November 2016 - Finish a FULL Marathon

Penang Bridge International Marathon, is one of the annual event that I will be joining since year 2010, and now it has been the 7th time I join for this event.

During my first year in USM, I was invited by my uncle to join the Half Marathon, where before that I have never think I would fall in love with any sports other than badminton and swimming. Well, I am always bad in sports activities since young, even I have trained hard. 

It was my first 21 km run and I thought I can never do it in 3.5 hours. Everyone who heard about it was having the same thought also and say that I must be crazy. At the end, I managed to finished it with the time of 3 h 25 m.

It was an eye opening experience. A journey that you will not be alone, you will see thousands of people running with you, everyone has their own reason to run: Some wanted to collect the medals; some want to challenges their best times, there are a lot of youngsters like us who just want to show off to their peers that they have come so far; there are also a lot of middle age or older people who are more physically fit and ran faster than you. From observation, there are thousands of stories you can see within the 21 km. That is how I fall in love with running a marathon, eventually you will forget to scroll your phone and keep focus on the road, on yourself, your mindset, your legs of course, when it gets hurt. 

Surprisingly it did not stop there. 

3 years later, after the third Half Marathon, my senior approach me and we both thinking if we should challenge ourselves to another level, the Full Marathon. We have been considering it since then but no one dare to really go for it. Luckily, thanks to another special friend of mine, who have not join any long distance run but decided to join it with his university friends during that time that finally encourage me to go for it as well. 

It was during my final year, where I have more flexibility while doing research for Final Year Project, I have more control of my time that I can arrange for training. Not to forget, those who spend time to motivate me for training: running in the campus, or go to the gym. Elizabeth and Sue Anne. It was 2013, my first attempt to Full Marathon, a little ran out of time, 7 h 03 m. 

I failed the second attempt the following year, lacking of exercise and also wearing a wrong running shoes. I got myself a few big blister and the feeling kills me each step I walked. I decided to give up on the run and realized that I need more training in order to keep myself in fit condition. 

Last year I go back to Half Marathon, managed to finish it without much training. 

But there are still something that I would like to challenge myself, some noise that telling me that I must try again before I say I cannot. Something that I know I need to come over, because I afraid of.(similar to talking to public, my legs shake every time I need to do so). 

This year, after 3 years since the first attempt, I decided to join again with my crazy running buddies here. A year challenge for myself also, that I wish to stand up from where I have fallen badly and the nightmare of 7 hours. I would want to prove that if anyone can do it, so do I. 

This year, thanks to the crazy marathon buddies (Lee Hoon, Doreen, Debera and Victor) that join the marathon with me.Thanks to Sue Anne that accompany join a few marathon in KL (Malaysia Woman Half Marathon, PJ Half Marathon, Pantai Bagan Lalang Half Marathon, Superman vs Batman was requested by her and I FFK her from the KL Standard Chartered Marathon), and my weekly training buddies - Hui Ying, Jia Yi and this year, surprisingly, Angelina mentioned that she is considering to join us for the gym session and she make it! From 400 m to 2 km! 

I am barely to continue the training without all of their supports and accompanies. 

This is the pride for everyone of them. You never know how much you have done to support a dream. And now, I can finally say it out loud that I have completed a FULL MARATHON.

Thank you! 

Without noticing the time is flying AGAIN, here come, the last day of November. Today, there have been two people come to me and say some words, it means a lot to me. For along the period here and growth. More to come for December?

Meanwhile, time to write down the to-do list for the coming year. And Happy Holiday to all the school kids!