For my last marathon in 2015, I planned to run my best time as confirmed a 2h half-marathon one month ago in Laos. Unfortunately, I ended in 5 hours Penang Bridge Marathon in. This is what happened.
After a month travelling in Myanmar, crossing South of Thailand, training indoor and outdoor, I was ready to conquer this marathon. « Less than 4 hours and 30 minutes, you can do it, you are not too confident », I told to myself. But the story was different,and the thing is that I did not realized it at the beginning of the race!
Marathon started at 1:30 am, to avoid, I guess, suffering because of the heat and humidity. I asked to have my breakfast really early: 11:30pm! If I look back, 3 years ago, I would never have thought that I could get up to run at this time. It was the time for me to go out. Running changes you for sure…
After my breakfast, I went to the starting point thanks the hotel’s shuttle planned for the runners. I joined the queue at the staring point and discovered how many people were participating to this marathon. Really surprised, because I was not used to run with that much people. Julie, one of my friends came with me as she decided to travel with me for several months. So, she had to support me for this marathon…
Music, fireworks, Penang Bridge Marathon began. I passed trough all runners and could see all kind of paces. The most stoning thing was that some women were running with their head and body fully covered. I was impressed!
10 first kilometers, I was on time, even a little early: 55 minutes! I felt the heat but was still bearable for me. Then 15 kilometres, at the water stop, I could eat. I grabbed a banana as I usualy eat, but I could not manage to swallow it… Slaty water, that would work for me!
Half way, I was at the beginning of the bridge, really tough mentally. I had to run for 10 kilometers on it. Most discouraging thing, I realized that I could not run my marathon in less than 4h30. I kept on running, drunk and drunk again. I lost a lot of water. Even it was 3:30 AM, I was wet as if it was raining…
End of the bridge, 30th kilometer. A fire hose spread water on the runners, really refreshing. Before going on, I also took some pure sugar.
Only 12 kilometers to go, pace makers for 5 hours passed by me, I could not end it before them. Once again, mentally it was tough. I tried to accelerate but my body, all the water that I lost and the fact I could not eat did not help me. « Come on Maud, 12 kil
ometers, you already did it, you know how to handle it! Today, you are running your last race of the year, you can do it… » I mentally named all the people I was running for: my family, my friends, closer or not, for « La Fondation Motrice », for the freedom to run, for the Freedom that every French were spoiled recently, ….
Only 5 kilometers to go, then 1, finish line, I sprinted and crossed again the pace makers, which were actually two women. 5 hours sharp, I was so tired. I stopped, released the pressure and cried. I am so happy and proud of what I have done. In 10 months, I ran 9races: 6 marathons, 2 half-marathons, and one 31km. Waou, just by writing it, I have just realized what I ran. I never believed that I could do it! Even if I am still sad for my time, I could not go back on it, I can analyze what I did wrong to improve my self.
This is 10 things you need to know if you want to travel and run.
If you want to support La Fondation Motrice as I do during all my races, visit http://www.alvarum.com/worldwildrunneuze.
If you want to participate to this race, it takes place end of November. Go on Penang Bridge International Marathon website or send me an e-mail to worldwildrunneuze@gmail.com, if you want to have more information.
