Sundown 2012- A blind mouse

Part of the race pack- Participant’s guide

Many people think that the 2012 Sundown Marathon has 2 categories- 21km (half), and 42km (full). Not surprising, as the name of the event is called Sundown Marathon 2012.

Of course BFF and I joined can’t never possibly join a half or a full marathon! Come on, let’s be real here people, we aren’t exactly the fit type. We joined the third, LESS muscle exerting category: the 10km! And thus, the title for this post is Sundown 2012, and not Sundown Marathon 2012. Then why ‘ a blind mouse’? Well, you have to read on. 😀

My last so-called 10km ‘race’ was about 7 months ago, where BFF and I took part in our very 1st run- The Nike Run. Check out my thoughts on that at  https://alldayeverydayness.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/striking-off-an-item-on-my-to-do-list-before-i-grow-old/

Being the 1st time taking part in a Sundown event, I thought the run would commence in the evening, and the participants wouldl run until the SUN goes DOWN- thus a SUNDOWN event right? Well, call me ignorant, but that’s how I interpreted it! How creative was I right? 😀

Most admin stuffs like registration, and checking out for updates when the event was nearing was entirely done by BFF. I’m the lazy kind who doesn’t like checking stuffs like that. Well, luckily I have her to do the ‘job’ for me! Hurray for that!<3

While many people trained hard or at least TRY to train for the ‘race’, BFF and I were, I like to believe, the slackest participants! We never really train for the event. For me, I would just jog once a week. And for BFF? Well, I think she will kill me if I would to tell you how she ‘trained’, so let’s just say we were pretty bad when it comes to training. ;D

The flag-off time for the 10km category was at 10.30pm on 26 May 2012. I’m not really comfortable jogging at night, especially if it’s an unfamiliar place. I don’t wear glasses when I jog, and I’m not comfortable having contact lenses on. So I pretty much a blind mouse when the sun goes down, and I’m not wearing my glasses.

From the time of flag-off, I was a semi-blind jogger, jogging in the city- on the roads of Singapore! Oh boy, how dangerous!

I could barely see what was ahead of me, when there were’t street lights. And even with street lights, I totally missed 7 of the signboards telling me how many kilometers me had run!

Not knowing the distance I had covered, whenever I felt like giving up and slowing down, I would always assumed that I was completing soon. And of course, my hopes collapsed after jogging an extra 5-10 more torturous minutes!

The only 2 signboards which I saw indicting the distance one has covered was the ‘8km’ and ‘9km’. I felt like I nearly died when I first saw the ‘8km’ signboard. My legs were killing me, especially the muscle on my left foot, and I still had 2km more!

Seriously, I had no idea how I even managed to complete this event. But I’m glad I did! I mean, those who completed get a medal! My very first outside-school-medal! Nice! 😀

And sharing the experience with BFF is one thing that will always be cherished!

My 1st finisher Medal!

My Run Score! Was slower as compared to my previous Nike Run.

Getting ready to board the shuttle service back home. It’s probably 40 minutes pass midnight!

Group Shot!

Striking off an item on My ‘To-Do-List-Before-I-Grow-Old’

I am sure many of us have a list of totally crazy things we would so love to try out before- well…we grow old and have a weak heart. Then all those crazy things would seem to be too detrimental to our poor heart.

I so happen to have that very list! There are a million and one things I so want to do. Bungee Jumping, riding on the craziest roller coaster of all time- so mad dangerous that I believe I would actually puke DURING the ride, sky diving, scuba diving, climbing Mt.Everst- Yeah, I know right?!?, go to one of my favorite band’s/singer’s concert to experience the moment, to ride on a horse on a green pasture, and the list of items goes on.

Joining a race definitely was something on my list- BUT not anymore! 😀 BFF randomly mentioned on Facebook about joining the Nike- We Run SG 10Km. Being a person who does things before thinking, I agreed, and there I was- registered for the 10km run!

At the race site

I had never in my entire life ran 10km. Hell, with 2.4km, I already had hard time to overcome it. I remember in high school, the running component of the NAFA test was always a disaster, and a big hurdle- always got a grade C (and a grade C is after multiple trys- just imagine how lousy a runner I was).

The ironic thing is that BFF and I never once trained together for this event- due to school and other commitments. We usually did our own training. Well, I wouldn’t call that training because prior to the race, we both had never ran 10km before. My longest prior to the run was about 7.2km plus- and that was just it. I am so amazed that I could actually complete 10km. I mean, I wasn’t rooting to be one of the best runners with wonderful timing. All I wanted was to COMPLETE. Just completing the event was already a HUGE accomplishment.

To avid runners out there, my timing to you may not be good- Hell, it may be lousy. BUT who cares, I am still proud to announce it. Yeah, I clocked in 1h 14.5mins for a distance of 10km. *Embracing the Proud Moment*

My Run Score

A friend of mine who is an avid runner- taking part in many such runs, told me to enjoy my first run. She is so right. We want to first of everything to be memorable. The first day in school, the first steps, the first words, etc. All these first moments are precious to us.

On 9 October 2011, it marks my day- my first moment that I’m actually proud of. I finally realized that the joy comes about no when you have outdone others, but when you have outdone yourselves. Compete against yourselves and not others- only then can the true sense of satisfaction be felt.

Of once, I actually felt proud of myself. It is so much better than getting an A in a test or exam (not that getting an A is not good, but the sense of accomplishment is just not there).

I cannot believe joining such runs can give me such an enlightenment.

Another thing that I realized is that when you know someone for so long. You learnt to accept him/her for who they are. Bad, irritating habits are the things you embrace. Sure, I will not deny I will be piss initially when their irritating habits arise, but at the end of the day, I would say,’ Why doesn’t this surprise me?’

On the day of the event, BFF and I were arranged to meet at 5.50am. I woke up at 5.20am,giving her a morning call to make sure she was also awake. Several calls made to no vial. 5.30, 5.40,soon 5.50am- No answer to her cellphone. Her house phone was engaged too! What to do? What to do?  I knew she was still asleep. The race commence at 7.15am, at a place in the East. We were going to be late.

And, no doubt I was pissed. I woke up so early only to find out that she overslept and we were going to be late! Then soon it was 6am. I wasn’t that pissed anymore. I resigned to fate. ‘Guess this run wasn’t meant to be, why wasn’t I surprised?’

I went to turn on my computer to start on my college assignment. 10 minutes later, she phoned. Of course, my voice sounded hostile. But in the end we managed to arrive on time. We managed to snake through from the back to close to the starting line.

From this incident, I can only conclude one thing: I am still able to talk to her because she is my friend like forever. Sure she is usually late. Sure she cancels appointment at the last minute. Sure she is always hard to reach at the time I am looking for her urgently. But at the end of the day, she is my BFF. Isn’t this what BFFs do? Embracing and just dealing with the flaws- though they just so piss you off.

I meant if she was a person whom I am not close to, oh boy, I might just hate that person so much.

This event is so meaningful to me. I have found my first proudest moment, and a reminder that she will always be my BFF.

And finally, I can strike off one item on my To-Do list now! 😀

Next up, bungee jumping/sky diving in Australia?!?

At the Finish Line

After our 10km run

Upon completion, we got a Nike Thumbdrive, 1 can of 100Plus, 1 bottle of water, and a banana

And Yes, we completed

A 2GB thumbdrive given upon completion

Snap at the free photo booth- the Q was pretty long though. But all so worth it, considering it was out (BFF and mine) very 1st official memo ❤