2004 Taiwan 2 marathon trip

1:Tsengwen Reservoir marathon

After face the difficulties of the heat in Singapore marathon,I am looking to enjoy Taiwan 2 marathons,cause the weather there during December is cool at about 19celius,nice for marathon runner to achieve good results.

But for my first Taiwan marathon in Tsengwen Reservoir marathon,cause it is located at south part of Taiwan,so ,i thought it was not so cool,the weather is like in Cameroon,I am nearly wrong,cause running and walking is different...so ,little worry for the race too.

Before the race,i have chance to train with Yung Ho running friends....they always gather together during saturday for team training,even there is a marathon or race on sunday...it is good...cause after Singapore marathon ,I didn't have LSD,so ran with them at a beautifull riverside park at Taipei,they let you select do 10km or 20km ,I choose 10km slow run...and toke photos,after the practice,enjoy their food also.....they always prepare food with themselves.

Talking about Tsengwen reservoir marathon,this year is 21th already,it is oldest in Taiwan marathon history,even didn't provide prize money ,and near to Taipei marathon,is attract a lot of local season runners to take part.

They didn't provide championchip also..so,they mark every runner's number tag before the start to ensure as reporting procedure,if you didn't mark by their judges,then your results will not count.

Their route is similiar with Double hills,so,it is not problem for me.For the first 5km down way...I control my pace,not follow the fast pace group,after reach the street,it is small town ,so went for the flat street and no traffic jam ,the air is fresh....we reach the 11km u-turn,my pace is 6 minutes perkm,felt very good.

Back to the hill road..it was little tough like in double hills,but it is ok for me,even at 20km ,there is a Yung Ho supply station ,got Pocari drink,water,orange,the volunteer also didn't forgot to snap my photos...I toke some orange,it is nice,cause when you feel thirsty ,ate some orange and drink some water...it refill my tired body,like car full with patrol ready to go for another 20km,it is nice feeling liao...even the weather is not so hot,but when I reach 27km,i think i can't all out ,save energy for Taipei marathon,cause there will more exciting,more runners,Tsengwen only about 200 plus,but Taipei marathon have about 1600 runners for full marathon.

I start toke out my camera,it is nice also to snap friend's race photos,before the 31km u-turn ,all the runners which wear Yung Ho or Big foot shirt,cause these two running club will take care of me in Taiwan trip.....hehehehe....so must treat them good also mah....!!

When turn back from 31km,felt the heat liao...especially reach bridge,near the reservoir side....wah lau....lucky I wear pacesetters cap lah....help a lot....!!

I also not forgot to take myself photo ...even ask Taiwan local peoples snap for me at lakeside...so nice lah...if just for race,very rugi liao....!!

But the sky is blue ,hot hot hot ,so rush go some hills reach the finishing point,my friend from Yung Ho toke my finishing photo for me,my time is only 4 hrs 58 minutes ,placing 244,not bad...is it ? hehehehe

After toke few photos,my leg still feel fresh,so ,I guess i can achieve 4 hrs 30 minutes at Taipei ,may be have chance to break my PR.

I received the finisher medal and towel,the cert I received half an hour later,it is very fast and efficient.

Yung Ho provide some nice food for members also,I enjoy it much..even the organiser also provide ginger tea plus yellow sugar,also have one box food,it is nice to finish my first full marathon in Taiwan with no pressure and also injury free.

2:ING Taipei marathon

It is a nice marathon route and also nice weather there,19 degree celcius,starting time is 7am,late or not ? But for runners it is ok lah,but for traffic ,it is not good starting time.

The total runners 16,000 from full and half marathon,plus 9km runners,started all together,it is not good idea,kelam kabut lah....traffic also difficult control,even for half marathon runners,they need to report also difficult,3 different event also face pace different problem.

Anyhow ,I started with little anxious ,cause don't know can reach good results or not,especially I haven't have proper training at Malaysia,but lucky I training every morning with Yung Ho and Big foot running club members at different place ,it help me a lot,it is my analysis after I completed my race with PR time 4 hrs 13 minutes ( my watch time),championchip time can't get ,even after a week,it is learnt that Taipei marathon organiser first time use championchip ,they don't have experience ,no reason given also.....got a lot runners complain pla pla....hahaha.

