2 hours and 23 mins....

No no no! It is not my time. I wish. If so, I should be doing Olympic Games next year. It is Paula's result. She didn't break her record, nor I broke me. It actually quite a disappointing run for me.

I finished in 4 hours and 34 mins. Not the worst one but not the best one either. As I have put so much time and effort to improve my run in last few months after the Edingburh one. I was just hoping that I could do better. But it didn't turn out that way. In fact, I wasn't feeling quite 100% for the race at the beginning. My recent caught blocking nose and coughs might got to do something about it. I dun know. There are alot of whys, but they also can become alot of excuses. Now, what I should do is too get some rest and start to think about my training for the last run this year.

I'm tired and having a mild headache. I think I will head to sleep soon....

Here is the medal.....

I'm going now...

A very quick note...

It's 0745. I'm heading to the starting point now. I have a mixed feeling. Excited, petrified, and 'dun know' feeling.

Next one will be the one with a result!!

Different day... Most importantly, the run is tomorrow!!!

Very different today, comparing to yesterday. Starting the day with a breaky run organised by the event organisation. And we ran to the Olympic stadium, which was built for 1936 Olympic game held by Hitler. It was short and easy run, just keep my feet in a good shape. Even more encouraging was that there were over 10000 runners together towards the stadium. It was something. My blood was just rushing over my body when I saw the stadium in front of me. For a one second, I felt like an Olympic runner running back to the Stadium, which was full of people cheering me on.... Wowowowww! It was just one second imagination. It was a very good and positive feeling, no doubt about that. In fact, the race will be started and ended at the Brandenburg Gate. It is a historical symbol of Berlin. Not a bad way to start and finish. I met a few Aussie are running this race as well... Cool. Go Aussie!

After a sad and heavy day, I went for another tour today, called 'alternative tour'. Don't know what you may think of it when you hear the name in Berlin context. It is a tour to look at Berlin's another well-known feafure, street art! It is completely different turn from yesterday. But I'm glad that I went. At the end, it is something that I intended to look into while I'm here. And I'm glad that I went for this tour as I really had no idea where to start initially. With the tour guide help, it has certainly become easier and at least I know what I should look for. A few famous artists were noted, like Blu, XOOXO, El-Bocho. You may not know who they are but when you see their work, you will go 'Oh! yeah....'. My CJ has the busiest day today. So you will see some of them later. Apart from the artistry of the street art, the struggle and tension on merging these two different worlds were also reflected in those street art as well. I truly enjoyed it very much. There are some artists are truly great and reflective.

There is one thing truly speaking clear and loud for me from yesterday in the camp to today the street art, Berlin is a changing city. And the changes are huge and rapid comparing to all other cities that I have been. It is not just only political, environmental, or economical changes, but most importantly, cultural changes, which interests me as I have observed and believed that culture is the hardest thing to change and mould as it forms and binds a nation and identifies them as who they are. But Berlin is still going through this as I'm typing. What is going to happen tomorrow in Berlin, truly it isn't that easy to figure out.

But for now, I know that I truly go to have an early for the race tomorrow! As you can imagine what my blog will be like....

Nite

It is a heavy day... My heart weighted thousands stones

To be completely honest, I don't think I can post anything tonight on the blog about my day. My heart is heavy burdened and my brain doesn't want to process all the information that I learnt today in the concentration camps, which is just outside of Berlin. The concentration camp is called Sachsenhausen. What is it really? Well the tour that I supposed to join today describe the camp as following...
'it was the Nazi's model camp which set the standard for all those to follow... This was a place in which over 50,000 abused prisoners perished, as well as a school of brutality for training SS guards to work in this and other camps. Sachsenhausen's terrible history continued even after 1945 as the Soviet occupiers took it over for a further 5 years to house political enemies.' (newberlin tour)

I have become speechless and my brain has basically refused to take any more info on this matter.

So I decide to put it up later about this camp with some photos that I took with CJ when I get back to London.

Sorry. But stay on tune...

Marathon is 2 days to go...breakfast run tomorrow morning. Good. My frets are getting itchy....

