In my wildest imagination, I had dreamt that I would become an unconscious potato...or incapacitated to the point of no movement in order to arrive at my first DNF.
Never had I expected that I would quit a race because my body being in pain, the mind giving up and the heart losing its desire to continue.
Never had I expected that I would quit a race because my body being in pain, the mind giving up and the heart losing its desire to continue.
Craze Ultra Marathon (101km) was a tough race. This year, 43 out of 152 participants did not complete the race either due to DNF or DNS.
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| Statistics of 2015 Craze Ultra 101km Participation |
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| Flag Off at MacRitchie Start Point |
It was regrettable that my race was not going as planned since the beginning. I started to develop a small blister on my left foot at the earliest stage of the race. I managed to puncture the blister at CP3 after my wife dispatched me with a nail clipper. However, I could still feel sand particles in my running shoes even though I had frequently removed my shoes and socks to check. It was the beginning of my self-denial stage. I actually thought that it was my mind playing tricks on me, instigating me to quit the race. In a stubborn mindset, I decided to push on with the race.
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| At CP3. foot starting to develop blisters |
Matters got worse after CP4. It was then that I felt those really big blisters on the balls of my feet. Yes. Both sides. It felt like I was floating on 2 pieces of liquid gels in between my feet and soles. This hurt a fair bit. The stubbornness in me made me thought that I could do something about them at the next checkpoint (CP5).
I travelled another 12km along the evil stretch of Timor-Barat highway and Punngol Park connector. To my horror, I suddenly realised that my water bag was empty! To complicate matters, the pain developed from blisters became unbearable. By then, the next checkpoint was 1km away. That time, I knew I had to stop and do something about the blisters. I punctured the blisters and allowed the bloody liquid to ooze out. Ouch!!
I rested for a while and decided to continue. However, I was suddenly hit by a dizzy spell. I felt breathless and lost all my energy. I knew I was seriously dehydrated. Since there was no water top-up point, I had to rest even longer and hoping profusely that I could gain back some energy before crawling my way to CP5.
I rested for a while and decided to continue. However, I was suddenly hit by a dizzy spell. I felt breathless and lost all my energy. I knew I was seriously dehydrated. Since there was no water top-up point, I had to rest even longer and hoping profusely that I could gain back some energy before crawling my way to CP5.
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| Both feet were oozing with liquid after puncturing |
Lo and behold, I met my saviours! 2 ultra-runners (Henry Yang and Pris Chew) saw me and gave me some ice water and coconut water. I drank and was rather revived to continue with the race. At the back of my mind, I started contemplating to quit as I knew that I had reached my physical limits.
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| Checkpoint 5 (51km mark) |
Reaching CP 5 was a wonderful thing. My friends - Raymond Chew and Jackson Chia were waiting to cheer me on. Raymond even bought me beancurd and apples as supplements. I had a good rest there and was telling them about my discomfort. They encouraged me to continue and offered me a ride home should I decide to quit. At that point, any encouragement was a booster. I felt motivated. I thanked them for their support and told them that I would like to proceed with race.
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| CP5, Enjoying my Beancurd and Massage :) |
Continuing was, however, painful. In order to minimise the excruciating pain from the bloody blisters, I was literally limping all my way. Also, the earlier dizzy spell had nonchalantly drained my energy to the max.
Never in my life had I to crawl at such a slow speed. In the end, I accepted the fate to be a quitter and halted the torture at the 65km mark.
Never in my life had I to crawl at such a slow speed. In the end, I accepted the fate to be a quitter and halted the torture at the 65km mark.
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2 Big and Painful Blisters at Both Feet
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I think I made the right decision to DNF as there would still be other opportunities to redeem myself. I reflected and attributed my failures to the followings :
(1) over-mileage shoes;
(2) lack of conditioning training;
(3) poor discipline of food/water intakes
This DNF, by far, is my greatest defeat in my years of running. I hope this will make me a stronger runner. I swear I will train harder and conquer Craze Ultra (101km) in the subsequent years!!!
(1) over-mileage shoes;
(2) lack of conditioning training;
(3) poor discipline of food/water intakes
This DNF, by far, is my greatest defeat in my years of running. I hope this will make me a stronger runner. I swear I will train harder and conquer Craze Ultra (101km) in the subsequent years!!!
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| DNF at Darul Makmur Mosque (between CP4 and CP3 - about 65km mark) |
Acknowledgement
- Thanks to my wife Rachel (aka Mrs Run The Town) for supporting me the entire time. The home cooked lunch was delicious and awesome!!! :)
- Thanks to Raymond Chew and Jackson Chia for cheering me at the 51km checkpoint. Without your moral booster, I would not be able to walk another 15 km.
- Thanks Henry and Pris Chew for the ice cold water and coconut water. I might have collapsed without your support.
- Thanks to Joel for volunteering to be my pacer at CP3. although he ended up driving me home instead of pacing me.
- Thanks to the fellow ultra runners who offered me with bandages or encouraging me whenever I was limping (too many to name, so I decide not to name any).
- Last but not least, thanks to the Running Guild and volunteers for organising the run. I will be back!!!
