RACE NOTE: My First Marathon ‘Bangsaen Marathon 2019’

Flashback to the very first day I committed to do a workout by running, it came to me as a mere non-sense thought.
Joining the race? No way! It first appeared to me as a regular exercise for health purpose. As a goal -setter in nature, however, I began seriously setting a goal for each drill and gradually raised the bar to the next level, each with a more challenging distance and time. I mostly trained at park and watched up all the records. One year passed. Two years, three, and more. Until I underwent a negative growth, and boring began to hit me.
More than 90% during the three-year times I made a drill at King Rama IX Park. I gradually reached higher level until I frequently achieved a distance of 42 kilometers with the accumulated distance somewhere over 3,000 kilometers. That’s the time when I said to myself, “Well, maybe I’m ready to see the outside world”.

This is what brought me to look for the first racing track. And my very first stage ended up with “Bangsaen Marathon.” An only a 42.195 kilometers distance, located not-so-distant from Bangkok, the overall expense was acceptable as well as other stuff in preparation. Personally speaking, people with disabilities have so many extra things to prepare far beyond the ordinary. This was also due to the limited infrastructure and facility design which yet were not truly accessible for all. Every point of my journey accessibilities in places, the restroom are all totally challenging.

Moreover, I was quite late for the registration, 3,000 Baht is no little money for local. Yet it worths it. This running event is an international reputation, and many hotels were fully packed at the time, to find the room was almost no way. I recognised afterwards that most other runners actually reserved a hotel long before the race lol. Eventually, with a great help from runner friends, I finally got a room, not so far from the premises.

Days before the event, I made one practice with a distance equivalent to the marathon. I felt my body was so firm and totally ready for the race. A day before the event, I received a Race Kit, so I took the chance to survey the whole track firsthand.

Personally, I didn’t want anything special. I just wanted to join the race, having fun as the others.

The night before the race, I got little nervous and can’t sleep at all. But that didn’t make much impact by the way. When the racing day finally arrived, I was quite surprised by the numerous runners before my eyes. They’re well prepared and disciplinary. The track was so wide making it easy to run.

At first I planned for negative split but once I saw the Race Map and EV gain, I thought it would be better to do a vice versa. So I ended up putting everything I had after the first kilometer. My average pace was somewhere around Pace 5-6.

One big trouble finally occurred on a poor road just before I approached a bridge. I believed the road used to be flooded, and its surface level was uneven. This made the overall road condition highly vulnerable for a wheelchair user. After I passed this challenging path,  then through the bridge everything was all right and smooth just to face with another challenge awaiting after 30 Kilometers, the hill zone with EV gain 100 that made my pace dropped to 6-7, and even bottomed at 10 during the most exhausted moment. I finally managed to get through and made about pace 5 at the end.

I accomplished the chip time at 04:06:18, ranking at 36th from the total of 716 / 50-54 age group runners.

Such totally enjoyed the race, fun and delightful. The audiences were too good in cheering up so loudly. The event wouldn’t be so much fun without their incredible spirit. Also, the finisher t-shirt was fit with a nice design with colors.

Only some activities where ‘everyone’ can join in the same competition heads to heads. One possibility is running. I always keep reminding everyone that I’m so proud and honourable to be part of that.

In this world, everyone is uniquely different. You may have something inferior than others. But trust me that’s not your entire of self. It’s just one of that. We always have something to offer. It’s just we have to look back to ourselves and think to see the problem and solve it. Don’t forget that any problems would eventually make you stronger. Running, too, isn’t just for health, I’m shouting loud to everyone – ‘WE ARE EQUAL!’.

I would like to thank Bangsaen Marathon for this fantastic international race, you’re professional. All required information were delivered to the runners ahead of time, thanks to those staffs and medics during the race who accompanied everyone along the whole time. BIG applause.

I also thank to K’Orr and K’Ann and many fellow friends at King Rama IX Park for for the last minute room selfless.

Thanks Ooy, a brilliant lovely & super strong lady for your cheer spirit. you were the one who convinced me to get the watch lol.

Thanks the Enjoy Image for all wonderful, yet free, images.

Thanks all fellow runners. You guys have my respect. See you next time. Until then… BESTRONG!