Small taste of Berlin

Truly, I have a small bite of it today. I went to a free tour today. Walked around this city and learnt about the its history in 3 hours time. What I have to say after that intensive history walk, "WOW! so much to know about this city!". It is interesting that I have come this city with an idea that Berlin is an international city with strong economic drive and lively spirit. German technology and their innovation always give some surprises to the world. Their history from WWII, it is easy to put an equation mark between German and evil. However, in my tour, as I learnt this history of this city and saw the city with my very own fresh eyes, I have relearnt about this city and realised that it is a city living in the scars from WWII and Cold War. The city itself is actually still rebuilding from WWII; people are still getting their heads around to learn how to live in freedom and trying merging two worlds into one. But I learnt the most is that German know and acknowledge their history, both bad and good, and choose to respect it and live with it positively. They also had experienced the hard time when communists were in power; like Chinese in Chinese revolution. They also burnt books and manuscripts that were against the communists ideas. They were perpetrators in WWII, and yet they took responsible for their actions and chose to acknowledge it. The city itself (about 92%) was actually badly damaged in WWII as well. Doubtlessly, it is a city with many scars. And today I just have a bite of it. I think, I will try to learn more tomorrow when I go for the concentration camp. It properly won't be that easy for me to take on.

On the brighter side, I have picked up my bib numbers for the run (hooray!). And Paula looks so good for the race as well. 'I am here to win!' she said. Of course! Who can stop her?! The health expo, where I picked my number, is held in a old city airport from Soviet Union in east Berlin. Quite a big massive building as it was always be for Soviet Union. I just go "wow". CJ is with me and took a few faithful photos. But I can't put upload them till I go back to London and process them. Sorry. They will come shortly.

One more thing. I have met a good friend today. In the tour, I met a gentlemen who will also do marathon this Sunday! And guess how old he is..... 70!!!!! (he just corrected me that he is actually 72 to be precise!). I feel shame already. And he is aiming to finish the race in 4 hours (mine target time is 4.15). He had has 6 marathons under his belt! Can you believe that?! I hope that I still can run marathon when I'm in his age!!!!! . He is definitely my inspiration. Wow!!

Many wows in this blog. And I know that it is still coming...

Time to hit my bed...

5 days to go...

Can’t believe that I will be running one of the world marathons in 5 days time.


More encouraging to know that I will be running with Paula Redcliffe, the fastest woman marathon runner in the world in 5 days time.  What can I say more about this race?


I can’t put a right words to describe how I actually feel at this moment.  I would say that I’m excited, since I’m still awake at 3am in the morning.  And yet, I’m petrified about the race.  My preparation for this race has been long and challenging.  It definitely not smooth sailing.  Pain and blues in training were hitting me since my last marathon in May.


But here I am.. I will catch my flight to Berlin in 14 hours time.  Race will be on this coming Sunday. 26.2 miles run.
Exactly one year ago (25/09), I did my very first half marathon in London which changed my whole marathon world.  I wouldn’t believe that I will be doing my third marathon at that time.  But I’m doing now… 


If you want to know what the course looks like… here is the answer… 

Keep you in post about the run! Stay tune!

My first……... half-marathon….

26/09/2010

For me, it was definitely a day to remember, as I am one step closer to my dream.

My dream is to run marathon in 2 years time; and aim to do triathlon in 5 years since my first 5k run in year 2008.  Today, I am one more step closer to the dream.

I didn't think that I had prepared myself well for this run, shift working schedule obviously doesn’t really help.  I didn't really know how to shape myself to be a half-marathon runner, apart form trying to run a long run (at least 7-8miles) once a week.  But even so, it was a struggle to me.  Until a week ago, I decided to push out all the worries of study, work, and whatever preoccupying on my mind, and just went for a run.  After for a while, I then realised I had run almost 15km in 1 hour and 30 mins.  That' s an encouragement and assurance that I properly could do half-marathon.

When we watched people doing marathon or other endurance races non-professionally.  They always said that they would never dream themselves to do this (marathon or others), but now they were there to prove the possibility, dream came true.  Honestly, I thought about that to at one point, but after that 15km run, I realised that it wasn't only about my physical ability; but also the mental capacity to keep telling and convincing myself that it's possible to do this half-marathon.  It was all the game in the mind, and now, I can see how powerful they are.  Without that mental muscle doing their job properly,  I truly didn't think that I could manage to finish the course.  But during my last 15km run, I have suddenly realised, it's all about the mind.  My physical body is properly ready for the run, but the mind, to be cleansed from all the noises of work and study, and then to be still to do the run, and concentrated to run… and then I realised I enjoyed it and it was possible.

