100K Run At King Rama IX Park 100 (Run For My BD 13 Feb 2022)

This is my first 100K training run. Usually, if I have the time, I tend to practice as close to the target distance as possible in the days leading up to a long run. I gradually increase the distances, such as 11K, 22K, 33K, 44K, and most recently, the previous long run was 66K. I plan meticulously until my body tells me it’s ready.

King Rama IX Park is the field and track I use the most for training, especially for long-distance runs. It’s flat (which is an advantage – easier, but also a disadvantage – no hills, so I compensate with hill training). In my four years of marathon running, I’ve only accumulated a little over 5,000 kilometers in total.

A day before, I prepare my nutrition, hydration, and body readiness. I’ve learned several things from this run:

1. Sun Exposure:
I learned to deal with the sun. I had just sunglasses and running gear as usual, and the weather forecast one day before said ‘partly cloudy.’ It turned out to be quite sunny, which helped block the sun for a while, but it was still scorching. It was 36°C around noon, and I got sunburned by 20% afterward. For next time, I’ll have sunblock gear.

2. Nutrition Testing:
In the morning, I had a light breakfast and passed the first marathon distance quite comfortably. However, I struggled during the afternoon portion. I had to buy roasted chicken and fruit smoothies at a mall, gradually refilling myself with water and electrolytes, bananas, and fruits until the lunch. It was an essential lesson in managing energy during a run.

3. Running Strategy:
I started running slowly because it was a long distance and I needed to conserve energy. However, if you look at the laps, I started at the same pace as my usual marathon training, which made me enjoy the run a bit too much and resulted in hitting a “wall.” In this wall, I learned about depleting my energy and how it feels. It was a tough but essential lesson that I had to learn through experience.

4. Running Time:
I only recorded running time, excluding the breaks : toilet, lunch, and others. I started running at 7:20am, finished the first 70K by midnight – the park was closed. I continued on the road outside the park, finishing around 4am. Next time, I plan to start earlier.

5. A New Watch:
My old watch’s battery couldn’t last, so I had to buy a Garmin Fenix 6X Solar to track the run accurately, reporting distance, heart rate, and pace for every kilometer. It worked great, and the battery still had 74% left.

6. Post-Run Condition:
Exhausted but felt that I did well. It wasn’t much different from my previous long runs. I believe it’s because of the endurance I’ve built through consistent training. I enjoyed the post-run fatigue. I crawled into bed around 3am and fell asleep immediately, waking up late the next day. After that, I started running comfortably again.

A 100K run makes you connect with nature and with yourself, and you have to learn a lot on your own. The data I’ve gathered will be very useful for my future runs.
It was a SUPER FUN experience!