One never know what his next marathon should be. There is full of uncertainty in this 42.159km journey. But in my case, as I slow down my pace, I found it so easy and manageable when I finished my last marathon in huaraches. This time again, I want to run a slow marathon (~5hrs) after half year's MAF training. My aerobic endurance had been further improved since last marathon. And my barefoot millage also accumulated to ~1200km. So it was time to do a barefoot marathon.
The event had ever planned to run West Coast Road but just one week before race they gave up and switched back to East Coast Park. I didn't mind run in old route. I just hated Marina East, ever since I ran my first marathon back in 2010, the road was there dirty and rocky. And now it was still there to bite my feet, this time I was out of any protection. The worst thing was the route need run this part twice, out and back.
As I always did, I would do some risk assessment before the race. I found three: 1, longest single run only 32km; 2, worse road condition in Marina East due to under construction; 3, Left sole injury (since end of Mar.) not fully recovered. The answer to all these questions is simple: RUN SLOW! It is always true.
A few minutes before 11pm I took late night train to the venue, Nicoll Highway MRT station. I reached 30min before start. It was full of people, the earlier started 10km runners were backing, half and full marathon runners were gathering. I walked to the starting line and joined sub-5 pen.
After flagged off at 12:30am, I started to move with the parade with a 7:30/km pace and kept in the white line, to save the soles for last 10km which I never experienced. The road condition of Nicoll Highway was good, but when we ran back to Marina Floating Stage (8km mark, also F1 track), the surface was so rough, the asphalt seemed to have been pulled away by F1 wheels, only left rocks to bite my soles. The following 3k through Marina Bay Sands was quite new, we were cheered by the drunker out of the pubs. The cement path was very friendly to my soles. Following 3km through Marina South to Marina Barrage (14km) was same part adopted by SCMS and SSBR&AHM. Heavy vehicles made the surface rather rough, and it began to wear my soles. Took a toilet break at Marina Barrage, I went through the bridge happily. It was my best part, with breeze and music. After the bridge we turned into a total darkness, same as last AHM. Several hundreds meters later we broke with half marathoners. The organizer was considerate and put quite a lot lights and speakers there to keep full and half marathoner on their own track. Then I was diverted to the nightmare part, Marina East. I was cursing the road being so rocky while running, and didn't hesitate to walk when the surface was too tough. I survived my 1st round of death march after entering East Coast Park (17km mark). It was later mid-night and I began to felt sleepy and hungry. I'd wished there were banana stations before halfway but in vain. And I also noticed my heart rate raising. I'v tried to fuel with more carbon drinks but only to induce more gas in the guts. I had to enter the toilet at 21km mark (car park C4)for unloading. It coincident to be the same toilet I used in last SCMS. Had I been doomed to use it every time I race through ECP?
The real race just started as rain drops fell in the ECP, And soon turned to storm. It was cool and my heart rate began to drop, but the lightening was scary. Neither organizer nor runners anticipated this, no evacuation plan nor much shelters along the route. Most us had to push through in this bad weather, running on the flooded route. My drawback soon became advantage, most people got heavy boots but I got my sole cooled and refreshed in every step. I usually got tired feet and wore sole after 21km but this time it was so fine. I remember once in last year I also ran 27km in the rain without wore out my soles. The rain helps! I don't need to enter every water station to water my sole!
After 25km u turn finally came the fuel station. I grabbed 2 packs of gels and sucked them off immediately. I found revived. I kept on the white line and took off my vest. at around 28km mark I passed another barefoot runner, I cheered for him and waved bye. I had already met one at 7km mark, he was roaring by me and saying "I'm not along" and soon vanished in horizon. The smooth ride came to a end after we had a banana treat at 32km mark. Then I began my "Death March II" back in Marina East. This time I ran even slower an walked more, to make sure no drop out from the race. There was fewer water station there and I fueled me with my hand held bottle. I felt released when get back to promenade along the Marina Bay, seeing the skyline of the city, ony 7km to go. I pumped up before the bridge led to Kallang stadium. The last banana station seemed to be abandoned. But I did not need carbo loading anymore. Just speed up, through Mountbatten road to the Nicoll Highway. When I saw the finish line, I realized I did it, the barefoot marathon, without suffering that I feared of. I finished it with no big deal...Suddenly I felt the only way to celebrate is free myself and release my feeling...tears burst out, I cried, with relief and gratefulness.
I took first train back. After wash I found my feet rather intact after marathon, with only one blister in left toe. And believe it or not: my left sole ache fully recovered, just like that my right foot plantar fasciitis was cured after last huaraches marathon.
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