Completed my 2nd 21km run

I admit, I have pre-run anxiety, tossed and turn in bed and only falling asleep at 1.30am this morning. Just after 3 hours of sleep, I'm awake. 4.30am, its time for breakfast of egg and bread before driving downtown at dawn for the Singapore Bay Run/ Army Half Marathon. My last run was almost 3 years ago but this year run is holds much more aesthetic to it as all runner will be crossing the Marina Barrage.

I did not run with registration thus without a race number tag. However, I was not alone as I spotted several non-competitive runner among crowd, running unofficially just like me. The starting point was a prominent inverted "U" shape gantry but what humors me before the flag off for the non-competitive 21km run was the ERP gantry just 20m ahead of the start point. Those official runner have a ID tag tied to their shoe lace that track their timing as they past the finishing line. I wonder if they have to pay S$1 every time they pass an ERP gantry. The commentator at the starting point never miss the chance to use this episode as a good morning joke.

21km...half a marathon. Its training day for me and although this is the second time I run 21km, I told myself to pace the run as though I was running a full 42km marathon. However, I got a confidence beating today when after I cross the 18km check point, my leg starts to fail me and I have to fall back to a slow jog. I am not out of breath, its my leg...they are giving up. The only time I got a boost of strength was the last 200m run to the finishing line. Looks like I got lot more training to do if I want to complete the Marathon this December. Suddenly felt like giving up man....hahaha. Ok, can I give a lack of sleep excuse for my poor performance today?

The drinks for this year half marathon was absurd. Ice Mountain instead of H2o or 100Plus. Isn't really fair for the registered runners. Drinking Ice Mountain mineral water give runner stitches in the stomach due to the poor absorption rate. H20 and 100plus being isotonic drinks get absorpt by the the body and into the blood stream more rapidly instead of staying in the stomach and churning around while running. I hope they don't serve us runner Ice Mountain water/ Evian/ New Water for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2008. Absolutely poor quality drink, obstruction to performance.

Next, which ever unit in-charge of the route that distributing banana got to stop doing so next year! Yes...Banana is a good energy source for the runner but its also a source of hazard when some bastard runner start throwing it in the path of fellow runners. In the end, a few responsible runner from the Army unit pick it up and throw it to the side of the road, on the grass. Can't tahan this people, already give the liberty to throw drinks cup and mobile trash along the side of the road but still want to hurt people with a banana skin. A really ugly sight of Singaporean in the view of many foreign runner among us.

One of the toughest route in my opinion is the "New Expedition" man by the Combat Engineer. A few kilometer of poorly paved route at the west end of East Coast that link to the Marina Barrage. They really look like a path the Combat Engineers bull dozed and constructed overnight, getting the combat engineer to man the route can't be more appropriate.

Best running route will be across the Marina Barrage. On my right is the entire Singapore cityscape and to my left, our southern seas with countless container ships. Of course the last few hundred meter to the finishing point is a priceless sight too.

After the run, I headed to One Fullerton hotel to shower. Well, my Sis and our family friend Jessie indulged themselves with a one night hotel stay from Saturday and will only be checking out at 3pm. So a very tired me headed to their room to enjoy a shower in this 6 star hotel. Really great hotel staff they have. The front desk staff assume I was a resident of the hotel and ask me how was my run and such. Every housekeeping staff I saw along the way never fail to greet me good morning. I never been to a five star hotel let alone a six star so I really have no idea how I would compare it with 2 and 3 star hotel I stayed in the past but its a really nice hotel. Beside the staff and the shower facility, the room is really cosy with a nice balcony view of Boat Quay, Padang, Esplande, the Singapore river...etc...etc. Even though of booking a room over the weekend with my girlfriend or wife next time. Money money money...hope I have lots of money...