Saturday 25 June 2011.

JOURNEY TO SUNDOWN ULTRA MARATHON 2011

10 hours to Sundown

I wake up this morning and had prayer. Firstly thanks to God for giving me another day to live on and bless all my family and friends. Amin.

Later at 8am I will be heading to Macdonald for breakfast and need to be home by 9am for short break till noon. At 2pm I will be meeting with Endon and Ee Lin at Khatib MRT Station where we will all be going together.

As usual I need to be early approx 2 hours before the race start so I can fix everything especially the blade need to check.

1 hour to Sundown

All ready and set to go at 6pm. I had a short interview before the race starts. I know it's goanna be tough and I will try my best.

  My journal and post mortem report for Sundown Ultra Marathon 2011.

Picture by courtesy of Chin C K

I feel uneasy during the first 2km from the starting point to the park connector. The inner prosthetic socket cover keeps turning back and I have to stop and adjust it. Reaching near the cross over bridge at Mountbatten Road I feel the same pressure and have no choice to run and walk all the way to the 10km point and check what cause the problem:-


Mistake
1) I should done a test run 1 hour before the race start.
2) Wrong inner prosthetic socket cover.
3) Never bring extra sock.

After check have been done and I have no choice but to keep moving, I know it’s goanna be tough as later I will be facing some experience of stump pain. Oh God! What have I done and can’t return back and change it. Please give me the strength to keep moving and less in pain.

Reaching at 20km point I have to remove the prosthetic leg and place ICE to cool down the pain. The volunteers are very kind and they help me to fill up the water bottles and even they offer me some food but I have no mood to eat and just took GU “Roctane Gels” it help me on my energy to keep moving and try my best to be at the 50km pit station by 1am.

Now is the time to test your mindsets as it will be a long way at Changi and I called it “The Killer” because it will affect your brain and ear especially the plane keep landing and moving up. The engine is so loud even I can’t hear music lol! Thanks God it’s over at 26km route.

Along the way nice to meet up with some friends and they offer me drinks, sweets and many more. Really appreciated and thanks but I just want to look for an extra sock for the prosthetic leg. I did some stretching on my body and apply “Jump Start” cream that helps me moving as I need to balance it between a good and prosthetic leg as 75% I will be using the pressure on the good muscle leg. 

At 30km point as usual I have to remove the prosthetic leg for cooling down. I meet up with some runners there and we had a short chat. Anyway it’s too late to find extra socks at Changi Village as the shop are closed. My 30km timing is very bad as I been too many walking now has to keep moving fast. The design for the Flex Run prosthetic leg is for running not walking as later I may feel the experience of back pain but have no choice.

Hey! Meet up with our Sundown Champion runner near the Commando camp and he is so fast! Now where is the female Champion runner? I believe Sumiko will be the one, well let’s see and that already make me feel great and move fast. At Al-Istiqamah Mosque meet up with some friends too and thanks for giving me some fruits so that I will have more energy.

At 40km point It’s already tough for me as the pain at the stump is getting worse and I have 1 hrs 37 mins to the cut off time at Bedok but how could I complete it as I can’t run. Oh God! I will try my best and this is the time where I meet up with Alex Hong who is accompanying me to the 50km point. Thanks bro and I really appreciate it. You are the only person knows how I felt the 10km journey. Oh God! What had happen to the rest of the runners? I could only see some of them heading back to Pasir Ris and I salute you guys! You are my inspiration my hero! The only things I can do for them are to cheers and keep saying all the best and keep going. I wish to have two good legs like yours.

Reaching at 50km point and it’s already cut off time. I feel so sad, disappointed and angry on myself. If not because of the careless mistake I will perform well but thanks God I have no cramp, no injuries and no blisters at the good leg just the skin turns to blue at the stump area. After much training and guardian from Coach I know myself well. I know I can finish the 100km and I know I can do it well but we can’t predict what will be happen.

Thanks to Eliyah Osman and hers support team for being there and I really appreciate it. A big hug to you guys. As this is my final ultra to give way for Everest training but I always have my own rule, if I did not complete a run and I will return back again but here I really need to consider it. There is always another ultra at another time.

Here I will like to take this opportunity to congrats every ultra runner. My salute to you guys for completing this tough journey. Have a rest and recovery well!

To those who have not complete this run, A big RESPECT to you for taking up this challenge, remember every 1 km you cross already a winner. Try your best next year and learn from this mistake. "Every failure there will be success in future"

Special thanks to all the friends for being there to give support and cheering. You have a good heart and may God bless you always. I won’t forget till I close my eyes and once again thank you.

Thanks to the organizer of Sundown for having a great events and thanks to your wonderful volunteers for doing a good job!

Best Regards,

Singapore Blade Runner