Successfully completed the AHM today. Timing was about 1:35:30 which leaves me not suprised but not satisfied either. Considering I ran according to race plan and near maximum effort and comparing it with last year's struggle for 1:37, the improvement is marginal. So much for being better prepared? But it did feel more manageable on the body.

My team cheated once again to get ideal positions at the front of the crowd. We basically cut in at the last minute right in front where the seeded runners were, before the non-seeded were released foward. I could sense the aggression right from the start, with the gurkhas literallt trying to squeeze their way past us to the front. I sensed some danger in the crowded and packed conditions, and true enough one the gun went somebody tripped and fell in front of me. I was lucky to have slowed down in time. I saw another runner immediately squat IN THE CENTRE of the mass chaos to tie his shoe.... NOT WISE.... but anyway I ran ahead at my own steady pace. The guys in front were 'crazy' as usual, literally running away from me as though I was standing still. I checked my watch at the first k mark and saw 4:20, which was a good steady pace. I was secretly hoping to keep that, as it would translate to about 1:31 pace and I knew my second half would be faster. Saw this triathlete Jeannette Wang pass me and disappear off the front... I thought she would die out later but the strange thing was I never saw her again.... Shit, this shouldn't be happening. And my 4:20 pace quickly withered after a mere 3km, I realised that I would soon be fighting just to run a decent time faster than last years 1:37...

Along the way as I progressed up the Sheares bridge, I was just constantly being passed by a few runners all the time. Sometimes, a wave of runners would pass me. I found my running pace slightly irregular as I tended to slow down too much at times. I guess I was a little too relaxed. By the time I finally reached the 12.5 km turning point, I realised I was way off the 1:30 pace... Now it really was a matter of fighting to beat last year's timing. Sheesh. Earlier on another runner form the team passed me and was cheering me on to keep his pace, but I tried for a few seconds and replied that I'll make my move at the 12.5km mark... Well, I was there at 12.5 km and I just obtained some powergels as planned.... but.... there was no water!!! Argh, I was thinking of refueling before starting my charge, but it was now going to be problematic. After another 1km of deliberation and no water point in sight, I started my increased pace run and I just took the powergel anyway.

From then on it was basically just over taking runners all the way, which was good for the morale. But the question was whether it was enough.... Well, turns out that it wasn't enough to translate to a good timing, but I couldn't have done it better either even if I increased my pace earlier as I was kinda struggling the last 1km. And for the entire duration of my surge, there was this other runner drafting me all the way, but I didn't really mind. He passed me at 1km to go but I over took him with like 100m and he thanked me for that session of pace setting.

I didn't stay around long enough to find out the immediate results but heard that the team didn't even make top 4. Well, that can't be helped given the amount of dedication we put into our training.

As my girls, it seems like they had a positive experience and enjoyed the run. Glad that immediate assesment did not show any injuries... Hope it stays that way over the next couple of days. My legs too were initially a little tight / twitchy here and there but that disappeared once I upped my pace.

I feel a slight adversion when I realise I will experience even more pain for an even longer duration the next sunday.... Ho ho ho. I think things are going to be much slower than I wish. Which translates to longer pain...