an increase in blood viscosity, thickness of the blood, and this affects your race. The isotonic drink will go to the blood and the blood will go to the heart and there will be slowing down of the oxygen transport system, due to thickness of blood. In short, energy coming from the body to you will be slower and one will get tiredm instead. So, remember to drink diluted isotonic drink and you will run a good race. This was my strategy and the only thing I focused on was on waiting for the last 1km.
At the same time, my strategy was to follow 'a same standard as myself' type of runner, who is not too fast and not too slow. If the person is too fast, I usually let them go. If too slow, I will focus on running with the person in front and do my best to follow the pace.
I did not run too fast in the 1987 Mobil marathon race and kept my pace steady all the way as it was my first competitive marathon race and waited for the last 1km. So, even at the 25km, when I felt very strong to run faster, I told myself that the marathon is a very long race and was patient and run did not push and I was just waited for the last one 1km, which was at the 41.195km mark. Fortunately, because of that, I was able to push myself towards the last 1km and did my first marathon in 2hr 40min in 1987, Singapore Mobil Marathon.
So, if one do not have any strategy, to run tomorrow and is not sure, perhaps, this strategy may help anyone who can be called competitive runner or a non competitive runner. It is applicable to anyone who come to complete or compete in the race.
