Finished the HM in 1:32:xx.... slightly disappointing....My 'cool weather' HM is 1:27 and I was hoping to get 1:29-1:31 in Singapore, taking into account the temperature differential. At the end, it wasn't the temperature that was the main problem, but it was the 'traffic congestion' that slowed me down.
The event was just too big - 40,000 runners participating in the 42k, 21k, and 10k. The marathoners started at 5:30 while the half-marathoners started at 6:15.
Was doing Ok for the first 6k, averaging 4:18 min/km. After that, I started to catch the slow runners and walkers (5-7 hours marathoners) and had to zig-zag my way through for the next 10k. During this segment, my pace slowed down to 4:28 min/km - a lost of almost 2 minutes. I couldn't count how many times I got bumped left and right because I was trying to navigate my way through.
After 16k, we had a turnaround point and it was free traffic from there. My pace improved to 4:16 min/km for the last 5.1k . However, I couldn' run any faster as my hip began to get very tight and the mercury began to heat up.
Garmin GPS measured total distance as 21.74 km (av. 4:16 pace). I think the zig-zaging during km 7-16 led to the extra distance.
I think the organizers should design a different route for HM-ers in order to prevent 'bottlenecking'. Also, slow runners should learn race etiquette by keeping left at all times. Met the 11th place finisher from Australia at the finish. He has a PB of 1:13 and finished the HM in 1:24. He was very disappointed with the organization and lack of discipline/knowledge of slow runners.
Otherwise, a good flat course and nice weather for Singapore standard.Well done to all !
Position: 28 out of 7402 overall, 5 out of 871 in Male 35-39
5 comments:
I think that's a great effort, especially considering the congestion, something we're not really used to over in Perth other than CS2. Sounds as though a 1.30 would have been on the cards.
Once again,well done
wow... 28/7402! impressive indeed. I don't understand the rationale with the staggered start. they should either start you all together, or start the HMers at the halfway point. The way the organizers did it is the worst of both worlds.
Also, if I had a dollar for everytime someone said their Garmin measured the course long, I'd be rich. The Garmin isn't accurate; it wasn't your zigzagging. It's a nice training tool, but it seems to really throw people off during races. You could try racing with just a stopwatch or a heart rate monitor
1:32 for HM is disappointing?? well done. I'm working in Bintan.
Great run sling. Give it a bit of time lah, the runners and organisers here still a bit naive, certainly not at the level of sophistication as Oz yet. Keep up your feedback and if there is one thing about SG is that we get up on the curve quickly.
Well done! Reminds me of the congestion early in the Melbourne Marathon, but sounds like it was about 4 times as many people.
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