With the confidence, I prepared myself and got ready to go for the it.  Thanks for TFL… Jubilee line was 2 days in the row having difficulties and problems from Stratford to North Greenwich.  Panic sniffed in… what if I miss the game??  The run was supposed to race at 0945, 0910, I still found myself standing in West Silvertown DLR station with one other runner and calling cabs to get there on time.  Until 0915, the runner's friend called and stated the game was delayed to 1030 due to transportation (Jubilee line, the major route to get to O2 stadium) problem.  It was the good news for both of us.. I dun need to rush. Panic is gone… I guess, tip one for racing, never let panic got a place in your mind and heart. Praise God.. I was free from it at least!

Games started at 1030. It was apparently over 17000 people in the race.  The atmosphere was good and uplifting.  Live music definitely was helpful, especially on that day was slight windy and chilly…  Gun went… race begun.  I kept telling myself on the way, 'don't be dictated by other steps and pace… go with my own pace, you know it… go with my own very pace.'  I had to admit that it's quite difficult, especially you were seeing different people running  over you.  And even when I was listening to my own Ipod, my usual running music, I was slightly nervous to check out whether I was slower than my usual pace (as you keep running with the same music in every practise, you can figure out how far you have run by listening to what number of track in that album).  So, it wasn't easy.. Constant reminding myself…. 'Own pace! Own pace! Own pace! '

Along the way, then I found a Paddington bear was running with me (in fact, it pumped onto me); and then a rhino, and then angels, brides (?! Hen's party?), and bananas (yes, with 's' at the end cos there were 2 running bananas).  Spectators were found actually in most of the course… they cheered you up and some kids just put their hand out for high 5! Cute :)  There are different music spots along the course, either live or recorded.  Some places were no music covered, some neighbour put their player out by the main door and window playing some upbeat music for us! So coool!!! Thank You! I have to say, music and running have to go together to me… when a music is doing the same beat with your pace, oh! The power was great! And I felt much more energised  as well. 

Run and run…. Seeing the signs from 2 miles, 3 miles, 4, 5, 6… it's good to know that I was moving forward.  From the information pack, we all were told that there was a uphill around 6-7 miles… and that's what I have reserved my energy for.  As I was approaching the hill, I was able to see the others running up the hills… it could look slightly daunting!  And then the question of 'are you sure you can finish the course' begun to make its way again.  Solution?? Nothing but just keep thinking 'my own pace and think, the little hill isn't that long'… downhill would be great! Downhill did come, but not until another 1 miler later….

Another thing excited me as well about running this race is that there were so many places that I haven't been before.  Checking back to the route from the information pack.. The route basically was like this…

Started at O2 -> New Charlton -> Woolwich -> Royal Arsenal Woolwich pier -> Royal Artillery Barracks ->

Charlton -> Greenwich Park -> National Maritime Museum -> back to the Oz.  And I have to say, most of part of the route, I had totally no ideas where I would be; even though there are normal public transport signs along the route; but they didn't give me any hints where I was (as I totally had not been those areas before).  This little sense of adventure definitely added some spices in my run here, although it could take off a little of security of being a familiar place; but I was just excited to be explore some unknown (to me) places of London.

After 9 miles, my body started complaining, especially my injured thigh, pain (another unwelcomed guest) came again.  At that time, from 'Own pace! Own pace! Own pace!' as my motto, changed to 'Push! Push!Push!' I begun to  feel my muscle start to stiff up. I have been sipping water in every water station; however, I do find that my body took longer time to recover after even just a small amount of cold water along the course.  Body was getting tired; and I noticed that it wasn't only me, my fellow runners too… paces had slowed down for most of us.  And my body and legs were getting stiff and wanting to stop; but then thinking about everyone good wishes and even expectation on me; somehow it got me to keep running. 

10 miles, 11 miles (I was thinking 'actually, how far was the half-marathon? 15 miles?), 12 miles,  750 m to go ('Oh! We are getting there!'), 500 m to go, 250m to go… I saw the finishing banner, and don't ask me how; but I found little amount of oil in the tank and found myself running towards the finishing line.  There are always 2 ways to finish anything, 'finishing strong' or 'finishing so so'… 'Finishing strong' is always my way, so I splinted…. Clock check… finished at 1 hour 52 mins 58 sec on my watch.  What?? I was aiming 2 hours…. But I finished the run much under my target! But at that time, I just didn’t have any sense (back) with the time… all I want was just stretch; not until later, on my journey back home; then I realised that  I had done it! Not just done it but finished it strong! I'm very pleased actually. 

Official time: 1 hour 53 mins 30 sec!

The time was the encouragement to me already. What I'm more pleased to know is that I do love running! And I want to train more properly now for next year to come.  But for now…. I choose to rest for 1 week… and just remember this moment : )