OH HI THERE!
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| #SweetTwentyOne |
First of all, I'm so so so sorry for not being active updating this shabby blog for quite some time... Blame it on my lazy+senduness... It's already almost mid year already... So here we go, better late than never yeah!
- I would like to share with all of you on my
latest run yesterday... I am so looking forward to join 9th Hat Yai
International Marathon 2015 because I had so much fun running here last year.
Plus it was my third edition running a FM here... Actually I loved coming here
year after year for its authentic Thai cuisine... It's really to die for...
Makanthon was my no.1 priority, marathon would be No.2 then... Hewhew...
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| Me & My Roomie |
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At first I planned to go to Hatyai all by
myself. Just like last year. However Omar Khaliff asked me to buy bus tickets
for him too. So now I had a travel partner... We took the 10pm bus from
Puduraya and reached Hatyai around 9am. The immigration was snail slow yada
yada... Hmmm
- Once we reached Hatyai, we decided to have a Thai breakfast before we went to check in the hotel. Paprik Rice for me, roti canai for him... Ngeee...
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Since Green View Hotel was fully booked, I
booked Golden Crown Hotel... From the map, it was thesecond nearest hotel to the starting venue... It took us 20 minutes of fast walk to the stadium. For a 1140 Baht a night, the room was a bargain!
It was spacious and super comfy esp for families with children.. There was even a bath tub and a shower room in the toilet.... It was huge!
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After resting for a while (feeling2 jet lag), we went to collect
our racekits at Jiranakorn Stadium. The registration and racekit collection were smooth like a breeze... They even offered free condomds for the runners... I/m pretty sure that's for another type of marathon here in Hat Yai... Safety first eh! =P
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| Free rubber for all ehh... =P |
- I pitied those who came late for the registration for this year.
After 5.45 pm they were running out of running tees already. That's why they gave 100
Baht discounts for the late birds. I'm pretty sure the organizer didnt expect
the surge number of runners for this year... Plus the design for this year was
even prettier and funkier than last year... 😍
i mean, who cant resist such fancy colours, right?
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| Colourful buffs... 100 Baht each, Arm Sleeves 300 Bath per pair |
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Since I was still not feeling well due to fever
and sore throat, I decided to go back to the hotel and had a quick nap before
coming back to the stadium for the free pre race dinner. All FM participants
were given a coupon each for the free makan2... It was delicious!
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| Ms Thida Sonjaroen in the houz! |
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| Delicious carboloading! |
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Met Princess Thida Sonjaroen at the venue and could not resist
to take pic with her... She's forever gorgeous in her stunning red dress. Just
like a Pop Star in Thailand Marathons, I tell you... Everybody just loves her
presence and would take pictures together... She smiled all the time at the venue...
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We were served fishballs in yellow coconut gravy
(gulai ala Thai) and herbal eggs (looks like a telur Pindang to me). The dish
was simple yet deliciously filling. After that we went back to the hotel and dozed
off as early as 9pm coz we need to be at the stadium b4 3.30am... I couldnt
sleep at first but somehow I feel asleep circa 10pm perhaps...
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Woke up lazily at 2.11 am... Dun feel like
waking up at all at first... Prepped myself up, by 3am off we go to the stadium
by taking the tuktuk... Too late to walk all the way there for warming up...
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By 3.30am all the FM runners were flagged off...
No fancy marching band this year... As usual I started my lazy run from the back
pack...
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I was greeted by Hisyam Talib around 2KM and he just
followed my leisure pace. I could not run
any faster bcoz lack of training mileage and my weight issues huhu...Therefore I took it really really easy pace =D
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| The most anticipated red syrup! |
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The same route like last year... Plenty of
drinking water and electrolites at every WS... Some even had iced cold water
even though still in the early morning. I felt like there were more WS this year
compared to last year, at every 2.5km I think...
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| Lemang Siam anyone? |
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Felt like forever to reach the most anticipating
U-turn at KM 24.2. Met some familiar faces along the highway and exchanged some high
fives too... Saw Ijoy, Hamid, Azlan Aiman, Izuan, Zul, Amri and my roomie Omar...
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We were the last persons to reach the U-turn...
So we decided to take it easy peasy... Had some
lovely conservations on running events
as we walked jogged walked the remaining 18KM.
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Fortunately the weather was nicer this year than
in 2014. Didn't feel like toasted as I ran along the shadeless highway towards
Central Masjid of Songkhla... I've had experienced more unbearable heat in R68 and TNF Thai...
Nothing could top that so far...=D
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Around KM30 the ambulance started to escort us
the last two runners that were still braving the heat and dusty highways... I felt a bit
of pressure to maintain my pace while being escorted by an ambulance... Felt
safer too although I felt like walking all the way... My right quad started to
cramp while blisters were everywhere on both of my feet! Thanks to the new
nasty Injinji Socks... Oh well... (Sapa suruh pakai stoking baru on a race day.... Piak #forehead slap)
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It's all about mental running on a neverending
road... Luckily Hisyam was pacing me all the way.... The final 4km felt like another 10km to reach the Finishing Line. It
was already 6hrs. The sun was blazing mercilessly... 35 o C at that moment.
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Finally we reached back at Jiranakorn Stadium in
7h28min. I think this was my longest marathon timing. Screw the timing,
finishing the run in one piece is more important... Thankfully I didn't had any severe chaffings. Only blisters on both of my feet. Still bearable though...
- Thank you once again to my accidental pacer, Hisyam for being there pacing me towards the end... Didn't feel like taking pics along the way... Just want to get it done asap (memang banyak makan asap too). Thanks to roomie Omar Khaliff for taking our pics at the Finishing Arch... Dah takde orang lain weh... Only the forever patient volunteers waiting for us and giving out our finisher medals, tees and fragrant certs. You guys were awesome!
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| Jalan Jalan Cari Makan Hat Yai 2015! |
- After the event, we took a tuktuk back to the hotel, relaxed a bit, soaked the poor feet in a cold water in the bath tub and off we go for a self rewarding lunch... Once again, we went to Kai Tod Daycha for a quick lunch. Met Bard, Zul, Izuan and the gang at the resto. Bumped into Ijoy and Wani as well... Luckily we could extend the room until 4pm for 400 Baht. Oklah tuh... Just enough time for us to relax and pack out stuffs before heading to the Bazaar and to the bus station.
By 7pm, we were ready to go home sweet home by bus. It was such a great experience. I really love running here. The event was simple but they provided plenty of cold drinks, isotonics, delicious lip smacking syrup, slices of watermelon and banana to all the runners, even for late slow runners like us! At every WS too... U won't be disappointed running here, I assure you...
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| Kita LIKE Dulu! |
So looking for coming back there for the 10th Edition... Hopefully it will be more grandeur and lovely colourful running tee designs and finisher medals too... Till then...
- Vibrant, whimsical, unforgettable moments -
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