Anyways, I can't remember how did I stumble upon Melbourne Marathon 3 years ago. Well, let's be honest, I'm not THAT good with my running skills so I will not sign up for full marathon sponsored by Medibank Health Solutions anytime soon or even in the remaining life I have. I can't do half marathon sponsored by Flight Centre either mainly because you need extensive training for that and I didn't have much time to train. 10 km which is sponsored by Coffee Club is also too much for me. Geez, 5 km is better than 3 km walk ok! and that's how I decided to sign up for 5 km run in 2011. It was also a test to my fitness level. I started training twice a week for 2 months in order to get my body (legs muscle) to get ready for the hit. I did one in the evening after work and one in the morning along the beach in st kilda. The view when you run along the beach is priceless!
This is what I'm talking about
Ok, this one is abit of a photoshop. I took this during a very gloomy day but it looks like a painting!
Ok, this one is more like it.
I like to run along st kilda beach because it is not only beautiful but very close to the city too hence it is so easily accessible. You see many people bringing their dogs for a walk and running with their babies in prams.
Even with those 2 months training, I completed my first run ever with massive effort and I literally felt like I was out of breath!
Second year I joined in 2012, they increased the course to 5.7 km sponsored by ASICS. They also moved the finishing line inside Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Although the course is longer, however the satisfaction of finishing inside MCG was pretty rewarding as the supporters cheered on you from the seats. I hadn't joined the gym as well when I signed up for 5.7 km run in 2012.
After my second year of running, I started experiencing knee cap issue and I went to see my physiotherapist many times to fix it. He just shook his head from side to side when I told him I joined the 5.7 km. Let's wind back a few years... I had car accident in the past and since then my knee hasn't been the same. I haven't visited a doctor to get a scan done on my knee partly because I don't think it is a big issue yet but I believe it will be in the future (NOT TO BE TRIED OUTSIDE). Trust me, when it comes to your body, you should always visit a physician as soon as you start experiencing some problems.
My physiotherapist said not to do it again as the harsh impact of the ground is bad for my knee and he said I should start doing some exercise to strengthen my core muscles. I agreed and that's when I decided to join Fitness First. It's been almost a year now since I started and I've been doing body attack, body combat and body jam classes. Occasionally I do do body balance as well just to break off the routine. Honestly, since I joined the gym, I have more knee issues, partly due to my incorrect knee bending posture as my knee tends to bend inwards as opposed to outwards. My physio did some tests and he said my hips strength is really weak and I need to work on that to avoid using lower legs muscles too much which could further damage my cartilage. Since then, I've been cutting down from 3 days of exercise to 2 days a week to avoid doing further damage to my knee.
Little did my physio know that I signed up for my third year of 5.7 km run! If he knew, he would probably not see me anymore. Sorry Andrew!
This year, I only trained once a week for a month and a half before the day as I am going to the gym one day a week as well on top of my once a week training. I still need to be careful with my knee to avoid using a wheelchair prematurely! I found that my fitness level has improved a lot compared to 3 years ago even with my bad knee. Strange thing is, my knee doesn't hurt when I walk or run, only when I bend down or walk down the stairs.
For the past 2 years, the weather on the Marathon festival has always been good and mostly sunny. Last year, it drizzled alittle bit in the morning but it settled down before we started running and it became sunny during the course BUT this year a.k.a today, the weather has never been nastier! It was pouring rain in the morning and if it wasn't for my wind breaker, I would be so drenched in the rain!
Unfortunately, due to the flood, part of the route was not accessible and the management decided to cut the course to 3km run instead. It was a mixed response from a lot of participants as it was quite disappointing for people who come very prepared and eager but for some people who doubt themselves, it was a relief. Me, I had mixed feelings of whether I should be overjoyed or disappointed. I should be overjoyed because I get to go harder in a shorter distance or I should be disappointed because this could be my last year running. I need to accept the fact that my knee may continue to trouble me in the future and I need to get it examined soon.
I am proud to say that as an amateur runner, my finishing position was 1812 among 6800++ participants for 3 km course and I finished it in 19 minutes and 32 seconds. The amazing winner of Melbourne full 42 km Marathon finished the run in 2 hours and 10 minutes! Man, that fellow doesn't need a car!
Starting line of the race. All these people were drenched including me!
The finish line. By this time, I was running out of breath already!
After I found my friend who joined the run with me.
Left to right, 2011 5 km run, 2012 5.7 km run and 2013, supposedly 5.7 km cut to 3km course.
Overall, I am very proud of myself to have been a apart of this major event in the past 3 years.
Melbourne marathon is supporting Celebral Palsy Education Centre which provides physical, occupational and speech therapy for their students who suffer from physical disability from a very young age. Every year, Melbourne Marathon Festival supports different charity organisations and when you sign up for the run, there is an option to give extra donation for your preferred charity organisation.
You can sign up in groups as well and represent your companies or non-for-profit organisations or even your own countries if you fly from overseas just to join the festival which I am not surprised, a lot of people do.
For more information for next year's festival, you can click here to find out more.
Gonna end this post with a photo of me (yes, narcist) from a wedding I attended last night
Well, those tissues at the background is very annoying but I was in a rush, couldn't retake the photo :(
P.S: Hope everyone had a great weekend! <3 p="">
