I’ve been running the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) for three years. Each time running SCSM, I understand this slogan more.

Due to this year work/study/travel, my training for this year SCSM was barely enough. Starting only 8 weeks before the race, on average 20KM/week, peaked 45KM/week. As a result, my strategy was to run at 4:00 pace until 25KM and decide to maintain the pace or slow down for a safer speed. I was also monitoring my heart rate from the start. By the time I reached 25KM, I was still running @ 11Km/h. But my heart rate monitor reading showed that my heart rate over 90% of the max. If continued running at this speed, there is a risk I may cramp or exhaust before reaching the ending point. However tempted by sub 4 result, I tried to maintain the speed till around 28KM and decided to let it be and enjoy my race.

For the rest distance, I used it as an examining of my hydration/dehydration process. At 35KM point, I stopped by the road to help stretch runner who had cramp. Accelerated again at 40 KM, I finally reached the end point as fast/slow as my maiden marathon in 2006 and much slower than last year. This was also my first full marathon without cramp.

After the race and the massage, met with a few friends from SGrunners for group photo and joined other friends for lunch. When finally retured home and had a rest, I heard the shocking news one of my fellow runners, who runs regularly and  participated the half marathon, collapsed at 18KM and was sent to hospital by ambulance. Luckily, not too serious after receiving treatment. This is the first time such accident happens to someone close to me. Following last year’s fatal accident in SBR2007, I always tell all friends training with me to run safe and train enough before race. For people like us, who has no chance (or a chance smaller than winning a Toto) winning a top place in such running events, finishing safe is always the first priority. "Impossible is nothing" "Just do it", dun be fooled by such slogans. One thing you must keep in mind: the cost for breaking the limit might be your own life and happiness to your entire family and circle. "Run Your Own Race", there is nothing more precise than this.

TIME: 4h:25m:14s (gun) / 4h:24m:40s (net)

Result in Gender (Male) – 988th place, 9552 finishers behind. About 9% of finishers ahead

Standard Charted Singapore Marathon 2008 (Dec 7th)
R u ready?
如果你打算参加两周后的SCSM2008或者希望开始跑步健身
本周末Sports@NLone将再次举办跑聚，欢迎新老朋友
时间：11月30日 周日 下午5点30分 (视天气情况)
地点：NTU SRC
Dress code:运动装/运动鞋/最好是跑鞋
跑步入门知识分享交流，装备选择，训练注意事项
长跑比赛技巧、注意事项
(典型问题: 两周后比赛，我还没怎么开始训练怎么办?^_^
热身后，训练路线先后为
1.SRC跑道跑圈热身 400M * 10圈
2.绕NTU一圈(6KM)

1.适合入门
1+2.适合准备下月SCSM比赛
可选参加1，2，两项我都将负责领跑，同时保证每个人都能跟上。
因周末无locker可用，建议不要带贵重物品
(在NTU跑一般只随身带门卡和手机，包就放运动场旁)

SBR = Singapore Bay Run (formerly known as Sheares Bridge Run)

The biggest run in Singapore in terms of number of participants. In fact, I found it took too more participants than it can handle… The result, if you didn’t join the start fast enough, you will find a huge difference between your gun time and net time….

My race day experience started with mystery. My runner friends and I queued for toilets 30mins before the run. When there’s four people ahead of us, the queue stopped. Both toilets (a queue for two toilets, and there were more than 20 mobile toilets.) side by side were locked. The mystery thing is no one since then came out of the two toilets. The guy in front of us knocked both doors and shoot. No one answered. We quit the queue and queued for another one. I called up two army staffs to check the two toilets. Didn’t know what happen thereafter.By the time I reached the starting ppl, it’s 2 mins before the start.My race starded with a huge crowd…For the first 10KM, was impossible to enjoy my own pace. My first 21KM ended with a poor timing. But luckily still not too late to catch the 6km fun run. The next 6KM was very enjoyable, and memorable, with my dear running beside me.
My SBR2008 ended with us holding hands together running through the finishing line: )

书接前文。大概老天爷感觉上集不够震撼，很快给安排了续集。。人生如戏，story writer是上帝，我们是screenplay，争取能让生命更精采。

周日下午我再次组织北纬Sports版跑聚。因为准备24号的SBR我提前绕NTU跑了2圈，快5点半在SRC和其他几人汇合。我简单brief了一下跑步训练的注意事项，热身后开始绕NTU。考虑到顺时针跑回在Hall 7 至 SBS 段连续两个上坡，我领大家逆时针从SRC出发。事后证明这还是很明智的。

待我们跑到S2 179车站一路下坡，震撼的一幕上演了，一名骑山地车正在爬坡的男子直绷绷的摔在路中间，后脑着地。此时他老婆还有旁边一名骑车的外教也停下来。我立刻加速跑过去，恰巧这时旁边一辆出租路过。男子的老婆当时就不知所措了，只是一边拍打一边说“你一定要出来，我才和你出来的”。我立刻拨打了999，打了一半意识到打错了，幸好旁边还有人打了急救995。接下来从手机里翻出急救手册，按照上面的步骤和外教把该男子体位摆好，解开裤带，检查口腔内是否有东西，检查是否有流血。外教在周围人帮助下作了几下人工呼吸，我们帮忙压胸腔。接下来我继续察看急救手册，在周围人帮助下，将其上臂朝上弯曲成90度，意识到这时能做的只能是等救护车。

大概2分钟，该男子眼睛开始有转动，呼吸也强些。周围人也都小舒一口气，至少希望还在。大约10分钟，救护车到达，该男子妻子说他丈夫有心脏病，出门前刚吃了药。急救人员立刻先做了个现场心电图，然后在我们帮忙下用担架把人抬上救护车送往医院。情况貌似还是比较严重，急救人员对他老婆说:" He’s unresponsive. We are taking him to the nearest hospital NUH." 随后我们将自行车交给他们的子女，祝福并身心俱疲的回了家。

续集的故事告诉我们：

珍惜生命。趁健康，多运动，尤其有氧运动，增强心肺功能，减小意外发生可能。

运动时，要量力而行。Listen to your body (跟着感觉走)。减少意外发生可能，并不能杜绝，超越自己极限就有可能就会发生悲剧。包括长跑在内的大部分运动比赛项目Terms & conditions里都有伤亡自负的条款。千万别被各种运动品牌广告冲昏了头脑，听起来超有感觉，但后半句你肯定听不到。Just do it (on your own risk); Impossible is nothing (if dead, everything to you is nothing)。

如果自己本身健康状况就不好，运动时更要十分注意，做好各种准备。

外出锻炼，尤其比较剧烈的运动，最好有朋友同行，互相有个照应。(如果不是周围热心人多，真不知会发生什么，男子的妻子当时就不知所措，只是边哭边喊，无任何急救措施也未拨打急救电话。。)