35 minutes of pain

I ran my first ever "road race" today - the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge.

It was a dreary day, storming for hours just before the race, letting up for only less than an hour before it started drizzling again at the startline. It was so crowded by the time CY and I reached the venue (just in front of the Esplanade), we only managed to jostle for a place around 80m from the actual start. Nevermind... I was thinking... me = social runner, no need to fight with the Gurkhas (these speed devils run the race in under 20mins! yikes!).. Heh.

Check out the hordes!

It was terribly hot and humid standing amidst 11,000 people. Was glad to go at the sound of the horn. But I found the hardest part of the race finding a clear route to run. It was tricky manouvreing between so many bodies and there were lotsa tall, huge people around me. So intimidating. Got nudged by sweaty bodies too.. yech.. then again, I was just as sweaty and sticky. =X

Anyways, the route took us past the Esplanade, down Republic Avenue, looping around and along the river, then back to the Padang - a total of 5.6km. The first 2 km went by quickly, but from 2 to 4, it was total agony. I slowed to a walk several times <----- so weak of mind!.. very disgusted with meself. sigh... Then I saw the 5km marker and thought.. hey, cannot be so loser lah, better run the last 600m properly! Picked up the pace a little, couldn't wait to get it over and done with, and just managed to slip under the finish line at a pathetic 35:50mins. *phew* The Padang was used as the reception area - free drinks, bananas, giant T-shirts. The field was really muddy from a whole afternoon of rain and all the gook went into my shoes through the air vents on the sides. Very gross. Squelched my way back to the office.

Dirty Shoos... Most of the mud can't be seen cos it all seeped into the shoe through the numerous ventilation slits!!! urgh...

My race tag

It was pretty fun (tho rather masochistic, huh?), and I think I'll do it again next year. :) But right now, I'm tired, my knees hurt a little and my muscles are fatigued and sore.

Need. To. Sleep.