After running for 5 years, I finally completed a Full Marathon in Perlis Marathon. I signed up for Full Marathon after several "encouragement" from the running peers and thought I should had more time to train now after I didn't engage with a full time job for now.
However, my running mood was very down that I practically stop running except for weekend 10km run for the last few weeks before the FM...
Since this is my 1st FM, my aim is just to experience the long distant and complete the race before the cut-off time. So, I started the run with "slow" pace of around 8min/km. To avoid muscle cramp, which I heard often from other running friends, I took 100+ in every water stations. Everything progress as plan. When I reached 22km check marker, I was very happy because that was the longest distant that I had ever run. I felt excited to start a new journey. My goal after this point is just to run as far as I could and start my run-walk plan!
Very soon at 25km, I started to experience pain at the ball of my foot. I carried on for awhile (a few tens of meters) and I just decided to walk. From my calculation, if I started the walk at this point, I still would be able to complete before the cut-off time. I just counting down the remaining distance for the completion...
A few kilometer later, the pain propagated to the heel of my foot even thou I was just walking. Very soon, I started to feel the pain coming from my thigh muscles of my left leg. I had to keep walking with fast pace (~10min/km) in order to finish the Full Marathon distant before the cut-off time. Thus, I just keep the fast walking pace with pain as I believe the permanent injury due to fast walk is not high. Later part of the walking, the pain propagate to side of my foot and then top of my foot.
At around 30 km of the race, I also felt strain in my abdomen muscles. I tried to jog slowly, but my pain in my foot was very intense. I thought to myself that I just have to walk to avoid further injury.
At 40 km, I was thinking to complete the race with 2km jog but then I was just couldn't, the pain at my foot was so intolerable. Anyhow, I force myself to jog the last 500 m just to look nice at the finish line!
Luckily, with the help of energy gel, I didn't feel that so called "hit-the-wall" symptom. But really feel like to give up especially the last few kilometers!
Beside completing my first full marathon, I also logged the longest weekly distance of all time at 48.8 km!
Overall, I am very happy with the run although I feel terrible. I managed to know my weakness to work on for the next Full Marathon. I think I would not join another Full Marathon without a proper preparation.
I need to work on the core and a longer distant run during training.
