24th Marathon @ BIM

 

It was last minute decision, bought plane ticket at 2 am Saturday morning for 7 am flight to Kota Kinabalu.

 

The route this year was more challenging than last year “fast & flat”, you know exactly what I'm talking about when you running uphill around UMS.

 

The race started at 3 am, and I was planning to run this smartly or so I thought....

 

Then I met Erwan Kasim and Jiki John after about 1km, Jiki whom I paced last year at BIM was running for a "cancer cause" this year.

 

So we end up being pacer and pacee again this year, after my unfinished business at Leadville; I wanted to find out whether I still have my running mojo.

 

BIM was my comeback Marathon run so to speak.

 

After few kilometres, I felt good and my running legs are nicely warms up. I decided to push a faster pace and try to maintained the pace just nice and easy under 5:30 per km pace.

 

We eat up the miles or km quickly, reached 5km marker and I was stunned to cover this distance in a jiffy.

 

I stopped at every water stations (estimate every 3km) to hydrate, wash my face and wet my hair (my usual routine at WS).

 

But, Jiki just passed the WS grab a cup and drink on the fly. I had to play catch up every time I stop at WS. She's a strong Sabah female runner I tell ya.

 

I make sure I quicken the pace every time my Garmin showed 6:00 km pace or more.

 

Finally, we caught up with the leading female runner at the final UMS uphill. It was Judy, last year Women champion and also Jiki’s close friend. They said hello and exchange motivations before we moved on running downhill. The camaraderie between these Sabah runners is exemplary to other runners, although they're rival during the race but there're best of friends outside it. I hope more runners would follow this great camaraderie.

 

Nearing he final u-turn at 29km, both my hamstrings and quads are trashed and are on the verge of cramping breakdown. I slowed my pace and urge Jiki to continue running without me. Judy then arrived besides me and complained the same thing, we’re cramping badly at the same time. Talk about misery loves company…

 

Judy stopped at medic to get cramp spray just before the u-turn.

 

I continued running in pains, both of my legs are now numb. My legs screaming for me to stop, it was so easy to stop. I fought back mentally and continued running - now more slower pace, around 7:00 km pace.

 

I stopped at every WS for medics to get anti cramp spray, it works for a while. It cools off my burning quads and hamstrings.

 

The final 2 km was hell, I gritted my teeth and dug deep for that final finish. What do you expect, still reeling and recovering from 40 miles trail run in another continent. Plus suffering from jet lag, a Marathon distance run is not exactly a good recovery run.

 

I made it to the finish line in 4:15 for my 24th Marathon.

 

Huge congratulations to Jiki John, she emerged Women Champion for Borneo Marathon 2013.

 

p.s. Leadville race report will be here, soon I hope :p

 

With Jiki John, BIM Women Champion