2016 Standard Chartered Hongkong Marathon: a race recap

Marathon ten weeks apart is something I would not dare myself doing
But my friend Annie was so persistent that I signed up the moment the registration opened last October.

Everything was squeezed in a very limited time…

the very little mileage after my November 1 New York marathon , the need to rest…...
... only started a few runs last December. …the cold December weather

Before I knew it...it was taper time. Felt like a student cramming for the exam!
My longest run was 30 k and I was hoping that the previous training would help carry me to the finish line.

My daughter was my travel er  shopping companion.

It was so rainy when we arrived last friday. Went straight to get my racekit at Victoria Park. No long lines though.

Met my best friend Annie and husband Raymund  the following day.

Caught up with stories better shared together than on phone. Tried my best not to shop around since marathon would be the following day.

However we looked for some raincoats to wear since the weather forecast said it would rain hard the following day.

At 6:45 AM I was standing among the thousands of marathon fanatics that braved the hard rainy weather. It was gun start and the rain got heavy. It was my first time to ran on raincoats n race caps.

Annie and I were together for the first 6 kilometers. We took pictures of the Tsing Ma bridge while we were dripping wet.

I ran on my own pace afterwards.
Battling a rainy condition was a real challenge for any runner. Sometimes I would take off my raincoat because it was suffocatingly hot especially at the first two tunnels and I was so careful not to slip on the wet and slippery roads.

Their water stations were ample. I like the palm size Watsons sports drink ready to sip which was refreshing.

It is true that the length of inclines on the bridges and tunnels were so long and  challenging. Most of the routes were at the highways so it was boring.  I felt bad that I didnt bring my headphones to ease the pain and silence along the way. It was raining during the first four hours of my run.


At km 32 I met  Raymond with daughter

Nicole and my daughter Nica . I changed my shoes as it was so wet. It felt good to ran on dry socks and shoes.

What I was worried throughout the run were the checkpoints almost every 8 kms. . I busied myself checking my garmin if I will pass in the designated time of the checkpoints.

At km 34  passing the third tunnel going to hongkong side I knew I nailed it. Though my feet were tired n wobbly I knew I can finish the marathon.

At the last checkpoint at 40.3 km I was 12 minutes ahead.
 The crowd at the Causewaybay helped me make it through the last kilometer.
I smiled at the photographers and waved at the spectators.

It was a refreshing sight to see the finish line. Got teary eyed because of this rare feat.
I was ecstatic to pass the blue carpet of the finish line at Victoria Park.
Not my best PR but truly an accomplishment because this was a back to back marathon.

I conquered HK Marathon!

A must-do to any runner!