Yeah,let you all know my daily morning training,some is at 5am,some is at 6am,a lot of them atleast ran 1 hour 30 minutes,especially visit Taruko ,I ride bicycle up hill 3 hours,down hill 1 hour,wah lau,my leg feeling is not belong to me lah,feel almost cramp....I think this help me to get good results in Taipei marathon,if not ,don't know what will happen to my race in Taipei.

The elite runners start early 3 minutes,after that 16,000 runners flag off,the final one is 3km fun run,read next day report said that it have about 70,000 toke part ,a lot of runners don't believe lah....cause 3km fun run is free entry mah.

I keep my pace at 6 minutes per km,it is my plan ,if I can maintain may be will break my PR and have chance to break 4hrs mark.When reach 3km ,i saw one old lady rush crossing the road,I avoid to crash with her,the next also avoid it,but the third one is a veteran runner,crash with the old lady,ah.....this is the sound I heard from behind,lucky the veteran stop to help the old lady.

The sky look cloudy,nice weather,I patient to keep my pace,when reach about 10km,saw a bus block our way infront of traffic,I think taipei peoples also working during sunday lah,they rush for office also,we potong to next road,it was funny lah,may be Taipei peoples don't have patient with marathon runners,I heard a lot of their motorist also complain a lot with traffic police,but the traffic police also can't do anything.

I am surprise by myself ,after little problem with my right foot,it is all ran smoothly,can't believe myself,but after 30km,I met with one Yung Ho friend,he accompany me,advice me don't speed too early,cause that time I still have one hour to finish 12km,may be have little chance to achieve my dream time ,finish sub 4 hours,but this friend pace for me after 3km,he has some pain on leg,advice me keeping my pace,only can faster after 35km,so ,I am very appreciate his advice,that time I still less confidence,even to break my PR,cause I haven't run a full marathon without cramp and walk,so ,little worry puncit at last few km.

After 35km ,I still keep my pace,and I maintain it at 6 minutes per km,so when reach 40km mark,I know I have energy to do faster as I can,break my PR is not easy also,cause my PR 4hrs 25 minutes is set at last year Penang bridge run,it is more than one year ago ,when I across final 1km tunnel,I all out my energy to the finishing point,I jerit jerit kuat kuat to celebrate my time,4 hrs 13 minutes 21 seconds ,yes,I improve more than 12 minutes.

You may surprise my time,but for me,I know my level now is can run 4hrs 30minutes in full marathon,but if I do proper training ,I have chance to do better,like this time ,cause Taiwan running friends training with me at every morning,it help me a lot ,it is my opinion.The other one is I ate three swan mei powder lah,it is prove usefull to prevent cramp,I toke at 27km ,35km and also 37km. For the power gel ,I felt not hungry,however,I also toke it at 32km...replace energy lah....!!

The water station provide every 5km,there have also provide with banana and small bread,I toke some also...enjoy lah....their isotonic drink is Pocari !!

After the run ,I enjoy many nice food in Yung Ho place ,they even cook there,hahaha...unlucky after took some photos,it raining ,but I enjoy with chating with Yung Ho friends,and also one of my ex-colleague also came to share with me.

Totally,Taipei marathon is nice to run,but they need to improve like the use of championchip,can't provide the results immediately or the next day,even at half way also didn't put scanning ,only use ribbon.

And there have some dispute after race,cause national event in women ,first one came back didn't reach one check point,and for the men section,first one reached not champion also,cause one runner late 3 minutes start,use championchip time ,is faster than first one,so,it bring some dispute among runners,use normal time or championchip time ??

Anyway ,I strongly recommend Malaysia runners join the marathon in Taipei at the end of the year,cause the weather is so suitable to achieve good results,also can take travel mah ,right ?
The other one marathon is Taruko,nice view,but whether it held again next year ,is not confirm yet,but if it held again,you all must run oh,view very nice loh......valley view , I like it very much....!!